EMDISP: A visual display system with digital and analogue sampling

EMDISP provides general-purpose assembly language routines that can be called from higher level languages to produce specific application programs for experiments involving visual displays, manual responses, and analogue sampling (e.g., eye movement recording). The display system assumes the use of fast-phosphor oscilloscopes driven by 12-bit digital-to-analogue converters (DACs) to produce point-by-point displays. Within these limitations, EMDISP offers a flexible and efficient method of generating displays, in which elements of a complex display are defined as separate “pictures” and are controlled independently. High-level control of digital and analogue sampling are provided, enabling interactions between the contents of the display and analogue and digital inputs.     

Carbon monoxide levels and rates of consumption after changing to low tar and nicotine cigarettes

Studies which have examined low tar and nicotine (LT/LN) cigarette smoking have failed, for the most part, to assess adequately the long-term effects of these cigarettes. Most studies have been short-term laboratory investigations of nicotine regulation. More practical strategies for changing to LT/LN cigarettes have largely been ignored. The present study examined long-term changes in smoking patterns following the gradual introduction of LT/LN cigarette smoking. Predicted increases in reported rates of consumption as well as carbon monoxide (CO) levels were not found for most smokers following changes to LT/LN cigarettes. Generally, smokers showed decreased rates of consumption, and a majority had lower CO levels at the end of treatment and during follow-up. Thus, LT/LN cigarette smoking would appear to be an alternative treatment goal for risk reduction in individuals who cannot stop smoking.     

Aversive smoking therapies: A conditioning analysis of therapeutic effectiveness

Rapid smoking (RS) and a less aversive rapid-puffing (RP) treatment were compared on ability to enhance the impact of a behavioral-counseling (BC) procedure on psychophysiological, attitudinal and behavioral response to cigarettes. Data reveal that both aversive smoking treatments resulted in less smoking once treatment began, reduced smoking in post-treatment taste tests, and superior follow-up performance at 6 months and 1 yr. At 1 yr, RS S s achieved the highest number of days abstinent of any group. Regression analyses showed that Ss' confidence ratings of remaining abstinent were highly predictive of follow-up status, and that these ratings were related to number of cigarettes smoked during treatment and amount of smoking during post-treatment taste tests.     

Results of cerebral computer tomography in the diagnosis of tumors of the sella region

Computer tomography (CT) is an important aid to the diagnosis of sella tumours because it images the tumour directly and delineates it from the healthy tissues. The tumour type can be identified to a certain extent, but angiography is necessary to distinguish tumours from aneurysms. The study is based on 140 surgical and histological examinations, the results of which were compared wit those obtained by CT. Suprasellar inflammations could always be identified by CT. Although intrasellar tumours may be identifiable by CT if full use is made of the potential of the equipment, negative CT results do not necessarily mean that there is no tumour. The diagnostic validity of the method is restricted by the absence of "standards", against which the variable images of intrasellar structures can be judged, and the restricted resolution of CT.     

Oculomotor adaptation to prisms is not simply a muscle potentiation effect

An experiment is reported in which subjects pointed to a visual target before and after exposure to prisms. The exposure condition required the subject to look at his feet through leftward deviating prisms while holding his eyes to the right. Aftereffects on pointing were significantly to the right. This result is opposite to that predicted by the muscle potentiation hypothesis put forward by Ebenholtz and Wolfson (1975), but consistent with recalibration of the visual direction system caused by spatial discordance.     

Persuading people to stop smoking

Forty smokers attending a chest clinic were given a questionnaire designed to measure motivation to stop smoking. The effects of three variables on their smoking level were investigated: (1) advice from the chest physician to stop smoking; (2) subjection to a further ‘motivating’ interview by a psychologist: (3) the wearing of a white coat by the psychologist during his interview. The questionnaire proved a useful predictor of smoking reduction over a 3-month follow-up period. Advice from the chest physician had a significant effect in getting people to reduce smoking over 3 months but the extra ‘motivating’ interview was ineffective. Patients responded to the white coat by reducing their smoking level significantly, irrespective of whether the psychologist wearing the white coat was advising them to reduce smoking or not. These results suggest that the advice-giving role of the doctor could be used more effectively than it currently is in preventive medicine, and that the psychologist has an important role to play in measuring the successful parameters of such advice and hence improving its quality.     

Misconceptions about the Fishbein model: Reflections on a study by Songer-Nocks

Songer-Nocks has questioned the generality and sufficiency of Fishbein's model of intentions. It is shown that her conclusions reflect a basic misunderstanding of the model and its implications. Several misconceptions are identified and an attempt is made to clarify some of the theoretical and methodological issues involved.