Speech-mediated retention in dyslexics

Dyslexics (6 to 9 yr. old) and a control group of 12 normal readers (second-graders) were tested on a memory task with rhyming and non-rhyming items. The most important finding is that both groups were penalized by rhyme, indicating speech coding. It was observed that the dyslexics were not less penalized by rhyme than were controls. The present results are compared with those of other recent studies.     

Does code-switching influence novel word learning?

Code-switching occurs regularly in the input to bilingual children. Yet, the effect of code-switched input on language development is unclear. To test whether word learning would be affected by code-switching, Spanish–English bilingual children (N = 45, 19 boys, Mean_Age = 5.05 years; ethnicity: 37 Hispanic/Latino, six Non-Hispanic/Latino, two unreported) were taught English-like novel words in two conditions. In the English-only condition, definitions for novel words were provided entirely in English. In the code-switch condition, definitions for novel words were provided in English and Spanish, incorporating code-switches. Children required fewer exposures to retain novel words in the code-switch than the English-only condition and this effect was not moderated by children's language ability or exposure to code-switching, suggesting that code-switched input does not pose word-learning risks to bilingual children, including children with lower levels of language ability.     

Sequential effects of catch-trials on choice reaction time

The aim of the study was to examine whether or not choice reaction time (RT) depends on catch-trial frequency. The results show a significant increase of mean RT as the catch-trial frequency increases from zero to 0.77. A similar effect has been shown previously in simple RT experiments. The interpretation of these effects on simple RT supposes the existence of an inverse relationship between catch-trial frequency and anticipated response frequency. This cannot be extended to a choice RT task since the subject must wait for the stimulus to arrive before deciding which is the appropriate response. The interpretation of the present results proposes preparatory adjustments prior to the arrival of the stimulus. Sequential effects found suggest that (1) the tendency to prepare for a stimulus at a trial was stronger when a stimulus was presented at the preceding trial than after a catch-trial, and (2) the frequency effects of catch-trials can be explained completely in terms of sequential effects.     

Does awareness of speech as a sequence of phones arise spontaneously?

It was found that illiterate adults could neither delete nor add a phone at the beginning of a non-word; but these tasks were rather easily performed by people with similar environment and childhood experiences, who learned to read rudimentarily as adults. Awareness of speech as a sequence of phones is thus not attained spontaneously in the course of general cognitive growth, but demands some specific training, which, for most persons, is probably provided by learning to read in the alphabetic system.     

Relationships between schizotypal features,trait anticipatory and consummatory pleasure,and naturalistic hedonic States

Motivation and Emotion - Deficient anticipatory and preserved consummatory pleasure are hypothesized in schizophrenia-spectrum conditions. However, corresponding findings regarding schizotypy are...     

Effects of divided attention and word concreteness on correct recall and false memory reports

Lists of thematically related words were presented to participants with or without a concurrent task. In Experiments 1 and 2, respectively, English or Spanish word lists were either low or high in concreteness (concrete vs abstract words) and were presented, respectively, auditorily or visually for study. The addition of a concurrent visual or auditory task, respectively, substantially reduced correct recall and doubled the frequency of false memory reports (nonstudied critical or theme words). Divided attention was interpreted as having reduced the opportunity for participants to monitor successfully their elicitations of critical associates. Comparisons of concrete and abstract lists revealed significantly more recalls of false memories for abstract than concrete word lists. Comparisons between two levels of attention, two levels of word concreteness, and two presentation modalities failed to support the "more is less" effect by which enhanced correct recall is accompanied by increased frequencies of false memories.     

Bridging the gap between joint and individual decisions: Deconstructing preferences in relationships

Most choice research has studied how people make decisions within a narrowly defined choice context and has not paid sufficient attention to the role of social context. We commend Simpson, Griskevicius, and Rothman for directing the attention of choice researchers to the study of joint decision making and current theories on relationships. Building on SGR, we propose that a relationship partner's influence varies with the type of decision at hand and with situational factors. We propose four possible types of decision episodes, defined by whether the decision stage and the consumption stage each occur singly or jointly, and explore how the decision type impacts the extent to which a decision maker will take a partner's preferences into account. We further discuss how situational factors, such as the environment in which the decision is made, as well as the mindset and cognitive resources of the decision maker, are likely to influence decision outcomes.     

Concreteness effects in bilingual and monolingual word learning

Previous studies have demonstrated that bilingualism can facilitate novel-word learning. However, the mechanisms behind this bilingual advantage remain unknown. Here, we examined whether bilinguals may be more sensitive to semantic information associated with the novel words. To that end, we manipulated the concreteness of the referent in the word-learning paradigm, since concrete words have been shown to activate the semantic system more robustly than abstract words do. The results revealed that the bilingual advantage was stronger for novel words learned in association with concrete rather than abstract referents. These findings suggest that bilingual advantages for word learning may be rooted, at least in part, in bilinguals' greater sensitivity to semantic information during learning.     

Commentary on “Night Cries: A Rural Tragedy” by Tracey Moffatt and Discussion of “States of Exile and Marginalization” by Gillian Straker

This is an excerpt of the work that I presented in Sydney last May at the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Conference “From the Margins to the Centre: Contemporary Relational Perspectives” in my capacity as discussant of Gill Straker’s work, which included the viewing of the film Night Cries by Tracey Moffatt. I focused on the relationships that are characterized by abuse of power, by inequalities that define interpersonal relationships, and by the type of trauma that ensues from them and on the ways and possibilities to find a way out, a method to reconcile with the victims.