Estimating the Mental Health Effects of Social Isolation

It is frequently hypothesized that feelings of social isolation are detrimental for an individual’s mental health, however standard statistical models cannot estimate this effect due to reverse causality between the independent and dependent variables. In this paper we present endogeneity-corrected estimates of the mental health consequences of isolation (based on self-assessed loneliness scores) using Australian panel data. The central identification strategy comes from a natural source of variation where some people within our sample are required by work or study commitments to move home. This relocation may break individuals’ social ties, resulting in significantly higher reported feelings of loneliness and consequently may lower mental health scores. The method gives results that are significant, robust and pass a battery of diagnostic tests. Estimates indicate that feelings of isolation have large negative consequences for psychological well-being, and that the effects are larger for women and older people. The results suggest that at current levels, a 10 % reduction applied to all individuals would reduce annual expenditure on mental illness in Australia by approximately $3B AUD, or around $150 AUD per person.     

Constructive controversy and creative process engagement: The roles of positive conflict value,cognitive flexibility,and psychological safety

This research explores how and when constructive controversy enhances creative process engagement. We identify positive conflict value and cognitive flexibility as two mediating processes that transmit the effect of constructive controversy on creative process engagement. We further theorize that psychological safety shows opposing moderating effects: It strengthens the positive conflict value–creative process engagement link, whereas weakens the cognitive flexibility–creative process engagement link. Moreover, we propose that psychological safety strengthens and weakens the two mediating pathways through positive conflict value and cognitive flexibility, respectively. Results based on a multiwave data involving 239 employees from the research and development division of a large high‐technology company provide support for our hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

早老性痴呆病人早期记忆损害的检测方法

采用词语延迟回忆、记忆广度和双任务工作记忆测验,研究可能用于检测(Alzheimer’s disease,AD)早期记忆损害的方法。共有4组被试：两个正常年轻人组、一个正常老年人组、一个很可能患早老性痴呆病人(Probable AD,PAD)组。结果表明：(1)正常年轻人和正常老年人的词语延迟回忆保持率没有显著差异,而PAD患者表现出明显受损;(2)两个正常年轻人组的双任务工作记忆成绩也没有显著不同,与之相比,正常老年人组有一定程度的降低,而PAD患者表现出更大程度的损害;(3)4组被试的记忆广度都不相同。这些结果提示,词语延迟回忆和双任务工作记忆测验可能能够用于检测AD早期的记忆损害。     

绝对音高者对音乐的加工及其神经机制

绝对音高感是一种特殊的音高命名能力。通过论述绝对音高能力与音乐加工的关系,发现绝对音高者具有对音高、音程和旋律的加工优势,但他们对相对音高的加工存在劣势。同时,与非绝对音高者相比,绝对音高者大脑结构和功能都表现出特殊性。未来研究应进一步厘清音乐训练对绝对音高者音乐加工的影响。     

秦汉时期道德生活的变动格局

作为中华民族道德生活的古典形态,秦汉时期道德生活在变动格局方面有着强烈的时代特色。它不但具有由多样性向统一性、由非标准性向标准性、由特殊性向普遍性运动的态势,而且在这一过程中,始终存在着统一化、标准化、礼制化与反统一化、反标准化、反礼制化的斗争。从空间格局上看,在当时多样的道德生活中,还存在着非主流道德生活与主流道德生活的相互转化性。就道德生活与法律生活的关系看,二者之间存在着互动性,这集中地表现为法律是当时道德生活标准化、礼制化的重要资源。     

和谐社会与市场规范理性

和谐社会的建构离不开市场经济的发展与完善.进一步规范市场经济,大力培植和张扬市场规范理性,乃是促进社会和谐的重要任务.当代中国市场经济的发展呼唤着市场规范理性,探讨市场规范理性的构成要素及其形成确立的途径与机制,对于促进社会的和谐具有重要意义.     

The anterior cingulate gyrus and the mechanism of self-regulation

The midfrontal cortex, and particularly the anterior cingulate gyrus, appears active in many studies of functional imaging. Various models have competed to explain the functions of the anterior cingulate in relation to its patterns of activation. We believe that the concept of self-regulation is valuable in considering the role of the cingulate. The sensitivity of the cingulate to both reward and pain, and evidence for cingulate coupling to cognitive and emotional areas during task performance, support this identification. Self-regulation is a very broad concept that does not lend itself very well to specific models or tests, but it does provide a framework for examining development. We trace the role of the midfrontal cortex in evolution and infant development. Both genes and environment influence self-regulation. The presence of both genetic and environmental effects raises the issue of their interaction, which we discuss in relation to the dopamine 4 receptor gene and parenting methods. The role of the midfrontal cortex in self-regulation allows us to consider both brain networks common to all people and network efficiency underlying individual differences in behavior. This research was supported by NIMH Grant HD5801 to Georgia State University and by a grant from the Dana Foundation for the study of the arts.     

网络论坛情境中的人际知觉准确性及影响因素

本研究彩网上自然实验法,以MBTI价格类型量表作为价格评价工具,探讨了网络论坛情境人际知觉准确性最高,J-P维度的知觉准确性次之,E-I维度的知觉准确性最低。（3）相关分析与回归分析的结果表明,影响人际知觉准确性的因素主要来自四个方面：知觉者、知觉对象的判断、以及两者的相似性。     

Identification of biological neurons using adaptive observers

This paper is to investigate the use of adaptive observers for the modeling of biological neurons and networks. Assuming that a neuron can be modeled as a continuous-time nonlinear system, it is possible to determine its unknown parameters using adaptive observer, based on the concept of adaptive synchronization. The same technique can be extended for the identification of an entire biological neural network. Some conventional observer designs are studied in this paper and satisfactory results are obtained, yet with some restrictions. To further extend the applicability of adaptive observers for the modeling process, a new design is suggested. It is based on a combination of linear feedback control approach and the dynamical minimization algorithm. The effectiveness of the designed adaptive observer is confirmed with simulations.