Overestimation and contraction biases of depth information stored in working memory depend on spatial configuration

Depth perception is essential for effective interaction with the environment. Although the accuracy of depth perception has been studied extensively, it is unclear how accurate the depth information is stored in working memory. In this study, we investigated the accuracy and systematic biases of depth representation by a delayed estimation task. The memory array consisted of items presented at various stereoscopic depth positions, and the participants were instructed to estimate the depth position of one target item after a retention interval. We examined the effect of spatial configuration by comparing the memory performance in the whole-display condition where non-target memory items were present during retrieval with that in the single-display condition where non-target memory items were absent. In the single-display condition, we found an overestimation bias that the depth estimates were farther than the corresponding depth positions defined by disparity, and a contraction bias that the stored depth positions near the observer were overestimated and those far from the observer were underestimated. The magnitude of these biases increased with the number of to-be-stored items. However, in the whole-display condition, the overestimation bias was corrected and the contraction bias did not increase with the number of to-be-stored items. Our findings suggested that the number of to-be-stored items could affect the accuracy of depth working memory, and its effect depended crucially on whether the information of spatial configuration of memory display was available at the retrieval stage.     

Hemispheric processing of lexical information in Chinese character recognition and its relationship to reading performance

Hemispheric predominance has been well documented in the visual perception of alphabetic words. However, the hemispheric processing of lexical information in Chinese character recognition and its relationship to reading performance are far from clear. In the divided visual field paradigm, participants were required to judge the orthography, phonology, or semantics of Chinese characters, which were presented randomly in the left or right visual field. The results showed a right visual field/left hemispheric superiority in the phonological judgment task, but no hemispheric advantage in the orthographic or semantic task was found. In addition, reaction times in the right visual field for phonological and semantic tasks were significantly correlated with the reading test score. These results suggest that both hemispheres involved in the orthographic and semantic processing of Chinese characters, and that the left lateralized phonological processing is important for Chinese fluent reading.     

Credal pragmatism

According to doxastic pragmatism, certain perceived practical factors, such as high stakes and urgency, have systematic effects on normal subjects’ outright beliefs. Upholders of doxastic pragmatism have so far endorsed a particular version of this view, which we may call threshold pragmatism. This view holds that the sensitivity of belief to the relevant practical factors is due to a corresponding sensitivity of the threshold on the degree of credence necessary for outright belief. According to an alternative but yet unrecognised version of doxastic pragmatism, practical factors affect credence rather than the threshold on credence. Let’s call this alternative view credal pragmatism. In this paper, I argue that credal pragmatism is more plausible than threshold pragmatism. I show that the former view better accommodates a cluster of intuitive and empirical data. I conclude by considering the issue of whether our doxastic attitudes’ sensitivity to practical factors can be considered rational, and if yes, in what sense.

     

Reverse evolution in nanoscale Cu-rich precipitates of an aged Fe–Cu alloy under electropulsing

Nanoscale Cu-rich precipitates (CRPs) are one of the most important microstructural nano-features responsible for embrittlement and hardening of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs), which threaten the safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPPs) and hinder the lifetime extension of nuclear reactors. A thermally aged Fe-1.1 wt.%Cu alloy, which is used to simulate embrittlement of the irradiated RPV steels, was treated by electropulsing with various parameters. The effect of electropulsing on nanoscale CRPs was investigated by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Compared to the traditional heat treatment, the electropulsing treatment (EPT) can accelerate the dissolution of CRPs in an aged Fe-Cu alloy on account of the higher atomic drift flux and the additional Gibbs free energy induced by electropulsing. More importantly, EPT is likely to be a new way of eliminating irradiation-induced Cu-rich precipitates.     

环境条件和兴趣对大学生妥协决策的影响

研究旨在考察个体在选择职业时是否会为了更好的环境条件(组织、城市)而降低对兴趣的要求。对63名大学生被试开展了两个实验,采用在环境条件和兴趣水平上有不同程度差异的职位配对来模拟两难决策。结果发现:(1)对不同组织声望和兴趣水平的职位的选择无性别差异;(2)组织声望差距、组织声望差距与兴趣差距的交互作用能显著预测职位的选择;(3)对不同城市级别和兴趣水平的职位的选择有性别差异,男生比女生更少放弃兴趣;(4)兴趣差距、城市级别差距与兴趣差距的交互作用能预测男生的选择,只有兴趣差距能预测女生的选择。结论:个体会为了更好的环境而或多或少在兴趣方面妥协。     

羞怯对攻击的影响:安全感和社会比较倾向的中介作用

为考察安全感和社会比较倾向在羞怯与攻击之间关系的中介作用,采用大学生羞怯量表、社会比较倾向量表、安全感量表和攻击问卷对543名大学生进行测量。结果发现(1)羞怯、攻击和社会比较倾向三者之间呈显著两两正相关,且三者分别与安全感呈显著负相关;(2)羞怯对攻击的直接效应显著;(3)安全感和社会比较倾向在羞怯与攻击关系间起完全中介作用。     

不同社会群体特征对内隐领导因素的影响

研究发现,中国人内隐领导理论的内容由个人品德、目标有效性、人际能力和多面性四个因素构成。不同的年龄、职业和教育水平等评分者的特点,对领导诸因素的评分有着显著的影响。综合分析发现,教育水平是影响内隐领导因素评分的主要变量。另外,各组都倾向于把人际能力作为领导最大的特质来加以评分。     

The dynamics of multimodal integration: The averaging diffusion model

We combine extant theories of evidence accumulation and multi-modal integration to develop an integrated framework for modeling multimodal integration as a process that unfolds in real time. Many studies have formulated sensory processing as a dynamic process where noisy samples of evidence are accumulated until a decision is made. However, these studies are often limited to a single sensory modality. Studies of multimodal stimulus integration have focused on how best to combine different sources of information to elicit a judgment. These studies are often limited to a single time point, typically after the integration process has occurred. We address these limitations by combining the two approaches. Experimentally, we present data that allow us to study the time course of evidence accumulation within each of the visual and auditory domains as well as in a bimodal condition. Theoretically, we develop a new Averaging Diffusion Model in which the decision variable is the mean rather than the sum of evidence samples and use it as a base for comparing three alternative models of multimodal integration, allowing us to assess the optimality of this integration. The outcome reveals rich individual differences in multimodal integration: while some subjects’ data are consistent with adaptive optimal integration, reweighting sources of evidence as their relative reliability changes during evidence integration, others exhibit patterns inconsistent with optimality.     

人格特质对微信用户朋友圈点赞行为动机影响的研究

移动互联网时代,微信的出现颠覆了人们的沟通方式,而点赞作为网络人际之间的互动更是呈现了用户的个人调节与社会认同。本研究采用问卷的方法,对368名微信用户的点赞动机与人格特质的关系进行调查。结果发现:(1)点赞行为有着不同的动机背景,这其中主要是自我认同和社会认同动机在起推动作用。(2)这其中不同动机的人又有着不同的人格特质,具体而言,严谨性与外向性影响自我认同,而宜人性与开放性影响社交认同。     

Seeing the big picture: Broadening attention relieves sadness and depressed mood

We examined whether the broadened attentional scope would affect people's sad or depressed mood with two experiments, enlightened by the meaning of “seeing the big picture” and the broaden‐and‐build model. Experiment 1 (n = 164) is a laboratory‐based experiment, in which we manipulated the attentional scope by showing participants zoomed‐out or zoomed‐in scenes. In Experiment 2 (n = 44), we studied how depressed mood and positive and negative emotions were affected when participants watched distant versus proximal scenes for eight weeks in real life. Healthy participants in Experiment 1, who were induced to feel sad, could return to the baseline mood after having the broadened attention task but not after having the narrowed attention task, which indicated that immediate attention broadening manipulation could function as antidotes for the lingering effects of induced negative emotions. Participants with depressed mood in Experiment 2 showed reduced depressed mood, increased positive affect, and decreased negative affect after receiving attention broadening training compared to those receiving attention narrowing training. Our findings suggest a robust role of broadened attentional scope in relieving negative emotions and even mildly depressed mood in the long run.