Lexical access and the spelling-to-sound regularity effect

A number of investigators have reported that words that follow spelling-to-sound rules can be recognized faster than words that violate such rules (the “regularity” effect). On occasion, the absence of a regularity effect is reported, however. The first two experiments of the present paper report that a regularity effect can be obtained in a lexical decision task with word sets that previously have been reported not to produce such an effect, when consideration is given to the consistency or inconsistency of the pronunciations of each word’s visually similar ‘neighbors” Subsequent experiments demonstrated that the obtained regularity effect does not vary as a function of mixed- vs. single-case presentation (Experiment 3) or visual quality (Experiment 4) in a lexical decision task. These results are explained in terms of Glushko’s (1979) activation and synthesis model of lexical access. It is argued that the obtained results are incompatible with traditional dual process models of lexical access (which incorporate separate visual and phonological pathways and spelling-to-sound rules) and fully compatible with Glushko’s model. It is concluded that spelling-to-sound regularity is not a property of a word in isolation, but rather a property of a word in the context of visually similar words that are activated in the course of recognition.     

Monkeys show an oblique effect.

Monkeys aligned a cursor bar with high-contrast square-wave gratings presented in a variety of orientations. Alignment time increased with increasing spatial frequency from 6 to 24 cycles deg-1 regardless of the orientation of the grating. At higher spatial frequencies, alignment tasks took longer for obliquely oriented gratings than for horizontal and vertical ones. Reducing grating contrast by blurring the image of the 24 cycle deg-1 grating also produced longer alignment times for the obliques. These data indicate that monkeys have an oblique effect similar to that found in humans, implying that the monkey is a useful animal model for investigating the development of meridional anisotropies.     

Development and examination of an expectancy-based measure of test-taking motivation

A 10-item multidimensional measure of test-taking motivation based on expectancy theory, the Valence, Instrumentality, Expectancy Motivation Scale (VIEMS), was developed using a student sample (N = 90) and tested using 2 samples of job applicants in a field setting (N = 296; N = 246). In Field Study 1, the VIEMS was related to test performance. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that the VIEMS explained variance in test score beyond a general measure of test motivation. In a second longitudinal field study, pretest and posttest perceptions of motivation were compared. Results indicated that expectancy was related to actual test performance, and perceived test performance accounted for variance in posttest reports of motivation after controlling for pretest levels of motivation. Test-taking motivation did not account for variance in test performance differences between African Americans and Whites in either field study.     

Prevalence,Detection and Correlates of PTSD in the Primary Care Setting: A Systematic Review

Research suggests that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common, debilitating and frequently associated with comorbid health conditions, including poor functioning, and increased health care utilization. This article systematically reviewed the empirical literature on PTSD in primary care settings, focusing on prevalence, detection and correlates. Twenty-seven studies were identified for inclusion. Current PTSD prevalence in primary care patients ranged widely between 2 % to 39 %, with significant heterogeneity in estimates explained by samples with different levels of trauma exposure. Six studies found detection of PTSD by primary care physicians (PCPs) ranged from 0 % to 52 %. Studies examining associations between PTSD and sociodemographic variables yielded equivocal results. High comorbidity was reported between PTSD and other psychiatric disorders including depression and anxiety, and PTSD was associated with functional impairment or disability. Exposure to multiple types of trauma also raised the risk of PTSD. While some studies indicated that primary care patients with PTSD report higher levels of substance and alcohol abuse, somatic symptoms, pain, health complaints, and healthcare utilization, other studies did not find these associations. This review proposes that primary care settings are important for the early detection of PTSD, which can be improved through indicated screening and PCP education.     

Personal reflections on participant observation as a methodology in the social sciences

The author discusses the value of participant observation as a methodology in the social sciences. From ten years of experience he has culled both academic and personal reflections. The author discusses participant observation as anthropological fieldwork, alterations in perceptions and internalization of methodology, increased self awareness and an increased sense of finiteness.Dr. Paul F. Bauer is Dean of Student Services and Professor of Philosophy at Cecil Community College North East, MD 21901. This article is revised from a guest lecture at the Iliff School of Theology, March 11, 1982.     

Does Stevens’s Power Law for Brightness Extend to Perceptual Brightness Averaging?

The Psychological Record - Stevens’s power law (Ψ∝Φß) captures the relationship between physical (Φ) and perceived (Ψ) magnitude for many stimulus continua...     

Recall in Infancy: A Neurodevelopmental Account

ABSTRACT— Relations between developments in neural structures and changes in memory in infancy are a relatively recent focus of research. Greater knowledge about brain development, as well as methodological advances such as combined use of behavioral and electrophysiological techniques, have led to the generation and testing of specific hypotheses regarding sources of age-related change. Theory and data converge to suggest that the early-stage processes of encoding and consolidation are a significant source of age-related variability in memory early in life. Additional research is needed to determine how these processes change and interact with myriad other determinants of recall.     

Reactions to Organizational Alcohol Testing and Treatment Programs

We used organizational justice theory to explore reactions to employer-sponsored alcohol testing and alcohol treatment policies among a sample (N = 1,777) of the employed public in a western state. Level of alcohol use and safety-sensitivity of the job were related to the perceived fairness of alcohol testing. In addition, voluntary treatment policies were rated more positively than coerced or monitored policies in terms of fairness and organizational attractiveness. Alcohol use moderated the effects of treatment policy on perceived fairness and organizational attractiveness, although the effect sizes were small. These results support the use of organizational justice theory to explain reactions to organizational alcohol testing and treatment and provide a basis for future research in this area.     

Stress, glucocorticoids and ageing of the immune system

Ageing has been associated with immunological changes (immunosenescence) that resemble those observed following chronic stress or glucocorticoid (GC) treatment. These changes include thymic involution, lower number of na?ve T cells, reduced cell-mediated immunity, and poor vaccination response to new antigens. It follows that immunosenescence could be associated with changes of peripheral GC levels. Indeed, when compared with young subjects, healthy elders are more stressed and show activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. However, both beneficial and undesirable effects of GCs ultimately depend on the target tissue sensitivity to these steroids. Recent data indicate that peripheral lymphocytes from elders respond poorly to GC treatment in vitro. The present review summarizes recent findings which suggest that immunosenescence may be closely related to both psychological distress and stress hormones. Furthermore, chronically stressed elderly subjects may be particularly at risk of stress-related pathology because of further alterations in GC-immune signalling. Finally, the neuroendocrine hypothesis of immunosenescence is finally reconsidered in which the age-related increase in the cortisol/DHEA ratio is major determinant of immunological changes observed during ageing.