The perception of continuous curves in dot stimuli

Two categorisation experiments are reported in which the perceptual phenomenon that some simple arrays of discrete dots appear as a continuous curve whereas others are perceived as an angular contour or as consisting of separate groups of dots was investigated. Triplets of dots were presented in the first experiment, and complete or incomplete regular dot polygons (ie dots positioned on the vertices of imaginary regular polygons) in the second. In both experiments the perception of a curve versus an angle was determined mainly by the relative orientations of the dots, ie by the angles between successive virtual lines, whereas the lengths of the virtual lines had relatively little influence. In experiment 2 the number of displayed dots was shown to be a second independent factor for perceiving continuity. These results are in agreement with results from experiments on dipole textures discrimination, and suggest the psychological existence and importance of virtual lines in the visual processing of dot stimuli.     

Stereokinesis with moving visual phantoms

When a flat pattern composed of a solid ellipse with two symmetrical semirings (corresponding to the visible parts of a contour ellipse whose major axis is perpendicular to that of the solid ellipse) is slowly rotated in the frontoparallel plane, a compelling three-dimensional impression occurs. Subjects report seeing an egg-shaped object that is inserted into a circular ring: the two objects move solidly into three-dimensional space and a moving visual phantom is generated so that the ring appears completed by an illusory curved bar in the region closest to the observer during rotation. A number of variations of this illusion are presented. It is shown that stereokinetic phantoms (i) maintain the shape of the inducing elements; (ii) appear only after the stereokinetic transformation has taken place; and (iii) depend on the organization of the three-dimensional percept as a whole. Relations between stereokinetic phantoms and other completion phenomena are presented and discussed.     

Individual differences and measures of aggression in laboratory studies

After inducing hostility toward a confederate by threatening subjects' self-esteem, subjects were then given the opportunity either to deliver shocks (Experiment 1) or to withhold rewards (Experiment 2) from their confederate. Physiological measures were taken prior to the hostility induction, shortly after the induction and, finally, after the opportunity to aggress. Measures of individual differences relating to aggressive behavior were also considered. While the experimental manipulation was the best predictor in the ‘withholding rewards’ condition, measures of dissipation-rumination tendencies and emotional vulnerability were the best predictors in the ‘shock administration’ condition. In both conditions, systolic blood pressure seemed to reflect differences in arousal as a function of the hostility induction procedure, while subjects in the withhold rewards procedure also showed a decrease in systolic pressure after having an opportunity to aggress toward the confederate. It was concluded that not only is the withholding of rewards a more ethically acceptable procedure than shock administration, but it is also more likely to reflect experimental rather than individual difference affects.     

Investigation of a social-interactional model of depression with mildly depressed males and females

Recent research has explored social-interactional factors in the etiology and maintenance of depression. The current investigation further explored the social-interactional model using face-to-face interactions between depressed and nondepressed individuals, as well as the applicability of this model to observed differences in male and female depression. Forty depressed and 40 nondepressed subjects interacted with same or opposite-sex partners. The 20-minute interactions were videotaped and scored with a behavioral coding system. Subjects completed questionnaires concerning perceptions of their partners and the interaction. Results indicated that depressed and non-depressed subjects behaved similarly during the interactions. However, depression was associated with a number of socially unskilled behaviors. Depression in males was related to additional skills deficits not observed for females. While male and female self-report of depression did not differ, males consistently reported greater negative affect. Partner impressions differed based upon sex of partner, and not his or her level of depression. The robustness of the social-interactional model and methodological considerations for future research with this model are discussed.This article is based on the first author's master's thesis conducted under the supervision of the second author who is now at Catholic University. Portions of this research were presented at the 32nd annual meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association.The authors wish to thank George A. Clum and Thomas H. Ollendick for serving as committee members; Teresa K. Meade for her invaluable help in data collection; and Katie Bechtel, Ruth Townsley, and Mike Cobler for their assistance in scoring and coding data. Thanks also to an anonymous reviewer for helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paper.     

Alcohol and drug use in stressful times: The influence of the masculine role and sex-related personality attributes

In times of stress, men and women sometimes turn to the use of alcohol and drugs as an avenue for relieving their discomfort and distress. One explanation of this finding implicates traditional male tendencies as predisposing factors. The purpose of the present investigation was to study how the relationship between stress and substance use is moderated (1) by the masculine role, as measured by the Masculine Role Inventory; and (2) by socially desirable and undesirable masculine-instrumental and feminine-expressive personality attributes, as measured by the Extended Personal Attributes Questionnaire. The results indicated that during stressful episodes men characterized by socially undesirable instrumental personality attributes reported using tranquilizers and sedatives. By contrast, it was found that during stressful times, women characterized by success preoccupation reported less use of mind-altering drugs and more use of tranquilizers-sedatives. In addition, it was found that socially desirable expressive attributes served to buffer the impact of stressful experiences on women's use of alcohol.A preliminary report of these data were presented at the 1985 annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association, Austin, Texas. Gratitude is extended to Toni Falbo for her assistance with this research.     

Relation of sex and gender role to love,sexual attitudes,and self-esteem

One theory of love (J. A. Lee, The Colors of Love: An Exploration of the Ways of Loving, Don Mills, Ontario: New Press, 1973) assumes at least six different attitudinal orientations toward love. Based on Lee's approach, recent research (e.g., C. Hendrick & S. Hendrick, “A Theory and Method of Love,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1986, 50, pp. 392–402) has found consistent sex differences in love attitudes. Other research has found comparable sex differences in sexual permissiveness and other sexual attitudes. The present study explored the possibility that gender role orientation might be related to differences in love and sexual attitudes. A sample of 286 college students completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI), Love Attitudes Scale, Sexual Attitudes Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Correlational analyses revealed many significant associations among love and sexual attitudes, self-esteem, and masculinity and femininity. Subjects were also classified according to gender role as androgynous, masculine, feminine, or undifferentiated, according to BSRI scores. Analyses of variance showed effects for both sex of subjects and gender role orientation on several of the dependent measures. The pattern of the results suggested that sex-stereotyped couples may have difficulties in romantic relationships because of the discrepancies in their love and sexual attitudes. An argument was made in support of the recent trend toward a multidimensional concept of gender role orientation.     

目的、意向和意识

本文提出了一个意向性目标搜寻的计算机模型,它有两个部分,静态部分包括一个目标表征和到达这个目标的程序。动态部分是一个感觉输入、中间信息加工,行为输出的重复的反馈循环。人类意向必然伴有意识,但机器人则可能无意识而有意向。 利用目标搜寻系统机器人模型,我们对目标搜寻系统的目的连续统下了定义;这个连续统从简单的直接反应系统一直到意向性系统。对这个目的连续统有两种传统的解释:一是柏拉图、亚里士多德和普罗提诺的终极原因理论,二是希腊原子论者和现代进化生物学家的还原主义学说。本文评价了这些学说。 本文考察了几种类型的意识机能,提出了以自动机为依据的意识理论,比较了人类和计算机。从计算机结构的角度来看,人类意识是一类特殊的计算机控制系统。