Right hemispheric dominance in gaze-triggered reflexive shift of attention in humans

Recent findings suggest a right hemispheric dominance in gaze-triggered shifts of attention. The aim of this study was to clarify the dominant hemisphere in the gaze processing that mediates attentional shift. A target localization task, with preceding non-predicative gaze cues presented to each visual field, was undertaken by 44 healthy subjects, measuring reaction time (RT). A face identification task was also given to determine hemispheric dominance in face processing for each subject. RT differences between valid and invalid cues were larger when presented in the left rather than the right visual field. This held true regardless of individual hemispheric dominance in face processing. Together, these results indicate right hemispheric dominance in gaze-triggered reflexive shifts of attention in normal healthy subjects.     

A descriptive analysis of early word combinations in deaf children's signed utterances

The use of pointing and its place in word combinations and the organization of sentences were examined in children acquiring Japanese Sign Language as a first language. Subjects were three deaf children of signing deaf parents, and were aged from 1 year 9 months to 3 years 1 month at the time of observation. They were observed and videotaped periodically in free play settings. Pointing gestures were observed frequently in the earlier utterances in the development of sign language. It was also found that some pointing was referentially redundant and had a fixed position at the end of a sentence. This suggests that pointing, as well as being used referentially, plays a grammatical role in organizing the sentence.     

Age differences in the effect of physical activity on depressive symptoms

This study examined associations between physical activity and depressive symptoms in 1,151 community-dwelling adults in Japan. Physical activity was measured using a pedometer, whereas depressive symptoms were assessed with the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale. A structural equation modeling with a cross-lagged panel design revealed that for the older adults (65-79 years of age), daily walking at baseline predicted fewer depressive symptoms at the 2-year follow-up, even after adjusting for confounders. In contrast, the association was not confirmed for the middle-aged adults (40-64 years of age). Findings suggest that age should be considered when estimating the effect of physical activity on psychological well-being.     

Auditory temporal cues can modulate visual representational momentum

In representational momentum (RM), the final position of a moving target is mislocalized in the direction of motion. Here, the effect of a concurrent sound on visual RM was demonstrated. A visual stimulus moved horizontally and disappeared at unpredictable positions. A complex tone without any motion cues was presented continuously from the beginning of the visual motion. As compared with a silent condition, the RM magnitude increased when the sound lasted longer than and decreased when it did not last as long as the visual motion. However, the RM was unchanged when a brief complex tone was presented before or after the target disappeared (Experiment 2) or when the onset of the long-lasting sound was not synchronized with that of the visual motion (Experiments 3 and 4). These findings suggest that visual motion representation can be modulated by a sound if the visual motion information is firmly associated with the auditory information.     

Ratings in Black and White: does racial symmetry or asymmetry influence teacher assessment of a pupil’s work habits?

Racial asymmetry, the circumstance of having a teacher’s race differ from that of his or her student’s race, is often considered important because most Black students are taught by White teachers. This paper analyzes data from a nationally representative sample of students and teachers to ascertain the extent to which Black and White teachers differ in their evaluations of the work habits of their Black pupils. Unlike most other investigations on this topic, we explored the likelihood that subject matter and school demographics influence teacher-student relationships beyond the more visible factors of racial symmetry or asymmetry. Our analyses of NELS: 88 data using this framework reveal an inconsistent racial effect on teachers’ evaluations of Black students. The ratings of African American pupils by both Black and White teachers seem to be influenced by both the academic subject they teach and the demographic characteristic of the school. We discuss these findings and suggest avenues for further study.

Dynamic facial expressions of emotion induce representational momentum

Two experiments were conducted to explore whether representational momentum (RM) emerges in the perception of dynamic facial expression and whether the velocity of change affects the size of the effect. Participants observed short morphing animations of facial expressions from neutral to one of the six basic emotions. Immediately afterward, they were asked to select the last images perceived. The results of the experiments revealed that the RM effect emerged for dynamic facial expressions of emotion: The last images of dynamic stimuli that an observer perceived were of a facial configuration showing stronger emotional intensity than the image actually presented. The more the velocity increased, the more the perceptual image of facial expression intensified. This perceptual enhancement suggests that dynamic information facilitates shape processing in facial expression, which leads to the efficient detection of other people's emotional changes from their faces.     

Feedlot veterinarians' moral and instrumental beliefs regarding antimicrobial use in feedlot cattle

This cross‐sectional survey research study examined the role moral beliefs play in predicting behavioural beliefs and attitudes and the role that subjective norms play in predicting moral beliefs. Using a self‐administered questionnaire, one hundred and three feedlot veterinarians completed measures of behavioural beliefs, referent others, perceived constraints and moral beliefs regarding recommendations to use antimicrobials in four situations (i.e. acutely sick cattle, chronically sick cattle, at‐risk cattle and high‐risk cattle). Regression analysis and F‐tests indicate moral beliefs as contributing significant increases in R² to models predicting behavioural beliefs regarding antimicrobial use in each situation. In addition, subjective norms contribute a significant increase in R² in models predicting moral beliefs in each of the four situations. The results indicate the effects of moral beliefs on behavioural beliefs are somewhat contingent on the condition; that is the level of risk associated with treating cattle with antimicrobials, the level of risk of not doing so, and the effectiveness of the antimicrobial in situations such as acute illness or being at‐risk of illness. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic fearful gaze does not enhance attention orienting in individuals with Asperger’s disorder

Although impaired joint attention is one of the core clinical features of pervasive developmental disorder including autistic disorder and Asperger’s disorder, experimental studies failed to report its impairment. This discrepancy might be the result of differences between real-life and experimental situations. The present study examined joint attention in 11 individuals with Asperger’s disorder and 11 age-matched controls under naturalistic conditions using a target detection paradigm with dynamic emotional gaze cues. Although both groups showed gaze-triggered attention orienting as assessed by the differences in reaction time for invalid minus valid cues, enhancement of joint attention by fearful (vs. neutral) gaze was observed in the control, but not in the Asperger group. This suggests that the integration of emotion and gaze direction that elicits strong joint attention is impaired in individuals with Asperger’s disorder.     

Bomb threats and offender characteristics in Japan

This study examined telephone bomb threats and offender characteristics in Japan (N = 101). The results showed that the most frequent offenders were middle‐aged men (mean 42.6 years), motivated by desire for money (46%), resentment (26%), or diversion (24%). In the case of female offenders, most were connected with the targets (83%). Categorical principle component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis differentiated the offenders into three themes. ‘Instrumental’ offenders telephoned the target directly (e.g. a bank or department store), demanding money by public phone. ‘Expressive/affective’ offenders motivated by resentment telephoned from their home and almost never had a criminal record. ‘Expressive/cognitive’ offenders motivated by diversion targeted railways and mostly telephoned emergency numbers. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.