Processing doubly quantified sentences: Evidence from eye movements

We investigated the processing of doubly quantified sentences, such asKelly showed a photo to every critic, that are ambiguous as to whether the indefinite (a photo) specifies single or multiple referents. Ambiguity resolution requires the computation of relative quantifier scope: Whether a or every takes wide scope, thereby determining how many entities or events are to be represented. In an eye-tracking experiment, we manipulated quantifier order and whether continuations were singular or plural, for constructions with the direct or the indirect object occurring first. We obtained effects consistent with the on-line processing of relative scope at the doubly quantified phrase and considered two possible explanations for a preference for singular continuations to the quantified sentence. We conclude that relative quantifier scope is computed on line during reading but may not be a prerequisite for the resolution of definite anaphors, unless required by secondary tasks.     

Placebo: Its action and place in health research today* — Summary and conclusions

Conclusion The material presented at this conference pointed to a new dimension in the prosecution of activities that seek to relieve people of disease. While the simple instrument of the placebo may show those interested in the efficacy of physiologically active chemicals the extent to which the chemical of interest is actually active, the surprising outcome of such studies is that the placebo per se is worthy of more general study. This, when taken further, points to the ways in which mind can influence the matter of the body. Of course, mind itself is an activity of matter, so we may retain the experimental approach that has told us about the world outside ourselves to examine the world that is inside our brains. New techniques and approaches to these once intractable problems are now in train. Where they will lead us we cannot predict, but as with the emergence of all new tools, we have to adopt those ethics that will carry us forward with the expectation that we will maximise benefits and minimise harms. An International Conference held in Warsaw, April 12–13, 2003, entitled ‘Placebo: Its Action and Place in Health Research Today’ was attended by some 200 individuals who heard 25 presentations delivered by participants from the wider Europe and North America.     

Emotional regulation goals and strategies of teachers

This study addresses two questions: what goals do teachers have for their own emotional regulation, and what strategies do teachers report they use to regulate their own emotions. Data were collected from middle school teachers in North East Ohio, USA through a semi-structured interview. All but one of the teachers reported regulating their emotions and there were no gender or experience differences in spontaneously discussing emotional regulation. Teachers believed that regulating their emotions helped their teaching effectiveness goals and/or conformed to their idealized emotion image of a teacher. Teachers used a variety of preventative and responsive emotional regulation strategies to help them regulate their emotions. Future research on teachersrc="/content/j64355118505633w/xxlarge8217.gif" alt="rsquo" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0"> emotional regulation goals and strategies should examine the role of culture and the relationship of emotional regulation goals with teachersrc="/content/j64355118505633w/xxlarge8217.gif" alt="rsquo" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0"> other goals, stress, and coping.     

Parameterization of connectionist models

We present a method for estimating parameters of connectionist models that allows the model’s output to fit as closely as possible to empirical data. The method minimizes a cost function that measures the difference between statistics computed from the model’s output and statistics computed from the subjects’ performance. An optimization algorithm finds the values of the parameters that minimize the value of this cost function. The cost function also indicates whether the model’s statistics are significantly different from the data’s. In some cases, the method can find the optimal parameters automatically. In others, the method may facilitate the manual search for optimal parameters. The method has been implemented in Matlab, is fully documented, and is available for free download from the Psychonomic Society Web archive atwww.psychonomic.org/archive/.     

Contextual control in discrimination reversal learning

In 3 human predictive learning experiments, the authors examined contextual control of responding in discrimination reversal learning. In Phase 1, a discrimination between 2 stimuli (A+, B-) was trained in Context 1. During Phase 2, participants received discrimination reversal training (A-, B+) in Context 2. Testing occurred in Context 1 and Context 2 (Experiments 1A and 1B) or in Context 1 and Context 3 (Experiment 2). During the test phase, performance in Context 1 and Context 2 reflected the contingencies trained during Phase 1 and Phase 2, respectively. When testing occurred in Context 3, there was no discriminative responding between A and B. In addition, the experiments demonstrated that discriminating stimuli with a consistent reinforcement history were also affected by contextual manipulations. Results indicate that each training context acquires the ability to control performance. Unique-cue and configural approaches account for a major part of the results.     

How choice of mouse may affect response timing in psychological studies

Mice from the early 1990s seemed to offer a cheap and viable alternative to more expensive response boxes, with fairly consistent results being found between studies. However, has anything changed in the intervening decade? Are newer mice technologies necessarily better? Is USB a better mouse interface than the old-fashioned serial interface? With such questions in mind, we outline a method for bench-testing the timing characteristics of mice outside of a PC, in order to predict their contribution to response timing. A sample set of mice was testedunder a visual stimulus—response paradigm, using E-Prime to compare predicted performance with measured response registration. A representative range of mice technologies was tested alongside a standard keyboard and an E-Prime deluxe response box. The implications for using any response device other than a recognized response box are discussed.     

The Budapest meeting 2005 intensified networking on ethics of science

This paper reports on the meeting of the Sounding Board of the EU Reprogenetics Project that was held in Budapest, Hungary, 6-9 November 2005. The Reprogenetics Project runs from 2004 until 2007 and has a brief to study the ethical aspects of human reproductive cloning and germline gene therapy. Discussions during The Budapest Meeting are reported in depth in this paper as well as the initiatives to involve the participating groups and others in ongoing collaborations with the goal of forming an integrated network of European resources in the fields of ethics of science.     

Experiences of Prenatal Diagnosis of Spina Bifida or Hydrocephalus in Parents Who Decide to Continue with Their Pregnancy

The current study aimed to gain an understanding of the perspectives of those parents provided with a prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida or hydrocephalus and who decided to continue with their pregnancy. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 parents who learned of their unborn child’s spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus in the prenatal period. The interviewer asked parents about their experiences of receiving a prenatal diagnosis and their experience of coping throughout the remainder of the antenatal period. Parents’ reactions and experiences fell into five domains: response to diagnosis, experience of medical systems, information gathering, decision-making regarding continuation of the pregnancy following diagnosis and responses of significant others. Each of these domains is explicated. The findings derived from the current study have implications for professionals who provide support to parents during the prenatal period. Future research needs to further explore the common and unique issues for parents living in both urban and rural areas.