Equal-onset contours of vibrotactile stimuli

Characteristic sensations of “surge” occur at onset of vibratory stimulation, analogous to the experience of musical “attack” in the auditory modality. Such a cutaneous sensation may have a phenomenal reality that is discriminable from the sensitivity to either of its physical determinants of time and intensity. Contours of equal-onset sensation obtained by the method of adjustment permitted the assessment of the relative contributions of these two parameters. Both rise time and intensity were found to be significant factors in the determination of contours of equal-onset sensation obtained by either time adjustment or adjustment of vibratory intensity. Equating onset by intensity adjustment was found to be more difficult than equating onset by time adjustment.     

Additivity of aftereffects of maintained head and eye rotations: An alternative to recalibration

Seven groups of 10 subjects each were exposed to various combinations of left and right head and eye rotations for a period of 10 min. Both head and eye produced significant aftereffects of prior position as measured by pointing at a visible target with the unseen hand, but there was no significant interaction. Thus, aftereffects of sustained head and eye rotation were shown to be additive and to account fully for the results of Craske and Crawshaw (1975). Eye muscle potentiation rather than recalibration may be assumed to be the cause of the altered direction of gaze resulting from exposure to displacing prisms.     

Intellectual similarities within families of both adopted and biological children

The effects of genetic and environmental differences on intellectual differences among children were examined in a study of families with both biological and adopted children. IQ scores of all family members and education of natural parents were used to estimate intellectual similarities among related and unrelated persons, living together and apart. Comparisons of correlations between related and unrelated siblings produced negligible heritability values, whereas the parent-child data suggested moderate heritability for the children's IQ differences. The high mean values of the adopted children's IQ scores and the high degree of similarity among unrelated sibs suggest that IQ scores are more maleable than previously thought.     

Determinants of the rod and frame effect: The role of retinal size

In Experiment 1, base-out prisms were used to alter perceived size and distance to a luminous rod and frame while the retinal size remained unchanged. The rod-and-frame effect (RFE) was the same, whether the display was viewed directly or through the prisms. In Experiment 2, one large and one small rod-and-frame display were placed at distances such that they produced identical retinal angles. This was replicated at three different sets of distances. Perceived size and distance of the large and small frame of identical retinal angle interacted with the observation distance, such that at near distances the large frame was perceived as larger and farther than the small frame while, at far distances, both types of estimates converged to a constant value. In contrast, the RFE was identical for the large and small frames matched in retinal angle, but diminished with distance. In both experiments, the RFE varied precisely with variation in retinal angle. Implications of the role of retinal angle in the RFE and for the interpretation of individual differences were discussed.     

Anticipated compatibility as a function of attitude or status similarity1

Two experiments explored the effects of self-other discrepancies in attitude or status on judgments of another's desirability as a companion It was found that increasing discrepancy in status or attitudes led to lower judgments of compatibility and liking In one experiment, similarity of attitudes of another was found to correlate with liking him, desire to befriend him, do favors for him, and possibly conform to him. The contribution of some personality measures to the relationship between similarity and anticipated compatibility was a major focus of the study The inhibitory effect of a target's status discrepancy was more pronounced for subjects who were more sensitive to rejection Also, between targets of equally discrepant status, there was a general preference to affiliate with the one whose status was higher than the one whose status was lower–an effect which was even more pronounced for subjects who were sensitive to rejection More anxious subjects judged themselves as generally less acceptable to others, particularly to others of higher status. When predicting attitudes on the basis of limited information, females showed a greater tendency than males to see others as similar to themselves Finally, persons holding different attitudes from one's own were judged as more harmful socially, a bias which was more pronounced in females than in males.     

The Woodlawn school mental health training program: A community-based university graduate course

The observance of traditional jurisdictional boundaries in the training of human service professionals has contributed heavily to the general failure of these professions to provide adequate and effective services. This article describes the rationale, design, and development of a community-based school mental health training program that seeks to establish constructive collaboration between those principals most influential in the mental health of young school children-educators, mental health professionals, parents, and the children themselves. A single curriculum for both professionals and parents and the diversity of professional disciplines involved are two of the unique aspects of this training program.     

Comparison of reading and listening-reading techniques for administration of PIAT Reading Comprehension subtest: justification for the bypass approach

The Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) Reading Comprehension subtest was administered to a group of 23 learning disabled children in Grades 5 through 7 who had been classified by the clinical Lexical Paradigm as good readers or poor readers. Using standardized test administration, 14 poor readers scored substantially below the 9 good readers; however, when the child was allowed to listen and read silently while the test item was read aloud, poor readers showed marked improvement in performance compared to only moderate improvement shown by the good readers. This difference in improvement between the groups was significant and resulted in poor readers achieving performance similar to that of the good readers administered the test in the standard manner.     

The effects of success and failure on the patterning of neuromuscular energy

Weinberg and Hunt (1976) demonstrated that high- and low-anxious subjects differed in their patterning of neuromuscular energy in performance under failure feedback. The present study extends these findings to conditions that involve success feedback. The Sport Competition Anxiety Test and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were administered to distinguish A-State and A-Trait subjects, while EMG indicated qualitative aspects of throwing. High-and low-trait anxiety subjects received either success, failure, or no feedback. High-anxious subjects performed best under success feedback, and low-anxious subjects performed best after failure feedback. High-anxious subjects used more EMG energy before, during, and after the throw in all conditions, and success feedback was beneficial for high-anxious subjects. The results are discussed in terms of the inter-relationships between efficiency of neuromuscular energy, motor performance, and state anxiety.     

Peer evaluations of the competence of children vulnerable to psychopathology

Peer evaluations of the behavior of 75 children of schizophrenic mothers, 57 children of depressed mothers, and 153 controls were collected using the Pupil Evaluation Inventory. The children, both boys and girls, were in grades 2 through 9. Both male and female children of schizophrenics were viewed more deviantly than controls on Aggression and Unhappiness-Withdrawal factors. Only the female children of schizophrenics were viewed as less likable than controls. In general, children of schizophrenics did not differ from children of depressives. The exception was the older daughters of schizophrenics, who were rated as more deviant than members of both the remaining groups.This research was supported by grant MH 21145 from the National Institute of Mental Health and by funds from the William T. Grant Foundation.     

Creative Process Groups

Many nonverbal and artistic modes of expression have been used to communicate in counseling and education. This article investigates one mode of expression-the slide/tape show-as implemented in a group format in a college setting. The Creative Process Group, using the task of creating a slide/tape show, has group members (1) explore a relevant issue using an alternate means of expression, (2) experience a group creative process, and (3) learn about group dynamics and how individuals, including themselves, function in groups.