The Gradual Deterioration of Syntax and Semantics in a Patient with Progressive Aphasia

FM is a progressive aphasic patient whose language comprehension we studied over a 4-year period. We developed a variety of implicit and explicit tasks to chart progressive changes in the representation of linguistic knowledge (in particular, syntax and semantics) and the automatic and controlled processes which operate on that knowledge. The representation of FM's semantic knowledge remained essentially intact over the years, but she became increasingly impaired at combining the meanings of words. She also showed progressive impairments in the processes of syntactic combination. Thus, FM's disease resulted in a progressive inability to engage in those combinatorial processes necessary for the normal comprehension of a spoken utterance. This is not a selective deficit in the traditional sense of the term, since aspects of both syntax and semantics are implicated; but it is selective in the sense that other aspects of language comprehension remain intact.     

The Use of Contextual Information Related to General World Knowledge by Right Brain-Damaged Individuals in Pronoun Resolution

This study investigated the ability of right brain-damaged individuals (RBD) to use contextual information to resolve ambiguous pronouns. Subjects were presented with sentence pairs and required to resolve the ambiguous pronoun in the second sentence. Contrary to the prevailing view that RBD patients have difficulty using contextual information to integrate language, the RBD group demonstrated a normal pattern of response, demonstrating a sensitivity to the pragmatic information contained in the leading sentence. They responded more quickly to sentences with a pragmatically constrained preferred referent than to those sentences for which there was no preferred referent. As well, they chose the preferred referent significantly more often than the non-preferred referent. These results suggest that RBD patients can use contextual information at the level of a minimal discourse (i.e., two sentences).     

The double standard in age-discrepant relationships

If a double standard of aging exists, the relationship in which the female is older should be seen more negatively than the more traditional male-older relationship. This study examined the effects of both degree of age discrepancy and sex of the older person on attributions of success for relationships in both adult and adolescent samples. Both samples rated the highly discrepant female-older relationship (18 years difference) least probable of success. Level of discrepancy and sex of older person were significant factors for both groups. Surprisingly, both adult and adolescent males, in contrast to females, did not show the double standard in evaluating moderately discrepant relationship (7 years).     

A psychological and theological understanding of the histrionic personality

This paper examines a representative case of histrionic (the term hysterical is used interchangably) personality from a psychological and theological perspective. A working hypothesis is presented, based on Genesis 1–3, that is both clinical and theological. It is hypothesized that individuals who manifest histrionic features relate to each other as Strong Man/Dependent Woman and/or Strong Woman/Passive Man. Both ways of relating are usually present in the same relationship. In relating to one another in these ways, they are searching for a human god or goddess. In turn, they think and act as if they too were a god or goddess. They have not discovered another way of relating; that is, as male and female created in the image of God. A clinical case study is presented and the course of treatment described. Since the histrionic personality is multidimensional, so must be the treatment.     

A developmental study of decay rate in long-term memory

The decay rate of the long-term memory trace was studied in children and adolescents of different ages, for different degrees of learning, using visual material which was not easily verbalized and a recognition procedure which permitted the application of decision theory.Groups of children and adolescents were tested, the ages being 5–6, 7–8, 10–11, and 15–16 years. Each subject was shown 280 pictures in divided sessions. During the learning sessions, some pictures were shown only once; others, two or four times. All Ss were tested for successive retention sessions 2, 5, 10, 20 and 49 weeks after the last learning session. Different portions of the originally learned material, with new material interspersed, were used in each retention sessions.The results suggest that when degree of learning is controlled, the rate at which items are lost from memory is invariant across ages, even though recognition was better the older the children.     

Evidence for all-or-none preperceptual processing in perceptual set

“Set” is known to improve the accuracy of report of the stimulus attributes for which Ss are set to respond. The set may produce this effect by acting on either preperceptual or postperceptual processes, or both. To elucidate the manner by which set produces its effect, this paper explores the consequences of two assumptions concerning set (1) On any given trial, a S is either “set” or “not set”: (2) if “set” by the stimulus information. S’s perception of the stimulus actually improves, whereas, if “not set” by the stimulus reformation, the S’s report correctness is improved by an independent interaction of stimulus and set information on a response process. Evidence is provided for both these assumptions. In addition. It is argued that only set given before stimulation can affect a perceptual process.     

Validity and student acceptance of a graphoanalytic approach to personality

Forty-eight handwriting specimens were rated by 6 handwriting analysts on 16 personality variables. Correlations of analysts ratings and personality inventory scores were nonsignificant. Analysis of variance shewed that there were significant differences between the analysts on their judgments of 10 of the 15 traits. Subjects were also given the reports prepared for them and a bogus report and asked to rate the analysts' assessments for accuracy. Subjects were able to choose 2 of the 15 traits with significant accuracy on the real report when considering individual traits. There were no significant differences between the accuracy ratings on the real and bogus reports on overall rating. It was concluded that the analysts could not accurately predict personality from handwriting.     

Being female and athletic: A cause for conflict?

This study examined the interrelationships among role conflict, gender role orientation, and female sport participation. One hundred six female high school athletes and nonathletes were administered the Personal Attributes Questionnaire and a role conflict inventory. Multivariate analyses revealed that athletes experienced significantly higher levels of role conflict than nonathletes, but a nonsignificant relationship was found between role conflict and gender role orientation. Role conflict was also unrelated to type of sport, although team athletes high in feminine orientation perceived higher role conflict than low feminine oriented athletes. Overall, levels of perceived and experienced role conflict were low. In sum, role conflict does not appear a major concern for adolescent female athletes nor was gender role orientation a factor related to conflict between the roles of female and athlete.     

DOMINANCE AND INEQUALITY IN X-RATED VIDEOCASSETTES

Feminists have been concerned about the debasement of women in sexually explicit material. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of domination and sexual inequality in x-rated videocassettes through a content analysis of 45 widely available x-rated videocassettes. The sample was randomly drawn from a list of 121 adult movie titles widely available in family videocassette rental stores in southern California. Over half of the explicitly sexual scenes were coded as predominantly concerned with domination or exploitation. Most of the domination and exploitation was directed by men toward women. Specific indicators of domination and sexual inequality, including physical violence, occurred frequently. The growth of the videocassette rental industry and the popularity of x-rated films, coupled with the messages these films convey, is a cause for concern.