Perception without awareness: further evidence from a Stroop priming task

In the present research, we examined the influence of prime-target stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) on Stroop-priming effects from masked words. Participants indicated the color of a central target, which was preceded by a 33-msec prime word followed either immediately or after a variable delay by a pattern mask. The prime word was incongruent or congruent with the target color on 75% and 25% of the trials, respectively. The words followed by an immediate mask produced reliable Stroop interference at SOAs of 300 and 400 msec but not at SOAs of 500 and 700 msec. The words followed by a delayed mask produced a reversed (i.e., facilitatory) Stroop effect, which reached significance at an SOA of 400 msec or longer, but never at the shorter 300-msec SOA. Such an differential time course of both types of Stroop priming effects provides further evidence for the existence of qualitative differences between conscious and nonconscious perceptual processes.     

Age differences and the identity negative priming effect: an updated meta-analysis

A recent meta-analysis (P. Verhaeghen & L. De Meersman, 1998a) revealed that older adults show a reliable but significantly reduced negative priming effect compared with young adults. The present study provides an updated quantitative review on the effect of aging on the magnitude of the negative priming effect in identity tasks. This analysis demonstrated that the negative priming effect was not significantly different between young and old adults. This result differs from P. Verhaeghen and L. De Meersman's study. The implications of this finding for inhibitory-based theories of cognitive aging are discussed.     

The crucial roles of stimulus matching and stimulus identity in negative priming

Negative priming refers to the situation in which an ignored item on an initial prime trial suffers slowed responding when it becomes the target item on a subsequent probe trial. In this experiment (and a replication), we demonstrate two ways in which stimulus consistency (matching) governs negative priming. First, negative priming for identical words occurred only when the prime distractor changed color when it became the probe target (i.e., constant cue to read the red word); negative priming disappeared when the prime distractor retained its color as the probe target (i.e., cue switches from read the red prime word to read the white probe word). Second, negative priming occurred for identical words, but not for semantically related words, whether related categorically or associatively. This pattern of results is consistent with a memory retrieval account, but not with an inhibition account of negative priming, and casts doubt on whether there is semantic negative priming for words.     

Aged rats are impaired on an attentional set-shifting task sensitive to medial frontal cortex damage in young rats

Normal aging is associated with disruption of neural systems that subserve different aspects of cognitive function, particularly in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Abnormalities in hippocampal function have been well investigated in rodent models of aging, but studies of frontal cortex function in aged rodents are few. We tested young (4–5 mo old) and aged (27–28 mo old) male Long-Evans rats on an attentional set-shifting task modified slightly from previous publication. After training on two problems in which the reward was consistently associated with the same stimulus dimension, and a reversal of one problem, a new problem was presented in which the reward was consistently associated with the previously irrelevant stimulus dimension (extradimensional shift [EDS]). Aged rats as a group were significantly impaired on the EDS, although some individual aged rats performed as well as young rats on this phase. In addition, some aged rats were impaired on the reversal, although a group effect did not reach significance in this phase. Impairment in neither reversal nor EDS was associated with impairments in spatial learning in the Morris water maze. Young rats with neurotoxic lesions of medial frontal cortex are also selectively impaired on the EDS. These results indicate that normal aging in rats is associated with impaired medial frontal cortex function. Furthermore, age-related declines in frontal cortex function are independent of those in hippocampal function. These results provide a possible basis for correlating age-related changes in neurobiological markers in frontal cortex with cognitive decline.     

On Understanding Leśniewski

Tarski's manner of defining truth is generally considered highly significant. About why, there is less consensus. I argue first, that in his truth-definitions Tarski was trying to solve a set of philosophical problems; second, that he solved them successfully; third, that all of these that are simply problems about defining truth are as well or better solved by a simpler account of truth. But one of his crucial problems remains: to give an account of validity, one requires an account not just of truth but of truth under varying interpretations. Tarski's account has the merit of generalizing to this, to model theory and to abstract algebra.     

drinking patterns,social interaction,and barroom behavior: a routine activities approach

Routine activities and place theory both offer a unique analytical framework to study the types of activities and behaviors that occur within urban drinking settings as well as the consequent problem-related behavior in surrounding residential neighborhoods. Using observational data from two urban bars this study set out to determine how routine drinking patterns, social interaction, and formal guardianship, such as controls and management practices, are related to patron alcohol consumption and behavioral responses within and outside the bar. The results illustrate that the level and extent of effective forms of guardianship within the facility correspond with patron behavior. Generally, the bar that provided the greatest level of guardianship by the use of effective bouncers had a lower amount of predatory sexual offending and disorder within the bar. Moreover, the routine activities of patrons attending the bars in this study also contributed to increased amounts of disorder outside the bars and in adjoining neighborhoods. Several theoretical and policy implications of bar owners social responsibility to regulate the disorderly and destructive behavior of their patrons are presented.     

Not Only Whites: Racial Priming Effect for Black Faces in Black People

Black people are widely negatively stereotyped. The presence of unconscious stereotypes can be effectively assessed with the administration of “racial priming tasks.” An ethnically diverse group was subjected to a priming paradigm to test whether racial cues could bias the identification of target objects. Participants were asked to categorize objects (either as dangerous or nondangerous) after the presentation of Black/White faces as primes. Results show that both Black and White participants were faster in categorizing dangerous objects when primed with Black faces compared to the control condition (i.e., scrambled faces). One possible explanation for this effect is that Black faces are generally associated with a feeling of danger, which ultimately leads to faster responses.     

Behavior Problems in Toddlers With and Without Developmental Delays: Comparison of Treatment Outcomes

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of an in-home parent management program for toddlers with behavior problems and developmental delays by comparing outcomes for a group of toddlers with developmental delays (n = 27) and a group of toddlers without developmental delays (n = 27). The majority of children lived in single parent, low-income homes. Results suggest that the parent management program is equally effective for children with and without developmental delays. Parents from both groups reported clinically significant improvement in their children's behavior and parenting practices. Clinical implications regarding the importance of these findings for improving outcomes for toddlers with behavior problems and developmental delays living in poverty were discussed.