Compared reflexogenic and psychogenic penile responses in men with and without erectile disorder. Hypothesized that men with psychogenic dysfunction respond minimally to vibrotactile stimulation. As predicted, responses were different in the vibration condition. Interpretations are provided in terms of attention and appraisal. (BF)

An intermodal preference task, which presents 2 events side-by-side with a single sound track appropriate to 1 event, and measures subjects' visual preferences, was presented to 23 children with autism. Subjects showed the intermodal matching effect demonstrated with normal infants and young children; subjects did not demonstrate primary…

This article addresses the theoretical rationale for treatment of slow-to-recover (STR) head-injury survivors with sensory stimulation programs. Evidence from four areas (sensory deprivation, enriched environments, nervous system plasticity, and sensitive periods of neurodevelopment) suggests that sensory stimulation programs are potentially…

Presents examples of different approaches that rely on multisensory learning and an element of creative motivational exploration in the conceptual understanding of science. (Author/CCM)

Visual short-term memory (VSTM) was probed while observers performed smooth pursuit eye movements. Smooth pursuit keeps a moving object stabilized in the fovea. VSTM capacity for position was reduced during smooth pursuit compared with a condition with eye fixation. There was no difference between a condition in which the items were approximately…

This article presents an example of two boys who have received a list of diagnoses including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism, Asperger's syndrome, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and clinical depression. Both boys received a variety of interventions ranging from behavior modification plans to counseling and medication,…

A substantial number of school age children suffer from difficulties in integrating sensory input in an adaptive manner (termed sensory integration dysfunction--SID). These students are at high risk for emotional, social, and educational problems. This article defines SID, describes typical behaviors of children with SID, and presents guidelines…

The standard approach guiding research on the relationship between categories and causality views categories as reflecting causal relations in the world. We provide evidence that the opposite direction also holds: categories that have been acquired in previous learning contexts may influence subsequent causal learning. In three experiments we show…

The research and literature on how to handle biting has remained consistent over the last 20 years. Most publications and seasoned professionals focus on intervention and tell us to attend to the child who was bitten, reinforce the idea of "using our words" with the biter, and be consistent in the use of separation, redirection, and…

As human beings, we can interact with our environment through the sense of touch, which helps us to build an understanding of objects and events. The implications of touch for cognition are recognized by many educators who advocate the use of "hands-on" instruction. But is it possible to know something more completely by touching it? Does touch…

Case reports and sensory inventories suggest that autism involves sensory processing anomalies. Behavioral tests indicate impaired motion and normal form perception in autism. The present study used first-person accounts to investigate perceptual anomalies and related subjective to psychophysical measures. Nine high-functioning children with…

This nine-unit curriculum translates current scientific research on early brain development into practical suggestions to help early childhood professionals understand the reciprocal link between caregiving and brain development. The curriculum was created and extensively field-tested by the Erikson Institute Faculty Development Project on the…

After distinguishing between neocortical abilities for executive control and subcortical sensory motor skills for proprioceptive and vestibular integration, we compare a sample of 116 normal preschoolers with a sample of 31 preschoolers receiving occupational therapeutical treatment. This is done in an experimental design controlled for age (mean:…

This paper offers teachers basic information about sensory integration and suggests strategies for managing classrooms which include children with sensory integrative dysfunction. The first section looks at what sensory integration is, noting especially the roles of the three "near senses": the vestibular system, the proprioceptive system, and the…

Cardiac response to stimulation of the left and right perioral region in infants was examined. Cardiac acceleration and ipsilateral head turning occurred more reliably to stimulation of the infant's right side than to stimulation of the left side. Results reflect a difference in sensitivity at the infant's two sides. (SDH)