Number-word sequence skill and arithmetic performance

In two studies, the role of the number‐word sequence skill for arithmetic performance was investigated. In the first, children between 4 and 8 years of age were asked to count forward and backward on the number‐word sequence and to solve arithmetic problems followed by post‐solution interviews about solution procedures. The results demonstrated that the number‐word sequence skill predicted both number of problems solved and strategy to solve the problems. In Study 2 it was found that solving doubles (e.g., 2 + 2 = ?) problems served as a link between the number‐word sequence skill and the number of arithmetic problems solved. The findings suggest that counting on the number‐word sequence may be an early solution procedure and that, with increasing counting skill, the child may detect regularities in the number‐word sequence that can be used to form new and more accurate strategies for solving arithmetic problems.     

The effect of justified video game violence on aggressive behavior and moderated immersion: An experimental approach

The effect of violent video games on aggressive behavior is an important topic in the field of game research. Recently, growing evidence suggests that justified game violence decreases feelings of guilt caused by in-game immoral behavior. However, little is known about the impact on aggressive behavior, and whether other factors moderate this effect. In a two-factor experiment, we tested the impact of justification of video game violence on aggressive behavior, and whether this effect would be enhanced by game immersion. Pilot experiment 1 (N = 60) and pilot experiment 2 (N = 40) demonstrated that the justification of violence and game immersion was successfully controlled by avatar and graphics quality. In the Main experiment, 123 participants played one of four conditions of a video game (2 [justification: justified vs. unjustified violence] × 2 [immersion: high vs. low immersion]) and it was found that participants who played in the justified violence condition reported greater aggressive behavior than those in the unjustified violence condition. In addition, participants who played in high immersion reported greater aggressive behavior than those in low immersion. However, game immersion did not moderate the effects of justified violence. This unexpected effect is likely due to participants' distancing themselves from and identifying less with their violent avatars.     

Social attitudes and education: Self-selection or socialization?

The aim of this study was to replicate earlier findings (Ekehammar et al., 1987) concerning the relationship between social attitudes and educational direction and field of study, by addressing further the causality issue. The sample comprised 256 Swedish adolescents from metropolitan Stockholm attending the two lowest grades in secondary school (modal age was 17 years). The main findings of the previous study were replicated, although the statistical power was weaker. Two higher-order attitude dimensions (labeled Political-economic conservatism and Social conservatism) discriminated between six groups, based on combinations of the two aspects of education. The main picture evidenced a socialization effect regarding Political-economic conservatism and a self-selection explanation for Social conservatism. Introducing intellectual ability as an independent variable in the causal model, affecting both educational direction and social attitudes, weakened the relationship, as compared to the previous study.     

自我职业选择测验(SDS)的试用报告

本研究对自我职业选择测验 (SDS) 1 985年版进行了修订 ,并在武汉市中学生中进行了适用性的验证。在原测验中译本基础上 ,进行了项目修改、项目分析、信效度检验等标准化工作。结果表明 :①该测验具有良好的项目特性 ;②该测验同质性信度、分半信度均达到一般心理测验要求标准 ;③该测验结构效度与效标关联效度亦较为理想 ;④个别项目仍有待于进一步修改 ,取样还应面向全国 ,以利于进一步的推广作用。在武汉市中学生中的试用结果表明 :①该测验可以作为中学生职业辅导的选用工具 ;②在该测验中使用标准分代替粗分更具科学性。     

Some relevant factors in the transfer of material from short-term to long-term memory

The relationship between short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) for digits was investigated by means of a Hebb-type experiment, viz. a presentation of a series of nine-digit numbers, in which a certain number recurs at intervals. Improvement in performance, with regard to the critical, or recurring, number was found when the rehearsal grouping was three-three-and-three, but was absent when there were no opportunities for rehearsal or when the rehearsal strategy was grouping five-and-four or searching for systematic numbers.

However, if an overt recall response was given on each occasion the recurring number was presented, improved performance was found even with rehearsal stratgegy five-and-four.

The conclusion was drawn that rehearsal is the main transferring mechanism from STM to LTM, with the occurrence of an over recall response as a subsidiary factor.     

保安处分视角下精神病人强制医疗范式探析

精神病人刑事强制医疗的刑法实体法依据只有总则第十八条,实践中关于精神病人的刑事强制医疗程序并无统一标准而适用各异.保安处分是西方大陆法系国家广泛接受和适用的一种方法,从保安处分理论之本意出发,应该完善我国精神病人刑事强制医疗,重塑保安处分视角中的精神病人强制医疗.     

青少年“无聊症候群”问题探讨

为了探讨我国学校青少年“无聊症候群”问题的有关现状及成因,选取浙江省4个地区7所中学的613名中学生为研究对象,采用自编量表进行调查。研究发现：(1)“无聊症候群”问题在青少年群体中具有较高比例;(2)男生总体平均得分显著地高于女生;(3)城区中学学生总体平均得分显著地高于乡镇中学学生;(4)独生子女与非独生子女总体上无显著性差异;(5)六个年级间总体上无显著性差异。     

Spatial interaction effects in letter processing

The hypothesis of independent processing channels was tested in a letter-recognition task. Letter space and retinal position were varied for both unilateral and bilateral presentations of two-letter configurations. The response latencies indicated contour interference effects for small letter spaces as well as a different type of processing delay which increased rapidly with increased letter distance from the fixation point. The latter effect was assumed to represent an interaction between the feature extraction processes of the adjacent letters. Since the processing capacity decreases as a function of the distance from the fovea, the reaction times were correspondingly lengthened.     

Relationship between job burnout and personal wellness in mental health professionals

This study aimed to determine the nature of the relationship between job burnout and personal wellness among mental health professionals. The authors performed intercorrelations and multivariate multiple regression analyses to identify the relationship between subscales of job burnout and personal wellness. Results showed that all subscales of job burnout, except for the Negative Work Environment subscale, significantly predicted a large amount of the variance in the collective personal wellness subscales. Implications for mental health professionals’ clinical practice, training, and supervision and limitations and prospects for future studies are discussed.     

Sex and age-related anxiety in a community sample of Norwegian adolescents

The first aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of anxiety and DSM-related anxiety symptom-clusters among adolescents (13-19 years of age) in middle Norway. A second aim was to examine the developmental trajectories of anxiety symptoms for boys and girls during adolescence. In a cross-sectional study, 1,802 students in junior high schools and high schools in the Mid-Norway Health Region filled out a questionnaire (a response-rate of 77%) including the SCARED self-report form (Birmaher et al., 1997) during one school hour. In line with findings of previous studies, girls reported higher anxiety-levels than did boys. A large gender-specific increase in anxiety in 14-15-year-old girls was also found. Apart from this age-specific effect, the results indicated a general reduction in anxiety during adolescence for all symptom groups except generalized anxiety and school phobia. The high anxiety levels in girls aged 13 to 14 years implicate a need for caution by clinicians because such high anxiety levels may be mistaken for the existence of an anxiety disorder. The rapid increase in anxiety symptoms among girls in early adolescence may reflect a heightened sensitivity in this age group, and may have implications for when to implement secondary prevention programs.