The role of perceptual and semantic elaboration in high- and low-imagery sentence recall

Sentence imagery effects in recall are predicted by both perceptual and semantic elaboration models. The former attributes superior recall of high-imagery sentences to the addition of perceptual network components to an existing semantic network; the latter claims that additions of semantic components are involved. In order to identify the responsible components, free associates were generated to otherwise similar high- and low-imagery sentences in a short-term memory task. In accordance with the perceptual elaboration model, associates differed in rated imagery, but not in number. In a second study, the causal role of perceptual elaboration in recall was investigated by using high- and low-imagery sentence associates as recall cues. Differential effects of cue imagery were found for high-imagery sentences, indicating that perceptual codes are in part responsible for superior high-imagery sentence recall. Evidence is presented that perceptual and semantic network components are involved in a processing trade-off, and the adequacy of present network models to explain it is discussed.     

Feature-specific interference in letter identification

It is a well documented finding that letter identification may be impaired by the presence of neighboring characters. There is much less agreement about the exact nature of such lateral interference. Evidence has been obtained for feature-specific interference, and even feature-specific facilitation. Santee and Egeth (1980) suggested that feature-specific interference will mainly be observed in data-limited situations where stimuli are presented for short durations and positional uncertainty is involved. They further suggested that interference would be revealed in accuracy rather than latency measures.In our first experiment, similar exposure conditions were used to those suggested by Santee and Egeth. In a second experiment, however, a longer exposure duration was used, and latency measurements were also collected. In a third experiment, positional uncertainty was removed by foveal presentation, and with this high quality stimulus presentation only latency measurements could be obtained.In all these experiments clear evidence for feature-specific interference was found, both in accuracy and latency data, and these results also held up under the detectability/criterion analysis proposed by Estes (1982). From these findings it can be concluded that feature-specific interference occurs under a wide range of conditions, including those representative of normal reading.     

Vicarious and operant experiences in the etiology of illness behavior: A replication with healthy individuals

The purpose of the present investigation was to replicate a previous study of diabetic patients on the role of parental modeling in the etiology of illness behavior. A random sample of healthy individuals were assigned to an avoidant model (AM) (i.e. parent reported to have avoided work. chores etc. when ill) or non-avoidant model (NAM) group. Subjects subsequently provided retrospective and current information concerning their illness-behavior experiences. The results indicated that individuals with an AM reported more responsibility avoidance when ill currently and as a child compared to the NAM subjects. Additionally. AM subjects reported receiving more positive reinforcement for current illness compared to NAM subjects. It was concluded that the process by which individuals learn to respond to illness may be similar in healthy and chronically-ill individuals but that positive reinforcement for illness may be more likely to be received by healthy individuals during acute illness than by chronically-ill individuals. The present study provides further preliminary support for the learningtheory model of illness behavior.     

Voice Identification Over the Telephone1

Following a telephone survey investigating attitudes toward police and frequency of personal victimization. 177 citizens between the ages of 18 and 88 years participated without forewarning in a field study on telephone voice identification. Identification accuracy (hits) improved with longer conversation durations (an average duration of 7.8 min compared to conversation durations of 3.2 min and 4.3 min. on average), but the false alarm rate also reliably increased with longer durations in a target-present lineup. False alarms were consistently high (overall M= .48) in the target-absent lineup. No significant differences were found in hit scores or false alarm scores over a two to three day retention interval. No significant correlation was found between confidence scores and accuracy of performance on the target-present lineup (r= .10). but a significant correlation (r= 36) was found on the target-absent lineup.     

The knowledge and use of quantitative research by pastoral counselors

This study investigated the degree of training, experience and interest in quantitative research among pastoral counselors. It was found that a little over half of the subjects had had at least one statistics course and thought that research was valuable. However, less than 6% had ever published research and only one subject (less than 1%) had published more than two quantitative articles. This suggests there is a research vacuum in the field of pastoral counseling. There is no scientific core of scholars publishing a systematic program of research. Recommendations for ways to involve pastoral counselors more actively in research are made.New Perspectives, Owings Mills, MD.     

Discriminative Versus Reinforcing Properties of Schedules as Determinants of Schedule Insensitivity in Humans

The Psychological Record - Compliance with instructions to respond on response-independent schedules was studied to see if schedule insensitivity is determined by reinforcement of inappropriate...     

The positioning of rhetorical and non-rhetorical questions and the use of self-referencing in print advertising

This research examines the use of questions in advertising through a content analysis of magazine print ads. Three variables are examined: question type (rhetorical vs. non-rhetorical), position (pre-argument vs. post-argument) and self-referencing (present vs. absent). Results reveal that rhetorical (non-rhetorical) questions tend to be used after (before) the arguments to which they refer. Further, self-referencing tends to be used with rhetorical questions in the post-argument position. The findings are discussed illustrating how theoretically-based empirical research can be used to guide decisions in ad practice, and how the practice of advertising can provide support for testable ideas in the conduct of future research.