English Vowel Spaces Produced by Japanese Speakers: The Smaller Point Vowels’ and the Greater Schwas’

This study investigated how Japanese-speaking learners of English pronounce the three point vowels /i/, /u/, and /a/ appearing in the first and second monosyllabic words of English noun phrases, and the schwa /ə/ appearing in English disyllabic words. First and second formant (F1 and F2) values were measured for four Japanese speakers and two American English speakers. The hypothesis that the area encompassed by the point vowels in the F1-F2 vowel space tends to be smaller for the Japanese speakers than for the English speakers was verified. The hypothesis that the area formed by the three schwas in chicken{{chick\underline{e}n}}, spoonful{{spoonf{\underline{u}}l}}, and Tarzan{{Tarz\underline{a}n}} is greater for the Japanese speakers than for the English speakers and its related hypothesis were largely upheld. Implications for further research are briefly discussed.     

Four-phonon model of soft-matter quasicrystals for studying thermodynamics

Four-phonon model of soft-matter quasicrystals is proposed, in which there are three solid phonons and one fluid phonon. With this model, the vibration spectrum of soft-matter quasicrystals can be obtained. The generalized Debye frequency, generalized Debye temperature and the thermodynamic functions of soft-matter quasicrystals are observed. The results on the specific heat of soft-matter quasicrystals demonstrate the contributions of both solid phonons and fluid phonon, respectively.     

Representation of plans: Activation in memory

The purpose of this study is to examine the temporal representation of plans in memory. Two experiments using a priming paradigm were conducted to investigate which plans would be activated in memory when participants processed a particular plan. The 64 undergraduates who participated in Experiment 1 were asked to memorise a 1-month schedule of plans. Results showed that when participants were presented with a particular plan as a prime, the preceding plan in the schedule was immediately activated. After the activation of the preceding plan, the plan following the prime plan in the schedule was activated. Experiment 2 was conducted to examine whether the sequential effect found in Experiment 1 might be based on day order (e.g., plans for day 1, plans for day 2, etc.) or simple ordering of plans (e.g., plan 1, plan 2, etc.). However, in the results of Experiment 2, with 48 undergraduate participants, the dynamic transition in the activation of plans along the time course, seen in Experiment 1, was not observed.     

从理雅各的英译《易经》试谈《易经》的翻译

19世纪末英国传教士理雅各的《易经》英译对中国文化在西方世界的传播和影响起了巨大的作用,他的译本经久不衰,至今仍被西方汉学家视为《易经》外译的典范。本文对理雅各及其《易经》英译本进行探讨,旨在发现其翻译的特定思路以及译本的优势与长处,寻找其不足与误译,以利新世纪《易经》英译的进一步精化与更为广泛的传播。     

欺骗的神经机制和测谎应用:来自fMRI研究的证据

功能核磁共振成像技术在探讨欺骗机制和开发测谎技术中的应用是目前的研究热点,前者使用多种范式来考察假装失忆、故意错误及人际交互中的欺骗行为的认知和神经机制,而后者主要沿用传统的GKT和CQT范式检测欺骗行为。已有研究突显了前额叶和顶叶这些参与执行控制过程的脑区在欺骗中的核心作用,但基于这些脑区信号进行测谎时,得到的准确率不容乐观。未来研究应探索除执行控制过程外的欺骗的其它认知成分,尝试从"记忆痕迹"和"欺骗结果"等方面寻找测谎的新线索。并应揭示"欺骗特质"的神经基础,以启发"忠诚度"的测量方法。     

基于双加工理论解释下信念偏差效应的神经机制

信念偏差效应是指人们已有的知识信念对逻辑推理的影响现象.对此,双加工理论认为这是由于信念偏向系统和逻辑分析系统之间的冲突所导致的.近年来,该理论得到来自认知神经科学证据的有力支持:一方面,基于功能磁共振成像(fMRI)、近红外光谱(NIRS)以及重复性经颅磁刺激(rTMS)等技术的研究从不同角度证实右侧前额皮层与信念偏差抑制有关;另一方面,基于脑电(ERP)的研究表明,晚期正成分和晚期负成分可能参与了不同推理类型下信念偏差效应的认知加工.未来的研究可以从工作记忆、不同加工阶段、推理前提本身可信度、实验分析、实验材料生态学效度以及思维训练等方面对信念偏差效应作进一步探索.     

Two paradigms for depth of strategic reasoning in games. Response to Colman

We contrast two approaches to probing the depth of theory-of-mind (ToM) reasoning by adults in matrix game settings: our own and that of Stahl and Wilson.     

多动症儿童与认知事件相关电位的实验研究

本研究通过对29名多动症(MBD)儿童与正常儿童认知事件相关电位各成份的比较,结果发现多动症组与正常儿童组在反映大脑认知功能P300潜伏期有明显的差异,从而说明P300可以作为检测多动症儿童的参考性的客观指标。     

论桂西岑大将军信仰的原生形态与次生形态

岑大将军的原型是元代土官岑世兴,对他的信仰最初来自土司家族的祖先崇拜,后来经过神化与普世化成为地方性的神祇。岑大将军信仰在传播的过程中,被不断改造,形成地方民众自己心目中不同的将军形象,从而产生了众多的次生形态。但就实际而言,岑大将军信仰无论其原生形态或次生形态都反映了土司社会权力的文化网络。