"Interdomain transfer between isomorphic topics in algebra and physics": Correction to Bassok and Holyoak (1989).

Reports an error in "Interdomain transfer between isomorphic topics in algebra and physics" by Miriam Bassok and Keith J. Holyoak (Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 1989[Jan], Vol 15[1], 153-166). On page 157, parts of two sentences in the Results and Discussion section were omitted. The corrected sentences are provided in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 1989-17879-001.) Three experiments examined transfer between 2 isomorphic subdomains of algebra and physics. The two areas were arithmetic-progression problems in algebra and constant-acceleration problems in physics. High school and college students who had learned one of these subtopics were presented with word problems that used either content from the domain they had originally studied or content based on the unfamiliar but analogous domain. Ss who had learned arithmetic progressions were very likely to spontaneously recognize that physics problems involving velocity and distance can be addressed using the same equations. Analysis of problem-solving protocols revealed that the recognition was immediate and that the solutions were a straightforward application of the algebraic method. Such recognition occurred even when the algebraic procedures were taught using example word problems all of which were drawn from a single content area (e.g., "money" problems). In contrast, Ss who had learned the physics topic almost never exhibited any detectable transfer to the isomorphic algebra problems. The results were interpreted in terms of content-free vs content-specific applicability conditions for mathematical procedures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationships between associative and content structure of physics concepts.

Investigated the development of the associative structure of physics concepts as a result of the content presented to the learner and the relationship between associative structure (as determined by a series of word association tests) and academic achievement. College students were divided into a treatment group of 19 Ss who received physics instruction and a control group of 11 Ss who did not. Experimental Ss' associative structures indicated significantly greater correlation with the instructor's associative structure after exposure to course content than previously; experimental Ss also were more similar to the instructor than control Ss. Comparison of regression models showed that associative structure itself contributed significantly to the prediction of achievement. Results suggest that assessment of associative structure may allow insight into a learner's progress which complements achievement testing. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Student reactions to topics in general psychology.

"Two hundred students in four general psychology classes were asked to rank 16 topics on five dimensions. The topics used on the ranking sheets were the 16 chapter titles in Ruch's "Psychology and life," the textbook used in the general psychology course… . The five dimensions along which the chapters were ranked were Interest, New Information, Organization (preferred order of topics), Ease of Understanding, and Usefulness (in everyday life)." Results are presented in two tables and discussed. "The five dimensions themselves were ranked in importance by Ss as follows: (1) Usefulness; (2) Interest; (3) Ease of Understanding; (4) Organization; and (5) New Information." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Challenges in researching racially sensitive topics in HMOs.

When research designed to close the disparities gap is conducted in real-world health care settings, unique sensitivities may arise, particularly when race is the focus of interventions. Researchers encountered this issue in the course of a randomized trial investigating the influence of ethnic identity (EI) among African American (AA) study participants. The study was conducted by the research programs at three health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and the University of Michigan Center for Health Communications Research, as described in this issue of the journal (Resnicow et al., 2009). This commentary describes the research partnership’s concerns for the racially sensitive nature of the study and the precautions undertaken to mitigate them. The research study’s experiences may be informative and insightful for health plans and research centers invested in health disparities research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental psychology and nineteenth-century physics.

Comments on the report of the Committee on Scientific and Professional Aims of Psychology (1967). Cowan suggests that the report made a faulty analogy between experimental psychology and 19th-century physics. Experimental psychology, with the rest of 20th-century science, relies on a methodology that is bounded by logical inference. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interdomain interactions between the hydrophilic domains of the mannitol transporter of Escherichia coli in the unphosphorylated and phosphorylated states

Interdomain interactions in the mannitol-specific enzyme II of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system of Escherichia coli play a key role in the mechanism of mannitol transport across the membrane [Boer et al. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 3239-3247; Loikema et al. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 6716-6721]. In this study, we focus on the interaction between the hydrophilic A and B domains and try to determine those as a function of the phosphorylation state of the enzyme. To this end, unfolding studies on the subcloned domains IIAmtl and IIBmtl, as well as on the binary combination IIBAmtl, were performed, both in the unphosphorylated and in the phosphorylated states, using GuHCl and heat as the denaturant. It is shown that IIAmtl and IIBmtl, as well as P-IIAmtl and P-IIBmtl, unfold according to a two-state mechanism but that IIBAmtl and P2-IIBAmtl do not exhibit such behavior. Two transitions are observed instead, indicating a lack of strong positive cooperative interactions. DSC studies of the unphosphorylated proteins showed a destabilization of the B domain in IIBAmtl with respect to the free IIBmtl as indicated by a lowereing of the melting temperature and a lower enthalpy of unfolding. Furthermore, it is shown that phosphorylation has a destablilizing effect on both IIAmtl and IIBAmtl but not on IIBmtl. Possible explanations for this behavior and the biological relevance of the destabilizing forces in IIBAmtl are discussed.     

Review of Current topics in rehabilitation psychology.

Reviews the book, Current topics in rehabilitation psychology edited by Charles J. Golden (1984). Every few years an edited volume of chapters on rehabilitation psychology is published. The latest contribution, Current Topics in Rehabilitation Psychology, edited by Charles Golden, is written for students, professionals, and educated lay people who want to learn about some of the recent advances in the field. Golden makes clear, and quite correctly so, that the volume is not a comprehensive coverage of all the areas of research, training, and service that are in the domain of rehabilitation psychology. Instead, after two chapters giving an overview of the field, several specific areas are addressed. They include management of chronic pain, cognitive retraining in brain damaged patients, rehabilitation and aging, adjustment of people with spinal cord injury, vocational training of people with severe developmental disabilities, biofeedback, and the role of personality in attitudes toward those with physical disabilities. The book would have profited greatly from more careful editing. Although the quality of writing varies from author to author, the grammatical errors, misspellings, and garbled sentences are uniformly so numerous that they sometimes distract the reader from the valuable content of the chapters. Nevertheless, the book is worthwhile as one that gives an overview of several specific topics and supplies rich bibliographies to those wishing to learn more. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Phospholipid transfer between plasma and platelets in vitro

Washed rabbit platelets were resuspended in plasma in which all of the major phospholipids had been isotopically labeled by injection of 32PO4 into rabbits. At certain time intervals during a 6-hr incubation at 37 degrees C, aliquots were removed from the incubation mixture and the platelets were isolated and subjected to lipid extraction and phospholipid analysis. A continuous rise in platelet non-lipid-bound and lipid-bound radioactivity was observed through-out the incubation period. Two platelet phospholipids, lecithin and lysolecithin, were significantly labeled, whereas little or no labeling of the other phospholipids was found. There was no detectable change in total or individual platelet phospholipid content. At 6 hr, 4% of total platelet phospholipid, 43% of platelet lysolecithin, and 7% of platelet lecithin were labeled. Platelets incubated in plasma from rabbits with diet-induced hyperlipidemia took up and incorporated significantly more label into their phospholipids than did platelets in normal plasma. Labeling of both platelet lysolecithin and lecithin could be due to uptake and metabolism of plasma lysolecithin by platelets. However, labeling of platelet lecithin could at least in part be the result of direct exchange of this phospholipid with the plasma. Uptake and incorporation of endogenous plasma lysolecithin by platelets and, possibly, direct exchanged of platelet lecithin may be important mechanisms in the modification by plasma lipids of platelet membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition and platelet function.     

Statistics: Modern psychology and modern physics.

Comments on A. Signorelli's conclusions (see record 1975-07405-001) that the employment of statistics in psychology is not similar to the use of mathematics in modern physics and states that Signorelli misinterprets the trends of modern physics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Meta-analogical transfer: Transfer between episodes of analogical reasoning.

Meta-analogical transfer (i.e., transfer due to forming an analogy between analogies) was demonstrated in 4 experiments. Results suggest that the basis of meta-analogical transfer was transfer of predicate mappings (mappings of the concepts used to represent analogies) between separate episodes of analogical reasoning. Episodes of letter-string analogy problem solving of the form "If abc were changed into abd, how would you change kji in the same way?" were used. In Experiment 1 participants generated solutions in 2 separate analogical reasoning episodes. Order of presentation effects provided evidence of transfer of predicate mappings. Experiments 2a and 2b reinforced these findings, demonstrating transfer when mappings for the 1st analogy were directly manipulated by having participants justify an answer to the 1st analogy. Experiment 3 demonstrated that a mapping of nonidentical predicates (successor to predecessor) can also be transferred. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On metaphor in psychology and physics: Reply to Farrell.

Replies to the comments of E. Farrell (see record 1986-26104-001) on the analysis by the present authors (see record 1986-10704-001) of applications of metaphor in the history of physics and psychology. It is suggested that although metaphor is an element in the complex that makes up a research tradition, its status is no higher than that of any of the other elements, any of which may influence the metaphor or be influenced by it. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Heat transfer between fish and ambient water

A theoretical model is developed to predict pressure changes and velocity profiles within the foetal lung during its sporadic bursts of activity. Because of the small volume flow rates and relatively high frequencies, the linearised, unidirectional Navier-Stokes equations are used to calculate these values. About 70% of the pressure drop occurs in the first four generations and is an order of magnitude higher than the equivalent Poiseuille pressure drop. Velocity profiles, pressure falls within each generation together with the total pressure drop at different times during the cycle are illustrated.     

Structured play therapy: A model for choosing topics and activities.

This article presents a model to be used for structured play therapy for use with adolescents and children ages 7 yrs and older. Structured play therapy is a form of play therapy that is directive and uses planned, structured activities in almost every session. This model was developed to provide a framework for appropriate timing and sequence of structured activities. This article describes structured play therapy and how it differs from nondirective play, presents a structured play therapy model, presents specific guidelines for choosing appropriate structured activities and exercises, and presents a case study demonstrating application of the model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mass transfer between solid and liquid in a gas-stirred vessel

Mass transfer between solid and bulk liquid in an axisymmetric gas-stirred water model of a metallurgical reactor has been investigated both experimentally and theoretically. To this end, mass transfer rates from benzoic acid compacts submerged in an aqueous gas bubble driven system were measured via a weight loss technique. In conjunction with the weight loss measurements, liquid velocity and turbulence kinetic energy distributions in the bath were also mapped via laser doppler velocimetry (LDV). From the detailed LDV measurements, relevant dimensionless groups such as $\operatorname{Re} _{loc,r} \left( { = \frac{{d\rho \sqrt {u^2 + v^2 } }}{\mu }} \right)$ and $\operatorname{Re} _t \left( { = \frac{{d\rho \hat u}}{\mu }} \right)$ were estimated. Experimental measurements indicated that flow parameters varied from one location to another within the system. The corresponding variation in dissolution rates was, however, less pronounced. Such a trend was observed for all three gas flow rates studied. It was found that experimentally measured dissolution rates can be correlated with the measured flow and turbulence parameters (viz., √u ²+v ² and û) in terms of a previously reported dimensionless correlation, viz., Sh=0.73 (Re_loc,r )^0.25 (Re _t )^0.32 (Sc)^0.33. Parallel to flow measurements, a two-phase turbulent flow model was also applied to numerically compute the distributions of mean and fluctuating velocity components in the vessel. Embodying the predicted velocity components in the aforementioned correlation, mass transfer rates were recalculated. A comparison between the two sets of Sherwood numbers (estimated on the basis of the experimentally measured and theoretically predicted flow fields) suggests that solid-liquid mass transfer rates in a gas-stirred vessel can be predicted reasonably well via an axisymmetric, steady-state, two-dimensional turbulent flow model.     

A structural equation model of expertise in college physics.

A model of expertise in physics was tested on a sample of 374 college students in 2 different level physics courses. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypothesized relationships among variables linked to expert performance in physics including strategy use, pictorial representation, categorization skills, and motivation, and these variables were examined for their influence on physics achievement. Gender was included in the model to examine how it influenced achievement indirectly through its influence on the other variables in the model. Two levels of expertise were examined by testing the model on trigonometry-based physics students and on more advanced, calculus-based physics students. Results were similar across both levels of expertise: For both courses, student motivation had a significant influence on students’ strategy use and categorization skills. Categorization skills, in turn, influenced student achievement directly, and indirectly, through strategy use. Strategy use had a significant influence on achievement. Pictorial representation played little role in the model. Gender contributed primarily through motivation, but for the more advanced level course it also directly predicted strategy use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Environmental psychology and sustainability: Comments on topics important for our future.

This article emphasises the importance of psychology for the study and mitigation of sustainability issues. Over the past 20 years, a number of special issues on human behaviour and the environment have emerged in the literature, characterising the breadth of environmental problems and their consequences for our quality of life. The articles in this special section focus on psychology's role in interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability, with special attention given to the interdependency of environmental and human health. In this article, the authors summarise the main points of each of these contributions. In addition, they suggest tangible ways in which psychologists can meaningfully contribute to the environmental cause as individuals, practitioners, teachers, researchers, and administrators. Finally, the authors highlight future directions for research and practice in environmental psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Forensic psychology: Emerging topics and expanding roles.

Reviews the book, Forensic psychology: Emerging topics and expanding roles by Alan M. Goldstein (see record 2006-13463-000). The main goal of this book is to provide a comprehensive examination of diverse specialized topics related to practice and research in forensic psychology. It was intended to address specialized issues not covered in his Forensic Psychology (the original planned title for the book under review was Forensic Psychology: Advanced Topics), which effectively covered the "bread and butter" topics in the field. The editor now has made an effort to provide the reader with a wide array of specialized forensic topics of interest primarily to psychologists, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students who practice in the areas of forensic assessment and treatment. The contents also are well suited for law students and lawyers who represent clients coming into contact with the mental health system. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)