An experiment control computer system time shared by several laboratories

An experiment control computer system, operational for more than 2 years, is discussed. The system is multiprogammed, using a vendor supplied real-time operating system. Individual experiments employ multitasking—fast response functions are implemented in core resident tasks while interactive and other slow response functions are implemented in tasks that operate under time sharing. The areas of psychological research currently supported are concept formation studies, EEG evoked response studies, monitoring the autonomic nervous system, perception studies, and family interaction studies.     

The effect of irrelevant surround on speeded visual discriminations varying in complexity

To measure the effect of varying stimulus material on visual matching, a three-factor experimental design was employed, with “same”-“different” RT as the main dependent variable. Pairs of sequences of meaningless shapes served as stimuli, varying in discriminability (high or low), complexity (sequence lengths of 1, 2, 5, or 8 shapes), and level of pair difference (identical sequences or sequences with one pair differing). All independent variables significantly affected RT, with (a) high-discriminability stimuli being reacted to faster than low, (b)RT increasing with sequence pair length, and (c)“same”-response RTs interacting with “different”-response RTs. A significant triple-order interaction component implied that, while a single-process self-terminating feature testing model could accommodate data from the low-discriminability condition, the high-discriminability data did not fit this model. The results are taken as support for a dual-process model to account for the data from “same”-“different” RT tasks. epaxtment of     

INTELLIGENCE AND WORK ADJUSTMENT IN AN NYC POPULATION

It seems to be generally accepted that disadvantaged persons perform poorly on aptitude tests even when they may have the ability to do a job (Zimpel & Panger, 1970; Seiler, 1970). Other evidence suggests that race is also a factor in poor test performance (Anderson & Smith, 1969; Parker, Kunce, & Bolanovich, 1970). This study is an attempt to see how useful a widely used intelligence test may be for predicting work adjustment of disadvantaged youth when race is considered as a factor.     

CONFRONTING THE DISADVANTAGED

A review of recent innovations in counseling style is presented along with an analysis of the advantages of these innovations over the more traditional counseling framework when dealing with disadvantaged clients. The authors recommend the use of these new, directive methods (categorized as “confrontive counseling”) for the effective counseling of clients of low socioeconomic status.     

The overtraining reversal effect in rats: A function of task difficulty

Two experiments were conducted with rats. The first study showed that in the T-maze a brightness discrimination learning problem was more difficult than a spatial learning problem, but in a Ross-maze a brightness problem was less difficult than a spatial task. T-maze brightness and Ross-maze spatial tasks were found to be of equal difficulty.

In the second experiment rats were trained either on a brightness or spatial discrimination reversal problem in the Ross-maze. It was found that overtraining facilitated reversal performance in the spatial task but not in the brightness problem. The theoretical implications of these results were discussed.     

Pause adjustment mechanism and measurement system (PAMMS)

A system is described whereby silent interval duration may be studied as a parameter in the perception of speech pauses under controlled conditions. PAMMS (pause adjustment mechanism and measurement system) provides the S (or the E) with the unique capability of directly manipulating a pause which is then automatically measured electronically. The system includes electronic devices which provide for a specialized switching and dubbing procedure by means of which test tapes are generated.     

Trace resistance and the decay of long-term memory

A theory of storage in long-term memory is described which characterizes the trace by two properties: strength and resistance. The theory makes four assumptions: (a) The rate of decay of strength equals the force on the trace divided by the resistance. (b) Force is proportional to trace strength and to the similarity of current traces to the previously established trace. (c) Resistance increases as the square root of trace age. (d) The resistance of a trace transfers completely to subsequent increments. The theory accounts for long-term retention functions over delays from 1 min to 2 yr, long retrograde amnesia, unlearning, effects of multiple learning trials and spacing of practice, and possibly recency judgments and retention functions following relearning.     

Dual trace theory and the consolidation of long-term memory

Retention functions were determined for four Ss for recognition memory of letters at 14 different delays from 3 sec to 5 min and two levels of storage load (1 and 6 letter lists), the retention interval being filled with backward counting. Memory strength retention functions were fit extremely well by assuming that two traces, short-term memory and long-term memory, are operative in this type of memory task. Only the short-term memory trace appears to be present during the first 8 or 10 sec of the retention interval, and this short-term trace decays exponentially with a time constant in the vicinity of 10 sec. Long-term memory is subject to a consolidation process which does not begin until about 10 sec after the study period and which is substantially complete at about 30 sec after the study period. Storage load has a very large effect on the degree of acquisition (learning) for both short and long-term traces, but storage load appears to have only a moderate effect or no effect on the decay rate of the short-term trace. There is some suggestion that the duration of the consolidation phase is shortened by an increase in storage load.