Rapid silent response to repeated target symbols by dyslexic and nondyslexic children

A previous study demonstrated that naming of repeated colors, objects, letters, and numbers (RAN test) was performed more slowly by dyslexic than by nondyslexic learning disabled children, whereas both groups were slower than controls. A test eliminating the vocal response and requiring “cancellation” of selected verbal targets distinguished the two learning disabled groups from each other only when the targets were triads of numbers or letters, the dyslexic group performing more slowly. Compared even with triad target selection, however, dyslexic children were relatively more impaired on rapid naming (RAN), suggesting a specific relationship of reading to speech or the greater mobilization of language functions which speech requires.     

Effects of a prosocial televised example on children's helping

The possibility that regularly broadcast entertainment television programs can facilitate prosocial behavior in children was investigated. Thirty first-grade children, 15 boys and 15 girls, were individually exposed to one of three half-hour television programs: a program from the Lassie series which included a dramatic example of a boy helping a dog, a program from the Lassie series devoid of such an example, or a program from the family situation comedy series, the Brady Bunch. The effects of the programming were assessed by presenting each child with a situation that required him to choose between continuing to play a game for self-gain and helping puppies in distress. Children exposed to the Lassie program with the helping scene helped for significantly more time than those exposed to either of the other programs.     

Type a behavior,irritability, and cardiovascular response

Previous research suggests that high levels of hostility may augment the cardiovascular reactivity and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) associated with Type A behavior. In contrast, other research indicates that the tendency to deny or suppress anger is associated with enhanced cardiovascular reactivity and risk of CHD. To delineate further the combined role of anger processes and Type A behavior in CHD risk, this study examined the interactive effects of Type A behavior and self-reported irritability on cardiovascular response to a challenging mental task. Type A and Type B college students were further classified as either high or low in self-reported irritability. Type A subjects who were low in self-reported irritability evidenced greater cardiovascular reactivity (i.e., systolic blood pressure and pulse rate) than did Type B subjects low in irritability. However, Type A subjects who were high in irritability tended to demonstrate less cardiovascular response than Type B subjects high in irritability. Further, Type A's low in self-reported irritability evidenced greater cardiovascular response than high-irritability Type A's. It is suggested that reduced reporting of irritability by Type A's may reflect suppression or denial, and further that this reduced reporting is associated with enhanced cardiovascular responsivity.     

Summation of pain produced in different anatomical regions*

Unescapable shock was administered to rats in a spatial preference task through pairs of electrodes implanted subcutaneously near the neck and tail. The animals were permitted to choose between shock through both pairs of electrodes or through one pair by crossing from one side of a cage to the other. Rats preferred shock in two locations to an equal amount in one location. The results indicate that summation of pain is greater when stimuli are added in the same rather than in different places.     

FEMINIST IDENTITY, GENDER TRAITS, AND SYMPTOMS OF DISTURBED EATING AMONG COLLEGE WOMEN

This study explored relationships among feminist identity, gender traits, and symptoms of disturbed eating. Seventy-one college women completed the following: weight-related questions, Feminist Identity Development Scale, Personal Attributes Questionnaire, Figure Rating Scale, and Eating Disorders Inventory. Identification with feminist values negatively correlated with body dissatisfaction, bulimic symptoms, and feelings of ineffectiveness. Identification with stereotypical masculine traits was inversely related to perfectionist tendencies and feelings of ineffectiveness, but was unrelated to body concerns. These results suggest factors promoting body dissatisfaction and disturbed eating may have less impact on college women identifying with feminist values, such as commitment to nonsexist roles and personal empowerment.     

Vibrotactile masking: A comparison of psychophysical procedures

The amounts of ipsilateral and contralateral masking obtained with a modified psychophysical procedure were compared for vibratory stimuli presented to different body loci. Results of a combined forced-choice localization task and a forced-choice detection task were similar to the results obtained in previous investigations which employed method of limits and two-alternative, temporal forced-choice procedures, respectively. Ipsilateral maskers produced similar amounts of masking in both the detection and localization tasks for fingertip and arm test sites. Contralateral maskers resulted in considerably more masking in the localization task than in the detection task for both fingertip and arm test sites. When large longitudinal distances were introduced between the test stimulus and masker, little masking was evident in either the localization or detection task. It was concluded that the differences in the amount of ipsilateral and contralateral masking obtained with different psychophysical procedures reflect different effects of a masker on the detectable attributes of a test stimulus. Implications of these results for the study of multiple tactile perception were discussed.     

Authors who have an impact on candidates' training

The authors consider the influence that a sense of geographical and cultural ties of candidates from different regions has on their theoretical interests. They question the way that this is taken into consideration in psychoanalytic training. The function of theory, both in terms of its transmission and the creation of new knowledge, is explored from this perspective. The results of an Internet survey are presented. The candidate sample for this survey (N = 250) was drawn from Europe, Latin America and North America, and candidates were asked to indicate their degree of interest for each of the 55 authors in a given list. The results showed that there were significant differences in the areas of theoretical interest of the candidates depending on the geographical region. Furthermore, what is also significant is how these differences in areas of theoretical interest were linked to those authors who had developed their work in the same geographical region as the candidates. These differences are shown to be connected to the candidates' sense of regional belonging. Data are also presented about which authors have the greatest impact in a given region, along with the influence values of the authors in relation to each one of the regions. Finally, the candidates' interest in each of the authors is specified in terms of a general mean rank and a regional mean rank, thus showing which authors candidates find most interesting in each of the regions. The study concludes by arguing that the results of the investigation enable us to question how psychoanalytic theory is transmitted, and, more specifically, how it is transmitted within institutions at a regional level. It is also suggested that the means be found to uncover the inconsistencies linked to cultural ties. It is proposed that further research be conducted to look more deeply into how cultural differences play a part in the different theoretical languages in the training of psychoanalysts.     

Individual differences in motor development during early childhood: An MEG study

In a previous study, we reported the first measurements of pre‐movement and sensorimotor cortex activity in preschool age children (ages 3–5 years) using a customized pediatric magnetoencephalographic system. Movement‐related activity in the sensorimotor cortex differed from that typically observed in adults, suggesting that maturation of cortical motor networks was still incomplete by late preschool age. Here we compare these earlier results to a group of school age children (ages 6–8 years) including seven children from the original study measured again two years later, and a group of adults (mean age 31.1 years) performing the same task. Differences in movement‐related brain activity were observed both longitudinally within children in which repeated measurements were made, and cross‐sectionally between preschool age children, school age children, and adults. Movement‐related mu (8–12 Hz) and beta (15–30 Hz) oscillations demonstrated linear increases in amplitude and mean frequency with age. In contrast, movement‐evoked gamma synchronization demonstrated a step‐like transition from low (30–50 Hz) to high (70–90 Hz) narrow‐band oscillations, and this occurred at different ages in different children. Notably, pre‐movement activity (‘readiness fields’) observed in adults was absent in even the oldest children. These are the first direct observations of brain activity accompanying motor responses throughout early childhood, confirming that maturation of this activity is still incomplete by mid‐childhood. In addition, individual children demonstrated markedly different developmental trajectories in movement‐related brain activity, suggesting that individual differences need to be taken into account when studying motor development across age groups.     

Oceans of stimuli: an individual-based model to assess the role of olfactory cues and local enhancement in seabirds’ foraging behaviour

Animal Cognition - Oceans are extremely dynamic environments, which poses challenges for top-predators such as seabirds to find food resources. Yet, seabirds evolved sensorial abilities (olfactory...