Clogs in the bogus pipeline: Demand characteristics and social desirability

Jones and Sigall (1971) have advocated the use of a pseudophysiological monitoring device (the bogus pipeline) as a procedure to measure the “true” feelings of experimental subjects. A comparison of the bogus pipeline and a paper-and-pencil scale as measures of attraction indicated that the monitoring device is affected by experimenter demands among high social desirability (SD) subjects (p < .03) while the simple rating scale is not. Attraction to a stranger was determined solely by attitude similarity for high SD subjects using the paper-and-pencil measure and for low SD subjects in both measurement conditions. Use of the bogus pipeline in the typical attraction experiment thus would seem to be contraindicated. These results were discussed with respect to Ostrom's (1973) criteria of relative sensitivity and functional comparability of measurement techniques.     

Central catecholamine and peripheral noradrenaline depletion by 6-hydroxydopamine and active avoidance learning in rats

Three experiments are reported on the relation among catecholamine (CA) depletion, plasma corticosterone (11-OHCS) levels, and active aversive learning. A baseline study showed no significant relation beteen resting levels of 11-OHCS and central and/or peripheral CA depletion. On a two-way avoidance learning task, depletion of brain CAs produced a widespread learning deficit. When both central and peripheral CAs were depleted, only escape learning emerged. Similar effects occurred on a one-way task, but differences were not so marked. The findings are discussed in terms of a theory of CA-dependent cues.     

Temporal coordination of phonation and articulation in a case of verbal apraxia: A voice onset time study

A study of voice onset time (VOT) in stop production was undertaken in order to investigate the hypothesis that the voicing feature errors in the speech of an apraxic patient (Sands, E. S., Freeman, F. J., & Harris, K. S. 1978. Brain and Language, 6, 97–105) were related to deficits in temporal coordination of phonation and articulation. Results demonstrated that the VOTs of the apraxic subject differed markedly from those of normal subjects. The apraxic productions did not include voicing lead for voiced stops. Lag times for voiced stops were longer than normal, while those for voiceless stops were shorter than normal, yielding a compression of the two categories and a marked overlap.     

A television technique for quantifying conditioned and unconditioned responses of planarians

A technique tor quantifying responses of the planarian, using television recording, is described. The planarian swims in a watch crystal filled with spring water, with a TV camera directly under the crystal aimed upward. Shock is administered via four electrodes placed 90 deg apart around the perimeter of the crystal. Magnitude of response to shock is expressed in terms of percent reduction in body length. Latency of response onset is also available by counting synchronizing pulses equalling 1/60 sec. Data from two worms which received 20 shocks/day for 5 days indicated that the magnitude and latency measures were similar for the two animals and were reasonably reliable. The average latency of the UR to shock was about 100 msec, similar to that of the human eyeblink. Extension of the technique for studying CRs was also described, indicating that greater sophistication in quantifying URs and CRs in planarians is now available.     

The sex-role egalitarianism scale: A measure of attitudes toward equality between the sexes

Two parallel forms of the Sex-Role Egalitarianism Scale (SRES) were developed. Each form includes 19 items representing each of five domains of adult living: marital roles, parental roles, employee roles, social-interpersonal-heterosexual roles, and educational roles. To determine the psychometric characteristics of the scales, 367 persons were tested, including police, senior citizens, business undergraduates, and psychology undergraduates. Reliability estimates for domain and total scores ranged from .81 to .97. Correlations between social desirability and SRES scores ranged from –.03 to +.18. Preliminary evidence of validity was derived from the confirmation of two a priori hypotheses: (a) Women scored more egalitarian than men, and psychology students scored more egalitarian than business students; (b) Both student groups scored more egalitarian than senior citizens and police.This research was supported by a Faculty Research and Creative Endeavors Grant from Central Michigan University. A portion of this paper was presented at the meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Detroit, April 1981. The authors wish to thank Ann Carey, Tom Blair, and Larry Dennis for their computer assistance.Copies of the Sex-Role Egalitarianism Scale may be obtained from Carole A. Beere, Department of Psychology, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan 48859.     

Ethnic role taking: The effects of preference and self-identification(1)

Children aged 6 to 9 years were asked to take the role of people from different ethnic groups. They were to do this by attributing kinship preferences to persons from their own ethnic group, from their most liked ethnic group and from their most disliked ethnic group. The first experiment conducted with White Americans demonstrated that they were able to attribute similar-ethnicity preferences to people from their own and from their liked ethnic group, but not to people from a disliked group. Two sorts of errors were made: those resulting from egocentrism and those resulting from undifferentiated perception. A second experiment was conducted with Canadian Indian children in which more extensive attitude and perception measures were taken. Multiple regression analyses suggested that kinship attribution was based more on similarity between role person and kin than it was on the child's own egocentric preferences. The Indian children also made fewer errors on the disliked role. This was discussed in terms of conflicts about group identity and preferences.     

A method for producing random visual textures

Textures composed of randomly shaped black and white areas may be produced from high-contrast photographs of a mixture of white and black-dyed rice. Moderate control of black-to-white ratio and many randomizations at a given ratio are possible. This method is cheaper than computer generation and better controlled than the more inexpensive methods.     

An automated swim alley for small animals: I. Instrumentation

A swim alley for testing the long-term performance capacity of rats is described. Rats swim back and forth in an alley, in temperature-controlled water, between platforms that are alternately and automatically raised and lowered. At the end of each traverse, an animal is allowed to rest on a raised platform for a period of time before the platform is lowered, which initiates the next traverse. Continuous measurement is made of speed of movement between platforms.     

Size and distance judgements in the vertical plane under water

Summary Experiments with subjects of varied diving experience in clear water of Malta showed that divers tend to underestimate the distance of the surface more than that of the seabed. The underestimation is most marked in clear empty water, but disappears with practice. Objects viewed vertically downwards tend to be correctly estimated in size; but this is an underestimate in comparison with the overestimation which normally occurs with horizontal viewing. These effects are similar to the moon illusion, but are probably due to visual rather than proprioceptive changes in the vertical plane.

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Résumé Des expériences faites avec des sujets possédant divers niveaux d'expérience de plonger en eau claire devant Malte ont montré ques les plongeurs ont tendance à sous-estimer léloignement de la surface plus que du fond de la mer. Cette sous-estimation se révèle la plus marquée en eau claire et vide, mais disparaît avec l'habitude. Des objets regardés verticalement en bas ont tendance à être estimés justement en grandeur; mais c'est là une sous-estimation en comparaison avec la surestimation qui se produit quand ils sont regardés horizontalement. Ces effets sont semblables à la lune-illusion, mais ont probablement pour cause des changements plutôt visuels que proprioceptifs dans le plan vertical.