How is performance limited: Testing the notion of central capacity

Two-dimensional pursuit tracking task was employed in three experiments designed to test three predictions of the central capacity model of performance limitations under time-sharing conditions. These are the predicted effects of change in task difficulty, task emphasis and their interaction. Each of simultaneously performed tracking dimensions (horizontal and vertical) was treated as a separate task and manipulated independently. Tracking difficulty on each dimension and their relative emphasis were jointly manipulated. When frequency or velocity of target movement served as difficulty parameters, and control complexity was relatively low, tradeoffs between dimensions in different priority conditions were small and task difficulty had no effect on the performance of the concurrent task, neither did it interact with task emphasis. When control complexity was increased and in addition was manipulated as the difficulty parameter, linear tradeoff was observed and difficulty seemed to interact with task emphasis. These results cannot be easily accommodated within a strict central capacity model. An alternative interpretation based on a multiple capacity approach is outlined.     

Aspects of fear of personal death,levels of awareness,and religious commitment

This study used a multidimensional and multilevel approach to study the relation between fear of death and religious commitment. A multidimensional self-report measure of fear of personal death, four TAT cards known to elicit a relatively high frequency of death themes, and an index of Jewish religious commitment were administered to 178 young male Jewish Israelis. Unidimensional and multidimensional analysis of these measures suggested that Jewish religious commitment is related to a heightened specific sensitivity to death at different levels of awareness.     

Leisure patterns among retired workers: Spillover or compensatory trends?

Leisure behavior patterns after retirement were compared retrospectively with those of the preretirement period. The data, which related to former industrial and service workers in Israel, were examined within the context of the spillover and compensatory hypotheses, with retirement representing a non work sphere. Findings revealed a spillover effect, characterized by a high degree of passive, solitary leisure behavior both before and after retirement.