Understanding prism adaptation: An individual differences approach

Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics - Adaptation of college students to wedge prisms was studied in terminal exposure and continuous exposure conditions. The adaptation experience was...     

Isolation of massed- and distributed-practice items

In four experiments, massed-practice (MP) or distributed-practice (DP) items were isolated from other items in a list presented either visually or auditorially for free recall. For three independent groups, the first, second, or both presentations of an item were isolated. Locus of isolation had a marginal influence on recall. When MP items were isolated, they were recalled better than DP items. Isolating the DP items enhanced the MP-DP effect. The results are congruent with the idea that the MP-DP effect in free recall results, in part, from differential rehearsal.     

Sensitivity to sucrose in smokers and nonsmokers: A comparison of TSD and percent correct measures

Ten smokers and 10 nonsmokers were compared for taste sensitivity to sucrose on two discrimination tasks, one at near-threshold (NT) concentration level and one at suprathreshold (ST) concentration level. The data were analyzed using the d_s and area under ROC curve measures based on the theory of signal detection (TSD). and by using the percentage correct responses. Analysis of both TSD measures showed smokers to be significantly more sensitive than nonsmokers on the NT .task and more sensitive on the ST task, but not significantly so. Comparison of mean percent correct responses showed no significant differences. A reflexive enhancement phenomenon was suggested as a possible interpretation. A decreased sensitivity to the bitter taste in smokers apparently results in an increased sensitivity to the sweet taste.     

An objective technique for recording shock-induced aggression in unrestrained pairs of rats

Pairs of rats received grid shock in a conical enclosure. Each shock elicited the stereotyped fighting posture. An omnidirectional pole, which was always between the rats, was accidentally operated whenever the rats fought. The number of pole hits, and the number of observed fight bouts, increased with current intensity. The number of pole hits served as a reliable and objective measure of shock-induced fighting in rats.     

Trapping the Metasemantic Metaphilosophical Deflationist?

Some philosophers are metaphilosophical deflationists for metasemantic reasons. These theorists take standard philosophical assertions to be defective in some manner. There are various versions of metasemantic metaphilosophical deflationism, but a trap awaits any global version of it: metasemantics itself is a part of philosophy, so in deflating philosophy these theorists have thereby deflated the foundation of their deflationism. The present article discusses this issue and the prospects for an adequate response to the trap. Contrary to most historical responses (some of which it discusses), the article argues that the best response to the trap is to adopt a local but still pervasive metasemantic deflationism. Such a response might seem ad hoc, but the article argues that the human activity of philosophy isn't a natural kind, and that a heterogeneous metaphilosophy of the appropriate kind is well motivated.