Optimal Hierarchical Learning Path Design With Reinforcement Learning

E-learning systems are capable of providing more adaptive and efficient learning experiences for learners than traditional classroom settings. A key component of such systems is the learning policy. The learning policy is an algorithm that designs the learning paths or rather it selects learning materials for learners based on information such as the learners’ current progresses and skills, learning material contents. In this article, the authors address the problem of finding the optimal learning policy. To this end, a model for learners’ hierarchical skills in the E-learning system is first developed. Based on the hierarchical skill model and the classical cognitive diagnosis model, a framework to model various mastery levels related to hierarchical skills is further developed. The optimal learning path in consideration of the hierarchical structure of skills is found by applying a model-free reinforcement learning method, which does not require any assumption about learners’ learning transition processes. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is demonstrated via simulation studies.     

Authoritarian–benevolent Leadership and its Effect on Graduate Student Creativity: The Mediating Role of Intrinsic Motivation

Despite numerous studies demonstrating that authoritarian leadership and benevolent leadership exert incompatible influence on an individual’s creativity, the combined effects of authoritarian leadership and benevolent leadership on an individual’s creativity and the related mechanisms have yet to be explained. This study tests a model that considers the combined effects of authoritarian and benevolent leadership on graduate student creativity in the universities in China, while also examining the mediating role of the intrinsic motivation of graduate students. Multisource data were collected from 297 graduate students in 60 university scientific research teams in China. The results show that when authoritarian leadership and benevolent leadership are in congruence, the intrinsic motivation of graduate students and their creativity increase as supervisor authoritarianism and benevolence increases. When authoritarian leadership and benevolent leadership are in discrepancy, the intrinsic motivation of graduate students is higher when low supervisor authoritarianism is combined with high benevolence; however, the findings also show that low authoritarian leadership combined with high benevolent leadership would not increase graduate student creativity. The relationship between authoritarian–benevolent leadership and graduate student creativity is partially mediated by intrinsic motivation. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.     

Leader–follower risk orientation incongruence,intellectual stimulation,and creativity: A configurational approach

Prior work suggests that follower and leader risk orientation is positively associated with follower creativity. We suggest that this view is oversimplified and propose that follower creativity can be stimulated when leader and follower have diverging risk orientations. We, therefore, apply a configurational approach to creativity, evaluating varying combinations of leader and follower risk orientation on follower creativity. Across two field studies, we demonstrate that (a) follower creativity increases as leaders’ and followers’ risk orientations become more discrepant (i.e., incongruent); (b) follower creativity is higher when leader–follower dyads are congruent at moderate levels of risk orientation compared to congruence at the extremes (i.e., low and high levels); (c) follower‐experienced intellectual stimulation mediates the relationship between leader–follower risk orientation incongruence and congruence and follower creativity; and (d) that leader authority openness moderates the indirect effect of leader–follower risk orientation incongruence on creativity via follower‐experienced intellectual stimulation. Theoretical and practical implications specific to creativity and leader–follower relationships are discussed.     

Identifiability of Diagnostic Classification Models

Diagnostic classification models (DCMs) are important statistical tools in cognitive diagnosis. In this paper, we consider the issue of their identifiability. In particular, we focus on one basic and popular model, the DINA model. We propose sufficient and necessary conditions under which the model parameters are identifiable from the data. The consequences, in terms of the consistency of parameter estimates, of fulfilling or failing to fulfill these conditions are illustrated via simulation. The results can be easily extended to the DINO model through the duality of the DINA and DINO models. Moreover, the proposed theoretical framework could be applied to study the identifiability issue of other DCMs.     

Assessment and Implications of Social Withdrawal Subtypes in Young Chinese Children: The Chinese Version of the Child Social Preference Scale

The authors’ goals were to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Child Social Preference Scale (CSPS; R. J. Coplan, K. Prakash, K. O'Neil, & M. Armer, 2004) and examine the links between both shyness and unsociability and indices of socioemotional functioning in young Chinese children. Participants included of two samples recruited from kindergarten classes in two public schools in Shanghai, China. Both samples included children 3–5 years old (Sample 1: n = 350, M_age = 4.72 years, SD = 0.58 years; Sample 2: n = 129, M_age = 4.40 years, SD = 0.58 years). In both samples, mothers rated children's social withdrawal using the newly created Chinese version of the CSPS, and in Sample 2, teachers also provided ratings of socioemotional functioning. Consistent with previous findings from other cultures, results from factor analyses suggested a 2-factor model for the CSPS (shyness and unsociability) among young children in China. In contrast to findings from North America, child shyness and unsociability were associated with socioemotional difficulties in kindergarten. Some gender differences were also noted. Results are discussed in terms of the assessment and implications of social withdrawal in early childhood in China.     

Historical Semantic Chaining and Efficient Communication: The Case of Container Names

Semantic categories in the world's languages often reflect a historical process of chaining: A name for one referent is extended to a conceptually related referent, and from there on to other referents, producing a chain of exemplars that all bear the same name. The beginning and end points of such a chain might in principle be rather dissimilar. There is also evidence supporting a contrasting picture: Languages tend to support efficient, informative communication, often through semantic categories in which all exemplars are similar. Here, we explore this tension through computational analyses of existing cross‐language naming and sorting data from the domain of household containers. We find (a) formal evidence for historical semantic chaining, and (b) evidence that systems of categories in this domain nonetheless support near‐optimally efficient communication. Our results demonstrate that semantic chaining is compatible with efficient communication, and they suggest that chaining may be constrained by the functional need for efficient communication.     

父母的教养方式及性别对孝道代际传递的影响

基于代际传递视角,亲子配对调查了439户家庭,考察了父母性别和教养方式对双元孝道代际传递的心理机制。结果:(1)权威性孝道和互惠性孝道都存在直接显著的代际传递效应;(2)父母权威性孝道正向预测父母心理控制,父母心理控制在亲子权威性孝道代际传递过程中起了中介作用;(3)父母互惠性孝道正向预测父母心理自主,父母心理自主主要在亲子互惠性孝道代际传递过程中起了中介作用;(4)父母性别在父母双元孝道、父母教养方式与子女双元孝道之间起了显著的调节作用。     

勒维纳斯对"源印象"的批判

"源印象"(Ur-impression)是胡塞尔用以研讨内时间和内知觉意识以及自我问题的关键词.他在多处表达了同一个观念:在意识能够清晰地意识到印象之前,已经存在着是一个原始的作为内(时间)意识之由来的源印象.它是构造诸当下意识的源点和开端,因此它是在意识构造而不是被构造的更原初的层面上的发生点.而正是它不断地生产构造着内在意识才使得我们具有连续性的内时间流逝模式.     

移情对亲社会行为决策的两种功能

移情对亲社会行为决策具有动机功能和信息功能。霍夫曼认为,移情忧伤不仅能够作为亲社会道德动机促进亲社会行为的产生,而且能够激活观察者的道德原则,进而引发亲社会行为。巴特森强调移情不仅能够增强解除他人困境的动机,而且带有重视他人福利和想使他人困境得到解除的程度的信息。移情的动机功能依赖于诱发移情的情境,而信息功能具有稳定的倾向性,比动机功能更持久,两种功能共同作用使移情在亲社会行为决策中具有更强的适应性。移情功能理论对道德教育具有启示作用。     

项目突显方式对视觉搜索策略的影响

搜索策略是将视觉注意导引到目标最可能出现位置的直接认知控制。本研究采用眼动跟踪技术与视觉搜索时间——鼠标点击时间的分离技术,探讨计算机视觉界面不同项目突显方式下的搜索策略问题。结果表明：（1）有无项目突显方式、不同的突显有效性水平,被试采用了导向式和序列式两种不同的搜索策略;（2）被试采用导向式搜索策略时,被试在第一个感兴趣区域首注视点百分比小于58.3％,在视觉搜索过程中的注视点数量明显较小、扫视轨迹长度和注视时间明显较少;（3）被试采用序列式搜索策略时,被试在第一个感兴趣区域首注视点百分比大于58.3％,在视觉搜索过程中的注视点数量明显较多、扫视轨迹长度和注视时间明显较长;（4）采用导向式的视觉搜索策略能显著减少被试的视觉搜索时间,提高视觉搜索的绩效,但不能显著减少被试的鼠标点击时间;（5）因为视觉界面上突显的设置改变了用户的搜索策略,所以提高了视觉搜索绩效。