A SAS/IML program using the Kalman filter for estimating state space models

To help disseminate the knowledge and software implementation of a state space model (SSM), this article provides a SAS/IML (SAS Institute, 2010) program for estimating the parameters of general linear Gaussian SSMs using the Kalman filter algorithm. In order to use this program, the user should have SAS installed on a computer and have a valid license for SAS/IML. Since the code is completely open, it is expected that this program can be used not only by applied researchers, but also by quantitative methodologists who are interested in improving their methods and promoting SSM as a research instrument.     

Inglehart‐Welzel's Traditional vs. Rational index revisited: A comparison between China and the West

Inglehart‐Welzel's ‘Traditional‐Rational’ Index has been widely accepted as a way to summarize changes in values between agricultural and industrial societies. An empirical re‐examination of the Index using the most recent World Values Survey data, however, suggests that it fails to represent the value profiles of mainland Chinese. I introduce a five‐item measurement called ‘Confucian Index of interpersonal relations’. It aims to capture some salient values in Chinese culture and show that, in China, Confucian values that govern interpersonal relations within one's immediate social environment are not in conflict with support for democratic government and social liberal values, such as tolerance and trust. The opposite is very much true in the rich West, where those who endorse ‘Confucian’ values are less tolerant of social diversity and where Inglehart's Index does make a lot of sense.     

The effect of religiosity and spirituality on psychological well-being among forensic psychiatric patients in Canada

All patients in a multilevel secure forensic psychiatric centre were surveyed to determine the relationship between religiosity and spirituality, and depression, anxiety and satisfaction with life. Of the whole population, 90% responded; 5% were females and 47% aboriginal. The mean anxiety and depression scores using the Beck anxiety and depression inventories were low at 11.4 and 17, respectively. Weekly attendance at worship and the private intrinsic religiosity scores were higher than comparable samples of Canadians and general mental-health inpatients. Satisfaction with life score was positively correlated with all religiosity and spirituality variables. There was an inverse relationship between the Existential Well-Being scale and depression scores. The Existential Well-Being scale also correlated positively with satisfaction with life. Weekly worship attendance was inversely correlated with depression scores. These results point to some important differences between this patient population and the general population.     

Mimicry and propagation of prosocial behavior in a natural setting

This study tested, in a natural setting, the effect of mimicry on people's disposition toward helping others and the extent to which this helping behavior is extended to people not directly involved in the mimicry situation. In the main street of a busy town, men (n = 101) and women (n = 109) passersby were encountered and asked for directions. These passersby were subjected to mimicry by na?ve confederates who mimicked either verbal behavior alone or verbal and nonverbal behaviors together, including arm, hand, and head movements. In the control condition, passersby were not mimicked. Following this first encounter, each subject was then met further down the street by a second confederate who asked for money. The results show that people who had been mimicked complied more often with a request for money and gave significantly more, suggesting they were more helpful and more generous toward other people, even complete strangers.     

窗口大小、呈现速度和字号对引导式文本阅读的影响

使用EyeLink2000眼动仪,以30名大学生为被试,采用3（窗口大小：5字、10、15字）×2（呈现速度：300字/分、600字/分）×3（字号：24号、36号、48号）多因素混合设计,考察了窗口大小、呈现速度和字号对引导式文本阅读的影响。结果表明：（1）字号的主效应显著,字号越大,越有利于阅读;（2）呈现速度的主效应显著,慢速更有利于阅读;（3）呈现速度和字号的交互作用显著,慢速和中号、慢速和大号更有利于阅读。     

布朗芬布伦纳从襁褓走向成熟的人类发展观

布朗芬布伦纳的思想在人类发展理论中占有着举足轻重的地位,这个一直处于演进之中的理论实现了人类发展观从静到动的转变,开创性的提出了一个全新的视角与理论框架.文章沿着历史的轨迹,完整记述了布朗芬布伦纳思想的起源与演进,重点关注了生态学视角中全新的人与环境关系、发展中人的概念和环境的概念,以及生物生态学模型中过程、人、环境、时间概念和相关应用中存在的问题.     

The effect of path length and display size on memory for spatial information

In serial memory for spatial information, some studies showed that recall performance suffers when the distance between successive locations increases relatively to the size of the display in which they are presented (the path length effect; e.g., Parmentier et al., 2005) but not when distance is increased by enlarging the size of the display (e.g., Smyth & Scholey, 1994). In the present study, we examined the effect of varying the absolute and relative distance between to-be-remembered items on memory for spatial information. We manipulated path length using small (15″) and large (64″) screens within the same design. In two experiments, we showed that distance was disruptive mainly when it is varied relatively to a fixed reference frame, though increasing the size of the display also had a small deleterious effect on recall. The insertion of a retention interval did not influence these effects, suggesting that rehearsal plays a minor role in mediating the effects of distance on serial spatial memory. We discuss the potential role of perceptual organization in light of the pattern of results.     

汉语背景下左右走向的心理时间线

摘 要 通过两个实验探讨了汉语背景下是否存在左右走向的心理时间线。实验一,表示过去和未来的时间词作为刺激,呈现在屏幕的左侧或右侧,要求被试用两手按键对刺激进行过去意义词和未来意义词的分类。实验二,采用线索提示范式的变式,中央的时间词作为线索,完成左侧或右侧闪现的圆点的定位任务。结果发现：（1）对过去意义词用左手反应或呈现在左边反应更快,对未来意义词用右手反应或呈现在右边反应更快,存在空间时间反应编码联合效应（STEARC效应）。（2）未来意义词显著激活对右空间的注意,过去意义词存在激活左空间注意的倾向。表明时间存在左右走向的心理表征,过去表征到左边,未来表征到右边。     

CNV测听法及其改进

有人已用伴发负变异测听(CNV-A)来测试听感受阈。本文对17例进行了CNV测试。测试音采用2000、4000H之纯音。结果表明,CNV反应阈与主观阈值之间的差值大约为-10～10dB。用2000Hz测试音,CNV-A与主观听阈的绝对值平均差及平均差分别为5.9±3.9dB和3.3±6.3dB。而用4000Hz测试音时,其CNV-A与主观听阈的绝对值平均差及平均差则分别是5.0±2.9dB和3.5±4.7dB。上述结果与Prevec(1981)报道的基本一致。表明,改进的 CNV-A是临床听力测试的有用方法。     

Revisiting schindler and schlinder's list: A group therapist's perspective

Film Reviews

Revisiting schindler and schlinder's list: A group therapist's perspective