Relationship between real similarity and assumed similarity with favorability controlled.

"The present study tests the hypothesis that subjects who share a number of characteristics in common with a stimulus person tend to assume greater similarity to him in common with him. Special attention is given to controlling the influence of favorability on the measurements of assumed similarity… . The data almost completely fail to support the hypothesis that… [assumed similarity] varies with… [real similarity] when the favorability component is controlled… . the data suggest that, when the stimulus object is relatively socially acceptable and has characteristics with which all S's are relatively familiar… [assumed similarity] is determined primarily by the favorability response set… and is almost uninfluenced by… [real similarity]." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Single-base sequencing and similarity comparisons

A "single-base sequence" is a DNA sequence in which the identities and locations of bases of only one type have been determined. We present experimental procedures for single-base sequencing and describe the effective use of existing software (FASTA) in similarity comparisons of single-base sequences. We determined the theoretical and experimental minimum sequence lengths required for identification of a sequence within a large dataset and optimized the FASTA parameters for use in single-base similarity comparisons. Single-base sequences have been used to identify cDNAs occurring in a database. Single-base sequencing could be used to reduce the redundancy of "shot-gun sequencing."     

Personality similarity and friendship.

Using the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule, "personality similarity or similarity of affect needs and of ways of expressing and receiving affect" was found to be a significant factor in interpersonal attraction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual preference similarity, attitude similarity, and perceived counseling credibility and attractiveness.

84 17–66 yr old homosexual men identified as holding either an activist or a nonactivist stance on gay advocacy rated the counselor's credibility and attractiveness on the Counselor Rating Form after listening to an audiotape-recorded segment of a counseling interview between a male counselor and a male client expressing sexual preference concerns. Ss heard the same counseling interaction except for counselor responses to 2 client questions, one related to counselor sexual preference and one related to counselor stance on gay advocacy. The counselor was rated more Expert, Trustworthy, and Attractive when he stated a sexual preference for men than when he stated a sexual preference for women or refrained from stating a sexual preference. Attractiveness ratings were a function of attitude similarity between the counselor portrayed on the tape recording and Ss in the study. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived similarity and the projection of similarity: The influence of valence.

Some of the implications of Heider's concept of balance were investigated using 104 students as Ss. Based upon their responses to the Revised Allport-Vernon Scale of Values, partially completed test booklets were prepared incorporating different degrees of similarity to each Ss' original answers. The Ss were required to complete them in the way the hypothetical person had. The results confirmed the hypotheses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Models of similarity and intensity.

Reviews the development of content models of similarity and their foundations in work on unidimensional similarity and multidimensional ratio estimation. The content and the distance models are discussed from several points of view, noting that with few exceptions, the distance model has a clear theoretical advantage. It is concluded that at present the content models may have a limited applicability in cases with only qualitative variations and cluster structures or dimensional variation of a nonradex kind. (50 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Understanding and similarity in marriage.

The following conclusions appear to be justified: (1) There is no evidence that happiness in marriage is a function of understanding the mate or is related to the similarity of selves of the mates. (2) Evidence indicates that marital happiness is associated with similarity of self perceptions of the mates. (3) Husbands and wives are no more similar in self perceptions than randomly paired men and women. (4) Marital happiness is related to the conformity of men to self perceptions of their sex. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal attraction and attitude similarity.

It "was hypothesized that (a) a stranger who is known to have attitudes similar to those of the subject is better liked than a stranger with attitudes dissimilar to those of the subject, (b)… is judged to be more intelligent, better informed, more moral, and better adjusted… and (c)… is evaluated more positively on… four [other] variables." The first 2 hypotheses were confirmed. From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4GE13B. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assumed similarity and opinion certainty.

To examine the effect of projected attitude similarity on certainty of own attitude, 2 samples of male undergraduates (N?=?40), commuters and fraternity members, indicated their own attitudinal position on 8 issues and then served in 1 of 4 opinion projection conditions: estimating the positions of those in their in-group, a student out-group, an irrelevant out-group (old veterans), or a no-target group. They then indicated their certainty about their previously expressed positions. In both studies, in-group targets elicited the most assumed similarity, and the irrelevant out-group elicited the least. Certainty of S's own position was greater after estimation of the positions of in-group Ss than after estimation of the opinions of relevant or irrelevant out-group Ss, or when given no opportunity to project. These certainty effects were due primarily to those issues Ss considered important. Additional analyses provided empirical support for 2 orthogonal components of assumed similarity, item content similarity and elevation similarity. The importance of a strong group identity as a basis for the increment in certainty conferred by assumed in-group similarity is discussed. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Genomic alterations in fallopian tube carcinoma: comparison to serous uterine and ovarian carcinomas reveals similarity suggesting likeness in molecular pathogenesis

Serous carcinomas of the fallopian tube, uterus, and ovary resemble each other both histologically and in clinical behavior. Comparative genomic hybridization was performed on 20 primary fallopian tube carcinoma specimens to find regions of the genome involved in tubal carcinogenesis and to compare the genomic alterations with those previously detected in serous ovarian and uterine carcinomas. The most frequent changes detected in fallopian tube carcinoma were gains at 3q (70%) and 8q (75%), with high-level amplifications in several cases. Other common gains occurred at 1q, 5p, 7q, 12p, and 20q. The most frequent losses were found at 18q, 8p, 4q, and 5q. The frequency and the pattern of chromosomal changes detected in tubal carcinoma were strikingly similar to those observed in serous ovarian and uterine carcinomas, suggesting common molecular pathogenesis.     

Three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship analyses using comparative molecular field analysis and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis to elucidate selectivity differences of inhibitors binding to trypsin, thrombin, and factor Xa

Three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D QSAR) methods were applied using a training set of 72 inhibitors of the benzamidine type with respect to their binding affinities (Ki values) toward thrombin, trypsin, and factor Xa to yield statistically reliable models of good predictive power. Two methods were compared: the widely used comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and the recently reported CoMSIA approach (comparative molecular similarity indices analysis). CoMSIA produced significantly better results for all correlations. Furthermore, in contrast to CoMFA, CoMSIA is not sensitive to changes in orientation of the superimposed molecules in the lattice. The correlation results obtained by CoMSIA were graphically interpreted in terms of field contribution maps allowing physicochemical properties relevant for binding to be easily mapped back onto molecular structures. The advantage of this feature is demonstrated using the maps to design new molecules. Finally, the CoMSIA method was applied to elucidate structural features among ligands which are responsible for affinity differences toward thrombin and trypsin. These selectivity-determining features were interpreted graphically in terms of spatial regions responsible for affinity discrimination. Such indicators are highly informative for the lead optimization process with respect to selectivity enhancement.     

Alignment-based nonmonotonicities in similarity

According to the assumption of monotonicity in similarity judgments, adding a shared feature in common to 2 items should never decrease their similarity. Violations of monotonicity are not predicted by feature- or dimension-based models but can be accommodated by alignment-based models in which the parts of one compared display are placed in correspondence with the parts of the other display. In 2 experiments, evidence for nonmonotonicities is obtained that is generally consistent with the alignment-based model SIAM (similarity as interactive activation and mapping; R.L. Goldstone, 1994). The calculation of similarity in this model involves an interactive activation process whereby correspondences between the parts of compared displays mutually and concurrently influence each other. As SIAM predicts, the occurrence of nonmonotonicities depends on perceptual similarity of features and the duration of presented comparison.     

Respects for similarity.

Reviews the status of similarity as an explanatory construct with a focus on similarity judgments. For similarity to be a useful construct, one must be able to specify the ways or respects in which 2 things are similar. One solution to this problem is to restrict the notion of similarity to hard-wired perceptual processes. It is argued that this view is too narrow and limiting. Instead, it is proposed that an important source of constraints derives from the similarity comparison process itself. Both new experiments and other evidence are described that support the idea that respects are determined by processes internal to comparisons. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Exemplar similarity and the development of automaticity

Effects of exemplar similarity on the development of automaticity were investigated with a task in which participants judged the numerosity of random patterns of between 6 and 11 dots. After several days of training, response times were the same at all levels of numerosity, signaling the development of automaticity. In Experiment 1, response times to new patterns were a function of their similarity to old patterns. In Experiment 2, responses to patterns with high within-category similarity became automatized more quickly than responses to patterns with low within-category similarity. In Experiment 3, responses to patterns with high between-category similarity became automatized more slowly than responses to patterns with low between-category similarity. A new theory, the exemplar-based random walk (EBRW) model, was used to explain the results. Combining elements of G. D. Logan's (1988) instance theory of automaticity and R. M. Nosofsky's (1986) generalized context model of categorization, the theory embeds a dynamic similarity-based memory retrieval mechanism within a competitive random walk decision process.