Time-shrinking: the process of unilateral temporal assimilation

Our previous research on auditory time perception showed that the duration of empty time intervals shorter than about 250 ms can be underestimated hugely if they are immediately preceded by shorter time intervals. We named this illusion 'time-shrinking' (TS). This study comprises four experiments in which the preceding interval, t1, was followed by a standard interval, t2. When t1 < or = 200 ms, and t1 < or = t2, the underestimation of t2 came into view clearly. The absolute difference between t2 and t1 was the crucial factor for the illusion to appear. The underestimation increased when t2 increased from t1 to t1 + 65 ms, stayed at about 45 ms when t2 was between t1 + 65 ms and t1 + 95 ms, and disappeared suddenly when t2 exceeded t1 + 95 ms. This pattern of results was observed across all values of t1 < or = 200 ms. A model was fit to the data to elucidate the underlying process of the illusion. The model states that the perceived duration difference between t1 and t2 is reduced by cutting mental processing time for t2; in other words, that t2 assimilates to t1.     

Benefits of negative thinking and negative affect: analyses of answers to an open-ended question by Japanese undergraduates

What are the benefits of negative thinking and negative affect? Although previous studies in evolutionary psychology, social psychology, and clinical psychology have clarified the question, there has been no definitive study asking people directly about the perceived benefits. In the present study, 119 Japanese undergraduates were asked how they recognized the benefits of negative thinking and negative affect. Their answers were analyzed qualitatively. The answers were arranged into 30 smaller categories and 12 superordinate ones. The benefits were divided into "benefits to the self" and "benefits to interpersonal relations". Finally, the conditions necessary for the negative thinking and negative affect being benign, and possible cultural differences, were discussed.     

A Cut-Free Sequent System for the Smallest Interpretability Logic

The idea of interpretability logics arose in Visser [Vis90]. He introduced the logics as extensions of the provability logic GLwith a binary modality . The arithmetic realization of A B in a theory T will be that T plus the realization of B is interpretable in T plus the realization of A (T + A interprets T + B). More precisely, there exists a function f (the relative interpretation) on the formulas of the language of T such that T + B C implies T + A f(C).The interpretability logics were considered in several papers. An arithmetic completeness of the interpretability logic ILM, obtained by adding Montagna's axiom to the smallest interpretability logic IL, was proved in Berarducci [Ber90] and Shavrukov [Sha88] (see also Hájek and Montagna [HM90] and Hájek and Montagna [HM92]). [Vis90] proved that the interpretability logic ILP, an extension of IL, is also complete for another arithmetic interpretation. The completeness with respect to Kripke semantics due to Veltman was, for IL, ILMand ILP, proved in de Jongh and Veltman [JV90]. The fixed point theorem of GLcan be extended to ILand hence ILMand ILP(cf. de Jongh and Visser [JV91]). The unary pendant "T interprets T + A" is much less expressive and was studied in de Rijke [Rij92]. For an overview of interpretability logic, see Visser [Vis97], and Japaridze and de Jongh [JJ98].In this paper, we give a cut-free sequent system for IL. To begin with, we give a cut-free system for the sublogic IL4of IL, whose -free fragment is the modal logic K4. A cut-elimination theorem for ILis proved using the system for IK4and a property of Löb's axiom.     

Illusory recouplings of onsets and terminations of glide tone components

We present a new auditory illusion, the gap transfer illusion, supported by phenomenological and psychophysical data. In a typical situation, an ascending frequency glide of 2,500 msec with a temporal gap of 100 msec in the middle and a continuously descending frequency glide of 500 msec cross each other at their central positions. These glides move at the same constant speed in logarithmic frequency in opposite directions. The temporal gap in the long glide is perceived as if it were in the short glide. The same kind of subjective transfer of a temporal gap can take place also when the stimulus pattern is reversed in time. This phenomenon suggests that onsets and terminations of glide components behave as if they were independent perceptual elements. We also find that when two long frequency glides are presented successively with a short temporal overlap, a long glide tone covering the whole duration of the pattern and a short tone around the temporal middle can be perceived. To account for these results, we propose an event construction model, in which perceptual onsets and terminations are coupled to construct auditory events and the proximity principle connects these elements.     

Deliberate Self‐Harm in Adolescents Aged 12–18: A Cross‐Sectional Survey of 18,104 Students

Little is known about accurate prevalence and associated factors of deliberate self‐harm (DSH) among adolescents in Asian countries. In this study, the prevalence and associated factors of DSH among adolescents in Japan were examined. Data were derived from a cross‐sectional survey using an anonymous self‐report questionnaire and enrolling 8,620 adolescents aged 12–15 and 9,484 aged 15–18. DSH in the previous 12 months was reported by 3.3% (95% CI, 2.9–3.7) of junior and 4.3% (3.9%–4.7%) of senior high school respondents. The prevalence was more than four times as high among girls as among boys for both age groups. DSH was further strongly associated with having suicidal thoughts, having depression/anxiety symptoms, and having used recreational drugs. These associated factors were similar for both sexes and for both older and younger teenagers. A substantial minority of adolescents present with DSH, even among those aged 12–15. The prevalence of DSH in Japan was in the lower ranges of those reported for Western countries. The identified associated factors were not dissimilar from those reported in the West.     

Individuality of Narratives Generated by Individuals: An Investigation Using Four-Panel Comics

In this study, we conducted an empirical research focusing on the generation of stories to obtain a hypothesis on how different the stories that people generate in their daily lives by linking events and situations are. For this purpose, five illustrations that revealed only the first and fourth panels of a four-panel comic were used as stimuli to generate a narrative in which the participants could make a connection between them. A total of 40 stories were obtained from eight participants. As a result, the narrative emerged in a variety of ways, even in events with little personal connection to the participants. This reveals that there are individual differences in the way people generate narratives themselves, despite their relationship with and position on the event. When the stories were typified, none of the participants generated similar stories in all five illustrations. This suggests that, because the combination of stories a person creates about every event is unique, there is only one story about the world, and one about himself/herself.