Semantic priming of familiar songs

We explored the functional organization of semantic memory for music by comparing priming across familiar songs both within modalities (Experiment 1, tune to tune; Experiment 3, category label to lyrics) and across modalities (Experiment 2, category label to tune; Experiment 4, tune to lyrics). Participants judged whether or not the target tune or lyrics were real (akin to lexical decision tasks). We found significant priming, analogous to linguistic associative-priming effects, in reaction times for related primes as compared to unrelated primes, but primarily for within-modality comparisons. Reaction times to tunes (e.g., “Silent Night”) were faster following related tunes (“Deck the Hall”) than following unrelated tunes (“God Bless America”). However, a category label (e.g., Christmas) did not prime tunes from within that category. Lyrics were primed by a related category label, but not by a related tune. These results support the conceptual organization of music in semantic memory, but with potentially weaker associations across modalities.     

Improved matrix reasoning is limited to training on tasks with a visuospatial component

Recent studies (e.g.,  and ) have provided evidence that scores on tests of fluid intelligence can be improved by having participants complete a four week training program using the dual n-back task. The dual n-back task is a working memory task that presents auditory and visual stimuli simultaneously. The primary goal of our study was to determine whether a visuospatial component is required in the training program for participants to experience gains in tests of fluid intelligence. We had participants complete variations of the dual n-back task or a short-term memory task as training. Participants were assessed with four tests of fluid intelligence and four cognitive tests. We were successful in corroborating Jaeggi et al.'s results, however, improvements in scores were observed on only two out of four tests of fluid intelligence for participants who completed the dual n-back task, the visual n-back task, or a short-term memory task training program. Our results raise the issue of whether the tests measure the construct of fluid intelligence exclusively, or whether they may be sensitive to other factors. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for conceptualizing and assessing fluid intelligence.     

Effects of body fat on weight concerns, dating, and sexual activity: a longitudinal analysis of black and white adolescent girls.

Using data from a 2-year longitudinal study of 200 Black and White adolescent girls (mean age was 13.8 years at study entry), the authors investigated the implications of differences in body fat for dating and sexual activity and the implications of heterosexual activity for dieting and weight concerns. Among White girls, and Black girls with college-educated mothers, more body fat was associated with a lower probability of dating, even among nonobese girls. However, dating and sexual experience were unrelated to subsequent dieting and weight concerns. For both Blacks and Whites, body fat was the key determinant of dieting, weight dissatisfaction, and eating concerns. These findings indicate that adolescent girls' concerns about weight have a basis in real experiential differences, and efforts to promote healthy attitudes and eating habits may be more effective if the experiential implications of weight differences are taken into account.     

Conditioned discrimination of airborne odorants by garter snakes (Thamnophis radix and T. sirtalis sirtalis)

For snakes, the nasal chemical senses are critical in intraspecific communication and prey recognition. Although it is known that garter snakes can respond differentially to airborne odorants, no previous study has demonstrated that snakes can learn a task with airborne odors as discriminative stimuli. In Experiment 1, 7 plains garter snakes (Thamnophis radix) were trained in a two-choice apparatus to move into a compartment containing lemon-scented chips for a food reward. All 7 snakes improved performance when the first 10 and last 10 trials of the 100 trials of conditioning were compared. Four of the snakes were subsequently trained to move away from the scented compartment into the unscented compartment. The 4 snakes rapidly learned this reversal. In Experiment 2, 7 common garter snakes (T. sirtalis sirtalis) were trained to traverse a two-choice maze with the presence or absence of amyl acetate odor as the conditioned stimulus. The snakes were pretested for odor versus nonodor preference and were trained to go to the initially nonpreferred stimulus. Of the 7 snakes, 5 achieved a predetermined criterion (two training sessions with cumulative correct responding above the .05 confidence level) within 85 trials.     

The influence of sex-role stereotypes on prose recall

The influence of sex-role stereotypes on memory was investigated. High-school students read a short story about a protagonist named either Linda or David. Results indicated that when the sex of the protagonist was the same as their own, the students answered significantly more questions about the story correctly than in the cross-sex conditions. A qualitative analysis of the kinds of errors and inferences made revealed that female subjects tended to rely on sex-role stereotypes when answering factual questions about a male protagonist, and male subjects tended to rely on sex-role stereotypes when answering inference questions about a female protagonist. These results provide partial support for the notion that individuals are more predisposed to view members of the opposite sex stereotypically and are more likely to alter their memories in accordance with these stereotypes than they are when answering questions about members of their same sex.