The effect of the physical characteristics of cues and targets on facilitation and inhibition

The present experiment was conducted in order to examine the role of cue—target discriminability on early occurring attentional cuing effects and late occurring inhibition of return (IOR). The experiment used a single target stimulus in conjunction with three different cue stimuli. The cues were the same as the target, different in color, shape, and luminance to the target, or did not spatially overlap with the target. At shorter stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs; 100 and 200 msec), attentional cuing effects were only found with the nonoverlapping cues. However, at longer SOAs (400 and 800 msec), approximately equal IOR effects were found with all three types of cues. The results indicated that the physical characteristics of the cues and targets affected the pattern of reaction times at the shorter SOAs but not at the longer SOAs. The conclusion is that the biphasic pattern of early facilitation and late inhibition following a peripheral cue should not be considered the definitive signature of the peripheral cuing paradigm.     

受欺负与青少年外化问题关系的“健康环境悖论”：敌意性归因的中介作用

“健康环境悖论”是指在总体受欺负水平较低的环境中, 受欺负的个体会表现出更多适应问题。本研究以来自47个班级的1764名5年级到8年级学生为被试(男生956人, 平均年龄14.46岁), 考察了班级平均受欺负水平在个体受欺负经历与外化问题间的调节作用及敌意性归因的中介作用。结果发现：(1)受欺负与外化问题的关系存在“健康环境悖论”现象, 即班级平均受欺负水平能调节个体受欺负经历与外化问题的关系, 在班级平均受欺负水平较低的班级中受欺负经历与外化问题的关联更强; (2)班级平均受欺负水平对受欺负与外化问题的调节作用通过敌意性归因的中介作用实现。本研究证实了受欺负与外化问题的健康环境悖论现象, 并首次揭示了敌意性归因的中介作用机制。     

脂多糖激活所致大鼠抑郁样行为及对海马神经细胞钾电流变化的影响

采用细胞因子刺激剂脂多糖(lipopolysaccharide, LPS)为免疫激活手段, 研究LPS诱导的免疫激活产生的抑郁样行为及对海马神经细胞电压依赖钾电流变化的影响。应用膜片钳技术对海马神经细胞钾电流进行全细胞记录, 比较抑郁样行为大鼠与正常大鼠钾离子通道电流密度和激活特性的变化。结果发现, 与生理盐水对照组相比, 一次LPS注射后2 hr, 实验组动物产生抑郁样行为, 同时急性观察的海马神经细胞的钾离子通道的电流密度呈现显著升高(p<0.01); 而一次LPS注射后24 hr, 动物的抑郁样行为消失, 且急性观察的海马神经细胞的钾离子通道与对照组相比较, 其电流密度和激活曲线没有显著性变化。结论：LPS诱导的抑郁样行为, 与LPS诱导的海马神经细胞电压依赖钾电流的上调在时程上同步, 提示钾离子通道可能参与免疫激活所致的抑郁样行为。     

结果预期对青少年攻击性行为的影响：中介效应与调节效应

采用攻击性问卷、关系攻击行为量表、结果预期量表、移情量表和自我控制能力问卷对720名中学生进行调查,考察了结果预期与青少年攻击性行为的关系,以及自我控制在其中的中介作用和移情在其中的调节作用。结果发现:(1)结果预期与青少年的攻击性行为(外部攻击和关系攻击)存在显著负相关;(2)自我控制在结果预期与青少年攻击性行为之间起着完全中介作用;(3)在结果预期对青少年外部攻击行为的预测中,移情发挥了调节作用。在高移情个体中,结果预期并不预测外部攻击行为,而在低移情个体中,结果预期显著地反向预测外部攻击行为;(4)自我控制在结果预期与青少年外部攻击行为之间的中介作用受到移情的调节,高水平的移情能力可以有效地缓解青少年因低自我控制而导致的高攻击性。     

童年中期身体侵害、关系侵害与儿童的情绪适应

采用整群抽样法选取2603名小学儿童（平均年龄9.05 ± 0.53岁）作为被试,考察童年中期同伴侵害现象的基本特点,以及同伴侵害与情绪适应（孤独感、社交焦虑和抑郁）的关系。结果发现：（1）在性别差异方面,男生的身体侵害与关系侵害水平均显著高于女生,与身体侵害相比,关系侵害的性别差异程度较小。在同伴侵害的类型特点方面,儿童遭受身体侵害的水平显著高于关系侵害。（2）身体侵害、关系侵害与儿童的各情绪适应指标显著正相关,身体侵害和关系侵害能同时预测儿童的情绪适应不良;并且与身体侵害相比,关系侵害对情绪适应的影响更大。（3）身体侵害与社交焦虑的关系表现出性别差异,即身体侵害能预测女生的社交焦虑,而对男生的社交焦虑不存在预测作用;但同伴侵害与孤独感、抑郁的关系不受性别的调节。总体而言,有同伴侵害经历的男生和女生具有相似的情绪适应问题。     

What is the value of mentoring in a small business? Using narrative evaluation to find out

The paper examines the case of one small business manager (Alistair) and the value he gave to a mentoring intervention demonstrated by the use of narrative evaluation. Doubts about the efficacy of orthodox approaches to evaluation when applied to management development activities lead to the view that narratives are more appropriate. Narrative evaluation techniques are applied to a story told by Alistair, the Managing Director of a small business in Sheffield, concerning his view of his involvement in a mentoring programme. Alistair's initial reservations about the value of the programme are revealed rhetorically through a range of arguments. After such doubts, through a process of conversation, the story reveals how Alistair is able to find value from mentoring.     

The use of avoidance training in studies of modulation of memory storage

Studies of the modulatory effects on memory of many treatments have relied in large part on the use of inhibitory (passive) avoidance training procedures. Recent critiques have questioned the validity of data obtained with the inhibitory avoidance task. This paper addresses these comments and describes many of the advantages of using the procedure in studies of processes which regulate the neurobiological mechanisms which store new information.