A Non-Verbal Technique for Assessing Frustration Response in Pre-School Children

The present study represents a report of the initial development of a picture method for assessing response to frustration in preschool children. Study 1 (N = 91) included the initial development of the picture materials; it also produced some validational support for the picture method in the form of significant correlations between picture choices and extensive behavior observations. Study 2 (N = 49) was designed to be essentially a replication of Study 1. In addition, further validational support was sought through the correlation of picture choices with global teacher ratings of the behaviors of interest.     

Eye movements across viewpoint changes in multiple object tracking

Observers can visually track multiple objects that move independently even if the scene containing the moving objects is rotated in a smooth way. Abrupt scene rotations yield tracking more difficult but not impossible. For nonrotated, stable dynamic displays, the strategy of looking at the targets' centroid has been shown to be of importance for visual tracking. But which factors determine successful visual tracking in a nonstable dynamic display? We report two eye tracking experiments that present evidence for centroid looking. Across abrupt viewpoint changes, gaze on the centroid is more stable than gaze on targets indicating a process of realigning targets as a group. Further, we show that the relative importance of centroid looking increases with object speed.     

A cognitive‐emotional account of the shape of the probability weighting function

Research has shown a tendency of decision makers to overweight small probabilities and to underweight moderate and large probabilities. In standard treatments this is graphically modeled by an inverse S‐shaped probability weighting function. We suggest that emotions play a significant role in the shaping of the probability weighting function. In particular, the weighting function is proposed to be some function of objective probability, expected elation, and expected disappointment. The overweighting of small probabilities results from the anticipated elation after having won, given that winning was very unlikely. The underweighting of large probabilities results from anticipated disappointment after having failed to win, given that winning was very likely. Hence, probability is assumed to influence utility. Three experiments investigate these hypotheses. Experiments 1 and 2 show that a convex function relates probability to surprise. Experiment 3 elicits choice data and further supports the proposed hypotheses. The model adds to the understanding of the cognitive and emotional processes underlying the shape of the probability weighting function. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Maximum likelihood solution to factor analysis when some factors are completely specified

In the factor-analytic model, let some of the factors be known (i.e., the factor loadings are given in advance; they maye.g. be obtained from some previous analyses). However, their covariance matrix may, or may not, be known. The remaining factors (if any) are assumed to be uncorrelated among themselves and to the first set. For this model, the maximum likelihood equations are obtained and an iterative method for the solution is proposed.The work was done while the author was at Deutsches Rechenzentrum, Darmstadt, Germany.     

Comparison of intrusion errors and serial position curves on monaural and dichotic listening tasks: A developmental analysis

Based on a repeated measurement study of 7-, 10-, 14-, and 17-year-olds with monaural and dichotic presentations of word lists varying in associative structure and presentation rate, intrusion and serial position dependent variables were analyzed. Intrusion analyses supported previous reports on word list recall; vis, 7- and 10-year-olds recalled fewer words from monaural and dichotic lists and had more intrusive errors than adolescents. Based on similar orders of report (strategies) for monaural and dichotic word presentations, serial position curves for the two types of presentation were compared. Within-age comparisons were strikingly similar. Between-age comparisons of monaural and dichotic presentation serial position curves support the notion that there are ontogenetic limitations in memory structure and control processes.     

De beteekenis van Moritz Schlick voor de wijsbegeerte

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

What Remains of the Fundamentum Inconcussum in Light of the Modern Sciences of Man?

Transcendental conceptions of subjectivity, beginning with Descartes and including Kant, Fichte, and Husserl as well as neo-transcendental accounts of the 20th century, try to explicate a subject’s subjectivity as a necessary condition for all theoretical and practical validity claims. According to this conception, only this subject-theoretical presupposition allows for an adequate foundation of terms of authorship of action (autonomy) and self-determination. However, the conceptual self-explication of this position faces some inherent difficulties, which has repeatedly been pointed out even by representatives of this school of thought themselves. Moreover, it seems as if the constitutional achievements of transcendental philosophy are increasingly being detached from philosophy: due to the development of the modern sciences of man, they are step by step conceived as objects of empirical research. This paper looks critically into this thesis of detachment.