The present article describes how to use eye tracking methodologies to study the cognitive processes involved in text comprehension. Measuring eye movements during reading is one of the most precise methods for measuring moment-by-moment (online) processing demands during text comprehension. Cognitive processing demands are reflected by several aspects of eye movement behavior, such as fixation duration, number of fixations, and number of regressions (returning to prior parts of a text). Important properties of eye tracking equipment that researchers need to consider are described, including how frequently the eye position is measured (sampling rate), accuracy of determining eye position, how much head movement is allowed, and ease of use. Also described are properties of stimuli that influence eye movements that need to be controlled in studies of text comprehension, such as the position, frequency, and length of target words. Procedural recommendations related to preparing the participant, setting up and calibrating the equipment, and running a study are given. Representative results are presented to illustrate how data can be evaluated. Although the methodology is described in terms of reading comprehension, much of the information presented can be applied to any study in which participants read verbal stimuli.

No abstract

Research in metaphor processing has made extensive use of the normed metaphor database created by Katz, Paivio, Marschark, & Clark (Metaphor and Symbolic Activity, 3, 191-214, 1988). Because of the plasticity of figurative language, we conducted a renorming of selected metaphors from the database on a new student population. Correlations between Katz et al.'s and the present data showed that the pattern of responses has remained highly consistent across time and populations. The consistency of the normative ratings allows us to be confident in future research that will use the Katz et al. collection.Keywords Metaphor . Figurative language . Norming . Individual differences . KatzThe use of controlled stimuli is an essential component of the scientific process, so it is important to ensure that stimuli have been appropriately normed for the population and variables being tested. Oftentimes researchers will use a shared database of normed stimuli to ensure consistency across projects and laboratories. One such collection of normed stimuli is the set of literary and nonliterary metaphors generated by Katz, Paivio, Marschark, and Clark (1988). Katz et al. collected ratings on ten dimensions that could be used to describe metaphors: their comprehensibility, ease of interpretation, metaphoricity, metaphor goodness, imagery of the metaphor, imagery of the subject, imagery of the predicate, familiarity, semantic relatedness, and number of alternative interpretations.Because of the span of dimensions measured, this collection has been used in many studies since its publication (e.g

No abstract

The Division Mental Health Section (DMHS) has long been an essential component of the combat mental health mission. Relatively little attention has focused on its important functions in garrison. The authors, both veterans of Operation Desert Storm, review the DMHS mission in garrison and highlight forces currently jeopardizing the success of that mission. They describe Persian Gulf lessons with important implications for garrison mental health care and then discuss possible solutions to the varied problems facing DMHSs. They conclude, most importantly, that an effective DMHS must identify with the division, sharpen soldier and officer skills, respect organizational boundaries, and continuously prepare for combat.