The influence of head contour and nose angle on the perception of eye-gaze direction

We report seven experiments that investigate the influence that head orientation exerts on the perception of eye-gaze direction. In each of these experiments, participants were asked to decide whether the eyes in a brief and masked presentation were looking directly at them or were averted. In each case, the eyes could be presented alone, or in the context of congruent or incongruent stimuli. In Experiment 1A, the congruent and incongruent stimuli were provided by the orientation of face features and head outline. Discrimination of gaze direction was found to be better when face and gaze were congruent than in both of the other conditions, an effect that was not eliminated by inversion of the stimuli (Experiment 1B). In Experiment 2A, the internal face features were removed, but the outline of the head profile was found to produce an identical pattern of effects on gaze discrimination, effects that were again insensitive to inversion (Experiment 2B) and which persisted when lateral displacement of the eyes was controlled (Experiment 2C). Finally, in Experiment 3A, nose angle was also found to influence participants' ability to discriminate direct gaze from averted gaze, but here the effectwas eliminated by inversion of the stimuli (Experiment 3B). We concluded that an image-based mechanism is responsible for the influence of head profile on gaze perception, whereas the analysis of nose angle involves the configural processing of face features

Relationship between symptoms of mild head injury, psychosocial ability, psychological morbidity and coping style

The mild head inured population accounts for 80 per cent of all head injuries and whilst research has identified no neurological abnormalities, this population still report to experience functional impairment. The current study set out to explore the biopsychosocial factors that could exacerbate the symptoms of mild head injury. In this respect, the study looks at the relationship between post concussion symptoms, social ability, psychological morbidity and coping style using the Rivermead Post-concussion symptoms Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the COPE questionnaire. Questionnaires were sent out to 138 individuals at 6 months post injury to identify relationships between coping style, post concussion symptoms, social support and psychological morbidity. 32 respondents completed and returned the questionnaires. Post concussion symptoms were positively related to social support, depression and anxiety. Active coping was found to be negatively related to post concussion symptoms whereas emotion focused and avoidant coping were positively associated with post concussion symptoms. The results of the study suggest that in order to improve symptoms of mild head injury practitioners must address symptoms of depression and anxiety, in addition to promoting a more productive coping style

Neighborhoods, Obesity and Diabetes –-- A Randomized Social Experiment

Background: The question of whether neighborhood environment contributes directly to the development of obesity and diabetes remains unresolved. The study reported on here uses data from a social experiment to assess the association of randomly assigned variation in neighborhood conditions with obesity and diabetes. Methods: From 1994 through 1998, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) randomly assigned 4498 women with children living in public housing in high-poverty urban census tracts (in which ≥40% of residents had incomes below the federal poverty threshold) to one of three groups: 1788 were assigned to receive housing vouchers, which were redeemable only if they moved to a low-poverty census tract (where <10% of residents were poor), and counseling on moving; 1312 were assigned to receive unrestricted, traditional vouchers, with no special counseling on moving; and 1398 were assigned to a control group that was offered neither of these opportunities. From 2008 through 2010, as part of a long-term follow-up survey, we measured data indicating health outcomes, including height, weight, and level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA$_{1c}$).Economic

Relationship between symptoms of mild head injury, psychosocial ability, psychological morbidity and coping style

The mild head inured population accounts for 80 per cent of all head injuries and whilst research has identified no neurological abnormalities, this population still report to experience functional impairment. The current study set out to explore the biopsychosocial factors that could exacerbate the symptoms of mild head injury. In this respect, the study looks at the relationship between post concussion symptoms, social ability, psychological morbidity and coping style using the Rivermead Post-concussion symptoms Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the COPE questionnaire. Questionnaires were sent out to 138 individuals at 6 months post injury to identify relationships between coping style, post concussion symptoms, social support and psychological morbidity. 32 respondents completed and returned the questionnaires. Post concussion symptoms were positively related to social support, depression and anxiety. Active coping was found to be negatively related to post concussion symptoms whereas emotion focused and avoidant coping were positively associated with post concussion symptoms. The results of the study suggest that in order to improve symptoms of mild head injury practitioners must address symptoms of depression and anxiety, in addition to promoting a more productive coping style.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The Long-Term Effects of Moving to Opportunity on Adult Health and Economic Self-Sufficiency

Adults living in high-poverty neighborhoods often fare worse than adults in more advantaged neighborhoods on their physical health, mental health, and economic well-being. Although social scientists have observed this association for hundreds of years, they have found it difficult to determine the extent to which the neighborhoods themselves affect well-being versus the extent to which people at greater risk for adverse outcomes live in impoverished neighborhoods. In this article, we examine neighborhood effects using data from the 10- to 15-year evaluation of the Moving to Opportunity (MTO) for Fair Housing demonstration, which offered randomly selected families a housing voucher. The experimental design of MTO allows us to isolate the effects of neighborhoods from selection bias. We find that, 10 to 15 years after enrolling participants, the program had very few detectable effects on economic well-being but had some substantial effects on the physical and mental health of adults. For adults whose families received the offer of a housing voucher that could be used to move only to a low-poverty neighborhood, we find health benefits in terms of lower prevalence of diabetes, extreme obesity, physical limitations, and psychological distress. For adults offered a Section 8 voucher, we find benefits in terms of less extreme obesity and lower prevalence of lifetime depression.Economic