Cross modality facilitation in tachistoscopic word recognition

In its old form, the logogen model (Morton, 1969) would have predicted extensive cross-model facilitation of tachistoscopic word recognition. An experiment by Winnick and Daniel (1970) violated this prediction by showing no effects on subsequent visual word recognition of naming a picture or filling a definition. The latter results was replicated, and it was also found that pretraining with handwritten words transferred to printed words from 10-45 min later. A further experiment showed no significant transfer from auditory presentation to subsequent visual recognition. A third experiment, designed to minimize the role of conscious guessing strategies showed a significant cross-model transfer. The logogen model was modified substantially in the light of these data. There are now seen to be modality specific input categorization systems which are separate from the output lexicon and which are identified as the site of facilitation in the experiments.     

Inpatient Standards of Care and the Suicidal Patient Part II: An Integration with Clinical Risk Management

The authors elaborate on the standards of care for the assessment, management, and treatment of hospitalized suicidal patients. The authors attempt to synthesize the concepts of the minimal standard of care with clinical risk management and clinical judgment. They point out the areas of overlap and where optimum care diverges from legal standards of care. Case examples are provided to illustrate major areas of concern. Alleged failures of omission and commission are discussed. Tables are provided that differentiate duties and responsibilities between and among clinicians, hospital staff, and hospital administration.     

Hemisphere asymmetries, spelling ability, and classroom seating in fourth graders

Fourth grade children (N = 159) from eight classes who were free to select their seating location in the classroom were tested for spelling ability. On 100 word spelling lists, the children (males and females) seated on the right side of the classroom (facing the teacher) were superior to children on the left. Analysis of spelling errors for reliance on phonological processing in a subsample (N = 28) revealed that right sitters made more phonetically inaccurate misspellings, whereas, on the left, females, but not males, committed more phonetically accurate misspellings. The results support the view that hemispheric information processing is correlated with classroom seating location or preference, but casual inferences regarding the neuropsychological mechanisms underlying these findings are unwarranted pending clarification of several major theoretical issues.