Yang's iris illusion: External contour causes length‐assimilation illusions1

The Delboeuf illusion and the Ebbinghaus illusion (also known as the Titchener illusion) demonstrate that an external contour can lead to size‐assimilation and size‐contrast perception. This paper explores a novel illusion, revealing that neighboring external contours can also lead to a distortion in length perception. The illusion was originally discovered from a face stimulus (Experiment 1) in which a face was depicted alongside its mirror image so as to make the four irises absolutely equidistant. The distance between the middle two irises was underestimated in Asian faces, but overestimated in Caucasian faces. The illusion was also maintained when the facial stimuli were replaced by line drawings of eyes (Experiment 2). However, the illusion vanished when the irises were presented alone. Further scrutiny of the differences in facial characteristics between Asian and Caucasian faces reveals that the illusion might be elicited by the relative position of the eye shapes. This hypothesis was confirmed in Experiment 3, in which the distances between the eye shapes and the irises were manipulated.     

The categorization effect in hedonic contrast: Experts differ from novices

Test stimuli are rated as less “good” when they follow very good context stimuli than when they are presented alone. This diminution in rating is called hedonic contrast. Contrast is attenuated if the context and the test stimuli are perceived as being in different categories. Because experts use as their basic-level categories what are the subordinate levels for novices, they will categorize when novices do not. Therefore, in the following studies, both experts and novices showed hedonic contrast when attractive context orchids preceded more neutral test orchids. However, only the novices showed hedonic contrast when attractive context irises preceded the test orchids. Novices viewed the irises and the orchids as “flowers” and therefore members of the same category, resulting in contrast. Experts, however, viewed the irises and the orchids as being in different categories; therefore, hedonic contrast did not occur.     

A method for constructing an objective eye color chart

Detailed instructions for constructing an eye-color chart that represents a normal range of human eye colors are provided. The chart is composed of photographic color slides of human irises, magnified to 3.6 × life-aize. Iris images are sequenced according to their color and measured opacity. This enables researchers to reliably classify subjects’ Ms pigmentation according to both color and darkness. The eye color chart is easy to use and is highly reliable (between-observers measurements r ? .94). The photographic arrangement is also useful for obtaining magnified photographs of irises for documentation and illustration purposes.     

The role of pupil size in communication. Is there room for learning?

The eyes are extremely important for communication. The muscles around the eyes express emotional states and the size of the pupil signals whether a person is aroused and alert or bored and fatigued. Pupil size is an overlooked social signal, yet is readily picked up by observers. Observers mirror their own pupil sizes in response, which can influence social impressions. In a landmark study by Hess [1975. The role of pupil size in communication. Scientific American, 233(5), 110–119] it was shown that individuals with large pupils are perceived more positively than individuals with small pupils. In that behavioral study, participants were asked to draw pupils in line drawings of faces with empty irises and they drew large pupils in the happy face, and small ones in the angry face. The current study tested 579 participants (aged 4–80 years old) and extended this work by showing that this association between large (small) pupils and a positive (negative) impression develops over age and is absent in children. Several explanations for how individuals through interactions with close others learn that large pupils mean care, interest and attention and small pupils the opposite, are discussed. To conclude, this study shows that pupil size and emotion perception are intertwined but that their relationship develops over age.     

《易》象与《诗》象:论《周易》的类艺术表现方式

文章从符号学角度,通过《诗》《易》比较,论述了《周易》的类艺术特征。在构成符号的综合性上,在篇章的结构、句式词语的使用上,在物象选择与深层意蕴上,《易》和《诗》具有异质同构的关系。后世艺术作品中出现的同类意象,其原型可溯到《诗》,更可求诸《易》。     

材料模式与认知负荷对小学生类比学习的影响

探讨学习材料不同模式和学习过程不同的认知负荷对小学生类比推理学习迁移的影响.包括两个分实验.实验1探讨学习材料的不同组织模式对小学生类比推理学习迁移的影响,两组小学生分别学习模式化与非模式化的材料,然后完成迁移程度远近不同的四类测题.结果表明,非模式化条件下完成远迁移题目的成绩显著优于模式化条件下的成绩.实验2探讨小学生在不同认知负荷条件下类比推理学习的迁移效果,两组小学生分别在高认知负荷与低认知负荷情况下学习类比推理的材料,然后完成上述四类测题.结果表明,高认知负荷条件下完成远迁移题目的成绩显著优于低认知负荷条件下的成绩.本实验结果表明,对于小学生类比推理的学习来说,非模式化、高负荷的学习更有利于促进迁移,支持了积极反应理论.     

老年甲状腺结节的诊治经验

介绍笔者及科室老年甲状腺结节的诊治经验,对2003年1月至2009年12月期间共收治的144例年龄大于60岁的老年甲状腺结节患者进行分析和总结。老年甲状腺结节以多发为主;压迫症状、异物和不适感、继发性甲状腺功能亢进是老年甲状腺结节患者主要的手术指证;术中发现喉返神经和甲状旁腺有脂肪沉着;病理方面良性结节的钙化率较高;患者术后切口水肿比较明显;暂时性低钙血症的发生率较高;虽然术前麻醉ASA评分较低,但术后心肺并发症的发生率并未上升。老年甲状腺结节患者以全麻为宜,最好采用双甲近全切除术,这不仅可避免术后复发和再次手术率,更可减少甲状腺素制剂的用量,减少药物副作用。     

长时记忆中文本目标信息的激活机制

选取138名大学生被试,采用移动窗口实时阅读技术和探测技术,探讨文本理解过程中长时记忆的目标信息激活的机制。实验1探讨在中文条件下目标焦点是否也启动长时记忆中目标信息的整合。结果表明在目标实现的条件下,目标句1可以作为目标启动句,激活进入长时记忆中的目标信息。实验2和3探讨长时记忆中目标信息的激活是自然实现的还是需要目标愈合信号启动激活,实验结果表明长时记忆中目标信息的激活需要目标愈合信号的启动。该研究结果总的表明:阅读过程长时记忆中目标信息的激活不需要与当前阅读信息发生共振,目标愈合情境是影响长时记忆目标信息通达的关键因素。     

Performance of humans in concurrent avoidance/positive-reinforcement schedules

Performance maintained under concurrent schedules consisting of a variable-interval avoidance component and a variable-interval positive-reinforcement component was studied in three human subjects using points exchangeable for money as the reinforcer. The rate of responding in the avoidance component increased, and the rate of responding in the positive-reinforcement component declined, as a function of the frequency of point-losses avoided in the avoidance component. The performance of all three subjects conformed to equations proposed by Herrnstein to describe behavior in concurrent schedules. The logarithms of the ratios of the response rates in the two components, and the logarithms of the ratios of the times spent in the two components, were linearly related to the logarithms of the ratios of the frequency of loss avoidance in the avoidance component to the frequency of reinforcement in the positive-reinforcement component. When a changeover delay of 5.0 sec was imposed, the slopes of the linear functions were close to 1.0 in the case of two subjects, whereas the third subject exhibited significant undermatching. For two subjects the changeover delay was then reduced to 2.0 sec; in both cases the slopes of the linear functions were lower than under the 5.0-sec condition. One subject participated in a third phase, in which no changeover delay was imposed; there was a further reduction in the slopes of the linear functions.     

一种混合型前瞻记忆的干扰效应的神经机制

采用3（任务类型）×2（时段）被试内实验设计,对比一种混合型前瞻记忆（MPM）和基于事件的前瞻记忆（EBPM）在不同时段对进行中任务的干扰效应的神经机制。结果表明,在目标出现的时段,MPM对进行中任务有干扰效应,额区电极最活跃,额区电压最高,而在非目标时段MPM无干扰效应,但刺激出现后200-300ms额区电极较活跃。说明前瞻记忆任务在大脑中可能处于较高的激活状态,额叶灵活地调配意识的不同状态在前瞻记忆加工中参与的程度和时段。     

What is the nature of increased Stroop interference in schizophrenia?

In comparison to controls, patients with schizophrenia classically display (1) an overall slowing in response times (RTs) and (2) a disproportionate slowing in RTs in the conflict condition of the Stroop color/word interference task. These two effects appear repeatedly in the card version of the Stroop task but were not replicated in a number of studies using a computer item-by-item version of the task. The present study was aimed at understanding the exact nature of the increased interference classically found in the performance of patients with schizophrenia in the card version of the Stroop task. We used a computer trial-by-trial version in which we investigated the effects of two major methodological differences between the two versions: (1) blocked (card version) versus mixed (computer version) presentation of the neutral, congruent and conflict conditions and (2) presence (card version) versus absence (computer version) of distractors in the spatial surrounding of the target. We found an overall slowing in performance and a disproportionate slowing in the conflict condition for patients with schizophrenia but only when the target was surrounded by distractors (in Experiments 2 and 3). The data are discussed in terms of a deficit in selective attention and inhibitory processes in schizophrenia.     

Increased novelty-induced grooming in aged rats: a preliminary observation

Age-related changes in grooming activity in female Fischer-344 rats were observed in a home cage and in a novel testing chamber for 50 min. Compared to the home cage condition with brief handling treatment, excessive grooming was found in the novel situation. The amount of novelty-induced grooming of aged rats (26-28 months) was about two times that of young animals (6-8 months). This increase in novelty-induced grooming of aged animals was attributable to an increase in the number of grooming bouts, prolongation of each grooming bout, and a slight increase in the duration of licking elements. However, there were no age differences in the percentage of face washing and the duration of face-washing elements. These results are discussed in terms of behavioral aging and age-related changes in peptidergic pathways in the brain.     

The putative role of free radicals in the loss of neuronal functioning in senescence

One of the hallmarks of the aging process is a loss of sensitivity in central neuronal receptors to agonist stimulation. This appears to be especially true in central (hippocampal, striatal) muscarinic cholinergic systems and in the striatal dopamine systems. For these two systems, any decline in their sensitivity can be of extreme importance in determining the behavioral capabilities of the organism. Decrements in the striatal dopamine system may be reflected as motor behavioral deficits, while the central cholinergic systems play a major role in the processing of memory through the activation of muscarinic receptors (mAChR). Declines in the function of these receptors appear to be at least partially responsible for the marked deterioration of cognitive function in normal aging and, more notably, in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Previous work has indicated only minimal success in improving performance in tasks that assess memory in senescent animals or humans with pharmacological agents which enhance cholinergic functioning. The present review describes research that indicates that two of the factors involved in this decline in receptor sensitivity include: (a) decreased receptor concentrations and (b) age-related decrements in signal transduction pathways. Studies are reviewed that indicate that the oxidative neural damage that occurs via kainic acid or ionizing radiation parallel those seen in aging. It is suggested that the common mechanism that may exist among all of the age-, disease-, excitatory amino acid- or radiation-induced deficits in neuronal transmission may involve free-radical-mediated alterations in membrane integrity through lipid peroxidation.     

A local-rate-of-response and interresponse-time analysis of behavioral contrast

Three pigeons were exposed to a two-component multiple schedule in which a variable-interval 3-min schedule was always in effect in one component. The schedule in the other component was either variable-interval 3-min or extinction in alternate blocks of sessions. When the schedule was changed from multiple variable-interval 3-min variable-interval 3-min to multiple variable-interval 3-min extinction in the second and fourth phases of the experiment, overall response rates in the unchanged variable-interval 3-min component increased in two pigeons. Response rate declined when the schedule was changed to multiple variable-interval 3-min variable-interval 3-min again. Correlated with increases in overall response rate in the unchanged component were increases in local response rates at the beginning of the unchanged component and immediately after food presentation. Local rates 40 sec after food presentation did not increase greatly in the presence of the multiple variable-interval 3-min extinction schedule. An interresponse time analysis of three local rate samples showed small increases in the relative frequency of short-duration interresponse times at the beginning of the unchanged component and immediately after food presentation. Neither the postreinforcement pause nor the latency to the first response in the unchanged component changed systematically.     

The effect of UCS intensity in classical and avoidance GSR conditioning

This study compared GSR avoidance and yoked-control conditioning procedures. Classical conditioning at two UCS intensities was followed by extinction and, two months later, by an avoidance session. Matching of Ss was based on GSR responsiveness and classical conditioning in the first session. The strong UCS led to more rapid reduction in CR latency (due to an increase in number of Ss responding) in the first session, and there was a tendency for maximum CR magnitude to occur in fewer trials with the strong UCS. No UCS-intensity difference in level of responding to the CS or UCS was found in the first session. A greater amount of spontaneous recovery in the second session was found in the strong UCS group. The avoidance and yoked control groups did not differ in CR magnitudes, latencies, or frequencies, nor in UCR magnitudes in the second session. They did differ significantly in the rate of decline in intertriai responses, the decline being more rapid in the avoidance condition.     

Stimulus context and duration discrimination

The ability of human observers to discriminate duration was assessed in two types of tasks: (1) pulse tasks, in which the observer compared the duration of two brief increments in an ongoing sinusoid, and (2) gap tasks, in which the observer compared the duration of two brief interruptions in an ongoing sinusoid. Performance in these tasks was assessed in three different contexts: noise alone, noise plus continuous sinusoids, and noise plus continuous sinusoids chosen to induce a pitch segregation effect. Performance in the pulse task was independent of the changes in context; however, performance in the gap task changed as a function of context condition. There was a large decrement in the observers’ ability to discriminate duration when the stimulus ensemble induced the pitch segregation effect. The results are discussed in terms of the relationship between duration discrimination and stimulus variations which do not carry duration information.     

Psychological abstracts and German-language psychology

The preparation of the present report was motivated by concern over the continuing reduction of the coverage of psychological materials published in German, and a complete cessation of the coverage in Psychological Abstracts (PA) in 1988. This report covers the following points: (1) The share of German Psychologists in the prehistory of PA; (2) Membership in the editorial board of PA; (3) Cessation of the coverage of books in PA; (4) German-language materials abstracted in PA; and (5) German-language materials in the database of the American Psychological Association in the years 1987-1989. Two addenda inform about citation of (6) German-language publications in early American journals and (7) the changing role of the German Journal of Psychology.