Caricature generalization benefits for faces learned with enhanced idiosyncratic shape or texture

Recent findings show benefits for learning and subsequent recognition of faces caricatured in shape or texture, but there is little evidence on whether this caricature learning advantage generalizes to recognition of veridical counterparts at test. Moreover, it has been reported that there is a relatively higher contribution of texture information, at the expense of shape information, for familiar compared to unfamiliar face recognition. The aim of this study was to examine whether veridical faces are recognized better when they were learned as caricatures compared to when they were learned as veridicals—what we call a caricature generalization benefit. Photorealistic facial stimuli derived from a 3-D camera system were caricatured selectively in either shape or texture by 50 %. Faces were learned across different images either as veridicals, shape caricatures, or texture caricatures. At test, all learned and novel faces were presented as previously unseen frontal veridicals, and participants performed an old–new task. We assessed accuracies, reaction times, and face-sensitive event-related potentials (ERPs). Faces learned as caricatures were recognized more accurately than faces learned as veridicals. At learning, N250 and LPC were largest for shape caricatures, suggesting encoding advantages of distinctive facial shape. At test, LPC was largest for faces that had been learned as texture caricatures, indicating the importance of texture for familiar face recognition. Overall, our findings demonstrate that caricature learning advantages can generalize to and, importantly, improve recognition of veridical versions of faces.     

Impact of Culture on Human Resource Management Practices: A 10‐Country Comparison

Le Mode`le de Culture Fit explique la manie`re dont l'environnement socio‐culturel influence la culture interne au travail et les pratiques de la direction des ressources humaines. Ce mode`le a e´te´ teste´ sur 2003 salarie´s d'entreprises prive´es dans 10 pays. Les participants ont rempli un questionnaire de 57 items, destine´ a` mesurer les perceptions de la direction sur 4 dimensions socio‐culturelles, 6 dimensions de culture interne au travail, et les pratiques HRM (Management des Ressources Humaines) dans 3 zones territoiriales. Une analyse ponde´re´e par re´gressions multiples, au niveau individuel, a montre´ que les directeurs qui caracte´risaient leurs environnement socio‐culturel de fac¸on fataliste, supposaient aussi que les employe´s n'e´taient pas malle´ables par nature. Ces directeurs ne pratiquaient pas l'enrichissement des postes et donnaient tout pouvoir au contrôle et a` la re´mune´ration en fonction des performances. Les directeurs qui appre´ciaient une grande loyaute´ des employe´s supposaient qu'ils remplissent entre eux des obligations re´ciproques et s'engagaient dans la voie donnant pouvoir aux pratiques HRM. Les directeurs qui percevaient le paternalisme et une forte distance de l'autorite´ dans leur environnement socio‐culturel, supposaient une re´activite´ des employe´s, et en outre ne pourvoyaient pas a` l'enrichissement des postes et a` la de´le´gation. Des mode`les spe´cifiques a` la culture qui mettent en relation ces 3 groupes de variables ainsi que les applications de ces recherches pour la psychologie industrielles trans‐culturellesont e´te´ de´battus.     

The irrelevant sound effect in short-term memory: Is there developmental change?

With two experiments, effects of irrelevant speech and classroom noise on serial recall of common nouns presented pictorially were investigated in children and adults. Experiment 1 used fixed list lengths for children (first graders) and adults. Experiment 2 used list lengths adjusted to participants' (second–third graders, adults) individual spans. In both experiments, children and adults were equally impaired by irrelevant speech. This contrasts with a related study (differences in methodology) by Elliott (2002), who reported severe increase in the detrimental impact of irrelevant speech with decreasing age. In both experiments, classroom noise had no effect in overall analyses. For Experiment 1, however, separate group analyses revealed impairment in children. Results suggest that effects of irrelevant sounds on serial recall stem from two separate mechanisms: Specific interference due to the sounds' automatic access to short-term memory, and/or attention capture. Only for the latter there is developmental change.     

The locus of perceived equidistance in binocular vision

Empirical studies of the locus of perceived equidistance in binocular vision have revealed a characteristic change of its form, depending on absolute distance. This result is commonly taken to indicate influence of vergence-related binocular information, a conclusion that is by no means exclusively dictated by the data. Heller (1997) has suggested an alternative theoretical account that is based on the idea of independently combining the outcome of monocular input transformations without any form of binocular interaction. This article provides an experimental test of the structural assumption lying at the core of the axiomatic foundation of Heller's theory. I test the so-called Reidemeister condition under reduced cue conditions in two settings for each of 7 subjects. The results provide strong evidence for the validity of the Reidemeister condition and thus challenge the view that the locus of perceived equidistance depends on vergence-related binocular information. The discussion of the factors contributing to the monocular input transformations emphasizes the role of the optical properties of the eyes.     

A TMS study of the ventral projections from V1 with implications for the finding of neural correlates of consciousness

The study of subliminal perception in normal and brain lesioned subjects has long been of interest to scholars studying the neural mechanisms behind conscious vision. Using brief durations and a developed methodology of introspective reporting, we present an experiment with visual stimuli that gives rise to little or no subliminal perception under normal viewing conditions. Coupled with transcranial magnetic stimulation, however, we find a dissociation between correctness and conscious awareness. Furthermore, we find support for the hypothesis that the ventral projection streams from V1 are necessary for visual consciousness.     

Motor adaptation to different dynamic environments is facilitated by indicative context stimuli

When humans are exposed to external forces while performing arm movements, they adapt by compensating for these novel forces. The basis of this learning process is thought to be a neural representation that models the relation between all forces acting upon the system and the kinematic effects they produce, called inverse dynamic model (IDM). The present study investigated whether and how the predictability of a given external force affects the selection of an appropriate motor response to compensate for such force. Adult human subjects (N=32) held a handle that could rotate around the elbow joint and learned to perform goal-directed forearm flexion movements, while an external velocity-dependent negative damping force was applied that assisted forearm movement. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. In the associative group, the applied damping force was always associated with a specific initial position. Thus, after initial learning, the force application became predictable. In the non-associative group, where the same movements were performed, the applied force was independent of the initial position, so that no association between force and location could be formed. We found that only the associative group significantly reduced target error when damping was present. That is, the location cue aided these subjects in generating dynamic responses in the appropriate limb. Our results indicate that motor adaptation to different dynamic environments can be facilitated by indicative stimuli.     

Acquisition and use of mental operators: the influence of natural order of events

The present article reports two experiments investigating the influence of natural order of events on the acquisition and use of knowledge about operations, in short mental operators. The principle of use specificity states that task performance depends directly on the similarity between acquisition context and the present situation. In contrast, the principle of natural order proposes that knowledge about operations can always be applied easier (faster) if reasoning follows the natural order of events. In Experiment 1, participants had to apply alphabet-arithmetic operators and LISP functions in a prognosis task (A + 2 = ?) or a retrognosis task (? - 2 = A). In alphabet-arithmetic, an advantage for the first kind of task at the beginning of training decreased with increasing practice. In LISP, however, a preference for this task (corresponding with a prospective knowledge use) emerged with increasing practice. In Experiment 2, arithmetic relations between digit pairs had to be induced. In a causal context condition, relations were described as input and output of electric circuits, in a neutral context the relations were described as arithmetic dependencies. A preference for the prognosis task was found for the causal context condition (corresponding with a prospective knowledge use) but not for the neutral one. The findings suggest that the natural order of events moderates the acquisition and use of mental operators. Further research is required to clarify the bases for this moderation.