Repetition costs in word identification: evaluating a stimulus–response integration account

Stimulus repetition facilitates performance in many experimental contexts. However, an episodic approach to interpreting repetition effects suggests that repetition effects should depend on how stimuli are encoded. In Experiments 1-3, stimulus repetition in a word identification task led to a cost rather than a benefit in performance, but only when the prime was presented for a relatively long duration. One account of these results is that long prime durations allow integration between stimulus and response codes to occur, which in turn can interfere with responding to a following identical target. In Experiment 4, a stimulus intensity based episodic specificity effect that was insensitive to the proportion of repeated trials supported this stimulus-response integration account.     

Semantic priming effects from single words in a lexical decision task

The present research examines the semantic priming effects of a centrally presented single prime word to which participants were instructed to either "attend and remember" or "ignore". The prime word was followed by a central probe target on which the participants made a lexical decision task. The main variables manipulated across experiments were prime duration (50 or 100 ms), the presence or absence of a mask following the prime, and the presence (or absence) and type of distractor stimulus (random set of consonants or pseudowords) on the probe display. There was a consistent interaction between the instructions and the semantic priming effects. Relative to the "attend and remember" instruction, an "ignore" instruction produced reduced positive priming from single primes presented for 100 ms, irrespective of the presence or absence of a prime mask, and regardless of whether the probe target was presented with or without distractors. Additionally, reliable negative priming was found from ignored primes presented for briefer durations (50 ms) and immediately followed by a mask. Methodological and theoretical implications of the present findings for the extant negative priming literature are discussed.     

On the flexibility and the fallibility of associative memory

We report the results of four experiments in which we explored the flexibility and fallibility of associative recognition memory. In each experiment, pairs were studied one or more times, and the task was to discriminate intact from rearranged pairs. The critical findings are that the pattern of false alarm rates was dependent on the nature of the recognition procedure (e.g., ratings vs. yes-no) and the situation in which the task was performed. The specific pattern of findings suggest that subjects adopt different recognition strategies in order to achieve a desired level of performance in the most efficient manner possible by varying the degree to which they base their decisions on familiarity versus recollected information. Implications for theories of recognition memory are discussed.     

Aptitude Tests: Can We Predict Their Future?

Garcia, J. The Logic and Limits of Mental Aptitude Testing. American Psychologist, 1981, 36, 1172–1180. Hargadon, F. Tests and College Admissions. American Psychologist, 1981, 36, 1112–1119.     

明清之际的伊斯兰教与基督教

明清之际,以天主教为代表的基督教第三次入华,由于伊斯兰教与基督教长期对立的历史背景,再次入华的基督教与中国伊斯兰教的关系颇为复杂,这既表现于基督教对中国伊斯兰教的敌视,也表现于二者在统治机构中的权利争夺,这些对中国伊斯兰教的发展均产生了重要影响。     

The troublesome explanandum in Plantinga’s argument against naturalism

Intending to have a constructive dialogue with the combination of evolutionary theory (E) and metaphysical naturalism (N), Alvin Plantinga’s “evolutionary argument against naturalism” (EAAN) takes the reliability of human cognition (in normal environments) as a purported explanandum and E&N as a purported explanans. Then, he considers whether E&N can offer a good explanans for this explanandum, and his answer is negative (an answer employed by him to produce a defeater for N). But I will argue that the whole EAAN goes wrong by assuming that R is a qualified explanandum crying out for scientific explanations, since it cannot meet either of the two criteria for any scientifically qualified explanandum: Realizability Criterion and Informativeness Criterion. Hence, EAAN is simply setting a task that E&N, as a scientific theory, will not care at all. Therefore, EAAN cannot substantially shake E&N.     

《逻辑哲学论》论概率和归纳

《逻辑哲学论》虽然注家甚多,此书对于概率和归纳问题的零星讨论却一直没有受到后人的重视,而本文则试图对这些讨论进行尝试性的重构。本文的写作目的是双重的。首先,本人试图揭示早期维特根斯坦的概率理论与他的整个逻辑原子论架构之间的关系,说明他是如何通过“真值根据”这个概念而将日常语言中的概率表述全部还原为真值函项理论的。在此基础上,笔者将说明为何他的这种概率理论缺乏实际的应用价值。其次,本文将讨论维氏将归纳问题和概率问题相互分离的“分离策略”,并尝试重构出他提出该策略的隐蔽动机。在此基础上．笔者将站在认知科学的立场上为这个策略本身提供一些辩护和批评。笔者认为,早期维氏虽然正确地看到了“思维经济原则”对于归纳推理的重要指导意义,并看到了该原则本身是无法被还原为逻辑真理的,却并没有意识到该原则本身可能是一切具有一定智能水准的问题解决系统所必须依赖的问题解决策略。令人遗憾的是,他对“心理学”和“逻辑”所作的简单的二分法阻止了他更为深入地对智能系统的普遍问题解决逻辑作出探究,尽管这种研究的确是可以相容于他的前述“分离策略”的。总而言之,本文认为早期维氏的概率理论的科学价值相当有限;与之相比较,他的归纳观却可能已指出了如何揭示智能系统的普遍认知机制的正确道路,尽管他在《逻辑哲学论》阶段还缺乏对于这条道路的全面自觉。     

ES、iNOS及bFGF在桥本氏甲状腺炎中表达的研究

采用S-P法检测17例HT患者甲状腺组织切除标本和9例正常甲状腺组织标本中ES、iNOS及bFGF的表达并分析其之间的相关性,以探讨三者在HT发生发展中的作用.结果HT组中ES、iNOS及bFGF的表达程度均明显高于正常组(P均＜0.05),其中ES与bFGF表达无显著相关性(P>0.05),ES与iNOS、bFGF与iNOS的表达均呈显著正相关(r=0.531,r=0.723,P均＜0.05).结论为在HT中,高表达的ES、iNOS及bFGF在其发生和发展中可能具有重要作用,为研究其病理生理变化和发病机理提供了理论依据.     

从进化心理学的角度解读心理韧性

虽然目前暂时无法说明心理韧性到底是什么样的心理系统,但从进化心理学的角度来看,心理韧性意味着一种在生存困境中的自我保护本能.通过还原心理韧性的功能特征,并考察心理韧性的背景信息,有助于将心理韧性的系统认识和功能认识辩证地结合起来,相互启发和验证,指引心理韧性研究的新方向.     

从中国的社会转型看邪教在当代社会的生存条件

当代中国的社会转型主要包括三个层面,即经济体制的转轨、社会结构的变动和社会形态的变迁。它们虽然有力地推动了我国经济、政治和文化的发展进步,但也不可避免地导致了新旧体制、意识形态和价值观念的激烈碰撞,从而为各种潜伏在人们心灵深处的封建迷信思想的沉渣泛起和境内外邪教组织的乘虚而入创造了条件。