Stopping and restarting an unfolding action at various times.

The ability to inhibit an unfolding action is usually investigated using a stop signal (or gostop) task. The data from the stop-signal task are often described using a horse-race model whose key assumption is that each process (i.e., go, stop) exhibits stochastic independence. Using three variations of a coincident-timing task (i.e., go, gostop, and gostopgo) we extend previous considerations of stochastic independence by analysing the go latencies for prior effects of stopping. On random trials in the gostopgo task the signal sweep was paused for various times at various distances before the target. Significant increases in latency errors were reported on those trials on which the signal was paused (p <.005). Further analyses of the pause trials revealed significant effects for both the stopping interval (p <.001) and the pause interval (p <.05). Tukey post hoc analyses demonstrated increased latency errors as a linear function of the stopping interval, as expected, and decreased latency errors as a nonlinear function of the pause interval. These latter results indicate that the latencies of the go process, as reflected in the latency errors, may not exhibit stochastic independence under certain conditions. Various control mechanisms were considered in an attempt to explain these data.     

Transformative experience and the shark problem

Philosophical Studies - In her ground-breaking and highly influential book Transformative Experience, L.A. Paul makes two claims: (1) one cannot evaluate and compare certain experiential outcomes...     

Dimensions of Perfectionism,Hopelessness, and Attempted Suicide in a Sample of Alcoholics

This study assessed whether specific dimensions of perfectionism and hopelessness were elevated in individuals who had made a serious suicide attempt in comparison to individuals with no history of suicide attempts. A sample of 39 inpatients with alcoholism who had made a serious suicide attempt and a matched sample of 39 inpatients with alcoholism but no history of suicide attempts completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Hopelessness Scale, ratings of achievement and social hopelessness, and the Beck Depression Inventory. The attempter group had higher scores on socially prescribed perfectionism, generalized hopelessness, achievement hopelessness, social hopelessness, and depression. A discriminant function analysis revealed that depression, social hopelessness, socially prescribed perfectionism, and other-oriented perfectionism were unique discriminators of the suicide groups. The results are discussed in terms of the importance of social personality variables in attempted suicide.     

New Technology and Skill Shortages: Problems of Measurement

On examine dans ce texte les problèmes de la mesure de la pénurie des compétences, en partìculier dans les périodes de rapide développement technologique. On expose plusieurs acceptions des notions de "compétence" et de "pénurie" et on présente un panorama de méthodes destinées à la mesure des pénuries. Les insuffisances de ces approches sont ensuite discutées, puis on examine la façon dont les nouvelles technologies interfèrent avec les precédés de mesure. S'ensuit la discussion de quelques autres solutions pour mesurer les compétences exigées par les nouvelles technologies, ce qui amène à conclure que des progrès dans la méthodologie sont nécessaires avant que l'appréhension quantitative de la pénurie des compétences puisse être valide.
This paper examines problems in measuring skill shortages particularly in times of rapid technological development. Different concepts of "skill" and "shortage" and a variety of methods of measuring shortages are described. The shortcomings of these approaches are then discussed followed by consideration of how new technology affects the measurement processes. The article continues with a discussion of some alternative approaches to measuring skills implications of new technology which concludes that further developments in methodology are needed before quantitative measurements of skill shortages can be made with confidence.