材料类型和任务可预测性在任务转换中的作用

以阿拉伯数字和汉字数字为材料,采用奇偶判断和大小判断任务交替呈现范式,考察材料类型和任务可预测性在任务转换中的作用。结果发现:(1)对阿拉伯数字和汉字数字的反应时无显著差异,转换代价差异不显著;(2)不可预测任务反应时显著长于可预测任务,转换任务和重复任务都显示了基于可预测性的准备效应。表明材料类型对任务转换无影响,重复和转换任务都存在一般的任务控制更新过程。     

不同类型材料混合呈现对SNARC效应的影响

采用刺激分类范式,要求被试判断呈现刺激的性质(实验一和实验三)或颜色(实验二),旨在考察随机呈现不同类型刺激材料对数字和字母SNARC效应的影响以及不同类型刺激材料加工中是否存在刺激—反应相容性效应。结果发现:(1)数字和字母性质和颜色分类任务中均未出现数字SNARC效应和字母SNARC效应。(2)数字和字母的性质和颜色分类任务中,左手对字母的反应更快,右手对数字的反应更快。数字和汉字性质分类时,左手对汉字反应更快,右手对数字反应更快,不同类型刺激分类时出现刺激—反应相客性效应。(3)本研究发现不同类型刺激分类加工中存在刺激—反应相容性效应,这种效应可以被自动激活,并具有一定的普遍性。不同类型刺激分类中的刺激—反应相容性效应对SNARC效应具有抑制作用。     

汉字数字与阿拉伯数字的阈下启动研究

该研究采用了反应窗技术和回归分析范式,通过两个实验对汉字数字和阿拉伯数字的启动效应进行了实验探索。结果表明(1)在客观阔限以下,汉字数字和阿拉伯数字都可以被加工到语义水平,而数字的表征形式对启动效应无影响;(2)在本研究中,在启动数字为汉字数字的条件下,当觉察水平高于客观阈限时,不存在启动效应。     

不同注意条件下的空间－数字反应编码联合效应

考察在无线索、内源性线索与外源性线索时不同符号数字在注意与非注意条件下的空间－数字的反应编码联合效应（Spatial Numerical Association of Response Codes,简称SNARC效应）。采用1到9的中文与阿拉伯数字为材料,以判断数字奇偶为任务。实验结果表明：⑴无线索时注意条件下阿拉伯和中文数字都出现了SNARC效应,而非注意条件下则都没有出现,并且受影响的主要是较大的数字（8、9）;⑵外源性线索和内源性线索时,我们得到一个逐渐递减的SNARC效应,受影响的也主要是较大的数字（8、9）。在内源性线索的注意条件阿拉伯和中文数都有SNARC效应,而在非注意条件只有阿拉伯数有SNARC效应;在外源性线索的注意条件只有阿拉伯数有SNARC效应,而在非注意条件阿拉伯和中文都没有SNARC效应,说明外源性注意的影响比内源性注意更大,中文数字所受的影响比阿拉伯数字更大。     

阿拉伯数字与汉字大写数字认知的大脑功能一侧化实验研究

用半视野速示术检查阿拉伯数字和汉字大写数字在三种任务加工条件（认读、简单相加、奇偶概念异同判断）下进行认知的大脑两半球机能活动一侧化效应。结果表明：以被试正确反应的百分数为指标,两类数字的三种任务加工均没有表现出明显的视野（大脑半球）优势。以被试正确反应的反应时为指标,两类数字的认读和简单相加也未出现视野（大脑半球）的明显差别,而两类数字的奇偶概念异同判断却出现了差异显著的右视野（左半球）优势。     

言语与空间任务指令对数字-空间联结编码的影响

以1～9除5外的阿拉伯数字和汉字标签“左”“右”为实验材料，采用数字奇偶判断任务，探讨任务指令对数字-空间联结编码的影响。结果发现：言语任务指令条件下，词语一致性与物理一致性的交互作用显著，且词语一致和不一致时均未发现空间-数字联合反应编码效应（SNARC），表明言语-空间编码在数字-空间联结中更有优势；空间任务指令条件下，物理一致性主效应显著，且词语一致和不一致时均出现了SNARC效应，表明视觉空间编码更有优势。说明数字-空间联结编码受实验任务指令的影响，被试会根据任务指令设置的情景选择视觉空间编码或言语-空间编码对数字进行空间联结。     

不同注意提示线索条件下汉字数字加工的SNARC效应

采用Ponser的实验范式.以判断"壹"到"玖"的汉字数字奇偶为任务,探讨不同提示线索时在注意条件与非注意条件下的空间数字反应编码联合效应(SNARC效应).实验结果发现: (1)当有效提示线索为80%时,注意条件下汉字数字出现了SNARC效应,而非注意条件下对汉字数字的加工没有出现SNARC效应; (2)当有效提示线索为50%时,在注意和非注意条件下汉字数字都出现了明显的SNARC效应.结果表明注意水平对SNARC效应产生了影响.     

反应-效应相容性范式下不同数字表征方式和身体经验对数字认知加工的影响

采用反应-效应相容性范式,探讨不同数字表征方式和身体经验对个体数字认知加工的影响。实验1首先采用木棒数字表征从知觉层面证明反应-效应相容性效应的存在;实验2采用累计手指数字表征考察手指数字表征在反应-效应相容性匹配中的优势;实验3则进一步排除了近似数量表征系统的影响,从语义层面探讨中国文化背景下语义概念手指数字表征的反应-效应相容性对数字认知加工的影响。结果发现,不同的数字表征系统中均存在反应-效应相容性效应,支持了观念运动理论;相比客体材料,手指数字表征在相容条件下具有明显的匹配优势,支持了具身数量的观点。     

内源性注意和外源性注意对中小学生SNARC效应的影响

采用内源性注意和外源性注意实验范式,以判断数字奇偶为任务,材料为1～9的阿拉伯数字,考察内源性和外源性线索不同注意条件下中小学生的数字加工SNARC效应。结果发现:(1)内源性线索和外源性线索条件下,中小学生在数字加工任务中所表现出来的SNARC效应随着年龄增长逐渐增大;(2)内源性线索和外源性线索注意条件下,各年级学生均表现出显著的SNARC效应;(3)内源性线索非注意条件下,中学生能够表现出显著的SNARC效应,但小学生的SNARC效应不明显;外源性线索非注意条件下,高中生能够表现出显著的SNARC效应,但小学生和初中生的SNARC效应不明显,说明外源性注意对中小学生数字加工SNARC效应的影响比内源性注意大,且对SNARC效应的影响主要表现在较大的数字8和9上。     

汉字认知过程中整字对部件的影响

英文研究中,"字优效应"是单词促进字母加工的一个重要依据。但中文研究中还存在一些争议。本研究通过两个实验考查了汉字的部件认知中,汉字整体对局部(部件)的影响。实验刺激材料分为三种,即左右结构或上下结构的真字、假字与部件字。目标部件为既能够放置于三种字符的左侧,又能放置于右侧(上部或下部)的汉字部件。实验一采用Reicher-Wheeler实验任务,先呈现刺激材料350ms,掩蔽后再呈现需要判断的目标部件,被试对目标部件进行按键反应。实验二中采用部件判断实验任务,先呈现需要判断的目标部件,再呈现刺激材料,被试对刺激材料中是否包含目标部件进行按键反应。记录反应时与正确率。27位健康女性大学生参与本实验。结果显示:(1)不论是Reicher-Wheeler实验任务还是部件判断实验任务,均显示部件字的部件认知判断速度最快。真字与假字相比,无"字优效应"。真字与部件字相比,存在着"字劣效应"。这些结果表明,汉字整字对汉字部件认知加工起到抑制作用;(2)两个实验任务均表现出汉字结构方式效应,即对左右结构的汉字的部件认知比上下结构的汉字更快;(3)部件的空间位置对部件识别存在影响。实验一中对下部件分辨最困难,分辨时间最长;实验二中发现对左部件的反应最快。字符结构方式效应与部件空间位置效应既存在于真字中,也存在于假字中。     

Flexible mental processes in numerical size judgments: The case of hebrew letters that are used to convey numbers

In addition to its primary linguistic function, the Hebrew alphabet is sometimes used as a means of number notation (i.e., the system of gematria). Hebrew letters, Arabic numerals, Hebrew number names, and Hebrew letter names were used in a numerical size comparison task, in which two visually presented symbols were compared for numerical value while irrelevant variations in their physical size had to be ignored. A size congruity effect, indicated by faster responses when differences in physical and numerical size were consistent, was larger for Arabic numerals than for number names. The effect for Hebrew letters was similar to that for Arabic numerals and was stronger than that observed for letter names. These results suggest flexible processing of Hebrew letters, so that they function as ideographic symbols in an arithmetic context. A distance effect, indicated by an inverse relationship between reaction time and numerical distance, was found for all notations but was particularly strong for Hebrew letters.     

When is an odd number not odd? Influence of task rule on the MARC effect for numeric classification

When classifying numbers as odd or even with left-right keypresses, performance is better with the mapping even-right/odd-left than with the opposite mapping. This linguistic markedness association of response codes (MARC) effect has been attributed to compatibility between the linguistic markedness of stimulus and response codes. In 2 experiments participants made keypresses to the Arabic numerals or number words 3, 4, 8, and 9 using the odd-even parity rule or a multiple-of-3 rule, which yield the same keypress response for each stimulus. For both stimulus modes, the MARC effect was obtained with the odd-even rule, but tended to reverse with the multiple-of-3 rule. The reversal was complete for the right response, but task rule had little influence on the left response. The results are consistent with the view that the MARC effect and its reversal are caused by correspondence of the stimulus code designated as positive by the task rule with the positive-polarity right response code.     

Macaques’ (Macaca mulatta) use of numerical cues in maze trials

We tested the ability of number-trained rhesus monkeys to use Arabic numeral cues to discriminate between different series of maze trials and anticipate the final trial in each series. The monkeys prior experience with numerals also allowed us to investigate spontaneous transfer between series. A total of four monkeys were tested in two experiments. In both experiments, the monkeys were trained on a computerized task consisting of three reinforced maze trials followed by one nonreinforced trial. The goal of the maze was an Arabic numeral 3, which corresponded to the number of reinforced maze trials in the series. In experiment 1 (n=2), the monkeys were given probe trials of the numerals 2 and 4 and in experiment 2 (n=2), they were given probe trials of the numerals 2–8. The monkeys receiving the probe trials 2 and 4 showed some generalization to the new numerals and developed a pattern of performing more slowly on the nonreinforced trial than the reinforced trial before it for most series, indicating the use of the changing numeral cues to anticipate the nonreinforced trial. The monkeys receiving probe trials of the numerals 2–8 did not predict precisely when the nonreinforced trial would occur in each series, but they did incorporate the changing numerals into their strategy for performing the task. This study provides the first evidence that number-trained monkeys can use Arabic numerals to perform a task involving sequential presentations.     

预知任务转换的内源性准备和外源性调节

采用ERP探究在预知条件下任务转换的神经机制。使用“任务转换”实验范式,以汉字（名词/动词）或数字（奇数/偶数）的归类为任务。被试执行任务重复（AA,BB,…）或在两个任务间转换（AB,BA,…）,每个任务序列为连续的两个任务（任务1,任务2）。结果发现,任务1中,在刺激呈现后300ms左右,数、词的转换序列与重复序列出现显著差异;在中央区,320ms左右,任务1中转换序列比重复序列、任务2中转换任务比重复任务都产生一个更为负走向的波。这些结果表明,在预知条件下,简单任务转换的内源性准备可能开始于任务1呈现后300ms左右;内源性准备和外源性调节可能都反映了认知冲突过程,此认知冲突可能是转换代价的主要来源     

Automatic stimulus-response associations may be semantically mediated

Three experiments on numerical odd/even judgment are presented. In the first experiment, we show that tachistoscopically presented Arabic primes influence the reaction latencies (RTs) to Arabic targets in two ways: First, RTs to targets are longer when the prime and the target have a different parity status than when they share the same parity status, and second, on compatible trials, RTs are longer when the absolute distance between the prime and the target is larger. Experiments 2 and 3 extend the first finding by showing that the response compatibility effect is also obtained (1) when the primes are not part of the target set and the participants never reacted to them and (2) when the primes are presented in a different modality (verbal numerals) than are the targets (Arabic numerals). On the basis of these results, we conclude that, in masked priming, response codes are automatically activated by stimulus characteristics of the prime and that the activation of response codes is semantically mediated when the primes are meaningful.     

Pure left neglect for Arabic numerals

Arabic numerals are diffused and language-free representations of number magnitude. To be effectively processed, the digits composing Arabic numerals must be spatially arranged along a left-to-right axis. We studied one patient (AK) to show that left neglect, after right hemisphere damage, can selectively impair the computation of the spatial frames underpinning recognition and understanding of Arabic numerals, without impairing the spatial frames for coding alphabetic strings or for coding environmental spatial information. The presence in our brain of these specific and precise spatial frames must be rooted in the paramount importance of Arabic numerals processing in our everyday activities.     

Long-term retention of the differential values of Arabic numerals by chimpanzees (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pan troglodytes</Emphasis>)

As previously reported (Beran and Rumbaugh, 2001), two chimpanzees used a joystick to collect dots, one-at-a-time, on a computer monitor, and then ended a trial when the number of dots collected was equal to the Arabic numeral presented for the trial. Here, the chimpanzees were presented with the task again after an interval of 6 months and then again after an additional interval of 3.25 years. During each interval, the chimpanzees were not presented with the task, and this allowed an assessment of the extent to which both animals retained the values of each Arabic numeral. Despite lower performance at each retention interval compared to the original study, both chimpanzees performed above chance levels in collecting a quantity of dots equal to the target numeral, one chimpanzee for the numerals 1-7, and the second chimpanzee for the numerals 1-6. For the 3.25-year retention, errors were more dispersed around each target numeral than in the original study, but the chimpanzees' performances again appeared to be based on a continuous representation of magnitude rather than a discrete representation of number. These data provide an experimental demonstration of long-term retention of the differential values of Arabic numerals by chimpanzees.