Object‐Label‐Order Effect When Learning From an Inconsistent Source

Learning in natural environments is often characterized by a degree of inconsistency from an input. These inconsistencies occur, for example, when learning from more than one source, or when the presence of environmental noise distorts incoming information; as a result, the task faced by the learner becomes ambiguous. In this study, we investigate how learners handle such situations. We focus on the setting where a learner receives and processes a sequence of utterances to master associations between objects and their labels, where the source is inconsistent by design: It uses both “correct” and “incorrect” object‐label pairings. We hypothesize that depending on the order of presentation, the result of the learning may be different. To this end, we consider two types of symbolic learning procedures: the Object‐Label (OL) and the Label‐Object (LO) process. In the OL process, the learner is first exposed to the object, and then the label. In the LO process, this order is reversed. We perform experiments with human subjects, and also construct a computational model that is based on a nonlinear stochastic reinforcement learning algorithm. It is observed experimentally that OL learners are generally better at processing inconsistent input compared to LO learners. We show that the patterns observed in the learning experiments can be reproduced in the simulations if the model includes (a) an ability to regularize the input (and also to do the opposite, i.e., undermatch) and (b) an ability to take account of implicit negative evidence (i.e., interactions among different objects/labels). The model suggests that while both types of learners utilize implicit negative evidence in a similar way, there is a difference in regularization patterns: OL learners regularize the input, whereas LO learners undermatch. As a result, OL learners are able to form a more consistent system of image‐utterance associations, despite the ambiguous learning task.     

Ambivalent sexism,attitudes towards menstruation and menstrual cycle‐related symptoms

The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between ambivalent sexism and beliefs and attitudes towards menstruation, and, in turn, to study the influence of these variables on menstrual cycle‐related symptoms. One hundred and six Mexican women completed the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, the Beliefs about and Attitudes toward Menstruation Questionnaire and the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire. The higher scores on benevolent sexism were associated with the most positive attitudes towards menstruation and also with the belief that a menstruating woman should or should not do some activities and that menstruation keeps women from their daily activities. The higher scores on hostile sexism were associated with rejection of menstruation as well as with feelings of embarrassment about it. Beliefs about and attitudes towards menstruation predicted menstrual cycle‐related symptoms related to negative affect, impaired concentration and behavioural changes, but did not predict somatic symptoms. These results will be useful to health professionals and advocates who want to change the negative expectations and stereotypes of premenstrual and menstrual women and reduce the sexism and negative attitudes towards women that are evident in Mexican culture.     

Latent variable models for analyzing children's processing ability

In this paper, we develop a latent processing ability model to analyze the speed of processing ability data. Our approach can not only effectively evaluate the effects of covariates on the latent processing ability, but also estimate the latent trait of each child by calculating its posterior mean. In addition, we derive the correlations structure of latent traits among different age groups. Simulations are conducted to evaluate the performance of our proposed model. The results indicated that the estimation of model parameters is satisfactory overall. The method is evaluated using real data from children aged 4–7 years in Changchun, China.     

普通高中实施选修课的心理认可度及其影响因素——基于宁波市教师与学生群体的调查分析

以宁波市三种类型六所普通中学为样本,以学生群体和教师群体为对象,采用问卷评定法,以心理认可度为指标,探讨了普通中学师生对于实施选修课制度的主观评价及其相关因素.结果发现：整体而言,学生和任课教师对宁波市普通高中实施选修课的心理认可度较高;存在的主要问题,是学生对选修课学习效果的认可度较低,而教师对学校开展选修课的教学条件的认可度较低,且认为实施选修课制度的外部阻力较大;特色类和融通类学校落实选修课制度的观念性阻力较大;中老年教师对开设选修课的适应性较低.进一步完善选修课制度,需要从教师、学校和政府三个方面形成合力,共同推动旨在促进学生个性化发展的选修课制度的健康发展.     

言语吸引力影响因素探索：物理属性和社会特征

语音吸引力是个体吸引力的重要组成部分。为探索言语吸引力影响因素,以汉语词汇为材料,设计实验分析语音基频、共振峰等物理属性以及词义、声音受喜欢程度和语音性别等社会属性对语音吸引力的影响。结果表明：分析物理属性,基频、共振峰等并未能预测语音吸引力;分析社会属性,较之词语意义,声音本身具有的吸引力水平对言语吸引力评价影响更大;而男性和女性对两种性别言语吸引力评价差异不显著。言语吸引力评价在男性和女性间具有一致性：＂好声音＂比＂会说话＂更加容易被认为具有吸引力。     

The Police Officer's Dilemma: A Decade of Research on Racial Bias in the Decision to Shoot

We review sociological, correlational, and experimental research that examines the effect of a target's race on the decision to shoot. Much of this work involves computer‐based simulations of a police encounter, in which a participant must decide whether or not to shoot a potentially hostile target who is either Black or White. Experimental work with undergraduate participants reveals a clear pattern of bias (a tendency to shoot Black targets but not Whites), which is associated with stereotypes linking Blacks with the concept of danger. Subsequent work with police officers presents a more complex pattern. Although police are affected by target race in some respects, they generally do not show a biased pattern of shooting. We suggest that police performance depends on the exercise of cognitive control, which allows officers to overcome the influence of stereotypes, and we conclude with potential implications of this research for law enforcement.     

Site preference and alloying effect of Re atoms in the edge dislocation cores in Ni3Al

Using Cambridge sequential total energy package method based on the density functional theory, we investigated the site preference and alloying effect of Re atoms in the [1 0 0] (0 1 0) edge dislocation cores in Ni₃Al. Due to the introduction of a Re atom, the energetic and electronic structure of dislocation core systems have been changed a lot. The binding energy results suggest Re atom prefers Al site, especially the centre site in the centre-Al system, which can be explained by the results of Mulliken orbital population and density of states. When Re atom occupies the centre site in the centre-Al system, the DC system has the highest stability and stronger bonds formed between the Re atom and its nearest neighbouring atom due to hybridization of the Re-5d and Ni-3d orbitals.     

Dynamic precipitation of Al–Zn alloy during rolling and accumulative roll bonding

In this study, cold rolling was performed on a binary Al–20 wt%Zn alloy and dynamic precipitation identified for the first time in Al alloys under cold rolling. Zn clusters formed after application of 0.6 strain, and the Zn phase precipitated upon further increasing strain. Both grain refinement and rolling-induced defects are considered to promote Zn precipitation. The hardness of Al–Zn alloy initially increased with strain up to a strain of 2.9 and then decreased with increasing rolling strain. Dynamic precipitation greatly affects the strengthening mechanism of the rolled Al–Zn alloy under various strains.