A STUDY OF MOTION PREFERENCES

M ashhour , M. A study of motion preferences. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1969, 10 , 299–105. — Human motion preferences as a function of velocity were investigated by the method of paired comparisons under 3 conditions of motion track length. It was found that, ( a ) for all the conditions and irrespective of sex, preference was a unimodal asymmetric function of velocity, the modal value being about 50–80 min of arc/sec, ( b ) motion track length affected the proportions of preferential judgments without affecting the asymmetry and unimodality features of the functions, ( c ) preferences were independent of velocity ratios. The relationship between preference and attention are discussed.     

INTENTIONAL COMMUNICATION IN THE TREE DRAWING TEST

K onttinen , R. & K arila , A. Intentional communication in the tree drawing test. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1969, 10 , 129–136—One way in which relationships between drawing variables and personality traits may be conceived is by interpreting the drawing as intentional communication. Some implications of this proposition were tested. Five formal variables of tree drawings were studied: angularity, size, form level, shading, and pressure. Only angularity can unambiguously be given a communication interpretation; but the other variables, too, may perhaps be used for intentional communication.     

Proactive interference and spontaneous alternation in rats

Two pairs of trials were given to naive rats in a T-maze. The first trial of a pair was forced to one arm, the second was free, and the delay between trials was 25 min. or 10 hr. Rats left in the maze for 15 sec. following the forced choice showed increased alternation on the second pair of trials at the 25-min. delay as compared with the 10-hr. delay. This was interpreted as due to a decline in alternation with delay on this pair of trials, together with an overall increase in alternation between the first and second pairs, and is consistent with the proactive interference theory of forgetting. Rats left in for 2 min. showed a decline in alternation with delay on the first pair of trials, but not on the second; this is inconsistent with the proactive interference theory.     

The Development of an SVIB Interest Scale for School Counselors

A professional school counselor key was developed on the Strong Vocational Interest Blank using Campbell's revised procedures. Of the 403 counselors initially contacted, 340 responded. Of this number, 203 were identified as professional counselors and were included in the professional school counselor scale. Each of these individuals was fully certified, possessed three or more years' experience as a counselor, was a member of a professional guidance association, and was thoroughly satisfied with his job as a counselor. Differences between professional counselors and non-professional counselors seemed to indicate a greater people-orientation in the professional counselor group. This was further supported by relationships of the professional counselor key with other scales on the SVIB.