Severity of agonism of free-ranging patas monkeys differs according to the composition of dyads

Differences in the severity of behavior used in dyadic agonistic interactions of adult female and immature free-ranging patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) were assessed. The behaviors exhibited were rank-ordered according to severity. Analysis of data from 1,353 agonistic interactions indicated a significant difference in the severity of agonistic behaviors, based on the composition of the dyad. Interactions between two adult females contained the least severe agonism, whereas interactions between two immature monkeys contained the most severe agonistic behaviors. When adult females and immatures interacted agonistically, the severity of the behaviors emitted and received were related to the age of the immature monkey; the older the immature, the less severe were the agonistic behaviors. These results support the ideas that social stability mediates the severity of agonism, and that agonism serves a socializing function. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Spatial attention as a necessary preliminary to early processes in reading.

One major theory of the relation between spatial attention and visual word recognition holds that the former is a necessary condition for the latter to begin. A different major theory asserts that although spatial attention can facilitate the latter, it is not a necessary condition. These two theories were pitted against each other experimentally. Spatial attention was operationalized in terms of the effect of a spatial precue on the time to name a target word that appeared above or below fixation. A masked prime word was presented before the target. The critical difference between experiments was cue validity (50% in Experiments 1a and 2a and 100% in Experiments 1b and 2b). Repetition priming was observed when the prime appeared in the uncued prime location in Experiments la and 2a but not in Experiments 1b or 2b. These results are inconsistent with the claim that visual word recognition does not depend on spatial attention. Discussion centres on the distribution of spatial attention across target locations as a function of cue validity.     

The Beneficent Nudge Program and Epistemic Injustice

Is implementing the beneficent nudge program morally permissible in worlds like ours? I argue that there is reason for serious doubt. I acknowledge that beneficent nudging is highly various, that nudges are in some circumstances morally permissible and even called for, and that nudges may exhibit respect for genuine autonomy. Nonetheless, given the risk of epistemic injustice that nudges typically pose, neither the moral permissibility of beneficent nudging in the abstract, nor its case-by-case vindication, appears sufficient to justify implementing a nudge program in worlds like ours. Drawing on Miranda Fricker’s account of epistemic injustice, I argue that the cogent defense of any nudge program, relative to worlds like ours, stands in need of serious attention to its potential for fostering or sustaining epistemic injustice. A more specific point hinges on recognizing a form of epistemic injustice not enough attended to in the literature to date, which I call reflective incapacitational injustice. This includes relative disadvantages in the attaining of (or opportunity to exercise) the capacity to engage in critical reason, such as the capacity to go in for potentially critical reasoned deliberation and discursive exchange concerning ends. Since Cass Sunstein’s First Law of behaviorally informed regulation would be taken, in worlds like ours, to justify indeterminately many nudges leading to such epistemic injustice we have general grounds for doubting the moral permissibility of this nudge program. We should hence oppose the implementation of any such program until it is shown not to violate the demands of epistemic justice.     

Seeing race and seeming racist? Evaluating strategic colorblindness in social interaction

One strategy practiced by many Whites to regulate the appearance of prejudice during social interaction is to avoid talking about race, or even acknowledging racial difference. Four experiments involving a dyadic task investigated antecedents and consequences of this tendency. Observed colorblindness was strategic in nature: Whites' acknowledgment of race was highly susceptible to normative pressure and most evident among individuals concerned with self-presentational aspects of appearing biased (Study 1). However, this tendency was often counterproductive, as avoiding race during interracial interaction predicted negative nonverbal behavior (Study 1), a relationship mediated by decreased capacity to exert inhibitory control (Study 2). Two studies examining White and Black observers' impressions of colorblind behavior revealed divergent assessments of actors' prejudice in situations where race was clearly relevant (Study 3) but convergent assessments when race was less relevant (Study 4). Practical and theoretical implications for interracial interaction are considered.     

Neuroscientific Evidence About the Distinction Between Short- and Long-Term Memory

ABSTRACT— What have neuroscientific techniques contributed to the development of psychological theory about short- and long-term memory? We argue that the contributions have been varied: In some cases, data about brain mechanisms have been vital to the advancement of psychological theory; in other cases, neuroscientific data and behavioral data from normal participants have made equal contributions; and in yet other cases, the data from neuroscientific approaches have actually led psychological theory astray. We illustrate these various contributions by focusing on the relationship of short- to long-term memory.     

The assessment of present-moment awareness and acceptance: the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale

The purpose of this project was to develop a bidimensional measure of mindfulness to assess its two key components: present-moment awareness and acceptance. The development and psychometric validation of the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale is described, and data are reported from expert raters, two nonclinical samples (n = 204 and 559), and three clinical samples including mixed psychiatric outpatients (n = 52), eating disorder inpatients (n = 30), and student counseling center outpatients (n = 78). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses support a two-factor solution, corresponding to the two constituent components of the construct. Good internal consistency was demonstrated, and relationships with other constructs were largely as expected. As predicted, significant differences were found between the nonclinical and clinical samples in levels of awareness and acceptance. The awareness and acceptance subscales were not correlated, suggesting that these two constructs can be examined independently. Potential theoretical and applied uses of the measure are discussed.     

Comparing patterning and biconditional discriminations in humans

In two experiments, human participants performed a causal judgment task that simultaneously comprised two reciprocal patterning discriminations and a biconditional discrimination. They learned both patterning discriminations more quickly than the biconditional discrimination. Postdiscrimination tests were used to identify participants who had, or had not, learned to apply the patterning rules, as well as participants who continued to expect summation when presented with two cues that predicted the same outcome. All groups were faster to learn the patterning than the biconditional discriminations. These results are inconsistent with models of stimulus representation that invoke configural representations (e.g., Pearce, 1987, 1994; Rescorla & Wagner, 1972) because these models solve biconditional discriminations more readily than patterning discriminations.     

Don't You Know Me Well Enough Yet? Comparing Reactions of Internal and External Candidates to Employment Testing

Employment tests, once primarily focused on screening external applicants, are increasingly used for decisions involving internal candidates (e.g., promotions or lateral transfers). The current study examines differences between internal and external candidates in reactions to an online selection test. Results indicate that internal candidates perceived a general lack of advance information regarding the assessment. However, they were considerably more likely to recommend the organization to others as compared with external candidates. Candidate status also moderated several reactions–outcomes relationships. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for organizations and directions for future research on internal candidate reactions are proposed.