Structural equation modeling with heavy tailed distributions

Data in social and behavioral sciences typically possess heavy tails. Structural equation modeling is commonly used in analyzing interrelations among variables of such data. Classical methods for structural equation modeling fit a proposed model to the sample covariance matrix, which can lead to very inefficient parameter estimates. By fitting a structural model to a robust covariance matrix for data with heavy tails, one generally gets more efficient parameter estimates. Because many robust procedures are available, we propose using the empirical efficiency of a set of invariant parameter estimates in identifying an optimal robust procedure. Within the class of elliptical distributions, analytical results show that the robust procedure leading to the most efficient parameter estimates also yields a most powerful test statistic. Examples illustrate the merit of the proposed procedure. The relevance of this procedure to data analysis in a broader context is noted. The authors thank the editor, an associate editor and four referees for their constructive comments, which led to an improved version of the paper.     

不同语境下汉语三声连续变调发生规律初探

采用命名任务,考察真／假词条件下,三声连续变调规律的运用及其对语音提取的影响。实验结果显示．(1)普通话流利者具有三声连续变调意识,变调的发生不受三声字所在语境的影响;(2)三声连续变调的发生影响词汇语音提取,但对类型不同的词,其影响方式存在差异。对阅读错误的分析为讨论提供了进一步证据。     

储存负荷量对内隐记忆效果的影响

为了解储存负荷量对内隐记忆效果的影响而进行本实验研究。实验采用Jacoby过程分离程序范式,用英文辅音字母组成无意义字母串作记忆实验材料,用彼德生的减数干扰分心技术。结果发现：储存负荷量对内隐记忆效果的影响与外显记忆的不同,随着储存负荷量的增加,内隐记忆即自动性提取的作用先下降,后又有所上升,最后渐趋稳定,在负荷量为6以后保持在一个相当稳定的水平。本实验对内隐记忆研究具有参考价值。     

Parental Cognitive Errors Mediate Parental Psychopathology and Ratings of Child Inattention

We investigate the Depression‐Distortion Hypothesis in a sample of 199 school‐aged children with ADHD‐Predominantly Inattentive presentation (ADHD‐I) by examining relations and cross‐sectional mediational pathways between parental characteristics (i.e., levels of parental depressive and ADHD symptoms) and parental ratings of child problem behavior (inattention, sluggish cognitive tempo, and functional impairment) via parental cognitive errors. Results demonstrated a positive association between parental factors and parental ratings of inattention, as well as a mediational pathway between parental depressive and ADHD symptoms and parental ratings of inattention via parental cognitive errors. Specifically, higher levels of parental depressive and ADHD symptoms predicted higher levels of cognitive errors, which in turn predicted higher parental ratings of inattention. Findings provide evidence for core tenets of the Depression‐Distortion Hypothesis, which state that parents with high rates of psychopathology hold negative schemas for their child's behavior and subsequently, report their child's behavior as more severe.     

Word-Level and Sentence-Level Automaticity in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Learners: A Comparative Study

The present study aimed to investigate second language (L2) word-level and sentence-level automatic processing among English as a foreign language students through a comparative analysis of students with different proficiency levels. As a multidimensional and dynamic construct, automaticity is conceptualized as processing speed, stability, and accuracy which are indexed by reaction time, coefficient variation and accuracy rate. Sixty students (39 undergraduate students and 21 graduate students) who majored in English participated in this study. They completed the lexical semantic classification task, the sentence construction task, the sentence verification task under two different modalities (visually- and aurally-presented situations). Multivariate analyses were conducted to examine the differences between the students with different proficiency levels pertaining to their L2 performance. The results indicated that the processing speed was not found to be a good indicator of automatic language processing. Moreover, both levels of students appeared to reach a plateau in word-level processing but there were some variations in students’ sentential processing. Finally, the findings showed that automatic language processing seemed to be module-specific and non-sharable across different modalities and skills.     

Effect of 45‐Day −6° Head‐Down Bed Rest on Cooperation and Aggression

High levels of cooperation and low aggression seem obviously vital to the successful implementation of space missions. To elucidate the effect of microgravity on these behaviors, we investigated whether cooperative and aggressive behaviors would be affected in 16 male volunteers during 45‐day ?6° head‐down bed rest, which is a reliable simulation model for most physiological effects of spaceflight. We used an ultimatum game task to evaluate the cooperative behavior and a revised competitive reaction time test to evaluate the aggressive behavior simultaneously. We found that (1) the participants became less cooperative in the post‐bed rest phase in comparison with the pre‐bed rest phase and (2) the participants became more aggressive in the in‐bed rest phase in comparison with the pre‐bed rest phase. These findings provide evidence that head‐down bed rest may affect both cooperative and aggressive behaviors in males, suggesting an important perspective for future studies in space psychology.Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

儿童句子错误记忆:发展性逆转现象及精加工推理效应

为探究文本背景下句子错误记忆的发展性逆转现象及精加工推理效应,95名有效被试学习3篇文本材料后,参与由学过句、内涵推理句、外延推理句和无关句组成的再认测验。结果发现：（1）高中二年级被试学过句的正确再认率和关键诱饵句的校正的错误再认率均显著高于小学五年级和初中二年级,后二者差异不显著;（2）内涵推理句错误再认率高于外延推理句,高中二年级被试尤甚。结论：（1）句子真实记忆随着年龄增长而增加;句子错误记忆存在发展性逆转现象,初中二年级到高中二年级是句子错误记忆发展相对迅速的阶段;（2）文本背景下,不同的精加工推理诱发了不同程度的句子错误记忆,这种精加工推理效应与一般世界知识的自上而下激活的程度有关。     

不同任务难度条件下认知老化对冲突适应能力的影响

采用任务冲突范式考察在不同任务难度条件下认知老化对个体冲突适应能力的影响。实验1采用经典Flanker任务考察在需要较少认知资源的低难度任务上,老年人与年轻人的冲突适应能力是否有差异;实验2则进一步采用Flanker与Simon任务的交叉整合任务,探讨在需要更多认知资源的高难度任务上,认知老化对冲突适应能力的影响。结果表明在低难度任务条件下,认知老化并未对冲突适应能力产生影响;而当冲突调控所需认知资源超出老化大脑最大代偿潜能时,老年人的冲突适应能力受损严重,认知老化会显著影响冲突适应能力。本研究最终支持了脑功能代偿说和资源限制理论。     

Associations between sexual sensation seeking and AIDS-related knowledge,attitudes and behaviors among young men who have sex with men in China

Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) have become high risk groups for HIV infection in China. Recent researches suggest that sexual sensation seeking is significantly associated with AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors, but the relationship is not clear in the field of YMSM in China. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between sexual sensation seeking and AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among YMSM in China. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Wuhan, China from May to November 2013. 403 YMSM were recruited and 373 of them completed the questionnaire. Regression analyses indicated that YMSM with high sexual sensation seeking score are more likely to have low awareness of knowledge and negative attitude about condom use, as well as more risky sexual behaviors.     

Influence of school-level and family-level variables on Chinese college students’ aggression

With the frequent occurrence of campus violence, scholars have devoted increasing attention to college students’ aggression. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of aggression in Chinese university students and identify factors that could influence their aggression. We can thus find methods to reduce the incidence of college students’ aggression in the future. A multi-stage stratified sampling procedure was used to select university students (N = 4565) aged 16–25 years in Harbin. The Aggression Questionnaire, the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist and the Social Support Revalued Scale were used to collect data. Females reported lower levels of aggression than males (p < .001). A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the influence of factors of aggression, and the model was highly significant (R² = .233, Ad R² = .230, p < .01). The results show that the aggression is affected by gender, family-level and school-level variables. Aggression scores are significantly correlated with not only family-level or school-level variables independently, but their combination as well. We find that the risk factors for aggression include a dissatisfying profession, higher levels of study pressure, poor parental relationships, poor interpersonal relationships, the presence of siblings, punishment, health maladjustment, less subjective support, and lower levels of utilization of social support.