Monocular-contingent and binocular-contingent aftereffects

Alternate monocular and binocular exposure to complementary stimulation can yield opposite but coexisting aftereffects that are contingent on whether the test display is viewed with one eye or two eyes. The motion aftereffect was studied by adapting each eye separately to a contracting spiral and both eyes together to an expanding spiral. The stationary test spiral subsequently appeared to be expanding when viewed monocularly, but to be contracting when it was seen with both eyes open. With respect to the McCollough effect, after monocular exposure to red-vertical and green-horizontal gratings and binocular exposure to red-horizontal and green-vertical gratings, the appearance of the color of the test gratings when viewed with one eye was different from that when viewed with both eyes. Opposite, coexisting aftereffects induced by complementary stimulation can be interpreted as evidence that there are unique binocular aspects to visual function.     

Some evidence for correlated separate activation in a simple letter-detection task

This study investigates the separate activation versus coactivation issue for redundant targets in a simple letter-detection paradigm with latency as the dependent variable. The results of a one-response visual-search task are reported. Since, on single-target trials, only the target was presented and no accompanying noise element, no “distraction decrement” caused by irrelevant noise elements (Grice et al., 1984) was to be expected. The data obtained showed a clear redundantsignal effect. Subsequent detailed analysis of the latency data using Miller’s (1982) procedure indicated that the results were consistent with a separate activation model and failed to provide convincing evidence in favor of coactivation models. A further analysis of the data indicated that, in the present study, the separate channels were negatively correlated for a range of fast RTs and positively correlated for intermediate and larger RTs. No evidence in favor of Grice et al.’s (1984) distraction-decrement hypothesis was found. The conclusions of this study are that (1) a separate activation model summarizes the essential features of information processing in this simple visual search task, and (2) no convincing evidence in favor of coactivation in visual search tasks has been reported in the literature up to now.     

A model for courseware development in psychology

Many behavioral scientists are aware of the advantages of a systematic approach to research and the development of software used in research. However, coordinated and systematic efforts to develop instructional materials in the behavioral sciences are relatively rare. This paper and the symposium of which it is a part describe a systematic effort funded by FIPSE to assess the needs for microcomputer tools and courseware in the undergraduate curriculum in psychology and to stimulate the development of high-quality materials. The conceptual bases for development of materials are vertical and horizontal integration-the development of courseware that spans the curriculum from introductory to advanced, specialized, courses, and the systematic use of materials within a course and across courses and subject areas. The activities of the project, as well as implications for other computer-based development projects, are discussed.     

Modeling feature perception in brief displays with evidence for positive interdependencies

Recent studies have begun to test certain fundamental assumptions underlying popular models of feature perception. This research is continued here. It was discovered that every basic assumption that was open to test in the present study was disconfirmed. However, several new characteristics of line and curve feature perception were discovered: (1) Feature perception sensitivity was inversely related to the number of features present in a stimulus pattern, and the decision criteria for reporting a feature decreased with the number of features contained in a pattern; (2) the decrements in sensitivity reported in (1) were greater for features lying inside a pattern than for those on the exterior; and (3) feature perception sensitivity actually improved if another feature was known to be correctly perceived during the same trial. Likewise, feature sensitivity decreased if another feature was missed on any trial. At the present time, a system that first extracts global and then local (more detailed) featural information provides a basis that qualitatively accounts for our findings and is also compatible with several other studies in the literature.     

Measurement of social-evaluative anxiety in junior high school students

This paper provides some initial normative and validity data on the Social Avoidance and Distress (SAD) and the Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE) scales for junior high school students. Findings indicated: the level of social-evaluative anxiety does not significantly vary during the junior high school years or between sexes, junior high school students report similar levels of FNE to college students but less SAD, a significant positive correlation between treatment subjects' SAD scores and peer sociometric ratings of social-evaluative anxiety, and subjects treated for social anxiety reported significantly less SAD and FNE at follow-up assessment. Recommendations for future research and clinical use of the SAD and FNE are offered.     

Achieving sex education program outcomes: points of view from students and alumni

Several inherent limitations to secondary school sex education program evaluations are: limited generalizability, lack of longitudinal research, and no clear consensus of program outcomes. With a Bureau of Health Education, Center for Disease Control study as the criterion for program outcomes, a study was undertaken to examine the immediate and long-term impact of sex education upon program participants. Two of the 20 schools in the CDC study identified as having exemplary sex education programs provided access to their students and alumni. Inventories which measured perceived achievement of 33 sex education outcomes were piloted for reliability and validity. Each inventory examined participant changes in knowledge, understanding of self, values, interaction skills, self-esteem, and fear of sex-related activities. Students were surveyed in school; alumni were surveyed through the mail. Response rates ranged from 30 to 100 percent for students and alumni at both schools. Overall there was no statistically significant difference between the perceptions of students and alumni as to achievement of investigated outcomes. Alumni responses at one school did, however, indicate some potentially weak areas of their school's program with respect to values and interaction skills outcomes. It appears that program impact may decrease with time. Thus, isolating and addressing the factors involved may be necessary. This would assist program planners and instructors to strengthen curricula and program activities in order to enhance the overall impact of sex education. The present study supports the notion that positive gains are achieved as a result of each school's sex education program, and these gains remained over time.     

Attentional strategies and the visual control of discrete movements

The relationship between the availability of visual information and attention demands during the production of a discrete motor act was examined. Subjects were required to move a linear slide a distance of 15 cm in both 150 and 600 msec conditions under three light manipulations, viz., light always on; light always terminated as movement began; or, subject was unsure as to whether light would stay on or terminate. A simple key press by the index finger of the opposite hand to a tone was used as a secondary task and a measure of attention demands. The light manipulation influenced attention demands on the rapid 150 msec movement such that more attention was demanded when the subject knew the light would terminate. No such attentional strategy differences were found with the slow 600 msec movement. These findings suggest that task constraints in the form of kinematic criteria, together with the perceived availability of visual information, contribute to determining attentional strategy in movement production.     

Cognitive dissonance as a mechanism in vocational decision processes

This study examined changes in cognitive-dissonance-related variables during the professional training period. Differences in levels and change in satisfaction with career choice, importance of career, certainty of career decision, self-occupational perceptions, general attitude toward career, time since career decision, and past experience were observed when students who left a collegiate professional training program before program completion were compared with those who remained in the program. Data supports the validity of D. Hershenson and R. Roth's (1966, Journal of Counseling Psychology, 13, 368–370) and V. Harren's (1979, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 14, 119–133) theoretical models of vocational decision and the Assessment of Career Decision Making scale.