塞辅音和声调知觉问题

本文报告的两个实验以合成的汉语普通话CV音节作刺激,研究了塞辅音与声调之间在知觉上的相互作用问题。主要结果是:(1)塞辅音的发音方式影响声调的知觉,不送气音使听者在辨别声调时倾向于基频曲线起点高的声调反应;(2)音节的声调也影响对塞音发音方式的判断,在一、四声音节里,听者倾向于将塞辅音听成不送气音,在二、三声音节里,听成送气音。     

A novel contact-lens system to assess visual hemispheric asymmetries.

A soft contact-lens system for achieving unilateral visual stimulation in a free vision format is described. Initial testing with light transmittance and visual perimetry indicated that the lenses created artificial visual-field deficits. The efficacy of the lenses as a technique for lateralizing visual input was evaluated by examining within-subject differences in performance on two visuospatial tasks. Speed and accuracy of performance were greater with visual input directed to the right hemisphere. These data support the lens design as a useful alternative to tachistoscopic procedures and previous lens systems.     

立体视觉的心理物理和VEP比较研究

心理物理试验是研究立体视觉的主要方法。70年代VEP开始用于体视研究,并取得许多结果。由于VEP信号复杂,这些结果不能令人满意。本文使用心理物理试验和VEP对比方法对体视加以研究。我们的结果是:VEP波形中第一个正峰与刺激图形的亮度有关;N_2峰和P_3峰的潜伏期对判断体视存在与否有重要价值;本试验确定N_2峰潜伏期在体视存在时约为240ms—280ms,无体视存在时约为290ms—310ms;P_3峰潜伏期在体视存在时约为280ms—310ms,无体视存在时约为340ms—360ms;体视存在时的VEP与无体视存在时的VEP的互相关系数小于0.1;有体视的VEP其功率谱密度在8Hz附近有一峰;心理物理试验中使用强制选择得到的结果从VEP波形比较中可以确认是可靠的;有体视的VEP其N_2和P_3的潜伏期随视差变化呈现规律性改变。     

视觉诱发电位(VEP)对不同频率条纹的反差敏感性

本实验利用条纹发生器产生正弦调制的条纹作视觉刺激,用NICOLETCA—1000平均仪,从枕骨隆起上方沿中线5cm处记录瞬态视觉诱发电位。实验用四种不同反差,十种空间频率,四名被试。结果表明瞬态视觉诱发电位(C_1—C_2)的峰值随反差的增加而变化,其在空间频率上有一定的分布,最敏感处落在3—5C/deg。在阈上刺激时,被试个体有差异,但分布趋势相似,最敏感处也为3—5C/deg,这和心理物理实验获得的调制传递函数(MTF)结果很吻合。从实验结果可以看到(C_1—C_2)值对反差变化是敏感的,它反映了人视觉系统对不同空间频率上的反差敏感性,可以把它与MTF相类比。     

Nest box entrance hole size can influence nest site selection and nest defence behaviour in Japanese tits

Animal Cognition - Birds have the ability to assess the risk of predation in their environment and adjust their antipredation strategies based on this risk information. However, whether nest site...     

Inspired to donate: How donors' social class impacts charitable donations

Previous research has found that donors' social class affects their own charitable giving. This research explores the effect of donors' social class on others' donation behavior. Specifically, we propose that individuals feel more inspired to engage in prosocial behavior after learning about low-social-class donors (vs. high-social-class donors) perform the giving behavior. A series of five studies, combining online and experimental data, provide converging support for this proposition and its underlying mechanism of inspiration. Furthermore, we show that the effect of donors' social class on individuals' donation behavior is attenuated when the donation currency is goods (instead of money). The article concludes with implications for the marketing of charities and prosocial behaviors.     

Do maximizing consumers engage more in conspicuous consumption?

While much of the previous research has examined the influence of consumers' social and economic states on conspicuous consumption, little attention has been paid to the potential role that consumers' decision-making tendency plays. This study investigates whether, how, and when maximizing, as a type of decision-making tendency (both dispositional and situationally primed), influences subsequent decisions regarding conspicuous consumption. Four studies were conducted, revealing that maximizing consumers are more likely to engage in conspicuous consumption than non-maximizing consumers (Studies 1 and 2). The need for status serves as the underlying mechanism behind this behavior (Study 3). In addition, the observed effect holds only when the situation is public but disappears when it is private (Study 4). As one of the first investigations into the effect that maximizing has on a type of consumption, these findings offer valuable contributions to both theory and practice.     

Grading the ‘cultural literacy’ project

The essay examines the argument advanced by E.D. Hirsch, Jr., for instituting ‘cultural literacy’ as a fundamental priority of schools. A number of confusions and equivocations in Hirsch's reasoning are identified, and the propensity of his project to indoctrinate is exposed. Among the features of Hirsch's argument shown to be troubling are his shifting construal of ‘language’, his inconsistency about the requirements of cultural literacy, and his uncritical relation to traditional images of the American past and present. The upshot is to raise the question why Hirsch's project has elicited wide support and praise.