Articulatory organization in the prefix effect

Neisser, Hoenig, and Goldstein (1969) reduced the “stimulus prefix effect” (diminished recall of seven digits preceded by a redundant prefix) when the redundant prefix and the recall digits were produced by different speakers. In the present studies, similar results were obtained using one speaker only, but with the prefix and recall digits spoken separately in different utterances and combined by tape splicing. The results support a hypothesis concerning the perception of intact, wholistically organized articulatory units. A second hypothesis, also based on the idea of intact articulatory units, was tested.     

Race vs belief as determinants of attraction,in a group interaction context

Three experiments which tested the’ effects of race vs belief similarity as determinants of prejudiced responding in a live interaction situation,are reported. Two black and two white confederates engaged a white S in a discussion of an issue (ROTC in Experiments I and II and abortion in III). One white and one black confederate agreed with the S’s position and the other pair disagreed. Ss then rated all four confederates on a variety of scales. Results showed strong belief effects in all three experiments but very few race effects. A few measures showed a “renegade effect” against dissimilar white confederates. It was concluded that simply increasing the power and realism of the experimental situation does not in any important way increase the number of racially prejudiced responses. Some conditions which may elicit strong and consistent race prejudice effects are discussed.     

Psycholinguistic research in language intervention programming: The pronoun system

This paper presents a linguistic analysis of the pronoun system in terms of binary semantic and syntactic features. A model is presented which indicates how these features serve to differentiate among the members of this set. A hypothetical order of development of these features is proposed, supported by developmental data. Suggestions are made regarding the possible relationship of the pronoun system to other areas of language. Finally, proposals are presented for the development of pronoun training procedures within the context of language training programs.This research was supported in part by Speech and Hearing grant HD 05088 and in part by CORE grant HD 02528.     

Case vignette: the vicissitudes of managed care

Lee Wilson, age 26, was referred to Dr. Jackson for psychotherapy 5 weeks ago by a friend. Lee has been feeling increasingly depressed about longstanding family issues and the recent breakup of a 2-year relationship with a live-in companion. Over the course of the once-per-week sessions, Dr. Jackson notes persistent suicidal ideation, with vague plans to act if, as Lee puts it, "things get any worse." Just before the sixth session, Dr. Jackson is contacted by a reviewer for the managed care health insurance program covering Lee's therapy. The reviewer informs Dr. Jackson that the company will not authorize payment for further psychotherapeutic care. Dr. Jackson knows that Lee is in need of continued treatment and fears that terminating therapy at this time could result in increased suicide risk. Lee's income could cover only a small portion of Dr. Jackson's usual fee. Dr. Jackson does not wish to abandon Lee, but he already provides a significant amount of reduced-fee service to other clients. Is the health insurance carrier's stance ethical? Should Dr. Jackson be expected to treat Lee for the foreseeable future at a greatly reduced fee? How should Dr. Jackson handle this situation?     

Use of mental health services among severely emotionally disturbed children and adolescents in San Francisco

This study examined the mental health services available to severely emotionally disturbed children and adolescents in San Francisco. Social, familial, developmental, and clinical data—as well as service use histories—on 192 youths were collected. Results indicated high levels of family dysfunction, physical and sexual abuse, and neglect in the total study population. The study also identified case history and demographic factors that were associated with repeated psychiatric inpatient hospitalizationand high annual rates of change in residential placement. These factors included being male, older, non-English-speaking, and having a history of physical and sexual abuse. The impact of the service system on the lives and course of illness of these youth is discussed and future directions for research are suggested.     

Perceptions of methylphenidate effects on hyperactive children's peer interactions

The behavioral constructs that emerge from observers' openended impressions of methylphenidate effects on the social behaviors of hyperactive children were examined. Ninety-six undergraduates observed videotapes of two different hyperactive target boys, each playing an interaction game with three peers. One target was taking methylphenidate and the other was taking placebo. The valence and content of observers' social perceptions were analyzed. Overall, more negative than positive behaviors were detected, a pattern more pronounced for the placebo than for the medication condition. Interestingly, placebo targets received negative evaluations for poorly controlled behaviors such as noncompliance, aggression, and disruption, but medicated targets received negative evaluations for social inhibition—passive and submissive behaviors. In contrast, the boys' medication state did not consistently influence observers' perceptions of positive social behaviors. Discussion focused on the extent and consequences of medicationrelated increases in social disengagement and on the ultimate impact of stimulant treatment on hyperactive children's social worlds.A preliminary report of this study was presented at the 1990 meeting of the Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, Costa Mesa, CA. We are grateful for the assistance of Pam Ajang, Keri Hom, and Scott Gutentag, and for support from the Fernald Child Study Center at UCLA.     

Task performance and magnitude of goal valence

J. W. Brehm and his associates (J. W. Brehm, R. A. Wright, S. Solomon, L. Silka, & J. Greenberg, 1983, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 19, 21–48) recently argued that the magnitude of goal valence (the attractiveness or unattractiveness of a potential outcome) varies directly with motivational arousal level. Motivational arousal, in turn, is thought to be a function of the perceived difficulty of goal attainment. This formulation was tested in the present study by examining the relationship between goal attractiveness ratings and performance on an anagram task. According to the Yerkes-Dodson law (R. M. Yerkes & J. D. Dodson, 1908, Journal of Comparative Neurological Psychology, 18, 459–482), the relationship between motivational arousal and performance should be curvilinear; optimal performance is usually observed for moderate levels of motivation relative to either low or very high motivation levels. Consistent with the Brehm et al. hypothesis, optimum performance in the present study was observed for subjects who reported moderate levels of goal attractiveness relative to subjects who reported either low or high levels of goal attractiveness. Anticipatory ratings of the difficulty of the anagrams were also congruent with the Brehm et al. model. These findings converge with data from other studies supporting the utility of goal attractiveness as an index of motivational arousal and provide an additional dimension of support for the model proposed by Brehm et al.     

Hubris in the family

This paper elaborates the Palazzoli group's idea of hubris in family systems using two case examples. The first case illustrates the symmetry in a couple who are too richly cross-joined and the escalating hubristic position of each partner. The intervention that unbalanced the system was based on the Milanese group's theory. The second couple shows what the author calls reverse symmetry. They have a somewhat greater capacity for transformation than the first, which suggests a higher level of psychosexual development. In both cases, the theory behind the intervention is outlined and there is an attempt at rapprochement between systems theory and some aspects of individual psychology. For example, homeostasis and the need for safety, symmetry, projection and the repetition compulsion are shown to be common to both. Pathological narcissism which pervades the psychotic family is defined as the hubristic action itself. The form that the narcissism takes within the family in turn determines the hubristic position of its members; three forms are described.     

Effects of solution viscosity on perceived saltiness and sweetness

Subjects used magnitude estimation to judge the perceived saltiness or sweetness of a series of aqueous solutions containing five suprathreshold concentrations of NaCl or sucrose and thickened with sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). In the first experiment, CMC-H (high viscosity form) was used to thicken a series of sucrose and NaCl solutions to six viscosity levels (1–2,025 centistokes). At the highest viscosity levels, significant decreases occurred in the perceived taste intensity of only the lower concentrations of sucrose and NaCl. A second experiment determined that variations in the quantity of solution sampled from cups did not systematically influence judgments of saltiness when the starting volume was 10 ml. In the third experiment, aqueous solutions containing sucrose or NaCl were thickened with the low (L), medium (M), or high (H) viscosity form of CMC (1–1,296 centistokes). CMC-L-thickened solutions produced little or no suppression of perceived taste intensity, whereas viscous CMC-H solutions produced significant reductions in perceived saltiness and sweetness.