Pastoral theologian of the year,William Barr Oglesby,Jr.

This article acknowledging and celebrating William Barr Oglesby, Jr. as Pastoral Theologian of the Year for 1983, was originally published inPastoral Psychology 32(1) in Fall, 1983. As a result of some errors that inadvertently modified both the tone and the meaning of the text, we are republishing this article here in its entirety.     

PREDICTING TEST PERFORMANCE: A CONTENT VALID APPROACH TO SCREENING APPLICANTS

This study examined the validity of a rationally developed biographical questionnaire for predicting content valid test performance for electrician applicants ( N = 221). Job analysis task statements were utilized as biographical items, and applicants were required to rate their previous work experience regarding each task. The utility of the questionnaire in screening applicant populations was shown to be both statistically and practically significant. EEOC implications are discussed.     

Stability of magnitude production scales for oral and nonoral vibrotactile mechanoreceptive systems

The stability of oral and nonoral vibrotactile magnitude scales produced by the method of magnitude production was investigated for 11 adult subjects. Each subject was tested over four sessions separated by 1-wk. intervals. Data analyses included correlations across trials of power function slopes as well as individual adjustments of intensity. Analysis showed a lack of stability over time for the slope functions obtained on the thenar eminence but moderate stability for the functions obtained on the tongue. Individual adjustments on intensity showed consistently high correlations across trials and structures. It was concluded that the subjects' responses were guided by the imposed experimental variables and that each individual's scaling was not necessarily reflected by the correlations based on power function slopes established over the four trials.     

A possible proximity effect on human grip strength

A double-blind experiment with 58 adults tested the hypothesis that proximity to sugar reduces human grip strength. An analysis of variance supported the hypothesis.     

Eye position and visual attention influence perceived auditory direction

The singular and joint effects of eccentric visual fixation and peripheral visual attention upon the perceived auditory median plane (PAMP) of the head were examined in four subjects. They positioned a hidden, horizontally-moving sound source to the perceived median plane of the head, while fixating a light 20 degrees or 45 degrees to the right or left of the actual median plane, and attending to another light in peripheral vision. Analysis by multiple linear regression yielded a model for each subject which indicated the nature and weighting of those factors contributing to variance reduction in PAMP judgments. Three subjects showed a strong linear attention effect, resulting in shifts of the PAMP away from the locus of attention. Similarly, a strong linear fixation effect was discovered in two subjects, a weak effect in another, and a nonlinear, inverse fixation effect in the last. Additional factors were noted for some subjects. Possible explanations of the observed effects were discussed. The study indicates that both visual attention and visual fixation are critical factors in experiments on auditory space perception although inter-individual differences do exist in the nature and strength of the effects.     

A detailed study of sequential saccadic eye movements for normal- and poor-reading children

This paper presents the results of an in-depth study of parameters characterizing sequenced saccadic eye movements for a group of dyslexic children and a comparative normal control group with ages in the range greater than 8.0 yr. and less than 13.0 yr. No parameters were statistically different for the two groups, which supports the findings of Brown, et al. and contradicts the findings of Pavlidis. Our results indicate that sequenced saccadic eye movements are not diagnostically useful for early detection of dyslexia.     

Effect of stimulus intensity on lingual vibrotactile fusion thresholds

Lingual fusion thresholds for a two-pulse stimulus were obtained at a 15-dB sensation level and a 35-dB sensation level for 15 subjects (18 to 22 yr.). The 35-dB sensation level provided better temporal resolution thresholds as well as less variable responses.