Processing distinctions between stems and affixes: evidence from a non-fluent aphasic patient

In this paper, we study the ability of a non-fluent aphasic patient, BN, to comprehend morphologically complex words when they appear in utterance contexts. We first establish that he is insensitive to the contextual appropriateness of both derived and inflected words. In a further experiment we show that he has no difficulty processing the stems of complex words and conclude that his problem is with the bound morphemes themselves. We then ask whether this problem is due to his inability to access either the phonological form of a morphologically complex word or its semantic and/or syntactic content. We find that only the access of semantic and syntactic content is impaired. We conclude from these six studies that: (a) BN presents a counter-example to the claim that non-fluent patients have particular difficulty with those aspects of morphology which have a syntactic function; (b) BN processes both derived and inflected words by mapping the sensory input onto the entire full-form of a complex word, but the semantic and syntactic content of the stem alone is accessed and integrated into the context. The semantic and syntactic implications of the suffix are never evaluated. This implies separate representation of the stems and suffixes of some types of morphologically complex words.     

Effects of alternate modes of administration on Rorschach performance of deaf adults

This study examined two modes of administering the Rorschach Inkblot Technique to determine which was more appropriate for a college-educated, deaf population. Twenty-four prelingually deaf adults took the Rorschach in sign language and in written English, using a counterbalanced test-retest design, and their sign and written scores were compared to each other and to 1986 norms for Exner's Comprehensive System. Seventeen variables measuring such areas as perceptual accuracy, perceptual complexity, and self-focus were found to vary more than one standard deviation from Exner's norms. Differences between sign and written conditions on several affective variables were found. Written administration can be used by examiners who are informed about deafness and aware of variables that may be underreported by written inquiry.     

Transformations of unconscious fantasy in art

Unconscious fantasy is conceptualized as a representation for drive-related, conflict-laden, wish-fulfilling views of human experience. These are usually related to sexuality, and refer to birth, intrauterine existence, primal scene, castration, and seduction. Unconscious fantasy may be transformed into works of art through a variety of artistic means. The employment of formal means for the representation of fantasy may be the product of an endopsychic perception. Thus, structural attributes of the psyche may also find representation. An example is used from the creative process in the construction of a novel by Henry James, The Spoils of Poynton. In the process of fulfilling artistic purposes in the construction of his plot, the author made use of derivatives of unconscious fantasy which surface in the process of creation. The work of art is the integration of unconscious derivatives which become transformed into artistic structure.     

Age differences in everyday memory: laboratory analogues of telephone number recall

Three experiments were conducted to examine age differences in memory for telephone numbers by adults ranging from 18 to 85 years of age. In the first 2 studies, using visual simultaneous presentation, age declines in immediate recall were evident on 10-digit numbers, but not on 3-digit numbers. With 7-digit numbers, the youngest group performed significantly better than the oldest (70-85 years) group. In the second study, more marked age declines occurred when subjects had to redial a number after a busy signal. The third experiment replicated the observed aging pattern with auditory sequential presentation. Also, chunked presentation of local telephone numbers resulted in high performance for old and young in sequential recall. The findings were discussed in relation to task processing demands and practical issues related to telephone number recall.     

Identification of letters in the predesignated target paradigm: a word superiority effect for the common word the

The size of the perceptual unit used in reading was addressed using the predesignated target paradigm. Sixteen subjects viewed the following stimuli in random order: the words tee, the, tie, and toe; the nonwords eet, eht, eit, and eot; and the letters e, h, i, and o. Subjects fixated on the location of the center letter and identified the letter as e, h, i, or o, alternatives which were known to them at the onset. A word superiority effect was obtained for the common word the but not for the less common words tee, tie, and toe. The word superiority effect was attributable to bias rather than discriminability: Subjects exhibited a bias to perceive the words in this experiment as the (i.e., there was a bias to perceive h in the t e stimulus presentations). These results suggest that the common word the is processed in reading units that are larger than the letter, and that the system is biased to perceive common rather than uncommon words in data-limited conditions.     

Height vertigo, fear of heights, acrophobia

Height vertigo (acrophobia) is a very frequent phenomenon being of interest for its physiological and psychological background, though usually only of limited significance in neuropsychiatry and otology. The different aspects as to its nature and origin are discussed. If acrophobia has developed into a conditioned reaction of avoidance with pressure of suffering, or acrophobia in persons, who have to work at heights, behavior therapeutic measures with systematic desensibilisation, starting from an imaginative training, are indicated.     

Validity of the Sheltered Care Environment Scale: conceptual and methodological issues

The Sheltered Care Environment Scale (SCES) was developed primarily to measure social climate as an attribute of a setting. As such, the SCES was designed to maximize differences between facilities and minimize differences among individuals within a setting. However, Smith and Whitbourne (1990) assessed the validity of the SCES as a measure of individual differences in perceptions of a shared environment. Moreover, they redefined the content coverage of 2 of the SCES subscales (Independence and Physical Comfort), to encompass attributes the SCES is not intended to measure. In general, preliminary evidence indicates that the SCES subscales provide reasonably reliable and valid indices of the social climate of group residential facilities.     

Psychological stress and blood glucose regulation in type I diabetic patients

Fifteen Type I diabetic patients self-monitored daily mean blood glucose levels (BGL), psychological stress, diet, exercise, and insulin injections for a period of 8 weeks. Separate multiple-regression analyses were conducted for each subject to assess the predictability of BGL from stress reports, independent of the effects of diet, exercise, and insulin self-administration. Considerable individual variability in findings was evident, with stress predicting BGL in a statistically significant manner in 7 of the 15 subjects. Stress had a significant effect on BGL independent of diet, exercise, and insulin administration for each of these 7 subjects. Discussion focused on the problems of measuring the key self-management behaviors influencing BGL and on the possibility that a subgroup of diabetic patients may be BGL stress responders.     

Monocular stereopsis with and without head movement

Random dots moving with various velocity gradients were presented to observers; the motion was yoked to head movement in one condition and to no head movement in another. In Experiment 1, 12 observers were shown motion gradients with sine, triangle, sawtooth, and square waveforms with amplitudes (equivalent disparities) of 12' and 1 degrees 53'. In Experiment 2, 48 observers were shown only the sinewave or square-wave gradient of 1 degrees 53' disparity either with or without head movement so that the observers' expectation to see depth in one condition did not transfer to another. The main findings were: (1) with 12' disparity, the head-movement condition produced perceived depth but almost no perceived motion, whereas the no-head-movement condition produced both perceived depth and perceived motion; (2) with 1 degrees 53' disparity, both conditions produced perceived depth and perceived motion; and (3) when the expectation to see depth was removed, the no-head-movement condition with the square-wave gradient produced no perceived depth, only motion. We suggest that monocular stereopsis with head movement can be achieved without perception of motion but monocular stereopsis without head movement requires perception of motion.     

Perceived parental inconsistency as a factor in the emotional development of behaviour-disordered children

55 English-speaking institutionalized adolescents (37 boys and 18 girls between ages of 14 and 19 yr.) were given questionnaires measuring perceived parental inconsistency and different components of emotional development. Canonical correlation analysis indicated that a significant proportion (51%) of the variation in emotional adjustment was accounted for by parental inconsistency. It is suggested that the efficiency of using parents as agents of change for their behaviour-disordered children can be enhanced by including theory on parenteral inconsistency in program content.