Effect of context on perception of emotion among psychiatric patients

The purpose of this research was to examine the extent to which verbal statements of context influence psychiatric patients' perception of photographs of emotion (fear, anger, sadness, and happiness). The major findings showed that, when photographs were paired congruently with context statements, there were significant changes in agreement among subjects on two of the four emotion stimuli. There was significantly less agreement on the meaning of facial expressions when the stimuli for fear, anger, and happiness were accompanied by incongruent verbal statements than when they were viewed alone. These data appear to have implications for practitioners working with this population.     

Automatic detection vs controlled search: a paper-and-pencil approach

A new measure of selective attention was presented to 259 normal volunteers. The test was derived from earlier work which emphasized the importance of controlling the distracting conditions using a selective-attention paradigm. In the present study a paper-and-pencil, digit-cancellation format was introduced and the data documented a significant dissociation between tasks analogous to controlled search and automatic detection, two theoretically important aspects of selective attention. Presented is a discussion of similarities and differences of the new measure and classical methods of discriminating between controlled search and automatic detection and the potential significance of this discrimination in clinical neuropsychological investigations.     

Tactile selective attention and temporal masking

The presentation of a nontarget stimulus to one fingerpad interferes with the identification of a target stimulus presented to a second fingerpad. This interference has been attributed to a failure of selective attention and, more specifically, to the nontarget’s eliciting a competing response. In the present study, the temporal interval between the target and nontarget was varied to determine the extent to which a nontarget primes a competing response. The results showed more interference when the nontarget was presented after the target than when it was presented before the target. Although still consistent with a response-competition explanation, this result offered no support for a priming explanation. The function relating the amount of interference to the temporal separation between the target and nontarget was similar to the functions obtained in studies of temporal masking, and this prompted a second experiment in which temporal masking was examined. These results, obtained with stimuli presented to the same fingerpad, indicate that response competition may be a major factor in temporal masking and that similar processes are involved in temporal masking and selective attention.     

The Well-being of Salvadoran Refugees

Recently arrived and settled Salvadoran refugees and Anglo-Canadians in London, Ontario were compared with respect to psychological distress, quality of life, and life satisfaction. A matched sample of 60 participants in each group completed a demographic questionnaire, the Brief Symptom Inventory, a shortened version of the Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale in either English or Spanish. Significant group differences were obtained on measures of quality of life and life satisfaction, but not of psychological distress. The results are discussed in relation to findings with other refugee groups.     

The Costs of Type B Behavior: Females at Risk in Achievement Situations'

This study investigated the costs associated with the Type B behavior pattern in an achievement task completed by 84 male and female fifth- and sixth-grade students preselected for their Type A-B scores. We hypothesized that the achievement behaviors of Type B girls, in comparison to boys and Type A girls, would be most negatively affected by failure experiences. Hypothesis-testing strategies were assessed during a discrimination task that included eight training, four forced failure, and four success problems. Self-ratings of performance were obtained following failure and success experiences, and preference for challenge was measured. As expected. Type B girls in comparison to all other children showed the greatest decrement in their hypothesis-testing strategies during failure, appeared to have the most difficulty recovering from failure, were the only group to view their performance following success as poorer than other children's performance, and exhibited the least preference for challenge. These findings suggest that Type B girls are at risk in achievement situations.     

Multivariate analyses of cognitive and cognitive style variables based on hemisphere specialization theory predictive of success in a college developmental studies program

Right and left cerebral hemisphere and limbic scores derived from the Herrmann Brain Dominance Profile, Scholastic Aptitude Test Verbal and Mathematics scores, and High School Grade Point Average were correlated with grades in college developmental courses in reading, English, and mathematics for 146 students. Pearson correlations ranged from -.27 to .42. Multiple correlations with seven predictors ranged from .45 to .55, and from .14 to .37 for the profile scores alone. Discriminant analyses yielded hit-rates (predictive of classification of success and failure/actual classification) of 69%/72% in Reading, 76%/75% in English, and 66%/71% in Mathematics.     

Parents, Careers and Culture: The View of Ethnic-Minority and Ethnic-Majority Girls

In a study concerned with factors affecting career aspirations, 45 Muslim and 71 non-Muslim secondary-schoolgirls completed scales requiring them to rate themselves on attributes chosen for their relevance to careers. Subjects also completed these scales as they believed their parents would rate them. Minimal differences were shown between the two groups and, contrary to stereotype, Muslim girls did not indicate that their fathers would rate them low on such attributes. Interviews conducted with 21 of the Muslim pupils indicated little conflict in their homes over vocational issues and revealed that both parents, but especially fathers, were supportive of higher education and careers for their daughters.