The comprehension and verification of ambiguous sentences

When Ss are presented with an ambiguous sentence they tend to interpret it in only one way. If later events warrant, Ss can recover the other meaning, a process which takes time. These conclusions follow from the results of a study in which 40 undergraduate Ss verified whether or not pictures shown at the end of a sentence represented the meaning of the sentence. When ambiguous sentences were presented, the verification time (VT) was no slower than for unambiguous sentences if the picture represented the “expected” meaning (as determined on a pre-test) of the ambiguity. The VT to the picture representing the “unexpected” meaning of the ambiguity was longer than VT to corresponding control sentences.     

A Reminder and a Suggestion

… concerned with the whole of man's life … dignity of a human being … develop harmoniously their physical, moral, and intellectual endowments … acquire a sense of responsibility in striving endlessly to form their own lives properly … foster a sense of values … to prepare for professional life … as they develop their own personality … stimulate students to act for themselves….     

Finding alternatives to the streets for the homeless mentally Ill: Efficacy at a state hospital intensive placement unit

The authors describe a sample of homeless mentally ill patients receiving extended psychiatric care on an intensive placement unit. Summaries of 246 discharges were reviewed to examine demographic and clinical factors associated with extended psychiatric care and postdischarge placement. It was found that homeless patients requiring extended care were often medically ill and substance abusing. Residential placements were accepted by most patients on discharge. It was determined that homeless psychiatric patients benefited from extended care on an inpatient unit designed to alleviate anxieties regarding living arrangements and psychiatric treatment systems historically rejected by this population.The authors wish to thank Charlotte Seltzer, CSW, for her cooperation on this project.     

Book reviews

Religion and Globalisation. Peter Beyer, 1994 London: Sage Publications 250 pp., £12.95 pb, £37.50 hb ISBN 0–8039–8917–2

The Religious Culture of India: Power, Love and Wisdom. Friedhelm Hardy, 1994 Cambridge Studies in Religious Traditions 4, Cambridge University Press xiii + 613 pp. £55.00, US$74.95 ISBN 0–521–44181–1

Judaism and Other Faiths. Dan Cohn‐Sherbok, 1994 Basingstoke: Macmillan Press ix + 186 pp., £40.00 hb ISBN 0–312–10384–0.

Women in Religion Jean Holm with John Bowker, eds., 1994 London and New York: Pinter Publishers 181 pp., £29.50 hb, £9.99 pb ISBN 1–85567–108–5 hb, ISBN 1–85567–109–3 pb

Attitudes to Nature. Jean Holm (ed.) with John Bowker, 1994 London and New York: Pinter Publishers 172 pp., £23.50 hb, £9.99 pb ISBN 1–85567–092–5 hb, ISBN 1–85567–093–3 pb

Sacred Writings. Jean Holm (ed.) with John Bowker, 1994 London and New York: Pinter Publications 201 pp., £29.50 hb, £9.99 pb ISBN 1–85567–106–9 hb; 1–85567–107–7 pb

The Gospel of Buddha. Paul Carus, 1994 Oxford: Oneworld Publications 306 pp., £6.95 ISBN 1–85168–026–8

The New Religious Order: The Passionists and the Option for the Poor. James Sweeney CP, 1994 London: Bellew Publishing 240 pp., £35.00 ISBN 1–85725–105–9

Religions in the UK: A Multi‐Faith Directory. Paul Weller (ed), researched by Rachelle Castle and Paul Weller, 1993 Mickleover, Derby: University of Derby, in association with The Inter Faith Network for the United Kingdom 651 pp., £25.00 (incl. p&p) ISBN 0–901437–06–9     

Family therapy and soiling: an audit of externalizing and other approaches

This is a retrospective audit of the therapy outcome of 108 children with soiling and their families. Fifty-four children were treated by externalizing and 54 comparison children and families were treated by the usual methods in the same clinic. The results from the externalizing group were better and compared favourably with standards derived from previous studies of soiling. Externalizing was rated as much more helpful by parents at follow-up.