Judgments and explanations as criteria for the presence of cognitive structures.

Reviews and resolves the current methodological disagreement over whether Ss' judgments or their explanations on Piagetian tasks should be viewed as the minimum necessary evidence for the presence of underlying cognitive structures. The principal features of Piaget's theoretical model of cognitive structure are summarized as a means of resolving the disagreement. It is concluded that (a) explanations are inappropriate bases for inferring the presence or absence of cognitive structure because they are subject to at least 2 sources of systematic Type II error; and (b) judgments are appropriate bases because (from the standpoint of Piagetian theory) they are not subject to any known source of systematic error. (43 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Internal residue criteria for predicting three-dimensional protein structures

The internal amino acid residues of proteins are almost always non-polar since the hydrophobic effect is very important in stabilizing the three-dimensional structure. This fact suggests several new criteria for judging the correctness of structures predicted from sequence data. The dinucleotide binding domain has been used as a test structure for these criteria. The percentage of ionic residues, mutation data, hydrophobicity, dipole moments, and internal preferences of the residues on the interiors of the known dinucleotide binding folds are consistent with expectations. On the other hand, the values of these parameters for predicted domains in glutamate dehydrogenase (Wootton, J.C. (1974) Nature 252, 542--546) and aldolase (Stellwagen, E. (1976) J. Mol. Biol. 106, 903--911) differ significantly from the expected values indicating that these predictions are not entirely correct. The internal residue criteria can then be used to test modifications of the predictions for a better correlation with the internal residue pattern of the domain.     

Postmortem on judgments, explanations, and Piagetian cognitive structures.

Replies to H. W. Reese and M. L. Schack's (see PA, Vol. 51:Issue 6) criticisms of the present author's earlier conclusion that judgments are not subject to any known source of error and explanations are subject to Type II error. It is shown that these criticisms are based on incorrect assumptions about Piaget's theory and Brainerd's conclusion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on Greenwood (2007): Functional plasticity in cognitive aging.

In this commentary on P. M. Greenwood's Functional plasticity in cognitive aging: Review and hypothesis (see recrod 2007-15625-001), the author raises a number of questions stimulated by the article. Although it may be premature to expect answers to those questions, the author argues that they ultimately need to be addressed and answered before Greenwood's speculations can be considered true hypotheses rather than a conceptual framework. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental extrapolation and cognitive penetrability: Reply to Ranney and proposals for evaluative criteria.

We propose three criteria for establishing that mentally extrapolated motions are impenetrable with respect to one's knowledge, beliefs, or expectations about the nature of corresponding physical motions, and we review recent findings on mental extrapolation and representational momentum that appear to meet these criteria. We also respond to some arguments recently proposed by M. Ranney (see record 1990-09028-001) and T. L. Hubbard and J. J. Bharucha (see record 1989-14283-001) that representational momentum is cognitively penetrable. We conclude that mental extrapolations are governed to at least some extent by the inherent properties of the underlying internal mechanisms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

There is more to aptitude than cognitive capacities: Comment.

Comments on the original article "Sex Differences in Intrinsic Aptitude for Mathematics and Science?: A Critical Review," by E. S. Spelke (see record 2005-15840-001). Spelke's critical review is a research-based rebuttal (though implicitly) of Summers's (2005) speech that posited a hypothesis that one of the reasons why women are underrepresented in math, science, and engineering may be sex differences in intrinsic aptitude for mathematics and science. Putting aside the question of whether the empirical evidence was sufficiently reviewed, the way Spelke conceptualized aptitude as a static rather than a dynamic quality (namely, cognitive capacities) rendered her critique of the "differences in intrinsic aptitude" hypothesis less effective in many respects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Geometrical criteria for formation of coiled-coil structures of polypeptide chains

Crick's general formulas describing a coiled coil are expressed in a different form to combine the parameters of a coiled coil with the backbone dihedral angles of a polypeptide chain, assuming that the bond lengths and bond angles of the chain are fixed. While the existence of a low-energy coiled-coil conformation depends on energetic considerations, these formulas, which pertain to single-stranded structures and, by application of symmetry operations, to multistranded structures, provide the geometrical criteria for the existence of coiled coils. The concept of "the averaged structure of the minor helix", introduced here, makes it possible to relate the shape of the major helix to that of the minor helix. It is shown, in the analysis of a simple model of a single-stranded coiled-coil beta structure, that strong geometrical restrictions exist for the formation of coiled-coil structures from a given minor helix conformation of a polypeptide chain; these restrictions are expressed in a general form that is applicable to any coiled-coil of any number of residues in a repeat unit. As an application, the possible existence of a two-stranded coiled-coil antiparallel beta structure is considered, both geometrically and energetically, and discussed in relation to the observed twisted beta structures in globular proteins. The proposed coiled-coil models of alpha-helical proteins are also examined briefly.     

Criteria for criteria.

"When one selects a criterion to evaluate the effectiveness of some independent variable, the choice is frequently made… . [on the basis of] relevance, expedience, or precedence." Among the criterion dimensions which might be studied are: (a) Time. (When is the measurement taken?) (b) Type. (What performance measure is selected and why that one?) (c) Level. (What level of performance is considered success or failure?) "If we knew more about the functioning of criterional variables, we should be able to predict which criteria are relevant for assessing effects of independent variables and with this knowledge, be able to state more concerning the operations of the independent and the intervening variables." From Psyc Abstracts 36:02:2AF28W. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on Gilbert.

Comments on the article by S. J. Gilbert (January, 1983) regarding the work of institutional review boards and the ethics of research with human subjects. Gilbert argues that until researchers can learn to take ethical issues in research seriously as ethical and not merely political problems, those same researchers are likely to be mystified by objections to their protocols. The solution is not to psychologize the committees, but for psychologists to do some honest reflection on the ethics of their own research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on Kukla.

Comments on an article by A. Kukla (see record 1983-20002-001) concerning the logical incoherence of value-free science. It is argued that Kukla's defense of biased observation leads to destruction of the idea of truth and hence to skepticism, solipsism, and nihilism. The attempt to make reality fit individuals' values is autistic. (1 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on Kimble.

Comments on G. A. Kimble's (see record 1989-28023-001) presentation of the core tenets of scientific psychology, focusing on the deterministic nature of psychological phenomena. Kimble's discussion of traditional science neglected modern physical theory, particularly quantum mechanics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on Parisi.

Suggests that, contrary to T. Parisi's (see record 1987-21061-001) statements, there is ample evidence that Freud continued well after 1893 to maintain a reductionist and biological determinist position and that this biological determinist position was actually a reflection of a deeper reduction to physical determinism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The investigation of exposure and cognitive therapy: Comment on Tarrier et al. (1999).

This article outlines concerns relating to the N. Tarrier et al. (1999) investigation (see record 1999-00242-002) comparing imaginal exposure and cognitive therapy. Specifically, the authors offer N. Tarrier et al. the opportunity to operationally define and clarify the claim that more patients treated by imaginal exposure "worsened" during treatment. Equally, in light of N. Tarrier et al.'s low effect sizes in relation to past research the authors also highlight the need to utilize accountable treatment integrity checks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on Hyland.

Responds to M. E. Hyland's (see record 1986-11807-001) article on whether person variables exist in different ways, noting (1) the resemblance of Hyland's theses to those of the present author and (2) Hyland's failure to cite the present author's articles. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on Rollin.

Responds to B. E. Rollin's (see record 1986-11050-001) article on the moral status of research animals in psychology, contending that the issue of the ethics of animal experimentation is inescapably an emotional one that will be resolved by the public and the politicians, not by philosophers. (1 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pharmacological cognitive enhancers: Comment on Smith and Farah (2011).

Smith and Farah (2011) provided a thought-provoking and perhaps deliberately provocative literature review of the use of stimulants to improve cognitive functioning in humans. They addressed the apparently increasing willingness of individuals mostly in the United States to use stimulants for this purpose and then summarized published literature that explores whether stimulants actually improve specific aspects of neurocognitive function. Although calling for more research, they tentatively concluded that stimulants indeed may be “smart pills” for some people under certain circumstances. This comment emphasizes that they never actually defined the desired qualities of a smart pill, seemed to accept the unproven axiom that slight improvements in specific tests constitute meaningful enhancement of intelligence, and failed to consider the possible costs to individuals and to society of promoting the use of this class of medications for such a purpose. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Integration of the cognitive and the psychodynamic unconscious": Comment.

Comments on S. Epstein's (see record 1994-45153-001) theory of the integration of the cognitive and the psychodynamic unconscious. A review of the evolution of psychoanalysis renders moot his concerns about the wisdom of a "Freudian" model that attributes the less rational facets of mental activity to a maladaptive and pathological primary process. Whereas his framework for a dual (and dueling) cognition is compelling, one cannot overlook advances in neuroscience that further the premise that the human brain operates with parallel processes of cognition loosely associated with the faculties of each cerebral hemisphere. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)