I Can't Relax! You're Driving me Quasi!

Robust Realists think that there are irreducible, non‐natural, and mind‐independent moral properties. Quasi‐Realists and Relaxed Realists think the same, but interpret these commitments differently. Robust Realists interpret them as metaphysical commitments, to be defended by metaphysical argument. Quasi‐Realists and Relaxed Realists say that they can only be interpreted as moral commitments. These theories thus pose a serious threat to Robust Realism, for they apparently undermine the very possibility of articulating the robust metaphysical commitments of this theory. I clarify and respond to this threat, showing that there is in fact space to develop and defend a robust moral ontology.     

Modality,Si! Modal Logic,No!

This article is oriented toward the use of modality in artificial intelligence (AI). An agent must reason about what it or other agents know, believe, want, intend or owe. Referentially opaque modalities are needed and must be formalized correctly. Unfortunately, modal logics seem too limited for many important purposes. This article contains examples of uses of modality for which modal logic seems inadequate.I have no proof that modal logic is inadequate, so I hope modal logicians will take the examples as challenges.Maybe this article will also have philosophical and mathematical logical interest.     

I know distraction works even though it doesn't!

Resistance is high to findings negating commonsense beliefs. If McCaul, Monson, and Maki's (1992) four studies are taken seriously, we will address new questions about the components of analgesic interventions--specifically, whether distraction works only when combined with a competing affect, an analgesic cognition, or both. Addressing these questions should increase our understanding of the mechanisms involved in pain processing and may increase our ability to intervene and modify chronic as well as acute pain. Laboratory studies offer an efficient route to such understanding, although the question of generalization will always lurk in the background.     

Emergence,Naturally!

The prevailing common assumptions about how nature behaves have their origins in the early Enlightenment. The notion of emergence does not sit comfortably within this framework. Emergence appears virtually impossible within a world determined by ineluctable and unwavering natural laws. But the variety and combinations inherent in living systems render physical laws indeterminate. The study of ecological dynamics suggests that processes rather than laws are what accounts for most order seen in the living realm. As a consequence, there are aspects of ecological dynamics that violate each of the Newtonian postulates. The dynamics of ecosystems suggest a smaller set of rational assumptions through which to view nature—an “ecological metaphysic.” Emergence appears as a rare but wholly natural phenomenon within the new rational platform. In addition, several apparent conflicts between science and theism that arose under the Newtonian framework simply vanish under the new perspective.     

“Yes,I Can,I Feel Good,and I Just Do It!” On Gain Cycles and Spirals of Efficacy Beliefs,Affect, and Engagement

Taking Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory as our starting point, we tested how efficacy beliefs (self‐efficacy and perceived collective efficacy) reciprocally influence activity engagement (vigor, dedication, and absorption) indirectly through their impact on positive affect (enthusiasm, satisfaction, and comfort) over time. We conducted two longitudinal studies using independent samples. Study 1 is a two‐wave longitudinal field study that examines gain cycles regarding the dynamic relationships among self‐efficacy, positive affect, and work engagement in 274 secondary school teachers. Study 2 is a three‐wave longitudinal laboratory study about gain spirals in the dynamic relationships among collective efficacy beliefs, positive affect, and task engagement in 100 university students working in groups. Our findings show that: (1) efficacy beliefs reciprocally influence activity engagement indirectly through their impact on positive affect over time; (2) enthusiasm is the positive affect with the strongest effect on activity engagement; and (3) a gain spiral exists whereby efficacy beliefs increase over time due to engagement and positive affect (most notably enthusiasm). Finally, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications in terms of Social Cognitive Theory.     

我是高材生：资质过剩感及其对员工的影响

资质过剩感, 是指个体感知的自己拥有超过工作所要求的教育水平、经验、知识、技能以及能力。员工感到资质过剩是组织中普遍存在的现象, 并逐渐成为组织行为研究中的热点话题。资质过剩感对员工的认知感受、情绪体验, 工作态度、行为和绩效, 以及身心健康等均存在一定的负面影响, 影响强度及性质取决于员工个人特征及所处情境特征。除负面影响外, 资质过剩感对员工主动行为、角色内绩效、创新绩效等还存在一定积极影响, 以及正U型、倒U型的非线性效应。人力资本理论、人-岗匹配理论、相对剥夺理论、公平理论、心理契约理论和资源保存理论等是解释资质过剩感消极影响的主要理论, 自我分类理论、自我验证理论和自我调节理论是解释其积极影响的主要理论。未来可以从开发本土量表、扩展跨层次研究、丰富和整合研究视角、探究动态效应等方面推动资质过剩感的研究。     

Look, no hands!

Contrary to Vaesen's argument that humans are unique with respect to nine cognitive capacities essential for tool use, we suggest that although such cognitive processes contribute to variation in tool use, it does not follow that these capacities are necessary for tool use, nor that tool use shaped cognition per se, given the available data in cognitive neuroscience and behavioral biology.