No abstract

Si~mmary.-The attention style of perceptual scanning has been related to the variables of chronicity, diagnosis, and premorbid adjustment. In addition, a functional defensive significance has been attributed to scanning. However, recent research has questioned the adequacy of the standard size-estimation task employed as a scanning measure. The current smdy explored relations among chronicity, diagnosis, premorbid adjustment, impulsivity and defensiveness, using eye movements and performance on a task with central and ~e r i~h e r a l elements -as scanning measures. Neither impulsivity nor premorbid adjustment was related to either scanning measure. Chronicity, diagnosis and defensiveness were related to the latter scanning measure. High chronicicy and high defensiveness were associated with lower scanning. Regarding diagnosis, paranoids showed higher scanning than neurotics but did not differ significantly from nonparanoid schizophrenics. Problems of scanning assessment are discussed.

Recent research in attention styles has relied extensively on a size-matching measure of perceptual scanning. In addition, individual and group differences of scanning have been given a functional defensive significance. The present study related experimentally altered eye movement levels and a variety of personality trait measures to size-matching performance. Also, an experimental analog of increased impulsivity was created by the speeding of size-matching performance. Results indicated that experimentally increased eye movement levels did not alter size estimates. Impulsivity level, both as a trait and an experimentally altered state, was an important determinant of performance, such that higher impulsivity resulted in increased overestimation. Implications of the results for the measurement and functional significance of perceptual scanning are discussed.

The present study replicated previous results showing the effectiveness of behavior-modification techniques in reinstating verbalization in mute psychotics. Those patients experiencing behavior-modification treatment increased their verbalization level significantly more than patients in either an attention-control or a no-treatment control group. Commencing behavior-modification at a simple motor level offers important practical advantages and deserves research attention.

Item-analysis procedures were used to reduce a 51-item hostility scale to a 20-item version with equivalent reliability and convergent validity, yet freer of desirability variance. Evidence presented in a multitrait-multimethod matrix (8 traits by self-ratings of trait adjectives and by item endorsements) indicated an enhancement of discriminant validity in the shorter form. The technique is presented as a means for improving the validity of scales developed by other earlier scale construction methods.