Temporal and spatial characteristics of selective encoding from visual displays

The time required for Ss to voice a target letter in a visual display was studied as a function of the spatial proximity of two kinds of noise elements (letters or disks) to the target and as a function of when the noise elements were presented following the onset of the target letter. The results were not consistent with a focusing model of attention or selective encoding. Instead, there appears to be a small area in the visual field (about 1 deg of angle) in which all stimuli are processed in detail.     

Some characteristics of selective attention in visual perception determined by vocal reaction time

Previous research had found that the accuracy with which an S could report an indicated letter or target in a briefly exposed multiletter display decreased as the number of irrelevant letters increased, and accuracy increased if the position of the target letter was indicated 150 msec before the display was presented. Iii the present experiment, these variables were reinvestigated using vocal reaction time as the dependent variable. An interpretation of the accuracy measures in terms of differential processing times was supported. The results of the two experiments were discussed in terms of a model of attentional selectivity.     

Overt activity during conditioned suppression: a search for punishment artifacts

Pigeons, previously trained to peck a key (using food as the reinforcer), were permitted unlimited access to food and, concurrently, key pecking was allowed to go unreinforced until all pecking ceased. A tone ending with electrical shock was then repeatedly presented in an effort to establish the tone as a potentially suppressing stimulus. When key pecking was later reestablished, tone presentation (without shock) sharply reduced the rate of pecks. At selected points throughout the experiment, special observation procedures supplemented the recordings of key pecks and provided detailed fine-grain protocols of the birds' overt movements during the periods before, during, and after tone presentations. Results indicated that neither punishment of key pecks nor punishment of other overt movements was a necessary precursor to the conditioned suppression observed in the final stage. As such, the findings support interpretations of conditioned suppression that characterize the phenomenon as reflecting a conditioned emotional reaction that either directly or indirectly inhibits overt activity.     

The adjusted rand statistic: A SAS macro

A macro for calculating the Hubert and Arabie (1985) adjusted Rand statistic is presented. The adjusted Rand statistic gives a measure of classification agreement between two partitions of the same set of objects. The macro is written in the SAS macro language and makes extensive use of SAS/IML software (SAS Institute, 1985a, 1985b). The macro uses two different methods of handling missing values. The default method assumes that each object that has a missing value for the classification category is in its own separate category or cluster for that classification. The optional method places all objects with a missing value for the classification category into the same category for that classification.This study was supported in part by Individual National Research Service Award F32 DA 05283 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.Requests for the Macro code can be sent via BITNET: CUSGPXH @ UCLAMVS. A copy of the macrocode can also be obtained by sending a stamped self-addressed mailer and a PC-DOS formatted floppy diskette to Paul Hoffman, 5628 MSA, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1557.     

Perspectives on scapegoating in primary groups

Theory and research related to the scapegoat role and scapegoating processes in primary groups are reviewed. This review and evaluation of the literature leads to the conclusion that scapegoating phenomena, though often highly stressful, can contribute significantly to individual and group development. Treatment issues and approaches are discussed.     

Recognition memory and attentional selection: serial scanning is not enough

In two experiments, using memory sets of up to 10 letters, the response competition paradigm was employed to investigate the extent to which extraneous visual stimuli interfere with or affect the process of memory search. It was assumed that if selective attention could exclude the effect of noise letters from a Sternberg-type memory comparison process, then there would be an increase in intercept for the reaction time-set size functions but no increase in slope. This result was obtained. However, a large difference in response times to both positive and negative set targets was found when the accompanying noise letters indicated a competing response, as opposed to when they indicated the same response as the target. This implies rapid identification of the nature of both target and noise, independent of a serial comparison process. A modification of a dual process model (Juola, Fischler, Wood, & Atkinson, 1971) in which stimuli activate a familiarity value independent of memory search was suggested to account for these results.     

Conception and dream material during psychoanalysis

A dream announcing her conception and describing in symbolic terms physiological processes associated with the early stages of pregnancy was reported by a female analysand 4 days after she and her husband had engaged in intercourse for the purpose of procreation. The manifest content of the dream and the associations to it are described. The assumption that conception, ordinarily a subliminal stimulus, was a somatic stimulus in this situation is explored. It is suggested that three special factors—the patient's exceptional sensitivity to internal sensations, her strong motivation to conceive, and a contributory awakening stimulus— may have made it possible for her to perceive her conception.     

Characteristics of androgynous,undifferentiated, masculine,and feminine middle-class women

The Bem Sex-Role Inventory was given to a random sample of 369 middle-class, 20–59-year-old women during the second year of a panel study. A median split on the masculine and feminine scores was used to define feminine (47%), androgynous (24%), masculine (10%), and undifferentiated (19%) women. The four groups were compared using analysis of variance and multiple regression techniques on a variety of demographic, attitudinal, time utilization, personality, and health characteristics to investigate the relationships among sex-typing, attitudes, and behavior. Significant demographic, time utilization, personality, and attitudinal differences were generally consistent with sex-typing, but differences in health were not found.Research for this paper was funded by a National Institute of Drug Abuse grant (DA 00847) to L. S. Fidell and J. E. Prather. Correspondence should be addressed to Linda S. Fidell, Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge, California 91330.