The principle thesis of this paper is that an understanding of the functions of fantasy activities is critical to an understanding of the influence of television and other media upon behavior. (Author)

Clarifies the nature of communication avoidance through a structural analysis grounded in facet theory. Presents evidence for a duplex model of avoidance in which theoretical distinctions among modalities of approach-avoidance and context proved empirically relevant. Discusses implications of these findings for the explication, treatment, and…

Examines the pattern of eye movements of skilled adult readers when encountering a surprise ending to a story. Suggests that processing at the discourse level must be considered as an influence on the eye movement control system. (NKA)

This article critically examines the evidence for interpersonal complementarity according to four recent theories. The only prediction found to be regularly supported is that friendly-dominant and friendly-submissive behaviors are complementary. A repeated finding is that hostile-dominant acts are frequently responded to with further…

Classical research operations in the cognitive sciences concern categorizations as well as classifications, and have been strongly influenced by nomological approaches. As a consequence, information processing has been explained with reference to syntactic-semantic models. Because of an absence of structural implications, personal interpretations…

Author believes that more general semanticists today have lost touch with the possibilities Korzybski opened to human beings, primarily that of liberating the self" from predetermined concepts and conditioned responses which hold mankind back from total freedom and fulfillment. Characterizing most semanticists as cerebral computers sans…

The article identifies three approaches for the study of braille reading, describes some examples of the approaches, and makes some suggestions for future research. (Author/PHR)

The modern sports spectacular contains all the necessary elements of symbolic rite, and the public's behavior patterns during large-scale athletic events dramatically illustrate a ritualistic enactment of social and cultural power struggles via vicarious participation. (LH)

This literature review examines the psychological aspects of the savant syndrome in people with intellectual disabilities, focusing on the means by which such abilities as calendar calculation are accomplished and highlighting variables (such as intense motivation in one area) postulated as important for development of the syndrome. (Author/DB)

Ten sighted adults were blindfolded and asked to find four objects in the open space of a room. A perimeter pattern, a gridlike search pattern, and a reference-point strategy were variably effective, indicating that different kinds of experience may result in different kinds of knowledge that are optimal for different spatial judgment tasks.…

A general theory of humor elicitation is presented that specifies the conditions in which humor is experienced in both social and nonsocial situations. The theory is used to conceptualize humor elicited by jokes, witticisms, and social events that are not intended or expected to be humorous. (SLD)

I analyze the process by which we react cognitively to information that contradicts our culturally held sentiments in the context of affect control theory. When bizarre, unanticipated events come to our attention and we have no opportunity to act so as to alter them, we must reidentify at least one event component: the actor, the behavior, or the…