Implicit Transfer of Reversed Temporal Structure in Visuomotor Sequence Learning

Some spatio‐temporal structures are easier to transfer implicitly in sequential learning. In this study, we investigated whether the consistent reversal of triads of learned components would support the implicit transfer of their temporal structure in visuomotor sequence learning. A triad comprised three sequential button presses ([1][2][3]) and seven consecutive triads comprised a sequence. Participants learned sequences by trial and error, until they could complete it 20 times without error. Then, they learned another sequence, in which each triad was reversed ([3][2][1]), partially reversed ([2][1][3]), or switched so as not to overlap with the other conditions ([2][3][1] or [3][1][2]). Even when the participants did not notice the alternation rule, the consistent reversal of the temporal structure of each triad led to better implicit transfer; this was confirmed in a subsequent experiment. These results suggest that the implicit transfer of the temporal structure of a learned sequence can be influenced by both the structure and consistency of the change.     

Shape-assimilation effect: retrospective distortion of visual shapes

A brief visual stimulus distorts the perceived shape of a subsequent visual stimulus as being dissimilar to the shape of a previous stimulus (shape-contrast effect). In this study, we presented a visual stimulus after a to-be-estimated target stimulus and found that the perceived shape of the target stimulus appeared to be similar to the shape of the following stimulus (shape-assimilation effect). The assimilation effect occurred even when the following stimulus was presented at positions different from that of the target stimulus, indicating that the shape-assimilation effect is a nonretinotopic distortion. The results suggest that the preceding and succeeding stimuli differentially modulate the perceived shape of a briefly presented stimulus.     

Towards a “virtual pigeon”: A new technique for investigating avian social perception

The purpose of the present study is to examine the applicability of a computer-generated, virtual animal to study animal cognition. Pigeons were trained to discriminate between movies of a real pigeon and a rat. Then, they were tested with movies of the computer-generated (CG) pigeon. Subjects showed generalization to the CG pigeon, however, they also responded to modified versions in which the CG pigeon was showing impossible movement, namely hopping and walking without its head bobbing. Hence, the pigeons did not attend to these particular details of the display. When they were trained to discriminate between the normal and the modified version of the CG pigeon, they were able to learn the discrimination. The results of an additional partial occlusion test suggest that the subjects used head movement as a cue for the usual vs. unusual CG pigeon discrimination.This contribution is part of the special issue ‘Animal Logics’ (Watanabe and Huber 2006)     

Effect of applied stress on precipitation of Guinier–Preston zones in a Cu–0.9 wt.% Be single crystal

A stress-oriented formation of plate-shaped Guinier–Preston (GP) zones in single crystals of a Cu–0.9?wt.%?Be alloy aged at 200°C has been found. A compressive stress applied in the [001] direction assists the formation of the GP zones perpendicular to the [001] axis, while a tensile stress results in the preferential formation of the GP zones parallel to the stress axis. The applied stress strongly affects the nucleation of the GP zones. Free ageing at 275°C after compressive-stress ageing at 200°C produces plate-shaped γ′′ precipitates perpendicular to the stress axis, indicating a continuous change in the structure of the GP zones into that of the γ′′ phase. From length-change measurements during ageing, the misfit strains of the GP zone or γ′′ precipitate in directions parallel and perpendicular to the plate plane are estimated, respectively, as ?0.01 and ?0.10 for the GP zone and ?0.01 and ?0.11 for the γ′′ precipitate.     

Electrical properties and local structure of n-type conducting amorphous indium sulphide

An n-type amorphous chalcogenide, In₄₉S₅₁, having a band gap of 1.9eV, has been found. The conductivity in as-prepared films was ～10^?4?S?cm^?1, which increased to 1?×?10^?1?S?cm^?1 on post-annealing at 125°C in vacuum, accompanied by a reduction in the sulphur content of the films. TEM observations showed the amorphous nature of the films before and after annealing. Both Seebeck and Hall coefficients are negative, indicating that the major carriers are electrons. The Hall mobility can be as large as 26?cm²?V^?1?s^?1 at 300?K. No significant changes to the optical absorption were observed upon annealing. Analysis of the X-ray radial distribution function reveals that the sulphur atoms have four-fold coordination, making the structure more rigid than conventional amorphous chalcogenides in which the chalcogen is alloyed to elements of group IV or V of the periodic table. We tentatively associate the electron carrier generation with the formation of sulphur vacancies.     

Representation of plans: Activation in memory

The purpose of this study is to examine the temporal representation of plans in memory. Two experiments using a priming paradigm were conducted to investigate which plans would be activated in memory when participants processed a particular plan. The 64 undergraduates who participated in Experiment 1 were asked to memorise a 1-month schedule of plans. Results showed that when participants were presented with a particular plan as a prime, the preceding plan in the schedule was immediately activated. After the activation of the preceding plan, the plan following the prime plan in the schedule was activated. Experiment 2 was conducted to examine whether the sequential effect found in Experiment 1 might be based on day order (e.g., plans for day 1, plans for day 2, etc.) or simple ordering of plans (e.g., plan 1, plan 2, etc.). However, in the results of Experiment 2, with 48 undergraduate participants, the dynamic transition in the activation of plans along the time course, seen in Experiment 1, was not observed.     

Is behavioral pro-sociality game-specific? Pro-social preference and expectations of pro-sociality

We observed the behaviors of the same people across five games – two prisoner’s dilemma games, a trust game (in which the subject took on the role of both truster and trustee), a dictator game, and a faith game – any pair of which was separated by an interval of several months to reduce potential carry-over effects, and found strong consistency in behaviors among these games. We also found consistency between the expectations of other players’ behaviors and the player’s own behavior across games. We further found that the consistent behavioral pro-sociality observed across different games was related to the general measures of pro-social value orientation and perceiving the game situations. These findings suggest that individual and cultural differences in game behaviors can reflect both the ways in which people perceive game situations and their general social preferences.