Perceptual and motor skills
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Although several studies have examined the relationships among attention, impulse control, gender, and academic achievement, most have focused on clinical samples and have considered only one or two academic subjects. This study investigated these relationships among typically developing children using general achievement measures (academic scores and grades). ⋯ Girls had a higher level of attention and impulse control than boys, but gender was not a significant moderator between either attention or impulse control and academic achievement. We discuss the implications of these findings and the need for further research.
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Visual perception plays an important and integrating role in the development of cognitive abilities and perceptual-motor skills. Visual perception comprises different independent constructs that may function in an integrative manner. This study aimed to determine whether (and the extent to which) various visual-perceptual constructs influence the academic achievement of 12-year-old school children. ⋯ Spatial relationships showed slightly greater correlations with academic achievement ( r = .15 to r = .33) than did other basic visual perceptual constructs, possibly because spatial relationships are not completely developed at age 12. Complex and basic visual perceptual skills had medium significant retrospective correlations with grade point average ( r = .40 and r = .41) and first additional language ( r = .30 and r = .33). We concluded that basic and complex visual perceptual constructs remain important for academic achievement in this age-group, while gender and socioeconomic status influence both visual perceptual abilities and academic achievement.
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Recent research suggests that extinction occurring shortly after fear conditioning attenuates spontaneous recovery and reinstatement of fear. Two experiments investigated whether immediate extinction would prevent spontaneous recovery and reinstatement of fear using a passive avoidance paradigm. In Experiment 1, naive female adult rats (N = 40) received extinction training either immediately or 24 hours (delayed) after fear conditioning. ⋯ In Experiment 2, using a naive group of adult female rats (N = 16), the extinction result was replicated in both the immediate and delayed extinction groups at the 1-day interval. Reinstatement of fear, elicited by foot-shock in a neutral environment, was observed for the delayed group but not for the immediate group. By utilizing the passive-avoidance paradigm, these experiments replicate and extend previous findings that immediate extinction attenuates spontaneous recovery and reinstatement of fear.
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There is debate as to whether or not the Ebbinghaus illusion is driven by high-level cognitive size contrast mechanisms as opposed to low-level biphasic contour interactions. In this study, we examine the variability in effects that are shared between this illusion and a different illusion that cannot be explained logically by a size contrast account. This comparison revealed that nearly one quarter of the variability for one illusion is shared with the other - demonstrating how a size-contrast account cannot be the sole explanation for the Ebbinghaus illusion.
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Comparative Study
THE EFFECTS ON DRIVING SPEED OF A HEAD-UP DISPLAY OF ROAD WARNINGS (1).
This study investigated the superimposition of the projected markings on the road with head-up display, as well as their effects on the driver's speed. Two experiments were conducted. In Exp. 1, driving operations were simulated with a desktop computer to assess 18 deceleration markings (from the factors position, shape, and color) and determined the factors and levels influencing driving speeds. ⋯ In Exp. 2, there was no significant difference between the effects of the arrangement of markings and the change of shape and color on driving stability. Yellow and white colors had no significant effect on speed; however, bar markings were better than zigzag markings. The results indicated that the projection of markings on a head-up display was helpful for indicating necessary deceleration.