Martha Davis

Hemispheric specialization in spontaneous gesticulation in a patient with callosal disconnection.

This is an investigation of spontaneous gesticulation in a left-handed patient with a callosal disconnection syndrome due to infarction of the total length of the corpus callosum. After callosal infarction, the patient gesticulated predominantly unilaterally with the left hand despite left apraxia. Bilateral gesticulation occurred later on and was presumably achieved by an increase in ipsilateral proximal control. Movement analysis further indicated that the two hemispheres are specialized for certain gesture types. Gestures with emotional connotation and batons (emphasizing prosody) were generated predominantly in the right hemisphere whereas physiographics which picture the linguistic content concretely and deictics (pointing) were of left-hemispheric origin.

The ethics of interrogation and the American Psychological Association: A critique of policy and process

The Psychological Ethics and National Security (PENS) task force was assembled by the American Psychological Association (APA) to guide policy on the role of psychologists in interrogations at foreign detention centers for the purpose of U.S. national security. The task force met briefly in 2005, and its report was quickly accepted by the APA Board of Directors and deemed consistent with the APA Ethics Code by the APA Ethics Committee. This rapid acceptance was unusual for a number of reasons but primarily because of the APAs long-standing tradition of taking great care in developing ethical policies that protected anyone who might be impacted by the work of psychologists. Many psychological and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as reputable journalists, believed the risk of harm associated with psychologist participation in interrogations at these detention centers was not adequately addressed by the report. The present critique analyzes the assumptions of the PENS report and its interpretations of the APA Ethics Code. We demonstrate that it presents only one (and not particularly representative) side of a complex set of ethical issues. We conclude with a discussion of more appropriate psychological contributions to national security and world peace that better respect and preserve human rights.

Sex Differences in Body Movements and Positions

The social roles of women and men are often revealed in the microprocesses of everyday interaction. Recent work in language style (Lakoff, 1973; Thorne & Henley, 1975) indicates subtle differences in speech and conversational style which mirror the relative power positions of the sexes in society. Nonverbal communication also shows such effects (Weitz, 1979). Nancy Henley’s (1977) book Body Politics outlined such dynamics in a number of different nonverbal channels: touch, space, facial expression, movement.

Sex differences in movement style: A multivariate analysis of naive and laban-based ratings

As part of a four year study of sex differences in nonverbal communication, videotapes of pairs of graduate students in conversation were examined without sound, first by naive observers judging traits such as warmth and dominance and later by trained movement analysts using a Laban-based rating instrument. A factor analysis of 26 Laban-based movement variables yielded six factors designated Expressiveness-Animation, Reserved-Friendly, Male-Female Presentation, Status, Self-Touch, and Disengagement. These factors are discussed in comparison to those delineated by Mehrabian (1972). Performing step-wise multiple regressions, the naive judgments of Openness for females were predicted by high ratings on the Expressiveness-Animation movement factor and low ratings on the Disengagement factor. The implications of the study for dance therapy and nonverbal communication research are discussed.

Defensive Demeanor Profiles

One of the reports from an intensive study of videotapes of confessions given by criminal suspects to prosecutors, this focuses primarily on the body movement microanalysis of two subjects to illustrate what are called Defensive Demeanor Profiles. After a summary of the general study and its aims, a 14-step procedure for observing and interpreting defensive demeanor is described. Three levels of units are distinguished: micro-behaviors that occur in less than half a minute, “brief states” that typically last two or three minutes and parse the interview into distinct phases, and behaviors that persist throughout the interview. The analysis of Defensive Demeanor Profiles is discussed in the context of empirical study of psychological defensive mechanisms.