Orienting Under Load: Intrinsic Dynamics and Postural Affordances for Visual Perception

Orientation toward one's surroundings is necessary for prospective control of action, and constraints on orienting activity have consequences for animal survival. Physically coupled load is a constraint for humans wearing protective equipment (firefighters, soldiers, etc.). The consequences of load on postural affordances while transitioning to upright stance was used to quantify the impact of different soldier configurations. Eight participants established upright posture in 4 relevant load configurations (5.0 to 79.2 lb). Load affected the accessibility of optical information at a distance as evidenced by increasing downward head angles and reductions in postural coordination. Reductions in the variability of time to establish upright stance with load suggests a loss of functional adaptability. Load asymmetries played a significant role as the most asymmetric configuration (not the heaviest) had the most detrimental effect on postural affordances. Center of Pressure (CoP) dynamics reflected the consequences of asymmetric loading on postural regulation as greater power and fluctuations across frequencies were observed. Physically coupled load induces significant constraints on orienting activity, and load asymmetry contributes significantly to the detrimental effects of protective equipment on action-perception coupling during whole-body movements.     

Alterations in Rorschach's Experience Balance under Conditions of Food and Sleep Deprivation: A Construct Validation Study

Clinard, Marshall B. (Ed.), Anomie and Deviant Behavior: A Discussion and Critique. New York, Toronto, London: Collier-Macmillan, Ltd., 1964, Free Press of Glencoe, xii, pp. 324. Reviewed by Leon J. Whitsell     

Capes on the W-Defense

According to the principle of alternative possibilities (PAP), a person is morally responsible for what he has done only if he could have done otherwise. Widerker (Philosophical Perspectives 14: 181-201, 2000) offers an intriguing argument for PAP as it applies to moral blameworthiness. His argument is known as the “What-should-he-have-done defense” of PAP or the “W-defense” for short. In a recent article, Capes (Philosophical Studies 150: 61-77, 2010) attacks Widerker’s argument by rejecting the central premise on which it rests, namely, the premise that a person is blameworthy for his action only if in the circumstances it would be morally reasonable to expect him not to have acted as he did. In this paper, I show that Capes’ criticism does not undermine this premise and, to this extent, Widerker’s argument is safe from Capes’ attack.     

Accounting for taste: Individual differences in preference for harmony

Although empirical research on aesthetics has had some success in explaining the average preferences of groups of observers, relatively little is known about individual differences in preference, and especially about how such differences might covary across different domains. In this study, we identified a new factor underlying aesthetic response—preference for harmonious stimuli—and examined how it varies over four domains (color, shape, spatial location, and music) across individuals with different levels of training in art and music. We found that individual preferences for harmony are strongly correlated across all four dimensions tested and decrease consistently with training in the relevant aesthetic domains. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that cross-domain preference for harmony is well-represented as a single, unified factor, with effects separate from those of training and of common personality measures.     

Context and Prior Impression Effects on Attention, Judgment Standards, and Ratings: Contrast Effects Revisited

The present study extended research on contrast effects by (a) examining the effect of context performances on ratings of a target performance when a prior impression of the target performer already exists, and (b) clarifying the issue of whether contrast is caused by attention to context-discrepant behavior or shifts in judgment standards. The results demonstrated that the existence of a prior impression mitigates the influence of context performances on ratings. Judgment standards were found to be unstable and dependent on information provided to raters by the experimental manipulations. Regression analyses showed that both attention and standards of judgment mediate the relationship between context and ratings. Implications of these findings for contrast effects, performance ratings, and the importance of reliable judgment standards for real-world performance appraisals are discussed.     

Suicide reduction and prevention: strategies and interventions

This paper focuses on suicide reduction and prevention. It considers what the United Kingdom government and associated bodies such as Department of Health, the National Health Service and Prison Service could do and are considering doing to prevent suicide in Britain. UK suicide statistics for the period 1971 and 1997 are compared and the Highland Health Board suicide prevention strategy for the 1990s is considered. The articles in this symposium are introduced and the recent UK legal cases involving Ms B and Diane Pretty are included.

Counsellors and psychotherapists have always been concerned, to varying degrees, about clients committing or attempting suicide [1]. It is a topic which can trigger much concern and interest with both neophyte and experienced therapists [2]. In the past decade there has been a growth in individual membership of counselling and psychotherapeutic professional bodies with more therapists becoming accredited and/or registered as qualified practitioners. Thus there has been additional pressure on therapists to adhere to professional codes of practice and ethics.To take the correct action and to be seen to take the correct action within client-therapist relationships is now paramount. It could be argued that this has always been the case. However, therapists not working within a professional framework may have had less incentive to act in a professional manner. A proactive approach may be recommended when seeing clients with suicidal ideation and/or intention (Palmer, 1995). In these cases, inaction can sometimes prove fatal so it is incumbent upon the therapist to support and help the client through the difficult period (Curwen, 1997).     

Executive functions predict conceptual learning of science

We examined the relationship between executive functions and both factual and conceptual learning of science, specifically chemistry, in early adolescence. Sixty‐three pupils in their second year of secondary school (aged 12–13 years) participated. Pupils completed tasks of working memory (Spatial Working Memory), inhibition (Stop‐Signal), attention set‐shifting (ID/ED), and planning (Stockings of Cambridge), from the CANTAB. They also participated in a chemistry teaching session, practical, and assessment on the topic of acids and alkalis designed specifically for this study. Executive function data were related to (1) the chemistry assessment which included aspects of factual and conceptual learning and (2) a recent school science exam. Correlational analyses between executive functions and both the chemistry assessment and science grades revealed that science achievements were significantly correlated with working memory. Linear regression analysis revealed that visuospatial working memory ability was predictive of chemistry performance. Interestingly, this relationship was observed solely in relation to the conceptual learning condition of the assessment highlighting the role of executive functions in understanding and applying knowledge about what is learned within science teaching.     

Factorial design and covariance in the study of individual educational development

This is the report of the application of the principles of factorial design to an investigation of individual educational development. The specific type of factorial design formulated was a 2 × 3 × 3 × 3 arrangement, that is, the effect of sex, grade location, scholastic standing, and individual order, singly and in all possible combinations was studied in relation to educational development as measured by theIowa Tests of Educational Development. An application of the covariance method was introduced which resulted in increased precision of this type of experimental design by significantly reducing experimental error. The two concomitant measures used to increase the sensitiveness of the experiment were initial status of individual development and mental age. Without these statistical controls all main effects and two first-order interactions would have been accepted as significant. With their use only sex (doubtful), scholastic standing, and individual order demonstrated significant effects. The chief beauty of the analysis of variance and covariance as an integral part of a self-contained experiment is demonstrated in the complete single analysis of the data. The statistical utilization of the experimental results has also been developed for purposes of estimation and prediction. The mathematical statistician is being continuously required to develop and analyze experimental designs of increasing complexity since the introduction of the analysis of variance and covariance. The mathematical formulation and solution of the problem of this investigation is carried out. The methods illustrated and explained in this study, and modifications and extensions of them are capable of very wide application. The general principles can be used to various degrees and in a number of ways.For the research grant to finance this study, grateful acknowledgment is given to the Graduate School, the University of Minnesota.     

Emotion Regulation in Relation to Emerging Adults’ Mental Health and Delinquency: A Multi-informant Approach

Relative to the merits of authoritative parenting, potential adverse outcomes are well documented for authoritarian and permissive parenting. However, conclusions are typically drawn from single informants. The ability of youths’ emotion regulation skills to mediate outcomes in emerging adults has also not been fully explored. This study investigated whether emotion regulation mediated parenting style history and potential outcomes of mental health and delinquency. Parenting style history and emerging adults’ emotion regulation ability were reported by 110 youth and their caregivers; youth reported on mental health functioning and delinquency. Emerging adults’ emotion regulation ability partially mediated the association between authoritative parenting history and mental health functioning and authoritative parenting history was indirectly related to delinquency through emotion regulation; however, based on all reporters, emotion regulation ability was not associated with authoritarian or permissive parenting style history. Results support that the merits of authoritative parenting may lie in fostering better emotion regulation skills.