Disfluencies in cluttered speech

The purpose of this study was to examine the nature and frequency of occurrence of disfluencies, as they occur in singletons and in clusters, in the conversational speech of individuals who clutter compared to typical speakers. Except for two disfluency types (revisions in clusters, and word repetitions in clusters) nearly all disfluency types were virtually indistinguishable in frequency of occurrence between the two groups. These findings shed light on cluttering in several respects, foremost of which is that it provides documentation on the nature of disfluencies in cluttering. Findings also have implications for our understanding of the relationship between cluttering and typical speech, cluttering and stuttering, the Cluttering Spectrum Hypothesis, as well as the Lowest Common Denominator definition of cluttering. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: At the end of this activity the reader will be able to: (a) identify types of disfluency associated with cluttered speech; (b) contrast disfluencies in cluttered speech with those associated with stuttering; (c) compare the disfluencies of typical speakers with those of cluttering; (d) explain the perceptual nature of cluttering.     

Something Overlooked? How experts in change detection use visual saliency

How does expertise in the analysis of particular images influence the effects of visual saliency upon attention? Expert analysts of aerial photographs and untrained viewers undertook change‐detection and location memory tasks using aerial photographs with eye movements recorded throughout. Experts were more accurate in both tasks. Significant differences were also seen in the scanpaths: Untrained viewers fixated preferentially upon salient features throughout stimulus presentation whereas experts did not. However, both groups showed a strong influence of saliency in change detection and memory tasks. We interpret this apparent contradiction by: (i) assuming that the use of saliency in visual search is discretionary, and experts can use semantic information to prioritise where to fixate next; whereas, (ii) in tasks requiring spatial memory, analysis of visual saliency delivers easily acquired landmarks to reference the location of items in an image; a previously overlooked function used by expert and untrained viewers alike. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

How to do a meta‐analysis

Meta‐analysis is a statistical tool for estimating the mean and variance of underlying population effects from a collection of empirical studies addressing ostensibly the same research question. Meta‐analysis has become an increasing popular and valuable tool in psychological research, and major review articles typically employ these methods. This article describes the process of conducting meta‐analysis: selecting articles, developing inclusion criteria, calculating effect sizes, conducting the actual analysis (including information on how to do the analysis on popular computer packages such as IBM SPSS and R) and estimating the effects of publication bias. Guidance is also given on how to write up a meta‐analysis.     

Evaluating the invariance of the factor structure of the EPQ-R-N among adolescents

We examined the factor structure of the Neuroticism scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R-N; S. B. G. Eysenck, Eysenck & Barrett, 1985) and its factor invariance across sex and racial/ethnic groups in a sample of 1,979 adolescents. Using confirmatory factor analyses, we compared a hierarchical model to previous models of the EPQ-R-N and to single-factor and 3-factor structures. The hierarchical factor structure in which a general factor coexists with 3 group factors (depression, social concerns, and worry) was superior to alternative models. The general factor accounted for more than 60% of the variance in EPQ-R-N total scores and was invariant across sex and ethnicity. The 3 group factors varied across ethnicity and sex. We discuss the implications of these findings for conceptualization and assessment of neuroticism using the EPQ-R-N.     

Soul and Psyche: A Critical Assessment

Wayne G. Rollins has been the key organizer of the Psychology and Biblical Studies program unit of the Society of Biblical Literature, where on numerous occasions I have observed the gentle kindness and buoyant enthusiasm with which he has hosted and moderated the meetings. I have also benefitted from personal and professional conversations with him. Consequently, it is an honor, and more than a little daunting, to respond to his book. Rollins has three goals for this volume: to provide a history of the discipline he calls psychological biblical criticism, to define this academic field, and to propose an agenda for this field as applied to biblical exegesis and hermeneutics. Rollins hopes for a rapprochement between the historical and psychological approaches to biblical studies.     

Actin polymerization in lateral amygdala is essential for fear memory formation

Actin polymerization is involved in key neuronal functions such as intracellular trafficking and morphogenesis. In this study, we examined the role of actin polymerization in lateral amygdala (LA) in fear conditioning memory formation. Microinfusion of cytochalasin D, an actin polymerization inhibitor, into rat LA immediately before fear conditioning training impaired the formation of long-term fear memory (LTM) but not short-term fear memory (STM). Microinfusion of cytochalasin D into rat LA immediately after fear conditioning impaired LTM. Cytochalasin D had no effect on fear conditioning memory retrieval when injected immediately before LTM test. These results show that actin cytoskeleton rearrangement is essential for fear memory consolidation.     

Continuity and change in social and physical aggression from middle childhood through early adolescence

For a sample followed from age 9–13 (N=281), this investigation examined developmental trajectories for social and physical aggression as measured by teacher ratings. Trajectories for both forms of aggression were estimated first separately, then jointly. Mean levels of both social and physical aggression decreased over time for the overall sample, but with high variability of individual trajectories. Subgroups followed high trajectories for both social and physical aggression. Joint estimation yielded six trajectories: low stable, low increasers, medium increasers, medium desisters, high desisters, and high increasers. Membership in the high increaser group was predicted by male gender, unmarried parents, African American ethnicity, and maternal authoritarian and permissive parenting. Permissive parenting also predicted membership in the medium increaser group. This is one of the first studies to examine social aggression longitudinally across this developmental period. Though the results challenge the claim that social aggression is at its peak in early adolescence, the findings emphasize the importance of considering different developmental trajectories in trying to understand origins and outcomes of aggression. Aggr. Behav. 35:357–375, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Effect of fatigue on double pole kinematics in sprint cross-country skiing

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of fatigue (physiological, mechanical, and muscular parameters) induced by a sprint simulation on kinematic parameters (cycle, phases, and joints angles) of the double pole technique. Eight elite skiers were tested for knee extensor strength and upper body power both before and after a three-bout simulation of sprint racing. They were video analyzed during the final part of the test track of bouts 1 and 3 using a digital camera. Results showed that skiers were in a fatigue state (decrease of the knee extensors voluntary force (-10.4+/-10.4%) and upper body power output (-11.1+/-8.7%) at the end of the sprint. During bout 3, the final spurt and cycle velocities decreased significantly (-7.5+/-12.3%; -13.2+/-9.5%; both p<.05). Angular patterns were only slightly modified between bouts 1 and 3 with trunk, hip, and pole angles being significantly greater for the third bout. The decrease of hip and trunk flexion and the lower inclination of the pole during the poling phase suggested a reduced effectiveness of the force application which could lead to a decrease in the cycle velocity.