Frames of reference in preschoolers’ perception of motion

Experiments 1 and 2 established children’s (mean age 3 years, 7 months) subject-relative and object-relative motion thresholds at 1°31.37′/sec and 1°9.33′/sec, respectively, speeds well above those found for adults. Experiment 3 established that preschoolers, like adults, attribute object-relative motion to the smaller of two objects, with the inducing properties of the larger stimulus greatest when it is surrounding rather than adjacent to a smaller stimulus. The inducing advantage of surroundedness was equivalent for a single-element square frame and a multielement six-dot frame.     

The associations of cultural worldviews,political orientation,and trust with COVID-19 risk beliefs in the U.S.

Given that risk beliefs predict engagement in behaviors to prevent disease, it is important to understand the factors associated with risk beliefs. In the present paper, we conducted path analyses to investigate the associations of belief systems (political orientation and cultural worldviews of individualism and hierarchy) with COVID-19 risk beliefs (i.e., perceived likelihood, perceived severity, and worry about disease; Studies 1 and 2), and the indirect effect through trust in information sources in these relationships (Study 1). Two online panels of U.S. adults were surveyed at three timepoints during the COVID-19 pandemic (Study 1: baseline n = 1,667, 1-year follow-up n = 551; Study 2: n = 404). Results of path analyses indicated that, across studies and timepoints, when controlling for political orientation, trust, and demographic factors, greater individualism had consistent significant direct effects on lower perceived severity and worry about COVID-19, whereas greater hierarchy had consistent significant direct effects on lower perceived severity. However, after accounting for cultural worldviews of individualism and hierarchy (and trust and demographic factors), none of the associations among political orientation and any of the three COVID-19 risk beliefs were significant. The test of indirect effects indicated that individualism and hierarchy were indirectly associated with lower perceived severity of and worry about COVID-19 through less trust. The findings suggest that cultural worldviews of individualism and hierarchy play a role in shaping people's risk beliefs.     

An individual difference model for the multidimensional analysis of preference data

A model for the analysis of paired comparison data is presented which combines features of the BTL-model with features of the Unfolding model. The model is metric, mathematically tractable, and has an exact algebraic solution. Since it is multidimensional and allows for individual differences, it is thought to be more realistic for some choice situations than either the Thurstone model or the BTL-model. No claim is made that the present model will be appropriate for all conceivable choice situations. Rather, it is argued that the fact that it is explicitly falsifiable is a point in its favor.This work was supported by a grant of the United States Public Health Service (1 R03 MH19139 01 MSM) and a David Ross (XR) grant of the Purdue Research Foundation (PRF 2132), both of which are gratefully acknowledged. We also owe thanks to Dr. Terry Cooper, whose careful scrutiny of an earlier draft of this paper allowed us to reduce the number of errors from n to n-1.     

Structuring argumentation in a social constructivist framework: A pedagogy with computer support

What we usually think of as higher order skills in argumentation can be profitably viewed as systematic structures for organizing and representing information. Standard terms like line of argument, synthesis, analysis and draft can be viewed as ways of constructing, storing, and accessing data in a social context — data structures for social communication. What makes argument difficult are the multiple structures that arguers have to construct and negotiate when reading and composing. In this paper, we describe the WARRANT project, a project designed to identify data structures of written argument and to design and implement computer tools to aid in the reading and design of argument.     

Consumer friendly financial services: Combining efficiency and effectiveness

Overemphasis on efficiency is interfering with the banking sector's effectiveness. This overemphasis on efficiency has resulted in the use of computers and other technological devices without consideration of consumer's needs (effectiveness). The authors identify and relate seven individual psychological needs for banks' services to Maslow's hierarchy of needs. By fulfilling these seven needs, the authors demonstrate how banks can optimize their long term profit by combiningefficiency and effectiveness. Finally, the authors posit that banks must use a Theory Y management style to deal with their customers efficiently and effectively.The authors are grateful to Dr. M. Joseph Sirgy for his constructive criticism and support and to the anonymous reviewers of theJournal of Business and Psychology for their very incisive comments.     

Nonsuicidal physically self-damaging acts in adolescents

To determine the frequency and correlates of nonsuicidal physically self-damaging acts in 12–14 year olds, a two stage epidemiologic survey with a self-administered questionnaire (N=3283) followed by a psychiatric interview of a subsample of the adolescents and their parents (N=444) was used. Prevalence estimates of interview validated nonsuicidal physically self-damaging acts were 2.46% in males and 2.79% in females. Significant relationships were found between nonsuicidal physically self-damaging acts and suicidal ideation, major depression and undesirable life events. Data suggest that physically self-damaging acts occur at substantial rates during early adolescence. The strong correlation between nonsuicidal self-destructive acts and both suicidal ideation and major depression clarifies prior conflicting reports in the literature and suggests that a history of self-damaging acts should be taken into consideration when evaluating for possible depression and suicide risk.     

AIDS prevention for intravenous drug users in the community: Street-based education and risk behavior

Conducted a study of behavior change associated with a street-based AIDS education project targeted to intravenous (IV) drug users in San Francisco. Two cross-sections were sampled from drug detoxification clinics and street locations in 1986 (n = 438) and 1987 (n = 623). Significant increases were reported in the percentage of IV drug users who used bleach to decontaminate syringes, who did not share needles in past year, and in condom use. A significant reduction in an index of the number of needle-sharing partners was reported. Respondents ranked treatment program as most important source of AIDS information prior to implementation of the program, and ranked outreach workers as most important after implementation. Findings suggest that this community-based outreach program had at least some impact on knowledge about AIDS and may have led to reductions in behaviors known to transmit HIV.     

人格类型对应激反应影响的实验研究(实验室应激源部分)

本研究以EPQ为依据选择高神经质和低神经质2组共24名被试,以有时间压力的心算和复杂辨别反应操作为紧张性刺激,在进行作业的同时记录被试的呼吸频率、呼吸流量、脉率、指端血管容积和皮肤电反应等五项生理指标,并检测尿内儿茶酚胺分泌量。通过对人格类型、作业成绩、作业难度主观评价、紧张性情绪体验,以及对尿内儿茶酚胺分泌量和五项生理指标的综合分析,以研究人格类型对应激反应影响的程度和途径。结果表明,在两组被试作业成绩无显著差异的情况下,在对作业难度主观评价和情绪体验的程度上,高神经质组高于低神经质组。在平静状态下,高神经质组去甲肾上腺素分泌量高于低神经质组;应激状态下,高神经质组的儿茶酚胺反应强度和变化幅度均明显高于低神经质组。高神经质组的五项生理指标均比低神经质组有较大的变化幅度。儿茶酚胺分泌量与脉率有明显的正相关。另外,通过与自然应激源部分的实验结果比较,发现实验室与现场应激的效果基本一致。     

论儿童心理发展的动力及其机制

本文依据马克思主义的唯物史观和唯物辩证法原理,从儿童的实际社会生活过程出发,运用系统方法论证了儿童心理发展的动力是主客体之间的结构性矛盾,而由“主体──活动──客体”三项格式构成的反馈回路系统则是心理发生发展的动力场。本文还运用儿童心理发展的控制论模型,从活动的机能性方面探讨了同化和顺应之间的平衡化动力机制,揭示了主客体之间矛盾运动的原理和过程;平衡化机制是受社会文化历史的发展规律支配的。