明清苏州医学世家成因及影响

我国明清医学世医众多,以江南最大的地域性医学学派--吴中医派为例探讨其世家众多之成因与影响.认为主要有地域经济优势,文化教育环境、社会机制等方面的因素,世医推动了中医学专科化,完成了一些有影响的专著,其后人对中医学的传承与发展及传播做出了重要贡献.     

论条件推理中的两种"高概率结论效应"

用随机抽取的139名大学生和研究生被试,对Oaksford设计的4条条件推理规则的认可度,以及对组成这4条条件推理规则的前后件认可度进行了评定,并根据被试对"条件规则"、组成条件规则的"前件"和"后件"等三个因素上的评定结果各区分为"高"和"低"两个水平.而后对被试在不同评定条件下对每条规则的四种推理结果进行了统计分析.实验结果既支持Oaksford等提出的"推理者对组成条件推理规则的不同的前后件概率组合对推理结论的认可度会有影响"这一观点,也支持邱江等得出的"不同的条件概率对推理者进行推理时对结论认可度的高低会有影响"的论断.前者可称之为"前后件概率的高概率结论效应",后者可称之为"条件概率的高概率结论效应".     

心理学与宗教信仰小议

心理学与宗教信仰在现实社会中的作用，有一部分是相互重叠的。当人类本身、或与周围环境出现矛盾时，在矛盾被解决这个过程中，心理学与宗教信仰起的作用是相当的。但二者解决问题的整个过程的本质是完全不同的。（这里的解决不是现实意义上的解决问题，而是心理上的解决，其实心理上的解决对于一个人来说，才是真正意义上的解决和释放）现在把二者拿来在这个解决心理矛盾的过程中进行比较，相信是很值得探讨的。     

Temporal binding errors are redistributed by the attentional blink

When one searches for a target among nontargets appearing in rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP), one’s errors in performance typically involve the misreporting of neighboring nontargets. Such illusory conjunctions or intrusion errors are distributed differently around the target, depending on task or stimulus variables. It is shown here that shifts in intrusion error patterns can be produced by the manipulation of attention alone. In a dual-task paradigm, the magnitude and distribution of intrusion errors changed systematically as a function of available attentional resources. Intrusion errors in RSVP tasks reflect internal capacity limitations for binding independent features. The present results support a two-stage model of RSVP target processing.     

Visual field differences for clockwise and counterclockwise mental rotation

Geometric line drawings were presented to normal subjects in the left visual field (LVF) or right visual field (RVF) at various degrees of rotation from a centrally presented vertical standard. The task of the subject was to indicate with a reaction time (RT) response whether the laterally presented stimulus could be rotated into the vertical standard or if it was a rotated mirror image of the standard. In Study 1, an overall right hemisphere superiority was found for RT and accuracy on match trials. Most interestingly, interactions between Visual Field and Rotation Angle for the match accuracy data and between Visual Field and Direction of Rotation (clockwise or counterclockwise) for the match RT slopes were found. These interactions suggested that clockwise rotations were more readily performed in the LVF and counterclockwise rotations in the RVF, consistent with other literature for mental rotation. The purpose of Study 2 was to replicate this finding of visual field differences for rotation direction using a design in which direction and degree of rotation were varied orthogonally. No main effect of Visual Field was found. However, significant interactions between Visual Field and Rotation Angle were found for both RT and accuracy, confirming the presence of visual field differences for rotation direction in a new sample of subjects. These differences were discussed in terms of the possibly greater relevance of medially directed stimuli and a possible hemispheric bias for rotation direction, and in terms of interhemispheric transmission factors.     

Discrete threshold versus continuous strength models of perceptual recognition.

Two experiments were designed to test discrete-threshold models of letter and word recognition against models that assume that decision criteria are applied to measures of continuous strength. Although our goal is to adjudicate this matter with respect to broad classes of models, some of the specific predictions for discrete-threshold are generated from Grainger and Jacobs' (1994) Dual-Readout Model (DROM) and some of the predictions for continuous strength are generated from a revised version of the Activation-Verification Model (Paap, Newsome, McDonald, & Schvaneveldt, 1982). Experiment 1 uses a two-alternative forced-choice task that is followed by an assessment of confidence and then a whole report if a word is recognized. Factors are manipulated to assess the presence or magnitude of a neighbourhood-frequency effect, a lexical-bias effect, a word-superiority effect, and a pseudoword advantage. Several discrepancies between DROM's predictions and the obtained data are noted. Both types of models were also used to predict the distribution of responses across the levels of confidence for each individual participant. The predictions based on continuous strength were superior. Experiment 2 used a same-different task and confidence ratings to enable the generation of receiver operating characteristics (ROCs). The shapes of the ROCs are more consistent with the continuous strength assumption than with a discrete threshold.     

The Problem of Appropriateness of the Rokeach Value Survey in Korea

Rokeach's (1973) Value Survey has been widely used in recent years, but little attempt has been made to examine the extent to which the RVS samples are relevant to all cultures, especially in East Asian societies. This research attempts to investigate the appropriateness of RVS in the Korean setting through two separate studies: a) a value analysis of Korean school textbooks; and b) a value survey of Korean managers. Whereas the RVS provides many important values that are relevant to Korean culture, it does not involve the facets of Confucian group-oriented values such as filial piety, harmony and unity with others, co-operation, and loyalty. Further areas not measured in the RVS are frugality, initiative, and aggressiveness. The findings are discussed in relation with other recent studies. Lastly, the implications of these findings for using the RVS in cross-cultural studies are also examined.     

Fluid intelligence, working memory and executive functioning

The causes underlying the correlation between working memory and fluid intelligence remain unknown. There are some researchers who argue that the answer can be found on the presumed executive component of working memory. However, the available empirical evidence is far from conclusive. The present study tested a sample of 229 participants. Intelligence, working memory, and executive functioning were measured by one analytic reasoning test (TRASI), a dual task combining a primary task of deductive reasoning with a secondary task of counting, and the Tower of Hanoi task, respectively. All the 3 measures were computer administered. The results indicate that the shared variance between executive functioning and working memory do not account for the relationship between intelligence and working memory. Some theoretical implications are discussed.     

Enhanced proliferation of progenitor cells following long-term potentiation induction in the rat dentate gyrus

The dentate gyrus (DG) is among the few areas in the mammalian brain where production of new neurons continues in the adulthood. Although its functional significance is not completely understood, several lines of evidence suggest the role of DG neurogenesis in learning and memory. Considering that long-term potentiation (LTP) is a prime candidate for the process underlying hippocampal learning and memory, these results raise the possibility that LTP and neurogenesis are closely related. Here, we investigated whether or not LTP induction in the afferent pathway triggers enhanced proliferation of progenitor cells in the DG. LTP was induced by tetanic stimulation in perforant path-DG synapses in one hemisphere, and the number of newly generated progenitor (BrdU-labeled) cells in the DG was quantified. Compared with the control hemisphere (stimulated with low-frequency pulses), the LTP-induced hemisphere contained a significantly higher number of newly generated progenitor cells in the dorsal as well as ventral DG. When CPP, an NMDA receptor antagonist, was administered, tetanic stimulation neither induced LTP nor enhanced progenitor cell proliferation, indicating that NMDA receptor activation, rather than tetanic stimulation per se, is responsible for enhanced progenitor proliferation in the control animal. Our results show that tetanic stimulation of perforant path sufficient to induce LTP increases progenitor proliferation in adult DG in an NMDA receptor-dependent manner.     

Rethinking procrastination: positive effects of "active" procrastination behavior on attitudes and performance

Researchers and practitioners have long regarded procrastination as a self-handicapping and dysfunctional behavior. In the present study, the authors proposed that not all procrastination behaviors either are harmful or lead to negative consequences. Specifically, the authors differentiated two types of procrastinators: passive procrastinators versus active procrastinators. Passive procrastinators are procrastinators in the traditional sense. They are paralyzed by their indecision to act and fail to complete tasks on time. In contrast, active procrastinators are a "positive" type of procrastinator. They prefer to work under pressure, and they make deliberate decisions to procrastinate. The present results showed that although active procrastinators procrastinate to the same degree as passive procrastinators, they are more similar to nonprocrastinators than to passive procrastinators in terms of purposive use of time, control of time, self-efficacy belief, coping styles, and outcomes including academic performance. The present findings offer a more sophisticated understanding of procrastination behavior and indicate a need to reevaluate its implications for outcomes of individuals.