Trait compassion is associated with the neural substrate of empathy

Individual differences in the personality trait Agreeableness underlie humans’ ability to interpret social cues and coordinate effectively with others. However, previous investigations of the neural basis of Agreeableness have yielded largely inconsistent results. Recent evidence has demonstrated that Agreeableness can be divided into two, correlated subdimensions. Compassion reflects tendencies toward empathy, sympathy, and concern for others, while Politeness reflects tendencies toward compliance and refraining from aggression and exploitation. The present study seeks to clarify the neural substrates of Agreeableness by examining whether structural differences in the brain show distinct associations with Compassion and Politeness. Results of a meta-analysis of fMRI studies examining empathy were used to generate hypotheses about the brain regions and networks that underlie trait Compassion. Results of a large-scale structural neuroimaging investigation (N = 275) were largely consistent with the meta-analysis: Compassion was positively correlated with gray matter volume in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and anterior insula (AI). Further, these differences appear to be associated with Compassion specifically, as opposed to Politeness, suggesting that these two traits have at least partially distinct neuroanatomical substrates.     

When kinesthetic information is neglected in learning a Novel bimanual rhythmic coordination

Many studies have shown that rhythmic interlimb coordination involves perception of the coupled limb movements, and different sensory modalities can be used. Using visual displays to inform the coupled bimanual movement, novel bimanual coordination patterns can be learned with practice. A recent study showed that similar learning occurred without vision when a coach provided manual guidance during practice. The information provided via the two different modalities may be same (amodal) or different (modality specific). If it is different, then learning with both is a dual task, and one source of information might be used in preference to the other in performing the task when both are available. In the current study, participants learned a novel 90° bimanual coordination pattern without or with visual information in addition to kinesthesis. In posttest, all participants were tested without and with visual information in addition to kinesthesis. When tested with visual information, all participants exhibited performance that was significantly improved by practice. When tested without visual information, participants who practiced using only kinesthetic information showed improvement, but those who practiced with visual information in addition showed remarkably less improvement. The results indicate that (1) the information is not amodal, (2) use of a single type of information was preferred, and (3) the preferred information was visual. We also hypothesized that older participants might be more likely to acquire dual task performance given their greater experience of the two sensory modes in combination, but results were replicated with both 20- and 50-year-olds.     

因果信息在贝叶斯推理中的作用:问题情境的调节

以大学生为被试,考察因果信息在不同贝叶斯推理问题中的作用。结果表明:(1)问题情境的主效应显著(F(1,122)=16.33,p0.05,η~2=0.120),因果信息的主效应不显著((F(1,122)=1.161,p=0.283,η~2=0.01),但问题类型和因果信息的交互作用显著(F(1,122)=4.757,p0.05,η~2=0.038)。(2)不同类型的问题上因果信息的作用是不同的。具体表现为,在乳癌问题中,增加了因果信息,被试的正确率明显提高(χ~2(1)=6.759,p0.05,V=0.607),而在中彩问题中没有因果信息的推理成绩反而更好(χ~2(1)=1.864,p=0.221,V=0.167)。     

壮族麽教及其现状浅析

壮族麽教是以布麽为其神职人员、以司麽为其主要经典、以古麽为其主要宗教活动的壮族原生性民族民间宗教.当前壮族麽教的现状和发展趋势值得关注和进一步研究.     

关于临床决策问题

医生在临床工作中做出明确诊断,并据此给予有效的处理均属于决策过程。制定决策的整个过程,同时也是进行决策思维的过程。近年来高新技术的迅猛发展以及医疗费用急剧增加,使制定决策更加复杂。如何进行正确的决策思维,做出最切实可行的和最佳的决策,对避免决策的盲目性、局限性及惰性具有重要的现实意义。     

经济转型与国家能力提升

内容提要企业经营者、企业产权与市场及市场交易规则是紧密联系的。在中国的渐进式改革过程中,产权转移为企业扩张提供了条件,企业扩张为产权转移提供了动力。企业经营者打破了市场垄断结构,培育出政府所接受的市场经济规则,为自身的生存创造了条件,在影响政治决策方向的同时,也提升了国家能力。     

关于临床决策问题

医生在临床工作中做出明确诊断,并据此给予有效的处理均属于决策过程.制定决策的整个过程,同时也是进行决策思维的过程.近年来高新技术的迅猛发展以及医疗费用急剧增加,使制定决策更加复杂.如何进行正确的决策思维,做出最切实可行的和最佳的决策,对避免决策的盲目性、局限性及惰性具有重要的现实意义.     

逻辑与人工智能

20世纪中期以来,计算机科学以撼世惊人的速度不断向前发展.作为其核心分支的人工智能研究亦取得了一次又一次的突破,并且以其不断逼近与挑战人类智能的姿态而引人注目.在人工智能成就的背后,逻辑学是促其前行的最主要动力引擎之一.逻辑为人工智能提供了根本性的观点与方法,并促成了人工智能研究中最主要派别--逻辑主义AI.而有着漫长学科发展史的逻辑学本身也在与人工智能的结姻过程中获得了自数学公理化、形式化运动以来的又一次全新发展契机.有论者认为"人工智能将是21世纪逻辑学发展的主要动力源泉,并且在很大程度上将决定21世纪逻辑学的面貌".[1]