Regression analyses of repeated measures data in cognitive research

Repeated measures designs involving nonorthogonal variables are being used with increasing frequency in cognitive psychology. Researchers usually analyze the data from such designs inappropriately, probably because the designs are not discussed in standard textbooks on regression. Two commonly used approaches to analyzing repeated measures designs are considered in this article. It is argued that both approaches use inappropriate error terms for testing the effects of independent variables. A more appropriate analysis is presented, and two alternative computational procedures for the analysis are illustrated.     

Properties of memory for unattended spoken syllables

Whereas previous studies on memory for unattended speech have inadvertently included acoustic interference, the present study examines memory for unattended syllables during a silent period of 1, 5, or 10 s. The primary task was to read silently (Experiments 1-3) or whisper the reading (Experiment 4). Occasionally, when a light cue occurred, the subject was to recall the most recent spoken syllable, as well as the recent reading material. Memory for both the vowels and consonants of the syllables decreased across 10 s, confirming that auditory memory does decay in the absence of acoustic interference. However, the specific patterns of memory decay for vowels versus consonants depended on task demands, including the allocation of attention and the opportunity for subvocal coding. We suggest an account of performance that includes auditory sensory and phonetic memory codes with different properties, used in combination.     

Overt responding in computer-based training

This experiment compared the extent to which students learned facts included in computer-based-training frames that required an overt response to those that did not. Frames included two types of facts: Some facts had one word missing which had to be supplied by the student (active facts). Other facts had no missing words and required no overt response (passive facts). Each student completed four 14-fact modules in random order. Two of the modules contained frames with all active facts. Each frame in the other two modules contained one active and six passive facts. Paper pretests and posttests showed that students learned twice as many facts when all facts in the module were active than when only one in seven were active. The modules that included passive facts required one-fifth the time to complete than those with only active facts. Students learned more facts per minute of training in one of the two modules that included passive facts than in the two modules with only active facts.     

Lost Luggage: A Field Study of Emotion–Antecedent Appraisal

One hundred twelve airline passengers reporting their luggage lost to the baggage retrieval service in a major international airport were interviewed after their interaction with an airline agent. Participants were asked to rate their emotional state before and after the interaction with the agent and to provide information on how they had appraised the situation. The data are interpreted with respect to (1) type and intensity of the emotions felt in this situation, (2) appraisal theory predictions of emotion elicitation and differentiation, and (3) emotional change in the course of the interaction following reappraisal of the situation.     

Mental rotation as a mediator for sex-related differences in visualization

This study was designed to analyze whether Mental Rotation (MR) played a role as a mediating variable for sex-related differences in Visualization (VZ). Two psychometric tests measuring MR and VZ were applied to a representative sample of 309 males and 390 females in their last year of high school. Three non-zero correlations between sex and MR, sex and VZ, and MR and VZ were found, and the effect of sex on VZ was eliminated when MR was introduced as a covariable. When three subgroups of different VZ ability were made by dividing up the VZ distribution by the first and third quartiles, sex-differences were only found for the high-scorers group, for which previous results were replicated. Results clearly indicate that MR is a plausible mediator variable for sex differences in VZ when such differences do exist. Theoretical, methodological and practical consequences of these results are discussed.     

Flexibility of Labor, Well-Being, and Stress

After a short introduction into the changing nature of our society and organizations, we outline two kinds of flexibility of labor: qualitative flexibility, that is the degree to which people who work in or for a certain organization can and do perform different tasks, and quantitative flexibility, that is, varying the quantity of personnel and their working hours. Then, the different ways in which we organize our work and organizations are dealt with in terms of quantitative and qualitative flexibility. Next, we survey these ways of organizing on the degree to which they moderate the positive individual outcomes, or individual goals, of work. It can be concluded that quantitatively flexible work, besides some minor positive consequences, may have serious negative consequences for one's well-being, health, and personal development, while qualitative flexibility may have many more advantages, though it may lead to a devastating task overload. Last, we explore some ways to alleviate these negative effects.     

Visual information processing in hemispatial neglect

Hemispatial neglect is a complex neuropsychological disorder characterized by a severe attentional deficit that produces a lack of awareness for information appearing in contralesional hemispace. Despite this lack of phenomenal awareness, recent studies suggest that a great deal of visual information processing does occur and can influence the performance of patients in certain tasks. The current review will present this evidence and suggest a new theoretical framework that may help to direct future research into uncovering the underlying mechanism(s).     

Ninety-three pictures and 108 questions for the elicitation of homophones

Homographs and homophones have interesting linguistic properties that make them useful in many experiments involving language. To assist researchers in the elicitation of homophones, this paper presents a set of 93 line-drawn pictures of objects with homophonic names and a set of 108 questions with homophonic answers. Statistics are also included for each picture and question: Picture statistics include name-agreement percentages, dominance, and frequency statistics of depicted referents, and picture-naming latencies both with and without study of the picture names. For questions, statistics include answer-agreement percentages, difficulty ratings, dominance, frequency statistics, and naming latencies for 60 of the most consistently answered questions.     

Introduction and commentary to: M.I. Mityushov (1954) “Conditioned reflex secretion of insulin”

Recent research on the role of classical conditioning in homeostatic regulation (Dworkin, 1993; Siegel, Krank & Hinson, 1987) has underscored the potential importance of the work of earlier Eastern-European work on physiological conditioning. The present article is a translation and discussion of a paper on blood glucose conditioning, first published in 1954 by the Russian physiologist M.I. Mityushov. Dr. Mityushov was able to demonstrate conditioned hypoglycemia in humans and dogs after using an injection procedure as the CS and intravenous glucose as the UCS. The translation is preceded by a general introduction and followed by a reanalysis and discussion of Mityushov’s results.