Initial right hemisphere activation of subordinate word meanings is not due to homotopic callosal inhibition

Previous results (Burgess & Simpson, 1988a) have suggested that subordinate meanings are activated in the right hemisphere only when they have been inhibited in the left hemisphere. Such findings are consistent with a homotopic callosal inhibition view of hemispheric interaction (Cook, 1986). The current study employed prime-target stimulus onset asynchronies intermediate to those used by Burgess and Simpson and obtained equivalent priming of subordinate meanings over visual fields. These data rule out homotopic callosal inhibition as the mechanism responsible for initial activation of subordinate meanings in the right hemisphere and challenge homotopic inhibition as a general mechanism of interhemispheric interaction.     

The effect of combinations of image degradations in a discrimination task

This paper explores the ways in which combinations of image degradations affect discrimination. Nine experiments are described that examine the discriminability of visual images that are degraded with three types of information reducing transformations: random punctate visual interference, lowpass spatial frequency filtering, and local area (i.e., block) averaging. The results of these experiments characterize a powerful visual ability to discriminate highly degraded stimuli unless that ability is severely challenged by relatively high levels of random visual interference. Discriminative commutativity of the orders in which the other two degradations are imposed is demonstrated. That is, the order in which the degradations are applied does not affect the final discriminative outcome. This result is in contrast to predictions from relevant mathematics and direct examination of the images produced by both orders of degradation. The commutativity is attributed to the particularly strong effect of the low-pass spatial frequency filtering degradation on the discrimination process. This study also demonstrates that combinations of degradations in a discrimination task always result in a reduction in performance, and never in the improvement that has been reported for recognition. This difference is attributed to the fact that form discrimination is mediated mainly by local features and high-frequency spatial components, whereas recognition is mediated mainly by global features and low-frequency spatial components.     

Visual discrimination of local surface depth and orientation

Many theoretical analyses of 3-dimensional form perception assume that visible surfaces in the environment are perceptually represented in terms of local mappings of metric depth and/or orientation. Although this approach is often taken for granted in the study of human vision, there have been relatively few attempts to demonstrate its psychological validity empirically. In an effort to shed new light on this issue, our research has been designed to investigate the accuracy with which observers can discriminate metric depth and orientation intervals on smoothly curved surfaces. Observers were presented with visual images of surfaces defined by shading and/or texture, on which two pairs of points were designated with small dots. In Experiment 1, their task was to identify which pair of points had a greater difference in depth; in Experiment 2 they were required to judge which pair had a greater difference in orientation. The Weber fractions obtained for these tasks were 10 to 100 times greater than those that have been reported for other types of sensory discrimination, indicating that the perception of metric structure from these displays is surprisingly coarse grained.     

Intergroup Ratio and the Contact Hypothesis1

This study assessed whether contact between members of 2 social groups generalized to contact in another setting, as well as influenced their intercultural knowledge and acceptance. Subjects were 244 international (mainly ethnic Chinese) and Anglo-Australian students living in 3 student residence halls, with each group comprising a numerical majority, equal proportion, and a numerical minority in one of the residential halls. As anticipated, group ratio exerted a systematic effect on the amount of intercultural contact, with most contact by members of a numerical minority, regardless of student group. Importantly, the pattern of residence-hall contact tended to generalize to the wider university environment and to influence intercultural knowledge and acceptance. However, contact was not unqualified in its effects, particularly in relation to members of the cultural majority.     

Age Discrimination in Personnel Decisions: A Reexamination1

Rosen and Jerdee's (1976a) classic study on age discrimination, conducted over 25 years ago, was replicated in the present study. In the original study, participants rated older targets as being less desirable and suitable in a variety of work-related scenarios. In contrast, participants in the current study rated older and younger targets as similarly qualified and suitable for promotion, training, and hiring. The discontinuity between the results of the 2 studies is discussed, and explanations involving both social change and methodological factors are suggested.     

Global Mental Health: A Call for Increased Awareness and Action for Family Therapists

Global mental health (GMH) is an emerging field that focuses on the need for culturally sensitive mental health services in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). While many new initiatives have been established worldwide to understand GMH needs and to provide care in LMICs, family therapists have primarily worked with families in high‐income countries. The few existing family‐based initiatives in GMH focus on psychoeducation and are typically not based on general systems theory. However, emerging trends in family therapy may enable family therapists to impact mental health issues in LMICs. These trends, which are shared interests of both family therapy and GMH, include collaborative care, a growing emphasis on the importance of culture in understanding and treating mental health issues, recognition of the ability of families to support or impede recovery from mental illness, and the use of strength‐based and evidence‐based treatments. This paper describes ways for family therapists to become active in the GMH community.