Book reviews

Narmour, E. (1992). The analysis and cognition of melodic complexity: The implication-realization model. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. Pp. xii + 444. ISBN 0-226-56842-3. £39.95 (Hbk).

Gabriel, M., & Moore, J. (Eds.) (1990). Learning and computational neuroscience: Foundations of adaptive networks. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Pp. xv + 13. ISBN 0-262-07102-9. £44.95.

Brady, S.A., & Shankweiler, D.P. (Eds.) (1991). Phonological processes in literacy: A tribute to Isabelle Y. Liberman. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc. Pp. xxv + 266. ISBN 0-8059-0501-X. £46.95 (Hbk).

Tokhura, Y., Vatikiotis-Bateson, E., & Sagisaka, Y. (1992). Speech perception, production and linguistic strucutre. Tokyo.: IOS Press. Pp. 463. ISBN 90-5199-084-7. £70.00.

Tohkura, Y., Vatikiotis-Bateson, E., & Sagisaka, Y. (Eds.) (1992). Speech perception, production and linguistic structure. Amsterdam: IOS Press. Pp. 463. ISBN 90-5199-084-7. £70.00.     

The relation of economic status to subjective well-being in developing countries: a meta-analysis

The current research synthesis integrates the findings of 111 independent samples from 54 economically developing countries that examined the relation between economic status and subjective well-being (SWB). The average economic status-SWB effect size was strongest among low-income developing economies (r = .28) and for samples that were least educated (r = .36). The relation was weakest among high-income developing economies (r = .10) and for highly educated samples (r = .13). Controlling for numerous covariates, the partial r effect size remained significant for the least-educated samples (pr = .18). Moderator analyses showed the economic status-SWB relation to be strongest when (a) economic status was defined as wealth (a stock variable), instead of as income (a flow variable), and (b) SWB was measured as life satisfaction (a cognitive assessment), instead of as happiness (an emotional assessment). Findings were replicated with a meta-analysis of the World Values Survey data. Discussion centers on the plausibility of need theory, alternative explanations of results, interpretation of moderators, and directions for future research.     

Self-Affirmation Theory and the Science of Well-Being

Social psychological self-affirmation research shows that value affirmations often boost adaptive functioning. Yet, such effects are under-recognized within the fields of well-being studies and positive psychology. This paper reviews self-affirmation theory and the principles by which self-affirmation is understood to facilitate resilient responses to self-threats. Next, it reviews research on the impact of self-affirmation on well-being, including feeling good and functioning well. The positive-activity model is employed to conceptualize self-affirmation as a well-being intervention and to underscore potential mediators and moderators of the relationship between self-affirmation and well-being. Future lines of investigation are outlined, including the role of self-affirmation within existing well-being interventions, the use of self-affirmation to enhance other well-being interventions, and the measurement of individual differences in trait self-affirmation in the prediction of well-being.     

The skeptic,the content externalist,and the theist

Some philosophers argue that content externalism can provide the foundations of an argument against the traditional epistemological skeptic. I maintain that if such an argument is available, it seems there is also an a priori argument against the possibility of a creationist god. My suspicion is that such a strong consequence is not desirable for the content-externalists, and that the availability of this argument therefore casts doubt on the anti-skeptical position. I argue that all content externalists should be troubled by this result, since even those philosophers who do not endorse the anti-skeptical strategy must either reject the possibility of a creationist god or admit that their thesis does not hold a priori for minds in general.     

An exploration of personality-affect relations in daily life: Determining the support for the affect-level and affect-reactivity views

The two strongest predictors of affect are extraversion and neuroticism. Previous research has demonstrated the extraversion-positive affect and neuroticism-negative affect relations are both strong and positively correlated. To explain these relations, researchers have hypothesized two extensions of the temperament model: the affect-level and affect-reactivity hypotheses of well-being. We used retrospective diaries to examine the support for these hypotheses and, across all three studies, we found strong support for the affect-level model - that is, extraversion predicted a consistent increase in positive affect, neuroticism tended to predict a consistent increase in negative affect. Further, these paths were significant even after controlling for the normative enjoyment and stressfulness of daily activities. In the discussion we describe how these relations provide support for the affect-level model of well-being.     

Nature connectedness: Associations with well-being and mindfulness

Wilson’s (1984)biophilia hypothesis predicts that people’s psychological health is associated with their relationship to nature. Two studies examined associations among nature connectedness, well-being, and mindfulness in samples of undergraduate students while socially desirable responding was controlled. Significant associations emerged among measures of nature connectedness and indices of well-being (in Study 1 and Study 2) and mindfulness (in Study 2). Results are discussed in relation to possible mediators and moderators of the association between nature connectedness and mental health.     

Adolescent offenders and stages of change

Two hundred twenty-five adolescent offenders completed the Stages of Change Scales (SOCS; E. A. McConnaughy, J. O. Prochaska, & W. F. Velicer, 1983), which were designed to measure 4 stages of psychological and behavioral change. The goals of this research were to obtain norms among adolescent offenders for the SOCS, to examine the factor structure of the SOCS, and to investigate the convergent and discriminant validity of the SOCS by examining associations among these scales and the Paulhus Deception Scales (PDS; D. L. Paulhus, 1994, 1999) and Multidimensional Anger Inventory (MAI; J. M. Siegel, 1986). Means and alpha coefficients for the SOCS were similar to those reported in a previous normative clinical sample of adult patients. However, relatively large intercorrelations among the 4 scales of the SOCS, and results from factor analyses of SOCS items, suggested that fewer than 4 factors represented the SOCS items among our sample of adolescent offenders. Patterns of correlations with the PDS and with the MAI provided convergent and discriminant validity for the SOCS. Implications of the findings for research and clinical practice are discussed.     

What do dogs (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Canis familiaris</Emphasis>) see? A review of vision in dogs and implications for cognition research

Over the last 20 years, a large amount of research has been conducted in an attempt to uncover the cognitive abilities of the domestic dog. While substantial advancements have been made, progress has been impeded by the fact that little is known about how dogs visually perceive their external environment. It is imperative that future research determines more precisely canine visual processing capabilities, particularly considering the increasing number of studies assessing cognition via paradigms requiring vision. This review discusses current research on visual cognition and emphasizes the importance of understanding dog visual processing. We review several areas of vision research in domestic dogs, such as sensitivity to light, visual perspective, visual acuity, form perception, and color vision, with a focus on how these abilities may affect performance in cognition tasks. Additionally, we consider the immense diversity seen in dog morphology and explore ways in which these physical differences, particularly in facial morphology, may result in, or perhaps even be caused by, different visual processing capacities in dogs. Finally, we suggest future directions for research in dog vision and cognition.