Subjective geographic distance: A multidimensional comparison

The interdistances between thirteen places situated in different parts of the world were estimated by 60 subjects. The estimates were analysed by Kruskal's multidimensional technique and, after a cosine transformation, by factor analysis. It was found that both methods yielded the same three-dimensional solution. Also a two-dimensional configuration could describe the data, and it was shown that this configuration contained representations of unidimensional ratings obtained in other studies. This investigation was supported by grants from the Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Fund and the Swedish Council for Social Science Research. Died 5 May 1971.     

Anticipation of electric shock: A psychophysical study

Successive measures of emotional intensity were obtained by a two-step scaling procedure from 23 subjects anticipating an electric shock to be given at the end of a 45-min period. Half of Ss had a clock available, while the other half had to estimate apparent time. The emotional reaction was shown to increase exponentially as time before shock decreased. Heart rate also increased as time for shock was approaching, but the trend was not regular.     

FACILITATION OF CHROMATIC CONE ACTIVITY BY ROD ACTIVITY

STABELL, U. & STABELL, B. Facilitation of chromatic cone activity by rod activity. II. Variation of chromatic-related cone activity. Scand. J. Psychol. , 1971, 12, 168–174.–At the cone-rod break of the dark adaptation curve, the specific threshold was found to drop to lower intensity levels, while the threshold curves of fovea proceeded in one step only, confirming the suggestion that rods may facilitate chromatic-related cone activity.     

CHROMATIC ROD VISION

STABELL, B. & STABELL, U. Chromatic rod vision. I. Wavelength of test-stimulation varied. Scand. J. Psychol. , 1971, 12, 175–178.–The ability to distinguish one type of radiation from another by its hue disappears in scotopic vision. Accordingly, scotopic hues are found to be invariant of variation of wavelength. It is concluded, on the basis of the Principle of Univariance, that hues may be triggered by light signals initiated in one type of receptor.     

Sex role patterns in an Irish student sample as measured by the bem sex role inventory (comparisons with an American sample)

Sex roles in 171 male and 180 female university students in Ireland were examined by the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). The distribution of scores for masculinity and femininity showed the same general pattern as in American samples. However, the Irish males rated themselves significantly lower in masculinity and significantly higher in femininity than the American males, indicating a more androgynous profile. Irish females rated themselves significantly lower than American females in both masculinity and femininity, and were less androgynous relative to Irish males. The distribution of subjects on sex role types showed a larger percentage of androgynous males and undifferentiated females in the Irish sample than in American samples. Both the male and the female Irish students scored lower than American students on the Social Desirability Scale. Separate scores were calculated for the positive and the negative items of the Social Desirability Scale, and it was found that positive items were assigned considerably higher ratings than the negative (reversed) items in both sexes. When controlled for social desirability, the masculinity and femininity scores were found to be uncorrelated. Factor analysis of the BSRI revealed six factors, which correspond to previous findings. In general, the present results support the view that masculinity and femininity, as measured by the BSRI, can be treated as separate dimensions, but that a more complex model than the two-factor structure is required.This is a joint report from the Psychosomatic Unit of the Irish Foundation for Human Development, Dublin; the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and the Department of Psychology, University of Stockholm. This collaboration was made possible by a twinning grant to Dr. John Cullen and Professor Marianne Frankenhaeuser from the European Training Programme in Brain and Behavior Research, European Science Foundation. Financial support was also obtained as grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (Project No. 979) and the Swedish Council for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences. The authors are indebted to Professor Desmond Swan, University College, Dublin, for his generous support, particularly during the initial stages of our work, and to Professor Liam Ryan, Maynooth College, who also gave valuable assistance.     

CHROMATIC ROD AND CONE ACTIVITIES AS A FUNCTION OF THE PHOTOCHROMATIC INTERVAL

S tabbll , B. & S tabell , U. Chromatic rod and cone activities as a function of the photochromatic interval. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1969, 10,215– 219.—The Sco topic contrast color dominated for longer periods and at higher intensities the larger the magnitude of the photochromatic interval, indicating that the relative responsiveness of the chromatic rod to the chromatic cone activity increases as a function of the photochromatic interval.     

SUBLIMINAL GRADATION IN THE VISUAL FIELD

K ragh , U. Subliminal gradation in the visual field. Scand. J. Psychol , 1962, 3 , 165–170.—The difference of thresholds for correct recognition of a central figure and of a peripheral figure in the same picture, presented by the tachisto-scope, is referred to two factors: foveal vs . extrafoveal stimulation, and threat towards the central figure (in terms of 'perceptual defense'). Differences of size of the figures, again, do not effect 'subliminal gradation'. The analysis is considered relevant for the comparison between two tachistoscopic techniques: one in which one subliminal stimulus is exposed immediately before a liminal one, and the other with only one subliminal stimulus.     

Rapid facial reactions to emotional facial expressions

This study explored how rapidly emotion specific facial muscle reactions were elicited when subjects were exposed to pictures of angry and happy facial expressions. In three separate experiments, it was found that distinctive facial electromyographic reactions, i.e., greater Zygomaticus major muscle activity in response to happy than to angry stimuli and greater Corrugator supercilii muscle activity in response to angry stimuli, were detectable after only 300–400 ms of exposure. These findings demonstrate that facial reactions are quickly elicited, indicating that expressive emotional reactions can be very rapidly manifested and are perhaps controlled by fast operating facial affect programs.