Referenzsemantik in der Partnermodellierung

How can we explain that an assertion on something perceived can be understood in the same manner by somebody who cannot perceive that scene? This problem bases the interest in computational linguistics in how listener modeling could possibly be harmonized with reference semantics. Mental images substituting real perception appear as a way out. The architecture of the listener model has to be adapted to the creation and use of such pictorial data structures. Furthermore, the relation between the latter and a verbal (i. e., propositional) representation must be understood. The resulting architecture of a listener model with reference semantics can be employed to solve communicational problems from three general classes in a better way, as is demonstrated by an example implementation.     

Motor skill acquisition and retention as a function of average feedback, summary feedback, and performance variability

Summary feedback involves withholding feedback from subjects until the last trial in a block is completed, and then presenting feedback about each trial. A variation of this method, called average feedback (Young & Schmidt, 1992), presents subjects with only the mean of the trial block. We investigated whether these methods have similar effects on acquisition and retention of a simple motor skill. Five groups of subjects (n = 16 per group) performed 60 acquisition trials of an aiming task involving both spatial and temporal accuracy. We presented average and summary feedback based on either 5-trial blocks or 15-trial blocks and compared these schedules with every-trial feedback. During acquisition, all groups improved with practice, with a slight tendency for the every-trial condition to have less absolute error than the longer summary and average conditions. Analysis of delayed no-feedback retention tests, however, revealed a strong advantage for the 5-trial summary and average conditions compared with the every-trial condition. In addition, we found that for long blocks of acquisition trials without augmented feedback, the performance variability of those trials was associated with retention performance. Results are discussed in terms of how these different manipulations may make feedback less useful during acquisition, but foster the use of certain information processing activities that enhance overall learning.     

Activation of response codes by relevant and irrelevant stimulus information

Single-route models attribute stimulus-response compatibility effects to the difficulty of translation from stimulus to response. Dual-route models propose that compatibility effects reflect in part an additional direct, or automatic, activation route. Selected findings from three lines of research are reported that converge to provide evidence consistent with the view that the automatic activation route plays a role in compatibility effects. The data suggest that the activation produced via this route by relevant stimulus attributes influences response selection only when all mappings of stimuli to responses are known to be compatible.     

教师评分用语词义赋值特征的分析

本研究运用模糊统计试验方法对教师的六组定性的评分用语词 (符号 )进行了经验赋值。参加赋值的是 2 66名小学教师。结果表明 ,六组评分用语词 (符号 )都是模糊概念 ,其中每种评分方式中处于最高等级的词 (符号 )的模糊度最小 ,处于中间等级的词 (符号 )的模糊度居中 ,处于最低等级的词 (符号 )的模糊度最大。词 (符号 )义的模糊度与评价的把握度呈现负相关 ,即词 (符号 )义越具体 ,模糊度越小 ,赋值的把握度就越大 ;反之 ,词义越含混 ,模糊度越大 ,赋值的把握度就越小。教师对各种评分用语词 (符号 )的赋值受百分制的“及格—不及格”的划分的影响 ,受评分方式中等级数目的影响 ,即增加评分等级会减少评分用语词 (符号 )的模糊度 ,增加赋值的把握度 ,还受评分用语词 (符号 )本身数量特征的影响。在各种评分方式中 ,评语词 (符号 )在心理量表上的距离是不等的。本研究的结果对教育评价的实践具有一定的参考价值。     

乳头体对海马齿状回习得性长时程突触增强的影响

用高频电脉冲刺激大鼠乳头体（ＭＢ）,可一过性抑制由刺激穿通纤维（ＰＰ）诱发的海马齿状回（ＤＧ）群体锋电位（ＰＳ）。训练作业前先刺激ＭＢ,导致ＤＧ的习得性长时程突触增强（ＬＤＬＴＰ）的形成显著延缓,相应地延缓了条件性饮水反应的建立。电刺激ＭＢ对ＰＰ─ＤＧＰＳ的这种抑制作用在训练所产生的ＰＳ增大达最高水平时显著减弱,刺激ＭＢ对ＬＤＬＴＰ的保持及相应地对条件反应的巩固没有明显影响。结果表明ＭＢ对ＤＧＬＤＬＴＰ的形成有抑制性调制作用。     

小学儿童奖赏公平性的认知发展

采用信息加工研究途径并假设故事情境探索小学儿童对奖赏公平性的社会认知发展,并将儿童的发展与成人作对比。研究结果表明,７,９岁儿童容易将＂均等＂与＂公平＂混淆,还没形成一个稳定的分配模式,而１２岁儿童已能运用＂努力＂、＂成果＂、＂能力＂等规则较为稳定地作出公平奖赏决定或评价,但还没达到对更高层次的社会准则的理解和掌握。儿童这一发展制约于他们的信息加工能力以及获得有关社会价值观的社会化过程。     

Marriage and family therapy with people from China

On the basis of personal experience and understanding of the Chinese culture as a native of the People's Republic of China, the author gives some of the reasons why Chinese-Americans under-utilize mental health facilities and addresses issues that might arise in marriage and family therapy with people from China. Subcultural differences and variables such as the place of origin, intraracial or inter-racial marriage, that need to be considered in the assessment phase are stressed, along with treatment interventions that are or are not culturally compatible. Behavioral, structural, and brief therapy models are recommended. The experiential model should be used with caution with Chinese clients.     

Cultural competency in genetic counseling

Incorporating a cross-cultural curriculum into genetic counseling training programs demonstrates a professional conviction of genetic counselors that cultural issues are important in genetic counseling. Funded by the Special Projects Fund in 1993 from the National Society of Genetic Counselors and the Kitson Fund from the Department of Social, Organizational, and Counseling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, theHandbook of Cross-Cultural Genetic Counseling was developed to provide genetic counseling programs a curriculum to teach cross-cultural genetic counseling. The theoretical rationale for the development of a cultural curriculum is presented. By expanding cultural knowledge, developing an awareness of oneself and others, and increasing the repertoire of culturally relevant counseling skills within a socio-political context, genetic counselors will be able to better serve all clients seeking genetic counseling.     

Measuring and predicting the effects of alcohol consumption on contrast sensitivity for stationary and moving gratings

Contrast sensitivity was measured for 12 healthy young males while sober, after ingestion of an alcohol placebo, and after ingestion of alcohol (95% grain alcohol; mean estimated blood alcohol level = .088%). Observations were made for both stationary gratings and gratings that traveled through a circular path and required pursuit eye movements. The significant alcohol-related reduction in contrast sensitivity was 2.6 times greater for moving (.29-log-unit reduction) than for stationary gratings (.11-log-unit reduction). The loss in contrast sensitivity for the moving gratings of high spatial frequency (12 cpd) was particularly severe (.37 log unit). Estimated blood alcohol level was correlated with the loss in contrast sensitivity for moving gratings (r = .61), but not with the loss for stationary gratings. Estimated blood alcohol level was strongly correlated with the difference between the loss in contrast sensitivity to moving and stationary gratings (r = .75). These results are consistent with reports that alcohol consumption degrades the ability to make pursuit eye movements. Subjects’ perceived intoxication level was not a reliable predictor of any index of visual performance.