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A microgenetic approach to the amnesic syndrome
AKTUALGENESE
99
A MICROGENETIC APPROACH TO THE AMNESIC SYNDROME G. A. TALLAND Boston, Mass. (USA)
Experimental studies of chronic Korsakoff patients have shown that the cognitive impairment characteristic of the amnesic syndrome extends to functions other than recall or recognition. Failure to integrate sequential information into unitary structures, i.e., a tendency to isolate fragmentary events or observations, is a deficiency which suggests a general theoretical formulation of the psychological syndrome. This formulation hinges on the hypothesis that amnesic patients have a diminished capacity to sustain mental function: cognitive processes fail to reach completion. In memory function the processes primarily concerned are those which, if completed, would establish the lasting changes that subserve long term remembering. If they fail to occur, the probability of efficient remembering is diminished but the capacity is not destroyed; this corresponds to behavioral observations in the amnesic syndrome. In perception, evidence of premature termination of function should be found by examining the microgenetic process. The purpose of the study reported was to determine whether the performance of Korsakoff patients in a perceptual test supports the hypothesis advanced. The experiment was modelled on the familiar pattern of microgenetic studies in visual perception, i.e., it consisted of repeated tachistoscopic presentation of figures, each exposure being longer than the previous one. In order to eliminate effects attributable to a primary memory disturbance, the experiment was conducted imder three conditions. First, the five test figures were presented in sequence at each of '~he four exposure times, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 sec. In the second test, each figure was presented successively at the four exposures, before showing another figure. In a third test, the effects of repetition and length of exposure were investigated. Drawings of unfamiliar composite figures were used for test material. Verbatim protocols of the subjects' reports were analyzed for instances of elaboration, mere change, and replication of the previous report, according to standard criteria. Control groups were studied under the first two test conditions. Under the conditions of the second test, although these are the most favorable for completing the rnicrogenetic process, the Korsakoff patients structured and elaborated their percepts at a slower rate than in the first test. In both tests they structured and elaborated their percepts more
100
THEMA l
slowly and less fully than the controls. The number of repeated exposures and length of inspection did not affect the rate of the perceptual process. The results support the hypothesis that reduced persistence of a general mental function may account for the cognitive defects in the amnesic syndrome.
A K T U A L G E N E T I S C H E U N T E R S U C H U N G E N UBER DIE Z W I S C H E N R A U M D E U T U N G E N IM R O R S C H A C H T E S T TH. SCHARMANN Ni~rnberg (Deutschland)
Es wurden die Rorschach-Protokolle von 100 Sonderschiilern und 50 Volksschiilern im Alter yon 10-12 Jahren sowie die einscblagige Literatur unter gestalt- und entwieklungspsychologischen Gesichtspunkten ausgewertet, um zur KSirung der Morphogenese und Symptomatologie der DZw-Deutungen im Rorschach-Test beizutragen. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung, welche umfangrcichere experimentelle Versuche vorbereiten soll, lassen deutlich erkennen, da B in Zukunft einc sorgf~iltige morphologische Unterscheidung der verschiedenen Zwischenraum., uud Randdeutungen erforderlich ist, und damit auch ibre Symptomatologie einer erneuten Uberpr~.ifung bedarf. Die traditionelle Auffasung, dab mehrere DZw-Antworten auf eine Tendenz zu Aggresion und Opposition hindeuten, konnte nicht best~itigt werden, dagegeo scheint die Annahme berechtigt, dal3 die Deutung yon bcstirnmten Zwischenformen, wenn sic gch~uft auftreten, fiJr eine gestcigerte apperzeptive Umschlagsbereitschaft und intelektuelle Umstellungsffihigkeit sprecherL wobei die Mitwirkung affektiver Komponenten nicht ausgeschlossen wird.
E T U D E G E N E T I Q U E SUR LES SCHEMES EMPIRIQUES H. BRAULT Paris (France)
NOUS avons voulu, avec E. Vurpillot, v6rifier expOrimentalement qu'il se crOe chez l'eufant des schemes empiriques intOressant les objets familiers. Nous pensons qu'il s'agit bien de sch6mes s'il se produit une cat~gorisation, non verbalis~e comme telle certes, mais qui intervient au
99
A MICROGENETIC APPROACH TO THE AMNESIC SYNDROME G. A. TALLAND Boston, Mass. (USA)
Experimental studies of chronic Korsakoff patients have shown that the cognitive impairment characteristic of the amnesic syndrome extends to functions other than recall or recognition. Failure to integrate sequential information into unitary structures, i.e., a tendency to isolate fragmentary events or observations, is a deficiency which suggests a general theoretical formulation of the psychological syndrome. This formulation hinges on the hypothesis that amnesic patients have a diminished capacity to sustain mental function: cognitive processes fail to reach completion. In memory function the processes primarily concerned are those which, if completed, would establish the lasting changes that subserve long term remembering. If they fail to occur, the probability of efficient remembering is diminished but the capacity is not destroyed; this corresponds to behavioral observations in the amnesic syndrome. In perception, evidence of premature termination of function should be found by examining the microgenetic process. The purpose of the study reported was to determine whether the performance of Korsakoff patients in a perceptual test supports the hypothesis advanced. The experiment was modelled on the familiar pattern of microgenetic studies in visual perception, i.e., it consisted of repeated tachistoscopic presentation of figures, each exposure being longer than the previous one. In order to eliminate effects attributable to a primary memory disturbance, the experiment was conducted imder three conditions. First, the five test figures were presented in sequence at each of '~he four exposure times, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 sec. In the second test, each figure was presented successively at the four exposures, before showing another figure. In a third test, the effects of repetition and length of exposure were investigated. Drawings of unfamiliar composite figures were used for test material. Verbatim protocols of the subjects' reports were analyzed for instances of elaboration, mere change, and replication of the previous report, according to standard criteria. Control groups were studied under the first two test conditions. Under the conditions of the second test, although these are the most favorable for completing the rnicrogenetic process, the Korsakoff patients structured and elaborated their percepts at a slower rate than in the first test. In both tests they structured and elaborated their percepts more
100
THEMA l
slowly and less fully than the controls. The number of repeated exposures and length of inspection did not affect the rate of the perceptual process. The results support the hypothesis that reduced persistence of a general mental function may account for the cognitive defects in the amnesic syndrome.
A K T U A L G E N E T I S C H E U N T E R S U C H U N G E N UBER DIE Z W I S C H E N R A U M D E U T U N G E N IM R O R S C H A C H T E S T TH. SCHARMANN Ni~rnberg (Deutschland)
Es wurden die Rorschach-Protokolle von 100 Sonderschiilern und 50 Volksschiilern im Alter yon 10-12 Jahren sowie die einscblagige Literatur unter gestalt- und entwieklungspsychologischen Gesichtspunkten ausgewertet, um zur KSirung der Morphogenese und Symptomatologie der DZw-Deutungen im Rorschach-Test beizutragen. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung, welche umfangrcichere experimentelle Versuche vorbereiten soll, lassen deutlich erkennen, da B in Zukunft einc sorgf~iltige morphologische Unterscheidung der verschiedenen Zwischenraum., uud Randdeutungen erforderlich ist, und damit auch ibre Symptomatologie einer erneuten Uberpr~.ifung bedarf. Die traditionelle Auffasung, dab mehrere DZw-Antworten auf eine Tendenz zu Aggresion und Opposition hindeuten, konnte nicht best~itigt werden, dagegeo scheint die Annahme berechtigt, dal3 die Deutung yon bcstirnmten Zwischenformen, wenn sic gch~uft auftreten, fiJr eine gestcigerte apperzeptive Umschlagsbereitschaft und intelektuelle Umstellungsffihigkeit sprecherL wobei die Mitwirkung affektiver Komponenten nicht ausgeschlossen wird.
E T U D E G E N E T I Q U E SUR LES SCHEMES EMPIRIQUES H. BRAULT Paris (France)
NOUS avons voulu, avec E. Vurpillot, v6rifier expOrimentalement qu'il se crOe chez l'eufant des schemes empiriques intOressant les objets familiers. Nous pensons qu'il s'agit bien de sch6mes s'il se produit une cat~gorisation, non verbalis~e comme telle certes, mais qui intervient au