The subjective feeling of a gap between conceptual and perceptual fluency is interpreted as a metacognitive signal of pastness.

The present study aimed to address the following question: does the discrepancy between an expected word and its readability enhances or impair its memorability? We used an adaptation of the sentence stem paradigm (Whittlesea in J Exp Psycol 19:1235-1253, 1993) and manipulated the perceptual clarity of the words by introducing some Gaussian noise (Reber in Psycol Sci 9:45-48, 1998). The target words were semantically predictable or otherwise (conceptual fluency) or were easy or difficult to read (perceptual fluency). The first experiment was conducted to ensure that the two manipulated factors had an impact on the readability of the words.

The Action Constraints of an Object Increase Distance Estimation in Extrapersonal Space.

This study investigated the role of action constraints related to an object as regards allocentric distance estimation in extrapersonal space. In two experiments conducted in both real and virtual environments, participants intending to push a trolley had to estimate its distance from a target situated in front of them. The trolley was either empty (i.

[Economic analysis of an anesthesiology, resuscitation, and pain therapy service].

In this study we analyzed costs and income recorded in 1992 for an anesthesia department at a university hospital in Catalonia. We have broken down overall expenses into subcategories for each service provided by the department: anesthesia, intensive care, and pain (acute and chronic) therapy. We have also analyzed the department's income for these services, with particular attention to the acute pain clinic.