Identifying rotated letter-like symbols

Previous research has shown that the identification of rotated alphanumeric symbols seems to be performed via the extraction of critical features encoded invariant to the symbol’s orientation. The present research argued that the use of such feature extraction processes might be a function of, first, a subject’s familiarity with the symbols, and second, the number of symbols from which a presented symbol is sampled. Earlier research has used highly over learned alphanumerics, in sets of six symbols; this practice is argued here as being seemingly conducive to feature extraction. In two experiments, the generality of a feature extraction interpretation, in contrast to one of mental rotation, was tested by having subjects previously trained to relative high- vs. low-familiarity criteria identify novel symbols in conditions in which a presented symbol was 1 of either 5 or 20 possibilities. Identification response times were found to be constant across all nonstandard orientations of presented symbols, irrespective of symbol familiarity or symbol set size. The findings support the generalization of a feature extraction interpretation to varying numbers of novel symbols of varying familiarity.     

Auditory phase and frequency discrimination: a comparison of nine procedures

Two auditory discrimination tasks were thoroughly investigated: discrimination of frequency differences from a sinusoidal signal of 200 Hz and discrimination of differences in relative phase of mixed sinusoids of 200 Hz and 400 Hz. For each task psychometric functions were constructed for three observers, using nine different psychophysical measurement procedures. These procedures included yes-no, two-interval forced-choice, and various fixed- and variable-standard designs that investigators have used in recent years. The data showed wide ranges of apparent sensitivity. For frequency discrimination, models derived from signal detection theory for each psychophysical procedure seem to account for the performance differences. For phase discrimination the models do not account for the data. We conclude that for some discriminative continua the assumptions of signal detection theory are appropriate, and underlying sensitivity may be derived from raw data by appropriate transformations. For other continua the models of signal detection theory are probably inappropriate; we speculate that phase might be discriminable only on the basis of comparison or change and suggest some tests of our hypothesis.     

Cross-Lagged Relationships Between Insomnia and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Treatment-Receiving Veterans

Insomnia is a risk factor for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while it is also plausible that PTSD symptoms can maintain insomnia symptoms. The present study examined longitudinal bidirectional relationships between insomnia and PTSD symptoms in treatment-seeking veterans. Participants were 693 ex-serving members of the Australian Defence Force who participated in an accredited, hospital-based outpatient PTSD program. Participants completed self-reported assessments of PTSD and insomnia symptoms at four time points: intake, discharge, 3-month, and 9-months posttreatment follow-up.Cross-lagged pathway analyses indicated significant bi-directional pathways between insomnia symptoms and PTSD symptoms at most time points. A final cross-lagged model between insomnia symptoms and the PTSD symptom clusters indicated that the PTSD symptom paths on insomnia symptoms, between intake and discharge, were attributable to reexperiencing PTSD symptoms. In contrast, across posttreatment follow-up time points there were significant paths of insomnia symptoms on all PTSD symptom clusters except from insomnia at 3-months to avoidance symptom at 9-months. PTSD symptoms and insomnia symptoms have bidirectional associations over time that may lead to the mutual maintenance or exacerbation of each condition following PTSD treatment. Where residual insomnia symptoms are present post-treatment, a sleep-focussed intervention is indicated and a sequenced approach to treatment recommended.     

The effectiveness of unitization in mitigating age-related relational learning impairments depends on existing cognitive status

Binding relations among items in the transverse patterning (TP) task is dependent on the integrity of the hippocampus and its extended network. Older adults have impaired TP learning, corresponding to age-related reductions in hippocampal volumes. Unitization is a training strategy that can mitigate TP impairments in amnesia by reducing reliance on hippocampal-dependent relational binding and increasing reliance on fused representations. Here we examined whether healthy older adults and those showing early signs of cognitive decline would also benefit from unitization. Although both groups of older adults had neuropsychological performance within the healthy range, their TP learning differed both under standard and unitized training conditions. Healthy older adults with impaired TP learning under standard training benefited from unitized training. Older adults who failed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) showed greater impairments under standard conditions, and showed no evidence of improvement with unitization. These individuals’ failures to benefit from unitization may be a consequence of early deficits not seen in older adults who pass the MoCA.     

A Teacher’s Life: An Interview with Raymond B. Williams

Raymond B. Williams, Professor Emeritus of Religion at Wabash College, founding Director of the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, long–time member of the Executive Board of the American Academy of Religion, and founding editor of the journal Teaching Theology and Religion, has moved on to what will no doubt be a very active retirement. An interview with Williams was conducted by Malcolm Warford to be published in a venue unknown to the subject, thus enabling Warford to capture the spontaneous, unguarded vocational narrative of this private, humble scholar–teacher. After Warford transcribed and edited the interview, Lucinda Huffaker, co–editor of Teaching Theology and Religion, inserted commentary to set out themes and emphases on teaching and learning (desig. – LAH). As an autobiography, the article is both a window and a mirror – revealing both the formative influences in one professor’s life and providing readers with an opportunity for reflective comparison with their own vocational paths and identities.     

The importance of conscientiousness in adolescent interpersonal relationships

This research examined how conscientiousness contributes to adolescents' positive peer relationships and vulnerability to poorer ones. Given its temperamental origins in effortful control, conscientiousness was expected to be particularly important. A total of 256 fifth to eighth graders completed personality, peer-relationship, and victimization measures. Peers, parents, and teachers also completed assessments. Adolescents higher on conscientiousness experienced less victimization, better quality friendships, and higher peer acceptance even after controlling for the other Big Five dimensions. Externalizing and/or attention problems mediated the link between conscientiousness and peer relations. Conscientiousness moderated the relation between internalizing problems and poor interpersonal functioning. Results suggest that self-control processes associated with conscientiousness are important in developing and maintaining relationships in adolescence.     

An exploratory investigation of shopper behaviour in an immersive virtual reality store

Shopper research has long been undertaken with physical simulated stores and desktop‐operated virtual stores. However, recent developments in motion‐tracked virtual reality offer a range of new possibilities for research using immersive walk‐around virtual simulated stores. To date, there is little knowledge published on the authenticity of shopper behaviour in such immersive virtual environments. The present study therefore reports exploratory results from 153 multicategory shopping trips conducted in an immersive virtual convenience store. Observed shopper metrics and theoretical effects are compared with equivalent data obtained from published sources and found to be consistent across all measures. Specifically, shoppers purchase a plausible share of private label brands, more private label brands in lower consumption pleasure product categories, more products from higher compared with lower shelf positions, make a plausible proportion of impulsive purchases, and spend less time inspecting familiar versus unfamiliar brands. Further, time in‐store, total spending, and product handling time are higher for women than for men. These exploratory findings show that participants continue to exhibit realistic shopper behaviours in an immersive virtual simulated store. Such stores are therefore a cost‐effective alternative to other methods for measuring consumer behaviour. They offer significant potential for innovative experimental designs in consumer research, as well as potential for future use as a digital shopping channel.     

Links Between Anxiety and Allergies: Psychobiological Reality or Possible Methodological Bias?

ABSTRACT The objective of the study was to examine the link between anxiety and allergies to establish whether it reflects a psychobiological reality or a possible methodological bias. A cohort of 1,037 children enrolled in the study. Anxiety disorders were assessed between 11 and 21 years. Anxious personality was assessed at 18 years. Allergies were examined at 21 years by (a) self reports, (b) skin pricks, and (c) serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE). Self-reported allergies were predicted by recurrent anxiety disorders (OR [95% CI]=1.56 [1.06–2.30], p =.023) and self-reports of anxious personality (OR [95% CI]=1.67 [1.17–2.37], p =.004): Objectively verified allergies were not. These results suggest that the link between anxiety and allergies may reflect a methodological artifact rather than a psychobiological reality.     

Mind and muscle: the cognitive-affective neuroscience of exercise

There is growing basic-science interest in the mechanisms underpinning the positive effects of exercise on brain function and cognitive-affective performance. There is also increasing clinical evidence that exercise may prevent and treat various neuropsychiatric disorders. At the same time, there is growing awareness that athletic performance is mediated in crucial ways by central nervous system mechanisms. The relevant mechanisms in all these cases requires further exploration, but likely includes neurotrophic, neuroendocrine, and neurotransmitter systems, which in turn are crucial mediators of psychopathology and resilience. The hypothesis that Homo sapiens evolved as a specialist endurance runner provides an intriguing context against which to research the proximal mechanisms relevant to a cognitive-affective neuroscience of exercise.     

Environmental stress, psychological stress and allostatic load

The mechanism by which chronic caregiving stress results in poor health is not well understood. The objective was to determine whether such a mechanism may be allostatic load, a novel concept specifying physiological systems that may suffer cumulative wear and tear following chronic stress, leading collectively to poor health. The study examines the association of allostatic load with environmental and psychological stress in the contexts of dementia caregiving and relinquishment of care, and is a 2-year longitudinal comparison of three groups: 80 new dementia spouse caregivers, 120 veteran caregivers, and 60 non-caregivers. Data comprised allostatic load markers and environmental and psychological stress measures. Cross-lagged analyses produced a statistically significant association between psychological stress and one allostatic load component (primary mediators). Psychological stress was a better predictor of primary mediators than environmental stress. Primary mediators rose with time for caregivers, but not for non-caregivers. A greater rise was evident for caregivers who had relinquished their role by the second year, although the level of psychological stress actually declined. Primary mediators are a key component of the relationship between allostatic load and prior stress. When allostatic load is treated as an outcome of stress, it is important to distinguish environmental and psychological stress.