The effects of direction similarity in visual working memory: Behavioural and event-related potential studies

Object similarity can improve visual working memory (VWM) performance in the change-detection task, but impair the recognition performance when it occurs at retrieval of VWM in the recognition task. The effect of direction similarity is an issue that has not been well resolved. Furthermore, electrophysiological evidence in support of the mechanisms that underlie the effects of similarity is still scarce. In the current study, we conducted three behavioural experiments to examine the effects of direction similarity on memory performance with regard to both the encoding and retrieval phases of VWM and one event-related potential (ERP) experiment to explore the neural signatures of direction similarity in VWM. Our behavioural studies indicated that direction similarity improved performance when it occurred at the encoding phase but impaired performance when it occurred at the retrieval phase. Moreover, the ERP experiment showed that the amplitude of the contralateral delay activity (CDA) increased with the increasing set size for similar but not dissimilar directions. In addition, the CDA amplitude for similar directions was lower than that for dissimilar directions at set size 2. Taken together, these findings suggest that direction similarity at encoding has a positive effect on VWM performance and at retrieval has a negative effect. Given that VWM capacity depends on information load and the number of objects, the positive effect of similarity may be attributed to reduced information load of memory objects.     

Both non-symbolic and symbolic quantity processing are important for arithmetical computation but not for mathematical reasoning

This study investigated whether numerical processing was important for two types of mathematical competence: arithmetical computation and mathematical reasoning. Thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven Chinese primary school children in third through sixth grades took eight computerised tasks: numerical processing (numerosity comparison, digit comparison), arithmetical computation, number series completion, non-verbal matrix reasoning, mental rotation, choice reaction time, and word rhyming. Hierarchical regressions showed that both non-symbolic numerical processing (numerosity comparison) and symbolic numerical processing (digit comparison) were independent predictors of arithmetical computation but neither was a predictor of mathematical reasoning (assessed by number series completion). These findings suggest that the cognitive basis of mathematical performance varies depending on the type of mathematical competence measured.     

The influence of family context on life,educational and occupational ideal among middle school students in China

This study examined the relationship between family context of middle school students on their educational and occupational ideals. Middle school students (N = 2000) responded to questions assessing family location, family structure, parental educational level and family economic status, as well as to the Middle School Students' Ideals Questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that life, educational and occupational ideals of female students and students in lower grades were higher than that of male students and students in higher grades. Regression analysis indicated that paternal education level have a positive association with educational and occupational ideals, but not life ideals, and family economic status have a positive relation to life ideals, but not educational and occupational ideals. Moreover, the interaction between family economic status and family location has a negative association with students' life, educational and occupational ideals. These results suggest that different factors predicted different ideals of adolescents, and that family economic status had a negative moderating effect on the relationship between family location and ideals of students.     

Relational mobility promotes subjective well‐being through control over interpersonal relationships among the Chinese

The present research investigated the relationship between relational mobility (RM) and subjective well‐being and revealed its psychological mechanism among the Chinese. Study 1 demonstrated that RM positively predicted subjective well‐being. In Study 2, imagined ecology with high RM led to higher expected subjective well‐being relative to that observed in low RM. In Study 3, a correlational study, interpersonal relationship mastery mediated the relationship between RM and subjective well‐being. This result was replicated by an experiment in Study 4. These findings highlight a socioecological perspective in understanding people’s subjective well‐being and shed light on understanding the relationship between different types of mobility and subjective well‐being.     

Transcendental Co-originariness of Subjectivity,Intersubjectivity, and the World: Another Way of Reading Husserl’s Transcendental Phenomenology

Human Studies - The discussion of the debate on the two approaches to Husserl’s phenomenology and of the debate between David Carr and Dan Zahavi on the paradox of subjectivity signify a...     

Developmental Trajectories of Religious Service Attendance: Predictors of Nicotine Dependence and Alcohol Dependence/Abuse in Early Midlife

Journal of Religion and Health - This longitudinal study assesses the associations between developmental trajectories of religious service attendance from mean age 14 to mean age 43 and nicotine...     

Religion and Spirituality among American Indian,South Asian,Black, Hispanic/Latina,and White Women in the Study on Stress,Spirituality, and Health

Social scientists have increasingly recognized the lack of diversity in survey research on American religion, resulting in a dearth of data on religion and spirituality (R/S) in understudied racial and ethnic groups. At the same time, epidemiological studies have increasingly diversified their racial and ethnic representation, but have collected few R/S measures to date. With a particular focus on American Indian and South Asian women (in addition to Blacks, Hispanic/Latinas, and white women), this study introduces a new effort among religion and epidemiology researchers, the Study on Stress, Spirituality, and Health. This multicohort study provides some of the first estimates of R/S beliefs and practices among American Indians and U.S. South Asians, and offers new insight into salient beliefs and practices of diverse racial/ethnic and religious communities.     

自我构念启动对空间参照框架的影响

采用圈代词启动法及空间参照框架判断任务,探究自我构念启动能否改变被试对空间参照框架判断的认知加工过程。结果发现:(1)客体中心参照框架判断的整体正确率大于自我中心参照框架判断;(2)仅在独立型自我构念启动的一致条件下,被试的自我中心参照框架判断正确率高于客体中心参照框架的判断正确率;(3)独立型自我构念使男性更少受到自我中心干扰。结果表明,独立型自我构念启动可能对自我中心参照框架判断具有促进效应,但互倚型自我构念启动不能促进客体中心参照框架判断。     

人类命运共同体信念的结构探索与量表编制

党的十八大提出“倡导人类命运共同体意识”。人类命运共同体信念的心理结构尚不清晰,亦缺乏有效的测量工具。研究一和研究二分别采用词汇自由联想和质性研究对人类命运共同体信念进行结构探索。研究三编制了人类命运共同体信念量表,并检验其信效度。结果显示,人类命运共同体信念包含四个因子,分别为和平共处、休戚与共、合作互助和可持续发展。人类命运共同体信念量表具有良好的信、效度,符合心理测量学标准,可用于人类命运共同体信念的测量。     

智能平衡评估系统的概述和启示

智能平衡评估系统是美国目前使用最为广泛的教育评估系统之一。该系统的三大部分——总结性评估系统、中期评估系统和数字图书馆构成一个畅通的教学、反馈、助教与助学的教育循环系统。我国可借鉴智能平衡评估系统的思想和所采用的技术,将相对独立的教育督导、教育研究、考试命题、学校等事业机构在功能上联合起来形成完整的教育链,建构日常教学评估系统,从而提高国内教育的效益,减轻教与学的负担。