Judgemental adjustment of initial forecasts: Its effectiveness and biases

Managers are often required to integrate their own forecasts with statistical forecasts. The studies reported in this paper examine the efficacy of allowing people to adjust their own forecasts in the light of statistical forecasts that are provided to them. Three experimental studies varied the reliability of the statistical forecasts and examined the performance of people over time. Issues of the form of the feedback and the use of decision support were also examined. The results unequivocally suggest that the effectiveness of judgemental adjustment depended on the statistical model's reliability and seasonally of time series. However, people had considerable difficulty placing less weight on their own forecasts (compared to the statistical forecasts) and this behaviour became more pronounced over time. Even provision of decision support did not improve performance at the task.     

Semantic processing of mathematical gestures

Objective

To examine whether or not university mathematics students semantically process gestures depicting mathematical functions (mathematical gestures) similarly to the way they process action gestures and sentences. Semantic processing was indexed by the N400 effect.

Results

The N400 effect elicited by words primed with mathematical gestures (e.g. “converging” and “decreasing”) was the same in amplitude, latency and topography as that elicited by words primed with action gestures (e.g. drive and lift), and that for terminal words of sentences.

Significance and conclusion

Findings provide a within-subject demonstration that the topographies of the gesture N400 effect for both action and mathematical words are indistinguishable from that of the standard language N400 effect. This suggests that mathematical function words are processed by the general language semantic system and do not appear to involve areas involved in other mathematical concepts (e.g. numerosity).     

Psychosocial Adjustment and Substance Use of Cambodian and Vietnamese Immigrant Youth

Southeast Asians living in the United States are a unique Asian immigrant population. They are considered one of the "newer" Asian immigrant groups, tend to be less affluent compared with their East and South Asian counterparts, and are steadily growing in number (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000). Unfortunately, few studies exist specifically about Southeast Asian immigrants. The lack of studies, coupled with the community's growing mental health issues, suggests the need for increased research on this population. This study contributes to the literature by examining the extent to which identification with Vietnamese or Cambodian culture, peer relationships, and coping behaviors affect substance use among Cambodian and Vietnamese immigrant youth. A sample of 102 participants, age 12-18 years, completed self-report measures regarding these variables. Overall, results indicate that identification with one's culture of origin and coping behaviors moderate the relationship between deviant peer association and substance use. Results are discussed within a contextual model of problem behavior among Southeast Asian youth.     

Role of Aplysia cell adhesion molecules during 5-HT-induced long-term functional and structural changes

We previously reported that five repeated pulses of 5-HT lead to down-regulation of the TM-apCAM isoform at the surface of Aplysia sensory neurons (SNs). We here examined whether apCAM down-regulation is required for 5-HT-induced long-term facilitation. We also analyzed the role of the cytoplasmic and extracellular domains by overexpressing various apCAM mutants by DNA microinjection. When TM-apCAM was up-regulated in SNs by DNA microinjection, five pulses of 5-HT failed to produce either synaptic facilitation or an enhancement of synaptic growth, suggesting that down-regulation of apCAM is required for 5-HT-induced EPSP enhancement and new varicosity formation. However, disrupting the extracellular domain function of overexpressed apCAM with a specific antibody restored 5-HT-induced excitatory postsynaptic potential increase but not synaptic growth. The overexpression of the MAP Kinase mutant of TM-apCAM, which is not internalized by 5-HT, inhibited new varicosity formation, but did not inhibit excitatory postsynaptic potential increase. Deletion mutants containing only the cytoplasmic portion of apCAM blocked 5-HT-induced synaptic growth but not excitatory postsynaptic potential increase. Thus, our data suggest that TM-apCAM may act as a suppressor of both synaptic-strength enhancement in pre-existing synapses and of new synaptic varicosity formation in the nonsynaptic region, via different mechanisms.     

Working memory and literacy as predictors of performance on algebraic word problems

Previous studies on individual differences in mathematical abilities have shown that working memory contributes to early arithmetic performance. In this study, we extended the investigation to algebraic word problem solving. A total of 151 10-year-olds were administered algebraic word problems and measures of working memory, intelligence quotient (IQ), and reading ability. Regression results were consistent with findings from the arithmetic literature showing that a literacy composite measure provided greater contribution than did executive function capacity. However, a series of path analyses showed that the overall contribution of executive function was comparable to that of literacy; the effect of executive function was mediated by that of literacy. Both the phonological loop and the visual spatial sketchpad failed to contribute directly; they contributed only indirectly by way of literacy and performance IQ, respectively.     

Does parental job insecurity matter? Money anxiety, money motives, and work motivation

A structural model focusing on the spillover effect of parental perceived job insecurity on money anxiety was developed and tested. The crossover effect of parents' money anxiety on their children's money anxiety, money motives, and motivation to work was also examined. Data were collected from a sample of undergraduates and their parents. Results of structural equation modeling analyses supported a spillover effect of paternal perceived job insecurity on paternal money anxiety. However, maternal perceived job insecurity was not significantly associated with maternal money anxiety. Results also supported a crossover effect of parental money anxiety on youths' money anxiety. Youths' money anxiety was significantly related to youths' negative money motives. In turn, youths' negative money motives were associated with their intrinsic motivation to work. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Pilot study of hormone replacement therapy and menopausal symptoms, depression, and quality of life in Korean climacteric women

This cross-sectional survey compared scores on the Menopausal Symptoms Index, Depression, and the Quality of Life for 65 Korean climacteric women receiving regular hormone replacement therapy (M age=52.8 yr., SD=6.3) and 70 Korean climacteric patients not receiving such therapy (M age =51.6 yr., SD=7.1). Depression scores were positively correlated with the Menopausal Symptoms Index in both groups (r = .58 in the Therapy group and r = .50 in the Control group) and negatively correlated with scores for Quality of Life (r = -.48 in the Therapy group and r = -.68 in the Control group). Scores on the Menopausal Symptoms Index were negatively correlated with ratings of Quality of Life in both groups (r = -.53 in the Therapy group and r = -.45 in the Control group). These results suggest that hormone replacement therapy is associated with reduced Depression scores and higher Quality of Life scores in this sample of Korean climacteric women.     

Singaporean graduate majors in education perceptions of workplaces and roles of psychologists

This paper examined perceptions of workplaces and roles of psychologists of 315 Singaporean undergraduate students in education. The participants rated the appropriateness of 21 workplaces and 32 roles of psychologists using a 7-point scale. The group showed restricted views of psychology and psychologists as they related psychologists' work mainly to social and organizational services and referred roles of psychologists to giving social services related to delinquency and disorders.     

Perceived job image among police officers in Singapore: factorial dimensions and differential effects

The authors examined the perceived job image of police officers in Singapore and its differential effects on their work-related attitudes (e.g., job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intention to quit). The authors obtained data from questionnaire surveys and focus-group interviews. Perceived job image consisted of 4 dimensions: (a) prestige, (b) integrity, (c) competence, and (d) nonroutine job nature. Results of hierarchical regression analyses suggested that the first 2 dimensions of the perceived job image construct were salient in affecting the police officers' work-related attitudes.