Differcntial feature analysis in the recognition memory of reflective and impulsive children

Seventy-two children. 18 reflective, and 18 impulsive first and fifth graders were tested in a forced-choice recognition memory task. Experimental conditions systematically varied the possibility that correct responses could be made on the basis of verbal labels, visual feature analyses, or both. Although reflective children made more correct recognition choices than did impulsive children under all experimental conditions, this difference was, as predicted, significant only in a condition in which the sole basis for correct response depended on a purely visual feature analysis. Order of condition difficulty indicated that visual feature analysis independent of verbal processes was responsible for successful recognition performance in these Ss. Results were discussed with reference to the feature-testing model for recognition proposed by Selfridge and Neisser.     

Visual recognition memory in reflective and impulsive children

Twenty-nine reflective and 29 impulsive fifth-grade boys were tested in a forced-choice visual recognition memory task. In three of the experimental conditions (1FD, 2FD, 4FD) the number of visual feature differences between the correct and incorrect test stimuli was 1, 2, or 4, and correct response could not be based on the name of the stimulus; in the fourth condition (DO) the correct and incorrect test stimuli had different names. As predicted, performance on DO and 4FD was equivalent and was superior to that on 1FD and 2FD. Although reflective Ss made more correct responses than impulsive Ss in all four conditions, only the performance difference in Condition 1FD was significant. Mean correct response latencies mirrored the correct response data. These results were consistent with the Selfridge-Neisser feature-testing model of recognition memory, and it was argued that the primary underlying basis for the dimension of reflection-impulsivity was that reflective Ss tend to engage in a more detailed visual feature analysis of stimulus arrays. Strong inferential evidence was provided that visual feature analysis independent of verbal labeling was responsible for successful recognition performance in these Ss.     

The effects of biasing information on behavioral observations and rating scales

The effects of biasing information on behavioral observations and rating scales were studied. Fortyone undergraduate students trained in making reliable behavioral observations were given differential expectations concerning the activity level of a target child. They then viewed videotape recordings of that child and tallied frequency counts of six behavioral categories simultaneously. In addition, subjects completed postexperimental rating scales composed of specific, identifiable behaviors in regard to the target child. Results indicated that, for the most part, neither the behavioral observations nor the rating scales were significantly affected by the biasing information. It is suggested that rating scales constructed of items as discrete and readily identifiable as those of behavioral observation measures may prove resistant to biasing effects.This study is based in part on a thesis submitted by the second author to Case Western Reserve University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the master of arts degree in psychology. The authors express their appreciation to the Claremont Unified School District, Claremont, California, for their assistance in the production of the videotape and to the Instructional Support Center at Case Western Reserve University for their co-operation in providing research space. Special thanks are given to Thomas Hyde for his advice and assistance throughout the study.     

STIMULUS SELECTION AND TRACKING DURING URINATION: AUTOSHAPING DIRECTED BEHAVIOR WITH TOILET TARGETS1

A simple procedure is described for investigating stimuli selected as targets during urination in the commode. Ten normal males preferred a floating target that could be tracked to a series of stationary targets. This technique was used to bring misdirected urinations in a severely retarded male under rapid stimulus control of a floating target in the commode. The float stimulus was also evaluated with nine institutionalized, moderately retarded males and results indicated rapid autoshaping of directed urination without the use of verbal instructions or conventional toilet training. The technique can be applied in training children to control misdirected urinations in institutions for the retarded, in psychiatric wards with regressed populations, and in certain male school dormitories.     

The effect of movement amplitude and target diameter on reaction time

Henry's (Henry & Rogers, 1960) memory drum model of neuromotor reaction, which predicts an increased response latency for more complicated movements, was tested by examining the effects of variations in movement amplitude and target diameter on choice RT. RT tended to increase with decreasing target diameter, and varied as a U-shaped function with amplitude. Such findings were in only partial support of the memory of drum notion. The data were discussed in relation to information processing, muscle activation, and subjects' expectations for executing responses along the range of movement amplitude.     

Picture-word differences in decision latency: An analysis of single and dual memory models

Semantic and perceptual size decision times for pictorial and verbal material were analyzed in the context of a unitary memory model and several dual memory models. Experiment 1 involved a same-different categorical judgment task. The results showed that picture-picture response latencies were 185 msec faster than the corresponding word-word latencies, and word-picture and picture-word latencies equaled the mean of these two extremes. Similarity of subcategory for “same” judgments led to faster decision latency for all presentation conditions. Additionally, a linear relationship was found between picture-picture and word-word latencies for individual item pairs. Experiment 2 involved a comparison of pictures and words across a. categorical judgment and a size judgment task. Pictures produced faster decision latencies in both tasks, and the latency diflerence between pictures and words was comparable across tasks. These data fit the predictions of a unitary memory model. Several variants of a dual memory model are rejected and those which fit the data require assumptions about storage and/or transfer time values which result in a functional regression to the unitary memory model.