Workers' central life interests and personality characteristics

Industrial workers who perceive work as their central life interest (CLI) also describe themselves as having a higher level of decisiveness, initiative, and supervisory ability than workers with other CLI orientations. Workers with CLI orientations in nonwork institutions have the lowest scores on decisiveness, need for occupational achievement, and initiative, and the highest need for job security, of the groups studied. Workers with no anchored CLI had the highest need for self-actualization and need for occupational achievement, of all groups. These personality characteristics are seen as consistent with the CLI orientations of individual workers, suggesting that the personality does “fit” some institutional setting, but not necessarily all those in which the individual functions.     

The response ratio hypothesis for magnitude estimation

Assume that each presentation of a signal produces two independent random variable representations and that the ratio of responses on successive trials of a magnitude estimation experiment are proportional to the ratio of a representation from the present trial, which representation is then lost, to the remaining one from the previous trial. The mean response to a particular signal depends on the mean of the representation used, but in general exhibits drift over trials and sequential effects due to the preceeding trial; the mean response ratio does not exhibit drift, but it has a simple form only when there are no sequential effects; however, a modified mean ratio function has a simple form. A model suggested by D. V. Cross is a special case of this one. Simple timing and counting models for the representations fail to exhibit sequential effects, contrary to considerable data. However, data of the authors have suggested a version of the timing model in which the sample size of the representation varies by an order of magnitude depending on how close the signal is to the preceding one; this hypothesis accounts for the observed sequential effects and other aspects of the data.     

An approach to geometry of visual space with no a priori mapping functions: Multidimensional mapping according to Riemannian metrics

A method of multidimensional mapping is described which constructs a configuration of points {P_i} in a Euclidean map of Riemannian space of constant curvature (hyperbolic, Euclidean, and elliptic) from the dissimilarity matrix (d_ij). The method was applied to the distance matrix in visual space where stimulus points Q_i were either small light points in the dark or small black points in the illuminated field surrounded by white curtains and d_ij represent scaled values of perceptual distances. Configuration of points {Q_i} were at intersections of parallel or distance alleys and horopters for the subject in the horizontal plane of the eye level. In contrast to the theoretical equations for {Q_i} by Luneburg and Blank, no a priori assumption on mapping functions between {Q_i} and {P_i} is necessary in this procedure to fit theoretical curves to {P_i} in the Euclidean map. The data were accounted for better by equations in the hyperbolic plane than by ones in the Euclidean plane. Discussions are made on robustness of Euclidean representation and on how to approach geometry of visual space as a dynamic entity under more natural conditions than the traditional frameless condition for alley and horopter experiments.     

The acquisition of prenominal modifier sequences

This paper presents a study of children's interpretations of prenominal modifier sequences like the one in ‘the second green ball’. In such phrases the modifier ‘second’ has scope over the rest of the phrase. It is shown that children misinterpret these phrases in such a way that it appears that they give ‘second’ scope only over the head noun of the phrase. A series of six experiments, all designed to test various hypotheses about the motivating factors behind this misinterpretation is described. Experiments 1 and 2 constitute a replication and extension of the work in this area originally done by Roeper (1972). Experiment 3 tests a set of hypotheses about the influence of certain syntactic variables in conditioning the children's misinterpretations. Experiment 4 is an attempt to check an hypothesis about the semantic complexity of phrases like ‘the second green ball’. Experiments 5 and 6 test the children's sensitivity to ordering constraints in different kinds of prenominal modifier sequences. The results are presented in Section 3 and discussed in Section 4. It is argued that the children's misinterpretations of the phrases come about because of their tendency to be conservative about the amount of hierarchically organized structure they will postulate in the absence of evidence that such structure is needed.     

Recognition memory of retrieved sequences of words

The subject was asked to retrieve words belonging to a given category, natural or artificially created. After n words were retrieved, a recognition task was given either immediately after or after a delay (4 hours, 7, 14, or 28 days). Several probe words were presented and the subject had to decide whether each had been retrieved or not. The length of retrieval sequence, n, was systematically varied. Results of three experiments showed that, in general, mean decision time was almost independent of n. Namely, recognition regarding self-generated lists of words seems to be due to a different information processing than recognition regarding lists of words presented by the experimenter to memorize. Implications of the findings for retrieval from long term memory were discussed.     

On the scales of measurement

Let $\text{X}$ = 〈X, ≧, R₁, R₂…〉 be a relational structure, 〈$\text{X, ≧}$〉 be a Dedekind complete, totally ordered set, and n be a nonnegative integer. $\text{X}$ is said to satisfy n-point homogeneity if and only if for each x₁,…, x_n, y₁,…, y_n such that x₁ ? x₂ ? … ? x_n and y₁ ? y₂ … ? y_n, there exists an automorphism α of $\text{X}$ such that α(x₁) = y_i. $\text{X}$ is said to satisfy n-point uniqueness if and only if for all automorphisms β and γ of $\text{X}$, if β and γ agree at n distinct points of $\text{X}$, then β and γ are identical. It is shown that if $\text{X}$ satisfies n-point homogeneity and n-point uniqueness, then n ≦ 2, and for the case n = 1, $\text{X}$ is ratio scalable, and for the case n = 2, interval scalable. This result is very general and may in part provide an explanation of why so few scale types have arisen in science. The cases of 0-point homogeneity and infinite point homogeneity are also discussed.     

Aphasic adults' understanding of complex adverbial sentences

Twelve aphasics with relatively preserved auditory comprehension were tested for their understanding of four adverbial sentence types expressing the temporal order of events. The relative effects of order of mention, adverbial choice, and adverbial clause placement on subjects' comprehension were investigated. Only adverbial choice was significant with aphasics producing more errors of temporal order on after than before sentences. Subjects' error patterns were not similar to those of children acquiring language. The results are discussed with respect to the theory of lexical marking and the regression hypothesis.     

Comprehension of gerundive constructions by Broca's aphasics

Eleven diagnosed Broca's aphasics were tested for comprehension of sentences containing gerundive constructions. Results showed that, as a group, these patients were sensitive to grammatical distinctions signaled by “function” words, contrary to the predictions of some current theories about the specific deficits exhibited in this syndrome. Further analysis showed that the patients fell into two subgroups, one which exhibited sensitivity to the distinctions in normal grammar, and another which exhibited no sensitivity to such distinctions. This suggests that the syndrome may have different manifestations in different populations—patient age is suggested as a possible means for distinguishing the two groups. Suggestions for further research into the nature of the comprehension deficits exhibited by Broca's aphasics are made.