Fostering Taiwanese preschoolers’ understanding of the addition–subtraction inverse principle

The present research involved gauging preschoolers’ learning potential for a key arithmetic concept, the addition–subtraction inverse principle (e.g., 2 + 1 − 1 = 2). Sixty 4- and 5-year-old Taiwanese children from two public preschools serving low- and middle-income families participated in the training experiment. Half were randomly assigned to an experimental group; half, to a control condition. Participants were tested for an understanding of inversion before and after intervention. One-third of the 5 year olds from both groups performed at the marginally or reliably successful levels before the intervention, and three quarters of them did so in the posttest. Only one of the 4 year olds was marginally successful before the intervention and 4 year olds in the experimental group somewhat benefited from the intervention. Significant social class effect were evident.     

Evaluating the Invariance of the Factor Structure of the EPQ–R–N Among Adolescents

We examined the factor structure of the Neuroticism scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ–R–N; S. B. G. Eysenck, Eysenck & Barrett, 1985) and its factor invariance across sex and racial/ethnic groups in a sample of 1,979 adolescents. Using confirmatory factor analyses, we compared a hierarchical model to previous models of the EPQ–R–N and to single-factor and 3-factor structures. The hierarchical factor structure in which a general factor coexists with 3 group factors (depression, social concerns, and worry) was superior to alternative models. The general factor accounted for more than 60% of the variance in EPQ–R–N total scores and was invariant across sex and ethnicity. The 3 group factors varied across ethnicity and sex. We discuss the implications of these findings for conceptualization and assessment of neuroticism using the EPQ–R–N.     

Do not interrupt me if it makes me feel something – Study of the effect of the pleasantness of interruptions on performance

IntroductionInterruptions are mostly related to negative outcomes and researchers already found that the complexity or the length of interruptions modulate their deleterious effect on performance. However, none of them investigated the effect of the pleasantness of interruptions.ObjectiveThe objective of the study is to evaluate the impact of the pleasantness on both the correct completion of the interrupting task and the time required to resume the primary task.MethodWe designed a realistic email searching primary task during which 46 participants were either not interrupted or interrupted by a simple math addition task during which a positive or a negative picture was progressively revealed. We then asked participants how pleasant they found the interrupting task and investigated the effects of perceived pleasantness both on the interrupting task and on resuming the primary task.ResultsResults showed that performance on the interrupting task was worst and the time to resume the primary task was longer when participants found the task very pleasant or very unpleasant. Performance in both tasks was the best when participants gave intermediate pleasantness judgments. The findings were independent of the valence and arousal of the pictures used to manipulate task pleasantness.ConclusionThese results are discussed in light of empirical studies assessing the deleterious effects of emotions on cognition, and practical implications are proposed.     

Development of a Brief Form of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (B–IRI)

The Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) is a standardized self-report measure of disposition to empathic responsiveness for the general adult population (the domain for which it was developed), and for the general adolescent population. The IRI has a number of problems, however, including some uncertainty about its factor structure, low reliabilities, and poor readability of some items for people with limited literacy skills. To address these issues, we constructed an abbreviated form of the index, the Brief IRI (B–IRI). Three studies demonstrated that this 16-item B–IRI has a clear and coherent factor structure, adequate internal consistency, measurement invariance across gender and age, and theoretically meaningful associations with a range of external criteria that support its construct validity. The B–IRI substantially preserves the psychometric properties of the long form, and we recommend its use in all research settings.     

Suffering–At the Bedside of the Dying

SUMMARY

Care of people at the end of life is a challenge for the person with a life-limiting illness, their family and friends, and their professional carers. Clinicians, including pastoral care workers, nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals, find themselves at the bedside of the dying. At times, the professional's sense of self is challenged both by the suffering that they witness (physical, emotional, existential, social, sexual, or financial) and a sense of helplessness to relieve not only the patient's suffering but also that of the people to whom the dying person is close. What framework can help us to deal with the suffering that we cannot help but encounter? Ultimately people connecting in a real and meaningful way with other people is probably the only way that each of us can confront suffering and not have it destroy us. Creating an environment where people can begin to, or continue to connect with others at a level that is meaningful for all concerned is a pivotal starting point in dealing with suffering in any encounter with people at the bedside.     

Factor Analysis of the Dutch-Language Version of the MCMI–III

The reliability and validity of the Road Test was evaluated, using 330 Ss varying in the number of poorly planned geographic movements (flights). Scoring criteria were developed on an independent sample. Interjudge reliabilities were .81 or above (mean = .92). Groups were differentiated on emotional expression and time span. Males and females differed in emotional expression, philosophical attitude toward life, and personal reference. It was concluded that the Road Test could be of value as a measure of life orientation and emotional expression when used in conjunction with other psychological assessment methods.     

Testing the myth of the encoding–retrieval match

The view that successful memory performance depends importantly on the extent to which there is a match between the encoding and retrieval conditions is commonplace in memory research. However, Nairne (Memory, 10, 389–395, 2002) proposed that this idea about trace–cue compatibility being the driving force behind memory retention is a myth, because one cannot make unequivocal predictions about performance by appealing to the encoding–retrieval match. What matters instead is the relative diagnostic value of the match, and not the absolute match. Three experiments were carried out in which participants memorised word pairs and tried to recall target words when given retrieval cues. The diagnostic value of the cue was varied by manipulating the extent to which the cues subsumed other memorised words and the level of the encoding–retrieval match. The results supported Nairne’s (Memory, 10, 389–395, 2002) assertion that the diagnostic value of retrieval cues is a better predictor of memory performance than the absolute encoding–retrieval match.     

Animation–Accommodation–Authorization theory of the human personality

It is posited that there are three essential elements associated with human nature and the human personality: Animation, Accommodation, and Authorization (A³). These broadly construed elements are defined, and then it is shown how they underlie the ways humans cognitively and emotionally engage their world. This explication is made possible by calling on a novel construction, called a “trialogue”, that formally relates attributes of cognitive engagement (termed intellect) and attributes of emotional engagement to the three essential elements. The trialogue construction constrains the interrelationships among attributes and essential elements, enabling the internal validity of the theory to be tested. A preliminary study with 174 participants investigated the question of internal validity and found convincing evidence to support the basic premise of the model. The structural complementarities of intellect and emotional engagement may provide a better understanding not only of personality but also of some institutions (e.g., educational).     

On the Ollivier–Poulin–Zurek Definition of Objectivity

The Ollivier–Poulin–Zurek definition of objectivity provides a philosophical basis for the environment as witness formulation of decoherence theory and hence for quantum Darwinism. It is shown that no account of the reference of the key terms in this definition can be given that does not render the definition inapplicable within quantum theory. It is argued that this is not the fault of the language used, but of the assumption that the laws of physics are independent of Hilbert-space decomposition. All evidence suggests that this latter assumption is true. If it is, decoherence cannot explain the emergence of classicality.     

Bias-corrected estimation of the Rudas–Clogg–Lindsay mixture index of fit

Rudas, Clogg, and Lindsay (1994, J. R Stat Soc. Ser. B, 56, 623) introduced the so-called mixture index of fit, also known as pi-star (π*), for quantifying the goodness of fit of a model. It is the lowest proportion of ‘contamination’ which, if removed from the population or from the sample, makes the fit of the model perfect. The mixture index of fit has been widely used in psychometric studies. We show that the asymptotic confidence limits proposed by Rudas et al. (1994, J. R Stat Soc. Ser. B, 56, 623) as well as the jackknife confidence interval by Dayton ( 2003 , Br. J. Math. Stat. Psychol., 56, 1) perform poorly, and propose a new bias-corrected point estimate, a bootstrap test and confidence limits for pi-star. The proposed confidence limits have coverage probability much closer to the nominal level than the other methods do. We illustrate the usefulness of the proposed method in practice by presenting some practical applications to log-linear models for contingency tables.     

High-resolution characterization of the precipitation behavior of an Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy

The metastable particles in an Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy have been examined at atomic-resolution using high-angle annular dark field (HAADF) imaging. In under-aged conditions, thin η′ plates were formed with a thickness of seven atomic planes parallel to the {111}_Al planes. The five inner planes of the η′ phase appear to be alternatively enriched in Mg and Zn, with two outer planes forming distinct Zn-rich interfacial planes. Similar Zn-rich interfacial enrichment has also been identified for the η phase, which is a minimum 11-plane thick structure. In rare instances, particles less than seven planes were found indicating a very early preference for seven-layer particle formation. Throughout the aging, the plate thickness appears constant, while the plate radius increases and no particles between 7 and 11 planes were observed. Based on the HAADF contrast, our observations do not support the η′ models previously set forth by other authors. Clear structural similarities between η′ and η were observed, suggesting that drawing distinctions between η′ and η phases may not be necessary or useful.     

Duhem and the origins of statics: Ramifications of the crisis of 1903–04

Much speculation on the sources of Duhem's historical interests fails to account for the major shifts in these interests: neither his belief in the continuous development of physics nor his Catholicism, when his Church was encouraging the study of generally Aristotelian scholastic thought, led to any interest in mediaeval science before 1904. Equally, his own claim that he was merely testing his views on the nature of physical theory is easily squared only with earlier work with no trace of mediaeval science. Behind this discontinuity lies a major crisis. Though not a positivist, Duhem had based all his work on assumptions acceptable to positivists. One of these, the sterility of the Middle Ages, was refuted by his chance discovery of evidence of genuine mediaeval science in the autumn of 1903, but that left the doctrine of scholastic sterility intact.Drafted for the Blacksburg conference, versions of this paper were also presented at colloquia at the University of Harvard Department of the History of Science and the University of Toronto Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology. I am grateful to all those who responded to earlier versions, but particularly to Phillip Quinn, the commentator on my paper at Blacksburg, and Jamil Ragep.     

Images of the disciplining of psychology, 1890–1940

Over the course of psychology’s first several decades, the language used to convey the subject matter gradually shifted from being free and literary to being strictly constrained and disciplined by increasingly focused theoretical demands. The project described here, “Disciplining Psychology,” aimed to depict this transformation by generating images of the faces of three highly influential psychologists—William James, Sigmund Freud, and B. F. Skinner. Each image is composed of the words used in one of each individual’s most important books. The tightening of the disciplinary vocabulary is revealed in the differences among the three arrays of words themselves, but I have also striven to reflect it in the aesthetic aspects of each image. The method used here could easily be extended to a wider array of authors, texts, and psychological topics.     

The Effects of Graphing a Second Observer’s Data on Judgments of Functional Relations in A–B–A–B Graphs

Collection of interobserver agreement data and reporting the results with summary statistics are standard practices in single-case research. An alternative to summary statistics is plotting the second observer’s data on the same graph as the primary observer. In this study, we evaluated whether plotting the second observer’s data differentially influenced the judgments about functional relations for A–B–A–B designs. Participants were graduate students and experts. Results suggested that (a) experts made more accurate judgments than graduate students, (b) raters made more accurate judgments for graphs with 1 rather than 2 primary data paths, and (c) raters were not influenced differentially in their judgments of functional relations by the presence or absence of the second observer’s plotted data. In addition to standard hypothesis testing, equivalence testing was performed and showed accuracy of judgments was equivalent for graphs with and without the second observers’ data being added.     

Effect of Si on the formation and stability of the icosahedral quasicrystalline phase in Al–Fe–Cr–Ti alloys

The formation and stability of the quasicrystalline icosahedral (i) phase in melt-spun Al_{93– x} Fe₃Cr₂Ti₂Si _x (x?=?0–5) ribbons are reported. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and transmission electron microscopy. Primitive (P-type) ordered i phase particles were found to be homogeneously distributed in an fcc α-Al matrix in the as-melt-spun ribbons. The size of the i phase particles decreased and their thermal stability increased with increasing substitution of Al by Si. The i phase had a decomposition temperature of approximately 480°C in an Al₉₃Fe₃Cr₂Ti₂ ribbon whereas that in an Al₉₂Fe₃Cr₂Ti₂Si₁ ribbon was approximately 500°C. The i phase particles are resistant to coarsening prior to decomposition into crystalline phases. The presence of a small quantity of Si (up to 1.0?at.%) is beneficial to both the thermal stability and the hardness of nanoquasicrystalline Al–Fe–Cr–Ti alloys.     

Is the child ‘father of the Man’? Evaluating the stability of genetic influences across development

This selective review considers findings in genetic research that have shed light on how genes operate across development. We will address the question of whether the child is ‘father of the Man’ from a genetic perspective. In other words, do the same genetic influences affect the same traits across development? Using a ‘taster menu’ approach and prioritizing newer findings on cognitive and behavioral traits, examples from the following genetic disciplines will be discussed: (a) developmental quantitative genetics (such as longitudinal twin studies), (b) neurodevelopmental genetic syndromes with known genetic causes (such as Williams syndrome), (c) developmental candidate gene studies (such as those that link infant and adult populations), (d) developmental genome‐wide association studies (GWAS), and (e) DNA resequencing. Evidence presented here suggests that there is considerable genetic stability of cognitive and behavioral traits across development, but there is also evidence for genetic change. Quantitative genetic studies have a long history of assessing genetic continuity and change across development. It is now time for the newer, more technology‐enabled fields such as GWAS and DNA resequencing also to take on board the dynamic nature of human behavior.     

Is the concept of ‘personality’ relevant to the study of animal aggression?

Both theoretical considerations and methodological constraints explain why the experimental study of animal aggression does not often put much emphasis on individual differences and hardly uses the concept of ‘personality’. And yet, if neurobiologists consider those brain mechanisms that underlie the interpretation of a given situation and the anticipation of a method to cope with it, they are led to investigate mechanisms that underlie a number of behaviour dimensions which the psychologist would refer to as ‘personality’. The actual object considered in either case does not essentially differ. This is exemplified more concretely by examining the kind of factors—and the brain mechanisms involved in their very existence or in their processing—that contribute to determine the probability that in the face of a given situation, a given individual will adopt aggressive behaviour as the coping strategy.     

On the notions of indiscernibility and indeterminacy in the light of the Galois–Grothendieck theory

We analyze the notions of indiscernibility and indeterminacy in the light of the Galois theory of field extensions and the generalization to \(K\) -algebras proposed by Grothendieck. Grothendieck’s reformulation of Galois theory permits to recast the Galois correspondence between symmetry groups and invariants as a Galois–Grothendieck duality between \(G\) -spaces and the minimal observable algebras that discern (or separate) their points. According to the natural epistemic interpretation of the original Galois theory, the possible \(K\) -indiscernibilities between the roots of a polynomial \(p(x)\in K[x]\) result from the limitations of the field \(K\) . We discuss the relation between this epistemic interpretation of the Galois–Grothendieck duality and Leibniz’s principle of the identity of indiscernibles. We then use the conceptual framework provided by Klein’s Erlangen program to propose an alternative ontologic interpretation of this duality. The Galoisian symmetries are now interpreted in terms of the automorphisms of the symmetric geometric figures that can be placed in a background Klein geometry. According to this interpretation, the Galois–Grothendieck duality encodes the compatibility condition between geometric figures endowed with groups of automorphisms and the ‘observables’ that can be consistently evaluated at such figures. In this conceptual framework, the Galoisian symmetries do not encode the epistemic indiscernibility between individuals, but rather the intrinsic indeterminacy in the pointwise localization of the figures with respect to the background Klein geometry.