Processing of sequentially presented letters

The effect on the number of letters S can report of the duration of each sequentially presented letter was compared with that of processing time, defined as the time from the onset of a letter to the onset of the next letter. Four Ss were each shown 1250 common English words, from four to eight letters long, one letter at a time. Each letter acted as a visual noise field for the preceding letter. The duration of each letter and the interval between letters was varied independently. The S reported the letters he saw after each word was displayed. It was found that the processing time (onset to onset) predicted the number of letters correctly reported, regardless of the partition between on time and off time. A calculation was made of the number of milliseconds of on plus off time that are needed to ensure correct report of each letter. This time was independent of the duration of the processing time, but was positively correlated with the number of letters in the word. This correlation is probably in part artifactual, so that no claim can be made that it takes longer to process a letter of a long as compared to a short word.     

The “idealized individual” interpretation of individual differences in multidimensional scaling

It is shown that several variants of the Tucker-Messick points of view procedure are interpretable in terms of their idealized individual concepts. It is contended that the main function of the method is that it allows the computation ofseveral vectors of mean judgments instead of only one and that each of these may be used to stand for the actual judgments of a subgroup of subjects. Vectors that do not correspond to the judgments of any subjects are to be avoided. It is alleged that Ross's interpretation of points of view is quite different from that intended by Tucker and Messick.The preparation of this paper was supported in part by Contract Nonr-228(32) between the Office of Navel Research and the University of Southern California.     

A central limit theorem for families of stochastic processes indexed by a small average step size parameter,and some applications to learning models

Let > 0 be a measure of the average step size of a stochastic process {p _n ⁽⁾ } _n=1 ⁽⁾. Conditions are given under whichp _n ⁽⁾ is approximately normally distributed whenn is large and is small. This result is applied to a number of learning models where is a learning rate parameter andp _n ⁽⁾ is the probability that the subject makes a certain response on thenth experimental trial. Both linear and stimulus sampling models are considered.     

Partial analysis of high-way factorial designs

Inclusion of several variables in a design is often desirable, but each added variable doubles the number of significance tests in the routine analysis of variance. This note discusses a procedure of partial analysis in which interactions, primarily those involving minor variables, are omitted from the analysis when prior evidence indicates that they are probably negligible. The rationale of this procedure is given, and its use illustrated in a model experiment. Specific recommendations for handling systematic sources and error terms are given.     

ADOLESCENTs' EXPECTATIONS OF FUTURE EVENTS - A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY OF AUSTRALIANS,AMERICANS, AND INDIANS

An important developmental task of adolescents is to consider future possibilities and begin to make choices and plans. In this investigation, samples of 15-year-olds of both sexes from small towns in India, the United States, and Australia were asked to list seven important events they expected in the future, to indicate the approximate time that would elapse before the occurrence of each, and whether each was pleasant or unpleasant. Raters categorized responses for content. The two American samples, twelve years apart, were very similar in their responses. All groups listed predominantly pleasant events. Australian girls showed longer time spans than American girls; and Indian boys, but not girls, produced longer time spans than most of the Australians or Americans. A number of significant differences in the content of responses appeared.     

A two-dimensional computer-controlled visual stimulator

A computer-controlled instrument that creates complex two-dimensional patterns on a CRT monitor is described. These patterns are used to elicit visual evoked responses. Patterns are produced on a raster that is rotatable about its center. It is possible to assign to arbitrary regions in the raster any of four independent one-dimensional spatial-temporal functions. For each spatial-temporal function, the experimenter can select an arbitrary spatial profile, the spatial frequency of the profile, the starting phase of the profile, the temporal function, and the depth of modulation.     

Attributions of stability and relevance of personality traits

This experiment tested a number of hypotheses derived from trait theory, attribution theory and interactional psychology. Forty subjects rated the stability and relevance of 60 pre-selected traits of three role-related people and themselves in four specific social situations. The traits were categorized beforehand in terms of their structural, motivational and content properties, and whether they were positive or negative. There was a significant difference in the perceived stability of positive and negative traits between liked and disliked people; positive traits being seen as significantly more stable in liked people and less stable in disliked people. However, subjects did not attribute significantly less stability to their own behavioural traits than to those of others in the same situations. It was also demonstrated that trait labels are seen to be differentially relevant for describing people in different social situations. The results are discussed in terms of the work on stability and cross-situational consistency in trait and attribution theory and person-situation research.     

The parish clergy as a mental health resource

Summary This paper presents observations on the assets and liabilities of the parish clergy as a mental health resource within the community. These observations are drawn from a ten-year program of continuing education for cleargy in mental health, which focuses on daily pastoral experience. The parish setting is similar in many respects to the service area of a community mental health center. The clergy's assets often include availability, experience, tradition, and the special significance of the religious leader. Inadequate training in mental health skills and the complex demands of parish life are among the problems confronting the clergy in this area. On the whole, the pastoral role offers a unique and highly useful opportunity for positive psychological intervention.The work described in this paper has been supported in part by National Institute of Mental Health grant no. MH-11929-01 and by grants from the Cleveland Foundation and the Grant Foundation, Inc., and the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Health and Mental Retardation.     

A microcomputer-based visual stimulator

A microcomputer-based instrument is described that provides visual stimuli for a CRT display and collects and processes response data. The system produces a variety of visual patterns to facilitate the study of the properties of visual neurons of several different animals. The visual patterns include drifting sinusoidal or bar gratings, contrast reversal gratings, and diffuse light. By means of a keypad, the experimenter can select the visual pattern and its parameters, such as depth of modulation, spatial frequency, initial spatial phase, temporal frequency, and rotation angle.