Memory for common objects: brief intentional study is sufficient to overcome poor recall of US coin features

Prior studies have explained the very poor recall for the features of a coin in terms of visual characteristics. Two experiments compared incidental exposure and intentional study of US coins on recall of their features. In Experiment 1, recall performance for a rarely seen Mercury dime after a 1-min study period was better than that for an unstudied penny, even when the test on the dime was delayed 1 week. In Experiment 2, participants studied the dime for 15, 30, 45, or 60 s. Recall of the dime was greater than that of the unstudied penny even with the shortest study interval. Thus, a high level of recall of a coin's features can be obtained with brief intentional study, and that level can be maintained across a long delay interval. These findings suggest that poor retention of coin features is due to incidental exposure rather than to visual characteristics. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

ADULT READING HABITS AND PATTERNS

This study was designed to examine the reading habits and patterns of White and Asian American adults. It presents an analysis of 115 adult responses to a questionnaire about their reading habits and patterns. Specifically, it was hypothesized that when grouped by demographic variables, participants' responses about their reading habits and patterns would not differ. The t test and chi-square analyses were used to test significance of differences between subjects. Differences were found between the groups for reading habits and for reading patterns. Pearson r values were calculated to determine relationships between participants' reading habits and patterns. Both positive and negative relationships were found. Additionally, through multiple regression analyses, it was determined that gender, race, and education were predictors for participants' reading habits; education and race were predictors for reading patterns.     

Figure-background perception in right and left hemispheres of human commissurotomy subjects

The right and left hemispheres of four complete commissurotomy subjects were tested for the ability to recognize and integrate figure and background elements of composite visual stimuli. In the first experiment the subjects were required to identify from a four-choice array in free vision the stimulus card that matched the briefly lateralized sample stimulus. For all subjects the left hemispheres was proficient at identifying the figure, but performed at near-chance level in recognizing the textured background. In contrast, the right hemisphere was equally adapt at identifying figures and backgrounds. Both hemispheres could easily identify the isolated figure or background from a choice array, demonstrating that the observed hemisphere effects were due to figure-background interactions rather than the result of any difficulty in processing specific elements of the composite stimulus. The second experiment involved the determination of the size and position of a dot that appeared against various plain and textured backgrounds. The right hemisphere of two subjects, but not the left, performed with greater accuracy when the background consisted of a 'natural' texture gradient rather than a plain white backing. Similar though less consistent results were obtained when an inverted gradient or an evenly spaced grid was used as the background. For each condition, right-hemisphere performance resembled that of normal control subjects. In contrast, the left hemisphere provided a pattern of results dissimilar to that of control subjects for the various figure-background tasks described. It appeared to be generally insensitive to background effects, except when the information provided by the background was highly unusual, as from an inverted texture gradient. The results suggest a preeminent role for the right hemisphere in the recognition of background components of a whole-field stimulus, sensitivity to the influence of the background on the perception of an object, and the ability to use natural perspective cues to assist in the accurate perception of an object.     

Developmental Changes in Self-Perceptions of Intelligence and Self-Confidence

Sex differences in self-perceptions of intelligence and self-confidence were examined among third through eighth graders. In third grade, differences between the sexes were small and, in the case of perceptions of intelligence, favored the females. By fifth grade, males were more likely to describe themselves as smart and self-confident than were females. These differences persisted into the eighth grade. Further analyses indicated that the sex differences could not be adequately explained by the process of internalizing sex-stereotypes.