Temporal integration of speech prosody is shaped by language experience: an fMRI study

Differences in hemispheric functions underlying speech perception may be related to the size of temporal integration windows over which prosodic features (e.g., pitch) span in the speech signal. Chinese tone and intonation, both signaled by variations in pitch contours, span over shorter (local) and longer (global) temporal domains, respectively. This cross-linguistic (Chinese and English) study uses functional magnetic resonance imaging to show that pitch contours associated with tones are processed in the left hemisphere by Chinese listeners only, whereas pitch contours associated with intonation are processed predominantly in the right hemisphere. These findings argue against the view that all aspects of speech prosody are lateralized to the right hemisphere, and promote the idea that varying-sized temporal integration windows reflect a neurobiological adaptation to meet the 'prosodic needs' of a particular language.     

What response times tell of children's behavior on the balance scale task

Analysis of accuracy of responses to balance scale problems gives a global idea of the cognitive processes that underlie problem-solving behavior on this task. We show that response times (RTs) provide additional detailed information about the kind and duration of these processes. We derive predictions about the RTs from Siegler's (1981) model for the balance scale task, including the counterintuitive prediction that young adults are slower than children in solving particular balance scale problems. The predictions were tested in a study in which 191 6- to 22-year-old participants were presented with a computerized balance scale task. RTs were analyzed with regression models. In addition to qualitative differences between items, we also modeled quantitative differences between items in the regression models. Analyses supported the predictions and provided additional knowledge on the rules. Rule II was reformulated as a rule that always involves the encoding, but not always the correct application of the distance cue. RTs provided evidence for the use of a buggy-rule and not an addition-rule. Finally, a relation between rule inconsistency and increased RT was found.     

不同科学创造力个体干扰抑制机制的比较*

选取《科学创造力量表》筛选出高、低科学创造力个体各20名,通过完成经典Stroop色字干扰抑制任务,探讨高、低科学创造力的个体抑制机制的差异。结果发现:在Stroop色字任务上,无论是高科学创造力组还是低科学创造力组,都出现了Stroop干扰效应,但低科学创造力组的Stroop效应更明显;高科学创造力组在字色不一致条件下的错误率显著低于低科学创造力组,但是两组被试在Stroop任务反应时上差异不显著。本研究结果提示高科学创造力个体的认知抑制能力强于低科学创造力个体。     

You’re Better Respected When You Carry Yourself as a Man: Black Men’s Personal Accounts of the Down Low “lifestyle”

Although the notion of a down low life style, called various things at various times, has a long history in the black community, the past few years have been marked by an exponential increase in attention of this phenomenon in both the mainstream press and scholarly work. However, much of this work has focused on exploring whether men on the down low present a unique threat for HIV infection to black women. Currently, there exist very few scholarly works exploring the lives of black men who have sex with men and women that specifically address their own experiences living on the down low or how these men personally define what it means to be on the down low. In this article, we explore why black men who have sex with men and black men who have sex with men and women, including those who self-identify as gay, bisexual or as being on the down low, come to use the down low label and what it means to them to be on the down low.     

西藏本教是藏传佛教最典型的代表——关于岷江上游本波教与钵第教的讨论

本文在历代藏学家就本波教与钵第教比较研究的基础上,通过对岷江上游本波教与钵第教宗教实体构成要素间的比较,以及对岷江上游本波教与钵第教信众的教派认同程度的分析,认为本波教与钵第教既有区别又有联系,共同构成了略别于汉传佛教的藏传佛教。从本波教的本土文化成分和对古印度佛教的藏族化程度来看,本波教是藏传佛教最典型的代表。     

Interpreting the Butterfly Dream

This paper follows the tradition of treating Zhuangzi's Butterfly Dream episode as presenting a version of skepticism. However, unlike the prevalent interpretations within that tradition, it attempts to show that the skepticism conveyed in the episode is more radical than it has been conceived, such that the episode can be read as a skeptical response to Descartes’ refutation of skepticism based on the Cogito, ergo sum proof. The paper explains how the lack of commitment in Zhuangzi to the dubious assumption about ‘I’ that it necessarily refers to something existing to which Descartes seems to uncritically adhere allows Zhuangzi to doubt what for Descartes is absolutely indubitable: I exist.     

社会主义核心价值体系的基本属性

尽管学界对社会主义核心价值体系的内涵、理论框架等进行了富有成果的讨论,但对于社会主义核心价值体系的基本属性仍然存在模糊认识.社会主义核心价值体系的基本属性应体现在三个方面:普遍性与民族性、单元性与复合性、保护性与扩展性.即社会主义核心价值体系应具有普遍价值理念,民族精神的精华,道德单元构成,道德单元与道德意识、实践的复合,保护性"硬核",自我完善与不断创新等属性.     

克隆人的尊严是如何被先天贬损的?——兼向翟振明教授请教

在反对生殖性克隆的诸种理由中,尊严论证是最具有说服力的道德主张.反对生殖性克隆的基本共识是,基因组被他人预先决定会导致克隆人的尊严被贬损.尊严论证需要解决的核心问题就是基因被决定为什么会导致尊严被贬损.一般情况下,纯粹工具性的克隆意图,会导致克隆者将自己的自由意志强加于克隆的自由意志之上,从而导致自由意志主体间的对等性的破缺,使克隆人的尊严在原初意义上就被贬损.但是上述情况不能涵盖所有的克隆意图,在其他情况下,克隆人的尊严是因为自由意志的实现受到限制而被侵犯的.     

韩国孝道推广运动及其立法实践述评

从上世纪70年代开始至今,韩国民间社会人士发起了孝道文化推广运动,2007年7月世界上第一部<孝行奖励资助法>在韩国国会获得通过.韩国孝道推广运动的主要形式有:大力推动孝文化的学术研究;成立孝行推广基金会(财团)奖励家庭孝子孝女的活动;以学校为媒介推广孝文化;志愿者服务运动.孝道推广运动的主要特征是组织性、实践性、宗教参与性.韩国的孝道立法经历了一个民间人士呼吁酝酿、讨论准备、强力推动,最后经过国会议员提案,通过相关法律程序最终立法的过程.韩国孝立法的主要内客是:立法目的与孝之界定;孝行鼓励与资助措施;设立孝文化振兴院以及设定孝之月.韩国孝立法是一部奖励法、行政法、推动法.韩国孝道推广运动及其立法表明其时现代社会的孝道问题有较早的自觉;德法并举是弘扬孝文化的有效途径;弘扬孝道需要动员民间力量的参与,这些都对我们有重要启示.     

具体情绪及非依随反馈方式对自我妨碍的影响

该研究采用实验法考察了具体情绪以及非依随反馈方式对自我妨碍的影响。被试为104名大学生。结果表明：1）愉快组被试做出的决策型自我妨碍行为较少;恐惧组被试做出的回避型自我妨碍较多。2）两种非依随反馈方式对自我妨碍的影响没有显著差异。3）无论是决策型自我妨碍还是回避型自我妨碍,男生均高于女生。