Bilateral electrodermal activity in waking man

Skin conductance responses were examined bilaterally in a group of 14 normal subjects. Twelve of them were right-handed and two were left-handed. All right-handed subjects exhibited asymmetry in skin conductance level and in skin conductance response during verbal-numerical and visual-imagery tasks. With the visual activity, larger responses were found in the left hand, while during the verbal task, larger responses were recorded from the right hand. The results were interpreted as evidence of hemispheric asymmetry of the electrodermal activity orienting response control mechanisms. More ipsilateral control for the right hand is predicted.     

Listener ratings of severity for specific disfluency types in children

This study investigated whether some types of disfluency are perceived as more severe than others and if listener groups differ in their perception of severity for some disfluency types. Three normal speaking children were trained to produce eight types of disfluency and one sample of fluency. The experimental tape, consisting of three examples for each of the eight disfluency types and of fluency, was presented auditorily to 40 judges divided into four groups of 10 each: parents of stutterers, parents of nonstutterers, speech clinicians, and elementary school teachers. The judges rated the disfluency and fluency on a 15-point severity continuum, divided into four nominal categories of Fluent, Normal Disfluency, Mild Stuttering, Moderate Stuttering, and Severe Stuttering. Results showed that although listener groups did not significantly differ in their severity ratings, the specific types of disfluency did differ significantly. The type of disfluency emitted by a speaker is apparently more salient in perceiving and judging disfluency than the type of listener making the judgment.     

A technique for controlling speech disfluencies induced by delayed auditory feedback

On the basis of cybernetic models of speech it was hypothesized that “stuttering” induced by delayed auditory feedback could be significantly reduced if the Ss were provided with an alternate input to which they could attend. The results of the experiment supported the hypothesis. The possible implications for the treatment stuttering are discussed.     

On rotating to smooth functions

Tucker has outlined an application of principal components analysis to a set of learning curves, for the purpose of identifying meaningful dimensions of individual differences in learning tasks. Since the principal components are defined in terms of a statistical criterion (maximum variance accounted for) rather than a substantive one, it is typically desirable to rotate the components to a more interpretable orientation. Simple structure is not a particularly appealing consideration for such a rotation; it is more reasonable to believe that any meaningful factor should form a (locally) smooth curve when the component loadings are plotted against trial number. Accordingly, this paper develops a procedure for transforming an arbitrary set of component reference curves to a new set which are mutually orthogonal and, subject to orthogonality, are as smooth as possible in a well defined (least squares) sense. Potential applications to learning data, electrophysiological responses, and growth data are indicated.Portions of this research were supported by the National Research Council of Canada, Grant A8615 to the second author. We thank Jagdeth Sheth for supplying his raw data.     

The new social psychology and ‘fascism’

This article examines the claims of ethnomethodologists, symbolic interactionists and ethogenists to provide an improved basis for social psychology. The basic assumptions of these approaches are outlined, especially their common emphasis upon language and meaning. However, differences between the approaches are also noted. The problem is how this new social psychology would be capable of dealing with important social issues, such as fascism. There are criticisms from the point of view of the new social psychology of previous approaches to the social psychology of fascism, i.e., the authoritarian personality and value-analysis. A historiographical survey of fascism is made to show the sorts of problems which could be tackled by the new social psychology, particularly in relations to the concept of ‘fascism’ itself. However, it is argued that the new perspectives are inappropriate for a serious examination of a social issue like fascism, because they lack clear political commitment. They are based upon attitudes of either disassociation or sympathetic understanding, both of which are unsatisfactory for an examination of fascism. A return to a socially committed social psychology is urged.     

Perception of nonlinguistic auditory rhythms by the speech hemisphere

Two groups of right-handed young adults were tested on a series of handedness measures and on dichotic nonverbal rhythmic sequences. Cross-validated multiple regression analysis revealed that all of the cerebral-lateralization/manual-praxis measures were positively related to the degree of left-hemisphere perceptual asymmetry for nonverbal rhythms (Crawford peg, scissor, handwriting, Crawford screws, tracing, total R = .67). Seventeen of the 52 subjects manifested significant (p < .05) left-hemisphere laterality coefficients for the dichotic stimuli. More complex rhythms elicited greater left-hemisphere perceptual preference. The results are discussed in reference to the concept of cerebral lateralization.     

Stimulus-form effectsin recognition memory

In two experiments, recognition memory was tested using memorized lists of items containing from 2 to 32 nominal concepts. Stimulus form was manipulated by using the names of the items on word trials and outline drawings of the items on picture trials. In terms of an information processing stage model of recognition memory, stimulus form affected only an identification or encoding stage of processing. Subsequent memory-search, decision, and response processes were largely the same for all stimuli once the words or pictures were encoded. The results are consistent with the hypothesized role of stimulus form in processes underlying long-term recognition. However, our results are inconsistent with those of a number of studies involving stimulus-form effects in short-term recognition memory.     

Modification of impulsive tempo in learning-disabled pupils

Thirty-three impulsive learning- disabled males, aged 9–12 years, were assigned to one of three treatment conditions: (a) Modeling, in which subjects were exposed to a videotape of a boy demonstrating reflective problem-solving activities and instructing himself to perform cautiously; (b) Modeling Plus Self-Verbalization, in which subjects observed the same videotape and were additionally required to verbalize similar reflective instructions; and (c) Control, in which subjects were shown a videotape of the task materials used in the modeling videotape, but without the model. Subjects were tested immediately after exposure to treatment, and again 3 weeks later, on different forms of the Matching Familiar Figures test. Both Modeling and Modeling Plus Self-Verbalization conditions were superior to Control in reducing errors on the immediate test, but the three treatments did not differ on the delayed test. No significant differences among the three conditions were found with regard to response latency. Discrepancies between the present results and those of previous related studies were noted, and potential research directions were suggested.The authors appreciate the cooperation and support of Mr. Dan Hurd, superintendent of DeKalb County Special Education Association.