Number sense in human infants

Four experiments used a preferential looking method to investigate 6-month-old infants' capacity to represent numerosity in visual-spatial displays. Building on previous findings that such infants discriminate between arrays of eight versus 16 discs, but not eight versus 12 discs (Xu & Spelke, 2000), Experiments 1 and 2 investigated whether infants' numerosity discrimination depends on the ratio of the two set sizes with even larger numerosities. Infants successfully discriminated between arrays of 16 versus 32 discs, but not 16 versus 24 discs, providing evidence that their discrimination shows the set-size ratio signature of numerosity discrimination in human adults, children and many non-human animals. Experiments 3 and 4 addressed a controversy concerning infants' ability to discriminate large numerosities (observed under conditions that control for total filled area, array size and density, item size and correlated properties such as brightness: Brannon, 2002; Xu, 2003b; Xu & Spelke, 2000) versus small numerosities (not observed under conditions that control for total contour length: Clearfield & Mix, 1999). To investigate the sources of these differing findings, Experiment 3 tested infants' large-number discrimination with controls for contour length, and Experiment 4 tested small-number discrimination with controls for total filled area. Infants successfully discriminated the large-number displays but showed no evidence of discriminating the small-number displays. These findings provide evidence that infants have robust abilities to represent large numerosities. In contrast, infants may fail to represent small numerosities in visual-spatial arrays with continuous quantity controls, consistent with the thesis that separate systems serve to represent large versus small numerosities.     

Factorial design in the determination of differential limen values

This paper discusses the application of the principles of factorial design to an experiment in psychology. For the purpose of illustrating the principles, a simple experiment was designed dealing with the determination of the differential limen values of subjects for weights increasing at constant rates. The factorial design was of the type: 4 rates × 7 weights × 2 sexes × 2 sights × 2 dates. The appropriate statistical analysis for this type of design is the analysis of variance. The mathematical formulation of the problem was specified and the appropriate solution for the specific problem was obtained. Greater precision results from this type of design, in comparison with the traditional psychological experiment dealing with a single factor, in that measures are obtained of the effect of each of a number of factors together with their interactions.This is one of a number of studies on modern principles of experimental design. For the research grant to finance these studies, grateful acknowledgment is given to the Graduate School, the University of Minnesota.     

A model-based approach to multivariate principal component regression: Selecting principal components and estimating standard errors for unstandardized regression coefficients

Principal component regression (PCR) is a popular technique in data analysis and machine learning. However, the technique has two limitations. First, the principal components (PCs) with the largest variances may not be relevant to the outcome variables. Second, the lack of standard error estimates for the unstandardized regression coefficients makes it hard to interpret the results. To address these two limitations, we propose a model-based approach that includes two mean and covariance structure models defined for multivariate PCR. By estimating the defined models, we can obtain inferential information that will allow us to test the explanatory power of individual PCs and compute the standard error estimates for the unstandardized regression coefficients. A real example is used to illustrate our approach, and simulation studies under normality and nonnormality conditions are presented to validate the standard error estimates for the unstandardized regression coefficients. Finally, future research topics are discussed.     

Does a self management intervention lower distress in woman diagnosed with breast cancer?1

Psychological distress is particularly common with any cancer diagnosis. This paper examined the psychological distress in a cohort of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer and postulates on the underlying theory. A longitudinal study of a cohort of women (n = 147) diagnosed with breast cancer (within the past 1 year), was conducted at University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur. Data were collected at baseline and at post 4‐week intervention. Analysis of variance was conducted to examine for any significant differences in the change‐scores between the experimental group (n = 69) and the control group (n = 78). Using the change scores, analyses of variance showed significant differences between groups for stress, F(1, 140) = 13.68, p < .0001, anxiety F(1, 140) = 8.44, p < .004, and depression, F(1, 140) = 11.57, p < .0001. Levels of stress, anxiety and depression generally decreased significantly in the experimental groups, p < .05, but either maintained or increased in the control group. This study indicates that the level of psychological distress of women with breast cancer can be ameliorated with a 4‐week self‐management intervention. Lower stress levels were also found in women who reported engagement in higher physical activity than women with low physical activity.     

基本情绪的神经基础：来自fMRI与机器视觉技术研究的证据

基本情绪理论(basic emotion theory)是情绪科学领域最具代表性的理论, 该理论认为人类情绪是由有限的几种基本情绪组成的, 如恐惧、愤怒、喜悦、悲伤等。基本情绪是为了完成基本生命任务(fundamental life task)进化而来的, 每一种基本情绪都有独特的神经结构和生理基础。尽管基本情绪理论被广泛接受, 但是对于基本情绪的种类却莫衷一是。近几十年来, 许多fMRI研究试图确定各种基本情绪的独特神经结构基础, 而且取得了许多重要发现, 比如厌恶和脑岛有关, 悲伤和前扣带回有关, 杏仁核是与恐惧有关的重要边缘结构等。但是, 最近有人进行了元分析研究, 发现许多基本情绪存在混淆的大脑区域, 因此对基本情绪的特定脑区理论提出质疑, 甚至否定基本情绪理论。通过对基本情绪及其神经基础的探讨, 以及对基本情绪理论的最新功能性磁共振成像研究进行梳理分析, 提出有关基本情绪理论的争论来源于基本情绪种类的确定, 因为许多所谓的不同基本情绪实际上是同一种基本情绪, 提出人类可能只有3种基本情绪。未来研究可以利用机器视觉技术进一步推动基本情绪脑影像研究。     

社交媒体分享线索如何影响消费者的选择：印象管理与自主感缺失

随着社交媒体, 第三方消费点评网站及各类电商平台的蓬勃发展, 消费者能够越来越容易地与他人分享自己的消费和体验。为了适应这一迅猛的发展势头, 企业采取一系列措施加入社交媒体营销刺激消费者分享。如在产品界面添加分享按钮, 在各大社交平台添加主题标签, 或者直接使用带有分享刺激的广告口号。与以往研究关注消费者决策后的分享行为不同, 本研究提出社交媒体分享线索在消费者决策中发挥着重要作用, 影响消费者的判断与选择。具体来说, 本项目认为社交媒体分享线索一方面激发了消费者的印象管理动机, 另一方面也降低了自主感, 在此基础上探究了的两个行为决策结果：产品兴趣和决策终止。本项目具有重要的理论意义, 突破前人研究大多关注决策后分享的局限, 对现有社交媒体分享, 及数字环境如何影响消费行为是有益的补充。在实践上, 对企业如何更好地开展社会化媒体营销有着重要的指导意义。     

大五人格背后的高级人格因素：社会关系模型

人格结构研究中的一种观点认为人格特质具有层级结构,其中大五人格结构是一种流行的人格结构模型,近年来有研究关注大五人格背后是否存在更高等级的人格.采用全循环设计,用等级评定和团队内排序方法,在80个4～6人小团队中收集成员及成员之间在五个人格特质上的自我人格知觉和对成员的人格知觉,共获得四种来源的大五人格数据,根据社会关系模型分解出目标效应.对每一种来源的数据进行探索性因素分析和跨来源联合因素分析,将四种来源数据视为四个指标进行结构方程建模,结果显示,两高级因素相关模型对数据有较高的拟合程度,两个高级人格因素对关系质量有显著且不同效应量的预测作用.结果支持大五人格背后存在更高级的人格因素.最后,讨论高级人格因素模型对理解人格结构、进行人格评估的意义;未来研究可从发展角度采用多评定者、多方法进行.     

3～11岁儿童类比推理发展的研究

该研究随机抽取180名3~11岁儿童,采用几何图形、关系图形、词语、数字、故事五种材料,考察儿童类比推理发展的年龄特点和规律。结果发现：（1）4~5岁儿童开始能够进行类比推理,类比推理随年龄的增长逐渐发展,呈上升趋势;（2）儿童类比推理的发展表现出阶段性的特点;（3）儿童类比推理的发展不受材料影响,具有一定稳定性;（4）小学高年级儿童类比推理发展水平较高,学前儿童水平较低。     

青少年心目中的理想父母形象研究

以690名初一、高一和大一学生为被试,采用自制的词表,运用因素分析方法研究青少年心目中的理想父母形象,并比较不同青少年理想父母形象之差异。结果发现:(1)当代青少年心目中理想父母形象应具备的五项主要特征是:尊重沟通、与子为友,能力强、善于交际,正义乐群,正视现实,品德好、有原则;(2)女孩比男孩更重视父母与她们的沟通与相处;(3)随着年龄的增长,孩子对父母与自己相处态度的要求逐渐提高,而对父母的能力、生活态度、品德的要求逐渐降低;(4)是否独生子女、家庭收入水平对青少年心目中的理想父母形象也有一定影响,不同家庭结构青少年心目中的理想父母形象则没有差异。     

工作记忆负荷对注意缺陷多动障碍儿童过滤新异分心刺激能力的影响*

关于启动工作记忆负荷的强度与过滤分心刺激这两种认知资源的关系一直存在争论;并且对ADHD儿童来说,新异的分心刺激是提高了唤醒水平,还是干扰了任务进程也一直存在争论。本研究选取了ADHD儿童32名,正常儿童35名。采用视听跨通道oddball任务,通过操作视觉任务工作记忆负荷的高低,以及分心刺激与目标刺激之间的时间间隔,探讨不同工作记忆负荷对 ADHD 儿童过滤新异分心刺激能力的影响。结果发现：(1)在低工作记忆负荷条件下,分心刺激对两组儿童都起到了唤醒作用;在高工作记忆负荷条件下,分心刺激影响了两组儿童对任务本身的加工过程,使其判断的精确性下降。但是 ADHD 儿童受到的影响更大,表明其过滤分心刺激的能力落后。(2)当分心刺激与目标刺激同时出现时, ADHD儿童受到的干扰最大;但随着二者时间间隔的延长,并没有出现间隔越长干扰效应越小的趋势。在本研究条件下,得出以下结论：(1)两组儿童对跨通道新异分心刺激的过滤受到目标任务的工作记忆负荷强度的影响。(2)适度延长分心刺激与目标刺激之间的时间间隔可能会帮助ADHD的注意回归。