Rorschach movement and color responses and MMPI social extraversion and thinking introversion personality types

Results of an analysis of MMPI profiles and Rorschach protocols scored by the Exner method for 100 psychiatric patients provided partial support for Rorschach's hypotheses that perceptions of color (FC, CF, and C) and movement (M) tap separate personality dimensions. First, the proportion of M responses on a protocol correlated significantly (p < .01) to thinking introversion as defined in terms of a subject's MMPI profile similarity to a prototypic MMPI profile with peak PtSc elevations. Second, the proportion of FC responses correlated negatively (p < .01) to social extraversion defined in terms of MMPI profile similarity to a prototypic MMPI profile with peak PdMa elevations. Hence, use of FC signified a socially reserved, controlled behavior. The findings regarding CF and C were inconclusive. Third, color and movement responses did not correlate significantly with somatization defined in terms of similarity to a prototypic MMPI profile with peak Hs, D, Hy elevations. Finally, the nonsignificant correlations of FC with M and with MMPI thinking introversion plus the nonsignificant correlation of M with color responses and MMPI social extroversion further supported the hypotheses that movement and color responses tap essentially unique personality dimensions.     

Delayed monochromatic hue matches indicate characteristics of visual memory

Short-term memory for 16 monochromatic hues from 425 to 640 nm was measured after six delays from .1 to 24.3 sec by means of an iterative, momentary stimulus-matching technique. Small shifts were revealed in the remembered hue produced by certain wavelengths at some delays. These shifts did not follow trends consistent with a storage dependent on sensory pathway characteristics, perceptually unique hues, or semantic encoding but may reflect entropic effects in a storage that is remarkably unbiased. By indicating the discriminability of hues in memory, standard deviations of the delayed matches reveal other characteristics of what is stored: Their smooth, exponential growth questions the existence of "levels" and permits estimating the half-life of hue memory; their continued resemblance to the discrimination function for simultaneously perceived hues suggests that the stored activity; closely resembled the sensory response of color. The results also indicate how successive comparisons may be corrected in applied color work.     

Stimulus control of delayed matching in pigeons: Directed forgetting

Pigeons were trained in delayed matching-to-sample with two postsample stimuli. A postsample R-cue signaled that a matching choice phase would follow. A postsample F-cue signaled that a matching choice phase would not follow. Previous research found reduced matching accuracy on F-cued probe trials when comparison stimuli were presented in the choice phase. The present four experiments systematically varied the events following an F-cue to determine the conditions under which the F-cue reduces delayed-matching accuracy. When F-cues and R-cues controlled different behavior, matching on probe trials was poor. When both cues controlled the same behavior, matching on probe trials was good. This result is best explained by the theory that comparison stimuli retrieve the sample representation, but only in the behavioral context established by the R-cue. The present research supports the view that response-produced stimuli serve a contextual role in animal short-term memory.     

Perception of American sign language in dynamic point-light displays

Perception of dynamic events of American Sign Language (ASL) was studied by isolating information about motion in the language from information about form. Four experiments utilized Johansson's technique for presenting biological motion as moving points of light. In the first, deaf signers were highly accurate in matching movements of lexical signs presented in point-light displays to those normally presented. Both discrimination accuracy and the pattern of errors were similar in this matching task to that obtained in a control condition in which the same signs were always represented normally. The second experiment showed that these results held for discrimination of morphological operations presented in point-light displays as well. In the third experiment, signers were able to accurately identify signs of a constant handshape and morphological operations acting on signs presented in point-light displays. Finally, in Experiment 4, we evaluated what aspects of the motion patterns carried most of the information for sign identifiability. We presented signs in point-light displays with certain lights removed and found that the movement of the fingertips, but not of any other pair of points, is necessary for sign identification and that, in general, the more distal the joint, the more information its movement carries.     

The treatment of epilepsies with Convulsofin

The testing of Convulsofin carried out in 220 patients at 14 clinics over a period of six months confirms the international experience gained with valproic acid and sodium valproinate. The main field of application of Convulsofin according to the experience gained will again be the treatment of fits in generalised primary epilepsy for which it permits to carry out a monotherapy to a remarkable extent. The favourable effect of the preparation in photosensitivity could be confirmed. Also in generalised secondary epilepsy and in fits of partial epilepsy. Convulsofin is partly effective, so that it can recommended as a co-medication in the treatment of therapy-resistant forms of these epilepsies which are difficult to treat. Decrease in thrombocytes, transient increase in serum transaminases, gastrointestinal disorders, loss of hair and undesired increases in body-weight were the more frequently occurring side-effects.     

Piaget's data and spearman's theory—An empirical reconciliation and its implications for academic achievement

A hierarchical simple structure factor solution was obtained for item scores from a psychometrized battery of Piagetian-type tasks individually administered to 660 kindergarten children. At the first level of factors were the Piagetian theoretical entities of seriation, classification, conservation of number, and temporal and spatial reasoning, with numeration loading on seriation and classification as indicated by the theory. At the second level were two factors identified as Piaget's logicomathematical and infralogical operations. A third-level factor was identified as a g factor. The association of the Piagetian-type tasks with kindergarden and first grade academic achievement was through the third-level g factor. The second-level factors appeared to be similar to Vernon's k:m and v:ed but, like the first level factors, made no important contribution to predicted achievement above that contributed by the g factor. A socioeconomic factor made no unique contribution to predicted first grade achievement. It was concluded that the Piagetian concrete operations variables have no unique role in the prediction of kindergarten or first grade academic achievement.     

The role of structural components in the Mueller-Lyer illusion

In order to assess the role of the structural components of the Mueller-Lyer illusion, subjects reproduced the central extent of standard Mueller-Lyer figures and configural variations. Illusory magnitude of the underestimated wings-in and overestimated wings-out figures was examined with selective amputations of the oblique wings and central line segment (shaft). Variations were presented at 0, 45, 90, and 135 deg from vertical. Orientation had no reliable effect on illusory magnitude. Elimination of the shaft effected a decrease in the apparent extent for all variations, presumably due to the addition of the filled-unfilled space illusory effect to the standard Mueller-Lyer effect. A second study corroborated this finding The decrease in apparent extent consequent to shaft removal occurred independently of any response factor. Selective wing removal differentially decreased the illusory magnitude of the standard Mueller-Lyer figures; this was discussed with regard to a dual-illusion hypothesis. Finally, variations that contained no intersecting lines produced a significant illusion in the direction of the standard Mueller-Lyer figures, suggesting the involvement of higher level, nonperipheral distortion mechanisms.     

A multisource exploration of the friendship patterns of children with and without learning disabilities

Friendship patterns of 117 children with learning disabilities (LD) and 115 children without LD in Grades 4–8 were examined. In comparison with children without LD, boys with LD had fewer mutual friends, children with LD had more friends with learning problems and more younger friends, and children with LD in Grades 4–6 had less stable relationships. With regard to friendship quality, children with LD reported higher levels of conflict, lower levels of validation, and more problems with relationship repair than did children without LD. The findings were discussed in terms of factors that have been found to enhance friendship such as proximity and similarity, and the social skills difficulties that have been associated with learning disabilities.