物理学家和他们心中的上帝

物理学家作为一个社会的人,他可以信神,也可以不信。或者说他有信与不信任何一种宗教的自由。但作为一个科学家,无论他们是不是信奉宗教的,他们的科学研究工作实际上是与宗教教义相悖的。"尽管近代早期的一些科学家们从事科学研究的动机可以是来自于宗教,他们本人也可以是虔诚的宗教徒,可一日他们的科学发现与宗教教义相抵     

Distance perception across spatial discontinuities

We investigated the use of nested contact relations in perceiving the relative distance of locations on discontinuous surfaces. Observers viewed computer-generated displays under monocular static conditions and adjusted a marker to match the perceived distance of a cube. The marker and cube were raised above the ground by two different platforms separated by a gap. The relative heights and distances of the platforms were varied. We found the following: (1) When spatially discontinuous surfaces are coplanar, locations of objects resting on these surfaces appear to be compared directly, bypassing relations with the underlying ground plane. (2) Spatial displacement between the platforms produces a bias, in the direction of the displacement, in the perceived relative locations of objects resting on the platforms. This suggests that local spatial relations between objects and their platforms are only partially integrated with more global spatial relations between the discontinuous surfaces of the platforms.     

Distance perception mediated through nested contact relations among surfaces

In complex natural scenes, objects at different spatial locations can usually be related to each other through nested contact relations among adjoining surfaces. Our research asks how well human observers, under monocular static viewing conditions, are able to utilize this information in distance perception. We present computer-generated naturalistic scenes of a cube resting on a platform, which is in turn resting on the ground. Observers adjust the location of a marker on the ground to equal the perceived distance of the cube. We find that (1) perceived distance of the cube varies appropriately as the perceived location of contact between the platform and the ground varies; (2) variability increases systematically as the relating surfaces move apart; and (3) certain local edge alignments allow precise propagation of distance information. These results demonstrate considerable efficiency in the mediation of distance perception through nested contact relations among surfaces.     

Entrevista con el professor Johannes C. Brengelmann

RESUMEN

Johannes C. Brengelmann dirige la sección de Psicología del instituto Max-Planck de Munich y es ampliamente conocido en España por su influencia directa o indirecta sobre algunos de los psicólogos que más han contribuido a la extensión de las técnicas de Modificación de Conducta en España. Tanto desde una perspectiva institucional como desde un punto de vista científico, su aportación al desarrollo de los procedimientos conductuales en Europa ha sido decisiva. En esta entrevista, el profesor Brengelmann, se refiere a las influencias recibidas en su formación, sus intereses actuales en la psicología clínica y medicina comportamental y la organización del trabajo en la sección de psicología del Instituto Max-Planck de psiquiatría. También evalúa críticamente el desarrollo de las terapias cognitivas y valora el desarrollo de la psicología española en el contexto de la Europea.     

2008 Revision of the Chinese Code of Ethical Use of Psychological Tests and Its Implementation Status

In response to the rapidly increasing application and abuse of psychological tests in China, the Psychometrics Division of the Chinese Psychological Society published the 2008 revisions of the Chinese Code of Ethical Use of Psychological Tests. We investigated the implementation status of the code 2½ years after its promulgation. Sample included 284 psychological professionals and psychology graduate students. The average accuracy rate for the appropriate use of psychological tests was 67.1% (range = 25.5–97.5%), with 10 items having accuracy rates below 45%. Participants remained uncertain about the clients' rights to information about the purpose, psychometric properties, and scores of the tests. The most frequent violations involved “using psychological tests without psychometric information for entertainment purposes” and “using SCL-90 to measure mental health of normal people.”     

阅读过程中的注视位置效应

注视位置效应是指在阅读过程中,读者的眼跳往往定位于一个单词的特定位置。探讨影响读者注视位置的因素,是当前阅读过程中眼动控制的基本问题之一。文章对不同语言文字系统中注视位置效应的最新进展进行综述,主要内容包括：（1）阅读拼音文字时的注视位置效应,包括阅读有词间空格的拼音文字时的注视位置效应,特别是单词的词长、词间空格、词频和预测性对注视位置的影响以及该效应出现的年龄特征与个体差异等,以及阅读泰语和日语时的注视位置效应;（2）阅读中文时的注视位置效应。最后,文章指出了未来中文阅读中注视位置效应研究尚需解决的几个问题。     

双语词汇理解切换中非目标语言加工

实验采用直接语音掩蔽启动范式,通过掩蔽词的有、无呈现对切换后单词的读音判断反应时产生影响,进而了解非熟练双语者双语理解切换中非目标语言加工状态。实验结果表明,无呈现掩蔽词组的反应时比有呈现组的判断反应时长;不同掩蔽词呈现时间两组中切换反应时判断不显著。实验证明无论是哪一种语言作为非目标语言,其在词汇层上均都不会被激活;双语词汇理解切换中,切换至熟练语言比切换至不熟练语言切换代价小。     

The relationship between learning goal orientation,goal setting,and performance: a longitudinal study

In an educational setting, we examined the relationship of learning goal orientation with goal setting and performance over time. At the first time point, we assessed levels of trait learning goal orientation and asked participants to set performance goals. At each follow‐up time point, we reported to participants their current course grade and allowed them to revise their goals. Learning goal orientation was associated with both setting higher goals and maintaining higher performance over time. Additionally, the relationship of learning goal orientation and performance was found to be mediated by goal setting.     

Asian Couples in Negotiation: A Mixed‐Method Observational Study of Cultural Variations Across Five Asian Regions

The purpose of this study was to explore variations in how contemporary couples from five different Asian regions negotiate disagreements. Video recordings of 50 couples (10 each from Japan, Korea, Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong) discussing unresolved disagreements provided raw data for quantitative and qualitative analyses. First, teams of coders from each region used a common protocol to make quantitative ratings of content themes and interaction patterns for couples from their own region. An interregional panel of investigators then performed in‐depth qualitative reviews for half of these cases, noting cultural differences not only in observed patterns of couple behavior but also in their own perceptions of these patterns. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed clear regional differences on dimensions such as overt negativity, demand‐withdraw interaction, and collaboration. The qualitative results also provided a richer, more nuanced view of other (e.g., gender‐linked) conflict management patterns that the quantitative analyses did not capture. Inconsistencies between qualitative and quantitative data and between the qualitative observations of investigators from different regions were most pronounced for couples from Korea and Japan, whose conflict styles were subtler and less direct than those of couples from the other regions.     

Does early-career underemployment impact future career success? A path dependency perspective

Whereas many studies have shown that underemployed people experience lower objective career success and lower subjective career success while being underemployed, little research has been done on the lasting effects of underemployment. This study addresses the role of time in career success research by examining the impact of level underemployment, content underemployment and contingent employment on subsequent objective (i.e. salary) and subjective career success (i.e. job satisfaction). Our 10-year longitudinal dataset of 335 Dutch university graduates permits us to examine the impact of preceding underemployment as well as the specific timing of the underemployment in one's career. The multilevel analysis results illustrate that level and contingent underemployment have a negative impact on future pay, whereas content underemployment negatively affects job satisfaction five years later. In addition, for level underemployment also the timing turns out to matter, suggesting that the signal that it sends to employers may differ depending on when in one's career it happened. Taken together, these findings point to the importance of using a path-dependency perspective when trying to understand people's career success.