A forced-choice study of edge detectors in the human visual system

Psychophysical studies using masking procedures to investigate the possible existence of edge detectors in the human visual system have typically been flawed by methodological errors and omissions that make their findings uninterpretable. An example of such a study is given and evaluated, and a replication of that study, using a spatial forced-choice methodology, is reported in detail. The results of this replication are shown to contradict the critical findings of the earlier study; furthermore, it is suggested that any ambiguities in the results of this replication can be interpreted in terms of methodological and procedural factors, rather than in terms of higher-order neurological constructs. Finally, a further test of this methodological interpretation is proposed.     

Recognition memory and attentional selection: serial scanning is not enough

In two experiments, using memory sets of up to 10 letters, the response competition paradigm was employed to investigate the extent to which extraneous visual stimuli interfere with or affect the process of memory search. It was assumed that if selective attention could exclude the effect of noise letters from a Sternberg-type memory comparison process, then there would be an increase in intercept for the reaction time-set size functions but no increase in slope. This result was obtained. However, a large difference in response times to both positive and negative set targets was found when the accompanying noise letters indicated a competing response, as opposed to when they indicated the same response as the target. This implies rapid identification of the nature of both target and noise, independent of a serial comparison process. A modification of a dual process model (Juola, Fischler, Wood, & Atkinson, 1971) in which stimuli activate a familiarity value independent of memory search was suggested to account for these results.     

中国和荷兰高智商与一般智商儿童自我概念比较研究

用瑞文测验和自我描述问卷对中国和荷兰2000多名10—15岁儿童进行调查．发现智商对自我概念有明显的影响,但中国和荷兰儿童表现出不同的特点。两国间在自我概念方面有显著性差异,中国儿童在大多数方面都显著性地低于荷兰儿童、中国高智商组儿童在学业自我概念方面与荷兰高智商组儿童的差异更为明显。     

Updating Allport's and Batson's Framework of Religious Orientations: A Reevaluation from the Perspective of Self‐Determination Theory and Wulff's Social Cognitive Model

We theoretically and empirically evaluate Allport's intrinsic‐extrinsic and Batson's quest religious orientations through the lens of self‐determination theory (SDT) and Wulff's social‐cognitive model. Confirming our theoretical analysis, we find that Allport's intrinsic‐extrinsic dichotomy fails to correspond empirically to the differentiation between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation within SDT. Whereas Allport's intrinsic religious orientation was positively related to internalized extrinsic motivation, his two extrinsic (i.e., personal and social) religious orientations were not systematically related to any of the discerned motives within SDT. Furthermore, Batson's quest orientation was unrelated to any of the SDT concepts but was positively related to symbolic disbelief. The present findings suggest that Allport's motivational orientations model needs both refinement and relabeling to better fit with recent theoretical evolutions in the field of motivational psychology.     

Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Correlates of Internalization of Regulations for Religious Activities

The main goal of this study was to examine the relationship between different types of extrinsic motivation for religious behaviors as conceptualised within self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000) and Wulff's (1991) framework of literal versus symbolic approaches of religious contents. Results from a Belgian sample of active believers (N=186) show that the internalization of one's reasons for performing religious behaviors was positively associated with an open, symbolic interpretation of religious belief contents and a stronger adherence to Christian beliefs. Moreover, internalization was also positively related to general well-being and frequency of prayer but unrelated to church attendance. It is concluded that individuals who engage in religious behaviors because of its perceived personal significance will show more cognitive flexibility and open-mindedness towards Christian belief contents, a stronger adherence to this message, higher well-being and more frequent engagement in specific religious behaviors.

Comment on short-term variation in subjective sleepiness

Subjective sleepiness at different times is often measured in studies on sleep loss, night work, or drug effects. However, the context at the time of rating may influence results. The present study examined sleepiness throughout the day at hourly intervals and during controlled activities [reading, writing, walking, social interaction (discussion), etc.] by 10-min. intervals for 3 hr. This was done on a normal working day preceded by a scheduled early rising (to invite sleepiness) for six subjects. Analysis showed a significant U-shaped pattern across the day with peaks in the early morning and late evening. A walk and social interaction were associated with low sleepiness, compared to sedentary and quiet office work. None of this was visible in the hourly ratings. There was also a pronounced afternoon increase in sleepiness, that was not observable with hourly ratings. It was concluded that there are large variations in sleepiness related to time of day and also to context and that sparse sampling of subjective sleepiness may miss much of this variation.     

Safari to masking land: A hunt for the elusive U

Due to the theoretical interest in whether U-shaped visual masking functions are obtained when discrimination responses are required of the Ss, an attempt was made to replicate the Weisstein and Haber (1965) experiment. The attempt was unsuccessful. The results indicated that masking was uniform over a temporal range of approximately 50 msec. The possibility of individual differences in the shape of masking functions was investigated in two subsequent experiments with negative results. Overall, the results of the three experiments supported a temporal integration account of masking when assessed by detection or discrimination criteria. Some possible reasons for discrepancies with the Weisstein and Haber (1965) experiment were considered.     

“Subliminal cues” and the Müller-type illusion

Using the viewing box from a 2-field tachistoscope, feathers-arrows fr an 1 field were superimposed upon line-pairs from the other field to construct the Muller-Lyer illusion. 6 as were tested for the illusory effects under 4 conditions of feather-arrow detectability: (a) d′=O, (no luminance); (b) d′=.42; (c) d′=l.00; and (d) ′’=3.7. The length differences of lines of any given pair were 0 in., 1/64 in., 2/64 in., or 6/64 in. The illusion effect was observed when the featherarrow d’ equaled 3.7. No significant nor suggestive illusion effects were found for the other feather-arrow detectability conditions.     

Multiple-feature discrimination faster than single feature discrimination within the same object?

In the present study, we investigated whether judging the presence of multiple features within an object would be superior to judging the presence of only one feature. Feature discriminability and the number of features to discriminate within an object were varied. Specific features were judged as present or absent. Results showed that judging the presence of two or three features was faster than judging the presence of the less discriminable of these two or three features alone (multiple-feature benefits). These findings suggest that relevant features within an object activate (prime) a decision or response in a parallel, asynchronous fashion based on discriminability (Miller, 1982a). The ability of a response priming model, a response mapping model, and a template model to account for multiple feature benefits is discussed.