The role of functional information for infant categorization

This report examines whether knowledge about function influences the formation of artifact categories in 11-12- month old infants. Using an object-examination task, a set of artificial stimuli was presented that could either be grouped according to overall similarity or according to similarity in one functionally relevant part. Experiment 1 revealed that infants categorized the objects according to overall similarity but not part similarity under control conditions. Experiment 2 showed that after having seen the experimenter demonstrating the functional use of the critical part, infants later categorized the stimuli according to part similarity. When the same actions were performed without producing any effect, infants failed to categorize according to the critical part. This set of findings suggests that 11-12-month old infants use functional information as a cue to categorization.     

An Applied Study Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process to Translate Common Verbal Phrases to Numerical Probabilities

This is an applied study of how to develop a standardized set of useful verbal probability phrases for communication purposes within an expert community. The analysis extends the previous research in two ways. First, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to assess the relative weights associated with the verbal phrases employed by a group of thirty financial strategy experts at a major Wall Street firm. Second, a quadratic least-squares technique is used to map these relative weights onto a subjective probability scale. The result was a consistent scaling of probabilistic phrases that the analysts prefer and actually use. This methodology can be used to minimize the problems associated with the use of probabilistic phrases by a group of experts who interact daily and who share assumptions, working knowledge and values. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一个熟悉的预见声音重新复活

美国已故著名天文学家兼科普作家卡尔·萨根的一系列关于科学和宗教的讲座被重新发掘出来并整理出版，这让萨根重新加入了一场正在进行的关于宗教的辩论。     

AN EXPLORATION OF DECEPTION AS A COMMUNICATION CONSTRUCT

Even though most of us lie from time to time, it is really quite surprising how little is known about such behaviors. Through controlled observation and laboratory testing, this study attempted to determine what verbal and nonverbal behaviors were characteristic of intentionally deceptive communicators. Seventy-six videotaped interviews provided a data base for the analysis of 32 dependent measures. In addition to analyses of specific behavioral differences between deceivers and nondeceivers, the authors provide a conceptual framework for the study of deception—predicting that deceivers will exhibit significantly more uncertainty, vagueness, nervousness, reticence, dependence, and unpleasantness than nondeceivers.     

Cause or effect: What matters? How 12‐month‐old infants learn to categorize artifacts

This paper investigates the role of cause and effect relations for infants' learning about artifacts. Two experiments tested whether 12‐month‐olds categorized a given set of unfamiliar artifacts according to overall similarity and/or according to part similarity, depending on what kind of video demonstration was presented before the start of the categorization task. In both experiments, the actions performed with objects were accompanied by interesting effects but the causal relation between object‐structure and effects was teased apart. In one video demonstration (Expt 1), the experimenter used the object part to produce some kind of effect in a causally plausible way. In another video demonstration (Expt 2), the experimenter performed similar actions with the same objects as in Expt 1, followed by the same effects as before. Importantly, however, no plausible cause–effect relation was provided this time. Only infants participating in Expt 1 categorized the set of unfamiliar objects according to part similarity. This finding suggests that 12‐month‐olds attend to the causal relation between specific object parts and their functional use when categorizing artifacts, rather than merely associating form‐characteristics with an interesting effect.     

Knowledge Acquired in a Program for Building Employability Skills

Information is provided from studies suggesting the importance of incorporating the teaching and assessment of employability skills in a career development curriculum.     

ASSESSING MANAGERS' SATISFACTION WITH STAFFING SERVICES

An application of TQM concepts is described for a survey assessment of State of Wisconsin managers' satisfaction with staffing-services delivered to them by the State's central staffing function. Focus groups of managers were used to identify the survey's content domain, and a steering group of managers guided decisions about final survey content, survey administration, and usage of results. The survey was administered to n = 645 line and HR managers. Results of psychometric analysis of responses provide favorable evidence (internal consistency, dimension independence) supporting usage of tke survey. Survey results served as a key input to implementation of several initiatives to improve staffing-service delivery. These initiatives lead to increases in speed of service delivery, elimination of paperwork, higher reported applicant quality, and positive applicant reactions. The satisfaction survey was not readministered, so it is impossible to specify what, if any, changes occurred in managers' satisfaction with staffing services.