Increasing task complexity and ice hockey skills of youth athletes

The objective of this pilot study was to investigate the effects on cognitive performance of progressively adding tasks specific to ice hockey (skating, stick handling, and obstacle avoidance) during a visual interference task (Stroop Color Word Test-interference condition). In addition, the effects on locomotor performance of progressively adding tasks of stickhandling, visual interference, and obstacle avoidance related to maximal skating speed and minimal obstacle clearance were investigated in eight male athletes ages 10 to 12 years. Results revealed decreased performance on both cognitive and physical measures with increased task complexity, suggesting that adding complexity to an environment influences hockey skill performance.     

Verbal knowledge, working memory, and processing speed as predictors of verbal learning in older adults

The present study aimed at modeling individual differences in a verbal learning task by means of a latent structured growth curve approach based on an exponential function that yielded 3 parameters: initial recall, learning rate, and asymptotic performance. Three cognitive variables-speed of information processing, verbal knowledge, working memory-and the participant's age were included in the model in order to explain individual differences in the learning parameters. The data come from the second wave of the Zurich Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging (D. Zimprich, Martin, et al., 2008) comprising 334 participants ranging in age from 66 to 81 years (M = 74.43, SD = 4.41). Among the logistic, the Gompertz, and the hyperbolic function, the exponential function described the data best. Reliable individual differences were found in all 3 learning parameters. The cognitive predictor variables affected the verbal learning parameters differentially: All 3 predictors affected positively initial recall, the asymptotic performance increased with better working memory and faster processing speed, and the learning rate was positively associated with verbal knowledge only. Age did not affect the learning parameters but correlated negatively with working memory and processing speed. The finding of large and reliable individual differences in learning is seen as evidence that the potential for positive change, or plasticity in adulthood is maintained and that it is worthwhile to enhance the determinants of learning or learning itself.     

How Do Children with ADHD (Mis)manage Their Real-Life Dyadic Friendships? A Multi-Method Investigation

This multimethod study provides detailed information about the friendships of 87 children (76% boys) with ADHD and 46 comparison children aged 7–13 years. The methods included parent and teacher ratings, self-report measures and direct observation of friends’ dyadic behaviors in three structured analogue tasks. Results indicated that, in contrast with comparison children, children with ADHD had friends with high levels of ADHD and oppositional symptoms; they perceived fewer positive features and more negative features, and were less satisfied in their friendships. Observational data indicated that children with ADHD performed both more legal and more illegal maneuvers than comparison children in a fast-paced competitive game. While negotiating with their friends, children with ADHD made more insensitive and self-centered proposals than comparison children. In dyads consisting of one child with ADHD and one typically developing child, children with ADHD were often more dominant than their friends.     

Building and solving odd-one-out classification problems: A systematic approach

Classification problems (“find the odd-one-out”) are frequently used as tests of inductive reasoning to evaluate human or animal intelligence. This paper introduces a systematic method for building the set of all possible classification problems, followed by a simple algorithm for solving the problems of the R-ASCM, a psychometric test derived from this method. The average Hamming distance finds repetitions of features between and within the problems' sets; it manages to solve 97% of such problems. This performance is equaled only by superior human adults. Finally, these results demonstrate that a simple two-step algorithm can improve categorical case-based reasoning and k-NN algorithms while clarifying the cognitive basis of classification.     

Geographic region effects on adolescent physical self: An exploratory study

The objectives of this exploratory study were to examine gender differences in physical self‐concept, and the influence of geographic place of residence on both adolescents' physical self‐concept and gender differences in physical self‐concept. The Physical Self Inventory was used to measure physical self‐perceptions and global self‐esteem. Participants were 323 boys and 282 girls living in the North or South of France. First a Mann‐Whitney U test was used to assess gender differences and the influence of geographic region differences on physical self‐perceptions (physical self‐worth, physical condition, sport competence, attractive body, physical strength) and global self‐esteem. Then a Kruskal‐Wallis ANOVA for ranked data was used to assess geographic region influence on boys' and girls' physical self‐concept and global self‐esteem. The results showed that not only did boys have significantly higher physical self scores (on all scales) and global self‐esteem than girls, but also that adolescents from the North of France had higher physical self scores (on all scales) and global self‐esteem than adolescents from the South. Moreover, many differences were found between boys and girls on physical self scores (on all scales) and global self‐esteem according to their geographic place of residence. The main results showed that girls from the South had lower scores on the attractive body, physical strength, physical self‐worth, and global self‐esteem scales than all other adolescents, and that boys from the South had lower scores on the attractive body and global self‐esteem scales than did boys and girls from the North.     

The Dynamics of Epistemic Attitudes in Resource-Bounded Agents

Studia Logica - The paper presents a new logic for reasoning about the formation of beliefs through perception or through inference in non-omniscient resource-bounded agents. The logic...     

The influence of size in weight illusions is unique relative to other object features

Psychonomic Bulletin & Review - Research into weight illusions has provided valuable insight into the functioning of the human perceptual system. Associations between the weight of an object...     

Development and validation of a couples measure of biased responding: the Marital Aggrandizement Scale

More than 30 years ago, Edmonds (1967) recognized the need for a couples measure of biased responding. Like other categories of self-report instruments, marital measures are believed to be highly susceptible to distortion. In this study, we describe the development of the Marital Aggrandizement Scale (MAS). For this study, item analyses were performed on a subset of responses (n = 200). A priori inclusion criteria were applied from which a set of 18 items was selected. Three phases of validation research establish the reliability and validity of responses to the MAS among an international sample of older married adults (n = 410). The concurrent and discriminant validity of responses to this scale is demonstrated vis-à-vis separate measures of biased responding, marital satisfaction, and psychological well-being. Internal consistency was calculated as alpha = .84. Test-retest reliability was calculated as r(200) = .80 over an average interval of 15 months. The challenge remains to identify factors associated with the etiology and maintenance of this construct. Subsequent research is required to identify correlates and antecedents of marital aggrandizement across populations over time.     

Relationships of coping styles with type of sport

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the type of sport is associated with coping styles. 80 athletes (weightlifters, runners, swimmers, and triathletes) were administered the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations. Analysis showed weightlifters had a lower mean score on Avoidance coping than the other groups of athletes. Differences concerning sex and ability were found as well.