The power of cognitive psychology lies in the promise of cognitive technology.
|
Home | Site Map | MemoryZine |
|
The power of cognitive psychology lies in the promise of cognitive technology.
|
|
Abstracts - Spring 1999
THEORETICAL AND RESEARCH ARTICLES 4 Memory Problems for Survey-Based Estimates of Population Activity 11 Designing Materials for Efficient Time Management: Segmentation and Planning Space 19 The Effects of Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy Techniques for Enhancing the Cognitive/Intellectual Functioning of Seventh and Eighth Grade Children 28 Using Computers to Explore the Locus of Expertise in Soccer Players PROCEDURES REVIEW 38 25 years of Memory Improvement: The Evolution of a Memory-Skills Course 43 Self-Questioning Strategies for Essay Composition Memory Problems for Survey-Based Estimates of Population Activity Social researchers, risk analysts, policy makers and others rely on survey research as a major source of data on population behavior. Questionnaires are routinely used for estimates of participation in activities such as bicycling or drinking. Unfortunately, the only sure way to find out what people do is to observe them, whether that be directly or via the effects of their behavior. Self-reports of behavior are subject to various biases and weaknesses, including social desirability and inaccurate recall. Examples and problems are reviewed in order to draw implications of memory failure for the design and interpretation of exposure surveys.
Designing Materials for Efficient Time Management: Segmentation and Planning Space Two experiments examined the influence of planner design on time management ability as measured by task time allocation accuracy. Experiment 1 required four groups of students to complete six tasks. The groups were differentiated by the size of the time segments in the time management planner they used to allocate time to each task. Differentiation in time segment size was achieved by chronological division (e.g., the 30 minute segmented planner provided a planning space for 9 - 9.30am, 9.30 - 10.00am and so on). Comparison of 5, 15 and 30 minute segmented planners, and a non-segmented planner (blank page), indicated participants modified the 15 minute, 30 minute and blank planners such that they had 5 minute planner characteristics. Experiment 2 manipulated planner time segmentation, but held constant planning space. A significant effect of planner segment size on allocated task time was found, with the 5 minute block planner achieving an average 10 minute saving in planned time per hour compared to the 15 minute block planner. Implications of planner design for time management ability are discussed.
The Effects of Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy Techniques for Enhancing the Cognitive/Intellectual Functioning of Seventh and Eighth Grade Children Both computer-assisted classroom education and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation are established in learning and rehabilitation methods. The use of rehabilitation techniques for the development of foundational cognitive skills in the general population of school children has gone untested. This experiment demonstrates the utility of computer-assisted cognitive skills training for improving the intellectual functioning of 12 to 14 year-old children. Eighty middle school students participated in a 9-week study. The students were enrolled in either a computer-assisted cognitive skills training group (which utilized computerized exercises modified from brain injury rehabilitation applications) or a study hall control group. A significant increase in intellectual functioning (p < .01) was found only in the experimental group for Full Scale and Performance IQ scores as measured by Jackson's Multidimensional Aptitude Battery. This is an indication of the possible benefits of a computerized cognitive skills training program focused on training attentional, executive, visuospatial and problem solving skills. Replication of this study could hold far-reaching implications for future educational curricula.
Using Computers to Explore the Locus of Expertise in Soccer Players The primary purpose of this present paper is to explore whether meaningful experimental paradigms could be built which would allow the locus of expertise in soccer players to be further explored easily, and without a large investment in special equipment. This paper reports two novel paradigms that use computers as a tool to develop knowledge about the locus of expertise in soccer players. The first assesses whether simple speed of information processing differences facilitate expertise, while the second manipulates video footage of soccer matches, using a reaction time task, to examine whether expertise resides in knowledge of soccer acquired through playing experience. While the paper focuses on the different methodologies of the paradigms employed, and reports detailed descriptions of apparatus including computer hardware and software, the usefulness of using computers in this arena is evaluated by the partial report of two experiments. Finally, two potential applications of using computers in this field are discussed: first, as possible tools in discriminating between potential professional player candidates, and second, as training tools for the improvement of existing levels of skill.
25 Years of Memory Improvement: The Evolution of a Memory-Skills Course A memory-improvement course begun in 1973 has grown from a 7-week, noncredit course into a full-semester academic psychology course. This article describes changes in structure and content of the course, as well as the kinds of students who take the course, and some students' evaluations of the course. Other versions of the course are also described, including an adult education program, a correspondence course, and a course for the elderly.
Self-Questioning Strategies for Essay Composition In college, students are expected to communicate effectively but numerous students have problems with expressive written language. Often the individual has difficulty communicating their ideas and may discover that ideas do not flow evenly or consistently. In organizing information for writing an essay, students may experience the following:
|
||||
|
||||
