Conceptual versus Perceptual Priming in Incomplete Picture Identification

This paper examined conceptual versus perceptual priming in identification of incomplete pictures by using a short-term priming paradigm, in which information that may be useful in identifying a fragmented target is presented just prior to the target’s presentation. The target was a picture that slowly and continuously became complete and the participants were required to press a key as soon as they knew what it was. Each target was preceded by a visual prime. The nature of this prime varied from very conceptual (e.g., the name of the picture’s category) to very perceptual (e.g., a similar-shaped pictorial prime from a different category). Primes also included those that combined perceptual and conceptual information (e.g., names or images of the target picture). Across three experiments, conceptual primes were effective while the purely perceptual primes were not. Accordingly, we conclude that pictures in this type of task are identified primarily by conceptual processing, with perceptual processing contributing relatively little.     

Adrenalectomy Causes Oxidative Damage and Monoamine Increase in the Brain of Rats and Enhances Immobilization Stress-Induced Oxidative Damage and Neurotransmitter Changes

The paradox that increased levels of glucocorticoids can either enhance or suppress the organism's defense against stress, has been an obstacle to formulating a unified picture of glucocorticoid function. To clarify the glucocorticoid paradox, we examined male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to immobilization stress and/or bilateral adrenalectomy (ADX), and measured oxidative damage to lipid, protein, and DNA, as well as monoamine neurotransmitter turnover. ADX, which is similar to stress, induces an increase in lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation, accompanied by increased monoamine neurotransmitter turnover in several regions of the brain of rats. The effect of ADX is greater than that induced by short-term immobilization stress. In addition, ADX enhances stress-induced oxidative damage and increase of monoamine neurotransmitter turnover. These results, together with our previous finding that long-term stress causes oxidative damage to the brain, suggest that stress levels of glucocorticoids, or levels lower than basal, cause oxidative damage. However, basal levels of glucocorticoids appear to buffer against oxidative damage. These findings provide possible mechanisms to understand the glucocorticoid paradox, and support the stress-oxidative hypothesis of aging acceleration.     

Fifteen years of pastoral psychology 1950–1965

Pastoral Psychology -