Stroop dilution but not word-processing dilution: evidence for attention capture

Stroop dilution refers to the observation that the impact of a color word on the naming of a color bar is reduced if another word-like object is displayed simultaneously. Recently, Brown, Roos-Gilbert, and Carr (1995) concluded that Stroop dilution is due to early-visual interference. This conclusion was evaluated in three experiments. Experiment 1 showed that, contrary to the predictions of an early-visual interference account, (a) diluters that are similar in terms of visual complexity induced different amounts of dilution and (b) the size of the dilution effect is proportional to the size of the Stroop interference effect when the diluters are used as single distractors. Experiments 2 and 3 revealed that when the position of the color bar is pre-cued, Stroop dilution disappears. We argue that these findings support Van der Heijden's (1992) attention-capture account of Stroop dilution.     

Elementary Classes in Basic Modal Logic

Dealing with topics of definability, this paper provides some interesting insights into the expressive power of basic modal logic. After some preliminary work it presents an abstract algebraic characterization of the elementary classes of basic modal logic, that is, of the classes of models that are definable by means of (sets of) basic modal formulas. Taking that for a start, the paper further contains characterization results for modal universal classes and modal positive classes.     

Causation in terms of production

Philosophical Studies - In this paper, we analyse actual causation in terms of production. The latter concept is made precise by a strengthened Ramsey Test semantics of conditionals: $$A \gg C$$...     

Myths and misconceptions about hypnosis and suggestion: Separating fact and fiction

We present 21 prominent myths and misconceptions about hypnosis in order to promulgate accurate information and to highlight questions for future research. We argue that these myths and misconceptions have (a) fostered a skewed and stereotyped view of hypnosis among the lay public, (b) discouraged participant involvement in potentially helpful hypnotic interventions, and (c) impeded the exploration and application of hypnosis in scientific and practitioner communities. Myths reviewed span the view that hypnosis produces a trance or special state of consciousness and allied myths on topics related to hypnotic interventions; hypnotic responsiveness and the modification of hypnotic suggestibility; inducing hypnosis; and hypnosis and memory, awareness, and the experience of nonvolition. By demarcating myth from mystery and fact from fiction, and by highlighting what is known as well as what remains to be discovered, the science and practice of hypnosis can be advanced and grounded on a firmer empirical footing.     

Examining psychokinesis: the interaction of human intention with random number generators--a meta-analysis

Séance-room and other large-scale psychokinetic phenomena have fascinated humankind for decades. Experimental research has reduced these phenomena to attempts to influence (a) the fall of dice and, later, (b) the output of random number generators (RNGs). The meta-analysis combined 380 studies that assessed whether RNG output correlated with human intention and found a significant but very small overall effect size. The study effect sizes were strongly and inversely related to sample size and were extremely heterogeneous. A Monte Carlo simulation revealed that the small effect size, the relation between sample size and effect size, and the extreme effect size heterogeneity found could in principle be a result of publication bias.     

Immediate and persisting effects of misleading questions and hypnosis on memory reports

Immediate and persisting effects of misleading questions and hypnosis on memory reports were assessed. After listening to a story, 52 highly suggestible students and 59 low and medium suggestible students were asked misleading or neutral questions in or out of hypnosis. All participants were then asked neutral questions without hypnosis. Both hypnosis and misleading questions significantly increased memory errors, and misleading questions produced significantly more errors than did hypnosis. The 2 effects were additive, so that misleading questions in hypnosis produced the greatest number of errors. There were no significant interactions with level of hypnotic suggestibility. Implications of these findings for the per se exclusion of posthypnotic testimony are discussed.     

Patterns of recovery of autonomic dysfunctions and neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenics after acute psychotic episodes

In this study, the authors aimed to identify patterns of autonomic dysfunction and neurocognitive deficit recovery. The authors performed laboratory assessments on 66 patients with schizophrenia immediately after an acute psychotic episode and 6, 12, and 18 months later. Shortly after the psychotic episode, the patients displayed cardiovascular hyperarousal at rest, cardiovascular and electrodermal hyporeactivity during 2 Continuous Performance Tasks (CPTs) and deficits in 2 behavioral CPT measures (i.e., reaction time and omission error rate) compared with 29 normal controls. In the subsequent postpsychotic course, changes indicative of a process of recovery occurred in all measurement areas, although with regard to autonomic hyporeactivity amelioration was limited to a subgroup of schizophrenics with complete and persistent symptomatic remission. Neurocognitive improvement in CPTs did not appear to depend on unimpaired autonomic reactivity mechanisms.