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Previous research showing everyday memory is impaired by heavy alcohol use may have underestimated the cognitive impairment of heavy users because drinkers consuming over the recommended limits for safe drinking have often been treated as a homogeneous group, often with a low threshold for inclusion. The current study investigated whether the reported linear relationship applies to participants consuming alcohol significantly above recommended limits. The everyday memory of 80 participants (43 men; modal age, 31-35 years) was investigated using the Prospective Memory Questionnaire. Participants also detailed their average weekly intake of alcohol and other substances. Current heavy users of alcohol (who consumed on average over 25 units per week) reported more memory problems than low (1-9 units per week) or medium users (10-25 units per week). Participants undergoing counselling for alcohol use reported more deficits than low or medium drinkers, but fewer than current heavy drinkers. Possible reasons for this were discussed. Strengths and limitations of subjective approaches to memory assessment were discussed as well as suggestions for future research. DOI 10.2466/PR0.106.3.905-917

Extensive research has identified individual differences associated with sex in a range of visual task performances, including susceptibility to visual illusions. The aim of this study was to identify the locus of sex differences within the context of the Poggendorf illusion. 79 women and 79 men participated within a mixed factorial design. Analyses indicated that sex differences were only present in the stimulus context with the full inducing element present. This finding replicates recent research and provides qualifying evidence as to the locus of the effect. The findings are discussed within the functional framework of perceptual processes involved in extrapolating 3-dimensional characteristics from 2-dimensional visual stimuli

Three experiments explored the effect of overt speech on children's use of 'inner speech' in short-term memory (STM). Experiments 1 and 2 compared recall of a series of pictured objects when 5- and 11-year-olds either labeled stimuli at presentation or remained silent. Use of inner speech was assessed by manipulating word length of the picture names (Experiment 1) or phonemic similarity (Experiment 2). Word length and phonemic similarity had greater effects in the older children and when pictures were labeled at presentation. These tendencies were such that 5-year-olds were sensitive to word length and phonemic similarity only with labeling. Experiment 3 compared labeling by the child with labeling by the experimenter in 5-years-olds. There were no significant differences with respect to overall performance or effects of word length and phonemic similarity. It is suggested that speaking or listening to speech activates an internal 'articulatory loop,' and that such activation is especially important when the child's ability to use inner speech in STM has not fully developed.

A study was conducted to compare the polydrug usage patterns reported by non-Ecstasy users, moderate Ecstasy users, and heavy ecstasy users. The increased use of Ecstasy is associated with more intensive patterns of Ecstasy/MDMA intake, and the greater use of illicit CNS stimulants and hallucinogens.

Prospective memory (PM) is memory for future events. PM is a developing area of research (e.g., Brandimonte, Einstein & McDaniel, 1996) with recent work linking personality types and their utilisation of PM (Goschke & Kuhl, 1996; Searleman, 1996). The present study compared 28 extraverts and 28 introverts on their short- and long-term prospective memory using the Prospective Memory Scale developed by Hannon, Adams, Harrington, Fries-Dias & Gibson (1995). The main finding was that extraverts reported significantly fewer errors on short- and long-term PM than introverts, and this difference could not be explained in terms of the number of strategies used to support prospective remembering. These findings are discussed in relation to differences between the personality types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

— Chronic alcohol abuse has a detrimental effect on retrospective memory. Less is known about its putative effects on everyday memory. This study looked at self-ratings of prospective memory (PM) (memory for future events). After controlling for other drug and strategy use, chronic heavy alcohol users showed global impairments in PM, when compared to matched controls. The underlying mechanisms are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A response by Richard Stephens to a letter to the editor about his article "Investigation of the "Hangover" Effects of an Acute Dose of Alcohol on Psychomotor Performance" in the 2008 issue is presented.

SUMMARY After a decade of correlational research, this study attempts to measure the causal impact of (general) smartphone use on educational performance. To this end, we merge survey data on general smartphone use, exogenous predictors of this use, and other drivers of academic success with the exam scores of first‐year students at two Belgian universities. The resulting data are analysed with instrumental variable estimation techniques. A one‐standard‐deviation increase in daily smartphone use yields a decrease in average exam scores of about one point (out of 20). When relying on ordinary least squares estimations, the magnitude of this effect is substantially underestimated. The negative association between smartphone use and exam results is more outspoken for students (i) with highly educated fathers, (ii) with divorced parents and (iii) who are in good health. Policy‐makers should at least invest in information and awareness campaigns of teachers and parents to highlight this trade‐off between smartphone use and academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents summaries of psychology research conducted by various universities and institutes around the world for July 27, 2000 that focuses on topics such as the trait of self-confidence, neural processing of auditory and visual information, and the effect of social anxiety on coping, well-being, and relationships.

The article presents summaries of psychology research conducted by various universities and institutes around the world for July 25, 2000 that focuses on topics such as Hong Kong college students' motivational orientations and gender-role attributes, Australian studies on biomarkers, health, and cognitive aging, and the role of phonemic processing in adult literacy.

The article presents summaries of psychology research conducted by various universities and institutes around the world for July 28, 2000 that focuses on topics such as decision making in law, the design of distance learning systems, and evaluating the health status of patients with dizziness, imbalance, or vertigo with a questionnaire.

The article presents summaries of psychology research conducted by various universities and institutes around the world for July 24, 2000 that focuses on topics such as epigenesis of the cognitive brain, the role of metacognition in high-level thinking, and primary school teachers' personality characteristics and attitudes about teaching.