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Mediated priming refers to the faster word recognition of a target (e.g., milk) following presentation of a prime (e.g., pasture) that is related indirectly via a connecting "mediator" (e.g., cow). Association strength may be an important factor in whether mediated priming occurs prospectively (with target activation prior to its presentation) or retrospectively. Mediated priming effects were compared for items having a strong (e.g., iceberg--cold--hot) versus weak (e.g., camel--desert--hot) mediator-target association. Priming obtained for both strong and weak mediator-target association conditions in lexical decision tasks (LDTs) conducive to retrospective processing, but only for the stronger items in more automatic LDTs. Results extend recent findings of mediated priming via retrospective processing (e.g., Jones, 2010), and further suggest that a strong mediator-target association is necessary in order for mediated priming to occur prospectively by spreading activation. (Contains 5 tables.)

Mediated priming refers to the activation of a target (e.g., "stripes") by a prime (e.g., "lion") that is related indirectly via a connecting mediator (e.g., tiger). In previous mediated priming studies (e.g., McNamara & Altarriba, 1988), the mediator was associatively related to the prime. In contrast, pure mediated priming (e.g., "spoon" [right arrow] "can") lacks a strong association between prime and mediator (e.g., "spoon" [right arrow] soup) and between mediator and target (e.g., soup [right arrow] "can"). This study establishes the existence of pure mediated priming and assesses which semantic priming model (spreading activation, compound-cue, or semantic matching) accounts for the results. Pure mediated priming occurred in 3 experiments across double and standard lexical decision tasks. However, such priming did not occur in a continuous lexical decision task, which precludes strategic processing. Overall, results indicate that a modified retrospective semantic matching model provides the best theoretical explanation of pure mediated priming. (Contains 1 footnote, 1 table and 2 figures.)

Research and theorizing on executive function (EF) in childhood has been disproportionately focused on preschool age children. This review paper outlines the importance of examining EF throughout childhood, and even across the lifespan. First, examining EF in older children can address the question of whether EF is a unitary construct. The relations among the EF components, particularly as they are recruited for complex tasks, appear to change over the course of development. Second, much of the development of EF, especially working memory, shifting, and planning, occurs after age 5. Third, important applications of EF research concern the role of school-age children's EF in various aspects of school performance, as well as social functioning and emotional control. Future research needs to examine a more complete developmental span, from early childhood through late adulthood, in order to address developmental issues adequately.

Lexical priming, whereby a prime word facilitates recognition of a related target word (e.g., "nurse" [right arrrow] "doctor"), is typically attributed to association strength, semantic similarity, or compound familiarity. Here, the authors demonstrate a novel type of lexical priming that occurs among unassociated, dissimilar, and unfamiliar concepts (e.g., "horse" [right arrow] "doctor"). Specifically, integrative priming occurs when a prime word can be easily integrated with a target word to create a unitary representation. Across several manipulations of timing (stimulus onset asynchrony) and list context (relatedness proportion), lexical decisions for the target word were facilitated when it could be integrated with the prime word. Moreover, integrative priming was dissociated from both associative priming and semantic priming but was comparable in terms of both prevalence (across participants) and magnitude (within participants). This observation of integrative priming challenges present models of lexical priming, such as spreading activation, distributed representation, expectancy, episodic retrieval, and compound cue models. The authors suggest that integrative priming may be explained by a role activation model of relational integration. (Contains 4 footnotes, 4 tables, and 3 figures.)

Relation priming is a phenomenon in which comprehension of a word pair (e.g., COPPER HORSE) is facilitated by the prior presentation of another word pair (e.g., GLASS EYE) that instantiates the same conceptual relation (i.e., "composed of"). We investigated whether relation priming is contingent on lexical similarity. Study 1 revealed that relational similarity, but not lexical similarity, reliably predicted noun phrase comprehension across several previously published experiments. Study 2 demonstrated relation priming between lexically dissimilar phrases (e.g., STEEL SCISSORS [right arrow] STRAW HAT). Thus, across both studies, lexical similarity failed to explain relation priming. Rather, comprehension of a target phrase was a function of its relational similarity to the prime phrase. Results are inconsistent with models in which conceptual relations are bound to the particular concepts that instantiate them, and suggest instead that conceptual relations are independent representational units that can be utilized by various and dissimilar concepts.

Bowdle and Gentner (2005) proposed a reconciliation of the comparison and categorization models of metaphor comprehension. Their career of metaphor model posits that, as a metaphorical term becomes more conventional, its mode of processing shifts from comparison to categorization. However, other recent studies (Chiappe, Kennedy, & Chiappe, 2003; Jones & Estes, 2005) suggest instead that aptness may mediate metaphorical processing. We empirically contrasted conventionality and aptness to examine their roles in metaphor comprehension. Aptness predicted the preference for metaphors over similes (Experiment 1), the speed and ease of metaphor comprehension (Experiment 2), and the category membership of metaphorical terms (Experiment 3). Conventionality did not reliably predict any of these aspects of metaphorical processing. Thus, results supported the categorization model, and failed to support the career of metaphor.

Two experiments assessed whether conceptual relations (e.g., contains: COOKIE JAR) facilitate the retrieval of concepts (e.g., COOKIE and JAR) from long-term memory. The CARIN modcl of nominal combination asserts that conceptual relations are represented with and selected from the modifier noun (COOKIE). Thus, the model predicts that relational integration will facilitate memory for modifiers but not for head nouns (JAR). In Experiment 1, concepts were studied in pairs and were then tested individually. Recognition accuracy was higher for modifiers than for head nouns. In Experiment 2, the studied concepts (e.g., COOKIE JAR) were tested in the context of a new pair that instantiated either the same relation (e.g., COOKIE plate) or a different relation (e.g., COOKIE crumb). Recognition was again better for modifiers than for head nouns, but only when the same conceptual relation was instantiated at both study and test. Thus, results indicate that conceptual relations (a) facilitate recognition memory, and (b) are associated more strongly with the modifier than with the head noun. Keywords: Conceptual combination; Associative recognition; Conceptual relations.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2005.01.016 Byline: Lara L. Jones, Zachary Estes Abstract: The class-inclusion model claims that metaphors (e.g., That exam is a filter) are comprehended by inclusion of the topic (or subject) as a member of an attributive category named after and exemplified by the vehicle (or predicate). In three experiments, participants rated the extent to which a topic concept (e.g., exam) was a member of a vehicle category (e.g., filters). To test the scope of the class-inclusion model, both conventional and novel metaphors were included in Experiments 1 and 2, and both high and low apt metaphors were included in Experiment 3. Class inclusion was higher following metaphorical primes than following either literal primes (Experiment 1) or no primes (Experiments 2 and 3). Moreover, this metaphor-induced categorization occurred equally for conventional and novel metaphors, but occurred to a greater extent for the high apt than for the low apt metaphors. Thus, aptness rather than conventionality mediated categorization in metaphor comprehension. Author Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA Article Note: (footnote) [star] We are grateful to Sam Glucksberg, Adam Goodie, Rich Marsh, and three anonymous reviewers for their comments on an earlier draft of this article. We thank Cindy Sifonis for her helpful comments during an early discussion of this idea, as well as Julie Ahern, Sabrina Simmons, and Catherine Wood for their assistance in data collection. This research was presented at the 45th Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society (Minneapolis, MN).

We evaluate whether evidence from conceptual combination supports the relational priming model of analogy. Representing relations implicitly as patterns of activation distributed across the semantic network provides a natural and parsimonious explanation of several key phenomena observed in conceptual combination. Although an additional mechanism for role resolution may be required, relational priming offers a promising approach to analogy.

Across two studies, we investigated the influence of narcissism and self-esteem along with gender on phenomenological ratings across the four subscales of the Autobiographical Memory Questionnaire (AMQ; impact, recollection, rehearsal, and belief). Memory cues varied in valence (positive vs. negative) and agency (agentic vs. communal). In Study 2, we used different memory cues reflecting these four Valence by Agency conditions and additionally investigated retrieval times for the autobiographical memories (AMs). Results were consistent with the agency model of narcissism [Campbell, W. K., Brunell, A. B., & Finkel, E. J. (2006). Narcissism, interpersonal self-regulation, and romantic relationships: An agency model approach. In E. J. Finkel & K. D. Vohs (Eds.),Self and relationships: Connecting intrapersonal and interpersonal processes. New York, NY: Guilford], which characterises narcissists as being more concerned with agentic (self-focused) rather than communal (other-focused) positive self-relevant information. Narcissism predicted greater phenomenology across the four subscales for the positive-agentic memories (Study 1:clever; Study 2:attractive, talented) as well as faster memory retrieval times. Narcissism also predicted greater recollection and faster retrieval times for the negative-communal AMs (Study 1:rude; Study 2:annoying, dishonest). In contrast, self-esteem predicted greater phenomenology and faster retrieval times for the positive-communal AMs (Study 1:cooperative; Study 2:romantic, sympathetic). In both studies, results of LIWC analyses further differentiated between narcissism and self-esteem in the content (word usage) of the AMs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Integrative priming refers to the facilitated recognition of a target word (bench) as a real word following a prime (park). Prior integrative priming studies have used a wide variety of integrative relations including temporal (summer rain), topical (travel book), locative (forest river), and compositional (peach pie) relations. Yet differences in the types of integrative relations may yield differences in the underlying explanatory processes of integrative priming. In this study, we compared the magnitude, time course, and three theoretically based correlates of integrative priming for compositional (stone table) and locative (patio table) pairs in a lexical decision task across four stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs; 50, 300, 800, and 1,600 ms). Based on the Complementary Role Activation theory, integrative ratings (the extent to which the prime and target can be combined into a meaningful phrase) were predicted to facilitate target RTs. Based on the Embodied Conceptual Combination (ECCo) theory, the local co-occurrence of the prime and target, and the ability to perceptually simulate (visually experience) the prime-target pair were tested as predictors. In comparison to unrelated pairs (nose table), target RTs were faster for the compositional and locative pairs, though did not differ between these relations. In support of the Complementary Role Activation theory, integrative ratings predicted target RTs above and beyond our control variables. In support of the ECCo theory, co-occurrence emerged as an early predictor of target RTs, and visual experience ratings was a reliable predictor at the 300ms SOA, though only for the compositional relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual differences in convergent and divergent thinking may uniquely explain variation in analogical reasoning ability. Across two studies we investigated the relative influences of divergent and convergent thinking as predictors of verbal analogy performance. Performance on both convergent thinking (i.e., Remote Associates Test) and divergent thinking (i.e., Alternative Uses Task) uniquely predicted performance on both analogy selection (Studies 1 and 2) and analogical generation tasks (Study 2). Moreover, convergent and divergent thinking were predictive above and beyond creative behaviours in Study 1 and a composite measure of crystallised intelligence in Study 2. Verbal analogies in Study 2 also varied in semantic distance, with results demonstrating divergent thinking as a stronger predictor of analogy generation for semantically far than for semantically near analogies. Results thus further illuminate the link between analogical reasoning and creative cognition by demonstrating convergent and divergent thinking as predictors of verbal analogy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the agency model of narcissism (Campbell, Brunell, & Finkel, 2006) narcissists view themselves as high on agentic traits but low on communal traits. To test if this self-view extends to recall, two experiments examined the extent to which narcissism was associated with self-ratings and recall of agentic and communal traits that varied in valence. Across both experiments a trait description task was followed by a surprise recall task for the trait words and then completion of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI; Raskin & Terry, 1988). Within the self-reference condition narcissism was related to higher selection in the trait description task and to higher recall of positive-agentic (e.g., clever) traits. This general pattern of results occurred for narcissism even while controlling for the related personality variables of self-esteem, agency, and communion. In contrast to narcissism, within the self-referent group self-esteem predicted higher recall for positive-communal traits (e.g., kind) but lower recall for negative-communal traits, a finding consistent with mnemic neglect. Overall, results supported the agency model of narcissism and extended this model to suggest that narcissists rate themselves more highly not only on positive-agentic traits but also on negative-communal traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the ubiquity of emotional experiences and the importance of similarity for understanding cognition and behavior, we examined how emotional valence affects perceived similarity. We hypothesized an affective projection process, whereby the emotion evoked by a prime is projected onto and influences judgments of unrelated targets. Experiment 1 revealed that positive events were judged more likely after a positive prime ('respected') than after a negative prime ('rejected'), thus demonstrating affective projection, whereas negative events were judged equally likely regardless of prime valence. Across five further experiments, positive primes increased similarity ratings of unrelated social categories (musicians & dentists), animals (penguins & horses), and animal-like novel figures (greebles). In contrast, because emotions cannot be projected onto inanimate objects, judgments of artifacts (saws & spoons) and artifact-like figures (yadgits) were unaffected. The influence of prime valence on target judgment was asymmetric, with positive primes affecting similarity but negative primes having no effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semantic knowledge may be organized in terms of similarity relations based on shared features and/or complementary relations based on co-occurrence in events. Thus, relationships between manipulable objects such as tools may be defined by their functional properties (what the objects are used for) or thematic properties (e.g., what the objects are used with or on). A recent study from our laboratory used eye-tracking to examine incidental activation of semantic relations in a word-picture matching task and found relatively early activation of thematic relations (e.g., broom-dustpan), later activation of general functional relations (e.g., broom-sponge), and an intermediate pattern for specific functional relations (e.g., broom-vacuum cleaner). Combined with other recent studies, these results suggest that there are distinct semantic systems for thematic and similarity-based knowledge and that the "specific function" condition drew on both systems. This predicts that left hemisphere stroke that damages either system (but not both) may spare specific function processing. The present experiment tested these hypotheses using the same experimental paradigm with participants with left hemisphere lesions (N = 17). The results revealed that, compared to neurologically intact controls (N = 12), stroke participants showed later activation of thematic and general function relations, but activation of specific function relations was spared and was significantly earlier for stroke participants than controls. Across the stroke participants, activation of thematic and general function relations was negatively correlated, further suggesting that damage tended to affect either one semantic system or the other. These results support the distinction between similarity-based and complementarity-based semantic relations and suggest that relations that draw on both systems are relatively more robust to damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the role played by thematic relations in human cognition, noting that thinking thematically is essential in language acquisition and comprehending analogical inferences. It explains that while taxonomic relations classify objects according to common properties, thematic relations group things based on their participation in a certain scenario or event. It demonstrates how taxonomic and thematic thought processes activate distinct cortical networks of the brain.

Simple Summary: To investigate whether pediatric and adult chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) have unique molecular characteristics, we studied the transcriptomic signature of pediatric and adult CML cells using high-throughput RNA sequencing. We identified differentially expressed genes and pathways unique to pediatric CML cells compared to adult CML cells. The Rho pathway was significantly dysregulated in pediatric CML cells compared to adult CML cells, suggesting the potential importance in the pathogenesis of pediatric CML. Our study is the first to compare transcriptome profiles of CML across different age groups. A better understanding of the biology of CML across different ages may inform future treatment approaches. Children with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) tend to present with higher white blood counts and larger spleens than adults with CML, suggesting that the biology of pediatric and adult CML may differ. To investigate whether pediatric and adult CML have unique molecular characteristics, we studied the transcriptomic signature of pediatric and adult CML CD34+ cells and healthy pediatric and adult CD34+ control cells. Using high-throughput RNA sequencing, we found 567 genes (207 up- and 360 downregulated) differentially expressed in pediatric CML CD34+ cells compared to pediatric healthy CD34+ cells. Directly comparing pediatric and adult CML CD34+ cells, 398 genes (258 up- and 140 downregulated), including many in the Rho pathway, were differentially expressed in pediatric CML CD34+ cells. Using RT-qPCR to verify differentially expressed genes, VAV2 and ARHGAP27 were significantly upregulated in adult CML CD34+ cells compared to pediatric CML CD34+ cells. NCF1, CYBB, and S100A8 were upregulated in adult CML CD34+ cells but not in pediatric CML CD34+ cells, compared to healthy controls. In contrast, DLC1 was significantly upregulated in pediatric CML CD34+ cells but not in adult CML CD34+ cells, compared to healthy controls. These results demonstrate unique molecular characteristics of pediatric CML, such as dysregulation of the Rho pathway, which may contribute to clinical differences between pediatric and adult patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluate whether evidence from conceptual combination supports the relational priming model of analogy. Representing relations implicitly as patterns of activation distributed across the semantic network provides a natural and parsimonious explanation of several key phenomena observed in conceptual combination. Although an additional mechanism for role resolution may be required, relational priming offers a promising approach to analogy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viral infections induce a conserved host response distinct from bacterial infections. We hypothesized that the conserved response is associated with disease severity and is distinct between patients with different outcomes. To test this, we integrated 4,780 blood transcriptome profiles from patients aged 0 to 90 years infected with one of 16 viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, chikungunya, and influenza, across 34 cohorts from 18 countries, and single-cell RNA sequencing profiles of 702,970 immune cells from 289 samples across three cohorts. Severe viral infection was associated with increased hematopoiesis, myelopoiesis, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. We identified protective and detrimental gene modules that defined distinct trajectories associated with mild versus severe outcomes. The interferon response was decoupled from the protective host response in patients with severe outcomes. These findings were consistent, irrespective of age and virus, and provide insights to accelerate the development of diagnostics and host-directed therapies to improve global pandemic preparedness. [Display omitted] • Conserved host response distinguishes non-severe and severe viral infections • Increased hematopoiesis, myelopoiesis, and myeloid-derived suppression with severity • Protective and detrimental modules define trajectories for mild and severe outcomes • Interferon response is decoupled from the protective response in severe outcomes Viral infections induce a conserved host response distinct from bacterial infections, but whether this conserved response distinguishes severity is unclear. Zheng et al. analyzed >5000 bulk and single-cell transcriptome profiles from patients infected with one of 16 viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, and chikungunya. They identified protective and detrimental host response modules that distinguish patients with mild or severe outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]