The multiple vigilance test

The multiple vigilance test is a 30-min signal detection task designed to assess performance. Sixty target and 180 nontarget stimuli are presented with random interstimulus intervals ranging from 4 to 11 sec. Subjects respond by pressing the spacebar (or microswitch in an alternate version of the program) when they see the masking pattern transformed into the target. This vigilance test is used in conjunction with measures of physiological sleepiness (Multiple Sleep Latency Test) and subjective sleepiness (Stanford Sleepiness Scale). This behavioral information concerning manifest sleepiness provides a more complete picture of a subject’s state of alertness. The assessment of vigilance during long, monotonous, nonstimulating tasks is clinically important in patients with disorders of sleep and arousal.     

Paradoxical sleep and information processing: exploration by inversion of the visual field

The purpose of this study was to test the potential relationship between REM sleep and information processing with inversion of the visual field. In the first experiment, four male subjects slept in the laboratory for two sessions of 6 consecutive nights: 2 adaptation nights, 2 nights of polysomnography, and 2 nights of dream collection. During the days preceding Nights 3, 4, 5, and 6 of each session, the subjects wore glasses which, during the second session, completely inverted (rotation of 180 degrees) their visual field. In a second experiment with four other male subjects, the order of conditions was reversed, and the experimental condition (visual inversion) was introduced a second time. When the data of the two experiments were combined, there was a significant (p less than .01) increase in the percentage of REM sleep from Nights 3 and 4 of the control condition to Nights 3 and 4 of the visual inversion condition, but there was no significant change in any of the other sleep stages. There was a significant decrease in horizontal (p less than .04) and vertical (p less than .005) REM density and in the density of vertical REM bursts (p less than .02). The increase in REM sleep supports the hypothesis that REM sleep contributes to information processing while the decrease in REM density suggests that this component of REM sleep may be involved in a homeostatic process of sensory input.     

Partial information or facilitation? Different interpretations of results from speed-accuracy decomposition.

The speed-accuracy decomposition technique was developed by Meyer, Irwin, Osman, and Kounios (1988) to examine the time course of information processing. The technique allows for the estimation of the accuracy of guesses that are induced by the presentation of a response signal on a proportion of trials. Estimated guessing accuracy has been found to be above chance and to increase as time of guessing increases, suggesting that guesses are based on partial information that has accumulated prior to a response decision (sophisticated guesses). In this paper, a different interpretation of these data is presented. Results suggest that response signals may enhance the speed of regular processes, thereby violating the temporal-independence assumption that underlies the decomposition technique. As shown by Monte Carlo simulations, such facilitating effects of response signals can explain the results from the decomposition technique at least in part and possibly in full, even when guesses are actually at chance accuracy (pure guesses). The pure-guess model was supported by the results from an experiment designed to test between the alternative interpretations. These results point to the need for great caution in the attempt to infer the time course of information processing from guessing accuracies as estimated by the speed-accuracy decomposition technique.     

Partial information or facilitation? Different interpretations of results from speed-accuracy decomposition

The speed-accuracy decomposition technique was developed by Meyer, Irwin, Osman, and Kounios (1988) to examine the time course of information processing. The technique allows for the estimation of the accuracy of guesses that are induced by the presentation of a response signal on a proportion of trials. Estimated guessing accuracy has been found to be above chance and to increase as time of guessing increases, suggesting that guesses are based on partial information that has accumulated prior to a response decision (sophisticated guesses). In this paper, a different interpretation of these data is presented. Results suggest that response signals may enhance the speed of regular processes, thereby violating the temporal-independence assumption that underlies the decomposition technique. As shown by Monte Carlo simulations, such facilitating effects of response signals can explain the results from the decomposition technique at least in part and possibly in full, even when guesses are actually at chance accuracy (pure guesses). The pure-guess model was supported by the results from an experiment designed to test between the alternative interpretations. These results point to the need for great caution in the attempt to infer the time course of information processing from guessing accuracies as estimated by the speed-accuracy decomposition technique.     

Buddhism and behaviour modification

There has been in recent years a growing interest in the similarities between Buddhism and the principles and practice of behaviour modification. Mikulas, for example, has pointed out many similarities and argued for greater integration. The present paper examines the literature of Early Buddhism with a view to assessing how far its approach is similar to that of behaviour modification and to examine some specific behaviour-change techniques used in Early Buddhism in relation to similar techniques developed and used by modern behaviour therapists. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to theory and clinical practice.     

Collective Narcissism as a Basis for Nationalism

Recent work suggests that collective narcissism—an exaggerated, unrealistic belief in an ingroup's greatness that demands constant external validation—is a strong predictor of a variety of political attitudes. In the present study, we use nationally representative panel data from Poland to examine the relationship between national collective narcissism and nationalism, a belief that the national ingroup is superior and should dominate other nations. We first demonstrate that national collective narcissism, nationalism, and mere satisfaction with national ingroup are distinct. In turn, in both cross-sectional and panel analyses, we find that (1) national collective narcissism is positively related to nationalism, whereas satisfaction with the national ingroup is not; and (2) national collective narcissism is a stronger predictor of nationalism than national ingroup satisfaction is in absolute terms. Our analyses thus provide evidence that nationalism may be rooted in narcissistic exaggeration of the greatness of the national ingroup rather than nonnarcissistic national ingroup satisfaction.     

Longitudinal changes in term and preterm infant night wakings: The role of caregiver anxious-depression

Changes in infant night waking during the first year of life are associated with individual (e.g., prematurity) and family (e.g., caregiver psychopathology) factors. This study examined the association between infant night waking and caregiver anxious-depressive symptoms during the first year of life in preterm and term infants. We considered between-person differences and within-person changes in caregiver anxious-depressive symptoms in relation to changes in infant night waking from 2- to 9-months. Racially (30.0% Black, 60.4% White, 9.5% multiracial/other) and socioeconomically (40.0% below median household income) diverse caregivers (N = 445) of full term (n = 258) and preterm (n = 187) infants were recruited from hospitals and clinics in two midwestern states. Caregivers completed measures of anxious-depression and their infant's night waking at four sampling periods (2-, 4-, 6-, and 9-months). Infant night wakings declined from 2- to 9-months. Between-person differences were observed, such that caregivers with higher average anxious-depressive symptoms or infants born full term reported more night wakings. Within-person effects of caregiver anxious-depressive symptoms were not significant. Caregiver anxious-depression is closely associated with infant night wakings. By considering a caregiver's average severity of anxious-depression, healthcare providers can more effectively plan infant sleep interventions. If caregiver anxious-depressive symptoms are ameliorated, night wakings may also decrease.     

Exploring mechanisms that affect retrograde memory for public events in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: A longitudinal update

Here, we examined mechanisms that affect retrograde memory in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (a-MCI) as a function of longitudinal clinical outcome. 8 a-MCI who converted to Alzheimer's dementia (AD) during the subsequent 3-year follow-up (converter a-MCI) and 10 a-MCI who remained clinically stable during the same period (stable a-MCI) were compared at the baseline evaluation (i.e., when they were diagnosed as a-MCI) using a remote memory questionnaire for public events that allows disentangling the differential contribution of storage and retrieval mechanisms to performance accuracy. Results suggest that deficits in remote memory are primarily explained by impaired retrieval abilities in stable a-MCI and by impaired storage in converter-to-AD a-MCI. This distinction between retrograde amnesia due to defective trace utilisation in stable a-MCI and trace storage in converter a-MCI is consistent with the temporal unfolding of declining anterograde memory over the course of disease progression to AD.     

Testing Measurement Invariance of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen in a Belgian Adult Sample

The Dirty Dozen (Jonason & Webster, 2010) is a frequently used concise version of the Dark Triad to measure three socially aversive personality traits: Machiavellianism, psychopathy and, narcissism. The present study has examined measurement invariance in a sample of Belgian adults. The present study aims to assess measurement invariance of the Dutch version of the Dirty Dozen measure across gender in a large city-based representative adult sample in Belgium (N = 1587). Multi-group first-order confirmatory factor analysis for categorical indicators was utilized. In addition, unique associations between Dirty Dozen traits, trait self-control and, acceptance of illegitimate norms were examined in a series of structural equation models. Results indicated that the internal consistency of the Dirty Dozen subscales was good for Machiavellianism (α = 0.80) and narcissism (α = 0.80), but modest for psychopathy (α = 0.64). The hypothesized three correlated factors model with separate factors for Machiavellianism, psychopathy and, narcissism provided a poor fit for men and women. Invariance testing across gender showed evidence for weak invariance only, indicating that the underlying latent factors are measured the same way with the same metric in the two populations. However, we were not able to establish strong measurement invariance. Observed group differences should be interpreted with caution. Furthermore, Machiavellianism and psychopathy were strongly associated with trait self-control in both men and women. Strong correlations were found between acceptance of illegitimate norms and Dirty Dozen traits, Machiavellianism and, psychopathy, but not with narcissism.