The recognition of threatening facial stimuli

Two studies examined the information that defines a threatening facial display. The first study identified those facial characteristics that distinguish between representations of threatening and nonthreatening facial displays. Masks that presented either threatening or nonthreatening facial displays were obtained from a number of non-Western cultures and scored for the presence of those facial features that discriminated between such displays in the drawings of two American samples. Threatening masks contained a significantly higher number of these characteristics across all cultures examined. The second study determined whether the information provided by the facial display might be more primary nonrepresentational visual patterns than facial features with obvious denotative meaning (e.g., diagonal lines rather than downturned eyebrows). The subjective response to sets of diagonal, angular, and curvilinear visual stimuli revealed that the nonrepresentational features of angularity and diagonality in the visual stimulus appeared to have the ability to evoke the subjective responses that convey the meaning of threat.     

Rater bias in the EASI temperament scales: a twin study

Under trait theory, ratings may be modeled as a function of the temperament of the child and the bias of the rater. Two linear structural equation models are described, one for mutual self- and partner ratings, and one for multiple ratings of related individuals. Application of the first model to EASI temperament data collected from spouses rating each other shows moderate agreement between raters and little rating bias. Spouse pairs agree moderately when rating their twin children, but there is significantly rater bias, with greater bias for monozygotic than for dizygotic twins. MLE's of heritability are approximately .5 for all temperament scales with no common environmental variance. Results are discussed with reference to trait validity, the person-situation debate, halo effects, and stereotyping. Questionnaire development using ratings on family members permits increased rater agreement and reduced rater bias.     

Dispersion in models of categorical perception

A signal detection theory model of auditory discrimination with a nonlinear mapping from stimulus continuum to perceptual continuum can account for the enhanced discrimination at the category boundary found in categorical perception. Properties of this transformation are specified by a unimodal “dispersion function”. Furthermore, it is shown that a system consisting of two acoustic feature detectors with an associated decision function is also a dispersive system, which models categorical perception of a stimulus continuum as well as boundary shifts under adaptation. The effect of detector adaptation on discrimination is discussed in view of three different types of decision variable and different types of detector noise.     

The effect of two schedules of primary and conditioned reinforcement

Of 23 pigeons, 11 received continuous reinforcement for key pecking, and 12 received an FR 10 schedule of reinforcement. The birds were then tested without food, but with potential conditioned reinforcers presented either on the same schedule as in training, on the other schedule, or not at all. Each bird in the subgroup trained on CRF and tested with S^r's at FR 10 not only gave more responses in testing than did each bird in both subgroups receiving no S^r's, but also gave more responses than did each bird in the S^r subgroup receiving CRF training and S^r's at CRF. Cumulative records are presented to show the effects of different schedules of conditioned reinforcers.     

Children's need for approval and achievement motivation: An interactional approach

This study examined the effects of children's need for approval (nApp) and a situational variable-frequency of expectancy statements-on children's achievement cognitions and behaviour. We replicated the Dweck and Gilliard (1975) paradigm, but also mea sured children's nApp. Ninety fifth grade boys and girls stated expectancies either prior to each trial, prior to the first and last trials, or prior to the last trial only. We found that although high and low nApp children lowered their expectancies after failure, high nApp children lowered them less than low nApp children. In contrast, persistence was influenced only by the frequency of expectancy statements and not by children's nApp. The results are discussed in the context of the interactional point of view in personality psychology.     

De la prise en charge de la progression de l'interlocuteur vers un but à l'autorégulation des entreprises cognitives

Lorsque la visée de la communication est de comprendre et de se faire comprendre, les processus d'échange d'information requièrent le monitorage, tant intra qu'interpersonnel, de la progression vers le but à chaque étape de l'entreprise socio-cognitive. J. H. Flavell a puissamment contribué à éclairer les composantes cognitives de ce monitorage. Après avoir rappelé les principaux éléments de sa contribution, pertinents pour l'analyse des processus de communication, nous introduisons la dimension constituée par l'interaction interpersonnelle dans le monitorage. Nous essayons d'apporter des éléments montrant que c'est au coeur des échanges que s'effectue sa prise en charge cognitive. Nous poursuivons l'examen de la collaboration entre interlocuteurs en vue d'assurer la transmission de l'information au sein des structures de l'échange en pointant en particulier le monitorage et les régulations interpersonnelles. Enfin, nous situons notre point de vue parmi les théories ayant cherché à définir le rôle éventuellement structurant des interactions sociales dans l'acquisition d'expertise. Selon nous, les habiletés s'installent d'abord largement grâce à la communication de type asymétrique, une variété de processus étant en jeu alternativement, puis elles sont intériorisées—appropriées alors par le sujet qui devient capable de monitorer sa propre activité d'après les modèles observés d'abord chez autrui.