Seeing Where the Stone Is Thrown by Observing a Point-Light Thrower: Perceiving the Effect of Action Is Enabled by Information,Not Motor Experience

People are very adept at perceiving biological motion (e.g., Johansson, 1973 Johansson, G. (1973). Visual perception of biological motion and a model for its analysis. Perception & Psychophysics, 14(2), 201–211.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). This ability has been an essential life skill to members of this social species. The human niche during the ice age was socially coordinated hunting for big game. Being able to judge the location targeted by the throw of a conspecific would be a valuable perceptual ability that we now study to investigate 2 competing theories of biological motion perception: Common Coding (CC; Prinz, 1997 Prinz, W. (1997). Perception and action planning. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 9(2), 129–154.[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) and Kinematic Specification of Dynamics (KSD; Runeson & Frykholm, 1983 Runeson, S., & Frykholm, G. (1983). Kinematic specification of dynamics as an informational bias for person-and-action perception: Expectation, gender recognition, and deceptive intent. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 112, 585–615.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). The 2 theories diverge in attributing perceptual ability to either motor or visual experience, respectively. To test predictions of the CC theory, we performed 3 experiments to manipulate observers' specific motor experience while they judged the targeted location of throwing by watching point-light displays. In Experiment 1, we tested whether the identity of the thrower in the display mattered. In Experiment 2, we tested whether the motor expertise of the observer mattered. In Experiment 3, we tested whether the gender/style of throwing demonstrated by the point-light thrower mattered. The combined results failed to support CC theory, suggesting that motor experience is not required for the perception of action. Because all participants judged the target location of throwing quite well, KSD theory suggests that the kinematic information available in the displays may have enabled the perception. We performed Experiment 4 to analyze the information. We found that the judgment pattern exhibited by the observers in both Experiments 1 and 2 was well predicted by the KSD theory. Thus, we concluded that the perception of biological motion is enabled by visual information and improved by visual experience.     

Differentiation of stages in joke comprehension: Evidence from an ERP study

This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying joke comprehension using event‐related potentials (ERPs). Fourteen healthy college students were presented with the context of a story without its joke or nonjoke ending, and then, when the story ending was presented, they were asked to make a funny/unfunny judgment about these endings. The behavioral results showed that there was no significant difference between funny and unfunny items, which meant that subjects could understand funny items as easily as unfunny ones. However, the ERP results showed that funny items initially elicited a more negative ERP deflection (N350–450) over frontocentral scalp regions. Dipole analysis localized the generators in the left temporal gyrus and the left medial frontal gyrus; it is suggested that these areas might be involved in detecting the incongruent element in joke comprehension. Between 600 and 800 ms, funny items subsequently elicited a more negative ERP deflection (N600–800) over frontocentral scalp regions and a more positive ERP deflection (P600–800) over posterior scalp regions. Dipole analysis localized the generator in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), an area involved in the breaking of mental set/expectation and the forming of novel associations. Finally, funny items elicited a more positive ERP deflection (P1250–1400) over anterior and posterior scalp regions. Dipole analysis localized the generators in the middle frontal gyrus and the fusiform gyrus, areas that might be related to the affective appreciation stage in joke process. Unlike that of Coulson and Kutas (2001), the present study might support the hypothesis of a three stage model of humor processing (humor detection, resolution of incongruity and humor appreciation).     

环境雌激素双酚A对成年小鼠学习记忆和突触结构的影响*

双酚A (bisphenol, BPA)是一种广泛存在的环境内分泌干扰物,它可与雌激素受体结合干扰内源性雌激素对中枢神经系统的调控作用。本研究通过将10周龄小鼠灌胃染毒BPA (0.4、4、40 mg/kg/day)3个月,研究长期BPA暴露对成年小鼠记忆行为和突触可塑性的影响。开场行为测试结果表明, BPA (0.4、4、40 mg/kg/day)增加雄性的站立次数和理毛频率, BPA (4 mg/kg/day)却显著减少雌鼠的站立次数。水迷宫和被动回避行为模型检测显示, BPA主要损伤雄鼠的空间学习记忆和被动回避记忆。通过制备海马CA1区超薄切片后,电镜观测发现, BPA (0.4、40 mg/kg/day)暴露降低雄鼠海马CA1区突触数密度,缩短雄鼠突触前活性带长度,减小雄鼠突触后致密体(PSD)厚度,增加雄鼠突触间隙宽度。进一步用Western blot方法检测突触前、后的标志性蛋白Synapsin I和PSD95以及兴奋性氨基酸NMDA受体NR1亚基和AMPA受体GluR1亚基蛋白的表达,发现BPA暴露致雄鼠Synapsin I、PSD95、NR1蛋白表达水平下调。而BPA对雌鼠的记忆行为、突触形态、突触蛋白和受体蛋白均没有明显作用。以上结果提示长期B PA暴露性别特异性地影响成年小鼠的活动性和探究行为,损伤雄鼠的学习记忆,这些作用可能通过下调突触蛋白和NMDA受体的表达而负性影响突触结构可塑性,最终影响雄鼠的学习记忆功能。     

自尊的遗传性:来自双生子研究的证据

自尊是个体差异的一个重要方面,迄今已有许多研究从行为遗传学角度探讨自尊个体差异的来源。通过梳理现有关于自尊的双生子研究,发现:1)自尊有中等的遗传度,其个体差异来自遗传和非共享环境;2)遗传对自尊的稳定性有较大作用;3)自尊与认知、情感的联系主要源自共同的遗传基础。总之,遗传对自尊具有重要影响。未来双生子研究可拓展到自尊波动性、内隐自尊等领域,并考虑极端人群的遗传特异性和文化对自尊遗传性的影响。     

协作抑制的认知机制

协作抑制是指当人们在一个记忆小组中一起提取信息的时候,小组提取的信息总量比等量个体提取的信息总量要少.心理学研究者致力于从认知角度对该现象进行解释,主要的理论解释有提取策略破坏假说和提取抑制假说.前者认为小组成员的提取结果对组内其他成员的信息组织策略产生了干扰,导致小组的提取成绩低.而后者认为小组内成员的提取结果会抑制其他成员对非提取项目的表征,降低小组协作提取能力,出现协作抑制.本文对两种理论假说的提出背景,基本观点,证据支持及现有争论进行了介绍,同时指出了未来的研究应关注于对两种机制的关键矛盾点进行区别性检验、对不同认知机制在不同条件下成立可靠性的检验以及通过对编码阶段进行操控来进一步考察协作抑制的认知机制.     

性别选择的伦理学思考

性别选择不仅是一种观念还是人们选择后代性别的一种技术.性别选择的应用在控制伴性遗传病、保证生育质量以及降低出生率等方面发挥了重要的作用,同时也存在着多方面的伦理争议.通过对性别选择存在伦理问题的分析,并在分析的基础上提出对策和建议,以利于性别选择更好的服务于人类.     

Promoting Creativity at Work: The Role of Problem‐Solving Demand

We propose that problem‐solving demand (PSD) is an important job attribute for employees' creative performance. Applying job design theory, we examined the relationship between PSD and employee creativity. The theorised model was tested with data obtained from a sample of 270 employees and their supervisors from three Chinese organisations. Regression results revealed that PSD was positively related to creativity, and this relationship was mediated by creative self‐efficacy. Additionally, intrinsic motivation moderated the relationship between PSD and creative self‐efficacy such that the relationship was stronger for individuals with high rather than low intrinsic motivation. We discuss our findings, implications for practice, and future research.     

从御注道德真经看朱元璋的治国之道

朱元璋极力推崇《道德经》在治国中的作用,认为它是"万物之至根,王者之上师,臣民之极宝"。在《大明太祖高皇帝御注道德真经》中,朱元璋把老子之学与现实的治国之道联系在一起,以"无为而治"为核心,以安民为本为基础,以少私寡欲为品德要求,以宽政简刑为理想方略,精心构建了一套精微高远的治国之道。     

新辅助放化疗在低位直肠癌保肛术中的作用

探讨新辅助放化疗低位进展期直肠癌近期疗效及其在保肛手术中的临床意义。回顾性收集50例进行新辅助放化疗的低位进展期直肠癌患者的临床资料，TNMⅡ期17例、TNMⅢ期33例。均行三维适形放疗，每次2Gy，每天1次，每周5天，总剂量50Gy。同时口服替吉奥化疗，治疗结束休息4周后行临床疗效评价，决定手术方法。全部患者完成治疗...