The social semantics of Mikhail Pokrovskij and Nikolaj Marr

Criticizing the works of “Western” specialists in semantics, Soviet academician M. M. Pokrovskij (1868–1942) comes to the conclusion that social factors are essential for semantic evolution, while psychological factors constitute an intermediate link between the “external” life of a society and the semantics of the corresponding language. This conception resembles the general explanations of semantic evolution proposed by N. Ja. Marr (1864–1934). Nevertheless, despite a number of common points in the semantic theories of these two researchers, Pokrovskij’s attitude towards Marr was negative: in particular, he disagreed with the thesis of the chronological primacy of Marr’s discoveries in the domain of semantics. The article investigates why Pokrovskij had for a long time constituted an intermediate link between Russian and “Western” “traditions” in the field of semantics.

A case study investigating the role of the anterior temporal lobes in general semantics and semantics specific to persons,emotions and social conceptual knowledge

The role of the anterior temporal lobes (ATLs) in semantic representation remains still much debated. Long thought to support domain-general semantic processing, recent accounts have alternatively suggested that they may be preferentially involved in the processing of person-related semantic knowledge. Several studies have supported such a distinction, but few have either examined both types of semantic processing together, or considered the role of potentially important confounding variables. Here, we address these issues by investigating both domain-general and person-specific semantic processing in a patient with focal ATL damage. The patient presents with dense anterograde and retrograde amnesia. Performance was impaired on tests of general semantic knowledge, but most striking deficits were for person-related semantics, including recognition and identification, knowledge of emotions and social conceptual knowledge. This unique case provides compelling evidence that, in addition to the role in general semantic knowledge, the ATLs are critical for person-related semantics.     

心理逻辑学对记忆研究的分析及其反响

心理逻辑学(psychologic)源于大众心理学(common sense psychology),由挪威心理学家Smedslund创建。它运用概念分析的方法对传统的经验主义心理学进行了批判,思路独特,可供借鉴。该文简要介绍了心理逻辑学的理论框架,并着重阐述了心理逻辑学对记忆研究的分析及其反响,对存在的争论也进行了分析。     

Two-dimensional semantics and the articulation problem

David Chalmerss version of two-dimensional semantics is an attempt at setting up a unified semantic framework that would vindicate both the Fregean and the Kripkean semantic intuitions. I claim that there are three acceptable ways of carrying out such a project, and that Chalmerss theory does not coherently fit any of the three patterns. I suggest that the theory may be seen as pointing to the possibility of a double reading for many linguistic expressions (a double reading which, however, is not easily identified with straightforward semantic ambiguity).     

On the interrelations of syntax and semantics

Summary Proceeding from the assumption that the recall of sentence tense is affected by verb meaning, the following variations in verb meaning were introduced: Action vs. State and Terminal vs. Interminal. The influence of these aspects on the recall of the Present and Perfect tenses (in German) was tested in a three-factorial design. A distinct interaction was obtained between the factors Terminal/Interminal and sentence tense. The Action/State condition did not affect the recall of sentence tense. All tested aspects of verb meaning did however influence the recall of sentence content.The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Mr. B. Jankowski in the translation of this paper from an original German version.     

贫困与反贫困：心理学的研究

局部繁荣下的贫困问题已成为当今世界面临的最大挑战,理解贫困以及与贫困有关的心理模型和决策过程、并促进人类的幸福与公正,是心理学家的一项重要使命。文章旨在阐明心理学在理解贫困和减贫工作中的角色,并对贫困心理学的研究思路、贫困归因的测量方法及其影响因素作一介绍。最后,在总结成就与问题的基础上,建议未来的贫困心理学应对特殊的目标群体做更多关注,并发展更可靠的测量方法,挖掘更多影响贫困心理的人格、社会因素