Does motor programming necessitate response execution?

The complexity of a movement is known to affect the time it takes to initiate the movement. This effect is thought to reflect changes in the duration of processes that operate on a motor program. This question addressed here is whether programming a movement compels the start of its overt execution. If it does, then the programming processes may be said to occur after the "point of no return." We report results from an empirical procedure and a theoretical analysis designed to study processes before and after this point separately. According to our results, changes in the complexity of a movement affect only the prior set of processes. From this we argue that motor programming does not necessitate response execution and that the point of no return occurs very late in the information-processing system.     

Managing multiple chronic conditions in Singapore – Exploring the perspectives and experiences of family caregivers of patients with diabetes and end stage renal disease on haemodialysis

Objective: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the commonest cause of end stage renal disease (ESRD). Despite increasing DM-ESRD prevalence and high dependency on care, there is a lack of literature on DM-ESRD caregivers. We sought to explore the perspectives and experiences of caregivers of patients with DM undergoing haemodialysis in Singapore.

Design: This study employed an exploratory, qualitative design comprising in-depth interviews with caregivers of DM-ESRD patients.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 20 family caregivers (54.2 ± 12.6 years; 75% female) of DM-ESRD patients. Data were analysed using Thematic Analysis.

Results: Key caregiving challenges identified were managing diet, care recipients’ emotions and mobility dependence. Patients’ emotional reactions caused interpersonal conflicts and hindered treatment management. Difficulties in dietary management were linked to patients’ erratic appetite, caregivers’ lack/poor understanding of the dietary guidelines and caregivers’ low perceived competence. Limited resources in terms of social support and finances were also noted. Physical and psychological well-being and employment were adversely affected by caregiving role.

Conclusion: This study highlights distinctive aspects of the DM-ESRD caregiving experience, which impact on caregivers’ health and challenge care. Disease management programmes should be expanded to support caregivers in dealing with multimorbidity.     

Factor structure and psychometric characteristics of the beck depression inventory-II

The present study evaluated the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II; Beck, Steer, & Brown, 1996) in the nonclinical sample of 230 young adults. The BDI-II is a revised version of the BDI-IA. We evaluated the fit of three alternative models to the sample data, using confirmatory factor analysis. Results provided support for the fit of the oblique three-factor model. The BDI-II and factor scales had satisfactory coefficient alpha indices. We obtained gender differences on the BDI-II item, total, and factor scale scores. We examined the relations of the BDI-II with demographic variables and with other self-report measures of social desirability, anxiety, depression, stress, and self-esteem. We also examined the issue of whether specific self-report measures of anxiety and depression assess separate or different constructs. We discuss the limitations of the present study.     

The social phobia and anxiety inventory: Further validation in two nonclinical samples

The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI) has been developed to assess specific symptoms of social phobia and agoraphobia. Although the SPAI was developed with both clinical and nonclinical populations, research with this measure is currently focused primarily on clinical samples. We examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the SPAI in adult community and college undergraduate samples. We found that single-sample and multisample confirmatory factor analyses provided support for extending use of the correlated two-factor SPAI subscales to our nonclinical samples. In addition, we found evidence for the internal consistency reliability of the SPAI subscales in both samples. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Psychometric functions and a correlation model of binaural detection

Sets of psychometric functions for the detection of tone in noise are reexamined for several interaural listening conditions. Best-fit sets of functions are determined for a “correlation” model of binaural masking level differences (MLDs). Based on only three parameters, this model predicts both the forms and relative positions of all such functions. The finding that MLDs are relatively independent of the detection level chosen for their determination is predicted by the model, and the sets of theoretical functions describe the data nearly as well as a previously determined empirical relation which requires M + 1 parameters for M curves.     

Weber’s law,the “near miss,” and binaural detection

Weber functions (ΔI/I in dB) for gated 250-Hz tones were studied for monaural and several binaural stimulus configurations (homophasic, and antiphasic with varying phase angle for addition of signal to masker). The various cues for discrimination of signal plus masker from masker alone are functions of intensity increments at one or both ears, an intensity increment at one ear coupled with a decrement at the other, or the introduction of a phase difference between the ears. The decline of the Weber fraction with increasing masker level (the “near miss” to Weber’s law) was confirmed for monaural discrimination over the entire 40-dB range, and a similar rate of decline was found for various binaural stimuli over the lower half of that range. The data also confirm the individual differences found in other studies for sensitivity favoring either interaural amplitude or interaural phase shifts.     

Misinterpretation of conditional statements in Wason's selection task

Errors may be made on Wason's selection task because either (a) the rule to be tested is misunderstood, or (b) reasoning from that rule is inaccurate, or both. We report two experiments using the experimental paradigm introduced by Gebauer and Laming in which subjects are given six problems in succession. We use the subset of cards selected by each subject as (a) an indication of how the rule is understood and, when that selection is consistent throughout all six problems (so that we can infer a consistent understanding of the rule), as (b) a basis for evaluating the accuracy of the subject's reasoning according to three independent criteria. Experiment 1 adds an exactly parallel contextual version of the task to permit comparison between performances (by the same subjects) on the two versions. Experiment 2 repeats Exp. 1, but with negatives inserted in the conditional rule. Most subjects make a consistent selection of cards throughout all six problems, but typically appear to misunderstand the rule. This is so in both abstract and contextual tasks and replicates the finding by Gebauer and Laming. Most misunderstandings consisted of either (a) reading the simple conditional rule as a bi-conditional or (b) substituting “top/underneath” for “one side/other side”. In Exp. 1 subjects seldom misevaluated the rule they appeared to be testing, but such “errors” of evaluation were common in Exp. 2. Negatives confuse the subjects and should not be used in any conditional application that matters. In Exp. 2 (but not 1) there was a significant correlation between interpretations of the two tasks. We provide an explanation of “matching bias” (it results from the confluence of the two common misunderstandings above) and comment on “mental models” which are, at present, unable to accommodate the variety of results we present here. We also relate our experimental paradigm to the conditional inference task and to truth tables. Received: 26 February 1999 / Accepted: 5 November 1999     

The Influences of Parent and Peer Attachment on Bullying

Individuals with secure attachments to parents and peers are less likely to be bullies and victims of bullying. The current study examined the interplay between gender, parent attachment, and peer attachment as factors related to roles (bullying involvement, defending a victim, and outsider) during bullying. One-hundred forty-eight adolescents (M age?=?15.68) completed surveys about parent and peer attachment and roles during bullying. Findings indicated that females were less likely than males to be involved in bullying and were more likely than males to defend a victim or be an outsider (ps?<?.05). Greater attachment security to parents and peers was associated with less involvement in bullying and greater defending of victims (ps?<?.05). Additionally, a significant three-way interaction demonstrated that greater peer attachment security predicted less bullying involvement for those with lower parent attachment security (p?<?.05), but not for those with higher parent attachment security (p?>?.05). However, this was only true for males (p?<?.01). These results indicate that having a secure attachment to peers may be a potential protective factor against bullying involvement for males with insecure attachments to parents. Future research should examine the possible mechanisms involved in the association between attachment and bullying, such as empathy, aggression, or social information processing.     

Nudging: A Lesson in the Theatrics of Choice

The aim of this piece is to clarify three key matters: (a) the extent to which, as citizens, our volition is impacted as a result of the implementation of nudges in the health domain; (b) the efficacy of educational campaigns as a means of behavioral change relative to other nudges as well as typical regulatory instruments; and (c) the empirical, theoretical, and practical details that ethical debates concerning nudges might want to consider.