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Biomedical subjects

D R Goodenough

Publications and source records attributed to D R Goodenough.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

The role of frame size on vertical and horizontal observers in the rod-and-frame illusion.

The rod-and-frame illusion was used to examine a proposed distinction between the mechanism responsible for frame effects on rod-adjustment errors with large displays and the mechanism responsible for errors with small displays. It was suggested that visual-vestibular mechanisms are involved only when the rod is surrounded by a large tilted frame. Errors in the perceived vertical with small frame would instead be due to purely visual mechanisms. To examine this dual process model, we compared errors at small and large frame when the body was vertical or horizontal. There is evidence to suggest that tilting the body affects visual-vestibular interactions, but there is no reason to expect that body tilt would affect intravisual interactions. Hence, we hypothesized that body tilt would increase errors for large frame, but not for small frame. Eight subjects were tested in four different conditions, corresponding to the combination of two body orientations (vertical versus horizontal) and two frame sizes (47.5 versus 10.5 deg of visual angle). Fourier analysis of data was performed. Repeated measures ANOVA tested the hypothesis about frame size and body orientation. The hypothesis was not confirmed. More specifically, we found that tilting the body increased errors for the small frame as well as for the large frame. The interaction between frame size and body orientation was not significant. Results are discussed in relation to the proposed dual-process model.

Adult

Subjective estimates of body tilt and the rod-and-frame test.

The existence of an illusion of self-tilt in the rod-and-frame test was demonstrated using a magnitude-estimation procedure. Subjects, seated in a tiltable chair, estimated their body tilt after being placed in one of 13 body tilt positions and while viewing a rod-and-frame display. A shift of the apparent body position occurred in the opposite direction of frame tilt. The results are consistent with earlier findings using the method of body and head adjustment.

Female

A study of X chromosome linkage with field dependence and spatial visualization.

The purposes of this report are to describe a design for the study of X linkage, to illustrate its application using cognitive test scores, and to offer a linkage hypothesis suggested by these data. Sixty-seven three-son families were examined for two X chromosome marker variables--red-green color vision and Xg(a) blood groups--and given a battery of cognitive tests of field dependence and spatial visualization abilities. Evidence was found to suggest that brothers who are identical in Xg(a) phenotype are more similar to each other in extent of field dependence than brothers who are different in Xg(a) phenotype. This result is tentative because of the small number of informative cases and the many linkage associations examined. If cross-validated, such a finding would be consistent with the proposition that an X chromosome gene contributes to the field dependence cognitive style.

Blood Group Antigens

[Model for the recall of dreams upon waking, proposed to account for impairment of memory of dreams].

A two-stage model is presented to account for the difficulties found in sleep learning and dream recall. The model assumes that information processing in a short-term memory store facilitates subsequent retrieval from long-term storage and that such processing is impaired during sleep. As a result, it is suggested that information confronting the sleeping person very likely can only be retrieved if an awakening occurs during the life of the short-term memory trace. However, it is proposed that material occurring during or shortly after awakening, competes with information occurring during sleep for space in the limited capacity processing system, with the most important being favored for processing. Interference and repression are included as additional factors affecting retrieval from longterm storage.

Conscience

Psychological differentiation as a factor in conflict resolution.

Previous studies have shown that persons matched in level of differentiation are likely to develop greater interpersonal attraction in the course of an interaction than are mismatched persons. These studies were all conducted in situations where the interacting persons were working toward a common goal. To test the hypothesis that situational variables may moderate match-mismatch effects, the present study investigated these affects when the interacting persons were in conflict. Based on their performance in tests of field dependence-independence, subjects were selected as relatively high or relatively low in level of differentiation. Three kinds of dyads were composed-high-differentiation/high-differentiation, low-differentiation/low-differentiation, and high-differentiation/low-differentiation--and their task was to reconcile conflict on an issue about which they were known to disagree. It was predicted that because of the more accommodating quality of low-differentiation persons, dyads including one or two such subjects would more often reconcile their disagreements and show greater interpersonal attraction than would dyads consisting of two high-differentiation subjects. Both predictions were confirmed, supporting the hypothesis that the outcome of match or mismatch is mediated by situational variables.

Adolescent