Working memory as internal attention: Toward an integrative account of internal and external selection processes

Working memory (WM) and attention have been studied as separate cognitive constructs, although it has long been acknowledged that attention plays an important role in controlling the activation, maintenance, and manipulation of representations in WM. WM has, conversely, been thought of as a means of maintaining representations to voluntarily guide perceptual selective attention. It has more recently been observed, however, that the contents of WM can capture visual attention, even when such internally maintained representations are irrelevant, and often disruptive, to the immediate external task. Thus, the precise relationship between WM and attention remains unclear, but it appears that they may bidirectionally impact one another, whether or not internal representations are consistent with the external perceptual goals. This reciprocal relationship seems, further, to be constrained by limited cognitive resources to handle demands in either maintenance or selection. We propose here that the close relationship between WM and attention may be best described as a give-and-take interdependence between attention directed toward either actively maintained internal representations (traditionally considered WM) or external perceptual stimuli (traditionally considered selective attention), underpinned by their shared reliance on a common cognitive resource. Put simply, we argue that WM and attention should no longer be considered as separate systems or concepts, but as competing and influencing one another because they rely on the same limited resource. This framework can offer an explanation for the capture of visual attention by irrelevant WM contents, as well as a straightforward account of the underspecified relationship between WM and attention.     

Religious Discourse and Cyberspace

This article explores the evolution and development of a typology of cyberspatial religious discourse over the course of a few years. The vast quantity of information published on the Net requires the creation of a typology in order to identify and classify the different approaches, attitudes, applications and functions of religion on and in cyberspace. The three different typologies indicate, on the one hand, the versatile character of cyberspace, and on the other hand, the ever-expanding nature of its perimeters. They show that cyberspatial discourse, religious or not, cannot be confined within restricted boundaries but must be perceived as a changeable and unforeseen structure, having the capacity to adapt itself according to the visions, fantasies, ingenuities and inventiveness of the users. They also suggest that despite the rhizomatic construction of cyberspace, the information published on the innumerable religious sites can be systematised in a ‘logical’ formation.     

Differential Correlates of Positive-Based and Negative-Based Incentives in Motivation

We studied the distinction between two contrasting types of positive incentive value, one type based on approaching positive affect (positive-based value or PBV), the other on avoiding negative affect (negative-based value or NBV). Indices of the two types were highly correlated with each other, but structural equations modeling also suggested different patterns of relationships for the two. NBV increased and PBV decreased when goals were perceived as necessary rather than freely chosen. Frequent prior attainment of a goal was associated with reduced PBV but had no clear relation to NBV. Results were qualified by interactions with motivational orientation of raters, but the NBV—PBV contrast may be functional and may overlap with other theoretical distinctions in the literature.     

Excess of mixed-footedness among professional soccer players

This study concerns the distribution of footedness among professional soccer players (n=415) and nonsporting university students (n=430). Chi-squared showed that there were statistically significant differences between the proportion of mixed-footedness in the two groups (p<.0001). It appears that mixed-footedness or the ability to use both feet with an almost equal consistency is an important factor in the potential of individuals to reach high skill in soccer play. The mixed-footedness of these professional soccer players can be understood best in terms of both the nature of the game and genetic predisposition. This result is of direct interest in the context of those activities in which structural and functional biases in the lower extremities are important variables in acquisition and performance of motor skill.     

Holland Type as a Moderator of Personality-Performance Predictions

This study explored the value of using Holland's theory of vocational personality types and work environments for improving predictions of personality-performance relations. Upper level undergraduates representing the RIASEC environments completed the Self-Directed Search and a measure of the Five-Factor Model of personality that were used to predict grades. Overall, agreeableness and conscientiousness accounted for approximately 2% to 3% of the variance in performance. However, when the data were analyzed further by RIASEC environment, more than 9% of the variance in performance was accounted for with personality scores. This study supports assertions in the literature that predictions of performance using global traits, such as conscientiousness, can be improved using appropriate moderators. Furthermore, important relations between personality and performance can be masked if job context is ignored.     

Assessing parents' self-efficacy beliefs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece

The aim of the present study is to establish the psychometric properties of the Self-Efficacy for Parenting Tasks Index-Toddler Scale (SEPTI-TS) in the Greek educational context and to examine changes in parenting self-efficacy over time. The Short Form of SEPTI-TS was used to evaluate parents' self-efficacy on four different domains: nurturance, discipline, play and routine. A sample of 159 parents of children aged from 3 to 5 years completed an online survey at two time periods before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results supported the proposed SEPTI-TS dimensionality (comparative fit index = .905, root-mean-square error of approximation = .053, standardised root mean square residual = .055). The results showed that the average parenting self-efficacy scores regarding discipline, play and routine were lower than parenting self-efficacy scores of those domains before the COVID-19 pandemic. Results also indicated that parents feel high self-efficacy for play with their children, whereas they perceive low self-efficacy for children's discipline. Good practices are discussed to address new challenges to Greek parents.     

The effect of smoothing functions on data obtained from a FFT

This research investigated the effect on power spectra when data-smoothing functions were used on EEG data prior to submitting them to a FFT. We used two smoothing function options: not using any smoothing function and using the Parzen smoothing function. We developed a program to evaluate each of these functions with real and standard data. When a set of data is submitted to smoothing prior to being submitted to a FFT, there are statistically significant differences in the power spectra obtained from the FFT. This finding holds true for standard waveforms as well as for real EEG data.     

Does eye contact increase counsellor-client rapport?

Data from nine counselling interviews (M length = 48 minutes) were examined for the relationship between counsellor eye contact and client-perceived rapport Using the Standardized Client procedure previously reported (Sharpley, Guidara & Rowley, 1994), minute-by-minute ratings of rapport were made by the client, and later collapsed to give mean values for eye contact for ‘moderate’ versus ‘very high’ rapport minutes. There were no significant overall differences in the frequency of eye contact across these two sets of minutes. In an additional exploratory analysis of the data, the frequencies of eye contact for moderate versus very high rapport minutes were plotted across all minutes of the interviews. These data revealed two distinct patterns of usage, enabling some hypotheses to be drawn regarding the effective use of eye contact here. Implications for training and avenues for further research are discussed.     

The construction of the self: An evolutionary view

Contemporary research on the construction of the self emphasizes the products rather than the process of self-development. Borrowing from the writings of William James and contemporary views of natural selection, we propose a model ofevolutionary self-construction. Grounded in the principles of evolution and the philosophy of pragmatism, evolutionary self-construction proposes a process that guides the seeking of “truth” inpossible selves. According to this view, the self develops in response to uncertainty reduction with the “correct” self identified via the “sentiment of rationality.” Selves presently identified as correct are considered to be “instruments of action” that facilitate the interaction between an individual and the environment. Selected selves can then be developed to one’s best advantage and presented in an optimal fashion. This model helps organize contemporary frameworks around a common theme and embraces affect as a central component in the development of the self. A previous version of this paper was presented at the 98th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Boston, MA.     

Assessing the simulation of chaotic systems

Three commercially available software packages—BrainMaker, MicroSaint, and Extend—that simulate the function and operation of neural networks were compared on 11 dimensions. Also, a task-oriented analysis was done on the ability of the programs to use a neural network to output a chaotic array generated by the logistic equation. There were differences in the amount of operator overhead among the programs, but the differences in the simulation performance were not considered to be appreciable.