Visuo-spatial path learning,stress, and cortisol secretion following military cadets’ first parachute jump: the effect of increasing task complexity

The present field experiment examined how multi-trial visuo-spatial learning and memory performance are impacted by excessive arousal, instigated by a potentially life-threatening event (i.e., a first parachute jump). Throughout a parachute training activity, subjective and neuroendocrine (i.e., cortisol) stress levels were assessed of 61 male military cadets who were randomly assigned to a control (n = 30) or a jump stress condition (n = 31). Post-stress learning and memory capacity was assessed with a 10-trial path-learning task that permitted emergence of learning curves. Pre-activity cortisol concentrations indicated a significant neuroendocrine anticipatory stress response in the stress group. Following parachuting, subjective stress levels and salivary cortisol reactivity differed significantly between groups. Visuo-spatial path-learning performance was impaired significantly after jump stress exposure, relative to the control group. Moreover, examination of the learning curves showed similar learning and memory performance at onset of the trials, with curves bifurcating as the task became more complex. These findings are in accordance with leading theories that acknowledge a moderating effect of task complexity. In sum, the present study extends knowledge concerning anticipatory stress effects, endogenously instigated cortisol reactivity, and the influence of extreme arousal on visuo-spatial path learning.     

From glamour-oriented idolatry to achievement-oriented idolatry: A framing experiment among adolescents in Hong Kong and Shenzhen

The present study examined the framing effect of two modes of idolatry among a sample of 1095 secondary school students in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Two experimental conditions were set up: in the glamour frame condition, subjects were exposed to frames that enhanced perfection and mystification of idols' personal or ideological characteristics; in the achievement frame condition, subjects were exposed to frames that enhanced emulation and identification of idols' pro-social behaviours or desirable dispositional traits. The experiment selected a prominent pop music and movie star well known in Chinese societies, Andy Lau, as the target idol. Subjects showed a consistently and significantly greater desire to glorify, idealize, identify with, emulate, and attach to Andy Lau in the achievement frame condition than in the glamour frame condition. The finding suggests that an achievement frame can heighten young people's adoration of an idol by emphasizing the idol's achievement processes. This suggestion is favourable to the possibility of transforming an idol into a role model for young people to learn to pursue career success.     

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.     

自我损耗促进冒险行为

基于自我控制资源模型,本研究探讨了自我损耗对冒险行为的影响以及生理能量补充在其中的缓解作用。实验1和实验2分别通过“Stroop”和“非利手写作”任务操纵被试的自我损耗,两个实验均用气球模拟风险决策任务考察被试的冒险行为,并且通过摄入含有或不含有葡萄糖的柠檬水来操纵生理能量水平。结果发现,在排除无关变量后,高损耗者比低损耗者尽可能多地对气球进行充气以寻求奖赏(实验1和实验2),但饮用含葡萄糖的柠檬水能够有效降低这种反应(实验2)。该研究证实了自我损耗促进冒险行为,补充生理能量能有效缓解该效应。     

中国道教协会组团赴台湾参访

应台湾台中谷关大道院的邀请,以中国道教协会副会长黄信阳为团长的大陆道教界参访团一行36人,于9月3日赴台,参加了谷关大道院举办的"八八蟠桃圣会",并参访了台湾部分道教官观和道教团体.参访团由中国道教协会5人、湖北省道教协会6人和武当山道教协会25人共同组成,成员包括中国道教协会副秘书长张立光、湖北省道教协会会长吴诚真、武当山道教协会副会长刘文国等.     

Parametric induction of animacy experience

Graphical displays of simple moving geometrical figures have been repeatedly used to study the attribution of animacy in human observers. Yet little is known about the relevant movement characteristics responsible for this experience. The present study introduces a novel parametric research paradigm, which allows for the experimental control of specific motion parameters and a predictable influence on the attribution of animacy. Two experiments were conducted using 3D computer animations of one or two objects systematically introducing variations in the following aspects of motion: directionality, discontinuity and responsiveness. Both experiments further varied temporal kinematics. Results showed that animacy experience increased with the time a moving object paused in the vicinity of a second object and with increasing complexity of interaction between the objects (approach and responsiveness). The experience of animacy could be successfully modulated in a parametric fashion by the systematic variation of comparably simple differential movement characteristics.     

C-CAT: A computer software used to analyze and select Chinese characters and character components for psychological research

The Character-Component Analysis Toolkit (C-CAT) software was designed to assist researchers in constructing experimental materials using traditional Chinese characters. The software package contains two sets of character stocks: one suitable for research using literate adults as subjects and one suitable for research using schoolchildren as subjects. The software can identify linguistic properties, such as the number of strokes contained, the character-component pronunciation regularity, and the arrangement of character components within a character. Moreover, it can compute a character’s linguistic frequency, neighborhood size, and phonetic validity with respect to a user-selected character stock. It can also search the selected character stock for similar characters or for character components with user-specified linguistic properties.     

"六经注我":宋代理学的阐释学——兼谈朱熹在经学阐释史上的贡献

中国学术和思想的发展历史可谓经学的阐释历史,汉代经学和宋代理学则是这一历史发展的两个关键期。朱熹就是宋代理学确立的关键人物。文章在叙述宋代理学的兴起及发展过程中,探讨了经学向理学转向过程中的阐释学思想的变迁,通过这一历史梳理,说明朱熹在其中的贡献和历史地位。文章包括五部分内容:一、经典文本的重新确立,二、“理一分殊”与本体阐释,三、“尊德性”与“道问学”,四、“六经注我”与“我注六经”,五、朱熹在经学阐释史上的贡献。     

Testing for the presence of 1/f noise in continuation tapping data.

A number of recent papers have suggested that the series of time intervals produced in continuation tapping may have fractal properties. This proposition, nevertheless, was only based on the visual appraisal of graphical results, and was not statistically supported. In the present study, we applied the ARMA/ARFIMA modeling procedures proposed by Wagenmakers, Farrell, and Ratcliff (2005) to test for the presence of long-range dependencies in continuation tapping data. Our results demonstrate the presence of long-range dependencies in most series and offer strong support for the hypothesis that fluctuations in tapping series are fractal in nature.     

Processing focus structure and implicit prosody during reading: differential ERP effects

Several recent studies have shown that focus structural representations influence syntactic processing during reading, while other studies have shown that implicit prosody plays an important role in the understanding of written language. Up until now, the relationship between these two processes has been mostly disregarded. The present study disentangles the roles of focus structure and accent placement in reading by reporting event-related brain potential (ERP) data on the processing of contrastive ellipses. The results reveal a positive-going waveform (350-1300 ms) that correlates with focus structural processing and a negativity (450-650 ms) interpreted as the correlate of implicit prosodic processing. The results suggest that the assignment of focus as well as accent placement are obligatory processes during reading.