Priming index of the Spanish word fragments from the Dasí, Soler,and Ruiz (2004) database

Word-fragment completion is a frequently used test in implicit memory research. A database of 196 Spanish fragments was recently published (Dasí, Soler, & Ruiz, 2004) in which the fragments were described for indices, such as difficulty, familiarity, frequency, number of meanings, and so on (www.psychonomic.org/archive). In this work, a new index, the priming index, is described for the same 196 fragments. This index is calculated for each fragment by subtracting the difficulty index (the proportion of correct completion when the fragment is not studied) from the proportion of correct completion when the fragment is studied, and it means the capacity of an item to be primed. In order to determine whether the new index performs well, we have replicated some important experimental effects, such as priming, frequency, and difficulty. We consider that this index can help researchers to better select stimuli for fragment-completion tasks.     

Shock intensity and signaled avoidance responding

Five rats were submitted to a signaled free-operant avoidance contingency. Throughout the experiment, shock intensity was varied from 0.1 to 8.0 mA, with shock duration constant at 200 milleseconds. Results indicate: (a) an all-or-none effect of shock intensity on response and shock rates, on percentage of shocks avoided, and on frequency of occurrence of responding during the preshock stimulus; and (b) no systematic effect of shock intensity on stimulus control, measured either by the percentage of stimulus presentations accompanied by a response or by the percentage of responses that occurred during those preshock stimuli. Such results indicate that for each subject there is a minimum shock intensity necessary to establish and maintain avoidance responding; intensities higher than this minimum value have little or no effect on responding (with an upper limit for those strong intensities with a general disruptive effect on behavior).     

Business Students' Perceptions of Best University Professors: Does Gender Role Matter?

This study investigated the relationship between the gender and gender-role of students and their “best” university professors. Two hundred and ninety two business students in 2 universities in Atlantic Canada rated their best professors and themselves using Bem's Sex Role Inventory. Male business students were more likely than females to choose a male as their best professor, and female business students were more likely than males to choose a female as their best professor. The study also indicates that a student's own gender and gender role are significantly related to those of his/her best professor. Male professors with low femininity scores (but not necessarily high masculinity scores), and female professors who are gender-neutral (i.e., androgynous or undifferentiated) were more often chosen by students as their best professors. In general, masculinity seems to be valued more by older, part-time students with greater work experience. Implications of these findings for university teachers are discussed.     

A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SIMULTANEOUS-SUCCESSIVE SYNTHESIS AND CONCRETE OPERATIONAL THOUGHT

In two studies, performance in concrete operational tasks was related to individual differences in simultaneous-successive processing. Although the studies were carried out in culturally different populations (in Canada and in India), it was observed that children who prefer simultaneous to successive processing did better in the Piagetian tasks of conservation, transitive inference, and class inclusion. But performance in class inclusion appeared to be helped by both processes in the study in India. On the whole, rational as well as empirical reasons were found to claim that simultaneous processing is utilized in the successful solution of concrete operational tasks.     

Rethinking Multicultural Counseling: Implications for Counselor Education

This article looks at the current usage of the term multicultural counseling and analyzes the emerging concept by identifying the premises on which it is based. It explores the potential contribution of multiculturalism to the theory and practice of counseling. The current status of training in cross-cultural and multicultural counseling is briefly reviewed, and curricular content is suggested for upgrading the preparation of multicultural counselors in light of the new standards set by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Some concrete proposals toward implementing CACREP standards are presented.