Hemispheric asymmetries in the activation and monitoring of memory errors

Previous research on the lateralization of memory errors suggests that the right hemisphere's tendency to produce more memory errors than the left hemisphere reflects hemispheric differences in semantic activation. However, all prior research that has examined the lateralization of memory errors has used self-paced recognition judgments. Because activation occurs early in memory retrieval, with more time to make a decision, other memory processes, like strategic monitoring processes, may affect memory errors. By manipulating the time subjects were given to make memory decisions, this study separated the influence of automatic memory processes (activation) from strategic memory processes (monitoring) on the production of false memories. The results indicated that when retrieval was fast, the right hemisphere produced more memory errors than the left hemisphere. However, when retrieval was slow, the left hemisphere's error-proneness increased compared to the fast retrieval condition, while the right hemisphere's error-proneness remained the same. These results suggest that the right hemisphere's errors are largely due to activation, while the left hemisphere's errors are influenced by both activation and monitoring.     

Misperceived risk among female adolescents: social and psychological factors associated with sexual risk accuracy.

This study of 411 urban female adolescents had 3 objectives: (a) assess the relationship between perceived risk and sexual risk behavior (condom use, number of partners, partner risk, presence of STDs, and aggregate sexual risk), (b) assess the accuracy of risk perceptions, and (c) identify variables related to inaccurate sexual risk perceptions. Participants were classified as accurate or inaccurate risk perceivers on the basis of actual sexual behavior and perceived risk. Accurate versus inaccurate risk perceivers were compared on psychological maintenance variables (self-esteem, distress, and coping), relationship context variables (partnership duration and pressure to have unprotected sex), and risk knowledge at different levels of sexual risk. Approximately half of the participants underestimated the risk of their sexual behavior. Accurate and inaccurate risk perceivers differed on risk knowledge, partnership duration, and pressure to have unprotected sex.     

The role of pattern recognition in children's exact enumeration of small numbers

Enumeration can be accomplished by subitizing, counting, estimation, and combinations of these processes. We investigated whether the dissociation between subitizing and counting can be observed in 4‐ to 6‐year‐olds and studied whether the maximum number of elements that can be subitized changes with age. To detect a dissociation between subitizing and counting, it is tested whether task manipulations have different effects in the subitizing than in the counting range. Task manipulations concerned duration of presentation of elements (limited, unlimited) and configuration of elements (random, line, dice). In Study 1, forty‐nine 4‐ and 5‐year‐olds were tested with a computerized enumeration task. Study 2 concerned data from 4‐, 5‐, and 6‐year‐olds, collected with Math Garden, a computer‐adaptive application to practice math. Both task manipulations affected performance in the counting, but not the subitizing range, supporting the conclusion that children use two distinct enumeration processes in the two ranges. In all age groups, the maximum number of elements that could be subitized was three. The strong effect of configuration of elements suggests that subitizing might be based on a general ability of pattern recognition.     

Evidence for the Phase Transition from Rule I to Rule II on the Balance Scale Task

A central and recurrent theme in developmental psychology is the question whether development proceeds continuously or discontinuously. This question is difficult to answer because the two types of development may be hard to distinguish. To investigate whether change is discontinuous, one requires a formal model for discontinuous development. Such a model should provide operational, empirical criteria to investigate the nature of development. The cusp model, which is derived from catastrophe theory, is a formal model of discontinuity that provides such criteria. Eight criteria, so-called catastrophe flags, can be derived from the model. Some of these flags are predicted in other models of discontinuity, but others, notably hysteresis, are unique to catastrophe theory. In the present research, it is tested whether the transition from Rule I to Rule II on the balance scale task proceeds discontinuously. The present research centers around five catastrophe flags: bimodality, inaccessible region, sudden jump, divergence, and hysteresis. Two experiments are reported. In Experiment 1, a paper-and-pencil version of the balance scale task was administered to 314 children who were 6 to 10 years old. In Experiment 2, an adapted version of the test was administered to 302 children who were 6 to 10 years old. Bimodality, inaccessible region, hysteresis, and sudden jump were clearly observed. Divergence was not observed. The presence of four of the five flags strongly supports the hypothesis that the transition from Rule I to Rule II is discontinuous.     

Autonomy deficits as vulnerability for anxiety: evidence from two laboratory-based studies

Background: Autonomous individuals are characterized by self-governance; awareness of and capacity to realize one’s wishes and needs, while being connected with and sensitive towards others. In line with earlier research showing consistent associations between autonomy-connectedness deficits and anxiety, we tested in two studies whether autonomy deficits predict anxious responses to acute stressors.

Methods: In Study 1, participants (N?=?177) viewed an anxiety-inducing film fragment and reported anxiety before and after viewing the clip. In experimental Study 2, participants (N?=?100) were randomly allocated to one of two conditions: giving a short presentation to an audience (impromptu speech task) or watching another person’s presentation (control condition). Anxiety was measured at baseline, after a preparation period and directly after the presentation.

Results: In Study 1, individuals’ anxiety in reaction to watching the movie was positively associated with the autonomy-connectedness component sensitivity to others. In Study 2, individuals’ anxiety in reaction to preparing the presentation was negatively associated with the autonomy-connectedness component self-awareness.

Conclusions: Specific autonomy components may be related to experiencing anxiety in differing situations (i.e., related to others’ distress or presenting one’s personal views). Collectively these results indicate that autonomy-connectedness deficits may form a vulnerability factor for experiencing anxiety.