Conceptual structure and conceptual tempo

Effects of Age and Sex on Speed of Finding Embedded Figures

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effects of age and sex on the speed for school students finding embedded figures. Twenty boys and 20 girls participated. Ten of each sex were in either Grades 3 or 4 and 10 of each sex were in Grades 11 or 12. Each subject was given three pairs of figures and told to find the simple figure which was embedded in the more complex figure. A 2 (age) × 2 (sex) × 3 (figures) mixed analysis of variance showed sex and age were significant. Boys found the hidden figures faster than girls, and older students were faster than younger ones. The results agreed with much of the previous literature.

Spatial- versus object-oriented architectural environments: preference and perception

This study examined changes in perceptual response and preference a specific category of architectural environment by age groups. Understanding relationships among age, perception, and preference is important in creating more appropriate environments. The hypothesis was that individuals who score field-dependent on an Embedded Figures Test would prefer architectural environments which support spatial orientation, while individuals who are field-independent would prefer environments without information on spatial organization or an object-oriented space. It was also hypothesized that children and elderly persons would score more field-dependent and prefer spatially orienting spaces. 64 subjects ages 4 to 85 years were recruited from local schools, various organizations for seniors and adults, given the Embedded Figures Test to measure field dependence, and were compared. Their scores were compared by preference for one of the two environments. Hypotheses were not supported for the spaces overall, however, clear patterns regarding seating preference were identified. Children and seniors had significantly more field-dependent preferences.

Tangential symbols: using visual symbolization to teach pharmacological principles of drug addiction to international audiences

Visual art was used to teach the biopsychiatric model of addiction to audiences in the Caribbean, Europe and Mideast. Art slides were tangentially linked to slides of pharmacological data. Stylistically dense art was processed by the intuitive right brain while spare notational pharmacological data was processed by the intellectual (rationalistic) left brain. Simultaneous presentation of these data enhanced attention and retention. This teaching paradigm was based on the nonliterate methods developed by Medieval architects and refined by Italian Renaissance philosopher, Marsilio Ficino.

Short-Term Stability of Adult Reflection-Impulsivity

Short-term stability of error and latency scores on the adult Matching Familiar Figures test was examined in 35 male and 35 female college students. Subjects received one form of the matching test in an individual testing session, followed by a second form approximately 2 wk. later. Results indicated moderate stability of errors and latencies for males and females, although the reliability for errors was generally lower than for latencies. The discussion focused on methodological implications of the findings.