According to D. E. Broadbent's (1958) selective filter theory, people do not process unattended stimuli beyond the analysis of basic physical properties. This theory was later rejected on the basis of numerous findings that people identify irrelevant (and supposedly unattended) stimuli. A careful review of this evidence, however, reveals strong…

This article explicates the interaction between implicit and explicit processes in skill learning, in contrast to the tendency of researchers to study each type in isolation. It highlights various effects of the interaction on learning (including synergy effects). The authors argue for an integrated model of skill learning that takes into account…

This review attempts to organize a range of neuropsychological and psycho-physiological data on attention. (Editor)

The major thesis of this research is that there are two types of processes underlying verbal performance. First, there are processes based on knowledge. Second, verbal performance requires the exercise of certain information-free, mechanistic processes, i.e., those that are conducted on the physical representation of a symbol (including whatever…

A new theory linking information extraction patterns to the visual perception of direction and extent is presented. Seven demonstration experiments employ predictions from efferent considerations to create a new set of illusions of direction and extent and to demonstrate new predictable variations in the magnitude of some classical illusion…

Ratcliff (1985) simulated data from three letter-matching experiments with his diffusion model. The necessity of including a comparison criterion is consistent with the conclusion of Proctor, Rao, and Hurst (1984) that bias of response criteria, alone, is insufficient to generate the fast-same phenomenon. (Author/LMO)

A model is proposed that relates the personality dimensions of introversion-extraversion, achievement motivation, and anxiety to efficient cognitive performance. This general information-processing model also accounts for the systematic effects of motivational states on sustained information transfer and some aspects of short-term memory.…

Performance in cognitive tasks involves two distinct processes; acquisition of knowledge and cognitive control over knowledge already acquired. A conceptual and analytic framework is presented which allows for the disentanglement of knowledge and control, and for the quantification of each. (Author)

Vividly presented information is thought to be more persuasive and have more impact on judgments. An examination of the proposed processes in vividness effects (memorability, imageability and affective impact) reveals these arguments are themselves problematic. Effects may occur in differential attention conditions, whereas absolute attention is…

The development of probability judgment is explained in terms of working memory, composed of four types of storage operations and three types of processing operations. Age changes in probability judgment were related to changes in frequency retrieval, which stem from changes in constraints on work-space capacity. (Author/RD)

It is suggested that the theoretical stance of Nisbett and Wilson's work on the limitations to conscious awareness of mental processes is not clearly formulated. Some methodological recommendations are listed, and a brief report is given of some experimental findings that seem counter to those of Nisbett and Wilson. (RL)

A case is made that typing, speaking, and playing music are members of a family of skills that can be studied within a common theory. (Editor)

A cognitive model of drug urges and drug use is proposed, hypothesizing that drug use in the addict is controlled by automatized-action schemata. Urges are conceptualized as responses supported by nonautomatic cognitive processes activated with drug-use action schemata. Implications for behavior assessment are discussed. (SLD)

A theory of visual information acquisition and visual memory is described that conjoins two models that have been used to describe low-level perceptual and higher level cognitive processes. Six experiments with 21 adult observers generally support the theory, although some weakness is discussed. (SLD)

A decision field theory is proposed and used to explain motivational and cognitive mechanisms that guide the deliberation process involved in decisions made under uncertainty. Decision theories are extended into the stochastic-dynamic category. The proposed theory is compared with four other theories of decision making under uncertainty. (SLD)