S-multiplicativity of a stochastic matrix and applications to visual identification

A stochastic matrix is called S-multiplicative if the conditional probabilities in a specific subset S of its cells can be factorized into the product of two functions depending on the rows and columns, respectively. The concept of S-multiplicativity is related to Goodman's concept of quasi-independence and generalizes Falmagne's concept of a multiplicative confusion matrix, where S consists of the cells lying outside the main diagonal ($\text{D}$-multiplicativity). In the present study, the notion of S-multiplicativity is applied to the analysis of visual identification performance. The confusion matrices obtained from three identification experiments are tested for predictions of S-multiplicativity derived from the multicomponent theory of perception. If the stimuli do not overlap, i.e., different stimuli have no features in common, then the theory predicts a $\text{D}$-multiplicative confusion matrix. Alternatively, in the case of overlapping stimuli the theory predicts S-multiplicativity with respect to a more severely restricted subset S. These predictions are confirmed by the data.     

Euler-type Diagrams and the Quantification of the Predicate

Journal of Philosophical Logic - Logicians have often suggested that the use of Euler-type diagrams has influenced the idea of the quantification of the predicate. This is mainly due to the fact...     

Is phonological information mapped onto semantic information in a one-to-one manner?

Spoken word recognition models have to explain the influence of mismatching information on lexical activation. The effect of mismatching information is usually addressed with cross-modal semantic priming experiments using priming effects as a measure of the degree of lexical activation. Pseudowords phonologically related to a semantic associate of the target, e.g., *domato-PAPRIKA, serve as primes. Mismatch effects at the word form level are supposed to percolate unaltered to the semantic level. We show that cross-modal semantic priming might underestimate activation at the word form level. Targets (e.g., PAPRIKA) were preceded by either phonologically related pseudoword primes (e.g., *baprika) or semantically related pseudoword primes (e.g., *domato). Different priming and RT patterns were obtained for the two priming relations.     

Glance analysis of driver eye movements to evaluate distraction

With the increasing use of in-vehicle devices in cars, an understanding of the safety implications of secondary tasks has become crucial. It is now possible to study the effects of many in-vehicle devices and tasks on driving by using head-mounted eye-tracking devices (HEDs) to collect eye positions and pupil diameters, which have been considered indicators of attentional focus. The collection of eye-position and pupil-diameter data of automobile drivers under on-road conditions and while completing various secondary tasks is described in this paper. Drivers were asked to drive on a preselected two-lane road for a total distance of 22 miles while gaze data were recorded using a HED. Longer off-road fixation durations were observed in radio-tuning and rearview mirror checking tasks, but not in the odometer checking task. In addition, the standard deviations of fixation displacements during a cognitive task involving the computation of a date for a meeting were shorter than those observed during normal driving.     

Lebensqualität von ärztlichen und psychologischen Psychotherapeuten

In a large empirical cross-sectional study the quality of life of medical and psychological psychotherapists ( n =71, respectively n =103) was examined as well as the influence of the different therapeutic methods used. Instruments used were the Questionnaire on Quality of Life of Physicians (Reimer and Jurkat 2003) respectively the Questionnaire on Quality of Life of Psychologists (Jurkat and Reimer 2003) as well as the SF-36 Health Survey (Bullinger and Kirchberger 1998). The majority of participants in both samples are satisfied with their life. Psychological psychotherapists are comparatively more content with their work situation and judge their own health more positively than their medical colleagues do. Both groups feel their income situation to be a loss in quality of life. A common fear is an even greater bureaucratic burden and financial deterioration. Thus it seems that psychohygienic measures and secure job perspectives may contribute to raising the quality of life of psychotherapists.     

How global versus local perception fits regulatory focus

We propose a reciprocal relation between regulatory-focus systems and global versus local processing styles-specifically, that global processing fits a promotion focus on advancement, whereas local processing fits a prevention focus on security. In Study 1, participants were shown large letters made of small letters and decided if either of two specific letters appeared on the screen. Strength of promotion focus was positively correlated with speed of processing global letters and negatively correlated with speed of processing local letters, whereas the reverse was true for strength of prevention focus. In Study 2, participants first worked on a global or local task and later chose between two objects. Consistent with our fit proposal, participants who had performed the global task assigned a higher price to their chosen object if they had chosen it in a promotive, eager manner than if they had chosen it in a preventive, vigilant manner, whereas the reverse was true for participants who had performed the local task.     

The impact of semantic transparency of morphologically complex words on picture naming

We examined the contribution of semantic similarity to morphological priming effects, using the immediate (Exp. 1 and 3) and the delayed variant (Exp. 2) of picture-word interference. Distractor words were either compounds morphologically related to the picture name, but differing with respect to their semantic transparency (hummingbird, jailbird (Exp. 1); butterfly, butter dish (Exp. 3)), or form-related non-compound words (e.g., trombone). All three experiments revealed strong facilitation of picture naming due to morphologically related distractors. Form-related distractors facilitated picture naming in the immediate variant only, and to a lesser degree than compounds. Interestingly, the size of the morphemic effect was almost identical for semantically transparent and opaque complex words, which suggests that they share morphemic representations. These results suggest that morphological complexity in speech production is coded at the level of form representations, independent of semantic transparency.     

The role of warning behaviors in threat assessment: an exploration and suggested typology

The concept of warning behaviors offers an additional perspective in threat assessment. Warning behaviors are acts which constitute evidence of increasing or accelerating risk. They are acute, dynamic, and particularly toxic changes in patterns of behavior which may aid in structuring a professional's judgment that an individual of concern now poses a threat - whether the actual target has been identified or not. They require an operational response. A typology of eight warning behaviors for assessing the threat of intended violence is proposed: pathway, fixation, identification, novel aggression, energy burst, leakage, directly communicated threat, and last resort warning behaviors. Previous research on risk factors associated with such warning behaviors is reviewed, and examples of each warning behavior from various intended violence cases are presented, including public figure assassination, adolescent and adult mass murder, corporate celebrity stalking, and both domestic and foreign acts of terrorism. Practical applications and future research into warning behaviors are suggested.