The probability of the least likely non-length-controlled bigram affects lexical decision reaction times

The frequency effect, by which high frequency words are recognized with more ease than low frequency words, is one of the most robust effects in cognitive psychology. Frequency interacts with many word-level variables, to the extent that most effects reported in word recognition literature have an impact only on low frequency words. This has been taken as evidence that high frequency words are accessed in a special way, via either an addressed pathway as in the dual-route model or an assembled pathway as in a PDP model. Under either model, sublexical effects should have no bearing on the ease with which representations for high frequency words are accessed. In this article, however, we describe a series of studies that examine a sublexical effect (namely nonlength controlled minimal bigram frequency) that is only found for high frequency words, suggesting that sublexical processing must play a role in the recognition of even high frequency words.     

Semantic information is used by a deep dyslexic to parse compounds

We report a case study of a 48 year-old patient, J.O., who was tested 20 years after the removal of a tumor in the left temporal-parietal region. This surgery and subsequent radiation resulted in right side paralysis and numerous language problems. Tests of J.O.'s single word reading abilities indicate that she could be classified as a deep dyslexic with over 16% of her errors in word naming having a clear semantic relationship with the target word (Coltheart, 1980). We examined her ability to read compound words aloud and following Libben (1993) we provide evidence that J.O. is a second case in which there is obligatory access of morphological constituents of compound words. These data are discussed within the context of Libben's (1998) compound word processing model.     

Stimulus-specific neglect in a deep dyslexic patient

We report a patient (B.V.) who appears to suffer from two dyslexic disorders. First, B.V. showed a severe impairment in reading aloud nonwords (e.g., reading TREST as TREE), in addition to making several semantic errors when reading aloud words (e.g., reading ILL as SICK) and in picture naming (e.g., responding KNIFE to a picture of a FORK). These results suggest that B.V. suffers from deep dyslexia. Second, B.V. showed an impairment in reading the final letters of both words and nonwords (e.g., reading SHOWN as SHORT and reading PROGE as PROOF). Thus, it appears that B.V. also suffers from neglect dyslexia. We discuss how these two forms of dyslexia could be interacting to account for B.V.'s pattern of errors in reading aloud words and nonwords and in picture naming.     

Measuring Search for Meaning: A Factor-Analytic Evaluation of the Seeking of Noetic Goals Test (SONG)

This study’s primary purpose was to examine the factor structure of the 20-item Seeking of Noetic Goals (SONG) test via exploratory and confirmatory factor-analytic procedures. An additional objective was to report on the measure’s incremental validity in comparison to the Search scale of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), an alternative measure of search for meaning. This study utilized data from three samples of American undergraduates (N = 908) from a medium-sized southern university. Factor analysis supported a two-factor model of the SONG, with patterns of correlation further suggesting the measure assesses distinct constructs. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated similar scale structure and item answering in terms of gender. Overall, the first factor yielded reliable scores that correlated significantly and in the expected direction with measures of well-being and psychological distress. The second factor did not yield reliable scores nor did it correlate significantly with many of the other measures administered. However, both factors were shown to significantly predict scores from measures of depression and general psychological distress after controlling for MLQ Search scale scores. We consider the data with respect to SONG scoring and interpretation, and discuss implications of these data for future research.     

Caregiving in multiple sclerosis and quality of life: A meta-synthesis of qualitative research

Objective: The lack of adequate conceptualisation and operationalisation of quality of life (QoL) limits the ability to have a consistent body of evidence to improve QoL research and practice in informal caregiving for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Thus, we conducted a meta-synthesis of qualitative research to improve the conceptual understanding of the experiences of MS carers and to identify factors that affect carers’ QoL.

Design: Systematic searches of five electronic databases yielded 17 qualitative studies which were synthesised using the principles of meta-ethnography.

Results: The synthesis resulted in nine inter-linking themes: Changes and losses; challenges revolving around MS; caregiving demands; burden of care; future concerns; external stressors; experiences of support; strategies used in managing the caregiving role; and motivating factors. Our findings suggest that MS carers can have both positive and negative experiences which may bring challenges and rewards to the carers.

Conclusion: We present a proposed QoL model for MS caregiving which can be used to inform the development of interventions for MS carers to improve their QoL. However, further empirical research is needed to examine the utility of this model and to explore the concept of QoL in MS carers in more detail.     

A context-independent situational judgment test to measure prosocial implicit trait policy

Two studies developed and validated a context-independent situational judgment test (SJT) of prosocial implicit trait policy (ITP). The first study developed a SJT based on critical incidents about the prosocial behavior of physicians, lawyers, community service volunteers, and human factors engineers. In a sample of 396 undergraduates, scores obtained from this SJT were internally consistent and correlated significantly with other trait constructs related to prosocial ITP. In the second study with 134 undergraduates, the SJT was significantly correlated with relevant trait constructs and prosocial performance in role-plays simulating scenarios in which others needed help. These results show that a generic SJT developed from items that describe situations and actions specific to several occupations can predict behavior in situations unlike any that appear in its items.