The intensity-difference limen for 6.5 kHz: an even more severe departure from Weber's law

Intensity-difference limens (DLs) were obtained for tones of 6.5 kHz over levels of 30-90 dB SPL. The tones had Gaussian-shaped envelopes whose duration was expressed as equivalent rectangular duration D, that of a rectangle enclosing the same area as the envelope. D ranged from 0.314 to 30 msec. DL behaviors such as the "severe departure from Weber's law," the "midlevel hump," or the "midduration hump"--that is, a rise in the DL over a range of short durations--were identified using trend analysis. The DL versus level followed a "severe departure" that increased as duration dropped to D approximately 1-2 msec. That midlevel hump then fell with further shortening of the tone pip, producing a mid-duration hump. Materials for this article may be accessed through the Psychonomic Society's Norms, Stimuli, and Data archive, at www.psychonomic.org/archive.     

Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis

We used meta-analysis to obtain a comprehensive perspective on the construct validity of achievement goals, focusing on the most recent addition to the achievement goal framework, mastery-avoidance (Elliot & McGregor, 2001). Mastery-avoidance achievement goals positively correlated with need for achievement, perceived competence, competitiveness, interest, negative affect, and other achievement goals (mastery-approach, performance-approach, performance-avoidance) and negatively correlated with cognitive ability, help seeking, and performance. The correlations between mastery-avoidance and the other achievement goals were moderate. Thus, we conclude that mastery-avoidance is a conceptually and empirically distinct construct with unique antecedents and consequences and should be included in future studies on achievement goals.     

Short review

Kamstra, J. H. Synkretisme op de grens tussen theologie en godsdienstfenomenologie E. J. Brill, 1970. 37 pp. Leiden, 40p. or 4 guilders

Problèmes et méthodes d'histoire des religions; Mélanges publiés par la Section des Sciences religieuses à l'occasion du centenaire de l'École pratique des Hautes Études. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1968. 298 pp. £3.90

Brandon, S. G. F. (Ed.), A dictionary of comparative religion. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, (American edition Charles Scribner's Sons), 1970, 704 pp. including a guide to pronunciation, a synoptic and general index. £5.50

Lampe, G. W. H. (Ed.), The phenomenon of Christian belief. London: A. R. Mowbray and Co., 1970, pp. xi + 109. £1.25

Borsch, F. H., The Christian and gnostic son of man, London: S.C.M. Press, 1970, Studies in Biblical Theology, second series, 14, 130 pp. £1.60

Cuming, G. J. (Ed.), The mission of the Church and the propagation of the faith, (Studies in Church History, vol. 6) Cambridge University Press, 1970, pp. 170, £2.75

Boyce, M. ‘On Mithra's part in Zoroastrianism’, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies (B.S.O.A.S.), xxxii, 1969, pp. 10–34 and Zoroaster the priest B.S.O.A.S. xxxiii, 1970, pp. 22–38     

Mindfulness and acceptance-based group therapy versus traditional cognitive behavioral group therapy for social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial

Recent research has supported the use of mindfulness and acceptance-based interventions for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD).     

Communication comforting strategies and social bereavement: Verbal and nonverbal planning and appropriateness

Abstract

Based on Applegate's (1980) hierarchy of comforting strategies, this study assessed the effects of verbal planning (e.g., Berger & Bell, 1988; Infante, 1980) and nonverbal planning on the perceived appropriateness of comforting communication. Participants indicated their verbal and nonverbal communication strategies in response to a hypothetical bereavement scenario, and these strategies were coded into Apple-gate's (1980) hierarchy. Bereavement counselors also rated the appropriateness of each respondent's comforting message strategies. Results are discussed in terms of reflection-enhancing relational strategies and the bereavement counselors' perspectives of the effects on surviving family members.     

Why Is It Now?

Adolf Grünbaum, following J.J.C. Smart, has argued that the A-Theory of time is untenable due to its inability to answer the question, uniquely attending the A-theory, as to why it is now 2000. I argue, however, that Grünbaum's explication of the question's meaning makes the question a triviality. But there may be lurking here a somewhat different question, which is meaningful on a A-Theory of time, the answer to which may have surprising implications concerning the past infinitude of time.