Episodic memory in dementia of the alzheimer type and in normal ageing: Similar impairment in automatic processing

A perceptual identification task was used to provide an implicit measure for automatic memory processes. The facilitation of word identification on repeated presentation is taken as a measure of the automatic retrieval of an episode. In addition, recognition memory was tested. The recognition task is an explicit test of memory and relies mainly on controlled processing. In the first experiment 11 patients suffering from probable Alzheimer disease and 11 normal age- and sex-matched controls were tested. Both groups exhibited a rather small facilitation effect (ca 7%) but did not differ in the size of the effect. However, when tested explicitly, a difference in recognition memory existed between the two groups. In the second experiment the performance of 11 normal young subjects was compared to that of 11 normal elderly subjects. Whereas the elderly group showed a small facilitation effect similar to that observed in the first experiment, a considerable facilitation effect was found for the young group. Also, the elderly group had poorer recognition memory than the young group.     

A cross-cultural comparison using the act frequency approach (AFA) in West Germany and the United States

Two studies were conducted in West Germany and the United States to investigate cultural similarities and differences on features of personality assessed through act frequency methods. The first study analysed the acts considered to be central and peripheral to each of six dispositional categories: dominance, quarrelsomeness, gregariousness, submissiveness, agreeableness, and aloofness. The results indicated moderate to strong similarity between the cultures in the prototypicality structure for all categories except agreeableness, which showed little concordance. The second study examined the manifested structure of act performance as assessed through retrospective act reports. The results indicated greater similarity of act endorsements between the two sexes within each culture than between cultures within each sex. Generally, the Americans showed higher base rates than the Germans. Furthermore, over all samples, females showed lower base rates than males. The correlations between relative base rates within each of the six different categories were moderately strong between the cultures (0.56, p < 0.001). Analyses of the relations between the prototypicality structure and the manifested structure yielded a complex picture that was highly dependent on dispositional category. For quarrelsome acts, for example, the more central acts were reported to be performed less frequently in both cultures, while other categories showed positive correlations between base rates and prototypicality. The limitations of these studies are described, and future research directions regarding expanding the range of act frequency methods and the number of nations in the search for personality functioning across cultures are suggested.     

New models in research and design: New concepts of unity in planning and policy-making

Van Lohuizen’s ideal of unity, must above all be seen as a challenge to attain the necessary integration of planning, research, and design to meet the requirements of a changing society. Though Van Lohuizen's ideas were influenced strongly by the rational and technical principles of the CIAM, he saw technology as a means to an end in an approach that is primarily based on humans and culture. In the ideas of Van Lohuizen, different dimensions can be traced. New developments in these dimensions are discussed in the article. There is no lack of innovative ideas and methods. Nearly all the ideas and methods discussed were developed in the forties, fifties, or sixties. On the basis of the incubation period required for introduction on a wider scale, it is now time for them to find greater favor with society. Following the years of a no-nonsense policy, it seems that in many fields there is a new need for a wider, more qualitative approach. Ron van Eck studied architecture and management research at the University of Technology of Delft. He is working at the RIW—Research Institute of the Department of Architecture at the University of Technology of Delft, and at the Network for Spatial Organisation in Amsterdam.     

Attitudinal and Social Factors in Adolescent Smoking: In Search of Peer Group Influence1

The smoking attitudes and behavior of two samples of British 15-year-olds (N = 278) were studied by questionnaire. “Smokers” (anyone who had smoked at all within the previous week) held less negative attitudes about smoking, were more likely to have a father who smoked, and anticipated less parental disapproval of their smoking. When asked to name their five best friends among their classmates, smokers were more likely to name other smokers than were nonsmokers. On the basis of these results, we argue that the notion of “peer group influence” should be reconceptualized in terms of intergroup processes and social identity concerns within the peer group.     

Modification of muscle activation patterns during fast goal-directed arm movements

The motor programming of fast goal-directed arm movements was studied in a tracking task. A target jumped once or twice randomly to the left or right direction with an interstimulus interval (ISI) in a range between 50 and 125 msec. Double step stimuli were either two steps in the same direction (C-trial) or in opposite direction (R-trial). Tracking results show that at the beginning average EMG-activity is the same for responses to single step trials, R-trials and C-trials. Differences set in after some time equal to or somewhat shorter than ISI. It was concluded that muscle activation patterns of fast goal-directed movements are not preprogrammed but that they can be modified during the movement. The time interval between second target step and the moment when EMG activity of the double step response deviates from the EMG activity of a single step (RT2) could be smaller than the time interval between first target displacement and EMG onset. (RT1). If modification of the muscle activation pattern required a longer or larger activation of the active muscle, RT2 tended to be smaller than RT1, whereas RT2 was about equal to RT1 if the new muscle activation required a termination of the ongoing muscle activation pattern and the activation of another muscle.     

Measuring the effects of demand characteristics on the Beck Depression Inventory responses of college students

To determine whether Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) responses could be influenced by an instructional set or by changing the item order, 198 college students were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: instructions designed to facilitate or inhibit responding, along with standard vs. reordered symptom questions. A 2×2 ANCOVA found a main effect only for the inhibitory message. The suppression of scores by the inhibitor instructional set suggests caution regarding possible demand characteristics when using the BDI with this population and should be further studied with clinically symptomatic samples.     

Dichotic listening ear asymmetry: Patterns of longitudinal development

Dichotic listening research with children has continued to be prevalent although numerous authors have described both theoretical and methodological limitations with traditional dichotic listening free-recall paradigms. The present research adds to this growing skepticism by reanalyzing two major longitudinal studies of children's ear asymmetries. These two studies, based in different countries (United States, Holland), utilized highly similar paradigms (free-recall digits), subjects (males), and age levels (kindergarten and second and fifth grade). The questions of ear advantage development, patterns of ear advantages, and the relationship between dichotic listening performance and reading skills are addressed from the multiple statistical methodologies represented in the literature. From these analyses, support for all of the major hypotheses regarding the developmental patterns of dichotic listening performances could be obtained from the same data samples. The use of traditional free-recall dichotic listening paradigms are not recommended for use with children. The implications for future research are discussed.     

Replicability and invariance of dimensions of parental rearing behaviour: Further Dutch experiences with the EMBU

In a recent article, Ross, Clayer and Campbell (1983) argued and showed by means of factor analysis that the number of child-rearing dimensions found previously with the EMBU appears to be dependent on the type of rotation used in factoring. Based on the assumption and empirical evidence that the dimensions found earlier are significantly correlated, Ross et al. (1983) argued that Oblique rotation would appear to give rise to a larger number of distinguishable dimensions than previous analyses (e.g. Arrindell, Emmelkamp, Brilman and Monsma, 1983). We contend that their conclusion was based on an inappropriate analysis of the data with a neglect of relevant psychometric principles. Employing objective techniques of factorial invariance the factors obtained in our previous study were shown here to be congruent across rotational procedures (Oblique vs Varimax). Supporting the stability and factorial and construct validity of the EMBU Rejection, Emotional Warmth, Overprotection and Favouring Subject dimensions, they were shown in further analyses to be: (a) replicable across split samples of phobics (Ns: 421 vs 420); and (b) invariant across distinct populations (phobics, N = 841 vs normals, N = 277).     

Actors' and Observers' attributions,self-serving bias and positivity bias

An experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of evaluative factors upon preference for situational and dispositional attributions. Subjects listened to a tape recording of a group discussion on smoking, two actors presenting arguments in favour of smoking and two actors arguing against smoking. Subjects were then asked to explain in attributional terms the actors' behaviour and their own smoking behaviour, their evaluation of smoking being separately assessed. Results provided no support for a general self-other attributional difference; subjects did not explain their own behaviour in more situational terms while explaining the behaviour of others in more dispositional terms. Findings indicated that individuals generally attributed positively evaluated behaviour to dispositional factors and negatively evaluated behaviour to situational factors, regardless of attributor role (actor or observer). The results are interpreted as offering support for a positivity bias in attributional preference.