Searching for two things at once: Evidence of exclusivity in semantic and autobiographical memory retrieval

We examined whether retrieval from semantic memory (Experiment 1) and autobiographical memory (Experiment 2) is exclusive, or whether people can search for two things at once. In Experiment 1, participants retrieved items as quickly as possible over 4 ruin from single categories (e.g., foods, countries) and from disjunctive categories (e.g., foods or countries). In Experiment 2, participants retrieved autobiographical episodes associated with single cue words (e.g., flower, ticket) or with disjunctive cue words (e.g., flower or ticket). In both experiments, retrieval of items from the disjunctive category did not exceed predictions based on optimal sequencing of retrieval from the corresponding two single categories. That is, exclusivity was observed to occur in retrieval from among multiple nonoverlapping categories in both semantic and autobiographical memory.     

A taxometric study of borderline personality disorder

Taxometric methodology was used to determine whether borderline personality disorder (BPD) represents a taxon that is categorically distinct from normal personality or whether it falls on a dimensional continuum with normality. Two taxometric procedures were used with a sample of 1,389 outpatients assessed for BPD symptoms by semistructured interview. The procedures indicated that BPD does not represent a latent category. Implications are drawn for the conceptualization and etiology of BPD, and for the categorical versus dimensional status of personality disorders in general.     

Sex differences in school-aged children with pervasive attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

This study investigated 54 children (37 boys and 17 girls) with cross-situational attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to determine whether there are sex differences in the expression of either the primary or secondary symptomatology of ADHD. Results indicated that the male and female ADHD groups were strikingly similar on all measures of primary (impulsivity, inattention, and overactivity) and secondary (learning problems, externalizing symptoms, internalizing symptoms, peer relationship difficulties, and self-perceptions) symptomatology included in this study. The lack of significant sex differences conflicts with prior reports in the literature, and these conflicting results are discussed in terms of differences in inclusion criteria. Implications for understanding the long-term outcome of ADHD in girls are also discussed.     

Searching for impossible objects: Processing form and attributes in early vision

In five experiments, we investigated the extent to which form (shape) and metric attributes (three-dimensional, 3-D, orientation), both defined by relations between une elements, are processed in early vision. Search for a target defined by an abstract property of form (i.e., impossibility) was slow and serial. In contrast, search for a 3-D orientation target was considerably easier. Subsequent experiments suggest that this difference reflects the fact that 3-D orientation is derivable from localized sets of lines, whereas impossibility is an idiosyncratic property of the complete set of relations between lines. We conclude that only “gross” aspects of form are available in early vision as the complete set of line relations is not processed preattentively. However, localized processing of line relations is sufficient to derive 3-D orientation.     

Rationale and directions for an increased emphasis on the therapeutic relationship in family therapy

This paper argues the need for an increased emphasis on the therapeutic relationship in family therapy. The ways in which the field of family therapy has eschewed the importance of the therapeutic relationship are discussed. Therapeutic alliance research from the field of individual psychotherapy and research on the importance of relationship factors to family therapy are reviewed. Suggestions for family therapy theory, practice, and research are presented.An earlier version of this article was presented at the 1992 Western Canadian Conference on Family Practice.     

Memory for stereotype-related material–a replication study with real-life social groups

This paper reports a study comparing the memorability of information that either confirmed, disconfirmed, or was irrelevant to, particular real-life social group stereotypes. Memory for both stereotype-confirming and stereotype-disconfirming material was enhanced relative to that for material which was stereotype-irrelevant. Further, there were no differences between the memory for stereotype-confirming and -disconfirming information. Implications for stereotype stability and change are noted.     

Group therapy in Leningrad

The author traces the development of group therapy in the Soviet Union based on a review of the literature and his experiences in Leningrad as a Faculty Exchange Scholar. Although early approaches used hypnotherapy and educational techniques, the Bolshevik revolution introduced the concept of the collective, which subsequently influenced group therapy. Recently, personality-focused models and approaches similar to those in the West have been advocated, especially at the Bekhterev Institute in Leningrad. The author describes his experiences supervising two Soviet clinicians who coled a therapy group for inpatient schizophrenics using techniques he developed in the United States.     

Schizophrenic group process: A comparison and replication using the HIM-G

In order to test the robustness of our model for treating schizophrenic patients in group therapy, we replicated our previous study of an inpatient schizophrenic group and also explored process in an outpatient schizophrenic group using the Hill Interaction Matrix (HIM-G). In agreement with the prior study, the results showed the groups to have a uniquely high Confrontive score, representing the highest level of group work in the Hill system, and the rank order of HIM-G scores of the groups correlated significantly with each other. This suggests that our clinical approach can be taught to different therapists and has reliability across setting.Parts of this paper were presented in a poster session at the American Group Psychotherapy Association Annual Meeting in San Francisco, February 21–25, 1989.