The effect of aging on the memory enhancement of the survival judgment task

This study investigated whether or not aging affected the benefit of a survival judgment task. Sixteen young adults and 16 older adults participated in this experiment. In the survival task, participants were requested to judge whether a word was necessary or not in a survival situation. In the self‐referent judgment task, participants were requested to judge how easily the word brings to mind an important personal experience. Participants in each condition were presented 18 concrete nouns at 4‐s intervals. Our results showed that even though the survival judgment task enhanced the memory performance in both the young adults and the older adults, the young adults outperformed the older adults in the survival and self‐referent judgment tasks.     

汉字习得的年龄效应:语音完整性假设的检验

采用语音匹配任务,考察汉字习得的年龄效应及其语音完整性假设的合理性。实验1首先采用整体语音匹配任务,证明了语音匹配实验范式的有效性。实验2和实验3分别采用声母匹配和韵母匹配任务,即事先呈现汉字的声母或者韵母,之后呈现汉字,要求被试判断呈现汉字的声母或者韵母是否与事先呈现的语音片段相同。结果发现,部分语音提取的任务中存在汉字习得的年龄效应,表现为早习得的汉字,无论声母和韵母的提取都比晚习得汉字声母和韵母的提取容易。研究结果不支持语音完整性假设,任意映射假设能够解释本研究的结果。     

重复知盲:刺激呈现时间及作业对反应时的影响

本研究用汉字材料及反应时的数据来探讨重复知盲现象及有关机制。在实验一中,被试必须判断快速连续呈现的两个字究竟是否包含两个或是只有一个动物字。结果显示在７０毫秒时,有重复知盲现象（重复动物字组比非重复动物字组的反应时为长）;在１００毫秒时则无;另外,在２００毫秒时则有重复启动现象产生（重复动物字组比非重复动物字组的反应时为短）。实验二采用同样的材料及呈现方法,但被试只需要判断以７０毫秒呈现之实验材料中的第二个字是否动物字。结果发现类似重复启动的现象,这些结果显示,呈现时间与作业是决定重复刺激究竟造成知盲或启动效应的重要因素。本文另外还讨论本研究的方法与结果对了解重复刺激心理加工的可能贡献。     

合体字与复合词中联结编码和项目编码的关系

本研究通过考察合体字和复合词加工过程中联结记忆和项目记忆的变化,探究了在将不同项目绑定为整体的过程中联结编码和项目编码间的关系,并结合脑电技术比较了合体字和复合词的加工过程在神经机制上的差异。行为结果显示:与不能组成字或词的编码条件相比,合体字和复合词编码条件下的联结记忆成绩有显著提升,且项目记忆成绩没有下降;与复合词编码相比,合体字编码条件下的联结记忆和项目记忆成绩都显著更好。脑电结果显示:复合词编码时晚期负成分(LNC)主要位于额区且发生较早,而合体字编码时的LNC主要位于枕区且发生更晚;合体字编码比复合词编码在α/β频段的神经振荡去同步化更强。这些结果表明,将不同项目绑定为整体的操作可以强化大脑对联结信息的加工,同时不会损害对项目的加工,支持了“只有收益”的观点。本研究也从实证的角度为汉语学习材料的编排提供了参考。     

Hemispheric processing of lexical information in Chinese character recognition and its relationship to reading performance

Hemispheric predominance has been well documented in the visual perception of alphabetic words. However, the hemispheric processing of lexical information in Chinese character recognition and its relationship to reading performance are far from clear. In the divided visual field paradigm, participants were required to judge the orthography, phonology, or semantics of Chinese characters, which were presented randomly in the left or right visual field. The results showed a right visual field/left hemispheric superiority in the phonological judgment task, but no hemispheric advantage in the orthographic or semantic task was found. In addition, reaction times in the right visual field for phonological and semantic tasks were significantly correlated with the reading test score. These results suggest that both hemispheres involved in the orthographic and semantic processing of Chinese characters, and that the left lateralized phonological processing is important for Chinese fluent reading.     

Self-rated imagery and encoding strategies in visual memory.

The value of self-rated vividness of imagery in predicting performance was investigated, taking into account the mnemonic strategies utilized among subjects performing a visual-memory task. Subjects classified as 'good' or 'poor' imagers, according to their scores in the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ; Marks, 1972), were to detect as rapidly as possible differences between pairs of similar pictures presented consecutively. No coding instructions were given and the mnemonic strategies used were analysed by studying subjective reports and objective performance measurements. The results indicated that the subjects utilized two main strategies--a detail or an image strategy. The detail strategy was the more efficient. In accordance with a previous study (Berger & Gaunitz, 1977), it was found that the VVIQ did not discriminate between performance by 'good' and 'poor' imagers. However, among subjects who used the image strategy, 'good' imagers performed more rapidly than 'poor' imagers. Self-rated imagery may then have some value in predicting performance among individuals shown to have utilized an image strategy.     

拼音自动加工和语义加工中汉字字形的激活

4个实验分别探讨了拼音自动加工和语义加工中汉字字形的激活情况。实验1和实验2采用启动范式考察拼音自动加工中汉字字形的激活情况。实验3和实验4考察拼音语义加工中汉字字形的激活情况。实验结果表明：在拼音自动加工过程中未出现字形的启动效应, 说明在拼音自动加工过程中可能未激活汉字字形信息; 在拼音语义加工过程中出现了字形的启动效应, 说明在拼音语义加工过程中激活了汉字字形信息。     

Can the memory enhancement of the survival judgment task be explained by the elaboration hypothesis?: Evidence from a memory load paradigm1

Many reports have described a survival judgment task that requires participants to judge words according to their relevance to a survival situation, eliciting better recall than that obtained in other judgment tasks (e.g., semantic or self‐judgment tasks). Two explanatory hypotheses (the adaptive hypothesis and the elaboration hypothesis) have been proposed. Here we used the memory load paradigm to investigate whether the adaptive hypothesis or the combination hypothesis can better account for the memory enhancement of the survival judgment task. We used a survival judgment task and an autobiographical recall task with the condition of no memory load or memory load. The 48 participants performed four encoding conditions (memory load—survival, no memory load—survival, memory load—autobiographical, and no memory load—autobiographical). The results showed that memory enhancement of the survival judgment task occurred only in the no memory load condition, but not in the memory load condition. Our results support the elaboration hypothesis. We also discuss the validity of the elaboration hypothesis and future directions to be pursued in this research field.     

道德概念垂直空间隐喻对空间关系判断的影响

本研究通过三个实验考察道德概念垂直空间隐喻对空间关系判断的影响。涉及的空间关系判断包括上下关系判断、远近关系判断和距离判断。研究结果显示：（1）上下判断中,在空间上方时,道德词的反应快于不道德词;在空间下方时,不道德词的反应快于道德词;（2）远近判断中,在空间上方时,个体更倾向于将道德词判断为"远",即道德词更偏上;在空间下方时,没有显著的偏向;（3）在距离判断中,个体对道德词的判断出现显著的向上偏移,对不道德词的判断则出现显著的向下偏移。由此得出结论：道德概念的垂直空间隐喻会影响个体对空间关系的判断,具体来说是"道德是上"的隐喻会导致空间关系判断产生"向上"的偏移效应;而"不道德是下"的隐喻则会导致空间关系判断产生"向下"的偏移效应。     

汉字认知过程中整字对部件的影响

英文研究中,"字优效应"是单词促进字母加工的一个重要依据。但中文研究中还存在一些争议。本研究通过两个实验考查了汉字的部件认知中,汉字整体对局部(部件)的影响。实验刺激材料分为三种,即左右结构或上下结构的真字、假字与部件字。目标部件为既能够放置于三种字符的左侧,又能放置于右侧(上部或下部)的汉字部件。实验一采用Reicher-Wheeler实验任务,先呈现刺激材料350ms,掩蔽后再呈现需要判断的目标部件,被试对目标部件进行按键反应。实验二中采用部件判断实验任务,先呈现需要判断的目标部件,再呈现刺激材料,被试对刺激材料中是否包含目标部件进行按键反应。记录反应时与正确率。27位健康女性大学生参与本实验。结果显示:(1)不论是Reicher-Wheeler实验任务还是部件判断实验任务,均显示部件字的部件认知判断速度最快。真字与假字相比,无"字优效应"。真字与部件字相比,存在着"字劣效应"。这些结果表明,汉字整字对汉字部件认知加工起到抑制作用;(2)两个实验任务均表现出汉字结构方式效应,即对左右结构的汉字的部件认知比上下结构的汉字更快;(3)部件的空间位置对部件识别存在影响。实验一中对下部件分辨最困难,分辨时间最长;实验二中发现对左部件的反应最快。字符结构方式效应与部件空间位置效应既存在于真字中,也存在于假字中。     

急性心理性应激对自我参照记忆的影响

已有研究表明急性心理性应激会导致个体的自传体记忆受损,然而急性心理性应激如何影响个体加工当前的自我相关信息,还没有研究结论,本研究旨在丰富和拓展这一领域的研究,从而更加全面深入的了解急性心理性应激对自我相关信息的影响。本研究将自我参照记忆的R/K(记得/知道)范式与特里尔社会应激测试(Trier Social Stress Test:TSST)相结合,考察59名处在不同急性心理性应激状态下的被试自我参照记忆的成绩。结果发现高应激反应组自我参照的R回忆率值显著低于低应激反应组,研究结果发现,被试在特里尔社会应激测试过程中的急性心理性应激反应越强,自我参照的R回忆率越低。结果表明急性心理性应激会抑制个体对当前自我相关信息的加工,削弱了自我参照记忆。     

Laterality effects in processing tonal and atonal melodies with affective and nonaffective task instructions

Right-handed university subjects were presented with monaural melodies that either conformed to the rules of the Western tonal system (tonal melodies) or that systematically deviated from it (atonal melodies) while containing similar contours and pitch skips. Subjects were tested under two different task instructions. One group was requested to judge whether each melody sounded correct or not (the nonaffective task); the other group had to judge whether each melody sounded pleasant or not (the affective task). The nonaffective task was found to elicit essentially no ear difference. In contrast, the affective instruction induced opposite and reliable laterality effects, depending on the valence of the response. The pleasant responses were indicative of a left hemisphere predominance and the unpleasant responses of a right hemisphere predominance. The results are consistent with the claim that the left hemisphere is biased toward positive emotions and the right to negative emotions. Moreover, the results suggest that affective appreciation of melodies is dissociable from their nonaffective judgment.     

Effects of ownership expressed by the first-person possessive pronoun

The present study examined the behavioral effects of the first-person possessive pronoun. In each trial, a noun (e.g. cup or bread) was presented to participants after visual presentation of a possessive pronoun “wo de” (Chinese for “my”) or “ta de” (Chinese for “his”), which formed ownership. Half participants were assigned to contextual encoding (CE) condition in which they were required to judge whether they liked the item expressed by a noun from the first or third-person perspective. The rest were assigned to perceptual encoding (PE) condition in which they were asked to judge what color the noun was. A subsequent recall test was performed. The results showed that there were significant memory and response advantages for nouns in “my” ownership under both conditions. The results were discussed with reference to self-specificity and other effects in the current study.     

汉字字形关联对错误记忆的影响

采用DRM范式,研究汉字字形关联对错误记忆的影响。实验以占汉字主体的形声字为材料。学习阶段使用了两类字表:在一半字表中,各字表内汉字及相应的关键诱饵具有相同形旁;另一半字表中,各字表内汉字及相应关键诱饵具有相同声旁。再认测试中,被试对两类关键诱饵均表现出了明显的错误记忆,并且其效应大小与字表汉字相似度成正比。这些结果说明,汉字的字形关联可以诱发错误记忆现象,并且这种错误记忆效应由汉字间字形相似度决定。     

Visual imagery and the discrimination of differences between altered pictures simultaneously and successively presented.

Ten 'good' visual imagers and ten 'poor' imagers, representing the upper and lower halves of an unselected sample of adult volunteers, were given a task of detecting differences between altered pictures presented in pairs, either simultaneously or successively. Performance was measured by reaction time. 'Good' imagers reacted faster than 'poor' imagers, and the mode of presentation (simultaneous v. successive) did not affect their performances. 'Poor' imagers, on the other hand, reacted significantly slower when the pictures compared were presented successively. The results suggest that self-rated visual imagery can be used to predict the successful recall of visual information required in a discrimination task.     

Source memory in the absence of successful cued recall

Five experiments were conducted to address the question of whether source information could be accessed in the absence of being able to recall an item. The authors used a paired-associate learning paradigm in which cue-target word pairs were studied, and target recall was requested in the presence of the cue. When target recall failed, participants were asked to make a source judgment of whether a man or woman spoke the unrecalled item. In 3 of the 5 experiments, source accuracy was at or very close to chance. By contrast, if cue-target pairs were studied multiple times or participants knew in advance of learning that a predictive judgment would be required, then predictive source accuracy was well above chance. These data are suggestive that context information may not play a very large role in metacognitive judgments such as feeling-of-knowing ratings or putting one into a tip-of-the-tongue state without strong and specific encoding procedures. These same results also highlight the important role that item memory plays in retrieving information about the context in which an item was experienced.     

Timing processes in motor imagery

Previous research shows inconsistencies in the timing of imagined and actual actions. Little is known about the timing in imagery, or how it relates to other forms of timing. Two studies examined whether imagery timing followed Weber's law, where variations in judgements grow linearly as the interval duration increases, or Vierordt's law, where short durations are overestimated and longer durations underestimated. In Study 1 participants (n=22) mentally walked and estimated journey times for flat paths and stairways, with and without a load. The timing patterns that emerged did not conform to Weber's law. In Study 2 participants (n=20) completed imagery, reproduction, production, and estimation timing tasks. Timing errors for imagery along a straight path, reproduction, estimation, and production all showed “Vierordt-like” effects. However, when imagining walking in a square participants consistently overestimated. It was concluded that imagery and interval timing processes are similar, but imagery timing is task dependent.     

基于客体工作记忆内容的保持对时间判断的影响

本研究通过操作工作记忆内容的有效性,探讨了记忆内容的保持对时间判断的影响。采用不规则的客体作为实验材料,使时间任务中的刺激与工作记忆内容匹配或不匹配。实验1采用工作记忆和时间判断的双任务范式,要求被试首先记忆一个客体,然后在每个试次的最后判断测试刺激是否与记忆项相同。在延迟阶段,被试判断连续出现的两个刺激的时距哪个更长（或更短）。实验2中,要求被试忽略第一个刺激,仅完成时间判断任务。结果发现,相比单任务的计时,双任务条件下,工作记忆内容的保持延长了时间判断的时间。而且,在记忆匹配和知觉匹配条件下,匹配刺激呈现的时间越长,正确率越低,反应时越长。这说明记忆内容的保持增加了决策的难度,工作记忆内容对时间判断的可能是由记忆内容引起的注意定向造成的。     

Apparent equivalence between perception and imagery in the production of various visual illusions

The ability of high and low imagers (as assessed by the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire) to utilize imagery in the production of a visual illusion was examined in three experiments. In Experiment 1, subjects were to imagine noninducing elements oi the Ponzo figure. In Experiment 2, subjects were asked to imagine the inducing angle of the Ponzo figure. Subjects were requested to imagine the inducing diagonals of the Hering and Wundt figures in Experiment 3. Regardless of which figure was presented, high imagers consistently reported an illusion whether it was produced by real or imagined lines. Also, the imagery-produced illusion was equivalent in magnitude to the actual illusion (when all lines are physically present). Low imagers reported an illusion only when lines were physically present. These results were interpreted in terms of Finke’s (1980) equivalence theory.