Familiarity affects visual processing of words.

While previous research has demonstrated that words can be processed more rapidly and/or more accurately than random strings of letters, it has not been convincingly demonstrated that the superior processing of words is a visual effect. In the present experiment, the cases of letters were manipulated in letter strings that were to be compared on the basis of physical identity. Mean response time was shorter for words than for nonwords even for pairs of letter strings that differed only in case (e.g., site-site). This finding implies that the advantage of words over nonwords (the familiarity effect) typically observed in the simultaneous matching task is not due solely to comparison of either the word names or the letter names and, thus, that at least part of the familiarity effect must be due to more rapid formation and/or comparison of visual representations of the two letter strings when they are words. Further analysis failed to reveal a significant involvement of phonemic or lexical codes in the comparison judgments.     

On the independence of judged frequencies for items presented in successive lists*

In an experiment examining retroactive interference effects in a frequency-judging task, all Ss were presented with a list of words occurring varying numbers of times according to either a massed- or distributed-practive (MP or DP) schedule. They were then asked to judge how often each word had occurred. Following this, Ss were given one of four types of second tasks a second list with different items followed by a frequency-judging task for that list (Condition New): a second list with items repeated from the first list but with different frequencies for each item, while either maintaining items as either MP or DP items (Condition Same) or switching MP items to DP, and vice versa (Condition Reverse): followed by a frequency-judging task for the second-list frequencies only: or a puzzle task for the amount of time required for second-list presentation and judgment in the other conditions (Condition None). Finally, all Ss were asked to recall List 1 frequencies, List 2 frequencies were less discriminable in Conditions Same and Reverse than in Condition New. Recall of List 1 frequencies, however, was not different for these three groups, but was poorer than in List 2 frequency judgments were not independent of List 1 frequencies.     

Factor analysis of the army air forces sheppard field battery of experimental aptitude tests

A factor analysis was made of 39 experimental printed aptitude tests and seven reference tests selected from the Army Air Forces Aircrew Classification Battery. Thirteen factors were extracted and two independent orthogonal rotational solutions were completed. Twelve factors were interpreted. Of these, seven were clearly identifiable with previously known factors: numerical, perceptual-speed, spatial-relations, visualization, visual-memory, paired-associates-memory, and length-estimation factors. A planning factor was not as clearly identifiable. A reasoning factor was probably a composite of two or more factors that failed to separate. A new factor possibly has to do with orientation with respect to the points of the compass. Two factors were doublets, each apparently specific to one kind of test. Better conceptions were gained of the spatial-relations and visualization factors and of the kinds of tests that measure them best. Efforts to improve measures of unique factors were not uniformly successful. The attempt to duplicate a psychomotor test rather directly by analogy in printed form failed almost completely.For support of a large part of the investigation the senior author is indebted to the Social Sciences Research Council for a grant-in-aid. Dr. Fruchter supervised the computational work in the extraction of factors and in one of the rotational solutions. Much of the work was done while he was employed by the Air Training Command Human Resources Research Center. While the opinions and conclusions are those of the authors, they wish to express their appreciation to that organization and especially to Dr. John T. Dailey for making the facilities possible and to Mr. William B. Lecznar for technical and computational assistance.     

A simple graphical method for orthogonal rotation of axes

A simple method of making orthogonal rotations by projecting coordinates from one plot to another is presented. An easily constructed apparatus for rapid and accurate work is described in detail. By the technique proposed 12 to 15 rotations of pairs of axes involving 20 test variables can be completed per hour by a practiced technician.     

Some notes on time out from reinforcement

Pigeons produced food on a fixed-ratio schedule by pecking at one key, and an S^Δ period by pecking at a second (switching) key. Switching behavior was examined as a function of (a) size of the fixed ratio, (b) whether the S^Δ was of fixed duration or could be determined by the bird, (c) the introduction of a novel food S^D, (d) extinction of food responding, and (e) the stimuli associated with the S^D and S^Δ conditions. No monotonic relationship was obtained between ratio size and switching behavior. Switching behavior was, however, influenced by many variables. The results suggest that an interpretation of switching behavior in terms of its being reinforced by the removal of aversive conditions, is open to considerable question.     

Integrating personality and career adaptability into vocational interest space

The relations between interests, personality and career adaptability were explored in two separate studies. In the first study, the RIASEC measure Occupational Preference Scale was applied along with personality inventories HEXACO-PI-(R)-100 and IPIP-50 on a sample of 602 university students and young adults. In the second study, PGI-Short, HEXACO-60 and Career Adapt-Abilities Scale were applied on a sample of 981 high-school graduates. Results from both studies were discussed together, and general conclusions about overlapping of interests, personality and career adaptability domains were drawn on the basis of correlational analyses and property vector fitting. Both studies have shown weak to moderate relations between interests and personality. In the HEXACO framework, it was found that Openness to Experience was positively related to creative interests, Emotionality was positively related to social interests and negatively related to technical interests, Extraversion was positively related to social and managing interests, and Honesty–Humility was negatively related to interests for business and finance. In the Big Five framework, Agreeableness was related to Social and Artistic interests, and Intellect to Artistic interests. The HEXACO personality domains showed predictive advantage for explaining interests in comparison to Big Five dimensions. The relation between career adaptability and interests was weak, and almost negligible when personality was included in hierarchical regression analysis. Career adaptability was weakly related to highly prestigious interests. Adaptability facets Concern, Control and Confidence were oriented toward data pole of interest space. The general factor of interests was weakly correlated with Openness Extraversion, Career Adaptability, and adaptability facets Confidence and Curiosity. Observed findings are as expected and in line with previous research.     

Social cognitive predictors of prosocial behavior toward same and alternate race children among white pre-schoolers

Social cognitive predictors of 36 White preschoolers' (18 boys, 18 girls) tendencies to say they would act prosocially toward White and African-American children were examined. White preschoolers completed measures of their tendency to engage in prosocial behaviors directed toward White and African-American children, positive racial beliefs about White and African-American persons, and race schematicity. Consistent with previous research examining prosocial behavior in preschoolers, girls were more likely than boys to say they would act prosocially. White preschoolers' age in months did not correlate significantly with their tendencies to engage in prosocial behaviors toward White children. However, age in months was negatively correlated with White preschoolers' inclinations to direct prosocial behaviors toward African-American children. Consistent with an emerging literature concerning the role of social cognitive factors in young children's race schema development, White preschoolers' race schematicity was significantly predictive of their tendencies to say they would engage in prosocial behaviors toward African-American children. Patterns of results partially replicate previous prosocial behavior research, and demonstrate the importance of social cognitive variables on young children's prosocial behaviors. This research was undertaken as part of a graduate program in psychology at the University of Wyoming by the first author under the direction of the second author. The authors express gratitude to Karen Bartsch, Ph.D., and Bernita Quoss, Ph.D., and Jesse Barber, Sylvia Jones, and Nicole Martin of the University of Wyoming and to Nancy Eisenberg, Ph.D., of Arizona State University.     

Marital Equality and Satisfaction in Stay-At-Home Mother and Stay-At-Home Father Families

Two recent studies have focused on marital equality and satisfaction in couples where one of the spouses stays at home full-time with the children and the other spouse works full-time outside of the home. One study looked at couples with a stay-at-home mother/career father while the other study examined couples with a stay-at-home father/career mother. Similarities as well as differences emerged between the two samples when comparing the experiences of these couples. In general, couples in both arrangements shared positive feelings about their marriages, although the mothers across both samples reported higher levels of stress and exhaustion than fathers.