Can Toddlers Learn Vocabulary from Television? An Experimental Approach

This study was inspired by the rise in television targeting toddlers and preverbal infants (e.g., Teletubbies, Baby Mozart). Overall, we investigated if very young children who are in the early stages of language acquisition can learn vocabulary quickly (fast map) from television programs. Using a fast mapping paradigm, this study examined a group (n = 48) of toddlers (15–24 months) and their ability to learn novel words. Utilizing a repeated measures design, we compared children's ability to learn various novel words in 5 different conditions. These included the presentation and identification of a novel word by an adult speaker via live presentation when the toddler was attending (i.e., joint reference), an adult via live presentation when the toddler was not attending, an adult speaker on television, and an edited clip from a children's television program (Teletubbies). Overall, the toddlers were most successful in learning novel words in the joint reference condition. They were significantly less successful in the children's program condition. Furthermore, there was a significant interaction between age and condition on children's performance. Both younger (15–21 months) and older (22–24 months) participants identified the target objects when they were taught the novel word by an adult speaker; however, it appeared that children under the age of 22 months did not identify the target item when they were taught the novel word via the television program.     

Electroencephalography when meditation advances: a case-based time-series analysis

Increased alpha and theta activities in electroencephalography (EEG) have been found during various forms of meditation. However, advanced stage of meditation drew less attention to date. We aimed at exploring EEG characteristics during advanced meditation. Bilateral absolute alpha and theta EEG powers were recorded when a single meditator at rest, exercising breath meditation, and reaching the advanced meditative stage in 10 sessions of meditation. Averaged time-series data were analyzed using simulation modeling analysis to compare the powers during different meditative phases. During breath meditation, significantly higher activities compared with baseline were found only in bilateral theta (P = 0.0406, 0.0158 for left and right sides, respectively), but not in alpha (P = 0.1412, 0.0978 for left and right sides, respectively) bands. When meditation advanced, significantly increased activities were found both in bilateral alpha (P = 0.0218, 0.0258 for left and right sides, respectively) and theta (P = 0.0308, 0.0260 for left and right sides, respectively) bands compared against breath meditation. When advanced meditation compared against baseline, bilateral alpha (P = 0.0001, 0.0001 for left and right sides, respectively) and theta (P = 0.0001, 0.0001 for left and right sides, respectively) bands revealed significantly increased activities. Our findings support that internalized attention manifested as theta activity continuingly enhances significantly in sequential phases of meditation, while relaxation manifested as alpha activity is significant only after the advanced meditative phase is reached.     

The Psychological Displacement Paradigm in Diary-Writing (PDPD) and its Psychological Benefits

The present study aimed to investigate the psychological displacement paradigm in diary-writing (PDPD) had both immediate and short-term psychological benefits. Participants were randomly assigned to write about their recent negative life experiences two times a week for 2 weeks in PDPD group or comparison group. Results revealed that the PDPD group displayed a decrease in negative emotion and an increase in positive emotion immediately after each writing session; they also showed an increase in psychological well-being relative to the comparison group for at least 2 weeks. Implications for PDPD are discussed.     

教育编辑胜任力模型的构建与验证

根据教育出版社编辑工作特征,运用调查研究法、特尔菲(Delphi)专家评价法等,编制了编辑胜任力调查量表,通过对分布在全国的7个教育出版社301名编辑问卷测试,并对测试数据采用因素分析与验证分析的方法进行了系统分析,建构了教育编辑胜任力模型。研究结果表明,教育编辑胜任力主要由工作取向、自我取向、人际取向3方面8个因子构成。本研究为教育出版社的优秀编辑的培养、选拔及测评方面提供了新的理论依据。     

意外考试悖论的博弈分析

本文从博弈的角度分析了意外考试悖论,指出了以往解决方案的不足,给出了一种新的方案。根据这个新方案,考试悖论的推理中使用了倒推法和弱下策反复剔除法。本文接着讨论了这些博弈推理方法的不足。然后把这个新的博弈方案用到卡片悖论和方格悖论这些考试悖论的变种里。最后指出,在考试悖论里,比起倒推法,弱下策剔除法是引起悖论的更根本的原因。     

汉字形码和音码的整体性对部件识别的影响

本实验从分析汉字整体知觉的具体表现形式入手,通过三个实验探讨字的整体知觉对部件知觉的影响。实验一以分解方式为变量,考查字形整体知觉对部件识别的影响,发现识别不同结构的字的部件之活动受知觉分解路线(如顺读或逆读)的影响。作者认为这种分解方式效应很可能跟部位有关。实验二证实了这一分析,并进而认为部位效应又跟部位与字形整体知觉的紧密程度有关。实验三以语音码为变量,发现成字部件的字音与整体字语音一致者(形声字),其分解知觉成绩比不一致者(非形声字)有明显的优势。这意味着,整体字音知觉的单一性对部件知觉的作用。最后,本研究还考查了部件识别法的有效性,并认为在研究知觉的整体与部分关系问题时,该法不失为一种新的实验范型。     

两例先天性无痛症患者的心理生理特点研究 Ⅱ.对致痛性强刺激的知觉和反应

本工作对两例先天性无痛症患者对于致痛性强刺激的知觉和反应进行了研究(例1女,10岁,例2男,13岁)。对照组为20例正常儿童,性别和年龄均与患儿相匹配。 结果:1),生活中痛:两例患儿均无(包括痛感觉和痛反应)。2)实验性痛:①痛感觉:两例患儿均无;②“痛”反应:例1有“痛”反应(脉搏和呼吸的变化以及行为反应明显,大致与正常儿童相似)。例2无“痛”反应(脉搏和呼吸的变化轻微,无行为反应,与正常儿童不同)。 由结果看来,先天性无痛症患者似乎可分为两种类型:不完全型(如同例1)和完全型(如同例2)。存在有“痛”反应而无痛感觉的无痛症患者。 本工作结果从另一侧面为痛的两成分学说提供了依据。     

《太一生水》“神明”新释

自郭店竹简面世以来,《太一生水》引起举世瞩目,对其“神明”的诠释见仁见智。本文在全面总结了对《太一生水》之“神明”的各种解释的基础上,结合《太一生水》的宇宙论系统,提出了对“神明”的新诠释.     

汉族、基诺族及布朗族7～9岁儿童心理旋转能力的比较研究

该研究探讨了我国7～9岁汉族、基诺族、布朗族儿童的“心理旋转”能力,了解不同民族的文化背景、年龄及性别差异是否对“心理旋转”产生影响。结果表明：汉族儿童的结果与基诺族及布朗族儿童结果存在明显差异,7～9岁儿童的心理旋转能力随着年龄增长而发展。未见男女性别上存在“心理旋转”能力上的差异。