Behavioral evidence for a differential modulation of semantic processing and lexical production by aging: a full linear mixed-effects modeling approach

The effect of normal aging on lexical production and semantic processing was evaluated in 72 healthy participants. Four tasks were used, picture naming (PN), picture categorization (PC), numerical judgment (NJ), and color judgment (CJ). The dependence of reaction time (RT) and correct responses with age was accounted by mixed-effects models. Participants underwent neuropsychological testing for verbal, executive, and memory functions. The RTs increase significantly with age for all tasks. After parceling out the non-specific cognitive decline, as reflected by the NJ task, the RT for the PN task decreases with age. Behavioral data were interpreted in relation with neuropsychological scores. Our results suggest that (a) naming becomes more automatic and semantic processing slightly more difficult with age, and (b) a non-specific general slowdown of cognitive processing occurs with age. Lexical production remained unaltered, based on compensatory automatic processes. This study also suggests a possible slowdown of semantic processing, even in normal aging.     

Effects of perceptual and conceptual similarities on consumers' evaluations of copycat brand names

Copycats often choose brand names that mimic perceptual, conceptual, or both elements of leading brand names. Yet little is known about how perceptual and conceptual similarities of a copycat interact to affect consumers' evaluations, especially in logographic language systems (e.g., Chinese). Three laboratory experiments demonstrate that perceptual similarity alone leads to negative evaluations of copycat brand names; this negative effect, however, can be mitigated when conceptual similarity is added. The underlying mechanism for this effect can be traced to consumers' persuasion knowledge. Perceptual (vs. conceptual) similarity activates consumers' persuasion knowledge about the insincere motives of the copycat brand, which in turn shapes their brand evaluations. However, this effect can become less prominent when conceptual similarity is added because it alleviates use of persuasion knowledge, or when a consumer is in a happy mood because it neutralizes persuasion knowledge. These findings shed light on how different types of copycat strategies interact to affect copycat brand name evaluations and offer important implications for marketing practice. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Supervisor Humor and Employee Outcomes: The Role of Social Distance and Affective Trust in Supervisor

Purpose

To examine how social distance and affective trust in supervisor affect the relationships between supervisor humor and the psychological well-being and job performance of subordinates.

Design/Methodology/Approach

A survey was conducted among 322 matched supervisor–subordinate dyads in 14 South Korean organizations. Multi-level analyses were performed to test the research hypotheses, including the moderating effects.

Findings

Self-enhancing humor of supervisors was positively associated with the psychological well-being and job performance of subordinates. Affiliative humor was positively associated with psychological well-being, whereas aggressive humor was negatively associated with psychological well-being. In addition, supervisor humor was indirectly related to the psychological well-being of subordinates via social distance. Moreover, affective trust in supervisor significantly moderated the relationship between supervisor humor and social distance, such that the relationship between affiliative humor and social distance was stronger when affective trust in supervisor was high rather than low.

Implications

These findings are important in developing and refining humor theory on the responses of employees to various types of supervisor humor. Moreover, they provide practical implications for organizations. For example, organizations should note that supervisor humor may not always produce good results, and thus should encourage managers to use constructive humor. Similarly, supervisors should build a high-trust relationship with their subordinates to increase the effectiveness of their constructive humor.

Originality/Value

This study is one of the few studies that has examined the mechanism and boundary conditions of the effects of supervisor humor on employee outcomes.

     

Cumulative neurological factors associated with long-term outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors

Prior research has demonstrated the reliability and validity of the Neurological Predictor Scale (NPS) in relation to childhood brain tumor survivor outcomes; however, its use has not been examined in adult long-term survivors. The current study examines the concurrent validity of the NPS with long-term intellectual and adaptive outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors relative to individual variables alone. A total of 68 adult survivors of childhood brain tumors (M = 24 years old, SD = 4) almost 16 years post diagnosis (SD = 6) completed intellectual evaluations using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Survivors’ adaptive functioning skills were assessed via informant structured clinical interviews (SIB-R). NPS scores were computed from data acquired from medical records. The NPS was significantly associated with intellectual (R² = 0.208, p < .05) and adaptive outcomes (R² = 0.30, p < .05) over and above individual risk factors. Approximately 18% of long-term survivors were identified as impaired in intellectual outcomes, and 29% were identified as impaired in adaptive functioning in everyday life skills. The NPS quantifies the cumulative effects of treatment and neurological sequelae experienced by both short- and long-term survivors of childhood brain tumors. It is a useful and easy measure to employ in clinical research that focuses on quantifying the neurological risk factors associated with long-term intellectual and adaptive functioning outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors.     

《周易》与类比推理

中国古代无逻辑的观点源自逻辑一元论。本文认为,人类思维形式的多样性决定了逻辑的多元性。人类对思维形式的认识,还处于初期阶段;随着人类认识活动的不断发展,新的思维形式还会层出不穷。由于文化背景的差异,不同地区的人对思维形式的选择不尽相同。西方人注重演绎,中国人注重类比。《周易》就是一个属于类比性质的符号推理系统,一直规范影响着中国人的思维活动。华夏民族将象形文字发展为象意文字,决定了"以象尽意"的《周易》符号推理系统的形成。中国人注重体悟自然、追寻智慧的求道精神,是《周易》推理系统得以千年传承的哲学基础。类比推理是中国文化发展的必然选择,也是中国文化继往开来的主要思维方式。     

重庆市农民工心理健康状况调查

采用修订过的精神症状自评量表(SCL-90)探讨分析重庆市农民工心理健康状况。在重庆市南纪门农民工劳务市场随机抽样,测评了有效样本343个。统计分析结果表明:重庆市农民工中等程度以上的心理问题检出率为21.87%;重庆市农民工心理健康水平非常显著低于全国正常人平均水平;不同婚姻状况的重庆市农民工,心理健康水平差异显著;而不同收入水平重庆市农民工心理健康水平没有显著差异。重庆市农民工心理健康问题值得重视与研究。     

工作-家庭支持的结构与测量及其调节作用

在深度访谈和开放式问卷调查的基础上, 编制了工作-家庭支持问卷。探索性因素分析和验证性因素分析结果表明, 中国文化背景下的工作-家庭支持由组织支持、领导支持、情感支持和工具性支持四个维度构成。问卷的信效度指标良好。无约束结构方程模型分析结果表明, 工作-家庭支持能够有效调节工作-家庭冲突与离职意向的关系。     

汉语儿童早期语音意识的发展

本研究采用四类语音意识任务(音节、首音、韵脚、声调)考察了幼儿园小中大班和小学一年级儿童的汉语语音意识发展的年龄特征和发展规律.研究结果表明,学前儿童的汉语语音意识已经开始发展,其中音节意识发展最早,其次是韵脚意识,声调意识和首音意识的发展相对较晚.     

组织公正和职位对进谏行为的影响

本实验目的在于验证组织是否公正、职位的高低对进谏行为的影响.选取158名大学生为被试,采用2×2完全随机设计,以情境故事法呈现刺激,研究了组织公正与否、职位的高低对进谏行为的影响.结果表明,组织氛围(公正/不公正)的主效应显著,职位的主效应不显著,组织氛围与职位的交互作用显著,具体表现为:低职位的在组织氛围不同情况下,进谏行为差异显著;而在组织不公正的氛围下,职位不同其进竦行为差异显著.     

整合型医疗卫生服务体系研究与实践——医疗卫生服务共同体(X+X)试运营两年

以区域医疗信息交互平台为技术支撑,建立区域医疗卫生服务的协作体系及专家团队,对区域医疗卫生服务的综合功能进行可行性研究.整合型医疗卫生服务体系的建立,提高了服务效率、控制了医疗开支、改善了医疗安全和医疗质量、促进了不同医疗机构医务人员的协调合作.同时有利于缓解"看病难、看病贵"的问题、有利于三级甲等医院专注于疑难病症的治疗和研究,有助于一、二级医院提高患者信任度及全科医生业务水平.