Finger inter-dependence: linking the kinetic and kinematic variables

We studied the dependence between voluntary motion of a finger and pressing forces produced by the tips of other fingers of the hand. Participants moved one of the fingers (task finger) of the right hand trying to follow a cyclic, ramp-like flexion-extension template at different frequencies. The other fingers (slave fingers) were restricted from moving; their flexion forces were recorded and analyzed. Index finger motion caused the smallest force production by the slave fingers. Larger forces were produced by the neighbors of the task finger; these forces showed strong modulation over the range of motion of the task finger. The enslaved forces were higher during the flexion phase of the movement cycle as compared to the extension phase. The index of enslaving expressed in N/rad was higher when the task finger moved through the more flexed postures. The dependence of enslaving on both range and direction of task finger motion poses problems for methods of analysis of finger coordination based on an assumption of universal matrices of finger interdependence.     

Feminism and the Discourse of Sexuality in Korea: Continuities and Changes

This paper aims to deal with the change of sexual discourse through the rise of a feminist movement in Korea from a constructivist point of view. First, the paper discusses the Confucianism of the Chosun dynasty as an historical background of the issue of sexuality (since Confucianism still has a far-reaching grip and effect on many aspects of everyday life in Korea). Second, it deals with chastity ideology and the double standard of sexuality between men and women as ongoing Confucian sexual discourses. Third, it focuses on three themes: (1) the change from sex for procreation to sex for pleasure, (2) the change from genitally-oriented sexuality to intimacy- or relationship-oriented sexuality, and (3) the change from a woman as a sexual object to a sexual subject as part of the changes of sexual discourses. Fourth, it tries to show clashes and/or alliances between the Confucian and feminist discourses on sexuality, which make up the process of the social construction of sexuality. This shows that sexuality is a socio-historical construction in Korea as elsewhere.     

Visual working memory for line orientations and face identities

Previous studies have shown that the number of objects we can actively hold in visual working memory is smaller for more complex objects. However, complex objects are not just more complex but are often more similar to other complex objects used as test probes. To separate effects of complexity from effects of similarity, we measured visual memory following a 1-sec delay for complex and simple objects at several levels of memory-to-test similarity. When memory load was one object, memory accuracy for a face (a complex attribute) was similar to a line orientation (a simple attribute) when the face changed in steps of 10% along a morphing continuum and the line changed in steps of 5° in orientation. Performance declined with increasing memory load and increasing memory-to-test similarity. Remarkably, when memory load was three or four objects, face memory was better than orientation memory at similar changed steps. These results held when memory for line orientations was compared with that for inverted faces. We conclude that complex objects do not always exhaust visual memory more quickly than simple objects do.     

Sender Demeanor: Individual Differences in Sender Believability Have a Powerful Impact on Deception Detection Judgments

Sender demeanor is an individual difference in the believability of message senders that is conceptually independent of actual honesty. Recent research suggests that sender demeanor may be the most influential source of variation in deception detection judgments. Sender demeanor was varied in five experiments (N = 30, 113, 182, 30, and 35) to create demeanor–veracity matched and demeanor–veracity mismatched conditions. The sender demeanor induction explained as much as 98% of the variance in detection accuracy. Three additional studies (N = 30, 113, and 104) investigated the behavioral profiles of more and less believable senders. The results document the strong impact of sender effects in deception detection and provide an explanation of the low‐accuracy ceiling in the previous findings.     

New understanding of the role of coincidence site lattice boundaries in abnormal grain growth of aluminium alloy

The sequential microstructure evolution of abnormal grain growth (AGG) in the aluminium alloy (AA5052) was investigated to analyse the migration behaviour of coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundaries, which are known to play an important role in inducing AGG. The sequential evolution showed that CSL boundaries tend to disappear more slowly than general boundaries at the growth front of abnormally growing grains. Especially, the migration rate of Σ9 boundaries was noticeably low, which is contrary to the previous suggestions.     

Reflecting Absence: Representing the Extraordinary Deaths of Ordinary Sailors in the Media

This study undertakes a comparative analysis of the commemorative discourse used by the South Korean media, family members, and the general public in response to the deaths of 46 sailors on board a navy ship that was sunk by a North Korean torpedo in 2010. It identifies differences in the methods of remembrance among the different groups, with the media focusing on human values, professional ethics, and universal norms, while family members recalled everyday experiences with the deceased and stressed acceptance of death and the general public emphasized heroism, immortality, and national solidarity. This study discusses the differences in the understanding of death between South Koreans and Westerners.     

The study of a Christian 12-Step Program for Christian Smartphone-Addicted Adolescents: A Biblical Perspective

Journal of Religion and Health - The aim of this study was to explore the suitability of a Christian 12-step program based on a biblical perspective for smartphone-addicted adolescents. The study...