Masked stimuli modulate endogenous shifts of spatial attention

Unconscious stimuli can influence participants’ motor behavior but also more complex mental processes. Recent research has gradually extended the limits of effects of unconscious stimuli. One field of research where such limits have been proposed is spatial cueing, where exogenous automatic shifts of attention have been distinguished from endogenous controlled processes which govern voluntary shifts of attention. Previous evidence suggests unconscious effects on mechanisms of exogenous shifts of attention. Here, we applied a cue-priming paradigm to a spatial cueing task with arbitrary cues by centrally presenting a masked symmetrical prime before every cue stimulus. We found priming effects on response times in target discrimination tasks with the typical dynamic of cue-priming effects (Experiments 1 and 2) indicating that central symmetrical stimuli which have been associated with endogenous orienting can modulate shifts of spatial attention even when they are masked. Prime–Cue Congruency effects of perceptual dissimilar prime and cue stimuli (Experiment 3) suggest that these effects cannot be entirely reduced to perceptual repetition priming of cue processing. In addition, priming effects did not differ between participants with good and poor prime recognition performance consistent with the view that unconscious stimulus features have access to processes of endogenous shifts of attention.     

The “hot hand” reconsidered: A meta-analytic approach

ObjectivesExtensive searches for the “hot hand” have been performed in a variety of sports since the pioneering study of Gilovich, Vallone, and Tversky (1985), but empirical evidence for the existence of the effect is still fairly limited. The current review reconsiders the hot hand in sports using a meta-analytic approach.DesignMean effect size and 95% confidence interval were determined using a random effects model. Heterogeneity of the mean effect size was examined applying Cochran's Q test and the “75 percent rule”.MethodTo be included in the meta-analysis, studies had to provide an empirical investigation of the hot hand phenomenon related to sport and exercise behavior. Approximately 250 papers were located, but the final dataset included only 22 publications that met inclusion criteria, with 30 studies and 56 independent effect sizes. The articles extended over a period of twenty-seven years from 1985 until 2012.ResultsThe analysis of the effects yielded a minor positive mean effect size of .02, p = .49, using a random effects model, which is sufficient evidence for arguing against the existence of the hot hand. Due to the limited sample of studies available, only a few candidate-variables could be extracted and further examined as potential moderator variables. However, none of the considered variables had the power to explain the heterogeneity of effect sizes.ConclusionsThe present study provides additional support for Gilovich et al.'s claim that a general hot hand effect probably does not exist in sport. The scientific implications of this review for prospect advances in the field are presented and discussed.     

Gottlob Frege und Rudolf Eucken—Gesprächspartner in der Herausbildungsphase der modernen Logik

Frege and Eucken were colleagues in the faculty of philosophy at Jena University for more than 40 years. At times they had close scientific contacts. Eucken promoted Frege's career at the university. A comparison of Eucken's writings between 1878 and 1880 with Frege's writings shows Eucken to have had an important philosophical influence on Frege's philosophical development between 1879 and 1885. In particular the classification of the Begriffsschrift in the tradition of Leibniz is influenced by Eucken. Eucken also influenced Frege's choice of philosophical and logical terms. Finally, there are analogous positions concerning relations between concepts and their expressions in natural language, Frege was probably also influenced by Eucken's use of the term ‘tone’. Eucken used Frege's arguments in his own fight against psychologism and empiricism.     

Differentiating clinical groups using the serial color-word test (S-CWT)

The present study attempted to differentiate 11 diagnostic groups by means of the Serial Color-Word Test (S-CWT), using multivariate discriminant analysis. Two alternative scoring systems of the S-CWT were outlined. Asample of 514 individuals who had clinical diagnoses of various types and 397 controls who had no diagnostic findings comprised the sample. The first discriminant analysis failed to differentiate the groups adequately. The groups were consequently reduced to four (schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, temporo-mandibular joint pain dysfunction syndrome, and eating disturbances), which gave better reclassification findings for a clinical application of the test. This classification gave over 55% correct assignments. The final four groups had a statistically significant discrimination on the test, which remained stable also in a bootstrap procedure. Implications for treatment indications and outcomes as well as strategies for further studies using the S-CWT are discussed.     

The effect of Neuroticism in the process of goal pursuit

This study examines the link between Neuroticism and work motivation under work conditions that provide clear behavioral expectations. Within a two-phase correlational laboratory setup, participants (N = 158) worked on a simple task with specific, high goals that were linked to monetary rewards. Structural equation modeling analysis largely supported the postulated model. Focusing on antecedents and consequences of goal commitment, we found that Neuroticism was indirectly related to the attainment of assigned goals via motivational variables in the process of goal pursuit. Independent of cognitive ability, positive and negative effects of Neuroticism were evident in the motivational process, which forms an explanation for the close-to-zero relationships to performance outcomes. Two facets (Anxiety, Self-consciousness) seem to offer explanations for the contradicting effects of Neuroticism in the process of goal pursuit.     

Individual differences in metacontrast masking: A call for caution when interpreting group data

In this issue of Consciousness and Cognition, Bachmann (2010) comments on our study (Albrecht, Klapötke, & Mattler, 2010), which revealed two groups of observers with qualitative individual differences in metacontrast masking that are enhanced by perceptual learning. We are pleased that our study receives this attention and even more about Bachmann’s extremely positive comments. In this invited reply we argue that observers seem to be similar only at the beginning of the experiment but they have no choice as to which group to join. Findings strongly recommend to look at the data of individual subjects.     

Unidirectional interference in use of nondominant hand during concurrent Grooved Pegboard and random number generation tasks

The interference effect between Grooved Pegboard task with either hand and the executive task of cued verbal random number generation was investigated. 24 normal right-handed subjects performed each task under separate (single-task) and concurrent (dual-task) conditions. Articulatory suppression was required as an additional secondary task during pegboard performance. Analysis indicated an unambiguous distinction between the two hands. Comparisons of single-task and dual-task conditions showed an asymmetrical pattern of unidirectional interference with no practice effects during pegboard performance. Concurrent performance with nondominant hand but not the dominant hand of random number generation performance became continuously slower. There was no effect of divided attention on pegboard performance. Findings support the idea that the nondominant hand on the pegboard and random number tasks draw from the same processing resources but that for the executive aspect random number generation is more sensitive to changes in allocation of attentional resources.     

Somatoforme Störungen bei ambulanten dermatologischen Patienten

Zusammenfassung In der vorliegenden Studie wurde die Häufigkeit somatoformer Symptome in einer dermatologischen Universitätsambulanz untersucht. An der Studie nahmen n=195 Patienten teil, die Screeningfragen zu somatoformen, dermatologischen und depressiven Symptomen ausfüllten. Zusätzlich wurde eine dermatologische Beurteilung der Symptome hinsichtlich der Ätiologie erfasst. Danach wiesen 26,2% der Patienten Hinweise auf eine somatoforme Störung auf; am häufigsten waren somatoforme Schmerzstörung (16,9%) und körperdysmorphe Störung (15,4%). Unter den spezifischen dermatologischen Symptomen wurde Juckreiz besonders häufig (10,3%) als somatoform klassifiziert. Der Anteil von Patienten mit erhöhten depressiven Beschwerden lag bei 17,3%. Die Ergebnisse sprechen für eine erhöhte Prävalenz somatoformer Störungen bei dermatologischen Patienten. Die Identifizierung und psychotherapeutische Versorgung dieser Patientengruppe sollte in der dermatologischen Routineversorgung mehr Beachtung finden.     

Combined expectancy effects are modulated by the relation between expectancy cues

Studies of combined expectancies have shown that spatial cueing effects are reduced on trials on which participants have to respond with an unexpected motor response. In the first two experiments the range of reduced expectancy effects is examined. Advance knowledge of the likely response was combined in a trial-by-trial procedure with modality cueing, object cueing, and task cueing. Effects of modality cueing were reduced on trials on which the target requested an unexpected response. However, effects of object cueing as well as effects of task cueing were unaffected by response cueing. Comparing experiments revealed that different types of cues were used in different experiments. To test the effect of type of cue on the interaction of expectancies the third experiment combined spatial cueing with response cueing. When integrated cues were used that cued the likely target location by an arrow and the likely response by an arrow too, spatial cueing effects were reduced on trials with unexpected responses. However, spatial cueing effects remained unaffected by response cueing when separated cues were used consisting in a word cueing the response and an arrow cueing target location. An account for the modulation of combined expectancies by the relation between cues is suggested in terms of the adjusted expectancy model.     

Meta-dialogue

On the basis of recent developments in constructivism and social constructionism, the authors propose an approach that takes self-recursiveness seriously: Meta-dialogue, an extension of reflecting teams and reflecting positions. The authors see therapists as experts in interviewing (questioning, asking, and reflecting) and clients as experts for their different domains (their lives). Thus, the authors see it as crucial to express basic respect to the people who come to consult them in a cooperative way in order to enlarge the options of all the people taking part in the interview. The structure of meta-dialogue is described in detail and illustrated with a case example.We would like to thank Amanda Gorman (Kiel) for her sensitive help with the translation.