Language Format and Analogical Transfer among Bilingual Problem Solvers in the Philippines

Is analogical problem solving of bilinguals affected by the language in which the problem is given? Three experiments study whether the language used for the problem affects analogical transfer between word problems among Filipino-English bilinguals. Subjects were given a set of study problems all of which were either in Filipino or English. They were then given a set of analogous transfer-test problems either in Filipino or in English. Experiment 1 showed a language-compatibility effect; transfer was better when the language of the study and transfer-test problems were the same. Experiments 2 to 3 studied the locus of the effect. The data suggest that language compatibility facilitates the retrieval of relevant, superficially similar problem information but does not affect the process of applying the same problem information to the new problem. The results are discussed in terms of their implications to problem-solving behaviour of bilinguals and to the education of bilingual students.     

Creativity in Physics: Response Fluency and Task Specificity

The purpose of this study was to explore creativity in the domain of physics and, specifically, its relation to fluency of responses (divergent thinking) and type of task. Fifty-four university students were pretested on their knowledge of relevant physics concepts. They then were asked to solve 3 ill-defined problems representing different types of tasks. The appropriate responses given to each problem were evaluated as to their number (fluency) and frequency (originality). Task-specific components were found to influence creativity independently and to moderate the effects of general factors such as fluency of responses. Efforts to predict and facilitate creativity in educational settings, therefore, also must take into account the way creativity is manifested within particular domains and the constraints that different types of tasks may impose.     

Exercise Improves Cognitive Control: Evidence from the Stop Signal Task

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that exercise improves executive control. We compared the performance of physically active and passive young participants in two versions of the stop signal task: a strategic (more executive) and a standard version. The results showed that active participants were more efficient than passive at inhibiting a response in the strategic version, suggesting that (1) physical exercise appears positively associated with improved cognitive control in healthy young participants, adding to evidence gathered in children, aging and clinical populations; and that (2) the strategic version of the stop signal task constitutes a more sensitive task than executive tasks previously used. Although the data point out a link between physical activity and executive control, they also have potential practical implications for health authorities and the general public by strengthening the view that exercise, beyond its physical health benefits, also has positive effects on cognitive functioning. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

汉语新词词汇化的眼动研究

本研究采用眼动技术,操纵词类型和熟悉性来探讨汉语新词的词汇化程度。结果发现,新词在眼动早期、晚期加工指标上和词汇词没有显著差异;相比低熟悉新词,高熟悉新词在凝视时间、回视时间及总注视时间上加工时间更短。研究表明部分新词已达到与《现代汉语词典》中词汇词词汇化程度的相同水平,新词与词之间没有严格的界限,熟悉性在新词词汇化过程中起到了主要作用。     

The Impact of Goal Specificity on Strategy Use and the Acquisition of Problem Structure

Theories of skill acquisition have made radically different predictions about the role of general problem-solving methods in acquiring rules that promote effective transfer to new problems. Under one view, methods that focus on reaching specific goals, such as means-ends analysis, are assumed to provide the basis for efficient knowledge compilation (Anderson, 1987), whereas under an alternative view such methods are believed to disrupt rule induction (Sweller, 1988). We suggest that the role of general methods in learning varies with both the specificity of the problem solver's goal and the systematicity of the strategies used for testing hypotheses about rules. In the absence of a specific goal people are more likely to use a rule-induction learning strategy, whereas provision of a specific goal fosters use of difference reduction, which tends to be a non-rule-induction strategy. We performed two experiments to investigate the impact of goal specificity and systematicity of rule-induction strategies in learning and transfer within a complex dynamic system. The results of Experiment 1 indicated that during free exploration of a problem space, greater learning occurred if participants adopted more systematic strategies for rule induction, and that participants come to favor such strategies. Experiment 2 revealed that participants who were provided with a specific goal performed well on the initial problem but were impaired on a transfer test using a similar problem with a different goal. Instruction on a systematic rule-induction strategy facilitated solution for both the initial and transfer problems, but participants' use of this strategy declined if they had a specific goal. Our results support Sweller's (1988) proposal that general problemsolving methods applied to a specific goal foster acquisition of knowledge about an isolated solution path but do not provide an effective way of learning the overall structure of a problem space. We interpret these results in terms of dualspace theories of search through problem space.     

时间赋义对数字空间表征的影响：来自数字线估计任务的证据

数字线估计任务的大量研究以纯数字为研究对象而忽视了赋义数字。本研究以Siegler等的数字线估计任务为原型,探讨在对数字时间赋义条件下小学二、四和六年级儿童的数字表征形式是否发生变化。结果表明,小学二年级是0-1000范围内数字表征从对数形式转换为线性形式的转折点,对数字赋予时间含义后,三个年级均出现了赋义效应。在线性模型和对数模型中时间赋义的作用相反,时间赋义表现出抑线升对（抑制线性模型提升对数模型解释力）的效果。     

数字表征的表象赋义效应:来自数字线估计任务的证据

已有研究中数字线估计任务几乎都使用纯数字。本研究以二到六年级儿童为被试,采用纯数字任务和赋义数字任务来探索赋义表象对数字表征形式的影响。结果表明,对0~1000的数字赋义后,对数模型的解释力上升,而线性模型的解释力下降;表象大小对于赋义数字的估计影响显著,大表象赋义提高了对数模型解释力而降低了数字估计的准确性,小表象的影响比较微弱。     

The Distractor Picture Paradox in Speech Production: Evidence from the Word Translation Task

Several naming studies show that distractor pictures, even when intentionally ignored by the speaker, are still capable of activating their respective phonological representations. However results from word translation studies suggest that distractor pictures are only conceptually activated. Here we tested the reliability of the word translation results. In four experiments, bilingual participants translated words from one language to the other one while ignoring the presentation of pictures. In Experiment 1a phonological related pictures sped up translation latencies. However, the effect disappeared when the percentage of related trials was reduced (Experiment 1b). In Experiment 2a translation latencies were faster when the words were accompanied by semantically related pictures than by unrelated pictures. Importantly, the effect was still reliable when the proportion of related trials was reduced and the total number of semantic categories was increased (Experiment 2b). Theoretical implications of the influence of distractor pictures during speech production are discussed.     

Bilingual comparative judgments: Evidence against the switch hypothesis

The notion that bilinguals possess a language-switching mechanism was examined. Subjects made comparative judgments about concrete concept pairs (e.g., cow-panther) and abstract concept pairs (e.g., joy-sorrow), which were presented either unilingually or in mixed language. There was no significant difference in latencies for unilingual and mixed language concept pairs, whether the pairs were concrete or abstract. The results substantiate neither the general switch hypothesis nor the notion that between-language and within-language associative networks have different transition probabilities.This research was based in part on the author's master's thesis, submitted to the University of Guelph.     

Sensitivity to Inflectional Morphemes in the Absence of Meaning: Evidence from a Novel Task

Journal of Psycholinguistic Research - A number of studies in different languages have shown that speakers may be sensitive to the presence of inflectional morphology in the absence of verb meaning...     

数学中的证据:哥德尔与胡塞尔

哥德尔的数学哲学从胡塞尔现象学中汲取了重要的洞见。胡塞尔的本质直观方法直接激发了哥德尔对非物质对象的思考。哥德尔将非物质对象把握为经验所与中的结构性因素,但与感性直观类似,这些因素也是被直接给予的,并且是数学证据的来源。哥德尔与胡塞尔都坚持数学证据的可错性,并提出数学中所应有的假设性维度。最后,反思均衡是哥德尔与胡塞尔数学证成观的共同点。     

从亲属词分类看民族语言对民族心理的影响

亲属关系基于血缘关系和婚姻关系形成, 是个体首属的社会关系, 被视为人类学研究的“王冠”。在每种语言中, 都有表征亲属关系的词, 即亲属词。亲属词蕴含着丰富的遗传、婚姻、社会和文化的信息, 是文化人类学、语言学和民族心理学研究的重要内容。2001年以来, 通过一系列对汉族大学生、汉族儿童及青少年、纳西族、摩梭人、傣族、基诺族、彝族和白族的亲属词分类研究, 发现了不同民族亲属词的概念结构, 揭示了影响亲属词分类的因素, 显示了民族语言对民族心理的影响; 揭示了语言影响亲属词分类的机制, 为语言影响认知的理论提供了重要证据; 揭示了不同民族的亲属关系的特点, 为民族心理学的理论构建提供了重要资料。     

How Readers Spontaneously Interpret Man-Suffix Words: Evidence from Eye Movements

This study investigated whether readers are more likely to assign a male referent to man-suffix terms (e.g. chairman) than to gender-neutral alternatives (e.g., chairperson) during reading, and whether this bias differs as a function of age. Younger and older adults' eye movements were monitored while reading passages containing phrases such as "The chairman/chairperson familiarized herself with..." On-line eye fixation data provided strong evidence that man-suffix words were more likely to evoke the expectation of a male referent in both age groups. Younger readers demonstrated inflated processing times when first encountering herself after chairman relative to chairperson, and they tended to make more regressive fixations to chairman. Older readers did not show the effect when initially encountering herself, but they spent disproportionately longer looking back to chairman and herself. The study provides empirical support for copy-editing policies that mandate the use of explicitly gender-neutral suffix terms in place of man-suffix terms.     

汉语颠倒词加工中重复知盲发生的水平

以汉语中的颠倒词为材料, 探讨汉语重复知盲的发生水平。采用RSVP方式呈现包含颠倒词对(C1和C2)的句子列表或词语列表, 让被试对列表中的词进行全部报告或报告是否存在重复词, 记录报告C2的正确率。三个实验采用3 (词语的重复性: 颠倒重复、完全重复、不重复) × 2 (颠倒词对的意义相似性: 意义不同、意义相似)两因素被试内设计, 结果在全部报告和报告是否存在重复词的实验中都出现重复性和意义相似性的交互效应, 但不同实验任务, 数据模式不同。该结果表明, 在RSVP任务中, 汉语颠倒词加工存在RB效应, 该效应产生的水平受制于不同的实验任务, 在部分报告任务中, 颠倒词的RB效应发生在知觉水平, 在全部报告任务中, 颠倒词的RB效应发生在语义水平。     

时间分配的执行功能:双重效价联合任务的证据

采用内隐联想测验的修订版本双重效价联合任务范式,利用ERP技术探究不同时间分配倾向个体在执行冲突和转换任务时的执行功能,以揭示不同时间分配倾向个体在相容和不相容任务过程中脑内时程的动态变化。研究结果发现,多重组个体显示出更快的反应时;ERP结果表明,相比于多重组,单一组在不相容任务中比在相容任务中诱发了更大的N170,说明多重组个体可能更善于同时执行多项任务,而单一组执行冲突任务可能需要投入更多的注意资源。同时在认知加工的晚期阶段单一组比多重组诱发了更大的LPP,提示单一组需要更强的认知控制加工。     

On Modality Effects in Bilingual Emotional Language Processing: Evidence from Galvanic Skin Response

Though previous research has shown a decreased sensitivity to emotionally-laden linguistic stimuli presented in the non-native (L2) compared to the native language (L1), studies conducted thus far have not examined how different modalities influence bilingual emotional language processing. The present experiment was therefore aimed at investigating how late proficient Polish (L1)–English (L2) bilinguals process emotionally-laden narratives presented in L1 and L2, in the visual and auditory modality. To this aim, we employed the galvanic skin response (GSR) method and a self-report measure (Polish adaptation of the PANAS questionnaire). The GSR findings showed a reduced galvanic skin response to L2 relative to L1, thus suggesting a decreased reactivity to emotional stimuli in L2. Additionally, we observed a more pronounced skin conductance level to visual than auditory stimuli, yet only in L1, which might be accounted for by a self-reference effect that may have been modulated by both language and modality.     

Specificity of Learning in a Video-Aiming Task: Modifying the Salience of Dynamic Visual Cues

The authors investigated whether the salience of dynamic visual information in a video-aiming task mediates the specificity of practice. Thirty participants practiced video-aiming movements in a full-vision, a weak-vision, or a target-only condition before being transferred to the target-only condition without knowledge of results. The full- and weak-vision conditions resulted in less endpoint bias and variability in acquisition than did the target-only condition. Going from acquisition to transfer resulted in a large increase in endpoint variability for the full-vision group but not for the weak-vision or target-only groups. Kinematic analysis revealed that weak dynamic visual cues do not mask the processing of other sources of afferent information; unlike strong visual cues, weak visual cues help individuals calibrate less salient sources of afferent information, such as proprioception.     

The Role of Age of Acquisition in Bilingual Word Translation: Evidence from Spanish-English Bilinguals

The present research tested the hypothesis that the age at which one’s first language (L1) words are learned influences language processing in bilinguals. Prior research on bilingual language processing by Kroll and colleagues has suggested that memory links between L1 words and conceptual representations are stronger than memory links between one’s second language (L2) word and conceptual representations. We hypothesized that the strengths of memory links between L1 words and conceptual representations are stronger for words learned early in life than for words learned later in life. Support for the hypothesis was obtained in bilingual translation experiment with 36 Spanish–English bilinguals. Participants translated L1 words into L2 and L2 words into L1. Half of the L1 words were learned early in childhood (early AoA words), and half were learned later in life (late AoA words). The L2 words were translation equivalents of the L1 words tested; the average age at which L2 words were learned was age 7. Target words were presented either in random order or blocked by semantic category. Translation times were longer when trials were blocked by semantic category (i.e., categorical interference) occurred only when early AoA L1 words were translated into L2. Implications for current models of bilingual memory are discussed.     

Effects of Emotional Experience for Abstract Words in the Stroop Task

In this study, we examined the effects of emotional experience, a relatively new dimension of emotional knowledge that gauges the ease with which words evoke emotional experience, on abstract word processing in the Stroop task. In order to test the context‐dependency of these effects, we accentuated the saliency of this dimension in Experiment 1A by blocking the stimuli such that one block consisted of the stimuli with the highest emotional experience ratings and the other block consisted of the stimuli with the lowest emotional experience ratings. We attenuated the saliency of this dimension in Experiment 1B by intermixing the stimuli. We observed slower color naming performance for words with higher emotional experience ratings only in Experiment 1A, suggesting that the dimension of emotional experience is an aspect of semantic representation for abstract words but that its influence can be modulated by context. We interpret these results more generally using Vigliocco, Meteyard, Andrews, and Kousta's (2009) framework of semantic representation, and more specifically using Cohen, Dunbar, and McClelland's (1990) model of Stroop task performance.     

手机成瘾者抑制控制能力特点：来自反向眼跳任务的证据

为深入研究手机成瘾者的抑制控制能力特点,使用手机成瘾倾向量表筛选34名被试,手机成瘾组与非手机成瘾组各17名被试完成反向眼跳范式测量。结果发现：(1)手机成瘾组反向眼跳错误率显著高于非手机成瘾组。(2)手机成瘾组朝向眼跳潜伏期显著短于非手机成瘾组。结果表明,手机成瘾组抑制控制能力显著低于非手机成瘾组,反向眼跳任务成绩较差。这表明手机成瘾者较容易受自下而上的刺激驱动,较难抑制无关刺激产生的注意干扰。