Phobic anxiety in 11 nations. Part I: Dimensional constancy of the five-factor model

The Fear Survey Schedule-III (FSS-III) was administered to a total of 5491 students in Australia, East Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden, and Venezuela, and submitted to the multiple group method of confirmatory analysis (MGM) in order to determine the cross-national dimensional constancy of the five-factor model of self-assessed fears originally established in Dutch, British, and Canadian samples. The model comprises fears of bodily injury-illness-death, agoraphobic fears, social fears, fears of sexual and aggressive scenes, and harmless animals fears. Close correspondence between the factors was demonstrated across national samples. In each country, the corresponding scales were internally consistent, were intercorrelated at magnitudes comparable to those yielded in the original samples, and yielded (in 93% of the total number of 55 comparisons) sex differences in line with the usual finding (higher scores for females). In each country, the relatively largest sex differences were obtained on harmless animals fears. The organization of self-assessed fears is sufficiently similar across nations to warrant the use of the same weight matrix (scoring key) for the FSS-III in the different countries and to make cross-national comparisons feasible. This opens the way to further studies that attempt to predict (on an a priori basis) cross-national variations in fear levels with dimensions of national cultures.     

Neural correlates of Pavlovian conditioning in components of the neural network supporting ciliary locomotion in Hermissenda

Pavlovian conditioning in Hermissenda consists of pairing light, the conditioned stimulus (CS) with activation of statocyst hair cells, the unconditioned stimulus (US). Conditioning produces CS-elicited foot shortening and inhibition of light-elicited locomotion, the two conditioned responses (CRs). Conditioning correlates have been identified in the primary sensory neurons (photoreceptors) of the CS pathway, interneurons that receive monosynaptic input from identified photoreceptors, and putative pedal motor neurons. While cellular mechanisms of acquisition produced by the synaptic interaction between the CS and US pathways are well-documented, little is known about the mechanisms responsible for the generation or expression of the CR. Here we show that in conditioned animals light reduced tonic firing of ciliary activating pedal neurons (VP1) below their pre-CS baseline levels. In contrast, pseudorandom controls expressed a significant increase in CS-elicited tonic firing of VP1 as compared to pre-CS baseline activity. Identified interneurons in the visual pathway that have established polysynaptic connections with VP1 were examined in conditioned animals and pseudorandom controls. Depolarization of identified type I_e interneurons with extrinsic current elicited a significant increase in IPSPs recorded in VP1 pedal neurons of conditioned animals as compared with pseudorandom controls. Conditioning also enhanced intrinsic excitability of type I_e interneurons of conditioned animals as compared to pseudorandom controls. Light evoked a modest increase in IPSP frequency in VP1 of conditioned preparations and a significant decrease in IPSP frequency in VP1 of pseudorandom controls. Our results show that a combination of synaptic facilitation and intrinsic enhanced excitability in identified components of the CS pathway may explain light-elicited inhibition of locomotion in conditioned animals.     

从世界到生活形式--维特根斯坦前后期哲学转变原因探析

一般认为,维特根斯坦前后期哲学转变的原因是语言观的变化。本文结合维特根斯坦跨越两种哲学传统的背景,认为哲学转变的根本原因是由于前期本体论的内在缺陷而导致的本体论变化,维特根斯坦前期哲学本体论只局限于可说的“世界”,而不可说的神秘之物则被排除在世界之外,这与维特根斯坦珍视神秘之物的初衷相悖,这种内在矛盾促成了前期本体论向后期本体论的转变,这一转变的重大意义在于后期本体论消泯了可说与不可说的界限,是人类社会实践的坚实基础。     

Personal Relative Deprivation Boosts Materialism

Five studies investigated the relationship between personal relative deprivation and materialism. Study 1 was a cross-sectional survey that revealed a positive association between trait relative deprivation and materialism. In Studies 2a and 2b, we found that relative deprivation, as induced by unjust government policies in an imaginary scenario, increased individuals’ preferences for making more profit than others. Individuals may experience relative deprivation due to unjust treatment or other factors. Study 3 manifested that sense of relative deprivation, resulting from either being treated unjustly or not, gave rise to materialistic desires. In Study 4, we found that relative deprivation influenced materialistic aspirations, above and beyond negative outcomes. Moreover, the impact of relative deprivation could be generalized to aspirations for fame.     

经颅直流电刺激右侧颞顶联合区对道德意图加工的影响*

对行为意图的理解是人类进行道德判断的重要依据,大量研究表明,右侧颞顶联合区是意图加工的关键脑区。为考察该脑区在道德判断中的重要作用,采用经颅直流电刺激技术阳极刺激右侧颞顶联合区,探讨促进该脑区的活动对被试在道德判断中意图及相关信息加工的影响。结果发现与假刺激条件相比,阳极刺激后道德判断反应时显著延长,在伤人未遂和意外伤人条件下差异显著,证明促进右侧颞顶联合区的激活能影响道德判断中的意图加工,尤其在意图与结果产生冲突的条件下效应更加显著。     

儿童同伴尊重的发展及社交领导性的影响: 三年追踪

对285名小学三年级和四年级儿童进行了连续三年的追踪调查,分析了儿童同伴尊重发展趋势及其在群体间的差异,探讨了社交领导性在儿童同伴尊重发展中的预测作用。结果表明：（1）童年中后期儿童与同伴之间的获得尊重与表现尊重具有显著增长趋势;（2）三年间女孩的表现尊重均高于男孩但增长速度无差异;女孩的获得尊重增长速度高于男孩;（3）儿童的社交领导性能够显著正向预测儿童同伴尊重的发展趋势。     

Sleep facilitates consolidation of positive emotional memory in healthy older adults

ABSTRACT

Evidence has demonstrated that sleep-related memory consolidation declines in ageing. However, little is known about age-related changes to sleep-related emotional memory consolidation, especially when considering the positivity effect observed in older adults. In the present study, we sought to explore whether there is a positive emotional bias in sleep-related memory consolidation among healthy older adults. Young and older adults were randomly assigned either into a sleep or wake condition. All participants encoded positive, negative, and neutral stimuli and underwent recognition tests immediately (test 1), after a 12-hour sleep/wake interval (test 2), and 3 days after test 2 (test 3). Results showed that age-related differences of sleep beneficial effect were modulated by emotion valence. In particular, sleep selectively enhanced positive memory in older adults, while in young adults sleep beneficial effect was manifested in neutral memory. Moreover, the sleep beneficial effect can be maintained at least 3 days in both young and older adults. These findings suggest that older adults had preserved but positive bias of sleep-related memory consolidation, which could be one of the underlying mechanisms for their generally better emotional well-being in daily life. These findings highlight the dynamic interplay among sleep and emotional memory in older adults.     

Using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS‐21) across cultures

The DASS‐21 is a well‐established instrument for measuring depression, anxiety, and stress with good reliability and validity reported from Hispanic American, British, and Australian adults. However, the lack of appropriate validation among Asian populations continues to pose concerns over the use of DASS‐21 in Asian samples. Cultural variation may influence the individual's experience and emotional expression. Thus, when researchers and practitioners employ Western‐based assessments with Asian populations by directly translating them without an appropriate validation, the process can be challenging. We conducted a series of rigorous statistical tests and minimized any potential confounds from the demographic information. Following factor analyses, we performed multigroup analysis across six nations to demonstrate consistency of our findings. The advantages of this revised DASS‐18 stress scale are twofold. First, it possesses fewer items, which results in a cleaner factorial structure. Second, it has a smaller interfactor correlation. With these justifications, the revised DASS‐18 stress scale is potentially more suitable for Asian populations. Nonetheless, given limitations, findings should be considered preliminary.     

义务教育阶段学业质量监测题库建设的理论与实践

义务教育阶段学业质量监测是学生学业质量评价的重要方式,在当前国内外教育质量评价领域中发挥着极为重要的作用.加强学业质量监测的题库建设,则是促进学业质量监测工具的命制与实施从经验型向科学化迈进的必由之路.本文在对义务教育阶段学业质量监测题库的性质和功能进行阐述的基础上,重点探讨了学业质量监测题库建设的理论基础、基本流程和关键环节,并进一步分析指出了当前题库建设中有待深入研究的问题.     

Feeling Better About Self After Receiving Negative Feedback: When the Sense That Ability Can Be Improved Is Activated

Past studies suggest that managers and educators often consider negative feedback as a motivator for individuals to think about their shortcomings and improve their work, but delivering negative feedback does not always achieve desired results. The present study, based on incremental theory, employed an intervention method to activate the belief that a particular ability could be improved after negative feedback. Three experiments tested the intervention effect on negative self-relevant emotion. Study 1 indicated conveying suggestions for improving ability reduced negative self-relevant emotion after negative feedback. Study 2 tested whether activating the sense of possible improvement in the ability could reduce negative self-relevant emotion. Results indicated activating the belief that ability could be improved reduced negative self-relevant emotion after failure, but delivering emotion management information alone did not yield the same effect. Study 3 extended the results by affirming the effort participants made in doing the test, and found the affirmation reduced negative self-relevant emotion. Collectively, the findings indicated focusing on the belief that the ability could be improved in the future can reduce negative self-relevant emotion after negative feedback.