Effects of asynchrony on symmetry perception

The effect of temporal image segmentation on symmetry perception was investigated by means of stimuli composed of one part surrounding another. The two parts could be presented synchronously or with a temporal offset (20–100 ms), and each part could be either symmetrical or random. The task was to discriminate completely symmetrical (S) stimuli (in Experiment 1) or completely random (R) stimuli (in Experiment 2) from partially symmetrical (PS) stimuli in which one part was symmetrical and the other random. The R stimuli showed an asynchrony effect but the S stimuli did not. Furthermore, in both experiments, the PS stimuli showed an asynchrony effect when the symmetrical part was presented last but not when the symmetrical part was presented first (independent of whether it was the surrounded part or the surrounding part). Both results suggest that symmetry is strong enough to override this kind of temporal image segmentation.     

Dutch plural inflection: the exception that proves the analogy

We develop the view that inflection is driven partly by non-phonological analogy and that non-phonological information is of particular importance to the inflection of non-canonical roots, which in the view of [Marcus, G. F., Brinkmann, U., Clahsen, H., Wiese, R., & Pinker, S. (1995). German inflection: the exception that proves the rule. Cognitive Psychology, 29, 189-256.] are inflected by a symbolic rule process. We used the Dutch plural to evaluate these claims. An analysis of corpus data shows that a model using non-phonological information (orthography) produces significantly fewer errors on plurals of non-canonical Dutch nouns, in particular borrowings, than a model that includes only phonological information. Moreover, we show that a double default system, as proposed by Pinker [Pinker, S. (1999). Words and rules. London: Phoenix.], does not offer an advantage over the latter model. A second study, examining the use of orthography in an online plural production task, shows that, in Dutch, the chosen pseudoword plural is significantly affected by non-phonological information. A final simulation study confirms that these results are in line with a model of inflectional morphology that explains the inflection of non-canonical roots by non-phonological analogy instead of by a default rule process.     

Neuroconstructivism

Neuroconstructivism is a theoretical framework focusing on the construction of representations in the developing brain. Cognitive development is explained as emerging from the experience-dependent development of neural structures supporting mental representations. Neural development occurs in the context of multiple interacting constraints acting on different levels, from the individual cell to the external environment of the developing child. Cognitive development can thus be understood as a trajectory originating from the constraints on the underlying neural structures. This perspective offers an integrated view of normal and abnormal development as well as of development and adult processing, and it stands apart from traditional cognitive approaches in taking seriously the constraints on cognition inherent to the substrate that delivers it.     

Determining the dimensionality in spatial representations of semantic concepts

When multidimensional scaling solutions are used to study semantic concepts, the dimensionality of the optimal configuration has to be determined. Several strategies have been proposed to choose the appropriate dimensionality. In the present paper, the traditional dimensionality choice criteria were evaluated and compared to a method based on the prediction of an external criterion. Two studies were conducted in which typicality of an exemplar within a semantic concept was predicted from its distance to the concept centroid. In contrast to the low-dimensional solutions selected by the traditional methods, predictions of an external criterion improved with additional dimensions up till dimensionalities that were much higher than what is common in the literature. This suggests that traditional methods underestimate the richness of semantic concepts as revealed in spatial representations derived from similarity measures.     

The influence of category membership of stimuli on sequential effects in magnitude judgment

The present study addresses the problem of whether range effects and sequential dependencies are affected by stimulus category membership in the same way. Two sets of squares differing in color were presented to subjects. The subjects were asked to judge them according to size, under two instructions. The separation instruction required them to judge each square solely in relation to its own category. The integration instruction required them to ignore category membership. The results indicated that, under the separation instruction, the range effects, as well as the sequence effects, confined themselves to stimuli of the same category. Under the integration instruction, however, the squares were judged in relation to the range of all the stimuli, and sequential effects were independent of the stimulus category. This parallel trend in the category-specific effects of range and preceding stimuli was found for judgments, as well as for reaction times. The findings are discussed with regard to models of sequential effects.     

Normative data for the Boston Naming Test in native Dutch-speaking Belgian children and the relation with intelligence

This paper reports the results of a normative study of the 60-item version of the Boston Naming Test (BNT) in a group of 371 native Dutch-speaking Flemish children between the ages of 6 and 12 years. Analysis of test results revealed that BNT performance was significantly affected by age and gender. The gathered norms were shown to be significantly lower than published norms for comparable North-American children. Error analysis disclosed remarkable similarities with data from elderly subjects, with verbal semantic paraphasias and 'don't know' responses occurring most frequently. Finally, BNT scores were shown to correlate strongly with general intelligence as measured with the Raven Progressive Matrices. The relation between both measures can be of help in the diagnosis of identification naming deficits and impaired word-retrieval capacities.     

Time-shrinking: the process of unilateral temporal assimilation

Our previous research on auditory time perception showed that the duration of empty time intervals shorter than about 250 ms can be underestimated hugely if they are immediately preceded by shorter time intervals. We named this illusion 'time-shrinking' (TS). This study comprises four experiments in which the preceding interval, t1, was followed by a standard interval, t2. When t1 < or = 200 ms, and t1 < or = t2, the underestimation of t2 came into view clearly. The absolute difference between t2 and t1 was the crucial factor for the illusion to appear. The underestimation increased when t2 increased from t1 to t1 + 65 ms, stayed at about 45 ms when t2 was between t1 + 65 ms and t1 + 95 ms, and disappeared suddenly when t2 exceeded t1 + 95 ms. This pattern of results was observed across all values of t1 < or = 200 ms. A model was fit to the data to elucidate the underlying process of the illusion. The model states that the perceived duration difference between t1 and t2 is reduced by cutting mental processing time for t2; in other words, that t2 assimilates to t1.     

Fine-Grained Colour Discrimination without Fine-Grained Colour

René Jagnow [2012] argues that David Rosenthal's theory of consciousness cannot account for certain experiences that involve colours so fine-grained that we do not and cannot have concepts of them. Jagnow claims that an appeal to comparative concepts such as being slightly darker than cannot help Rosenthal, since, in order to apply such concepts, we would already need to be conscious of two distinct fine-grained colours. The present paper contests this claim. It appeals to the Cornsweet illusion and some other visual phenomena, in order to argue that our visual systems can and do represent brutely comparative matters.