Do letter features migrate? A note of caution

Summary The feature-integration model of visual information processing (Treisman & Gelade, 1980) predicts perceptual errors based on the incorrect grouping of stimulus features in multi-element displays. Experiment 1 examined the frequency of such errors with a tachistoscopic bar probe task using letters and novel patterns with a production response. A substantial proportion of the errors did involve figures that were not present in the display but contained combinations of features which had been present. Such errors were especially prominent with novel patterns. The results with letters suggested that such responses were due to guessing, not feature migration, and this was confirmed by Experiment 2. In the second study, responses were collected for single character displays but were scored as if they had been responses to the multielement displays in Experiment 1. The results showed the same high proportion of illusory conjunction errors as the previous results and it was concluded that both results were due to guessing. Spatial confusions in the bar probe task with letters appear to involve whole characters, not character features.This research was supported by grant A-9581 from the National Science and Engineering Council of Canada to the senior author. This research was reported as a paper to the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Toronto, 1981. Ian Morrison is now a post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Psychology, Carnegie-Mellon University.     

Childhood fantasy play relates to adult socio-emotional competence

Childhood fantasy play and creation of imaginary companions are thought to confer socio-emotional benefits in children, but little is known about how they relate to socio-emotional competence in adulthood. A total of 341 adults (81 males) aged 18 and above (M = 31.47, SD = 12.62) completed an online survey examining their fantasy play as a child, their childhood imaginary companion status, and their adult socio-emotional competence. Adults who reported higher levels of childhood fantasy play were found to be significantly more prosocial, empathetic, and emotionally intelligent than their counterparts after controlling for demographic factors. Recall of a childhood imaginary companion, however, was significantly related only to higher scores for perspective-taking and did not explain unique variance in any adult competence measure. Findings suggest that engagement in fantasy play during childhood may be a precursor to later socio-emotional competence, while benefits previously associated with imaginary companions specifically may not extend into adulthood.     

Implicit and explicit COVID-19-vaccine harmfulness/helpfulness associations predict vaccine beliefs,intentions, and behaviors

We investigated the role of implicit and explicit associations between harm and COVID-19 vaccines using a large sample (N = 4668) of online volunteers. The participants completed a brief implicit association test and explicit measures to evaluate the extent to which they associated COVID-19 vaccines with concepts of harmfulness or helpfulness. We examined the relationship between these harmfulness/helpfulness COVID-19 vaccine associations and vaccination status, intentions, beliefs, and behavior. We found that stronger implicit and explicit associations that COVID-19 vaccines are helpful relate to vaccination status and beliefs about the COVID-19 vaccine. That is, stronger pro-helpful COVID-19 vaccine associations, both implicitly and explicitly, related to greater intentions to be vaccinated, more positive beliefs about the vaccine, and greater vaccine uptake.     

An apparatus for apparent conditioning ofOctopus cyaneus Gray

An ann-out-of-water response was conditioned as an operant inOctopus cyaneus Gray. The response was limited to a vertical tube, 2.54 em i.d, Photoresistive sensors, illuminated with modulated light arranged around the tube above the waterline, detect the presence of an opaque object in the tube. The signal from this response detector is amplified and used to initiate a commercial motor-driven universal feeder according to the reinforcement schedule maintained by the logic control circuit. A sample cumulative record for perfonnance on a CRF schedule is given.     

An inherent problem in certain constant-current stimulators

A basic and potentially dangerous problem that may occur in the use of triggered constant-current generators for stimulation is discussed in the general case. A solution with schematic illustration is presented for one specific constant-current generator, the CCS-1A manufactured by Electronics of Life Sciences, Inc.     

Two types of phenomenal instructions for size and distance judgments of objects presented on a two-dimensional plane

Demand characteristics were studied in a simple situation in which observers made size and distance estimates of stimuli presented on a two-dimensional linear perspective drawing. Half the Ss were asked questions stressing phenomenal report: The other half were asked the same questions preceded by instructions stressing the objective nature of the stimulus configuration but requesting, nonetheless, phenomenal report. Instructions resulted in a significantly greater perspective size illusion but did not affect the distance estimates. No meaningful correlations between size and distance estimates were found.     

Superior Students' Occupational Preferences and Their Fathers' Occupations

The relationship between the occupational preferences of 147 superior students and their fathers' occupations was traced over the 4-year period that the students attended high schools in Wisconsin. Analysis of the data indicated that both male and female superior students tended to state vocational preferences at the professional level early in high school and to maintain this preference throughout. Their occupational preferences were generally at a higher level than those of their fathers. There was no trend away from general preferences for work at a professional level toward naming of specific occupations within that level. The results suggest that theories of vocational development that imply that stages are passed through during later adolescent periods do not apply to the superior student population of this study.     

Marital counselling: Teaching an eclectic approach

Limited opportunities for training combined with misperceptions about the nature of marital counselling lead to many professionals conducting consultations with couples without training. Where training exists, generally a specific ‘pure’ approach, or a definite brand of eclecticism is taught. The Sheffield Marital and Sexual Difficulties Clinic training course currently aims to give trainees the building blocks for evolving their own brand of eclecticism, or the opportunity to follow a particular approach. Psychodynamic, behavioural and systems theories are highlighted, and the various ways to which these (and other theories) can be used together are examined.     

Becoming a bartender: The role of external memory cues in a work-directed educational activity

Two kinds of external mnemonic cues are distinguished within the activity of becoming a bartender. Verbal mnemonic symbols (VMS) are materially arbitrary with respect to their referents. Material mnemonic symbols (MMS) bear a direct material relation to their referents. Both sets of cues are socially constituted. Combined ethnographic and experimental analyses indicate that external mnemonic cue use shifts from VMS, to MMS, to the use of neither with increasing experience. These shifts are interpreted within an activity theory framework as they occur in relation to the changing goals of becoming a bartender.