Falling In and Out of Love with Philosophy

In this article, principally through autobiographical remarks, some observations concerning philosophical temperament are made, the example of Gerd Buchdahl as a textual interpreter of classic philosophical texts is invoked, and the position of philosophy in relation to history of science is explored, in particular in the work of Kuhn and Foucault. The article concludes with a reminder of the overall history of philosophy at Cambridge through a discussion of the history of the moral sciences.     

Dual-Finger Preferred-Speed Tapping: Effects of Coordination Mode and Anatomical Finger and Limb Pairings

Interlimb and interfinger coordination were examined in a dual-finger tapping paradigm in which 16 subjects performed at preferred frequencies. Three bimanual finger combinations, in random order (2 index; 2 middle; and 1 index and 1 middle), were performed in in-phase and antiphase coordination modes, in addition to 1 unimanual combination (antiphase index-middle). Relative phase means were within 3&percent; accuracy for all conditions. A lower tapping frequency was found in all antiphase vs. in-phase conditions, accompanied by lower phasing variability and lower intrafinger consistency in the antiphase. When frequency was changed from the preferred rate, the 2 coordination modes became more alike in variability and, within the same frequency range, demonstrated no significant differences. The bimanual mixed-fingers tapping tended to have significantly lower phasing values (a small fixed point drift) and higher tapping frequencies than the symmetric conditions. The unimanual task was similar to all other antiphase conditions. Changes in preferred frequency with different coordination modes may be related to differing perceptual informational constraints. Current models addressing natural frequencies of coupled oscillators do not account for the present data.     

A note on time-frequency analysis of finger tapping

Finger tapping involves 3 important features: time, spatial amplitude, and frequency. In classical analysis, investigators examine timing parameters; in spectral analysis, they examine frequency parameters. Both types of analysis are based on stationary tap information. The authors propose that time-frequency analysis is a useful tool for analyzing nonstationary finger tapping. They describe the method and give examples of frequency modulation, age difference, and speed transition that demonstrate additional insights one can gain by using this analysis.     

Characteristics of work groups and their relationship with social and task cohesion in student teams

Results of an exploratory study of relationships between work-group characteristics and the social and task cohesion of 18 business students engaged in team class projects. Regression analysis of scores on workload sharing, team spirit, task flexibility, and team cohesiveness for scales of the Work Group Characteristics Inventory indicated sharing of the workload was significantly associated with both task and social cohesion; team spirit with task cohesion but not social cohesion; and task flexibility with social cohesion but not task cohesion.     

Facing the perfect contingency: interactions with the self at 2 and 3 months

We used a double video Live-Replay-Live procedure to explore self-self interactions in fourteen 9-week-old infants, repeated at 13-weeks with 10 of these infants. Using multiple measures of behavioural response we found that (1) in all cases where age effects held, duration of response was greater at 9- than at 13-weeks, (2) infants' responses differed according to whether or not self-images were Live or Replay, and (3) age and condition interacted to influence infants' responses. At 9 (but not 13) weeks, the two Live conditions correlated with each other but not with the Replay condition on some measures, indicating that infants apprehended the visual-proprioceptive contingency provided by their actions. Also at 9-weeks only, all infants showed reversals in visual attention with evidence for a bi-modal pattern: 8 preferring the Live conditions and 6 the Replay condition. An explanation based on familiarity and increasing disinterest with specific contexts is suggested.     

Bimanual Finger Tapping: Effects of Frequency and Auditory Information on Timing Consistency and Coordination

The authors' goal in this study was to probe the basis for an earlier, unexpected finding that preferred-frequency finger tapping tends to have higher frequencies and to be less stable for in-phase than for antiphase tasks. In follow-up experiments, 3 protocols were employed: a preferred-frequency replication in both coordination modes, a metronome-driven matching of the preferred frequencies to each of the coordination modes, and a frequency scaling of both modes. The original findings were affirmed for preferred frequency. Tapping to a metronome had a differential effect on in-phase and antiphase: A more stable coupling across frequencies was exhibited during in-phase. Under frequency scaling, the antiphase pattern decomposed at lower frequencies than did in-phase, but no phase transitions were observed. The loss of stable coordination in both modes was attended by sudden increases in frequency differences between fingers and by phase wandering. The emergence of those effects is discussed in light of asymmetric modifications to the Haken-Kelso-Bunz model (H. Haken, J. A. S. Kelso, & H. Bunz, 1985) and the task constraints of tapping.