Arguments by Parallels in the Epistemological Works of Phya pa Chos kyi seng ge

The works of the Tibetan logician Phya pa Chos kyi seng ge (1109–1169) make abundant use of a particular type of argument that I term ‘argument by parallels’. Their main characteristic is that the instigator of the argument, addressing a thesis in a domain A, introduces a parallel thesis in an unrelated domain B. And in the ensuing dialogue, each of the instigator’s statements consists in replicating his interlocutor’s previous assertion, mutatis mutandis, in the other domain (A or B). I show that such a dialogue involves two parallel arguments that develop in an intersecting zigzag pattern, and discuss the principles involved in the establishment of the conclusion from the perspective of parity of reasoning and analogical argument. I examine the overall rhetorical strategy directing the use of arguments by parallels and the pedagogical and explanatory functions they can serve. I also evaluate the plausibility of their use in Phya pa Chos kyi seng ge’s works mirroring a contemporary practice of oral debate, and reflect on the status of such arguments in the framework of Indo-Tibetan logic.

Variation in the Use of Pronouns as a Function of the Topic of Argumentation in Young Writers Aged 11 Years

In our view, the ability to impose moral values which may be, to some extent, either shared or conflictual, influences the strategy adopted when writing argumentative texts. Our hypothesis is that the greater the socio-moral distance between the writers’ representations (the writers in this case being children) and those of the recipients (here the parents), the more likely it is that writing will be successful. Three topics derived from a preliminary experiment and corresponding to significant differences in opinion between children and parents were tested in a population of 11-year-old pupils. The pupils had to write a letter designed to convince their parents about one of these topics. We analyzed the texts in order to identify the different configurations in the frequencies of use of the pronouns (frequencies of Je (I), Tu (You), Il (He), On (One/We)) and adverbs. These frequencies differed depending on the topic that was being written about (the moral context that is mobilized).

Flexibility of cue use in the fox squirrel (Sciurus niger)

Recent work on captive flying squirrels has demonstrated a novel degree of flexibility in the use of different orientation cues. In the present study, we examine to what extent this flexibility is present in a free-ranging population of another tree squirrel species, the fox squirrel. We trained squirrels to a rewarded location within a square array of four feeders and then tested them on transformations of the array that either pitted two cue types against one cue type, the majority tests, or all cue types against each other, the forced-hierarchy test. In Experiment 1, squirrels reoriented to the two-cue-type location in all majority tests and to the location indicated by the visual features of the feeders in the forced-hierarchy test. This preference for visual features runs contrary to previous studies that report the use of spatial cues over visual features in food-storing species. In Experiments 2-5 we tested squirrels with different trial orders (Experiments 2 and 3), a different apparatus (Experiment 4) and at different times of the year (Experiment 5) to determine why these squirrels had chosen to orient using visual features in the first experiment. Like captive flying squirrels, free-ranging fox squirrels showed a large degree of flexibility in their use of cues. Furthermore, their cue use appeared to be sensitive both to changes in the test apparatus and the season in which we tested. Altogether our results suggest that the study of free-ranging animals over a variety of conditions is necessary for understanding spatial cognition.     

中小学生情绪调节策略的发展特点

情绪调节策略近年已成为发展与教育心理学的研究热点.本研究采用问卷法考察了中小学生情绪调节策略的年级、性别、学业水平发展特点.结果表明在认知重评策略上无性别差异,有年级差异,有学业水平差异,高年级较低年级、高学业水平较低学业水平更倾向采用认知重评策略;在表达抑制策略上无年级差异,无学业水平差异,有性别差异,男生较女生更倾向采用表达抑制策略.     

不同生活取向学生的应对策略与自我概念

对515名初中生进行生活取向、应对策略和自我概念调查,探讨不同生活取向者的应对策略和自我概念特征,以及不同类型中应对策略与自我概念的关系.分析结果发现,在不同生活取向类型中乐观主义者占优势;不同生活取向者间的应对策略和自我概念存在显著差异;不同生活取向类型中积极应对与自我概念有密切关系,消极应对与自我概念相关不显著.     

Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects of Brain-Implants Using Nano-Scale Materials and Techniques

Nanotechnology is an important platform technology which will add new features like improved biocompatibility, smaller size, and more sophisticated electronics to neuro-implants improving their therapeutic potential. Especially in view of possible advantages for patients, research and development of nanotechnologically improved neuro implants is a moral obligation. However, the development of brain implants by itself touches many ethical, social and legal issues, which also apply in a specific way to devices enabled or improved by nanotechnology. For researchers developing nanotechnology such issues are rather distant from their daily work in the lab, but as soon as they use their materials or devices in medical applications such as therapy of brain diseases they have to be aware of and deal with them. This paper is intended to raise sensitivity for the ethical, legal and social aspects (ELSA) involved in applying nanotechnology in brain implants or other devices by highlighting the short term problems of testing and clinical trials within the existing regulatory frameworks (A), the short and medium-term questions of risks in the application of the devices (B) and the long-term perspectives related to problems of enhancement (C). To identify and address such issues properly nanotechnologists should involve ethical, legal and social experts and regulatory bodies in their research as early as possible. This will help to remove pressure from regulatory bodies, to settle public concern and to prevent non-acceptable developments for the benefit of the patients.

认知策略选择的元认知因素

元认知指个体对自我认知过程的认知。元认知与策略选择的研究自上世纪80年代兴起, 并在随后的30年里取得了丰硕成果, 近年来, 涌现出了不少新的相关研究。基于近10年的国内外研究, 从学习与记忆、问题解决、策略干预三个方面就当今元认知与策略选择的研究新进展进行了分析。基于梳理, 认为元认知在高水平调节、基本记忆策略与策略干预、深层次运作机制及创新研究技术手段方面尚需突破。     

小学低年级儿童的等值分数概念发展及干预

等值分数概念的发展要以相对量概念和乘法思维为基础。实验1将小学一至三年级儿童等值分数概念的发展划分为3个阶段：整体量概念、数量化的相对量概念、正式的等值分数概念, 结果表明一年级儿童尚未获得数量化的相对量概念, 二年级儿童尚未发展起成熟的乘法思维。基于此, 依据最近发展区原理设计了干预实验。实验2的干预方法是在一年级儿童的整体量概念基础上促进其数量化的相对量概念的发展, 实验3的干预方法是通过熟悉的任务情境来促进二年级儿童对乘法关系的实际意义的理解, 从而促进其乘法思维的发展。这些干预方法达到了预期效果, 为开展等值分数的早期教学提供了借鉴。     

不同数学焦虑成人的算术策略运用差异：ERP研究

采用事件相关电位(ERP)技术和选择/无选法范式, 在两位数加法心算和估算中, 探索高、低数学焦虑个体的算术计算策略运用及其内在机制。行为结果：数学焦虑效应在策略运用的反应时和正确率指标上的差异都不显著; 而脑电结果：高数学焦虑个体的N400波幅显著高于低数学焦虑个体; 选择条件中, 估算与心算的数学焦虑效应的N100波幅差异; 无选条件中, 高低数学焦虑个体N1-P2复合波的波幅和潜伏期差异显著。数学焦虑效应在策略编码(0~250 ms)和策略选择/执行阶段(250 ms之后)存在差异。     

结合a分层的兼具项目曝光和广义测验重叠率控制的选题策略

测验安全和题库使用率在计算机化自适应测验中十分重要, 特别是高风险测验。传统的SHGT法兼具同时控制项目曝光率和广义测验重叠率的功能, 但题库使用率较差。a分层法能够提高题库使用率, 但对过度曝光的项目控制不足。本研究将a分层法的思想与SHGT法相结合, 各取所长, 提出了3种新的选题方法：SHGT_a法, SHGT_b法和SHGT_c法。研究结果表明：(1)与SHGT法相比, 新方法均可以在有效地控制项目曝光率和广义测验重叠率同时, 极大地提高题库使用率; (2)随着预设项目曝光率(rmax)和广义测验重叠率( )取值的增大以及共享人数a的减小, 新方法对被试能力估计的精度呈上升趋势。比起SHGT法, 新方法仍能保持很高的题库使用率; (3)当区分度和难度的相关(rab)较大时, SHGT_b和SHGT_c法在能力估计精度方面优于SHGT_a法; (4)在不同的测验考察内容比例下, 3种新方法对被试能力估计的精度均较好; (5)与SHGT法相比, 新方法能够有效地控制项目曝光率过度控制的问题。