Semantic distance in memory structure: The retrieval of conceptual relationships

Four experiments are described which aim to distinguish the relative contributions of measures of semantic distance based on formal and normative criteria. Experiment I replicates a previous finding by Collins and Quillian (1969) that sentence confirmation RTs support a hierarchically-organised memory model. Experiments II and III minimised the role of syntactic processes and examined the times taken to “see the relationship” between pairs of concepts. The results also supported a hierarchical model but cast doubt upon the formal distinction between superset and property relationships. Experiment IV showed similar results using only property relationships of the “has” form. Multiple regression analyses of the data indicate that “number of intervening links” is a more consistent predictor of RT than “associative” measures of semantic relatendness and confirm strong linearity effects consistent with a hierarchical model of storage.     

Effectiveness of the GOFER course in decision making for high school students

The paper describes and evaluates the GOFER course in decision making for high school students (Mann, Harmoni and Power, 1988). The course was based on principles from the conflict theory of decision making (Janis and Mann, 1977) and was designed to provide adolescents with an understanding of factors that produce good and poor decision making as well as knowledge and practice of sound decision skills. Two evaluation studies were conducted to examine effectiveness of the course. Study 1 was conducted with young adolescents (12 year olds). It found a significant difference between students trained in the course and a control group on measures of self-esteem as a decision maker, self reported decision habits and knowledge of decision strategy. Study 2 was conducted with mid-adolescents (15 year olds). It, too, found a significant difference between students who took the course and a control group on measures of self esteem as a decision maker and self-reported decision habits. It is concluded that while the evaluation study fell short of an ideal test, the GOFER course met the criteria of improving student knowledge, raising confidence in decision making and changing self reported decision habits.     

Strategic and tactical limits of comparison studies

A comparison study is an experiment whose primary purpose is to compare directly (regardless of experimental design) at least two different procedures for changing behavior or two or more components of such a procedure. This paper argues that, in spite of their popularity, such studies typically lead to inappropriate inferences with poor generality based on improper evidence gathered in support of the wrong question, thus wasting the limited experimental resources. The discussion considers problems concerning the functions of comparison studies, the nature of the comparisons that are attempted, the generality of their findings, and the limited role that they can play in technological research.     

Subjective probabilities and betting quotients

This paper addresses the problem of why the conditions under which standard proofs of the Dutch Book argument proceed should ever be met. In particular, the condition that there should be odds at which you would be willing to bet indifferently for or against are hardly plausible in practice, and relaxing it and applying Dutch book considerations gives only the theory of upper and lower probabilities. It is argued that there are nevertheless admittedly rather idealised circumstances in which the classic form of the Dutch Book argument is valid.Probability is the very guide of life' (Bishop Butler).     

Reliability of parental reports using the Katz Adjustment Scales: before and after hospital admission for schizophrenia

We examined the interrater and test-retest reliability of the KATZ Adjustment Scale (Relative rated or R form) longitudinally in a sample of schizophrenic patients, assessing their function before hospital admission, as well as at 1 and 9 mo. after discharge. Changes in mean scores over those assessments suggested sensitivity to change while mothers and fathers both completed the measure with moderate consistency over time. Interrater reliability was moderate at best and quite poor at initial testing, when the subjects were most disturbed clinically, suggesting that the scales may be acceptable when the individual is stable but that ratings may be unreliable when there is an exacerbation in clinical state.     

Is dependence on phonological information in children's reading a product of instructional approach?

Eight-year-old British children were found to be less accurate at rejecting pseudohomophones than ordinary nonwords in a lexical decision task, but 8-year-old New Zealand children did not show this effect. A subsequent homophone decision task showed that this difference was not due to the New Zealand children being unable to distinguish pseudohomophones from other nonwords. The New Zealand children, however, were less accurate than the British children in pronouncing the pseudohomophones they had identified. It was argued that the British children tended to sound out the items before making a choice in the lexical decision task, which gave salience to phonological rather than visual information, resulting in increased errors to the pseudohomophones. It was concluded that where the British children showed this dependency on use of phonological information it was a product of the teaching approach they had experienced.