Similarities and differences in the perceptual structure of facial expressions of children and adults

We explored the perceptual structure of facial expressions of six basic emotions, varying systematically in intensity, in adults and children aged 7 and 14 years. Multidimensional scaling suggested that three- or four-dimensional structures were optimal for all groups. Two groups of adults demonstrated nearly identical structure, which had dimensions representing pleasure, potency, arousal, and intensity, despite the fact that one group was tested with a child-friendly “odd-man-out” paradigm and the other group was tested with a conventional similarity-rating paradigm. When tested with the odd-man-out paradigm, the 7-year-olds showed systematic structure, which differed from that of adults in both the meaning of some dimensions and the proximities among some of the expression categories. When tested with similarity judgments, the 14-year-olds showed an adult-like pattern on all measures except that their similarity judgments were more influenced by physical differences than were those of adults. We conclude that an adult-like representation of facial expressions develops slowly during childhood.     

Cultural group perception enhances sense of agency in a multicultural society

Group, which involves collective actions for achieving shared goals, can be conceptually understood as an important source of agency and control. The current research investigated whether group identity salience can enhance sense of agency within the individual. Specifically, we examined whether an activated cultural group identity, through presenting different types of cultural photographs in a predictable way, would facilitate people's sense of agency by using an implicit method, namely, intentional binding effect paradigm. Experiment 1a found that an activated cultural group identity enhanced the sense of agency. Next, Experiment 1b replicated the findings by recruiting a different ethnic group in the same society. Experiment 2 explored what may affect the intensity of induced sense of agency and found that perceived representativeness of the presented cultural stimuli was positively correlated with the intensity of induced sense of agency. Finally, Experiment 3 explored whether ethnic minority and majority groups would demonstrate different intensity of agency when their cultural identity was activated. The results showed that the sense of agency induced by the mainstream cultural stimuli was greater than that induced by the foreign cultural photographs. These patterns were not different between the two ethnic groups. Taken together, these findings reflected the dynamic nature of cultural identity construction in a multicultural society.     

Violent video games exposure and aggression: The role of moral disengagement,anger, hostility,and disinhibition

Based on the General Aggression Model (GAM), the current study investigated the interactive effect of personal factors (e.g., sensation-seeking) and situational factors (e.g., violent video games exposure [VVGE]) on the trait aggressive behavior, and the mediating role of individual difference trait (e.g., moral disengagement, anger, and hostility). We recruited 547 undergraduates (48.45% male) from five Chinese universities. The results showed that VVGE was positively associated with moral disengagement, disinhibition, and the four aggressive traits (physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger, and hostility), which were positively associated with each other. Moral disengagement was positively associated with both the disinhibition and the four aggressive traits. Disinhibition was positively associated with the four aggressive traits as well. When controlled for gender, moral disengagement, anger, and hostility wholly mediated the relationship between VVGE and aggression, but the moderation effect of disinhibition was not significant. These findings support the framework of GAM and indicate that moral disengagement, anger, and hostility may be the factors that increase the risk of a higher level of aggression following repeated exposure to violent video games.     

Body Surveillance Predicts Men’s and Women’s Perceived Loneliness: A Serial Mediation Model

Previous research on self-objectification mainly focuses on its influences on intrapersonal psychological distress whereas our study examined whether self-objectification would influence interpersonal distress (i.e., loneliness) and its corresponding mechanisms in a sample of American women and men recruited with MTurk. Participants’ self-objectification was indexed by their level of body surveillance, and we proposed that body surveillance would increase women’s and men’s tendency to experience shame about their body and decrease their general self-esteem, which would in turn predict their level of loneliness. A total of 373 Americans (235 women; Mdn_age?=?33 years-old, range?=?18–77) participated in the present study, and the results provided support for the proposed theoretical model. Specifically, we found that body surveillance positively predicted people’s body shame, and body shame negatively predicted self-esteem, which in turn predicted people’s loneliness. Moreover, this mediational model was not different between men and women. These results expand the scope of investigation by incorporating male samples, and they suggest that in addition to intrapersonal consequences, self-objectification can also influence people’s interpersonal well-being. Implications were discussed.

     

汉语把字句认知表征图式的实验研究

本文利用词汇再认作业,对构成把字句空间位移图式的认知表征机制进行了实验研究,结果显示,被试对把字句中受事起点的再认反应时要长于非把字句,这表明读者在把字句空间位移图式在读者的认知过程中具有心理现实性,支持了空间位移图式理论对把字句句法语义的解释。     

不同意识水平下的情绪启动

实验研究了不同意识水平下情绪启动的机制。我们采用带有褒贬意义的中文语句作为情绪刺激,要求被试在情绪刺激播放响度正常或极低的情境下对不熟悉的法语语句进行评价。结果显示无意识情绪启动显著;有意识情绪启动却未出现。我们认为无意识情绪启动是个体对刺激自动加工的结果;而个体在意识层面的认知加工可能会抑制已唤醒的情绪。另外,情绪刺激的不同排列方式对被试评价的倾向性可能有潜在的影响。     

基于反应时范式的内隐社会认知研究方法

三种新的内隐社会认知研究方法－－IAT、GNAT和EAST,这些方法采用反应竞争任务,考察概念间的联结强度。IAT通过对个体在不同任务上的操作,考察不同目标与属性间的联系、GNAT考察某一特定对象和评价间的联系;EAST考察被试在一个任务上的操作来推断个体对目标的评价。     

科学心理学的观念与人文科学的逻辑奠基

科学心理学观念的普遍兴起,是19世纪中叶错综复杂的思想史背景的产物。只有在人类思想及其历史作为整体的关系背景中,才能澄清这个观念的内在本性。也只有在系统地接受这个背景的制约关系中,这个观念才能获得其真理的实现。能否在人类思想作为整体中胜任并执行其理论职能,成为我们检验一种心理学体系之真理性的途径之一:科学心理学观念只有实现为现象学心理学,才能执行其为人文科学奠基的逻辑职能; 反之亦然。这个关系还从否定方面暗示着,一切以异化的形式实现的心理学,都不可能真正承担起为人文科学奠基的逻辑职能,并因而违背了我们的常识。     

生生:儒家超越死亡焦虑的根本路径

“生生”思想是儒家超越死亡焦虑的根本路径,具体体现在以下六个方面:宇宙自然视域下的“原始反终”; 血脉和精神传承视域下的“父死子继”; 丧礼和祭礼视域下的“慎终追远”; 体生和不朽视域下的“存顺没宁”; 生死抉择视域下的“杀身成仁”; 知命和立命视域下的“顺受其正”。儒家以“生生”思想统摄生死,彰显了深沉的人文智慧。     

中小学生校园阅读推进的主要问题与对策研究——以广州市越秀区小学为例

全民阅读是党和国家高度重视的发展战略,校园阅读是其中的重点,然而,目前我国校园阅读的开展并不理想。通过在广州市中小学进行大规模阅读状况调研发现,校园阅读工作开展一直面临“难知、难导、难管”的瓶颈,实际成效不佳。对此,该研究提出了通过构建“互联网+中小学生成长阅读平台”推进校园阅读的创新举措,并在广州市越秀区20多所小学实施试点实验; 历时半年,成效显著,学生在阅读的重视程度、投入时间、阅读课外图书的意义性与均衡性、阅读的方式方法及家校支持等方面均有明显提升。据此,提出推进校园阅读的三点建议:应做好顶层设计和建立系统管理与评价机制,应形成家校合作的支持网络,应推广共建学生校园阅读综合信息平台。