From individual to group impressions: Availability heuristics in stereotype formation

When subjects are presented with information about the attributes of individuals and are then asked to make judgments about the characteristics of the group composed of those individuals, the group impression may depend on the way in which data on individuals are organized in memory. Experiment 1 demonstrated that under conditions of low memory load (16 instances of person-trait pairings), subjects organize their perceptions of a group around the characteristics of its individual members, whereas under high memory load (64 instances of person-trait pairings), subjects organize trait information in an undifferentiated way around the group as a whole. Under low memory load, subjects distinguish between repeated occurrences of a trait in the same individual and comparable repeated occurrences of that trait in different individuals; under high memory load, subjects do not make such a differentiation. Subjects' judgments about the frequency of categories of traits were related to the ease of recall of category instances, as predicted by an availability heuristic. Experiments 2 and 3 demonstrated that group members who are most available in memory will be disproportionately represented in the group impression. Specifically, the proportion of extreme individuals in a group was retro-spectively overestimated; this was true for both physical stimuli (height) and social stimuli (criminal acts).     

Perceived internal depth in rotating and translating objects

Previous research has indicated that observers use differences between velocities and ratios of velocities to judge the depth within a moving object, although depth cannot in general be determined from these quantities. In four experiments we examined the relative effects of velocity difference and velocity ratio on judged depth within a transparent object that was rotating about a vertical axis and translating horizontally, examined the effects of the velocity difference for pure rotations and pure translations, and examined the effect of the velocity difference for objects that varied in simulated internal depth. Both the velocity difference and the velocity ratio affected judged depth, with difference having the larger effect. The effect of velocity difference was greater for pure rotations than for pure translations. Simulated depth did not affect judged depth unless there was a corresponding change in the projected width of the object. Observers appear to use the velocity difference, the velocity ratio, and the projected width of the object heuristically to judge internal object depth, rather than using image information from which relative depth could potentially be recovered.     

Development of the functional visual field

Andries Sanders' dissertation examined selective mechanisms in the functional visual field, and much of his work since has been concerned with the stages that underlie visual information processing particularly while making saccades. We argue that the study of orienting in the functional visual field is timely because it deals with the relation of covert attention shifts, eye movements and head movements to their underlying neurology. In our paper we develop a method to study learning of sequences at all ages from infants to adults. Our studies focus on how learning influences anticipatory eye movements. We examined the learning of unambiguous and context dependent sequences by 4-, 10-, and 18-month-old infants and undergraduates. We found clear learning of unambiguous sequences at 4 months, but learning of context dependent associations was found only in 18-month-olds and in adults. We hypothesize that the learning of unambiguous sequences by 4-month-olds reflects maturation of a basal ganglia-parietal circuit related to adult implicit learning, while the learning of context dependent sequences requires development of frontal structures underlying more general attentional abilities.     

Influence of a stereo surface on the perceived tilt of a monocular line

This study addressed the issue of how a stereo-specified surface influences the perceived twodimensional orientation of a monocularly viewed line. In a series of three experiments, it was found that, in general, when a monocular line was embedded in a disparity field specifying a planar surface slanted about the horizontal axis, the tilt of the line depended on the slant of the surface in which it was embedded and on whether the line was presented in the left or in the right visual field. These results, predicted by perspective geometry, are compatible with the hypothesis that the monocular line is perceived as part of the stereo surface. Moreover, it was found that timing is a crucial factor in determining the strength of the effect. The effect was at a maximum when the monocular line and the stereo surface were presented together, with no prior presentation of the surface. The influence of the stereo surface on the monocular line was substantially reduced, however, when the surface alone preceded the combined presentation of the line and the surface.     

The Effects of Precision Teaching and Self-regulated Learning on Early Multiplication Fluency

Fluent recall of basic facts is essential to the development of more complex math skills. Therefore, failure to develop fluency with basic facts may impede the development of these skills. The present study used a between-group experimental design to investigate whether a basic facts fluency program, implemented within a self-regulated learner (SRL) framework, could lead to increased fluency with multiplication facts for Year 5 and Year 6 New Zealand students (9–10 years old). This study also investigated the extent to which the SRL program altered students’ basic facts practice behavior outside of school hours. The study found that the SRL program resulted in rapid fluency development that was maintained over time. Nomothetic and idiographic analysis confirmed that the program was suitable for use within Tier 1 of the response to intervention framework. In addition, the study also found that students who received the program altered their practice behavior outside school hours. The results from this study show how elements of self-regulated learning and precision teaching can be successfully combined to enhance students’ mathematics achievement.

     

Psychopolitics

Neophyte group therapy trainees often encounter significant difficulties in their initial experiences as group therapists. In this article, we report and discuss the results of a semistructured interview conducted with each of 16 neophyte group therapy trainees in an academic training program. The interview focused on the trainees' subjective experiences related to their initial training and group therapy clinical practice, with particular emphasis on their satisfaction with their training and the role and impact of supervision. All trainees reported strong emotional reactions to their group experience and numerous technical concerns. However, trainees reported a broad range of degrees of satisfaction with their training. Overall satisfaction with training strongly paralleled satisfaction with supervision and the supervisory relationship. Recommendations for improving the group therapy training experience that emerge from the evaluation of the trainees' subjective experiences are suggested.     

Stress processes in HIV-positive African American mothers: moderating effects of drug abuse history

This study examined the mechanism by which stressors, dissatisfaction with family, perceived control, social support, and coping were related to psychological distress in a sample of HIV-positive African American mothers. Additional analyses explored whether women who had a history of a drug abuse or dependence diagnosis differed either on levels of the study variables or the model pathways. The results indicated that HIV-positive African American mothers who had higher levels of stressors perceived their stressors as a whole to be less controllable. Coping resources, available social support and perceived control, were positively associated with active coping and negatively associated with psychological distress. Avoidant coping was the most important predictor of psychological distress. Furthermore, the effect of avoidant coping on psychological distress was stronger for mothers with a history of drug diagnosis. The implications of these findings for targeting interventions are discussed.