Letter naming time,digit span,and precocious reading achievement

In two 6-month longitudinal studies of intellectually advanced preschool children, letter naming time and backward digit span were moderately good predictors of concurrent reading achievement (PIAT Reading Recognition Score). None of the remaining measures in a battery of standard cognitive indices, including Stanford-Binet MA, was associated with reading achievement. The results of cross-lagged correlation analysis of data from one of the two samples suggested that individual differences in time to access name codes for visual stimuli predict, but are not a consequence of, individual differences in reading achievement. The results of the cross-lagged analysis for the second sample were inconclusive. As a whole, the results are consistent with findings from other populations indicating that both short term memory span and efficiency of retrieval from long term memory are related to reading ability. The results also indicate, however, that the relationship between retrieval efficiency and reading achievement in precocious readers cannot be described by extrapolation of threshold estimates from the performance of older, unselected groups of readers.     

Control theories in motor behavior

The goal of contemporary motor control theorist is the delineation of the “language” of movements. That is, in what unambiguous code are the parameters of movement specified, given the composition of the human body? In this pursuit not only are the elements of the language of movement sought, but the rules of combination or syntax of movement are also to be derived. This paper compares a number of motor control theories according to the form of control they exhibit and according to their ability to address issues in the area. Recurring theoretical trends in motor control are examined and the evidence for each is reviewed, emphasizing their explanatory power in the classical problems of control: motor equivalence (Hebb 1949), complexity (Bernstein 1967), and variability (Glencross 1980; Schmidt 1975, 1976).     

Is Implicit Personality Theory illusory? Armchair criticism versus replicated empirical research

The Tzeng and Tzeng (1982) criticisms of the assumptions underlying the Jackson, Chan, and Stricker (1979) study of Implicit Personality Theory fail to take account of the relevant empirical data. For example, the key contention of Tzeng and Tzeng–that the measures of judged and empirical trait-co-occurrence used by Jackson et al. were not comparable–is contradicted by replicated findings which establish that the two are substantially and consistently related, results for which Tzeng and Tzeng offer no alternative explanation. In short, Tzeng and Tzeng have not demonstrated that their criticisms have any real substance. Hence, none of the Jackson et al. results and conclusions, including those questioning the conditional probability index as a measure of empirical co-occurrence and those supporting the validity of Implicit Personality Theory, are affected or changed.     

Deviation from hierarchical structure in recall: Is there an “optimal” structure?

Past research has suggested that proportionally more superordinate than sub-ordinate propositions are recalled from expository texts, following a hierarchical analysis of the text structure. Since free recall has typically followed this hierarchical pattern, several researchers have assumed that the related memory structures are isomorphic to the text structure. However, few of these studies have examined how individual differences and text structure interact to affect free recall. In two experiments, the assumption of hierarchical patterns of children's recall of expository text was tested. In Experiment 1, high- and average-ability fourth graders (9 years old) were asked to read and recall a passage. Experiment 2 was a replication and extension of Experiment 1. In this experiment, fourth and sixth graders (9 and 11 years old) read and recalled a different passage. The combined results of both experiments support the notion that there is probably no one optimal hierarchical structure for storage and retrieval of expository text.     

QUANTUM PHYSICS AND FREEDOM IN A WHITEHEADIAN PERSPECTIVE

This paper attempts to demonstrate the critical significance of early advances in quantum physics for Alfred North Whiteheads development of the categories of his metaphysics and to illustrate the capacity of his system to serve as a bridge between the sciences and the humanities by relating specific Whiteheadian categories to concrete microphysical behavior with special reference to the notion of freedom.     

Detection and recognition: Concurrent processes in perception

In two experiments, event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded while subjects performed a simultaneous detection and recognition task. Ten subjects listened to pure tones in noise and reported both whether a target tone had occurred (using a four-category confidence rating scale) and whether the target was one of two (Experiment 1) or four (Experiment 2) tones differing in frequency. The amplitudes of three ERP components were found to be differentially related to detection and recognition performance. The early N100 component varied with processing related only to detection, while the late P300 varied with both detection and recognition, and a later slow positive shift varied only with recognition and not with detection. While the latenciee of both N100 and P300 increased for less confident target detections, there were no differences in the latencies of these ERP components between correctly and incorrectly identiffed targets. Recognition performance was above the level expected by chance even when subjects reported that no target had been presented. The results indicate that brain potential components can be used to disclose temporal features of the processing of a stimulus by the nervous system and support the view that detection and recognition are partially independent, concurrent processes in perception.     

Direct and continuous measurement of relational learning in human pavlovian conditioning

Three experiments were conducted employing a continuous measure of conditional stimulus/unconditional stimulus (CS/US) contingencies as perceived by the subject (i.e., subjective contingency or SC). It is argued that direct measurement of relational learning, as indexed by SC, can lead to a better understanding of Pavlovian conditioning processes. The first two experiments applied this approach to a methodologic controversy, raising the debate from a procedure-based argument to testing what the subject actually learns about CS/US relationships. While the issue was not resolved, testable hypotheses for future research were generated from the data. The third experiment contrasted the contingency stimulus-stimulus (S-S) account of Pavlovian conditioning with an earlier stimulus-response (S-R) continguity-reinforcement account. In this experiment, both SC and skin resistance were measured. Evidence for the existence of both cognitive-propositional and response-learning processes in conditioning was obtained.     

Treatment of handwriting problems utilizing EMG biofeedback training.

The effects of EMG biofeedback training on cursive handwriting were investigated for 4 girls and 5 boys in Grade 4. A significant reduction in EMG between the first baseline session and the last training session was obtained. Four of 5 characteristics of handwriting improved significantly. The need for carefully designed research comparing EMG biofeedback training and relaxation training was indicated. A self-control factor in handwriting was hypothesized.     

Entry-Level Employment Prospects for Women in College-Student Personnel Work

Women are no longer underrepresented in student-personnel preparation programs. Although this situation is noteworthy, it may not be without potentially frustrating consequences for the increased number of female master's degree graduates who are seeking a limited number of entry-level positions. Whether the increase in women will have deleterious effects on placement remains to be seen. In the meantime, women (and men) should be made aware of the inherent free-market employment risks when contemplating a career in student-personnel work.