Brain bases of English morphological processing: A comparison between Chinese-English,Spanish-English bilingual,and English monolingual children

How do early bilingual experiences influence children's neural architecture for word processing? Dual language acquisition can yield common influences that may be shared across different bilingual groups, as well as language-specific influences stemming from a given language pairing. To investigate these effects, we examined bilingual English speakers of Chinese or Spanish, and English monolinguals, all raised in the US (N = 152, ages 5–10). Children completed an English morphological word processing task during fNIRS neuroimaging. The findings revealed both language-specific and shared bilingual effects. The language-specific effects were that Chinese and Spanish bilinguals showed principled differences in their neural organization for English lexical morphology. The common bilingual effects shared by the two groups were that in both bilingual groups, increased home language proficiency was associated with stronger left superior temporal gyrus (STG) activation when processing the English word structures that are most dissimilar from the home language. The findings inform theories of language and brain development during the key periods of neural reorganization for learning to read by illuminating experience-based plasticity in linguistically diverse learners.     

Nest box entrance hole size can influence nest site selection and nest defence behaviour in Japanese tits

Animal Cognition - Birds have the ability to assess the risk of predation in their environment and adjust their antipredation strategies based on this risk information. However, whether nest site...     

Ordinance influences individuals' perceptions towards prospects of social circumstance but not the status quo: An experimental field study on sexual minorities issues in Japan

Scientific evidence shows that institutional decisions can change individuals' private attitudes towards relevant issues. However, little is known about their effect on individuals' perceptions of social norms. This intriguing question has gained the attention of scholars. Nonetheless, the findings are primarily observed only in samples of the Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, and Democratic countries, leading to doubts about their generalisability. This study experimentally tested residents' (N = 411) reactions to the new Tokyo ordinance prohibiting discrimination against sexual minorities enacted on October 5, 2018, and tested whether it dispelled self–other discrepancies regarding tolerance towards sexual minorities (i.e., pluralistic ignorance). The results showed that exposure to information about enactment increased future perceptions of support and understanding of sexual minorities. By contrast, private attitudes, perceptions of current social norms, and willingness to speak out did not change. Willingness to speak out was indirectly enhanced through increased perceptions of gaining future support. Furthermore, Tokyo residents overestimated other residents' negative attitudes towards sexual minorities. However, even when informed of the new ordinance, this self–other discrepancy in intolerance towards sexual minorities was not corrected. These findings suggest that institutional decisions can shape the perception of social norm change in the future beyond Western countries.     

Digital literacy and green consumption behavior: Exploring dual psychological mechanisms

Green consumption has been developing into a booming trend due to alarming environmental problems. This study examines the relationship between the consumers' digital literacy and green consumption behavior and explores two different mechanisms based on social cognitive theory and self-regulatory theory. The cognition-based mechanism includes self-efficacy and outcome expectation; the affect-based mechanism includes anticipated pride and anticipated guilt. In addition, we investigate how green product availability moderates the relationships between four mediators and green consumption behavior. Across two studies, the results indicate that the consumers' digital literacy influences green consumption behavior through self-efficacy, outcome expectation, anticipated pride, and anticipated guilt. Moreover, green product availability boosts the effects of self-efficacy and anticipated pride on green consumption behavior. Our research has theoretical contributions to understanding the formation of green consumption behavior. It also provides practical implications for how to effectively guide and promote green consumption behavior.     

信号检测论方法引入集值统计试验

集值统计是模糊数学方法的应用,信号检测论之评价法与有无法实验满足集值统计条件,可用集值统计的程度函数表示辨别力或感受性的大小。本文提出两种计算程度函数的数学模型:(1)a=1/K[∑a_(k1·CP_(k1)(Y/SN)+∑a_(k2)·CP_(k2)(Y/N)],(2)f(u)=1/2[∑a_(k1)·P_(k1)(Y/SN)+∑a_(k2)·P_(k2)(Y/N)]。试验结果证实两种模型所计算的程度函数与信号检测论方法所计算的辨别力指数d’有高相关(r_(ad’)=0.842,r_f(u)d’=0.953、n=67),程度函数与d’一样,不仅可以作为辨别力的指标,而且可将判断标准与辨别力分开,不同的是程度函数用β=a_N/a_(SN)或β=f_N(u)/f_(SN)(U)计算的判断标准是一次性综合判断。此点不同于信号检测论可对每一个类别反应的判断标准进行计算。程度函数与d’的计算都利用了对信号与噪音的反应信息。除上述二者的共同之处外,程度函数比d’还具有以下一些优越性:(1)程度函数应用集值统计,无须信号检测论要求对信号与噪音的感觉分布为正态的基本假设,可认为是非参数的方法;(2)可克服信号检测论方法不同判断标准下d’不稳定又难以解释的困难;(3)可适当地减少试验次数;(4)程度函数取值在0-1之间,易于形成量表值方便比较,意义清晰、明确;(5)更符合心理判断的实际状态。     

理解模糊概念的动态特征

本文探讨了不同场合下人脑理解模糊概念(量词、修饰词)的动态特点,并且考察了不同赋值区间(论域)、比较级的基数、上下关联(Context)等变量对理解给定的模糊概念的影响,特别考察了上述问题上的年龄差异。     

快速书写条件下硬笔笔迹变量与认知及个性特征的关系

以圆珠笔为书写工具．北京市某中学高一学生为被试,有效数据169人．探讨了在快速抄写条件下,笔迹书写特征与认知及个性的关系：18个笔迹变量可抽取笔压、结构、特征、字体和空间五个反映字的书写特征的因素;书写特征与认知因素间,横、竖笔压与概念形成速度。整篇压与视力追踪、字位与眼手协调相关显著;横笔压与16PF测验中的畏缩退怯——冒险敢为有正相关;竖笔压与艾森克个性因素的N有高相关。     

运用规则空间模型识别解题中的认知错误

运用规则空间模型识别学生解题中的认知错误,该模型将认知心理学,项目反应理论和数据库的代数理论相结合,将被试的二值反应模式映射为笛卡尔乘积空间的一组序偶,然后计算被试和错误规则在该空间的代表性位置之间的马氏距离,并通过贝叶斯决策准则划分被试的错误类型,根据６４４名中学生对３０个数学题目的反应,识别出其中８６％的学生可以被划分人１８种认知错误类型中。     

解题策略的同质性和线性逻辑斯谛模型的拟合

为探讨线性逻辑斯谛模型（ＬＬＴＭ）的拟合条件及其和解题策略同质性之间的关系,让被试比较两个负整数指数幂的大小,发现全体被试的数据不能与拉希模型及ＬＬＴＭ相拟合。把被试按其解题策略分成不同策略组后,同一策略组被试的数据可以拟合于拉希模型,但对于ＬＬＴＭ,同一策略组的数据中部分项目的拟合较好,另外一些项目的拟合较差。这一结果表明,解题策略的同质性是ＬＬＴＭ拟合的必要条件,但还不是充分条件。