A multi-systems theory of the structure and dynamics of motor functions

A theoretical analysis of the structure and dynamics of human motor functioning is presented from the perspective of a general theory of individuality. Within multifactor-systems theory, the structural units of the six systems of integrative personality (i.e., sensory, motor, cognitive, affect, style, and value) are hierarchical factor structures. Integrative functioning, both within and among systems, is described via the principles of general systems and information-processing theory. Our theoretical synthesis of the structure and dynamics of human motor functioning involves conceptualizing the hierarchy of motor factors as: (a) the basic dimensions of individual differences in the motor domain, (b) classes of decomposable motor programs that specify the spatio-temporal organization of behavior, and (c) decomposable classes of processing components entailed by motor programs. Some of the implications for understanding the role of affect in motor functioning and some research suggestions were presented.     

The relative law of effect: effects of shock intensity on response strength in multiple schedules

Key pecking of four birds was reinforced with food according to a two-component multiple variable-interval 1-minute variable-interval 4-minute schedule. In addition, key pecking was punished by a brief shock according to a variable-interval 30-second schedule during both components of the multiple schedule. The intensity of the shock was varied. For all birds, punishment had a stronger suppressive effect on the responding maintained by the leaner food schedule, and the ratio of responding during the two components of the multiple schedule became closer to the ratio of reinforcement as shock intensity was increased, as the relative law of effect predicts. At the higher shock intensity, there was some evidence that the ratio of responses overmatched the ratio of reinforcements.     

The effects of different component response requirements in multiple and concurrent schedules

Six pigeons were trained on multiple and concurrent schedules. The reinforcement rates were varied systematically (a) when lever pressing was required in one component and key pecking in the successive component; (b) when lever pressing was required in both multiple components; (c) when key pecking was required in both multiple components; and (d) when key pecking was required on one schedule and lever pressing was required on the concurrently-available schedule. Only the absolute level of responding was changed by different response requirements. Analyzed by the generalized matching law, performance under different response requirements resulted in a bias toward key pecking, and the measured response bias was the same in multiple and concurrent schedule arrangements. The bias in time measures obtained from concurrent schedule performance was reliably smaller than the obtained response biases. The sensitivity to reinforcement-rate changes was ordered: concurrent key-lever; multiple key-key; multiple lever-key; and, the least sensitive, multiple lever-lever. The results confirm that requirements of different topographical responses can be handled by the generalized matching law mainly in the bias parameter, but problems for this type of analysis may be caused by the changing sensitivity to reinforcement in multiple schedule performance as response requirements are changed.     

鲍波尔其人及其哲学

鲍波尔(Koal Popper)系奥地利自然科学和社会科学哲学家。1902年出生于维也纳,在那里,他研读数学、物理和哲学。尽管他不是逻辑实证主义维也纳学派的成员,而且在许多地方同他们还有着严重的分歧,但是他的哲学志趣却和该学派的主张还是颇为投合的。他同它的一些成员也有着密切的交往,对卡尔纳普的影响尤其明显。他的第一部成名著作《研究的逻辑》出版于1935年,当时就是列为维也纳学派的科学世界观丛书而问世的。1937年,鲍波尔赴新西兰坎特堡大学执教;1945年去伦敦大学伦敦经济学院工作。自1949年他一直是该学院的逻辑学和科学方法论教授。1964年封为爵士。他     

马克思主义的人道主义

我们可以毫不犹豫地说,我们的时代是各种人道主义相互对垒的时代。打着人道主义招牌的派别不仅多如牛毛,而且竞争激烈,甚至相互论战。在我们的时代,由于个人的生活问题占着日益重要的地位,政治斗争往往表现为指责对方不讲人道主义或者反对人道主义。但这种指责丝毫不能证明自己是真正的人道主义者,也不能避免自己被别人指责为不讲人道主义。人道主义之所以大受欢迎以及它的种种派别之争无非说明了以下的事实:今天,人的生活遭受到空前的威胁,因此人至少需要听到一些安慰的话语,听到一些祈求人类幸福的话语。因此,谈到人和人的幸福(尤其在宣传中),任     

西方的伦理学概念

对平常人来说,“伦理学”一词意味着是由一特殊集团或共同体所制定的一套约束其行为的标准——在追求他们的目的时,区别什么是合法的与不合法的,或者什么是可以或不可以被人接受的。因此我们就有“商业伦理学”,或“医疗伦理学”。伦理学是研究人类思想或行为的某一给定的领域中存在的或应该找到的根本原則和基本     

评马克思主义对《纯粹理性批判》的理解

1.关于哲学的“性质、方法和概念”,在最近一百五十年的哲学史上有过许多争论。元哲学讨论占去了哲学思考和反哲学思考的一大部分时间。这有时就被解释为“哲学的终结”(海德格尔语)或一种“神经病”(赖尔语)。除了这些评价之外,这些讨论对于阐明作为活动的哲学的性质,是富有成果的和必要的。这种元哲学反思的一个重要方面,是说明什么是哲学问题这样一个问题。哲学家们的众所周知的不一致,也扩及到这个问题上来。但不管他们采取什么理论立     

康德思想今论

一、康德的哲学体系实践理性的首要意义思考康德哲学现实意义的人,首先注意的是康德哲学的系统性。康德是一位伟大的系统学家,康德关于哲学知识结构的观念,至今仍未过时。我们在康德手稿中可以读到这样一段话:“有些人认为,系统只与叙述有关,其实,认识和思维的客体也有系统……有些人打算构筑体系,而他们搞出来的不过是些组合物。构筑这种东西,需要的只是一种方法;系统需要方法……不掌握系统,可以获得历史知识,在一