The effects of perceptual set on the shape and apparent depth of subjective contours

Two experiments showed the influence of perceptual set on the perception of subjective contours. In the first, the perceived shape of a subjective-contour figure (a minimal version of the Ehrenstein configuration) was varied by altering the observer’s viewing set. The second experiment showed that apparent depth emerged in subjective-contour figures when observers were set to perceive the illusory contours.     

Evaluation of visual display surfaces by real users early in the design stage

Groups of non-computer scientists were tested to evaluate the potential of an as yet non-existent interactive terminal with a screen diagonal of one meter. A simulated large image terminal provided limited realistic interactions using software developed to give close proximity to the predicted visual effect. Subjective responses from 101 subjects were elicited from a questionnaire designed to evaluate specific aspects of the “terminal” in use. From this data, two types of screen (lenticular and plain) and two types of interaction devices (touch and remote pointer) were analyzed experimentally using a two-way factorial design. Potential end-users provided positive feedback concerning future use of the Large Image Terminal. Building a realistic mock-up revealed screen contaminations which would not have been discovered until a much later stage. Although statistical analysis of screen evaluations was equivocal, the questionnaire was sufficiently penetrating to separate the positive and negative features. This methodology was invaluable in guiding the design process. Copies of the questionnaire may be obtained from the authors at the Heriot-Watt address.     

Assisting At-Risk College Students With Attributional Retraining and Effective Teaching1

Attributional retraining appears to be an effective remedial intervention for college students. However, the potential moderating effects of student and classroom characteristics have not yet been investigated systematically. In two studies, attributional retraining was provided to low- and high-risk students, followed by a videotaped lecture presented by either an ineffective or effective instructor. Attributional retraining enhanced achievement on a lecture-based achievement test only when combined with effective teaching, improving the achievement of students who had previously performed poorly (Experiment l), and of low-achieving externals (Experiment 2). The intervention provided no advantage for previously successful students and low-achieving internals. Moreover, attributional retraining induced a more internal attribution profile in students with an external locus, and increased expectations of future success in both externals and internals, but again only when students also received effective instruction. These results suggest that contextual factors related to the classroom, such as quality of instruction, and individual differences have to be considered when developing attributional retraining programs.     

The effect of schooling on the development of fluid and cristallized intelligence: A quasi-experimental study

The question, whether schooling exerts a substantial influence on the development of intelligence is an issue of ongoing discussion. In our study we (a) present a quasi-experimental design to separate schooling effects from effects of chronological age and (b) apply it to intelligence test data of (n = 578) 10-year-old children. The results show that there are considerable schooling effects on all tests, including the tests of fluid intelligence, and that schooling effects explain most all of the intellectual progress made during 1 year of life at that age, measured by the increase in the mean scores of the tests.     

Postdecisional preference for decision-relevant information as a function of the competence of its source and the degree of familiarity with this information

Three experiments are reported concerning the determinants of postdecisional preferences for decision-relevant information. Two factors were considered: the competence of the source of the information and the degree of prior familiarity with the contents of the information. The first two experiments showed that the competence of the source of decision-supporting information affected the desirability of reading both types of information, whereas the competence of the source of decision-opposing information had very little effect on the desirability of reading either type. In the third experiment, the effects of giving subjects access to prior information supporting or opposing their view on their preferences for further information were investigated under conditions in which the number of choices of this later information were either limited or unlimited. The effects of prior information on choices of decision-supporting information were identical regardless of whether the total amount of information available was limited or unlimited: Less decision-supporting information was chosen when subjects had previously been exposed to decision-supporting information than when they had not, and this difference was greater when they had not previously been exposed to decision-opposing information. However, the choices of decision-opposing information under unlimited choice conditions increased with the amount of decision-supporting information previously read, but decreased with the amount of decision-opposing information previously read. The processes that underlie the choices of information under conditions in which several types are available are discussed.     

Author Correction: Social Job Stressors can Foster Employee Well-Being: Introducing the Concept of Social Challenge Stressors

Journal of Business and Psychology - In the published article “Social Job Stressors Can Foster Employee Well-Being: Introducing the Concept of Social Challenge Stressors”, there was an...