Skilled speechreading: A single-case study

In a case study the cognitive characteristics of a skilled visual speechreader (SJ) was examined and compared to a control group. SJ is a 56 year old woman, skilled in visual speechreading. She differs from most of the 119 individuals in the control group, as she uses a particular speechreading strategy in which she attempts to repeat overtly each spoken word as soon as it has been uttered, and to summarize and fill in missing pieces of information whenever it is possible (e.g., during pauses) during the conversation.
SJ outperformed the control group on three types of tasks; a reading span task, performance in the asymptote level in the serial position curve, and verbal inference-making. SJ's results were discussed with respect to (a) how they relate to the general case (i.e., models based on group-data) and to (b) her speechreading strategy. From a clinical perspective it was suggested that it might be possible to practice the strategy as such, but any possible improvement is dependent on the individual's capability to process information in this way.     

Chromatic rod vision VIII. Simultaneous contrast

Stabell, U. & Stabell, B. Chromatic rod vision. VIII. Simultaneous contrast. Scand. J. Psychol., 1973, 14, 1619.-Compared with the curve of additive opponent hue, the curve of scotopic hue of simultaneous contrast was found to be displaced toward blue in the orange and green-yellow regions of inducing field. The results are explained on the assumptions that (a) change of disposition for scotopic hue reflects variation in ratio of primary hue-related processes of inducing field, and (b) the chromatic-related opponent processes, in a dark-adapted and chromatically neutral eye, are of equal magnitude within the photochromatic interval.     

Comprehension and belief structure

Abstract.— A reader's belief structure is suggested to affect the way he processes incoming information. It is analyzed in terms of what propositions the reader regards as true (the truth values) and of how the reader discriminates between propositions as to truth value (the discrimination index). In a study on 20 psychology students, the comprehension task involved matching single statements to a previously read text. The statements represented two different ideas, whereas the text represented only one. The subjects' belief structure in terms of statements accepted (truth value) and statements discriminated as to truth value (discrimination index) was related to the way in which they matched the same Statements to the previously read text (comprehension). Truth values and discrimination indices together were found to account for 39% of the interindividual variation in comprehension after the first reading and for 50 % of that variation after the second reading. It is suggested that a reader, when confronted with a new text, arrives at the most probable interpretation of that text by turning to his own belief structure.     

Context-dependent latent inhibition in taste aversion learning

The effects of taste stimulus preexposure, either in the presence or in the absence of a specific contextual cue consisting of a specific noise-producing bottle, upon the conditioning and testing of conditioned taste aversions to the taste (saccharin) plus context (noisy-bottle) compound stimulus were investigated. Four groups of rats were given preexposure trials (latent inhibition) to either: (1) novel saccharin in novel noisy bottles, (2) novel saccharin in familiar silent bottles, (3) familiar water in novel noisy bottles, (4) familiar water in familiar silent bottles, in six trials. During conditioning, saccharin was presented in the noisy bottles followed by lithium chloride for all the groups. At testing, saccharin was presented in the noisy bottles for both one-bottle and two-bottle tests of aversion. It was indicated that the conditioning decrement produced after both saccharin and noisy bottle preexposure was overwhelmingly greater than any produced after preexposure to the elements. These results, discussed in relation to current theories of latent inhibition and perceptual learning, further underline the overwhelming significance of exteroceptive contextual elements in conditioned taste aversions.     

The role of religion in heart-transplant recipients' long-term health and well-being

While religion has long been recognized clinically to provide important coping strategies in the face of serious health problems, there has been little systematic consideration of its role in organ transplant recipients' long-term reactions and adjustment to this experience. This study examines these issues through qualitative and quantitative evaluation of longitudinal data collected from 40 adult heart recipients followed during their first year post-transplant. Large proportions of recipients expressed strong beliefs and were able to increase religious participation over the 12-month study period. They delineated specific ways in which their faith had provided them support, as well as ways in which the transplant experience itself further strengthened their beliefs. We found empirical evidence that recipients with strong beliefs who participated in religious activities had better physical and emotional well-being, fewer health worries, and better medical compliance by the final 12-month assessment. The findings suggest the development of specific nursing, social-service, or pastoral-involvement strategies, continuing staff education about the role of religion in patient care. The implications of such interventions for maximizing quality of life in transplant recipients are discussed.This study was funded by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health.     

Cerebral asymmetry in autonomic conditioning to facial expressions: Sex differences

In the present experiment, sex differences in hemispheric asymmetry during classical conditioning to emotional stimuli are reported. 125 subjects (62 females and 63 males) were shown a slide of a happy face in the right (or left) visual half field (VHF), and simultaneously a slide of an angry face in the left (or right) VHF. Eight groups were formed by the combination of male and female subjects; left and right VHF positions of the angry/happy faces; and the administration/omission of the shock unconditioned stimulus (UCS). Dependent measures were skin conductance responses recorded from both hands. The results during extinction showed a significant larger SCR magnitude to the shock compared to the no-shock groups only for the female subjects. CS position during conditioning was also important in revealing differential responding to either the happy or angry faces. A right hemisphere effect was found for the angry face CS for both the male and female subjects, however with a greater difference for the females.     

Recursive messages in quantitative communication

The article concerns quantitative messages as opposed to "classifying" messages described in traditional communication theory. Recursive statements are an important part of quantitative messages. The structure and function of recursive statements are analysed. The mathematical principle of recursion is briefly outlined and the article offers a general method of analysing quantitative communication in terms of simple computer simulation. The relationship between recursive and paradoxical communication is pointed out. Finally, the possible application of recursive messages in therapy is discussed.     

The neural basis of updating: Distinguishing substitution processes from other concurrent processes

Sörqvist, P. & Sætrevik, B. (2010). The neural basis of updating: Distinguishing substitution processes from other concurrent processes. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 51, 357–362. Most previous studies of updating processes have not been able to contrast processes of substituting items in memory with other concurrent processes. In the present investigation, we used a new task called “number updating” and an fMRI protocol to contrast the activation of trials that require item substitution (adding a new item to the working memory representation and suppressing an old item) with trials that involve no substitution (discarding the new item). Trials that require item substitution activated the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the posterior medial frontal cortex and the parietal lobes, areas typically seen activated for working memory tasks in general. Trials that do not require substitution activated the anterior medial frontal cortex. Studies examining executive functions have associated this area with cognitive conflict, and may represent suppression of the substitution processes.     

Definitions of Suicide and Self‐Harm Behavior in an Australian Aboriginal Community

In this small qualitative grounded theory study (21 interviews and focus groups with a total of 26 participants) investigating the understandings of and attitudes toward suicide and self‐harm of Aboriginal peoples in a coastal region of New South Wales, Australia, we found that cultural factors particular to these communities influence the way such behavior is defined in an Aboriginal context. A continuation of certain “traditional” cultural forms of self‐harm behavior was evident in participant definitions, notably the practice of female hair cutting, also described as a mourning ritual, which appears to serve as a marker both to the individual and others.