Hemispheric asymmetries: Individual-difference measures for aptitude-treatment interactions?

To provide coverging support that the proper integration of analog and propositional representational systems is associated with spatial ability, visual, auditory and bimodal brain event-related potentials were recorded from 50 right-handed Caucasian males. Sensory interaction indices were derived for these Ss who had taken the Surface Development Test of spatial ability. Product-moment correlations were computed between sensory interaction indices for eight cerebral sites and spatial ability test scores. Sensory interaction for left- and right-hemispheric regions was significantly related to spatial ability. As sensory suppression lessened, spatial ability increased. The results substantiated the theory that the visual-imaginal-analog and the auditory-verbal-propositional representational systems are implicated in spatial ability. The extent to which the cortex can inhibit or attenuate the interaction or integration between these dual-symbol systems is associated with complicated spatial task performance.     

Spontaneous kicking in fullterm and preterm infants: Are there leg asymmetries?

In the first few months of life, infants display spontaneous kicking which has been implicated as an important precursor to the development of later voluntary motor control. In the present study, the development of both intralimb and interlimb coordination in fullterm and low-risk preterm infants was examined by recording spontaneous kicking at 4 weekly intervals from 4 to 24 weeks of age. The relationship between the joint angles over this period was examined by measuring pairwise cross-correlation functions for the angular displacement curves of the hip, knee and ankle joints. In contrast to previous studies, intralimb coordination for both right and left legs was examined, and it was found that the legs produced different patterns of development. These patterns varied depending on which joint pair was investigated, and there was also evidence that leg asymmetries may be different for preterm and fullterm infants. This has possible implications for later hand and leg preferences. Interlimb coordination was also examined, and it appears that different patterns of development emerge for interlimb and intralimb coordination.PsycINFO classification: 2330; 2800     

Can theories of visual representation help to explain asymmetries in amygdala function?

Emotional processing differs between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and functional differences have been reported more specifically between the left and right amygdalae, subcortical structures heavily implicated in emotional processing. However, the empirical pattern of amygdalar asymmetries is inconsistent with extant theories of emotional asymmetries. Here we review this discrepancy, and we hypothesize that hemispheric differences in visual object processing help to explain the previously reported functional differences between the left and right amygdalae. The implication that perceptual factors play a large role in determining amygdalar asymmetries may help to explain amygdalar dysfunction in the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder.     

Spatial asymmetries in viewing and remembering scenes: Consequences of an attentional bias?

Given a single fixation, memory for scenes containing salient objects near both the left and right view boundaries exhibited a rightward bias in boundary extension (Experiment 1). On each trial, a 500-msec picture and 2.5-sec mask were followed by a boundary adjustment task. Observers extended boundaries 5% more on the right than on the left. Might this reflect an asymmetric distribution of attention? In Experiments 2A and 2B, free viewing of pictures revealed that first saccades were more often leftward (62%) than rightward (38%). In Experiment 3, 500-msec pictures were interspersed with 2.5-sec masks. A subsequent object recognition memory test revealed better memory for left-side objects. Scenes were always mirror reversed for half the observers, thus ruling out idiosyncratic scene compositions as the cause of these asymmetries. Results suggest an unexpected leftward bias of attention that selectively enhanced the representations, causing a smaller boundary extension error and better object memory on the views’ left sides.     

Cortical asymmetries in speech perception: what's wrong,what's right and what's left?

Over the past 30 years hemispheric asymmetries in speech perception have been construed within a domain-general framework, according to which preferential processing of speech is due to left-lateralized, non-linguistic acoustic sensitivities. A prominent version of this argument holds that the left temporal lobe selectively processes rapid/temporal information in sound. Acoustically, this is a poor characterization of speech and there has been little empirical support for a left-hemisphere selectivity for these cues. In sharp contrast, the right temporal lobe is demonstrably sensitive to specific acoustic properties. We suggest that acoustic accounts of speech sensitivities need to be informed by the nature of the speech signal and that a simple domain-general vs. domain-specific dichotomy may be incorrect.     

Does a causal relation exist between the functional hemispheric asymmetries of visual processing subsystems?

Past research indicates that specific shape recognition and spatial-relations encoding rely on subsystems that exhibit right-hemisphere advantages, whereas abstract shape recognition and spatial-relations encoding rely on subsystems that exhibit left-hemisphere advantages. Given these apparent regularities, we tested whether asymmetries in shape processing are causally related to asymmetries in spatial-relations processing. We examined performance in four tasks using the same stimuli with divided-visual-field presentations. Importantly, the asymmetry observed in any one task did not correlate with the asymmetries observed in the other tasks in ways predicted by extant theories. Asymmetries in shape processing and spatial-relations encoding may not be due to a common causal force influencing multiple subsystems.     

Are variations among right-handed individuals in perceptual asymmetries caused by characteristic arousal differences between hemispheres?

We propose that much of the variance among right-handed subjects in perceptual asymmetries on standard behavioral measures of laterality arises from individual differences in characteristic patterns of asymmetric hemispheric arousal. Dextrals with large right-visual-field (RVF) advantages on a tachistoscopic syllable-identification task (assumed to reflect characteristically higher left-hemisphere than right-hemisphere arousal) outperformed those having weak or no visual-field asymmetries (assumed to reflect characteristically higher right-hemisphere than left-hemisphere arousal). The two groups were equal, however, in asymmetries of error patterns that are thought to indicate linguistic or nonlinguistic encoding strategies. For both groups, relations between visual fields in the ability to discriminate the accuracy of performance followed the pattern of syllable identification itself, suggesting that linguistic and metalinguistic processes are based on the same laterally specialized functions. Subjects with strong RVF advantages had a pessimistic bias for rating performance, and those with weak or no asymmetries had an optimistic bias, particularly for the left visual field (LVF). This is concordant with evidence that the arousal level of the right hemisphere is closely related to affective mood. Finally, consistent with the arousal model, leftward asymmetries on a free-vision face-processing task became larger as RVF advantages on the syllable task diminished and as optimistic biases for the LVF, relative to the RVF, increased.     

Why do people tend to overpredict pain? On the asymmetries between underpredictions and overpredictions of pain

After an underpredicted painful experience people tend to expect increased pain levels for a considerable time, despite disconfirmatory experiences. Underpredictions also tend to raise long-lasting fear and increased physiological responding. Overpredicted pain does not have such dramatic effects. What are the reasons for this asymmetry? Evidence for and against the hypothesis that underpredicted pain hurts more than correctly predicted pain, and that overpredictions result from a tendency to avoid the extra aversiveness of underpredictions, is reviewed. Based on recent experiments this explanation is rejected, and alternative explanations are discussed. It is reasoned that the most plausible explanation is that the organism automatically infers danger from an underprediction, because of the loss of predictability into the dangerous direction (i.e. more pain). Elevated expectancy and fear levels are the result of this. A modified stimulus-comparator model that accounts for the differential effects of both types of incorrect predictions is suggested. In contrast to previous models, such a model hypothesizes: (i) differential processing of under- and overpredictions; and (ii) different processes involved in the influence of expectations on subjective and non-subjective pain responses.     

The measurement of left—right asymmetries in the Simon effect: A fine-grained analysis

The spatial Simon effect is often asymmetric, being greater on one side than on the other. To date, not much attention has been paid to these asymmetries, and explanations of the Simon effect do not take them into account. In the present article, we attempt to clarify the statistical implications of the asymmetries so as to provide a useful tool for future empirical investigation. Starting with examples from our laboratory and previous well-known studies, we point out the consequences of ignoring the asymmetries in the Simon effect. We suggest an alternative data analysis that might render the results clearer. Finally, through a comparison of left- and right-handed subjects, we demonstrate that asymmetries in the Simon effect are linked to the lateralization of processes involved in the Simon task—that is, attention and response selection. This approach provides a strong argument against collapsing data from the two sides to measure the Simon effect.     

At the root of the left–right asymmetries in spatial–numerical processing: From domestic chicks to human subjects

In this review, we discuss evidence showing that birds (Gallus gallus and Nucifraga columbiana) represent numerical magnitudes as being oriented from left to right. Subjects, trained to identify a target element (i.e. the 4th) in a series of sagittally oriented identical elements, when required to generalise on an identical series oriented spatially from left to right, correctly identified the target element “counting” from the left of the array. Moreover, chicks, when presented with sets of 5 vs. 10 or 6 vs. 9 imprinting objects, which were made to disappear one at a time behind one of two identical screens, spontaneously inspected the screen which occluded the larger set. Interestingly, chicks scored a higher percentage of correct choices when the larger of the two sets was on their right side. Similarities with the phenomenon of the spatially oriented (left to right) number line in humans are discussed. Animal models promise a fresh approach to the understanding of developmental mechanisms underlying the expression of knowledge, offering attractive arguments for doubting the uniqueness of human numerical cognition.     

雇工?牧人?

“雇工”，顾名思义，是指受雇用的工人，得他人的钱财为他人服务，是临时性的工人。有“雇工”就必然存在“雇主”，就是出钱让别人为自己做事，以货币购买劳动力的人。“牧人”则是指放牧牲畜的人；在基督教的思想里，     

启工?牧人?

“雇工”,顾名思义,是指受雇用的工人,得他人的钱财为他人服务,是临时性的工人。有“雇工”就必然存在“雇主”,就是出钱让别人为自己做事,以货币购买劳动力的人。“牧人”则是指放牧牲畜的人;在基督教的思想里,“牧人”有一个特定的含义,是指放牧羊群的工人。“奴隶”是指受人奴役又没有人身自由的人,没有自己该有的权利和福利,不得已地承受所委身的对象的约束和管制,有     

Confucian Ethics: Altruistic? Egoistic? Both? Neither?

Is Confucian ethics primarily egoistic or altruistic? There is textual support for both answers. For the former, for example, Confucius claims that one learns for the sake of oneself; for the latter, we can find Confucius saying that one ought to not impose upon others as one would not like to be imposed upon. This essay aims to explain in what sense Confucian ethics is egoistic (the highest goal one aims to reach is to become a virtuous person oneself) and in what sense it is altruistic (a virtuous person is necessarily concerned with the well-being, both external and internal, of others). The conclusion to be drawn, however, is not that Confucian ethics is both egoistic and altruistic, but that it is neither, since the Confucian ideal of a virtuous person is to be in one body with others so that there are really no others (since all others become part of myself), and since there are no others, there is no self either.     

俗事?圣事?

吃,是人维生的手段,随着“新物种”吃货的诞生,“吃”成了吃货们重要的生活内容,事情在吃喝中解决,感情在吃喝中联络,无聊在吃喝中打发.人为吃喝而存在,生命在吃喝中消耗……那么,圣经中关于吃喝有什么教导呢? 一、随意吃和不可吃 神曾对亚当说:“园中各样树上的果子,你可以随意吃,只是分别善恶树上的果子,你不可吃,因为你吃的日子必定死.”(参创2∶16-17)在起初的创造中,神以各样的果子满足人生存的需要,可以随意吃,又为吃设定了界限:分别善恶树的果子不能吃.     

Naturalisms: Scientific? Religious? Theological?

Is nature all there is? Or, is there more? If nature is the only reality, is it ultimate or sacred? Differing answers to these questions determine the different brands of naturalism on the religious shelf. What virtually all of today’s naturalists agree on is this: science provides the means for revealing reality, the sole reality which is material, physical, and cosmic. Naturalists also agree that supranaturalism should be rejected. What naturalists differ on whether nature is divine or not. This article sorts out the issues and differing positions taken on each issue. The author contends that a post-Newtonian worldview remains open to a concept of God wherein divine action in nature’s world influences creativity and transformation.     

Identit?t, Identit?tsdiffusion, Identit?tsst?rung

Identity takes place in the transitional space between the individual and society. It means that the individual has the feeling to be a unique being with past and future, to be different from others but also to be similar to them in many aspects and share a great deal with them. This sense of coherence and continuity in the context of social relatedness shapes life. A differentiation is made between primary identity, personal identity and current identity. The development is essentially determined by preverbal interpersonal processes. If the balance which sustains the feeling of identity becomes lost then disturbances of the identity occur, which compromise the sense of identity especially in social contexts. An identity diffusion arises. Depending on the fixation, a differentiation is made between phase-specific identity crisis, developmental disorder and reactive identity disturbance.     

?Omnipr?senz��

Excessive urge for free individual development even beyond moral law and social rules is discussed as part of the aftermath of severe political repression and traumatization. It is proposed to describe these phenomena which have not yet been sufficiently considered in the scientific literature as ??omnipresence??. In terms of psychoanalytic understanding these mechanisms result from specific unconscious defense activities. The relationship to other defense mechanisms, e.?g. of anal, phobic, paranoid and manic nature, is outlined, and illustrated by a short case vignette. The article ends with a differentiation between omnipresence as described above on the one hand and the phenomena of media-moderated expansion of individual development and acceleration typically and generally found in postmodern societies, on the other hand.     

哲学现代化?哲学科学化?抑或……?

胡宝琛同志《评所谓哲学现代化》一文于本刊1986年第11期发表后,读者先后来文评议,并在“哲学现代化”、“哲学科学化”及其他提法之间,作出各自的抉择。新疆大学蔡灿津同志认为,胡文不同意“哲学现代化”这个流行口号,“很有见地”,但代之以“哲学科学化”或“哲学更加科学化”则不妥。首先,“马克思主义哲学无疑是一门科学,对于科学本身再使用科学化的提法似乎并不科学”,“更加科学化”中的这个“更