Word-length effects in immediate memory: Overwriting trace decay theory

Memory is worse for items that take longer to pronounce, even when the items are equated for frequency, number of syllables, and number of phonemes. Current explanations of the word-length effect rely on a time-based decay process within the articulatory loop structure in working memory. Using an extension of Nairne’s (1990) feature model, we demonstrate that the approximately linear relationship between span and pronunciation rate can be observed in a model that does not use the concept of decay. Moreover, the feature model also correctly predicts the effects of modality, phonological similarity, articulatory suppression, and serial position on memory for items of different lengths. We argue that word-length effects do not offer sufficient justification for including time-based decay components in theories of memory.     

Possible differences in family patterns in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

This paper examines the interactions in three families, one where the daughter had anorexia nervosa and two where the daughters had bulimia nervosa, and proposes some differences in the families’ patterns of enmeshment. It is hypothesized that these may be linked to differences in the development of the mother—child relationship. Implications for the choice of therapeutic strategies are discussed.     

Are children competent to make decisions about their own deaths?

Attorneys, philosophers, bioethicists and health care professionals have vigorously debated how much state control there should be over an individual's or family's decision to discontinue life-sustaining treatment. Where treatment of a minor is involved, the debate becomes even more complex. The purposes of this study were to identify cases involving the withdrawal of Life-sustaining treatment in children, to describe the legal response to, and the management of, these cases, to examine variables that influence decision making, and to determine what legal-ethical standards are used and how they are applied. In addition, the author reviewed the literature on children's understanding of death and competence to participate in treatment decision making and applied those findings to argue for greater involvement of children in decision making related to the use of life-sustaining treatment.     

Variations in stress responses following involvement in a railway suicide or attempted suicide

Three train drivers were interviewed one month after their involvement in a railway suicide or suicide attempt. The case studies demonstrate that reactions to these incidents vary from the severe and debilitating (concurrent diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder and neurotic depression) to the relatively mild (few reported symptoms). All train drivers reported a significant reduction in symptoms at a follow-up interview six months after the incident. Although the psychological effects of these incidents may be severe they appear to be time-limited.     

Evaluation of unconstrained sorting data

Two statistics are offered for evaluating unconstrained sorting performance in a specific task when categories are E-defined. One statistic is based upon empirically estimated sampling distributions and can be used for determining sorting performance significantly deviant from chance for any number of S-defined categories; the second statistic can be used to evaluate consistencies between S- and E-defined categories, regardless of the number of categories used by S. The present procedure provides a statistical basis for evaluation of performance where no adequate evaluation procedures are now available.     

The influence of signal probability and the number of non-signal categories on selective response times

Signal probability and the number of non-signal categories were varied independently in a selective response task. Response latencies were significantly affected by changes in signal probability but not by changes in the number of non-signal categories.     

Discrimination learning and transposition behaviour of rats in a water tank apparatus

The learning, by albino rats, of a size discrimination in a water-tank apparatus is described. The earliest discriminative behaviour of each of the six successful rats is of the one-look type in which the negative stimulus plays the major role. With further training, four of those subjects develop two-look discrimination in which relational properties of the stimuli are important as shown by the appearance of, first, one-step and, then, two-step transposition. The water-tank and jumping apparatuses are briefly compared. Evidence from studies of rats, monkeys and children is presented for the generalization that, within limits, the effect of practice on discriminative behaviour involving stimulus relata is to strengthen relational responding.     

The warming-up effect in recall performance

Two experiments on recall are reported. In the first, 120 adults recall, in successive 3-rninute sessions, names which begin with a particular letter of the alphabet, a different letter being used in each session. The second experiment differs from the first in interpolating a 20-minute lecture between the first and second sessions. The major finding is that the performance of one recall task (e.g. recalling names which begin with. N) facilitates the performance of a subsequent and similar, but not identical, recall task (e.g. recalling names which begin with K), provided the two tasks occur within a relatively short time of each other. This facilitation has the characteristics of warming-up and suggests that recall may, if only for heuristic purposes, be regarded as a high-level skill. Two minor findings are reported which indicate problems for future investigation.