Decomposing retrieval and integration in memory for actions: A multinomial modeling approach

Typically, action phrases are recalled better if participants are asked to enact the phrases than if they are just asked to remember them. When investigating which processes constitute this enactment effect a difficulty is that observable effects in standard memory tests are ambiguous because such tests require several processes. In the present article, we introduce a multinomial model that decomposes observable memory performance into a retrieval parameter and a parameter concerning the item-specific processing and integration of an action phrase. These parameters are estimated from free recall and cued recall performance. The model fitted the data of two experiments designed to test it. Experiment 1 demonstrated the basic usefulness of the model by showing expected differences in the integration parameter in the absence of unexpected differences in the retrieval parameter. Experiment 2 extended the conditions under which the model is useful by showing expected differences in the retrieval parameter even in the presence of unexpected differences in the integration parameter. Together, these findings support our theoretical framework according to which enactment generally boosts integration of action phrases, but increases retrieval only for phrases with context cues.     

Construct Measurement Quality Improves Predictive Accuracy in Violence Risk Assessment: an Illustration Using the Personality Assessment Inventory

Much of the risk assessment literature has focused on the predictive validity of risk assessment tools. However, these tools often comprise a list of risk factors that are themselves complex constructs, and focusing on the quality of measurement of individual risk factors may improve the predictive validity of the tools. The present study illustrates this concern using the Antisocial Features and Aggression scales of the Personality Assessment Inventory (Morey, 1991). In a sample of 1,545 prison inmates and offenders undergoing treatment for substance abuse (85% male), we evaluated (a) the factorial validity of the ANT and AGG scales, (b) the utility of original ANT and AGG scales and newly derived ANT and AGG scales for predicting antisocial outcomes (recidivism and institutional infractions), and (c) whether items with a stronger relationship to the underlying constructs (higher factor loadings) were in turn more strongly related to antisocial outcomes. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) indicated that ANT and AGG items were not structured optimally in these data in terms of correspondence to the subscale structure identified in the PAI manual. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted on a random split‐half of the sample to derive optimized alternative factor structures, and cross‐validated in the second split‐half using CFA. Four‐factor models emerged for both the ANT and AGG scales, and, as predicted, the size of item factor loadings was associated with the strength with which items were associated with institutional infractions and community recidivism. This suggests that the quality by which a construct is measured is associated with its predictive strength. Implications for risk assessment are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Differential recall of central and peripheral details of emotional slides is not a stable phenomenon

A number of studies have reported that central information of an emotional scene is well retained, whereas peripheral details of such a scene are poorly recalled. Experiment 1 tested the hypothesis that attentional narrowing is responsible for this phenomenon. In addition, an attempt was made to increase the ecological validity of the experiment by giving extensive self-relevant instructions. Results showed that, although an emotional slide elicited eye-movements consistent with attentional narrowing, the corresponding recall patterns were absent. Experiments 2 and 3 explored some of the variables that might be responsible for the latter result. Experiment 2, relying on the original design of Christianson and E.F. Loftus (1991), found enhanced recall of central information of an emotional scene. Experiment 3 systematically varied stimulus exposure and interstimulus interval durations. However, the results of this experiment were rather complex and did not fully support the predicted differential recall patterns. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed. It is suggested that other methods (e.g. increasing levels of emotion rather than involvement) may be more suitable for testing the attentional narrowing hypothesis of emotional memory.     

Diagnosespezifische Strukturdefizite

Central to this work are the axes structure and treatment requirements of the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostic in Childhood and Adolescence (OPD-CA), which were studied on a sample of n?=?195 inpatient child and adolescent psychiatric patients [mean age (M)?=?12.9 years, SD±10.1 years] in Austria. The study shows the overall poorer structure of male patients in all structural dimensions and the better treatment requirements of older compared to younger patients. Structural deficits not only affect the capacity for insight and motivation for treatment and the working alliance, but also the possible presence of morbid gain. In the diagnosis-specific analysis it was shown that patients diagnosed as F6 were understructured in emotional control, while patients with a diagnosis F9 have more structural deficits in the self-object differentiation. Patients with F3 and F4 diagnosis have better structural capacities for treatment, but their higher degree of insight and motivation for treatment is counterbalanced by an equally high gain of illness. The implications of these findings for treatment planning are discussed.     

Moulding environmental contexts to optimise neurodiverse executive function performance and development: A goodness-of-fit account

Executive functions (EFs) provide a top-down response to stimuli and events in pursuit of a goal. We argue that the extent to which an individual's environment is enriching and a good fit for them influences whether their performance at that moment is towards their upper- or lower-limit of EF ability. We outline the implications of this for interpreting measures of EF. We next argue that a child's sensitivity to the environment, and their caregivers' ability to modulate the environment to improve goodness-of-fit, influences the cumulative effects of the environment in shaping that child's actualised EF ability (the performance level shown in day-to-day situations), and thus their skill development. We therefore recommend that EF interventions be designed to improve children's actualised EF ability by improving their day-to-day environment, while simultaneously helping children modulate their physiological response to environmental challenges, and providing opportunities to practise EF skills in ecologically-valid contexts.     

Seeing the world with the eyes of the outgroup — The impact of perspective taking on the prototypicality of the ingroup relative to the outgroup

The positive effect of perspective taking on favorable attitudes towards stigmatized individuals and outgroups is well established (Batson et al., 1997). We draw on the ingroup projection model (Mummendey & Wenzel, 1999) to better understand the processes underlying this effect. Based on their egocentric perspective, ingroup and outgroup members have different representations of the superordinate group (perspective divergence) so that the ingroup is perceived as more relatively prototypical of the superordinate group, leading to negative outgroup evaluation. We hypothesize that the positive effect of perspective taking on outgroup attitudes is due to a reduction of relative ingroup prototypicality. Across three studies with different manipulations of perspective taking, we found that participants who were taking the perspective of an outgroup member evaluated the outgroup more positively and were less inclined to perceive their ingroup as more relatively prototypical. The effect of perspective taking on outgroup attitudes was mediated by relative ingroup prototypicality.     

The exam-specific strategic approach to coping scale and interpersonal resources

We addressed the role of interpersonal resources and coping during an oral examination. Assessing exam-specific coping strategies with a German adaptation of the Strategic Approach to Coping Scale (GSACS-Exam), examinees were given the opportunity to rate their individual as well as communal coping efforts facing an oral examination of personal significance. Interpersonal resources of examiner and examinee such as mutual trust and dyadic coping assistance had an impact on individual and communal coping. Examinees who expressed trust in their examiner 8 weeks prior to an oral examination relied more on prosocial than antisocial coping strategies during their oral examination. Supportive and delegated dyadic coping assistance were determinants of both functional and dysfunctional coping. The implications for educational practice are discussed.     

Repression-sensitization,gender, and discrepancies in psychobiological reactions to examination stress

Psychobiological responses to examination stress in repressors and sensitizers have rarely been investigated with respect to intraindividual response discrepancies. Furthermore, possible sex differences have rarely been taken into consideration. Therefore the present study investigated if repressors and sensitizers differ in their psychobiological responses to stress and if gender plays a modulating role. 30 and 29 students of both sexes selected from a total group of 96 students were classified as repressors or sensitizers each according to the repression-sensitization-coping-inventory (RSCI, Huwe et al.). State anxiety, heart rate, and cortisol in saliva served as indicators of stress. Sensitizers reported higher state anxiety and showed higher physiological stress responses than repressors. On the intraindividual level sensitizers reported high anxiety as compared to their low cortisol responses whereas repressors reported low anxiety as compared to their high cortisol increases. Gender had no modulating influence on stress responses in repressors and sensitizers.     

Additive effects of inhibiting attention to objects and locations in three-dimensional displays

One of the processes thought to underlie visual selection works by biasing attention away from either recently examined locations or objects. The extent of this “inhibition” is greatest when the inhibited object and the inhibited location coincide. In Experiment 1, rectangles are presented stereoscopically at different depths but at similar positions horizontally and vertically. Here, any inhibition should be based solely on a spatial code, as the objects, the rectangles are clearly separate objects. In Experiment 2, the corners of the rectangles are joined to produce a single cuboid that extends in depth space. Now inhibition based on both spatial and object codes should be seen because even when on different depth planes the cue and target are associated with the same object. Consistent with our understanding of the additive effects of inhibition of space and object codes, the extent of inhibition in the second study is almost double that of the first. The results further suggest that space-based inhibition operates within a two-dimensional representation while object-based inhibition utilizes a three-dimensional representation.