Effects of background symmetry on same-different pattern matching: a compromise-criteria account

Two experiments are reported, which were designed to test predictions of an account of same-different matching that assumes that bilaterally symmetric backgrounds provide extraneous evidence toward same, whereas asymmetric backgrounds provide evidence toward different. When all backgrounds within a block of trials are of the same type, appropriate adjustments of response criteria can be made to accommodate the irrelevant evidence and thus maintain acceptable levels of accuracy. However, when backgrounds of different types are mixed randomly, compromise criteria are adopted. This compromise-criteria account predicts distinctive interaction patterns for reaction times when blocked versus mixed presentations of various background types are compared. The predicted interactions were obtained for asymmetric- and no-noise backgrounds in Experiment 1 and for symmetric-, asymmetric-, and no-noise backgrounds in Experiment 2. The findings support the general view that extraneous display attributes are weighted into the evidence for same and different, with criteria settings used that minimize errors under the noisiest conditions.     

Evidence for cortical dysfunction in spasmodic dysphonia: regional cerebral blood flow and quantitative electrophysiology

Cortical function was evaluated in 26 subjects with spasmodic dysphonia. Quantitative topographic electrophysiologic mapping (QTE) was employed to provide quantitative analyses of EEG spectra and auditory and visual long-latency evoked potentials. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of the cerebral transit of Xenon-133 was used to evaluate regional cerebral blood flow. Left hemispheric abnormalities in cortical function were found by both techniques in 10 subjects and by at least one technique in 18 subjects. Right hemispheric abnormalities were observed by both techniques in 8 subjects and by at least one technique in 18 subjects. Most patients with cortical dysfunction in one hemisphere had cortical dysfunction in the other, while only 4 subjects had unilateral lesions as found by one of the two techniques. Eight subjects were normal by all measurements. Underlying structural abnormalities were detected by magnetic resonance imaging in 5/24 subjects. However, functional abnormalities (SPECT or QTE) were not observed at sites of structural abnormalities. SPECT and QTE were significantly related in identification of left hemispheric dysfunction (p = .037) with a trend in the right hemisphere (p = .070), and a significant congruence of SPECT and QTE findings occurred in the left anterior cortical quadrant (p = .011). These findings indicate that dysfunction of cortical perfusion and/or cortical electrophysiology is associated with spasmodic dysphonia in the majority of subjects studied.     

Family functioning and the social adaptation of hearing-impaired youths

This study examined the associations between important aspects of family functioning and the adjustment of hearing-impaired youths. Participants were 75 hearing-impaired youths and their hearing parents. The dependent variables were mothers' and fathers' ratings of child behavior problems and social competence. Independent variables included parental symptomatology, parental ratings of family stress, and family members' perceptions of family cohesion and family adaptability. Demographic characteristics and the youth's degree of hearing loss and mode of communication were used as control variables. Results from multiple regression analyses showed that parental ratings of the youths' behavior problems were linked with parental symptomatology, and that maternal ratings of the youths' behavior problems were associated with low family adaptability. Parental ratings of the youths' social competence were predicted by family stress. Overall, key aspects of family functioning accounted for considerably more variance than did the control variables. The methodological and conceptual implications of the findings are discussed.     

Affective exchanges between young autistic children and their mothers

This study examined autistic children's social behavior, affect, and use of gaze during naturalistic interactions with their mothers. Sixteen autistic children, 30 to 70 months of age, and 16 normal children, matched on receptive language, participated. Children and their mothers were videotaped during three situations: a free-play period, a more structured period during which communicative demand was made on the child, and a face-to-face interaction. In all three situations, autistic and normal children did not differ in the frequency or duration of gaze at mother's face. In the one condition (face-to-face interaction) during which affective expressions were coded, autistic and normal children also were not found to differ significantly in the frequency or duration of smiles displayed, and neither group displayed frowns. However, autistic children were much less likely than normal children to combine their smiles with eye contact in a single act that conveyed communicative intent. Autistic and normal children were not found to differ in the percentages of smiles they displayed to social versus nonsocial events. However, when autistic children's responses to mother's smiles specifically were examined, it was found that they were much less likely to smile in response to mother's smiles than were normal children. Finally, it was found that mothers o f autistic children displayed fewer smiles and were less likely to smile in response to their children's smiles, when compared with mothers o f normal children. These findings suggest that the autistic child's unusual affective behavior may negatively affect the behavior of others.We wish to thank the children and their mothers who participated in this study, and the staff at Division TEACCH at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for their help in recruiting children for the study. Harriet Reingold generously allowed us to videotape the children in her infant observation laboratory at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Cathy Lord provided videotapes of some of the autistic children and their mothers. Mary Evers assisted in data collection. Kerry Hogan assisted in the coding of data; her help is gratefully acknowledged. The study was supported by a grant from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.     

Depression and decision-making among intravenous drug users

Two short scales, the TCU Depression Scale and the TCU Decision-making Scale, were psychometrically evaluated in a sample of 145 intravenous drug users. Coefficient alpha reliabilities were .78 for the 6-item TCU Depression Scale and .77 for the 9-item TCU Decision-making Scale. Concurrent validity of the former scale was assessed by correlating scores with those on the Beck Depression Inventory, r = .75. Based on the Beck Depression Inventory Clinical cutoff scores, 83% of the sample showed some depression, with 23% severely depressed, 39% moderately depressed, and 21% mildly depressed. Individuals scoring higher on depression on both tests tended to score lower on decision-making. Significant demographic associations of age, gender, education, and race-ethnicity were found for the depression and decision-making scales. More depression was noted for women, those younger, white, and having less education. Older and more educated intravenous drug users tended to score higher on decision-making. Validity for the depression and decision-making scales was assessed by examining correlations with behaviors. Significant positive correlations were found between depression scores and intravenous use of cocaine only, heroin and cocaine combined, and heroin only. Also, intravenous use of cocaine only and of cocaine and heroin combined were negatively related to decision-making. AIDS sex-risky behavior was positively correlated with depression and negatively correlated with decision-making.     

Religion as a cultural phenomenon, and national mortality rates from heart disease.

An hypothesis is developed which proposes that mortality rates from heart disease are a function of a nation's dominant religious tradition, with predominantly Catholic countries having lower rates than the more Protestant countries. The hypothesis was tested on data from 24 economically developed Western countries. A significant inverse relationship of -0.588 was found between the proportion of Catholics in the 24 nations and mortality rates from heart disease, which supports the hypothesis.     

Aggression,sex role measures,and Kohut's psychology of the self

Recent controversies concerning the relationship between aggression and sex role development were evaluated in light of Heinz Kohut's psychoanalytic psychology of the self. Masculinity roughly corresponded to grandiose elements of Kohut's bipolar self while femininity was linked to its idealizing sector. As predicted, self-reported aggressiveness reflected an immature grandiosity; and associations of assertiveness with both masculine and grandiose personality styles supported Kohut's claim that adjustment can evolve out of more aggressive forms of self-functioning. Socially desirable forms of femininity had the advantage of being incompatible with aggressiveness, but they also failed to promote assertiveness. Androgynous, masculine, feminine, and undifferentiated sex roles displayed largely predictable parallels with synthetic, internal, external, and archaic narcissistic styles. As in previous research, therefore, Kohut's theory proved useful in examining the mental health implications of traditional sex roles.Data reported in this project were included in the master's thesis of the first author.     

Goal disruption during COVID-19: Reimagining goals during a global pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major source of professional and personal disruption and has had both direct and downstream consequences on almost every aspect of peoples' lives, including their personal goal pursuits. In the face of unexpected hardships and obstacles, people have had to find new paths to goal achievement. In the present work, we examined whether difficulty adjusting goal pursuit during the global disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic is related to negative affective, cognitive, and behavioral goal-related outcomes. Across two studies, we found that people who had more difficulty adjusting their goal pursuit during the pandemic experienced more negative feelings toward their goals, were less satisfied with the status of their goals, and were less likely to actually achieve their goals. Moreover, individual differences in planning tendencies, need for predictability, general adaptability, and perceived pandemic disruption were related to more difficulty adjusting goal pursuit. This work demonstrates the importance of flexibility in the face of setbacks and obstacles, especially during times of disruption and uncertainty.     

Asserting and Promising

Philosophical Studies -     

Rapid judgements in assessing verbal and nonverbal cues: their potential for deception researchers and lie detection

In the present study it was investigated to what extent observers (i) could make rapid yet reliable and valid judgements of the frequency of verbal and nonverbal behaviours of interviewees (liars and truth tellers) and (ii) detect deceit after making these rapid judgements. Five observers watched 52 videoclips of 26 liars and 26 truth tellers. The findings revealed that rapid judgements were reliable and valid. They also revealed that observers were able to detect truths and lies well above the level of chance after making these rapid judgements (74% accuracy rate was found). The implications of these findings for deception researchers and lie detection are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.