Research Summaries - Article Example

Research summaries Name of the Student: Name of the Instructor: Name of the course: Code of the course: Submission date: Research summaries Summary of the article Working Memory Capacity Attentional focus, and Problem Solving by Wiley and Jarosz (2012) According to the analysis by Hitch, there is a necessity in mental arithmetic for the storage of the preliminary information and a partial potion of the results, retrieving information from memory which is long-term in nature coupled with selection and utility of strategies in the process of solving arithmetic problems. This analysis laid a foundation for a more comprehensive exploration of differences in the way individuals solve different problems, mostly those related to working memory capacity (WMC) which have been outlined in various research works. Nonetheless, this analysis will primarily focus on two forms of problem solving; analytic problem solving and creative problem solving. The studies on the correlation between WMC and analytical problem solving have chiefly been undertaken using tasks which entail mathematical problem-solving. Diverse dual-task studies have revealed that the detrimental impacts of undertaking a simultaneous task are more severe in mathematical problems which are multi-digit in nature and necessitate extended steps, borrowing or carrying. In addition, it has been noted that there is often a high requirement of the WMC in the early epochs of acquiring mathematical knowledge. Moreover, when an individual is exposed to simultaneous processes of solving executive problems, this has been found to disrupt the capacity of the individual to solve even a single digit problem which reveals that WMC might be related to the capacity to retrieve facts which are mathematical in nature from the long-term memory. This phenomenon is also present in word-problem solving processes. Similarly, WMC has been found to be related to the accuracy in categorization of problems. All these facts have resulted in the inference that WMC is fundamental in solving problems which are mathematical in nature. In relation to creative problem solving, different studies have revealed that WMC does not perform the same role in creative problem solving as it does in analytic problem solving. Moreover, attentional control has been revealed to play a more significant role in analytic problem solving that in creative problem solving. Thus, low attentional control has been perceived to be increasingly beneficial to the processes of creative problem solving. This is through increasing the level of sensitivity to peripheral cues. On the other hand, other researchers have fortified a more extreme inference that some of the primary mechanisms which facilitate success in analytic problem solving might in actual sense weaken the level of effectiveness in creative problem solving. In conclusion, WMC has been found to have both negative and positive impacts to the problem solving processes. Thus, the context of problem solving greatly determines the level of focus which is required. Revisiting the paradigms in regard to WMC through the cognition of the fact that attentional focus might have mixed implications, as well as revisiting the paradigms in problem solving through the realization of the fact that both analytical and creative problem solving methods are needed in this process will culminate in a more formidable understanding of both. Summary of the article Context in emotion perception by Barrett, Mesquita and Gendron (2011) For a long time, there has been extensive inquiry, mostly in the realms of psychology into the various ways in which emotions are exhibited in the faces of individuals in various contexts. This is founded on the fact that this has been founded to be extremely useful in law enforcement and understanding individuals with mental disorder among other applications. Against this background, this essay reviews the recent evidence that effectiveness in the perception of emotions is not only prompted by the face’s structural features but also the context under which the encoding of the face takes place, even when it is not driven by the intentions of the experimenter. This analysis is done on three types of context effects. Firstly, there is stimulus context in emotion perception. In this context, the emotion which is exhibited on the structural configuration of individuals’ facial actions, even when they are confronted by expressions which are exaggerated is often under the extensive influence of the situational context in which the embedment of face takes place. Thus, the perception of the person doing the analysis of the facial actions is usually under the influence of the descriptions of the social action, for instance, the voices, visual scenes or body postures. Nonetheless, it is imperative to note that in some instances, the situational descriptions often wield robust influence mostly when they are characterized by ambiguity than the exaggerated facial actions which are being viewed. In the context of the perceiver as Context in Emotion Perception, there is usually more accuracy when a perceiver is asked to match a certain face provided by the experimenter with particular emotion words when compared to when the perceiver is asked to spontaneously provide emotion words to certain faces given by the experimenter. On the other hand, it has been noted that there is often a tendency for emotion perception being impaired in a semantic dementia phenomenon. Studies have also revealed that the access of the perceiver to abstract knowledge about emotion, supported by emotion words is perceived to be central in the process of perceiving separate emotions even when one is viewing posed faces which are characterized by extreme stereotyping. Lastly, in regard to the cultural context in emotion perception,it has also been pointed out that the cultural context under which the operations of both the targets and the perceivers are based also poses a great deal of influence in regard to how facial actions are instilled with meaning which is emotional in nature. Thus, this has been purported to give perceivers from a certain culture some sought of advantage when they are analyzing facial actions from their particular cultural set-up. This has more been evident with new findings revealing cultural divergences in the response of the brain in the course of emotional perception. In conclusion, emotion perceptions have been revealed to be largely influenced by the context under which they occur. Thus, there is need for a paradigm shift in the manner under which the study of emotion perception occurs. Summary of the article The Tiger on Your Tail: Choosing between temporally extended behaviors, by Rosenbaum (2012) It is imperative to be cognizant of the fact that diverse research in psychological science has pointed to the fact that environment is viewed in terms of affordances. Nonetheless, very limited inquiry, and thus limited knowledge in regard to the changing aspects of action choices while considering the perceptual inputs which are environmentally realistic is evident. Thus, there has been little literature in regard to how individuals or collectives choose their actions, mostly when confronted by a phenomenon whereby there is a possibility of two or more extended actions. One of the ways to unlock this maze has been the tendency to use choice reaction time (RTs), but previous researches using this approach have been producing results with limited relevance. Much of the studies in this field have tended to concentrate on actions which ends a certain trend of behaviors. However, it is apparent in everyday life that decision on which behaviors to be carried out tends to instigate a particular behavior as opposed to ending it, which forms the foundation of this paper. In this paper, two models are analyzed. In the first model, there is an inclination by the participants to engage in consecutive simulation of the two paths which are possible and then choose the one which seems simple. On the other model, the participants are inclined to find the path which is shorter through consecutive sampling methods whose time for resolution is dependent on the diversity in the lengths of the two paths. In the experiment involving picking a bucket from specific locations on a table and placing it on stools in different locations in the room, it was found out that majority of the participants in this study preferred the shorter walking distance as well as shorter reaching distance as opposed to the long ones. This study was primarily concerned about real-time processes which trigger choices between temporarily extended behaviors. Three inferences were deduced from the results in this study. Firstly, there is a maladaptive tendency in mental simulation of possible actions in a consecutive sequence in everyday life. Secondly, the process of decision making usually takes into consideration the costs of affordances of diverse types. This second inference has been a robust foundation in behavioral ecology, a fact which is epitomized in the work Behavioral ecology: An evolutionally approach by Krebs and Davies (1997). The last inference was purely founded on the methodology whereby this study was founded on an innovation aimed at extending the RT choice methods to tasks which tended to instigate as opposed to ending certain behaviors of interest. This approach can play a fundamental role in bringing into convergence cognitive psychology (primarily relies on choice of RTs in tasks mostly utilizing symbolic stimuli) and ecological psychology (relies less on choice RTs and has to a greater extent relied on tasks while utilizing perceptual arrays which are realistic in nature). References Barrett, L., Mesquita, B. &Gendron, M. (2011).Context in emotion perception.. Psychological science, 20(5), 286-290. Krebs, J. R., & Davies, N, B. (Eds.). (1997).Behavioral ecology: An evolutionally approach. Oxford, England: Blackwell Science. Rosenbaum, D.A. (2012). The Tiger on Your Tail: Choosing between temporally extended behaviors. Psychological science, 23(8), 855-860. Wiley, J. &Jarosz, A. (2012).Working Memory Capacity Attentional focus, and Problem Solving.Psychological science, 21(4), 258-262. Read More

On the other hand, other researchers have fortified a more extreme inference that some of the primary mechanisms which facilitate success in analytic problem solving might in actual sense weaken the level of effectiveness in creative problem solving. In conclusion, WMC has been found to have both negative and positive impacts to the problem solving processes. Thus, the context of problem solving greatly determines the level of focus which is required. Revisiting the paradigms in regard to WMC through the cognition of the fact that attentional focus might have mixed implications, as well as revisiting the paradigms in problem solving through the realization of the fact that both analytical and creative problem solving methods are needed in this process will culminate in a more formidable understanding of both.

Summary of the article Context in emotion perception by Barrett, Mesquita and Gendron (2011) For a long time, there has been extensive inquiry, mostly in the realms of psychology into the various ways in which emotions are exhibited in the faces of individuals in various contexts. This is founded on the fact that this has been founded to be extremely useful in law enforcement and understanding individuals with mental disorder among other applications. Against this background, this essay reviews the recent evidence that effectiveness in the perception of emotions is not only prompted by the face’s structural features but also the context under which the encoding of the face takes place, even when it is not driven by the intentions of the experimenter.

This analysis is done on three types of context effects. Firstly, there is stimulus context in emotion perception. In this context, the emotion which is exhibited on the structural configuration of individuals’ facial actions, even when they are confronted by expressions which are exaggerated is often under the extensive influence of the situational context in which the embedment of face takes place. Thus, the perception of the person doing the analysis of the facial actions is usually under the influence of the descriptions of the social action, for instance, the voices, visual scenes or body postures.

Nonetheless, it is imperative to note that in some instances, the situational descriptions often wield robust influence mostly when they are characterized by ambiguity than the exaggerated facial actions which are being viewed. In the context of the perceiver as Context in Emotion Perception, there is usually more accuracy when a perceiver is asked to match a certain face provided by the experimenter with particular emotion words when compared to when the perceiver is asked to spontaneously provide emotion words to certain faces given by the experimenter.

On the other hand, it has been noted that there is often a tendency for emotion perception being impaired in a semantic dementia phenomenon. Studies have also revealed that the access of the perceiver to abstract knowledge about emotion, supported by emotion words is perceived to be central in the process of perceiving separate emotions even when one is viewing posed faces which are characterized by extreme stereotyping. Lastly, in regard to the cultural context in emotion perception,it has also been pointed out that the cultural context under which the operations of both the targets and the perceivers are based also poses a great deal of influence in regard to how facial actions are instilled with meaning which is emotional in nature.

Thus, this has been purported to give perceivers from a certain culture some sought of advantage when they are analyzing facial actions from their particular cultural set-up. This has more been evident with new findings revealing cultural divergences in the response of the brain in the course of emotional perception. In conclusion, emotion perceptions have been revealed to be largely influenced by the context under which they occur. Thus, there is need for a paradigm shift in the manner under which the study of emotion perception occurs.

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