Task novelty and intelligence

Psychology students were presented with a mental puzzle based on knowledge of geometry, with several versions of Wason's selection task, and with some tasks of essay writing. Test scores were obtained on a sentence completion test and a test of spatial configuration. With the different problem-solving tasks, a relationship between success and intellectual ability was observed only in cases where the data indicated that the subjects were familiar with the task in question. The results support the theory previously set forth by Raaheim; that only in situations where the degree of novelty is moderate, will the intelligent use of past experience prove beneficial to problem solving.     

Associative response heterogeneity: an indicator of stimulus word semantic autonomy

The total number of different responses, given by a group of subjects to a stimulus word in a single-word, free-association situation ( D ), is a primary determinant of associative response latency (Tecce & Glassco, 1965; Flekkøy, 1981). D has traditionally been assumed to reflect a word's associative potential, and the increased latency to high D words has been explained by response competition. The results of the present experiments indicate, however, that D reflects in an inverse manner semantic autonomy , high D words requiring more contextual information for their semantic specification than low D words. The process of semantic specification requires time, creating the positive D -response latency relationship. Based on a semantic interpretation of D , associative response heterogeneity may be used as an index of a word's semantic autonomy.     

Temporal factors in audition and vision: A functional emphasis

Sixty-four subjects were tested in an experiment relating temporal factors to the modality effect. The experiment involved both an immediate recall and a recognition phase. Recall scores supported a functional view of the modality effect, while the one-and two-store models only partially predicted the data. The recognition data could only be accounted for in functional terms. A non-parametric compatibility score was suggested to capture the recognition performance. The effect of a shift of input mode (in Phase I) to test mode (in Phase II) was also analyzed.     

Validity of a group measure of individual associative domains

FlekkØy, K. Validity of a group measure of individual associative domains. Scand. J. Psychol., 1973, 14, 96–98.-Number of different responses given to a stimulus word by a group of subjects in a single-word free-association situation (D) has been presumed to be a measure of the magnitude of the associative potential connected with the stimulus word in the individual subject. The study compares D with mean number of different responses given to each stimulus word in a continued association situation (m), and finds no significant correlation (r=-0.04), which is interpreted to mean that D is not a valid measure of individual associative domains.     

Associative frequency and response latency

FlekkØy, K. Associative frequency and response latency. Scand. J. Psychol., 1973, 14, 199–202.MdashWith 176 Norwegian subjects in a single-word free-association experiment, latency of response was found to relate more highly to the number of different words associated with a stimulus word (D), than to the response frequency of the words involved. D is therefore assumed to reflect a basic characteristic of the associative relationship between the stimulus and response words. The inverse relationship between associative frequency and latency is interpreted to mean that frequency reflects some relatively frequent order of preference of possible response words for individual subjects.     

Individual Resiliency Factors from a Genetic Perspective: Results from a Twin Study

This article is part of the Twin Mother's Study, a study that examines influences on maternal adjustment. A number of studies have investigated the importance of genetic factors for mental health, but few of these examine how genes and the environment influence resiliency/salutogenic factors. This article investigates the relative importance of genetic and environmental influences on resiliency/salutogenic factors. This study includes 326 twin pairs (150 monozygotic and 176 dizygotic) who are mothers, who are living with their spouse, and who are part of the Swedish twin register. Using self‐report structured questionnaires, we assessed salutogenic factors, depression, and quality of life; however, we analyzed the questionnaires completed by the mothers. Statistical analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling. We conclude that nonshared environmental components were of principal importance in individual resiliency/salutogenic factors in a genetically informative design, but we also noted that genetic influences were important. The shared environment had mainly no effect.     

Attrition among families of divorce: Patterns in an outpatient psychiatric population

The accelerated divorce rate has greatly increased the number of children of divorce. In addition, the children and families of divorce are proportionately overrepresented in populations seeking child guidance and psychiatric services. However, the patterns in the use of such services by these families has been unexamined. In our study we find no differences in the use of outpatient psychiatric services between families where both biological parents are present and families of divorce. A closer look at the divorced families reveals that recently divorced mother-headed families more frequently interrupt both the evaluation and treatment phases of clinic contact. Several clinical patterns are described which help explain the finding and it is suggested that the traditional child guidance model may not be the most suitable intervention modality in working with these families.     

Semantic meaning and associative responding

Abstract.— The hypothesis tested was that the search for a response word in a single word, free association situation proceeds in the direction of decreasing semantic similarity between the stimulus and response words. Semantic features were assigned to the 50 first Kent-Rosanoff words and each of the three most frequent response words to each stimulus word, obtained in a single word, free association situation (N =176). An index for the number of semantic features shared by the stimulus and response words was found to decrease with increasing response latency, thus confirming the hypothesis. The findings further supports the assumption that semantic meanings of stimulus and response words are determinants of free. associative responding.     

Relation of number of different responses to group size and stimulus words in a discrete free-association situation

FlekkØy, K., Holme, I. & Mohn, E. Relation of number of different responses to group size and stimulus words in a discrete free-association situation. Scand. J. Psychol., 1973, 14, 4–8.-An exploration of the total number (D) of different responses given to a stimulus word in a single-word, free-association situation showed that (1) the first 50 Kent-Rosanoff words (in Norwegian) were highly heterogeneous with regard to D; (2) was an asymptotic function of the number of subjects; and (3) the larger D for schizophrenics may be attributed to their higher frequency of individual responses. It was also indicated that D may not be a valid measure of the magnitude of the associative potential of the individual.     

QUANTITATIVE PSYCHOPHYSICAL AND ELECTRO-PHYSIOLOGICAL DATA ON SOME ODOROUS COMPOUNDS

D rake , B., J ohansson , B., von S ydow , E. & D øving , K. B. Quantitative psychophysical and electrophysiological data on some odorous compounds. Scand.J. Psychol ., 1969, 10 , 89–96.—Magnitude estimations of odor intensity, and electrophysiological responses from frog olfactory epithelia, were obtained for dilution series of 8 odorous compounds. Comparing of data with each other and with known vapor phase concentrations showed relations between pooled psychophysical data and vapor phase concentrations, and between electrophysiological data and vapor phase concentrations, describable by power functions (exponents 0.26–0.50 and 0.18—0.39). There were also high correlations between electrophysiological data and individual as well as pooled psychophysical data. The results give an impression about the feasibility of using a biological detector in gas chromatography.