学前儿童对时距的估计及其策略

该研究旨在探查学前儿童对时距的认识过程及其认识策略。使用2秒、4秒、6秒、8秒四种不同的时间间隔作为刺激物,在每次呈现之后要求儿童按键再现时距。5岁和6岁的学前儿童参加这一实验。主要结果表明:5、6岁儿童已能区分只有几秒钟差异的单一时距;在无声音参照条件下,他们对4秒钟的估计较为准确,而在有声音参照条件下,5岁儿童则对6秒钟的估计更趋准确。研究材料还证实了,儿童从5岁起初步能够使用时间标尺,开始把时间看成是可以计数的维量。     

5-12岁儿童短时距守恒性年龄特征的初步研究

本研究的主要目的在于用实验验证短时距守恒性的存在,并考察不同年龄的儿童在短时距守恒性判断上的特点和发展水平。本研究提出了衡量儿童短时距守恒性判断发展水平的参照指示。结果显示:(1)儿童在短时距时间守恒性判断上有年龄特征上的差异,这种差异表现为连续发展的过程,具体体现在儿童短时距守恒有三个发展水平,5-8岁为第一水平,9-10岁为第二水平,11-12岁为第三水平,各水平儿童使用的策略不同。(2)各组儿童所采用的认知策略随儿童思维发展水平由低级到高级、由具体到抽象不断进步,在时距守恒中各认知策略出现的顺序为:恒等性——同时性——互补性——逻辑性。(3)儿童时间守恒能力的发展和完善要迟于、难于空间守恒能力。     

影响时间知觉差异性的一些因素实验研究

本文探讨了影响时间知觉差异性的因素,结果表明:1.7岁儿童的长、短时距再现的准确性明显低于中、青年及老年人;中、青年与老年人的时间知觉差异不明显;2.中青年和老年人能有效地运用时间标尺,7岁儿童大多数还不会使用时间标尺;3.对短时距的再现偏于高估多,而对长时距再现则偏于低估多;4.儿童和中、青年女性的时距再现优于男性,但老年男女的结果差别不大;5.不同感觉通道、不同呈现方式对时间知觉未见明显影响。     

4～6岁儿童未来时间认知教学的实验研究

本研究在Friedman实验范式的基础上,增加了“系统教学”变量,探究教学与4~6岁儿童未来时间认知能力发展的关系。结果表明:(1)“教学”是影响儿童未来时序认知的主要因素;(2)“点估计策略”与“习俗时间单元概念策略”是两种主要时间认知策略;(3)儿童未来时间认知策略的发展遵循从感性直观到抽象概括的发展规律;(4)“教学”是影响其未来时间认知策略的主要因素;(5)4岁儿童已能区分未来事件的时距信息,且其未来时距认知具有分段性。     

学前儿童对生物衰老的认知

按照“朴素理论”的要素设计研究任务,研究一探查学前儿童能否以衰老这一生命特征为标准做出生物和非生物的本体区分,以及能否对衰老做出生物性而非意图的因果解释;研究二进一步探查学前儿童对生物衰老特性（普遍性和不可逆性）的认知。结果显示,4、5、6岁学前儿童在分类作业中的认知成绩随年龄逐渐提高,而在因果解释中,各年龄组儿童都不用心理意图作为衰老的原因;他们对衰老的认知与其对生长的认知密不可分;学前儿童对衰老两个特性的认知不同步;由研究结果可以推论,6岁儿童在衰老维度上具有了较稳定的朴素生物理论。     

儿童时距认知的研究简介及发展趋向

儿童对时间的认知包含对时序的认知和对时距的认知两个方面。本文主要介绍儿童对时距认知的一些研究,大致包含三个方面：（１）皮亚杰开创的在“时间—距离—速度”范型之内的研究;（２）影响时距认知的心理因素的研究和理论假设;（３）其他一些研究者就皮亚杰的观点提出的挑战性研究。另外,本文还介绍了国内研究人员在此方面所做的部分研究。     

学前期儿童执行功能和语言的双向关系:社会经济地位的调节

采用追踪研究考察258名学前儿童执行功能与语言的双向关系,及二者关系是否受社会经济地位调节。交叉滞后结果表明,学前儿童语言发展与执行功能三个子成分（抑制控制、认知灵活性、工作记忆）存在双向关系;T1时儿童语言对T2时认知灵活性的预测作用受家庭社会经济地位调节：在高社会经济地位家庭中,T1时间儿童的语言能显著正向预测T2时认知灵活性,低社会经济地位家庭中预测作用不显著;其余双向关系中调节作用均不显著。本研究表明,学前儿童执行功能三个子成分与语言均存在双向关系,且社会经济地位在部分关系中起到调节作用。     

3─6岁儿童层级类概念发展的实验研究

以３－６岁儿童为被试,以７个常见物体种类的图片为实验材料,按概念水平（基本类概念及上级类概念）以及选择图与目标图的感知相似程度（高、中、低）将实验材料分为四种类型,对３－６岁儿童层级类概念的发展过程进行了研究。结果表明：（１）３岁幼儿已能按基本类概念标准进行正确的种类匹配;对于上级类概念,３－５岁儿童的匹配能力尚较差,６岁基本达到掌握水平。（２）实验材料的感知相似程度对３－５岁儿童的上级类概念匹配操作有显著性影响,６岁儿童才摆脱了这种制约作用。     

3─6岁儿童层级类概念发展的实验研究

以３－６岁儿童为被试,以７个常见物体种类的图片为实验材料,按概念水平（基本类概念及上级类概念）以及选择图与目标图的感知相似程度（高、中、低）将实验材料分为四种类型,对３－６岁儿童层级类概念的发展过程进行了研究。结果表明：（１）３岁幼儿已能按基本类概念标准进行正确的种类匹配;对于上级类概念,３－５岁儿童的匹配能力尚较差,６岁基本达到掌握水平。（２）实验材料的感知相似程度对３－５岁儿童的上级类概念匹配操作有显著性影响,６岁儿童才摆脱了这种制约作用。     

6 15岁儿童对友谊特性的认知发展

研究目的：（１）考察我国儿童、青少年的友谊特性的认知发展规律和特点;（２）探讨儿童友谊特性的认知结构。研究采用结构访谈法,被试为来自北京市普通幼儿园、小学和中学的６岁、８岁、１０岁、１２岁和１５岁儿童共１００名（每个年龄组２０名,男女各半）。结果发现：（１）６—１５岁儿童对友谊特性的认知结构由５个维度组成,即：个人交流和冲突解决,榜样和竞争,互相欣赏,共同活动和互相帮助,亲密交往。（２）对６—１５岁儿童,友谊特性中的５个维度的重要性次序为：共同活动和互相帮助,个人交流和冲突解决,榜样和竞争,互相欣赏,亲密交往。（３）从发展上来看,对友谊特性不同维度的认知发展趋势有很大年龄差异。６—８岁儿童只能认识到友谊特性中一些外在的、行为的特征;以后才能逐渐认识到那些内在的、情感性的特征。但是,原来那些外在的特征并没有随着儿童年龄的增长而被取代,而是与内在的、情感性的特性结合在一起,在认识中逐渐深化。（４）小学六年级儿童在共同活动和游戏上表现出性别差异（男生高于女生）;而在冲突解决上,女生的认知水平高于男生。此外,初中三年级学生在互相欣赏方面,男生的认识水平高于女生     

Voice identification of an abductor

A total of 288 male and 288 female undergraduate students heard a taped voice of a mock abductor for a total of 18 seconds, 36 seconds, 120 seconds, or 6 minutes. One-third of all subjects heard the voice for one massed trial, one-third for two equal periods separated by a 5-minute inter-trial interval, and the remainder for three equal periods separated by 5-minute intervals. Voice identification and confidence of response were tested immediately after observation, or 24 hours later, or 1 week later. Hit rates were significantly greater with longer voice-sample durations, and were superior with two distributed exposures to the suspect's voice in contrast to one massed exposure or three distributed exposures. However, the false alarm rate in the suspect-present line-up differed significantly as a function of voice- sample durations and retention intervals, and voice-sample durations and frequency of distributed exposures. False alarms in the suspect-absent line-up were consistently high (overall M = .58) and exceeded the overall hit rate (M = .40). Confidence of response was negatively correlated with suspect identification in the 18-second voice-sample condition, but was positively correlated with voice-sample durations of 120 seconds and 6 minutes.     

Choosing between predictable shock schedules: Long- versus short-duration signals

Two experiments assessed the relative aversiveness of different duration preshock signals (5 and 20 seconds) and different duration stimuli identifying shock-free periods. In the first experiment, the responding of 15 of 18 rats was maintained when it produced changes from a predictable-shock condition with a 5-second preshock signal to an identical schedule with a 20-second preshock signal; responding was not maintained when it produced the opposite changes. These results occurred with intershock intervals of both 120 seconds and 240 seconds. The second experiment assessed whether changing to the 20-second schedule was maintained by properties of the preshock signals identifying the shock periods or by properties of the stimuli identifying the shock-free periods. Four subjects were given training with the two signaled schedules in an operant chamber and then later given off-baseline preference tests in a shuttlebox. When given a choice between preshock signals, subjects chose the 5-second signals over the 20-second signals. However, when given a choice between stimuli identifying shock-free periods, subjects chose the stimulus identifying the shorter shock-free periods (i.e., the one previously correlated with the 20-second signals). These findings are discussed within the Rescorla and Wagner model of stimulus compounds and within the context of safety as a contrast phenomenon.     

Effects on preference of reinforcement delay, number of reinforcers, and terminal-link duration

Three experiments used concurrent-chains procedures to examine the effects of reinforcement delay, number of reinforcers, and terminal-link duration on preference. In Condition 30 of Experiment 1, food was delivered after 30 seconds in each 150-second terminal link, with four additional food deliveries occurring at 30-second intervals in one of the links. In Condition 5, food was delivered after 5 seconds in each 25-second terminal link, and the four additional reinforcers were delivered at 5-second intervals. Preferences for the multiple-food chain were greater in Condition 30. In Experiment 2, the terminal link(s) providing only one reinforcer terminated immediately after delivery of the reinforcer. Preferences for the multiple-food chain were smaller than in Experiment 1. In Condition 5 of Experiment 3, food was delivered after 5, 75, 100, 125, and 150 seconds in one 150-second link and after 5 seconds in the other. Condition 50 differed only in that the first (or only) reinforcer in each link was delivered after 50 seconds instead of after 5 seconds. Preferences for the multiple-food chain were greater in Condition 50. Results of Experiments 1 and 2 do not correspond to results obtained by Moore (1979).     

On the discriminability of stimulus duration.

The performance of pigeons trained to detect differences in the duration of stimuli was analysed using a matching model of signal detection. Two white stimuli, S1 and S2, differing in duration, were arranged with equal probability on the center key of a three-key chamber. S1 was systematically varied from 5 seconds to 25 seconds while S2 remained constant at 30 seconds. On completion of the center-key stimulus, a peck on the center key turned on the two red side keys. A left-key response was "correct" when S1 had been in effect on the center key and a right-key response was "correct" on S2 trials. A correct response produced a 3-second magazine light accompanied intermittently by food. Incorrect responses produced 3-second blackouts. Detection performance was measured under two procedures. In the first, the obtained reinforcement ratio was uncontrolled by allowing the number of food reinforcements obtained for correct left- and right-key responses to vary as the stimuli were changed. In the second procedure, the presentation of food reinforcement was controlled by holding the obtained reinforcement ratio constant. Discriminability changed as a function of stimulus differences under both procedures. No such trend was found in response bias.     

Short-term memory and time estimation: beyond the 2-second "critical" value.

We showed previously that when time intervals around two seconds (s) are reproduced concurrently with a memory task, intervals are positively related to duration of memory processing. However, some data in research on timing as well as in memory research suggest that 2 s might be a critical duration beyond which different mechanisms or structures would support performance. This implies that the interference observed between memory processing and 2-s productions could be specific to these durations, and would not be obtained with longer durations. In this experiment, intervals ranging from 1.85 to 6.45 s were reproduced by participants, who were searching simultaneously for a memory probe. At all durations, reproductions were positively related to memory set size. These findings have implications with regards to previous research indicating a discontinuity around 2-3 s in time perception. They suggest in particular that the role of memory is similar in reproduction of durations around 2 s and of longer durations.     

Preference for signaled versus unsignaled reinforcement delay in concurrent-chain schedules

A concurrent-chain schedule was employed to examine pigeons' preferences for signaled versus unsignaled delay of reinforcement in which the delay durations ranged from zero to ten seconds. In general, pigeons preferred signaled delay over unsignaled delay especially when a variable-interval 30-second schedule operated in each initial link; when a variable-interval 90-second schedule operated in each initial link, these preferences tended toward indifference or were attenuated. In addition, prior training seemed to exert partial control over behavior. Responding in the terminal link was higher under signaled delay than unsignaled delay in a majority of the cases. Moreover, response rates under signaled delay remained fairly constant whereas responding under unsignaled delay was initially high, but decreased systematically with delay durations as short as 2.5 seconds. These results are consistent with a number of other studies demonstrating the significant role of a signal for impending positive stimuli.     

Discrimination of response-reinforcer and response-stimulus contingencies in pigeons

For three pigeons (Experiment 1), the presentation of a red response key ended with a food presentation either following two responses separated by at least 10 seconds (a DRL contingency) or following a 10-second response-free period (a DRO contingency). For three other birds (Experiment 2), a brief stimulus presentation terminated the DRL and DRO contingencies. A white side key was presented next and ended with response-dependent food following one contingency and a timeout following the other. Since the contingency on the red key was unsignaled, differential responding on the white side key could indicate that the two response-reinforcer relations had been discriminated. In Experiment 1, the red-key duration and number of responses influenced white-key responding following the contingency that predicted the timeout. A response-initiated DRO was instated, and the influence of red-key duration and response number on white-key responding was diminished. In both experiments, the 10-second time criterion in both contingencies was varied from 0.34 second to 10 seconds. Even at short time intervals the DRO and DRL contingencies were readily discriminated. Pigeons tended to class the two contingencies according to a rule that did not involve simply stimulus duration, numbers of responses, or even the time between a response and its consequence.     

Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System

The purpose of the current study was to examine the performance of children with and without ADHD in time reproduction tasks involving varying durations and modalities. Twenty children with ADHD and 20 healthy controls completed time reproduction tasks in three modalities (auditory, visual, and a unique combined auditory/visual condition) and six durations (1 second, 4 seconds, 12 seconds, 24 seconds, 48 seconds, and 60 seconds). Consistent with our predictions, we found main effects of group (participants with ADHD were significantly less accurate than those without ADHD), duration (accuracy decreased as temporal duration increased), and modality (responses in the combined condition were more accurate than those in the auditory condition, which in turn were more accurate than those in the visual condition). Furthermore, predicted interactions between group and duration (the discrepancy in performance between the two groups grew as temporal duration increased), and group and modality (the modality effect was of greater for participants with ADHD) were supported. A marginal, nonsignificant interaction between group, modality, and duration was also found. These findings are discussed in relation to current theory on the nature of cognitive deficits evident in individuals with ADHD, and methodological limitations are noted.