Intentions and expectations in temporal binding

Recently, it has been shown that the perceived times of voluntary movements and their effects are perceived as shifted towards each other. This temporal binding phenomenon was explained by an integrated representation of movement and effect, facilitating operant learning and the experience of intentionality. Here, we investigated whether temporal binding depends on explicit intentional attributions. In Experiment 1, participants intended to either produce or avoid producing an effect (a tone) by the timing of their movements, with the ratio of success being fixed at 2:1. In Experiments 2 and 3, the influence of the action-effect contingency ratio on temporal binding was controlled for by removing the intentional attribution of the effect. The results indicate that temporal binding is a general associative mechanism that facilitates the learning of movement-effect contingencies. Beyond that, temporal binding is sensitive to explicit intentional attributions, which selectively enhance the link between an intentional movement and the effect a moving agent intends to produce.     

Priming of semantic classifications by novel subliminal prime words

Four experiments demonstrate category congruency priming by subliminal prime words that were never seen as targets in a valence-classification task (Experiments 1, 2, and 4) and a gender-classification task (Experiment 3). In Experiment 1, overlap in terms of word fragments of one or more letters between primes and targets of different valences was larger than between primes and targets of the same valence. In Experiments 2 and 3, the sets of prime words and target words were completely disjoint in terms of used letters. In Experiment 4, pictures served as targets. The observed subliminal priming effects for novel primes cannot be driven by partial analysis of primes at the word-fragment level; they suggest instead that primes were processed semantically as whole words contingent upon prime duration.     

Task-set inhibition in chunked task sequences

Exploring the hierarchical control relationship between different levels of representation and processing is important for understanding how the mind controls itself. In the present study, the relationship between chunking (a sequence-level process) and task-set inhibition (a task-level process) in the performance of task sequences was investigated to evaluate the hypothesis that within-chunk facilitation reduces then−2 repetition cost (slower performance forn−2 task repetitions than forn−2 task switches) attributed to task-set inhibition. An experiment is reported in which subjects were induced to chunk sequences such thatn−2 repetitions occurred within or between chunks. Direct evidence of chunking was obtained, andn−2 repetition cost was smaller whenn−2 repetitions occurred within chunks than between chunks. These findings are consistent with an elaborated hypothesis that attributes the reduction inn−2 repetition cost to priming of task goals rather than direct modulation of task-set inhibition.     

Knowledge alters visual contrast sensitivity

Research has shown that the visual system’s sensitivity to variations in luminance (visual contrast) within a particular area of the retina is affected in a bottom-up fashion by the ambient contrast levels in nearby regions. Specifically, changes in the ambient contrast in areas surrounding the target area alter the sensitivity to visual contrast within the target area. More recent research has shown that paying attention to the target or target area modulates contrast sensitivity, suggesting a top-down influence over contrast sensitivity that is mediated by attention. Here we report another form of top-down influence over contrast sensitivity that is unlikely to be mediated by attention. In particular, we show that knowledge and/or expectations about the levels of visual contrast that may appear in upcoming targets also affect how sensitive the observer is to the contrast in the target. This sort of knowledge-driven, top-down contrast sensitivity control could be used to preset the visual system’s contrast sensitivity to maximize discriminability and to protect contrast-sensitive processes from a contrast overload. Overall, our results suggest that existing models of contrast sensitivity might benefit from the inclusion of top-down control mechanisms.     

The Biobehavioral Model of Persuasion: Generating Challenge Appraisals to Promote Health1

By borrowing from the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat, we may understand when health communications adequately motivate behavior change or when they are overly distressing and inhibit behavior change. The present studies were guided by the biobehavioral model of persuasion, which predicts that different health appeals should evoke different appraisals, as well as psychological and physiological responses that motivate the adoption or rejection of health behaviors. Challenging messages should be associated with approach motivational tendencies, whereas threatening messages should be linked to avoidance. Findings from 2 experiments support the biobehavioral model of persuasion and offer mechanisms that confer message effectiveness. By understanding the psychological and physiological processes that drive message effectiveness, message designers can create more effective health appeals.     

Social Comparison and Information Transmission in the Work Context

In the workplace, people can experience various types of failure and frustrations resulting in spontaneous social comparisons with other colleagues who are more (upward comparison) or less (downward comparison) successful. Upward comparisons especially have been shown to increase envy toward the outperforming benchmark colleague, which could negatively affect social interaction with this colleague. In line with this, our results consistently show that upward comparisons are associated with higher levels of experienced envy, as well as with a lower transmission rate of high-quality information. By contrast, type of social comparison had no impact on the amount of transmitted low-quality, work-relevant information. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Operant generalization of auditory tempo in quail neonates

Operant generalization, a building block of cognition, has never been studied in neonates. We developed a preparation for newly hatched quail in order to investigate the form of the generalization gradient very early in development. For their first 4–5 days after hatching, northern bobwhite chicks pecked for brief heat presentations while hearing a high-pitched sound repeated at a constant rate (nondifferential training). Tempo generalization was then assessed in extinction. A significantly excitatory average gradient resulted despite minimal postnatal experience.     

Therapie des chronisch-komplexen Tinnitus

Tinnitus ist ein Ph?nomen, welches für fast jeden Menschen physiologisch unter ruhigen Umgebungsbedingungen subjektiv wahrnehmbar wird. Im psychosomatisch-psychotherapeutischen Setting ist dieses Symptom in der Regel im Rahmen einer Somatisierungsst?rung (F45.0; F45.1) oder des chronisch-komplexen Tinnitus (F54.0, H93.1) anzutreffen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein integrativer HNO-?rztlicher und psychosomatischer Therapieansatz vorgestellt: Ziel der Behandlung ist es, die Komponenten der akustischen Wahrnehmung zu reorganisieren, das Ohrger?usch und die psychisch emotionale Wertung zu entkoppeln sowie dessen psychologische Bedeutung zu ?ndern. Weiters wird ein Modell vorgestellt, wie die Depression – als h?ufigste komorbide Achse-I-St?rung – in das diagnostisch- therapeutische Erkl?rungsmodell integriert werden kann. Zuletzt werden M?glichkeiten er?rtert, wie Patienten mit chronisch-komplexem Tinnitus zur Aufnahme einer psychotherapeutischen Behandlung motiviert werden k?nnen.     

Erinnerungen an Hannes

Dein Tod hat eine Leere hinterlassen, die schwer zu füllen sein wird. Seltsamerweise ist kein Schmerz in mir, nur ein dankbares Erinnern an fünf Jahre, die ich für dich da war, für dich da sein durfte. T?glich bin ich um die Mittagszeit zu dir gefahren, um dich zu füttern, dir ein wenig Gesellschaft zu leisten, dein unweigerliches Versinken in deine eigene Welt, wenn schon nicht aufzuhalten, denn das war unm?glich, so doch zumindest ein wenig hinauszuz?gern.