Kazuo Mori

Publications

• The leading group effect: Illusionary declines in scholastic standard scores of mid-range Japanese junior high school pupils.

  K. Mori, A. Uchida

  Research in Education. 01/2012; 87.

  Longitudinal change in the average Z scores for four groups of pupils sorted by quartiles was examined for its stability over three years. The data, collected from 1998 to 2009, was obtained from nine cohorts of Japanese junior high school pupils totaling 1,962 subjects. It showed illusionary declin... [more] Longitudinal change in the average Z scores for four groups of pupils sorted by quartiles was examined for its stability over three years. The data, collected from 1998 to 2009, was obtained from nine cohorts of Japanese junior high school pupils totaling 1,962 subjects. It showed illusionary declines among the mid-range pupils but improvement among those in the low-range group. These illusionary declines and improvement were found to stem from the fact that left-skewed distributions for the first term examination scores became less skewed for later exams. Such illusionary declines, dubbed the “Leading Group Effect,” may undermine the motivation of middle-range pupils. This illusionary statistical phenomenon should be appropriately explained to teachers and pupils of junior high schools so they won’t be discouraged by illusionary declines in the Z scores.

• Pre-Schoolers’ Reports of Conflicting Points Secretly Inserted into a Co-Witnessed Event: An Experimental Investigation Using the MORI Technique

  Kazuo Mori, Ryuta Takahashi

  Psychology 2152-7180. 01/2012; 3:in press.

  Thirteen pre-school and ten undergraduate pairs participated as eyewitnesses to a simulated criminal event presented through animated cartoons using a presentation trick (MORI technique). Although there were two different versions, the MORI technique had participants observe only one version without... [more] Thirteen pre-school and ten undergraduate pairs participated as eyewitnesses to a simulated criminal event presented through animated cartoons using a presentation trick (MORI technique). Although there were two different versions, the MORI technique had participants observe only one version without being aware of the other. In three reporting sessions, participants recalled what they presumed they had jointly observed; individually immediately after the presentation, collaboratively after the individual recall, and again individually one week later. The main results were: pre-schoolers, as well as undergraduates, showed better recall in the collaborative tests, though the former generally showed poorer recall than the latter, pre-schoolers tended to conform more frequently than undergraduates in the week-later tests, and both pre-school and undergraduate pairs conformed more often for amendment than distortion.

• No confederates needed: Social comparison without collaboration.

  K. Mori, H. Mori

  Social Behavior and Personality An International Journal. 01/2011; 39:543-552.

  In the present experiment, we replicated Asch's seminal study on social conformity without using confederates. We adapted a presentation trick in order to present two different stimuli secretly to groups of participants to create minorities and majorities without utilizing confederates. One hund... [more] In the present experiment, we replicated Asch's seminal study on social conformity without using confederates. We adapted a presentation trick in order to present two different stimuli secretly to groups of participants to create minorities and majorities without utilizing confederates. One hundred and four Japanese undergraduates (40 men and 64 women) carried out Asch-equivalent tasks in same-sex groups of four. In each group, we adapted the fMORI Technique to present the tasks such that one person (minority participant) observed different stimuli than the other three people (majority participants). The same nine stimulus sets that Asch had used were carefully reproduced as PowerPoint slides and projected onto a half-transparent screen. As for the critical tasks, the top part of the standard lines appeared in either green or magenta so that two groups of participants would see them differently when they wore two types of polarizing sunglasses that filtered either green or magenta to make the lines appear longer or shorter. A post-experimental questionnaire confirmed that no participant among either the minority or majority viewers noticed the presentation trick. The results showed that, in line with Asch's basic findings, the minority women participants conformed to the majority. However, our study produced two different results: While minority women conformed, minority men did not. Contrary to Asch's findings, the frequency of conformity of minority participants was almost the same regardless of whether the majority answered unanimously or not.

• Reading words with jumbled characters in Japanese.

  K. Mori, R. Komatsu

  Perceptual and Motor Skills. 01/2011; 112:947-950.

  Rayner, et al. (2006) was replicated with 36 Japanese undergraduates who read Japanese sentences in which characters were transposed in one word at the beginning, middle, or end. The same pattern of reading delays in relation to transposition location was found but in smaller magnitude. Transpositio... [more] Rayner, et al. (2006) was replicated with 36 Japanese undergraduates who read Japanese sentences in which characters were transposed in one word at the beginning, middle, or end. The same pattern of reading delays in relation to transposition location was found but in smaller magnitude. Transposition of characters at the beginning of words caused the largest delay in reading.

• Conformity of Six-Year-Old Children in the Asch Experiment without Using Confederates

  Aiko Hanayama, Kazuo Mori

  Psychology 2152-7180. 01/2011; 2:661-664.

  We investigated the conformity of young children without the use of confederates by utilizing the fMORI-Asch paradigm. The Asch-equivalent tasks were presented by means of a presentation trick so that one participant ob- served different stimuli than the other three, creating a minority-majority con... [more] We investigated the conformity of young children without the use of confederates by utilizing the fMORI-Asch paradigm. The Asch-equivalent tasks were presented by means of a presentation trick so that one participant ob- served different stimuli than the other three, creating a minority-majority confrontation without using confeder- ates. Ninety-six Japanese first graders (6 - 7 years old; 48 boys and 48 girls) participated in same-sex groups of four. The response order was randomly assigned and the third responders observed the standard lines differently from the other three children. The results showed that the minority children who had observed different stimuli tended to make more errors than the other three children. No gender differences were observed.
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  Impact points

  Relative - not absolute - judgments of credibility affect susceptibility to misinformation conveyed during discussion.

  Lauren French, Maryanne Garry, Kazuo Mori

  Acta psychologica. 01/2011; 136(1):119-28.

  People remember different details about the same events, and when they discuss events they exchange new - and misleading - information. Discussion can change memory, especially when the source of new information is highly credible. But we do not know whether the effects of credibility are based on a... [more] People remember different details about the same events, and when they discuss events they exchange new - and misleading - information. Discussion can change memory, especially when the source of new information is highly credible. But we do not know whether the effects of credibility are based on absolute judgments - judging a source's credibility independently from our own credibility - or relative judgments - judging a source's credibility only in relation to our own credibility. We addressed this question by manipulating subjects' expectations, leading them to believe that they either had the same, higher or lower "visual acuity" than their partner while they watched a movie together. To create ample opportunities for the pairs to mention misleading details to one another, each member unknowingly saw a different version of the movie. The pairs then discussed some of the critical differences, but not others. Later, everyone took an independent recognition test. Subjects' susceptibility to misinformation depended on their own credibility relative to their partner's, supporting the idea that susceptibility to misinformation depends on relative differences in credibility.
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  Impact points

  Examination of the passive facial feedback hypothesis using an implicit measure: with a furrowed brow, neutral objects with pleasant primes look less appealing.

  Kazuo Mori, Hideko Mori

  Perceptual and motor skills. 12/2010; 111(3):785-9.

  98 undergraduates (54 men, 44 women) participated in an experiment to examine whether having an artificially furrowed brow would have an effect on participants' subjective impression of perceived targets. An elastic adhesive bandage was either stretched to create furrows on the brow when it retr... [more] 98 undergraduates (54 men, 44 women) participated in an experiment to examine whether having an artificially furrowed brow would have an effect on participants' subjective impression of perceived targets. An elastic adhesive bandage was either stretched to create furrows on the brow when it retracted, or not stretched so as to avoid creating wrinkles. While wearing the bandages, the participants rated their impressions of neutral targets preceded by agreeable, disagreeable, or neutral primes in a modified Affect Misattribution Procedure. The results showed that participants with artificially furrowed brows tended to rate the neutral targets preceded by agreeable primes less favorably than did the control participants, while both groups rated similarly the targets preceded by disagreeable primes.

• No need to fake it: Reproduction of the Asch experiment without using confederates.

  K. Mori, M. Arai

  International Journal of Psychology. 01/2010; 45:390-397.
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  Impact points

  Evidence for the efficacy of the MORI technique: viewers do not notice or implicitly remember details from the alternate movie version.

  Lauren French, Matthew P Gerrie, Maryanne Garry, Kazuo Mori

  Behavior research methods. 11/2009; 41(4):1224-32.

  The MORI technique provides a unique way to research social influences on memory. The technique allows people to watch different movies on the same screen at the same time without realizing that each of them sees something different. As a result, researchers can create a situation in which people fe... [more] The MORI technique provides a unique way to research social influences on memory. The technique allows people to watch different movies on the same screen at the same time without realizing that each of them sees something different. As a result, researchers can create a situation in which people feel as though they share an experience, but systematic differences are introduced into their memories, and the effect of those differences can be tracked through a discussion. Despite its methodological advances, the MORI technique has been met with criticism, mostly because reviewers are worried that the MORI technique might not completely block the alternate movie version from view, leading people in these studies to see their partner's version of the movie as well as their own. We addressed these concerns in two experiments. We found no evidence that subjects noticed the alternate movie version while watching a movie via the MORI technique (Experiment 1) and no evidence that subjects remembered details from the alternate movie version (Experiment 2). Taken together, the results provide support for the MORI technique as a valuable research tool.
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  Another test of the passive facial feedback hypothesis: when your face smiles, you feel happy.

  Kazuo Mori, Hideko Mori

  Perceptual and motor skills. 08/2009; 109(1):76-8.

  88 undergraduates (44 men, 44 women) participated in an experiment to examine whether the cutaneous sensation of having the cheeks lifted would cause a feeling of happiness. Two types of paired adhesive bandages connected with rubber bands were prepared and used either to raise or lower the cheeks. ... [more] 88 undergraduates (44 men, 44 women) participated in an experiment to examine whether the cutaneous sensation of having the cheeks lifted would cause a feeling of happiness. Two types of paired adhesive bandages connected with rubber bands were prepared and used either to raise or lower the cheeks. While the bandages were applied, the participants rated their feelings. The results showed that 50 participants felt happiness when their cheeks were lifted, statistically significant compared to the 27 who felt sadness. They confirmed the hypothesis that people may feel happy when their cheeks are lifted upward.

• Can contrived success affect self-efficacy among junior high school pupils?

  K. Mori, A. Uchida

  Research in Education, 82, 60-68. 01/2009; 82:60-68.

  Twenty-four junior high school students with academic achievement in the 26-50 percentiles were given easier anagram tasks while their 183 classmates were given more difficult ones by means of a presentation trick using polarizing filters. The two series of anagram tasks were projected simultaneousl... [more] Twenty-four junior high school students with academic achievement in the 26-50 percentiles were given easier anagram tasks while their 183 classmates were given more difficult ones by means of a presentation trick using polarizing filters. The two series of anagram tasks were projected simultaneously on the same screen, but each of two groups of students with polarizing sunglasses observed only one series, unaware of the other series. The target students given easier tasks performed significantly better than their classmates who served as the control group. Although it was contrived, the successful performance and subsequent social approval in class significantly promoted their self-efficacy for the anagram tasks. The elevated self-efficacy persisted as long as one year after the anagram task success.
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  You say tomato? Collaborative remembering leads to more false memories for intimate couples than for strangers.

  Lauren French, Maryanne Garry, Kazuo Mori

  Memory (Hove, England). 05/2008; 16(3):262-73.

  Research on memory conformity shows that collaborative remembering--typically in the form of discussion--can influence people's memories. One question that remains is whether it matters with whom we discuss our memories. To address this question we compared people's memories for an event aft... [more] Research on memory conformity shows that collaborative remembering--typically in the form of discussion--can influence people's memories. One question that remains is whether it matters with whom we discuss our memories. To address this question we compared people's memories for an event after they discussed that event with either their romantic partner or a stranger. Pairs of subjects watched slightly different versions of a movie, and then discussed some details from the movie, but not others. Subjects were better at remembering non-discussed details than discussed details: when remembering discussed details they incorrectly reported information from their partner's version instead of their own. In addition, subjects who discussed the event with their romantic partner (rather than with a stranger) were even more likely to report false memories. We discuss our findings in relation to other research on memory conformity, social influences on false memories, and memory systems within romantic relationships.
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  Conformity among cowitnesses sharing same or different information about an event in experimental collaborative eyewitness testimony.

  Kazuo Mori, Hideko Mori

  Perceptual and motor skills. 03/2008; 106(1):275-90.

  Using the Mori technique in which two different movies presented on the same screen were viewed separately by two groups without their noticing the duality, two experiments were carried out with 138 undergraduates in groups of varying sizes to examine the effects of cowitnesses with the same or diff... [more] Using the Mori technique in which two different movies presented on the same screen were viewed separately by two groups without their noticing the duality, two experiments were carried out with 138 undergraduates in groups of varying sizes to examine the effects of cowitnesses with the same or different information on these witnesses' memory distortion. Exp. 1 investigated the cowitness effects in a one-versus-two situation, while Exp. 2 investigated the effects in a two-versus-two situation. Analysis showed isolated eyewitnesses who had no supporting cowitnesses changed their minds more frequently toward the majority and, when they had a cowitness who shared the same information, they tended to stick to their original reports even after being confronted with conflicting information in a discussion.
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  A test of the passive facial feedback hypothesis: we feel sorry because we cry.

  Hideko Mori, Kazuo Mori

  Perceptual and motor skills. 01/2008; 105(3 Pt 2):1242-4.

  Undergraduates, 61 men and 52 women, participated in pairs in an examination of whether simulated tearing of the eyes would cause sadness. In order to simulate the experience of tearing up, about 0.2 ml of water was dropped on the cheek near the lacrimal duct of both eyes of each participant, who th... [more] Undergraduates, 61 men and 52 women, participated in pairs in an examination of whether simulated tearing of the eyes would cause sadness. In order to simulate the experience of tearing up, about 0.2 ml of water was dropped on the cheek near the lacrimal duct of both eyes of each participant, who then rated subjective feeling on a 7-point scale. 53.8% of participants reported sadness along with the simulated tearing, which was statistically larger than the 28.6% who reported cheerfulness.

• A Paper-format group performance test for measuring the implicit association of target concepts.

  K. Mori, A. Uchida, R. Imada

  Behavior Research Methods. 01/2008; 40:546-555.
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  Eyewitness memory following discussion: Using the MORI technique with a Western sample.

  M. Garry, L. French, T. Kinzett, K. Mori

  Applied Cognitive Psychology. 01/2008; 22:431-439..
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  Projecting two words with one machine: presenting two different visual stimuli using just one projector without viewers' noticing the duality.

  Kazuo Mori

  Behavior research methods. 12/2007; 39(4):811-5.

  A new method, named the fMORI technique, for presenting two different visual stimuli using just one video projector without the viewers' noticing the duality is introduced along with several sample applications of this presentation method. The LCD projectors available now have three color LCD pa... [more] A new method, named the fMORI technique, for presenting two different visual stimuli using just one video projector without the viewers' noticing the duality is introduced along with several sample applications of this presentation method. The LCD projectors available now have three color LCD panels aligned differently in terms of their polarization, polarizing differently the green and magenta (red plus blue) components of its emitting image. Therefore, two visual stimuli either in green or in magenta projected on thesame screen canbe observed separately by subjects wearing an appropriate polarizing filter. This is a variation of the MORI technique (Mori, 2003, 2007b) but it requires only one video projector rather than two. Full-color movies cannot be presented with the fMORI technique, but it may be utilized in various research areas in which only static monochrome visual stimuli, such as words or numbers, are used.

• A revised method for projecting two different movies to two groups of viewers without their noticing the duality.

  K. Mori

  Behavior Research Methods,. 01/2007; 39:574-578.
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  Elicitation of spontaneous mirror reversal drawing on the forehead.

  Kazuo Mori

  Perceptual and motor skills. 01/2006; 101(3):898-900.

  32 Japanese participants drew symmetrical and asymmetrical letters on their own foreheads. By observing their drawing strokes, it was judged that 29 of them drew symmetric letters in reverse, that is, as if these were viewed from inside the head. However, 14 of these 29 seemed to have noticed their ... [more] 32 Japanese participants drew symmetrical and asymmetrical letters on their own foreheads. By observing their drawing strokes, it was judged that 29 of them drew symmetric letters in reverse, that is, as if these were viewed from inside the head. However, 14 of these 29 seemed to have noticed their reversed perception because they drew asymmetric letters intentionally reversed so they would appear correct when viewed from outside. Only three participants drew the letters in a normal way irrespective of the letter symmetry.

• Assessing the cuteness of children: Significant factors and gender differences.

  R. Koyama, Y. Takahashi, K. Mori

  Social Behavior and Personality. 01/2006; 34:1087-1100.