Correlation between gray/white matter volume and cognition in healthy elderly people

This study applied volumetric analysis and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) of brain magnetic resonance (MR) images to assess whether correlations exist between global and regional gray/white matter volume and the cognitive functions of semantic memory and short-term memory, which are relatively well preserved with aging, using MR image data from 109 community-dwelling healthy elderly individuals. We used the Information and Digit Span subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligent Scale-Revised as measures of semantic memory and short-term memory, respectively. We found significant positive correlations between the gray matter ratio, the percentage of gray matter volume in the intracranial volume, and performance on the Digit Span subtest, and between the regional gray matter volumes of the bilateral anterior temporal lobes and performance on the Information subtest. No significant correlations between performance on the cognitive tests and white matter volume were found. Our results suggest that individual variability in specific cognitive functions that are relatively well preserved with aging is accounted for by the variability of gray matter volume in healthy elderly subjects.     

Spontaneous trait inference is culture-specific: behavioral and neural evidence

People with an independent model of the self may be expected to develop a spontaneous tendency to infer a personality trait from another person's behavior, but those with an interdependent model of the self may not show such a tendency. We tested this prediction by assessing the cumulative effect of both trait activation and trait binding in a diagnostic task that required no trait inference. Participants first memorized pairings of facial photos with trait-implying behavior. In a subsequent lexical decision task, European Americans showed clear evidence of spontaneous trait inference: When they were primed with a previously studied face, lexical decision for the word for the implied trait associated with that face was facilitated, and the antonym of the implied trait elicited an electrophysiological sign associated with processing of semantically inconsistent information (i.e., the N400). As predicted, however, neither effect was observed for Asian Americans. The cultural difference was mediated by independent self-construal.     

论社会主体如何可能——面对人类解放的困惑

唯物史观通过对资本主义生产现实的批判,认为人类解放是历史的必然.人类解放将产生全新的社会主体,社会能够预先规划全面合理的社会生产活动.作为主体的社会既与通常的个体形态的主体相似,又比个人主体更有能力,是一个"社会-鲁滨逊".社会-鲁滨逊的可能性乃至必然性一方面依赖于想象力,另一方面依赖于辩证法.想象力虽具有创造性,却根本地受制于经验.而辩证法是在反思性前提下呈现客观历史进程的,它只有去除反思性才能预断未来,但这样它的效力就会成为问题.就这两方面来说,作为主体的社会总不免令人产生理智上的困惑.     

听力障碍幼儿情绪理解的干预研究

根据听障幼儿情绪理解发展特点,编制了情绪理解干预课程,并进行为期12周的干预训练。研究结果表明：干预训练显著提高了听障幼儿的外部情绪理解水平和内部情绪状态理解水平;不同性别听障幼儿在情绪理解干预课程中的表现有所不同,女生在信念理解、道德情绪理解和情绪原因理解中的干预效果均显著优于男生。本研究所编制的干预课程对于促进听障幼儿情绪理解发展的效果良好。     

孟子的“恻隐之心”与列维纳斯的“感受性”——兼与伍晓明先生商榷

孟子对于恻隐之心的叙述与列维纳斯对于感受性的描写存在着诸多相似之处。但是,作为两种异质文化的产物,恻隐之心与感受性之间的差别也是甚为明显的。恻隐之心是内在具有的、先天禀赋的,感受性是他人赋予的、后天获得的;恻隐之心所发出的道德律是自律的,源于感受性的道德律则是他律的。     

‘Diverse Epistemologies’, Truth and Archaeology: In Defence of Realism

In a recent journal article, as well as in a recent book chapter, in which she critiques my position on ‘indigenous knowledge’, Lesley Green of the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of Cape Town argues that ‘diverse epistemologies ought to be evaluated not on their capacity to express a strict realism but on their ability to advance understanding’. In order to examine the implications of Green’s arguments, and of Nelson Goodman and Catherine Elgin’s work in this regard, I apply them to a well-known controversy between Native American (or First Nations) creationism and archaeology. I argue that issues in social justice should be distinguished from issues in epistemology. Moreover, in tightening in this paper the link between knowledge and truth, I attempt to defend science as a ‘privileged way of seeing the world’. The analysis of truth, and of related concepts like reality and ‘the way the world is’, will assume a central role here. I contend that, ultimately, the only coherent and consistent position is a realist view of the pertinent issues and ideas.     

摩梭人亲属词的概念结构——兼与汉族、纳西族亲属词的概念结构比较

采用自由分类法探讨了摩梭人亲属词的概念结构。结果表明:(1)摩梭人亲属词的概念结构有两个维度:"亲属的亲密程度"和"辈分大小"。这与汉族和纳西族亲属词的概念结构既相似,又存在差异。摩梭人亲属词分类的特点反映了独特的母系家庭和婚姻制度。(2)舅权和父权在摩梭人的亲属关系中正在经历着变化。作者对"摩梭母系制是原始母系制的‘活化石’"的观点提出了质疑。     

制度性宗教VS分散性宗教——关于杨庆堃《中国社会中的宗教》的讨论

<正>杨庆堃的《中国社会中的宗教》中译本问世后,产生了很大的影响。人们在阅读之后,有所消化和吸收,有些学者在学术上深入"反刍",提出了许多值得进一步思考的问题。《世界宗教文化》编辑部特邀《中国社会中的宗教》的主译者、上海复旦大学的范丽珠教授,上海复旦大学     

Neurocognitive functioning of preschool children with uncomplicated epilepsy

Only few studies are available on the cognitive functioning of preschool children with uncomplicated epilepsy. The aim of this study was to describe the neurocognitive functioning of 3–6-year-old children with uncomplicated epilepsy. A subgroup of children with uncomplicated epilepsy from a population based cohort of preschool children with active epilepsy (N = 64) participated in the study. The neurocognitive functioning of these children (N = 13) was compared to that of matched healthy controls (N = 13). The Wechsler's Primary and Preschool Scale of Intelligence - Revised and the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment were administered. The intellectual functioning of the children with uncomplicated epilepsy was within normal range, but differed significantly from that of healthy controls, which was contrary to expectations. Statistically significant differences emerged between the study and the control group in Verbal IQ and Full Scale IQ, but no differences were found in Performance IQ. The children with uncomplicated epilepsy also had minor neurocognitive difficulties in verbal short-term memory (p <.01) compared to healthy children. The result suggests that uncomplicated epilepsy in preschool children may interfere with language and verbal short-term memory functions. Further studies with detailed neuropsychological assessments and follow-up time are needed to gain more insight into the developmental course of children with uncomplicated epilepsy. Also, because of the developmental risks reported in this study, psychological screening and detailed neuropsychological assessment are recommended in clinical practice.