Different WAIS-R short forms and their relation to ethnicity

Potential racial bias on commonly used WAIS-R short forms was examined in a group of 201 African-Americans matched with Caucasians in terms of age, education, gender, and occupational status. Within racial groups, all short form IQs correlated highly with the WAIS-R IQs (all rs 0.87). Although relatively large racial differences emerged on the Block Design, Vocabulary, and Arithmetic subtests, only mild racial discrepancies emerged for three out of the seven short forms investigated. While the magnitude of the results for the short forms was mild, based on these findings it was suggested that certain short forms not be used with African-Americans in order to minimize the potential influence of racial basis.     

Epilogue: Overarching themes and enduring contributions of the Lanzetta research program

In this Epilogue we step back from the four research lines that have been the focus of this two-part Special Issue and discuss four important themes that run through the Lanzetta research program: (1) the importance of the face as a fundamental channel of social communication, (2) the physiological nature of the information conveyed by facial expression, (3) the realization that response to facial expressions involve multiple levels of cognitive processing, and (4) the value in using multiple convergent measures and creative experimental paradigms to study complicated phenomena like emotional facial expressions. The ways in which these themes carry through the individual research lines are described, and important implications of the themes are highlighted.     

Introduction to the special issue

This article provides an overview of the special issue of Motivation and Emotion, which will appear in two parts. This special issue examines the enduring contributions of the research of John T. Lanzetta and his colleagues on facial expression and emotion. In its entirety, the special issue consists of five articles and an epilogue. Part 1 (this issue of Motivation and Emotion) consists of the first three articles, and Part 2 (to appear as part of the next issue of Motivation and Emotion) consists of the final two articles and the epilogue. The first article provides an in-depth review of the Lanzetta research program, and describes this program as developing along four distinct lines that, respectively, cover work on (a) the facial feedback hypothesis, (b) the power of facial expression as an emotionally evocative stimulus, (c) the role of facial expression in empathy and counter-empathy, and (d) the relations between facial displays of powerful political leaders and observers' attitudes toward those leaders. Each of the subsequent four articles considers, in turn, the current status and future promise of one of these research lines as it has continued to grow and develop outside of the Lanzetta research program. Part 2 of the special issue concludes with an epilogue that highlights the major themes and conclusions that course through the entire body of research considered in this special issue.We would like to express our appreciation to Basil Englis, Arvid Kappas, Bob Kleck, and Scott Orr, each of whom contributed to the development of this special issue in a variety of ways.     

‘Cognitive inhibition’ and schizotypy as measured by the Oxford-Liverpool inventory of feelings and experiences

Previous studies have reliably shown a reduced level of the negative priming effect in both schizophrenics and high schizotypes. Measurement of symptom orientated aspects of schizotypy has previously utilised lengthy questionnaires such as the CSTQ, or individual use of several different questionnaires. We attempted to replicate previous findings with use of the OLIFE, a relatively short schizotypy questionnaire derived from the CSTQ. Consistent with recent research, reduced negative priming was significantly linked with subjects scoring high on scales related to positive, and not negative, aspects of schizophrenic symptomatology, whilst the Stroop effect was found to be independent of all measures of schizotypy. The OLIFE served as a useful tool, allowing examination of specific aspects of schizotypy within the time pressures of a laboratory environment.     

Memory for Faces and Objects by Deaf and Hearing Signers and Hearing Nonsigners

The memory of 11 deaf and 11 hearing British Sign Language users and 11 hearing nonsigners for pictures of faces of and verbalizable objects was measured using the game Concentration. The three groups performed at the same level for the objects. In contrast the deaf signers were better for faces than the hearing signers, who in turn were superior to the hearing nonsigners, who were the worst. Three hypotheses were made: That there would be no significant difference in terms of the number of attempts between the three groups on the verbalizable object task, that the hearing and deaf signers would demonstrate superior performance to that of the hearing nonsigners on the matching faces task, and that the hearing and deaf signers would exhibit similar performance levels on the matching faces task. The first two hypotheses were supported, but the third was not. Deaf signers were found to be superior for memory for faces to hearing signers and hearing nonsigners. Possible explanations for the findings are discussed, including the possibility that deafness and the long use of sign language have additive effects.     

An investigation of overlap in children's speech

The simultaneous speech of six 4-year-old girls was investigated within three-party conversation. The data reveal two major types of overlap, one providing instances of turn completion projections and the other reflecting tension for the turn at speaking. The data are discussed in terms of the Sacks, Schegloff, and Jefferson (1974) model of conversational interaction.     

Tactile letter recognition: Pattern duration and modes of pattern generation

Measurements were made of the ability of subjects to identify vibrotactile patterns presented to their fingertips. The patterns were letters of the alphabet generated on the tactile display of the Optacon. Five different modes of pattern generation were examined. Two of the modes, static and scan, involved full-field presentations of the letters. In the remaining three modes, patterns were generated by presenting parts of the letters sequentially. In one mode, the letters were exposed by a slit passing across them. In the other two modes, the patterns were generated as though the letter were being drawn on the skin. Performance in all five modes was examined as a function of pattern duration, with durations ranging from 4 to 1,000 msec. Increasing duration, up to 400 msec, resulted in generally improved performance, although the functions relating performance and duration differed according to the mode of presentation. Contrary to previous results, the static mode produced the best overall performance level. Some possible reasons for the disagreement between the present results and previous results and some models of cutaneous pattern recognition are discussed.     

A new technique for testing the eliciting effects of fish color patterns

This new technique provides an alternative to the use of stimulus fish with paint applied to their body surfaces or fish dummies for testing the eliciting effects of different color patterns. The stimulus fish are fitted with thin plastic suits, with the pattern to be tested painted on each suit. Small numbers of stimulus fish are required. They adjust readily to the suit and rarely show agitated movements during testing. Suited-up stimulus fish may better simulate the appearance of free-living conspecifics than dummy fish that show no breathing activity or unassisted swimming movements. At the same time, suited-up fish provide some variation in stimulus characteristics particularly relative to swimming movement.     

Patient — heal thyself

(This is a story of a courageous woman who refused to accept the fact that her medical disease was incurable or irreversible. This paper was written about 18 months ago. Since then, the author has continued her struggles, her risk-taking searches, and her hope. -Ed.)