A technique for the study of spatiotemporal aspects of paw contact patterns,applied to rats treated with a TRH analogue

The analysis of footfall patterns can help in the evaluation of normal and disturbed neurological function. Previous methods, however, such as inking the feet, give only a snapshot of maximum contact without temporal information. This paper describes the use of an alternative technique, with which these limitations can be overcome through the use of light reflected within a glass plate to illuminate paw contact areas during the stance phase of locomotion. Computer analysis demonstrates no difference in maximum contact area between forepaws and hindpaws, with the major contact structures being pads DP2 and DP3, but there are numerous differences in deployment. For example, the forepaw deploys tactile sensory-rich structures early in the contact cycle. The effects of TRH analogue CG3703 on aspects of hindpaw contact demonstrate that treated rats make more extensive use of distal parts of the paw. The results are discussed in terms of CG3703-induced postural changes.     

The use of abstract graphemic information in lexical access

Three experiments investigated the nature of the information required for the lexical access of visual words. A four-field masking procedure was used, in which the presentation of consecutive prime and target letter strings was preceded and followed by presentations of a pattern mask. This procedure prevented subjects from identifying, and thus intentionally using, prime information. Experiment I extablished the existence of a semantic priming effect on target identification, demonstrating the lexical access of primes under these conditions. It also showed a word repetition effect independent of letter case. Experiment II tested whether this repetition effect was due to the activation of graphemic or phonemic information. The graphemic and phonemic similarity of primes and targets was varied. No evidence for phonemic priming was found, although a graphemic priming effect, independent of the physical similarity of the stimuli, was obtained. Finally Experiment III demonstrated that, irrespective of whether the prime was a word or a nonword, graphemic priming was equally effective. In both Experiments II and III, however, the word repetition effect was stronger than the graphemic priming effect. It is argued that facilitation from graphemic priming was due to the prime activating a target representation coded for abstract (non-visual) graphemic features, such as letter identities. The extra facilitation from same identity priming was attributed to semantic as well as graphemic activation. The implications of these results for models of word recognition are discussed.     

A visionary and transformational APA Ethics Code: comment on O’Donohue (2019)

ABSTRACT

We contend that many of the criticisms of the American Psychological Association’s current Ethics Code are based on faulty assumptions and insufficient information. While the APA Ethics Committee values commentary on perceived shortcomings of the current Ethics Code as an important aspect of the current revision process, O’Donohue’s article contains inaccuracies that should be addressed. We clarify the functioning of the Ethics Code and the APA adjudication system, including explaining changes made to adjudication in light of the Commission on Ethics Processes. We also explain the transparent, open process the APA has already undertaken to create a revised Ethics Code that is visionary and transformational.