MUST FIGURE-GROUND ORGANIZATION PRECEDE OBJECT RECOGNITION?

The assumption that figure-ground segmentation must precede object or shape recognition has been central to theories of visual perception We showed that assumption to be incorrect in an experiment in which observers reported the first perceived figure–ground organization of briefly exposed stimuli depicting two regions sharing a figure–ground border We manipulated the symmetry of the two regions and their orientation-dependent denotivity (roughly, their meaningfulness), and measured how each of these variables influenced figure–ground reports when the stimuli were exposed for 14, 28, 57, 86, or 100 ms, and followed immediately by a mask Influences on figure–ground organization from both symmetry and orientation-dependent object recognition processes were found, both were observed first in the 28-ms condition Object recognition inputs did not dominate symmetry inputs We suggest that object recognition processes may operate simultaneously on both sides of edges detected before figure–ground relationships are determined     

The proper placement of uniform connectedness

In this journal, Palmer and Rock (1994) articulated a principle of perceptual organization calleduniform connectedness (UC); and they contended that previous investigators of perception had failed to realize the need for this organizing principle. The authors outlined a theory of perceptual organization that “places the principle of UC at center stage” (p. 38) in that UC was assigned the two privileged roles of (1) forming the fundamental units for later perceptual processes, and (2) yielding the postconstancy regions that correspond to environmental surfaces. In this commentary, I argue that the proposed theory entails a serial ordering of perceptual processes that is inconsistent with current evidence regarding figure-ground organization, stereo fusion, and object recogntion. In addition, I point out that Kurt Koffka (1935) recognized the need for a principle of unit formation similar to the one proposed by Palmer and Rock.     

Reviews

A dler , G erhard . Dynamics of the Self.
J acoby , M ario . Sehnsucht uach dem Paradies
D ieckmann , H. Übertragung und Gegenübertragung
F ranz , M.-L. von ; F rey -R ohn , L.; J affé , A. Im Umkreis des Todes
W underli , J ürg , Stirb und Werde: Wandlung und Wiedergeburt in der Pubertät und in der Lebensmitte.
B rivic , S. R. Joyce Between Freud and Jung.
W olberg , L ewis R.; A ronson , M arvin L. Group and Family Therapy, 1980.
W heelwright , J ane H ollister . The Death of a Woman; How a Life became Complete.
P aolino , T homas J. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: Theory, Technique, Therapeutic Relationship and Treatability.     

Gestural impairment and gestural ability in aphasia: A review

Studies of gestural ability in aphasic subjects have found impairment of gestural expression and comprehension, with a close relationship between severity of aphasia and degree of gestural impairment. A few investigators have correlated gestural ability with specific language functions or subcategories of aphasia. Reading appears to correlate better with gestural recognition than does auditory comprehension. Despite the general findings of gestural impairment in aphasia, successes have been reported with gestural training including artificial language techniques, pantomime, Amerind, and American Sign Language. Future studies of gestural therapy in aphasia should examine specific language deficits in order to identify those aphasic individuals who can benefit from gestural training.     

EMPIRICALLY DERIVED INJURY PREVENTION RULES

This study describes a set of empirically derived safety rules that if followed, would have prevented the occurrence of minor injuries. Epidemiologists have criticized behavioral interventions as increasing “safe” behavior but failing to demonstrate a decrease in injury. The present study documents retrospectively the link between safe behavior and injury. It demonstrates that these empirically derived rules are very similar to rules for the prevention of serious injury. The study also shows that these rules are not widely accepted and implemented by parents. Suggestions for future research in this area are advanced.     

Conceptual metaphors are not automatically accessed during idiom comprehension

Do conceptual analogies motivate idiom use and comprehension in discourse? For example, a story in which a person is described asfuming would be analogically consistent with an idiom such asblew her top, but inconsistent with an idiom such asbite his head off. Earlier work by Nayak and Gibbs(1990) had suggested that people use such analogical information during idiom comprehension. We replicated their findings inan idiom choice task, suggesting that people can indeed make use of such knowledge. However, when reading times were used to assess idiom comprehensibility, no effects of analogical consistency were found. We conclude that conceptual analogies play little, if any, role in idiom comprehension unless people have the time (and motivation) to make considered judgments.     

Perceptions of liability for the negligent infliction of emotional distress to a bystander

This study examines factors that are part of the test for whether a plaintiff may recover damages due to the negligent infliction of emotional distress to a bystander. Subjects were 96 eligible jurors from two California counties. They were presented with a case vignette which carried one of the three elements for bystander recovery for emotional distress as outlined in the California case of Dillon v. Legg. Participants were more likely to believe a plaintiff had a right to sue for damages in cases in which (1) there is a close relationship between the bystander and a direct victim, and (2) the bystander is within the zone of physical danger. A plaintiff's sensory and contemporaneous perception of an accident did not significantly influence subjects' judgements.     

Complexly fractionated syllogistic quantifiers

Consider syllogisms in which fraction (percentage) quantifiers are permitted in addition to universal and particular quantifiers, and then include further quantifiers which are modifications of such fractions (such as “almost 1/2 the S are P” and “Much more than 1/2 the S are P”). Could a syllogistic system containing such additional categorical forms be coherent? Thompson's attempt (1986) to give rules for determining validity of such syllogisms has failed; cf. Carnes &; Peterson (forthcoming) for proofs of the unsoundness and incompleteness of Thompson's rules. Building on Peterson (1985), the coherence of such a syllogistic can, however, be demonstrated with an algebra which provides its semantics; e.g., “almost 1/2 the S are P” is represented as “?(3(SP)?SP)”.