Douglas Herrmann

Mapping Mortality: Evaluating Color Schemes for Choropleth Maps

Use of color for representing health data on maps raises many unanswered questions. This research addresses questions about which colors allow accurate map reading and which colors map users prefer. Through the combination of a review of previous color research and an experiment designed to test specific combinations of colors on maps, criteria were established and evaluated for selecting colors for choropleth maps of mortality data. The color-selection criteria provide pairs of hues for diverging schemes that avoid naming and colorblind confusions. We also tested sequential and spectral schemes. Our results show that color is worth the extra effort and expense it adds to map making because it permits greater accuracy in map reading. In addition, people prefer color maps over monochrome maps. Interestingly, scheme preference is affected by levels of clustering within mapped distributions. In this research, people preferred spectral and purple/green hue combinations. Contrary to our expectations, spectral ...

The role of head injury in cognitive functioning, emotional adjustment and criminal behaviour

In two investigations, 50% of non-violent convicted felons, who avoided incarceration by participating in a day reporting programme, reported a prior history of head injury and current problems in cognitive and emotional functioning. Only 5% of a college sample in the first investigation and 15% of a community sample in the second investigation reported prior head injury. In a third investigation, 83% of felons who had reported a history of head injury also reported a date for their head injury that preceded the date of their first encounter with law enforcement. Some participants reported no trouble with the law until after experiencing a head injury that occurred in their late thirties. Considering the research reported here and elsewhere in the literature, it appears that many serious crimes follow a head injury. One implication of the findings reported here is that many crimes might not occur if people with head injury were given prompt and comprehensive treatment after the injury.

Memory Performance and Socio-Economic Status

Memory ability is affected by the physical, educational and health environments. The nature of these environments, in turn, differs across people with different socio-economic status (SES). Thus, it would be expected that memory performance would vary systematically with SES. However, memory researchers have yet to examine the relationship between economic variables and memory performance. This paper reviews several literatures (medical, public health, IQ, sociological and memory) to assess the relationship--if any--of socio-economic status to memory performance. The results of the review revealed that memory performance is strongly and directly correlated with SES. However, the results were not strong enough to determine whether the extent of this relationship differs across different kinds of memory. These results suggest that memory researchers should investigate further the nature of the relationship between SES and memory performance and take account of the possible influence of SES in the design and interpretation of memory data.

The Proper Use of Self-Report Questions in Effective Measurement of Health Outcomes

Outcomes research often relies on the use of general population survey data. The recent efforts to employ cognitive science theory in the development of data collection instruments has led to the establishment of new questionnaire design research methods. Intensive cognitive techniques are used in laboratory interviews to develop and pretest self-report survey questions with the goal of reducing nonsampling response error. This article presents the theoretical and applied approach used in the cognitive laboratory to study the ways people respond to surveys, and offers guidelines for improving self-report survey questions.

The potential effects of the implanted memory paradigm on child subjects

The purpose of this article is to examine the appropriate use of the implanted memory paradigm with children. In this paradigm, participants are asked repeatedly about fictitious events that never transpired. The responses of children in these investigations demonstrate clearly that they can be led to unintentionally create false memories. This article addresses whether memory research should continue to encourage children to create memories for events that never happened. The literature in other areas of psychology suggests that deception may lessen respect for authority, affect a childs self-esteem, and create stress. We propose that the use of the implanted memory paradigm be suspended indefinitely or until appropriate research demonstrates that the paradigm does not affect children negatively.

Antonymy and Semantic Relations: The Case for a Linguistic Universal:

There is an enduring debate concerning the degree to which linguis tic phenomena are culturally specific or universal. We review evi dence that suggests that many linguistic processes are cross-culturally common and likely to be a function of human physiology, but we also acknowledge strong evidence for particularistic linguistic phe nomena relating to content and communication context. In support of our position, we examine subject responses to semantic relations in nine different cultures. Consistent with cognitive theories, we find a pronounced pattern of cross-cultural agreement concerning the manner in which antonyms are employed. In an effort to assess the interaction between judgments of semantic relations and the cul tural context of subjects, we have conducted a detailed analysis of the responses of Kelantan, Malay, subjects to a set of 15 semantic relations. The results continue to support an argument for the universality of antonymic meaning.

Palmtop computerized reminding devices: the effectiveness of the temporal properties of warning signals

An intention requires us to carry out an action at a certain time or in an unscheduled time frame. In recent years, palmtop computerized devices with special functions have been developed that enable individuals to better remember their intentions. People record their intention in the device and are later reminded of their intention by a warning signal, such as an audible beep, that is presented along with a message about what is to be done. The present research investigated the psychological effects of the warning signals provided by palmtop reminding devices. Four experiments demonstrated that the effectiveness of an audible warning signal in the form of a signal was greatest early in the day. The interval between the signal and time to carry out the act, called here the anticipatory lag, did not significantly influence the timeliness of responses and remembering.

Relative size of the literatures for psychopathological disorders: Number of articles pertaining to DSM-iv diagnostic categories

A computerized search of the 1991-1997 PsycLIT database was used to quantify the size of the literature for each of the DSM-IV mental disorders. The search included DSM-IV/IIIR diagnoses and alternative terms for the disorders to provide a complete assessment. Generally it was found that major disorders and those with neurophysiological components were investigated a great deal (there were over 10,000 articles for both major depression and schizophrenia) while there were few articles concerning rare or newly introduced disorders. Within diagnostic groups certain disorders received the preponderance of research attention. Factors related to the degree to which a mental disorder is investigated are discussed. These findings should stimulate consideration of whether clinical research is directing its efforts in a way that best promotes understanding of the nature and treatment of mental disorders.

Further consideration of the role of socio-economic status in memory performance

In his commentary, Richardson criticizes the analysis of the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and memory performance as presented by Herrmann and Guadagno (1997). Richardsons criticism addresses Herrmann and Guadagnos procedures for classifying economic backgrounds of subjects and the statistics they used to analyze the effects of SES and memory. We believe that all of these points are worth considering but suggest that it is too early in this research area to definitively settle on either (a) the best procedure for classifying SES or (b) the most effective statistical method for post-hoc analysis of memory data. The underlying issues are too complex and the number of investigations too few to argue that one procedure or method is right and the other wrong. Alternatively, Richardsons commentary agrees with ours in two important ways. Richardsons article and ours both assert that economic background is clearly a relevant variable in explaining memory performance. In addition, both articles recommend that memory and cognitive researchers take account of economic well being in future memory research. Copyright

Inferring the Mental Processes of Other Minds

Abstract In 4 experiments, the authors examined how several variables influence the quality and quantity of information that people use to make judgments about other people. The results showed that when possible, participants consistently responded appropriately to variables that influenced information that they used to make inferences about other minds. The results also suggested that under circumstances with no opportunity to contrast behavior in different situations, people might not be sensitive to the quality and quantity of information present. The authors interpreted results to mean that under most circumstances, people make inferences in a way that efficiently uses information about the causes of behavior.