Emeralds are no chameleons — Why “Grue” is not projectible for induction

The model function for induction of Goodmans's composite predicate Grue was examined by analysis. Two subpredicates were found, each containing two further predicates which are mutually exclusive (green and blue, observed before and after t). The rules for the inductive processing of composite predicates were studied with the more familiar predicate blellow (blue and yellow) for violets and primroses. The following rules for induction were violated by processing grue: From two subpredicates only one (blue after t) appears in the conclusion. As a statement about a future and unobserved condition this subpredicate, however, is not projectible for induction whereas the only suitable predicate (green before t) does not show up in the conclusion. In a disjunction a v b where a is true and b false the disjunction is true. When, however, the only true component is dropped, what remains is necessarily false. An analogous mistake may be observed in the processing of grue, where the only true component (green) was dropped in the conclusion. — As a potent criterion for correct inductions a check of the necessity of the conclusions is recommended.The author is indebted to Prof. Curt Christian for valuable suggestions.     

Intelligence and reaction times in the Hick, Sternberg and Posner paradigms

The relationship between psychometric intelligence and reaction times (RTs) in three well-known elementary cognitive tasks (Hick simple and choice reaction time task, Sternberg's short-term memory scanning, Posner's letter matching) was studied in a sample of 116 participants. In conformity with other studies mean RTs and intraindividual variabilities (SDs) of RT were correlated significantly with Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM). On the basis of the mental speed theory the processing measures or component scores (like slopes in the Hick and Sternberg paradigm and the NI-PI measure in the Posner task) should give the most substantial relationships with intelligence. However, as in other previous studies these measures displayed rather low, albeit significant, relationships with intelligence, which was probably due to the low reliability of these parameters. For the Posner paradigm, we proposed alternative approaches to compute an indicator for long-term memory (LTM) access that gave substantial correlations with intelligence. We conclude that LTM access is significantly associated with psychometric intelligence, whereas up to now there has been no unequivocal evidence for a substantial relationship between short-term memory access in the Sternberg task and intelligence.     

Salience of arousal as a mediator of misattribution of transferred excitation

An experiment was conducted to test Zillmann's hypothesis that misattribution of residual arousal in the excitation transfer paradigm is influenced by the salience of perceived arousal symptoms at the point of potential misattribution. Eighty subjects in a 2×2×2 design were either physiologically aroused or not aroused, and were subsequently subjected to a procedure designed to induce either positive mood (elation) or negative mood (depression). Simultaneously, they were either made self-aware or not. It was reasoned that self-focused attention would lead to heightened awareness of residual arousal and that, if the salience of arousal hypothesis is correct, this would prevent misattribution of arousal and the resultant intensification of experienced emotion from occurring. In accord with this reasoning, it was found that aroused and self-aware subjects experienced residual arousal significantly more intensely, were less prone to misattribute it, and did not show an excitation transfer effect. These results were, however, obtained only for subjects in the negative mood condition.     

You'd Better Ask an Expert: Mitigating the Comprehensibility Effect on Laypeople's Decisions About Science‐Based Knowledge Claims

Research shows that laypeople rely more on their capabilities to make decisions about science‐based knowledge claims after reading comprehensible compared with less comprehensible topic information. This can be problematic, because complex science‐based issues usually cannot be understood fully without experts' further advice. The present study investigated whether making readers aware of the ‘epistemic topic complexity’ of an issue (i.e., the extent of existing topic knowledge, the complexity of relationships between concepts, and the existence of multiple expert perspectives) can mitigate this influence of comprehensibility. Undergraduate students read comprehensible or less comprehensible health texts with topic knowledge being described as complex, uncomplex, or not described at all. They reported whether they agreed with the claim and would rely on their decision. Results showed that after reading comprehensible information, participants' reliance on their decision increased less when they considered topic knowledge to be complex. Practical implications of the findings are discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Alternative Psychopharmakatherapie im Alter

In ?sterreich steigt der Anteil von ?lteren Menschen in der Bev?lkerung stetig an. Besonders die Anzahl der Mitbürger über 85 Jahre zeigte in den letzten 20 Jahren einen überproportionalen Zuwachs. Alterstypische Erkrankungen gewinnen deshalb zunehmend an sozialmedizinischer und volkswirtschaftlicher Bedeutung. Zu den h?ufigsten Alterserkrankungen z?hlen psychiatrische St?rungen, wie die Delir, Demenz und Depression, die ihrerseits wieder mit psychotischer Symptomatik, wie Wahn und Halluzinationen, Pers?nlichkeitsver?nderungen, Verhaltensauff?lligkeiten und gest?rtem Schlaf-Wachrhythmus einhergehen. Die h?ufigsten Gründe für eine Institutionalisierung gerontopsychiatrischer Patienten sind kognitive St?rungen begleitet von der Unf?higkeit, sich selbst zu versorgen, sich ausreichend zu pflegen und zu orientieren, sowie dem Auftreten einer Inkontinenz und von wahnhafter Symptomatik mit Aggressivit?t, Verhaltensst?rungen und n?chtlichen Unruhephasen. Da es durch falsche Diagnose und Therapie der im Alter überproportional h?ufigen Schlaf- und Verhaltensst?rungen bei Demenz sehr oft zu einem Circulus vitiosus mit kognitiver Verschlechterung, zunehmender Inkontinenz, Immobilit?t, Sturz- und Frakturneigung kommt, ist es wesentlich, das ?rztliche „Primum nil nocere“ zu beachten – die schonendsten Medikamente in niedrigster Dosierung über einen erforderlichen Zeitraum, aber nicht darüber, hinaus zu verordnen. Alternative Ma?nahmen k?nnen sowohl bei der Behandlung der h?ufigen Schlaf-Wachrhythmusst?rungen, als auch bei Verhaltensauff?lligkeiten bei Demenz sehr hilfreich für eine Verbesserung der Lebensqualit?t von Patient, Betreuer und Umgebung sein.     

Social Concepts and Judgments: A Semantic Differential Analysis of the Concepts Feminist, Man, and Woman

Male and female participants  ( N = 274)  made judgments about the social concepts of feminist , man , and woman on 63 semantic differential items. Factor analysis identified three basic dimensions termed evaluative, potency, and activity as well as two secondary factors called expressiveness and sexuality. Results for the evaluative dimension showed that the concept feminist was rated negatively with male participants rating feminist more negatively than female participants. In terms of potency, feminist was judged higher than man whereas the concept woman was rated low on this dimension. Participants also judged the concept feminist as low in expressiveness and rated woman as the most expressive. Feminist received low ratings on the erotic-sexual dimension (sexuality) by female participants and negative sexuality ratings by men. These results are discussed in terms of social role theory, gender stereotypes, and the changes in women's roles and behavior.     

Alternative Psychopharmakatherapie im Alter

In ?sterreich steigt der Anteil von ?lteren Menschen in der Bev?lkerung stetig an. Besonders die Anzahl der Mitbürger über 85 Jahren zeigte in den letzten 20 Jahren einen überproportionalen Zuwachs. Alterstypische Erkrankungen gewinnen deshalb zunehmend an sozial-medizinischer und volkswirtschaftlicher Bedeutung. Zu den h?ufigsten Alterserkrankungen z?hlen psychiatrische St?rungen wie Delir, Demenz und Depression, die ihrerseits wieder mit psychotischer Symptomatik wie Wahn und Halluzinationen, Pers?nlichkeitsver?nderungen, Verhaltensauff?lligkeiten und gest?rtem Schlaf-Wachrhythmus einhergehen. Die h?ufigsten Gründe für eine Institutionalisierung gerontopsychiatrischer Patienten sind kognitive St?rungen begleitet von der Unf?higkeit, sich selbst zu versorgen, sich ausreichend zu pflegen und zu orientieren sowie dem Auftreten einer Inkontinenz und von wahnhafter Symptomatik mit Aggressivit?t, Verhaltensst?rungen und n?chtlichen Unruhephasen. Da es durch falsche Diagnose und Therapie der im Alter überproportional h?ufigen Schlaf- und Verhaltensst?rungen bei Demenz sehr oft zu einem Circulus vitiosus mit kognitiver Verschlechterung, zunehmender Inkontinenz, Immobilit?t, Sturz- und Frakturneigung kommt, ist es wesentlich, das ?rztliche “Primum nil nocere” zu beachten - die schonendsten Medikamente in niedrigster Dosierung über einen erforderlichen Zeitraum, aber nicht darüber hinaus, zu verordnen. Alternative Ma?nahmen k?nnen sowohl bei der Behandlung der h?ufigen Schlaf-Wachrhythmusst?rungen, als auch bei Verhaltensauff?lligkeiten bei Demenz sehr hilfreich für eine Verbesserung der Lebensqualit?t von Patient, Betreuer und Umgebung sein.