高低特质焦虑水平个体面部表情觉知阈限的测量

该研究采用后掩蔽范式,将自信心评定法与心理物理学的方法相结合,测得了高、低特质焦虑水平个体的6种基本表情(愤怒、厌恶、恐惧、高兴、悲伤、惊讶)的觉知阈限,并进行了比较。结果发现:在恐惧表情条件下,高特质焦虑个体的觉知阈限显著小于低特质焦虑个体的,在其他表情条件下,高、低特质焦虑个体的觉知阈限没有显著差异;在低特质焦虑组,愤怒表情的觉知阈限显著大于厌恶、恐惧和高兴的,恐惧和高兴表情的觉知阈限显著小于愤怒、悲伤和惊讶的。在高特质焦虑组,愤怒表情的觉知阈限显著大于厌恶、恐惧和高兴的,高兴表情的觉知阈限小于愤怒、悲伤和惊讶的,恐惧表情的觉知阈限显著小于其他表情的;女性的觉知阈限显著小于男性的。因此,较低特质焦虑水平的个体,高特质焦虑水平的个体觉知恐惧表情的能力更强;面部表情觉知存在性别差异,女性的觉知能力较男性更强。     

阈上与阈下知觉启动之间的差异:来自Stroop效应的证据

本研究采用Oddball与Stroop相结合的范式,对导致Merikle与Daza等研究结果之间的矛盾进行了考察。研究发现,在启动刺激与目标刺激之问的SOA为300毫秒的即时掩蔽条件下,启动刺激“红”和“绿”对随后的目标刺激的判断产生了不同的影响。前者表现出典型的Stroop效应,后者表现出反转的Stroop效应;主观觉知阈限测验显示,启动刺激“红”是在阈下状态被知觉的,而启动刺激“绿”是在阈上状态被知觉的。结果表明．阈下知觉启动具有一定的时问延续性。并不局限在某一特定时问点上,启动刺激的知觉状态受多种因素影响。     

面部表情觉知阈限的测量及其年龄和性别差异

将自信心评定法与心理物理学的方法结合起来,测量了年轻人和老年人6种面部表情(愤怒、厌恶、恐惧、高兴、悲伤、惊讶)的觉知阈限,并进行了比较。结果发现,在所有情绪类型条件下,老年人的觉知阈限显著大于年轻人的;在年轻人组,愤怒表情的觉知阈限显著大于厌恶、恐惧和高兴表情的,恐惧和高兴表情的觉知阈限显著小于愤怒、悲伤和惊讶表情的。在老年人组,愤怒表情的觉知阈限显著大于其他表情的,高兴表情的觉知阈限显著小于其他表情的;女性的觉知阈限显著小于男性的。可见,与年轻人相比,老年人觉知面部表情的能力发生了衰退,且不同表情衰退的程度不同,高兴表情的觉知能力衰退的程度最小,愤怒和恐惧表情的觉知能力衰退的程度最大;女性的面部表情觉知能力较男性更强。     

阈下启动信息加工的心理机制

无意识如何影响人类的认知？或者说,无意识知觉在什么水平对人类的认知产生作用。由于方法和标准的限制,对上述问题的争论依然存在。当前对无意识知觉的研究主要集中在阈下启动的加工机制上,即启动刺激如何有效引发被试对目标刺激的加工。研究者提出知觉加工,中枢加工,反应加工以及行为触发等理论来解释阈下启动的心理加工机制。     

阈下语义启动效应影响因素述评

阈下语义启动效应是指阈下呈现的启动词能够对与之有语义联想关系的目标词的加工产生促进作用.阈下语义启动效应具有不稳定性且容易受到各种因素的影响.影响阈下语义启动效应的因素有外部因素和内部因素两大类,外部因素包括任务类型、实验材料和实验程序等因素,内部因素包括注意、任务设置、目的和期望.本文首先简单回顾阈下语义启动效应的研究历史,并介绍相应的研究范式及觉知状态的测量方法,然后重点对影响因素进行了总结和评述.未来的研究可以从优化研究范式、加强脑机制研究以及发展理论等几个方面进一步拓展.     

无意识知觉和知觉的信息加工理论

一无意识知觉,又称阈下知觉,它指人对于某种刺激虽然不产生有意识的识别,但却能作出某种反应,即知觉了刺激,却不产生知觉的意识。无意识知觉一直是哲学家和心理学家们长期争论的问题之一。许多人不愿意承认这种现象,其理由是:(1)担心无意识知觉是非科学的、虚构的。这种担心在心理学中是起源于对于行为尺度的强调,在哲学中则是起源于对于人类理性的重视。因为人有     

错误再认:意识、注意和刺激特性

该研究基于错误再认现象,确立了意识知觉和无意识知觉在行为结果上的质的差异。在决定一个刺激是被有意识知觉还是无意识知觉时,刺激特性和注意之间存在着相互补偿的作用。实验一表明,当一个刺激短暂呈现而被无意识知觉的时候,增强刺激特性或提高注意水平都能使它的知觉变为有意识的;相对应地,实验二表明,一个处于分散注意条件下被无意识知觉的刺激,也可以通过使注意集中或增强刺激特性而使它的知觉变为有意识的。该研究对意识、注意和刺激特性三者间的关系进行了讨论。     

知觉冲突印象形成的认知控制策略：以刻板化信息与反刻板化信息为例

以刻板化信息与反刻板化信息为例,采用词义Stroop范式和掩蔽版的目标-启动范式分别将实验任务分成高、低知觉负载或阈上、阈下启动两种水平,考察冲突信息知觉负载水平及其强度对他人印象形成的认知控制策略的影响。结果发现:(1)冲突信息启动方式与知觉负载的动态变化决定了个体对刻板化信息与反刻板化信息印象形成的认知控制策略。反应性控制耗费的认知资源少,对刻板一致化信息的印象加工更快捷,而对刻板冲突化信息的印象加工更缓慢,且易激活反刻板印象;而主动性控制耗费的认知资源多,对刻板一致化信息的印象加工更缓慢,而对刻板冲突化信息的印象加工更快捷,且易出现刻板印象偏差。(2)认知控制对刻板化信息与反刻板化信息采取不同的加工模式。刻板化信息与反刻板化信息同时在阈上启动时,其加工方式受到有意操作系统的主动性控制,即进行可意识到的、受意识控制的加工;而当这两类信息同时在阈下启动时,其加工方式受到自动监控系统的反应性控制,即进行无意识的、不受意识控制的加工。这些结果表明,个体通过所知觉到的刻板化信息与反刻板化信息,能灵活地在两种认知控制系统(有意操作系统vs.自动监控系统)中进行权衡,调节其权重(即,要么启动主动性控制,要么偏向反应性控制),从而形成最有利于他人的印象加工策略。即便处于知觉阈限之下,个体仍能通过无意识认知控制的方式对他人印象进行加工。     

阈下说服的存在证据与争议

通过阈下刺激或者信息的呈现, 试图引导个体采用某种观点、态度或者行为的过程被称为阈下说服。已有的研究从不同视角考察了阈下说服的效果, 对阈下说服的存在与否有着较大的争议。出现争议的原因可能与觉知、阈下语义激活、当前动机以及习惯有关。最近的研究聚焦于探究当前动机在阈下说服研究中所起到的关键作用。未来应当继续尝试其它途径, 促进语义激活; 丰富动机种类, 探讨引发动机的方法; 关注机体变量, 探索新机制。     

无意识自我控制目标启动对自我损耗的补偿效应

本研究基于对无意识目标启动的研究,采用阈上、阈下启动方式探讨无意识目标启动对自我损耗的补偿作用。实验1发现,阈上无意识目标启动能够有效提高自我控制,促进自控表现。实验2发现,阈下无意识目标启动对自我损耗存在补偿效应。上述结果提示,通过无意识启动方式激活自我控制目标,可以克服自我损耗的不良效应,且无需意识参与。     

Perceptual awareness and categorical representation of faces: evidence from masked priming

How internal categories influence how we perceive the world is a fundamental question in cognitive sciences. Yet, the relation between perceptual awareness and perceptual categorization has remained largely uncovered so far. Here, we addressed this question by focusing on face perception during subliminal and conscious perception. We used morphed continua between two face identities and we assessed, through a masked priming paradigm, the perceptual processing of these morphed faces under subliminal and supraliminal conditions. We found that priming from subliminal faces followed linearly the information present in the primes, while priming from visible faces revealed a non-linear profile, indicating a categorical processing of face identities. Our results thus point to a special relation between perceptual awareness and categorical processing of faces, and support the dissociation between two modes of information processing: a subliminal mode involving analog treatment of stimuli information, and a supraliminal mode relying on discrete representation.     

Subliminal speech perception and auditory streaming

Current theories of consciousness assume a qualitative dissociation between conscious and unconscious processing: while subliminal stimuli only elicit a transient activity, supraliminal stimuli have long-lasting influences. Nevertheless, the existence of this qualitative distinction remains controversial, as past studies confounded awareness and stimulus strength (energy, duration). Here, we used a masked speech priming method in conjunction with a submillisecond interaural delay manipulation to contrast subliminal and supraliminal processing at constant prime, mask and target strength. This delay induced a perceptual streaming effect, with the prime popping out in the supraliminal condition. By manipulating the prime-target interval (ISI), we show a qualitatively distinct profile of priming longevity as a function of prime awareness. While subliminal priming disappeared after half a second, supraliminal priming was independent of ISI. This shows that the distinction between conscious and unconscious processing depends on high-level perceptual streaming factors rather than low-level features (energy, duration).     

Conscious, but not unconscious, logo priming of brands and related words

This study assessed whether real-life stimulus material can elicit conscious and unconscious priming. A typical masked priming paradigm was used, with brand logo primes. We used a rigorous method to assess participants' awareness of the subliminal information. Our results show that shortly presented and masked brand logos (e.g., logo of McDonald's) have the power to prime their brand names (e.g., "McDonald's") and, remarkably, words associated to the brand (e.g., "hamburger"). However, this only occurred when the logos could be categorized clearly above the consciousness threshold. Once the primes were presented close to the consciousness threshold, no subliminal influences on behavior were observed.     

脑的感知觉无意识加工及其研究进展

该文从无意识加工与认知、脑结构,神经网络的关系等三个层面,阐述了近年来认知神经科学在无意识研究方面的进展。主要就无意识与意识的相互转化、无意识加工与认知层次、脑结构之间的关联性、突触的联结方式等问题进行了讨论,并对认知神经科学如何研究无意识与意识问题提出展望,     

Current concerns in visual masking

Theories of emotion postulate that emotional input is processed independently from perceptual awareness. Although visual masking has a long tradition in studying whether emotional pictures are processed below a supposed threshold of perceptual awareness (subliminal perception), a consensus has yet to be reached. This article reviews current concerns in the use of visual masking. These include a reliable presentation method, the role of masking pictures, common definitions of awareness and their problems, current models of awareness, and neural mechanisms. A useful strategy may be the study of dose-response relationships between awareness and emotion processing that avoids a dichotomous view of awareness and allows conclusions about the relative independence of emotional processing from awareness.     

Subliminal Gestalt grouping: Evidence of perceptual grouping by proximity and similarity in absence of conscious perception

Previous studies making use of indirect processing measures have shown that perceptual grouping can occur outside the focus of attention. However, no previous study has examined the possibility of subliminal processing of perceptual grouping. The present work steps forward in the study of perceptual organization, reporting direct evidence of subliminal processing of Gestalt patterns. In two masked priming experiments, Gestalt patterns grouped by proximity or similarity that induced either a horizontal or vertical global orientation of the stimuli were presented as masked primes and followed by visible targets that could be congruent or incongruent with the orientation of the primes. The results showed a reliable priming effect in the complete absence of prime awareness for both proximity and similarity grouping principles. These findings suggest that a phenomenal report of the Gestalt pattern is not mandatory to observe an effect on the response based on the global properties of Gestalt stimuli.     

Unconscious integration: Current evidence for integrative processing under subliminal conditions

Integrative processing is traditionally believed to be dependent on consciousness. While earlier studies within the last decade reported many types of integration under subliminal conditions (i.e. without perceptual awareness), these findings are widely challenged recently. This review evaluates the current evidence for 10 types of subliminal integration that are widely studied: arithmetic processing, object-context integration, multi-word processing, same-different processing, multisensory integration and 5 different types of associative learning. Potential methodological issues concerning awareness measures are also taken into account. It is concluded that while there is currently no reliable evidence for subliminal integration, this does not necessarily refute ‘unconscious’ integration defined through non-subliminal (e.g. implicit) approaches.     

Controlling the unconscious: attentional task sets modulate subliminal semantic and visuomotor processes differentially

Are unconscious processes susceptible to attentional influences? In two subliminal priming experiments, we investigated whether task sets differentially modulate the sensitivity of unconscious processing pathways. We developed a novel procedure for masked semantic priming of words (Experiment 1) and masked visuomotor priming of geometrical shapes (Experiment 2). Before presentation of the masked prime, participants performed an induction task in which they attended to either semantic or perceptual object features designed to activate a semantic or perceptual task set, respectively. Behavioral and electrophysiological effects showed that the induction tasks differentially modulated subliminal priming: Semantic priming, which involves access to conceptual meaning, was found after the semantic induction task but not after the perceptual induction task. Visuomotor priming was observed after the perceptual induction task but not after the semantic induction task. These results demonstrate that unconscious cognition is influenced by attentional control. Unconscious processes in perceptual and semantic processing streams are coordinated congruently with higher-level action goals.     

Conscious contributions to subliminal priming

Choice reaction times to visual stimuli (targets) may be influenced by preceding subliminal stimuli (primes). Some authors reported a straight priming effect i.e., responses were faster when primes and targets called for the same response than when they called for different responses. Others found the reversed pattern of results. Eimer and Schlaghecken [Eimer, M. & Schlaghecken, F. (2002). Links between conscious awareness and response inhibition: evidence from masked priming. Psychonomic Bulletin &Review, 9, 514-520.] showed recently that straight priming occurs whenever a prime is not efficiently masked thereby the information provided by the prime is accessible for consciousness. In the present study, a hypothesis is tested that straight priming is due to mediation of consciousness. To test this hypothesis, prime validity was manipulated. We showed that even when no mask was used so that participants could fully and consciously perceive the prime and participants were informed that primes were mostly invalid, for the short prime-target ISI interval (100 ms) straight priming occurred. The priming was inverse when the ISI was 800 ms. This indicates that participants were able to use the information provided by the prime to prepare the response opposite to that cued by the prime but only if the time between the prime and the target was long enough.