A constituent comparison model of a picture-first verification task

In a recent critique of Carpenter and Just’s (1975) verification model, Tanenhaus, Carroll, and Bever (1976) pointed out that the estimates of the comparison parameter of the model varied considerably among tasks. In particular, estimates of this parameter were higher for picture-first than for sentence-first sentence-picture verification tasks. The picture-first estimates, however, were based upon an analysis of only a subset of the trials: namely, those in which the preposition “above” was embedded in the sentence. When a more comprehensive model is applied to the data of picture-first experiments, the estimates of the comparison operation are comparable to those based on sentence-first tasks.     

Similarity: Its definition and effect on the visual analysis of complex displays

Contemporary feature models of form perception have typically defined visual similarity in terms of shared (or discordant) sets of points. Two experiments tested the adequacy of this definition. In a same/different task, subjects were required to detect a single “different” form in displays of two, four, or six forms. In separate conditions, the “different” form was produced by various geometric transformations, where the number of discordant points could be held constant for some of those transformations. The first experiment compared the detectability of three transformations: deletion of an end-of-a-line segment, a break in continuity, and a mirror-image reversal. Reversals were detected most rapidly and accurately, with performance independent of display size. Although breaks and deletions produced the same number of discordant points, breaks were detected more rapidly and accurately. The second experiment tested whether the better detectability of reversals was due to a greater number of discordant points or to changes in the orientation of diagonal lines. The results indicated that entire displays can be rapidly organized (in “parallel”) on the basis of line orientations. In general, the experiments suggest that the similarity of forms may depend upon the transformations by which they are related rather than their common features.     

Sex differences-similarities in job preference factors

In this article, the author investigates sex differences in preferences for various job factors which college students consider important in their job selection decisions. The results showed that while college students have stronge differences in their preferences, these differences are not stereotypically male or female. Overall, both male and female college students are primarily looking for jobs in which they can learn, accomplish something worthwhile, and work with friendly and congenial co-workers. Furthermore, having knowledge regarding the extent to which a company demonstrates broad social concern is not among the most important criteria used by students when making their decisions.     

Children's beliefs about adoption: A developmental study

Attributions about adoption were examined in adopted and nonadopted children between the ages of 6 and 13 years. Results indicated that nonadopted children had a more negative view of adoption than their adopted age-mates, at least during the early to middle childhood years. By 10–11 years, however, no group difference was noted in adoption beliefs. In addition, with increasing age nonadopted children became less negative about adoption whereas adopted children became more negative about adoption. These results are discussed in the context of differential socialization for adopted and nonadopted children. Implications of adoption beliefs for children's adoption adjustment also are raised.     

The primacyof visual information inthe analysis of letter strings

In Experiment 1, orthographic and phonetic information were separated by using artificial letters to represent English pseudowords and random letter strings. Subjects could learn to distinguish combinations of artificial letters on the basis of (1) orthographic, but not phonetic, information, (2) orthographic and phonetic information, (3) paired-associate verbal labels without orthographic information, and (4) neither orthographic nor phonetic information. By imposing a variety of response deadlines it appeared that subjects quickly exploited orthographic information without any contribution from phonetic correspondences. The only suggestion of a phonetic effect occurred in the absence of orthographic information and at longer latencies. Experiment 3 (using English letters) also suggested that phonetic information influenced the analysis of letter string pairs at only longer latencies, after visual analysis. Experiment 2 provided a demonstration that orthographic rules similar to those exploited in Experiment 1 were useful in visual discriminations regardless of the particular letter position affected by those rules. The results strain phonetic mediation models of performance in word-related tasks (e. g., Spoehr & Smith, 1975)and support models that emphasize visual analysis(Barron & Baron, 1977; Massaro, 1975; Pollatsek, Well, & Schindler, 1975).     

Continulty in the Life Story: Self-Defining Memories, Affect, and Approach/Avoidance Personal Strivings

To study affective responses to memories and their relationship to personal strivings, 117 participants (65 males, 52 females) wrote selfdefining memories and indicated their affective responses to the memories. A week later they generated personal strivings, rated them along 10 dimensions, and indicated the relevance of their memories to the strivings. Participants who recalled more memories relevant to the attainment of their strivings felt more positively about their memories. Additionally, participants who listed greater percentages of avoidance strivings also recalled more memories related to the nonattainment of their strivings. Participants with higher percentages of avoidance strivings also recalled less positive memories. In an extension of Emmons's (1986) research, participants' feelings about personal strivings were linked to their affective responses to memories generated a week earlier. These results support a goal-based theory of affect and a role for motivation in memory.     

Seeing One's Self: Locating Narrative Memory in a Framework of Personality

ABSTRACT Individuals confront the continuing challenge of attending to the competing demands of internal and external stimuli. The emerging I-Self applies three principles of evaluation, categorization, and subsidiation to organize these informational demands. These principles guide the development of the five systems of personality—cognition, affect, motivation, behavior, and psychophysiology. These systems interact to create various Me-Selves that comprise the different roles and contexts of the personality. Each Me-Self contains evaluations (valenced responses to self and others), categories (self- and other representations), and sequences in time (the self and others in past, present, and future). Narrative is the perceptual expression of a particular Me-Self in consciousness. Narrative memory allows for meaningful analysis by consciousness of specific Me-Selves and the cognitions, affects, and goals associated with those selves. Applications of this position to research and psychotherapy are discussed.     

Sensorimotor development in cocaine-exposed infants

This study investigated the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on infant sensorimotor development. One hundred and sixty-seven12-month-olds (74 cocaine-exposed and 93 unexposed) were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID). Ninety-seven had previously been evaluated on the Movement Assessment of Infants and the Test of Sensory Functions in Infants at age 4 months. On the BSID, the cocaine-exposed infants performed less well on the Mental portion and were more frequently rated as behaviorally suspect. Cocaine-exposed infants also performed less well at four months on the motor and sensory measures. Early motor performance predicted 12 month BSID mental, motor and behavioral outcomes. Cocaine exposure had an effect independent from confounders on general cognitive and specific motor and behavioral outcomes.