Semantic clustering as a neuropsychological predictor for amnestic-MCI

Recent research has demonstrated that patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) show deficits in semantic processing when compared to cognitively healthy individuals. This difference is thought to be attributed to losses in higher cortical systems that are predominantly associated with executive functioning. The first aim of the study will be to determine if differences in semantic clustering can accurately differentiate patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) from cognitively normal (CN) individuals. The second aim will be to determine the extent to which semantic processing might be associated with executive functions. Data from 202 (134 CN, 68 aMCI) participants were analyzed to quantify differences in semantic clustering ratios on the HVLT-R. Study participants ages ranged from 51 to 87 with education ranging from 6 to 20 years. ANCOVA revealed statistically significant differences on semantic clustering ratios (p < .001). Moderate correlations between semantic clustering Category Fluency Test (r = .45) were also found. Statistically significant group differences were also present on Trails-B and WAIS-R Digit Symbol performance (p < .001). Overall, these data indicate that deficits in semantic clustering are present in aMCI patients.     

Self-actualization from an Eastern Perspective—A Preliminary Exploration

Growth of the branches of humanistic and positive psychology has brought in a paradigm shift in the understanding of human nature and behavior from the reductionistic and mechanistic perspectives. Emphasis on the study of the self necessitates greater use of a qualitative subjective methodological framework. In this respect, the current Western approach falls short in front of the Eastern philosophy, which has an array of such procedures and methodologies, which practitioners of humanistic and positive psychology are now exploring. The Indian systems of thought elaborate on the means to realizing or knowing the true nature of the self within, through the multi-faceted and individualized process of Yoga. Alternative systems of Yoga are provided that could be practiced by individuals based on their subjective preferences and suitability. The major alternatives that have been identified are Bhakti, Jnana, Karma and Raja Yoga. In this context, the present study is a pilot attempt to explore self-actualization among practitioners of two paths of Yoga i.e. Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga. The opinions and beliefs of the practitioners on variables related to the self and its actualization, as also their world-views are explored. Implications on personality, distinguishing characteristics and the functioning of self are proposed, to enable an individual to adopt a suitable path.     

Investigating Predictors of Superior Face Recognition Ability in Police Super‐recognisers

There are large individual differences in the ability to recognise faces. Super‐recognisers are exceptionally good at face memory tasks. In London, a small specialist pool of police officers (also labelled ‘super‐recognisers’ by the Metropolitan Police Service) annually makes 1000's of suspect identifications from closed‐circuit television footage. Some suspects are disguised, have not been encountered recently or are depicted in poor quality images. Across tests measuring familiar face recognition, unfamiliar face memory and unfamiliar face matching, the accuracy of members of this specialist police pool was approximately equal to a group of non‐police super‐recognisers. Both groups were more accurate than matched control members of the public. No reliable relationships were found between the face processing tests and object recognition. Within each group, however, there were large performance variations across tests, and this research has implications for the deployment of police worldwide in operations requiring officers with superior face processing ability. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mental imagery and synaesthesia: Is synaesthesia from internally-generated stimuli possible?

Previous studies provide empirical support for the reported colour experience in grapheme-colour synaesthesia by measuring the synaesthetic experience from an externally presented grapheme. The current study explored the synaesthetic experience resulting from a visual mental image of a grapheme. Grapheme-colour synaesthetes (N=6) and matched controls (N=10 per synaesthete) completed a visual mental imagery task that involved visualising a letter and making a size-based decision about it. The background colour that the grapheme was visualised against was manipulated so that it was congruent or incongruent with the synaesthetic colour for the grapheme being visualised. Compared to matched controls, an effect of colour condition was found for four of the six synaesthetes, although importantly the direction of the effect varied between synaesthetes. In addition, a significant effect of group was found, as the synaesthetes were all faster than the matched controls at the imagery task, regardless of background colour. We conclude that there is some support for subjective reports of imagery-induced synaesthesia, but there are important individual differences. These findings are discussed in relation to both the visual imagery and synaesthesia literature.     

Pseudoneglect in back space

Successful interaction with the environment depends upon our ability to retain and update visuo-spatial information of both front and back egocentric space. Several studies have observed that healthy people tend to show a displacement of the egocentric frame of reference towards the left. However representation of space behind us (back space) has never been systematically investigated in healthy people. In this study, by means of a novel visual imagery task performed within a virtual reality environment, we found that representation of right back space is perceived as smaller than the left. These results suggest that there is a selective compression or distortion for mental representation related to the right space behind us.     

The future of Canadian counselling psychology: Doctoral students

Little is known about the overall characteristics and beliefs of Canadian counselling psychology doctoral students. An online survey was administered to 43 doctoral students across all Canadian counselling psychology programmes, representing an approximate 26% response rate. Results indicated that the average age of doctoral students in the sample was about 32 years and that the majority were women (about 77% in the sample). Additionally, findings can be taken to suggest that participants were satisfied with their choice of counselling psychology as a career. The doctoral students sampled primarily practised from an integrationist theoretical standpoint and spent very little of their practice time providing formal psychological assessment services or career counselling. Participants generally intervened through individual counselling or psychotherapy and were focused on disorder treatment rather than preventative or developmental services. Curriculum changes that should be considered from the results of this study pertain to the topics of assessment, career counselling, advocacy/media skills, professional identity development and prevention/developmental interventions. The results of this study can also be taken to predict characteristics of the next generation of Canadian counselling psychologists and the future practice of counselling psychology in Canada.     

A global portrait of counselling psychologists’ characteristics,perspectives, and professional behaviors

Counseling psychologists in eight countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States) responded to survey questions that focused on their demographics as well as their professional identities, roles, settings, and activities. As well, they were asked about satisfaction with the specialty and the extent to which they endorsed 10 core counseling psychology values. This article reports those results, focusing both on areas in which there were between-country similarities as well as on those for which there were differences. These data provide a snapshot of counseling psychology globally and establish a foundation for the other articles in this special issue of the journal.     

The therapeutic alliance and the interface of career counseling and personal counseling

This article proposes a very specific pathway for bringing career counseling back into mainstream counseling psychology: more explicit research and clinical attention to the therapeutic alliance. The author hopes that this abbreviated review on the alliance serves as an impetus for increased attention to the alliance in career counseling theory, research, and practice as well as for including training in alliance formation and strengthening in career counselor education and supervision.