Temporal bisection with trial referents

In temporal bisection, the subject is required to compare the similarity of a probe duration with two referent durations. Two bisection experiments with human subjects are reported in which performance under three referent conditions was compared. In two of the conditions, no-referent and fixed-referent, the referent pair was constant throughout the session and was varied between sessions. In the noreferent condition, samples of the referents were presented at the beginning of a block of trials, but not on the probe trials. In contrast, in the fixed-referent condition, the referent pair was presented on each probe trial. In the third referent condition, roving-referent, the referent pair was also presented on each probe trial, but the values of the pair varied during a session rather than between sessions. The pseudologistic Model (PLM; Killeen, Fetterman, & Bizo, 1997) provided an excellent account of the data from all referent conditions and indicated that (1) the scalar variability was located in the perception of the probe and was independent of the structure of the bisection task, (2) the role of the referents was to set the criterion, (3) the probe was compared with the criterion rather than with the referents, and (4) the comparison of the probe with the criterion occurred even when trial referents were available.     

A comparison of song-lyric and prose self-instruction procedures for increasing novel skills in children

We compared the effects of the effects of self-instructions in the form of prose or song lyrics in the acquisition of gross motor tasks in 4 third-grade children. We taught participants 4 pairs of gross motor tasks, with one task in each pair taught with prose self-instructions and the other taught with song lyric self-instructions. Both self-instruction procedures were effective for teaching tasks; however, acquisition was quicker with song lyric self-instruction for 4 task pairs, acquisition was quicker with prose self-instruction for 3 task pairs; and similar for 1 task pair. Participants were then able to select their preferred method of self-instruction for a novel, applied skill. Two participants selected song-lyric self-instructions and 2 participants selected prose self-instructions.     

“Tell me more about this…”: An examination of the efficacy of follow-up open questions following an initial account

In information gathering interviews, follow-up questions are asked to clarify and extend initial witness accounts. Across two experiments, we examined the efficacy of open-ended questions following an account about a multi-perpetrator event. In Experiment 1, 50 mock-witnesses used the timeline technique or a free recall format to provide an initial account. Although follow-up questions elicited new information (18–22% of the total output) across conditions, the response accuracy (60%) was significantly lower than that of the initial account (83%). In Experiment 2 (N = 60), half of the participants received pre-questioning instructions to monitor accuracy when responding to follow-up questions. New information was reported (21–22% of the total output) across conditions, but despite using pre-questioning instructions, response accuracy (75%) was again lower than the spontaneously reported information (87.5%). Follow-up open-ended questions prompt additional reporting; however, practitioners should be cautious to corroborate the accuracy of new reported details.     

Aging,Identity, and Women: Constructing the Third Age

The “Third Age” offers a conceptualization of the lives of those who are retired and beyond middle age but not facing any disability stereotypically associated with the “old.” Emphasizing good health, freedom from the responsibilities of younger adulthood, and continuing engagement with the world, it articulates a specific form of positive aging that has received very little attention within psychology. We adopted a feminist and critical discursive approach in exploring how eight women, who fit the Third Age profile, understand their lives and who they are. Audiotaped semi-structured interviews were transcribed and analyzed. The participants drew on four pairs of interpretative repertoires in constructing the meanings of aging. Their identity work involved positioning themselves as “not old” and establishing continuity between who they have been in the past and who they are now. The results highlight the women’s agency as they negotiated between the discursive resources available to them. Drawing on a framework for feminist therapy that incorporates an emphasis on social change, we discuss the implications of these results.     

A Mindfulness-Based Meditation Pilot Study: Lessons Learned on Acceptability and Feasibility in Adolescents with Cancer

A growing body of research has documented the psychological impact of cancer on adolescents (such as symptoms of depression, anxiety and withdrawal). Findings from the adult literature suggest that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are a promising treatment option for helping individuals manage cancer and alleviate the associated psychological symptoms. The aim of the present pilot study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a MBI for adolescents with cancer and examine its potential positive impact on sleep, mood, and quality of life. Over 9 months of recruitment, 481 youth were screened for participation in this project. Of these, 418 (86.9 %) were excluded because they lived further than 1 h from the intervention site, had no history of cancer, had died or were not reachable by telephone. Of the 63 who were contacted, only 7 (1.4 %) agreed to participate, gave their consent, and provided a complete dataset. A prospective quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with two groups (experimental; n = 7 and no treatment; n = 7) was used to assess the MBI. Only participants from the experimental group completed follow-up measures at 6 months. Repeated-measure ANOVAs were conducted to assess the impact of the intervention. No significant differences between or within groups were found pre to post assessment and at follow-up. A narrow pool of eligible participants, a high refusal rate, school scheduling conflicts and absenteeism had a significant impact on the final sample size. Suggestions to conduct future trials are presented. Larger randomized-controlled trials are necessary to assess whether MBIs have significant beneficial effects in teenagers with cancer.     

Processes and outcomes in prevention-focused time-limited groups for girls

Processes and outcomes in 8-week prevention-focused, school-based groups for preadolescent girls were assessed in a naturalistic study. Specifically, whether such groups would facilitate their social-emotional development and whether affiliative processes in the groups were related to outcome were explored. In addition to expecting the groups to be effective, it was hypothesized that affiliative processes would be directly related to outcome and, more particularly, that increased positive affiliative feelings from the group toward the individual would be more predictive of positive treatment outcome than increased positive feelings from the individual toward the group. While findings did not support these hypotheses linking process to outcome, ancillary analyses revealed that different patterns of affiliation over time (i.e., U-shape pattern versus inverted U-shape pattern) distinguished the high- versus low-outcome participants, respectively.     

Age differences in contingency judgement linked to perceptual segregation

We demonstrate large differences in judging positive and null contingencies between younger and older adults with a task commonly used to explore cue competition in both contingency and causality judgements. The one-phase blocking task uses two cues, with separate contingencies with the same outcome. The age differences persisted even when participants knew in advance which of the two contingencies to judge. The age differences disappeared, however, when the stimulus display contained markers aiding perceptual segregation. We suggest that the age differences elicited in the one-phase blocking task are linked to decrements in perceptual segregation.     

Sorting the Liars from the Truth Tellers: The Benefits of Asking Unanticipated Questions on Lie Detection

We examined the effect of asking unanticipated interview questions on lie detection. We set up a room in which truth tellers (N = 40) performed five tasks. Liars (N = 40) observed the activity room through a window and were asked to generate a story in which they claim to have performed five tasks. The interview schedule included four thematically related pairs of questions. The first question of each pairing was easy for interviewees to anticipate, as it reflected how events are typically recalled. However, the second included a perspective shift (temporal or spatial), which made the question harder to anticipate. We also measured cognitive load via performance on an object sorting secondary task that interviewees undertook during interview. Compared with truth tellers, liars' verbal responses showed a greater decline in details across three out of four question pairs. Liars also sorted significantly fewer objects per minute on the secondary task. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stress and Well-Being Among Parents of Children with Potocki-Lupski Syndrome

Potocki-Lupski syndrome (PTLS) or duplication 17p11.2 syndrome is a newly characterized condition causing a variety of health problems with variable severity, including failure to thrive in infancy and childhood, hypotonia, structural heart anomalies, cognitive impairments, speech and learning difficulties, and autism. Due to its recent clinical characterization little is known about the psychosocial impact of this condition on patients and their families. This study evaluated whether parental psychosocial outcomes were associated with children’s PTLS disease severity. Parents of 58 children with PTLS completed a cross-sectional survey that assessed parental stress, quality of life, and coping skills. Parental functioning was associated with greater severity of feeding difficulty and with lower severity of a cardiovascular defect. Findings from this study highlight potential support needs of parents of children affected by PTLS and suggest ways in which these needs may be addressed.     

Hoping to Live a “Normal” Life Whilst Living with Unpredictable Health and Fear of Death: Impact of Cystic Fibrosis on Young Adults

This study aimed to explore the hopes and fears of young adults with cystic fibrosis (CF). Fifteen young adults with CF, aged 18–29, were interviewed about their hopes and fears using a grounded theory approach. Five themes were identified during the analysis: perceptions of living with unpredictable health and fear of death and dying; hopes for normality; hopes for a normal relationship and/or marriage; hopes for having children; and hopes for a normal work life. Participants feared the unpredictable nature of CF and the suffering that they believed they would have to endure due to ill health before premature death. Despite their fears, participants hoped to live a “normal” life by achieving their hopes of having long-lasting relationships, having children and pursuing a career. The findings highlight the need to help alleviate the fears of young adults with CF and to enable them to plan to achieve their hopes, hence giving them a sense of control over their condition.