Margret Schleidt

A cross-cultural-study on the attitude towards personal odors

Human axillary odor was used in testing the ability of male and female subjects to distinguish between gender and individuals. The subjects also gave a qualitative evaluation of the odors. The tests were carried out in Japan, Italy, and Germany. Of all three cultures, 80% of the participants could significantly distinguish among the odor of individuals; 50% could identify the person correctly to whom the recognized odor belonged. Discrimination between male and female odor was significantly shown by 20% of Italian, 30% of German, and 60% of Japanese subjects. The qualitative evaluation of male and female odor was the same in the three cultures: male odor was classified more unpleasant and less pleasant than female odor. Men classified their own odor more unpleasant than women did with their own. A cultural difference was found concerning partners odor: though men classified it alike (predominantly pleasant), women differed. Japanese and Italian women classified their partners odor predominantly unpleasant, German women predominantly pleasant. In general the Japanese subjects classified the odors less often pleasant than the Italian and German subjects did.

A universal constant in temporal segmentation of human short-term behavior

Human time perception is characterized by an integrative mechanism [1] that relates successive mental events in such a way that a perceptual pattern is formed as in a melody or a verbal utterance. The temporal limit of this integrative mechanism has been found to be of the order of 3 s [2]. A necessary consequence o f sequential integrations of events with the same time constant is a quasi-periodical structure of perception and, possibly, mental activity in general [2, 3]. We have obtained evidence now that not only perception but also overt behavior is characterized by a similar time constant [4]. Human behavior appears to be organized in such a way that short-term movement episodes with an obvious segmentation are embedded within 3-s temporal windows. Thus, both perception and action appear to be controlled by a universal temporal principle. The behavioral data analyzed were taken from four different cultures, i.e., Europeans, Trobriand Islanders, Yanomami Indians, and Kalahari Bushmen. The scenes filmed were unstaged

Personal odor and nonverbal communication

Abstract Human beings are able to distinguish between the two sexes through smell alone. Also, humans can distinguish their own odor and the odor of their partner from those of other persons. A comparison was made between participants of personal odor tests who had a strictly prescribed hygienic treatment and those who followed their normal personal hygienic procedure. The latter group could hardly distinguish between male and female odors. In a qualitative evaluation of the odors they classified male and female odor alike. The other group did not. In addition, participants of the group allowed to perform their normal hygienic procedure tended to classify smells as less unpleasant, compared to the other group. Further they judged the smells more often as indifferent, and men classified their own odor as predominantly pleasant, which the other group did not. It seems that with free choice of personal hygienic procedure the subjects tend to minimize personal odor, thereby suppressing the distinctions between male and female odor.

Segmentation in behavior and what it can tell us about brain function

Natural human behavior is segmented into action units, functionally related groups of movements with durations of a few seconds. This phenomenon can also be found in nonhuman primates and other mammals. In humans, a similar segmentation can be found in planning, preparatory behavior, perception, and speech.Temporal segmentation may be related to the functioning of short-term memory. Segmentation may thus be a central feature of neuronal integration. Segment length was hitherto thought to be determined by either capacity constraints or temporal factors. Instead we show that segment length depends on the interplay between capacity and temporal factors.

Timing of movements in depressed patients and healthy controls

BACKGROUND Psychomotor disturbances are fundamental psychopathological features of major depression and observable components of behaviour. Human behaviour is segmented into action units with duration of a few seconds due to central nervous motor processing. Timing may depend on cognitive and emotional functions which are affected in depression. Therefore, time structure of action units in depressed patients was compared to healthy controls. METHODS Included were patients with major depression and melancholic features. Upper limb movements (total n = 566) of depressed patients and matched controls were evaluated using videotaped interviews and frame-by-frame analysis with a temporal resolution of 40 ms. RESULTS Behaviour of depressed patients in interview sessions was organised in action units with a narrow time span of only a few seconds. Single, non-repetitive action units were significantly shorter (median = 1.20 s) and repetitive units longer (median = 4.92 s) in patients compared to controls (median = 2.08 and 2.96, respectively). LIMITATIONS Behaviour in interview sessions might differ from activities of daily living. DISCUSSION Altered temporal segmentation of movements appears to be an observable, measurable sign of melancholic depression and may allow further insights in pathophysiological dysfunctions of the disease. Clinical implications of these motor changes for differential diagnosis, course and treatment of depression are discussed and need further evaluation.

Segmentation of Behavior and Time Structure of Movements in Depressed Patients

Psychomotor alterations are fundamental psychopathological features of major depression and observable components of behavior. Human behavior is segmented into action units with a duration of a few seconds. Cognitive and emotional dysfunctions in depression may affect the time structure of movements. Therefore, upper limb movements (total n = 707) of depressed patients and matched healtyh controls were studied using videotaped interviews and frame-by-frame analysis with an accuracy of 40 ms. Both groups displayed a similar temporal distribution, but nonrepetitive action units were significantly shorter (median = 1.16 s) and repetitive units longer (median = 4.92 s) in depressed patients compared to controls (median = 1.93 and 3.01, respectively). Movement alterations were related to anhedonia and subjective severity of depression. Altered time structure of movements represents an observable psychopathological sign and may be relevant for pathophysiological and behavioral aspects in depression.

Temporal Organisation of Action in Baboons: Comparisons with the Temporal Segmentation in Chimpanzee and Human Behaviour

The durations of sequences of functionally related movements, or action units, were analysed in the baboons Papio hamadryas and Papio anubis. Action units are completed within a narrow time span or temporal segment as found previously in pongids and humans. Although the temporal segmentation is generally similar in the three species, baboons show several differences from both chimpanzees and humans. Firstly, their temporal segments are shorter and less variable and the different sorts of action units, such as hand-body contact or interactions with an object, show slight but significant differences in duration. Secondly, those action units that consist of movements occurring twice last almost twice as long as action units without repetitions. In contrast, in chimpanzees and humans, repetition of a set of movements compresses the first set so that the action unit duration does not increase. This is thought to be due to a form of presyntactical motor planning. Its absence in baboons shows that presyntactical motor planning is confined to those primates with language ability and so provides further support for a relationship between motor and language systems.

Dance and Decision an Analysis of a Courtship Dance of the Medlpa, New Guinea

The structure of the Tanim Hed (Amb Kanant), a courtship dance of the Medlpa, New Guinea, have been described and each of the recurring motor patterns (Cycle) broken down into 2 parts of 4 sections each. The dance for each pair of dancers seen was measured in terms of the duration of these sections to 1/25 of a second (one frame of a 25 f.p.s. film). On analysis of the relationships between the dancers the following points emerged: 1) The variation in speed (duration) for one dance cycle (and also for the sections) in each pair of dancers was very small. The mean duration was around 4 seconds with a 1-3/25 second standard deviation. 2) The duration seemed either not at all or very complexely controlled by the music, as i) the differences between pairs was large but within pairs very small and ii) in the same scene different pairs of dancers could be seen dancing with different rhythms. Dancing, however, only took place when the choir was singing, and thus probably serves as a basic stimulus and to control the rhythm of the dance within certain limits. 3) The mean duration seemed to be derived, within one pair, as a compromise between the individual dancers. 3 scenes from different pairs analysed over the first 35 cycles showed a marked logarithmic relation to time, gradually decreasing in speed with an obvious oscillation as the pair sought the compromise value. 4) The 2 parts of the dance, Turn and Bow, showed an unequal relation to the Cycle duration. As this shortened the Turn was shortened more than the Bow, thus showing the greatest lability. The former was also the part with the greater variability within one pair and lack of synchrony between the partners. 5) When the mean duration of the successive sections was plotted out as a graph, the form of this pattern showed the greatest similarity when the patterns of the male pair (i.e. the same man dancing with 2 different girls) were compared. Thus the man decides the exact form of the dance, in relation to the speed decided upon by the pair. 6) The beginning and end of the dance were more variable. The pre-dance was initiated by the man, the girl joining later but dancing to a more constant rhythm. Her speed correlated at 1.0 with the speed seen in the dance, within the one pair only. The end was more indefinite and occurred as a simple parting and only within certain sections (moving up from Bow Low or Forward from Turn Back). 7) Thus the different parts of the dance are seen to be controlled differentially between the partners, with the man initiating the dance and controlling the form, the girl controlling the fine variation in speed within the pair, and both contributing to the mean dance speed, which then has all influence on the form.

Kurven gleicher Lautstarke beim Truthahn (Meleagris-gallopavo)

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Temporal segmentation of human short-term behavior in everyday activities and interview sessions.

Abstract Human behavior is structured by serial order and timing of functionally related groups of movements with a duration of a few seconds. These elementary action units have been described in ethological studies during unstaged everyday behavior, but not during interview sessions. Psychomotor alterations are relevant for differential diagnosis and treatment, and psychiatric patients are generally evaluated during interview sessions. Therefore the time structure of upper limb movements (n=764) of healthy subjects (n=22) were studied using videotaped interviews and frame-by-frame analysis and compared to movements (n=530) of unstaged human everyday behavior (n=154). The number of action units, but not their duration, was correlated inversely with self-reported impairment of mood and pleasure experience in healthy persons. The temporal distribution of movements in interview sessions did not differ from the time patterns of everyday behavior. This method could be a promising tool to investigate time patterns of movements and psychomotor alterations in psychiatric patients during interview sessions.