Age,Gender, and Level of Activity as Moderators of Personal Incentives to Physical Activity in Israel

The authors conducted an exploratory study with Israeli adults examining their personal incentives for physical activity (e.g., appearance, weight management). The participants formed a sample of 379 physically active Israelis, aged 20-89 years, divided into 3 age groups and 3 levels of activity. The authors found a similar profile for men and women for most incentives, with men scoring more highly than did women on only competition and fitness. Participants in the highest level of activity attributed greater importance to all incentives than did those in the other levels, and older adults attributed less importance to all incentives except for health benefits. The findings are relevant for planning activities intended to encourage adults to engage in more physical activity.     

不同加工深度非符号数量信息的SNARC效应：眼动证据

通过两项眼动实验考察了个体在水平和垂直方向上对点阵数量进行较浅(浏览)和较深(数字比较)程度加工时的数量空间表征联系。结果显示：点阵在水平方向上出现了SNARC效应, 且SNARC效应的大小不受加工深浅的影响, 而在垂直方向上没有出现SNARC效应。表明(1)点阵数量SNARC效应的稳定性不如阿拉伯数字; (2)方向对点阵SNARC效应的影响更大, 加工程度的影响则不明显。结合加工程度、空间方向和点阵数量的自身特征等对研究发现进行了讨论, 认为数字的空间表征在多个因素的共同影响下可能呈现出多样性。     

图文相关性对不同认知方式大学生阅读影响的眼动研究

阅读是我们日常生活中的一项重要认知活动。利用插图来帮助人们提高阅读理解能力是一种常用的方法。本研究选取了40名大学生做被试,使用眼动仪考察了图文相关程度(高和低)对不同认知方式大学生(场依存型和场独立型)图文阅读的影响。结果发现：(1)图文相关性对不同认知方式读者影响不同,图文相关程度对场独立型读者的阅读成绩无显著影响,但对场依存型读者影响显著。场依存型读者对高相关材料的阅读理解成绩显著优于低相关材料。(2)场依存型读者在阅读不同相关图文时会主动调整加工对象。图文相关高时,场依存型读者更多注视插图;而图文相关低时,场依存型读者更多注视文字内容。此外,场依存型读者在图文之间的转换和对文字的注视点平均持续时间多于场独立型读者。本研究认为,高相关插图有助于提高场依存型读者的阅读成绩;场依存型读者在阅读不同相关程度图文时会主动调整加工对象。     

不同阅读水平与文章熟悉程度条件下文章标记效应的研究

探讨文章阅读过程中读者的阅读水平与文章熟悉程度对文章标记效应的影响。结果表明,文章标记与文章主题熟悉程度存在显著的交互作用,文章标记对熟悉文章的信息保持无明显的促进效应．但对不熟悉文章信息保持的促进效应非常明显;文章标记对不同阅读水平读者的文章信息保持都有显著的促进效应,但对阅读水平高的读者的促进效应大于对阅读水平低的读者的促进效应。文章阅读中的结构搜索加工的观点得到初步证明。     

Zones of Maturation and Regression,and Psychoanalytic Technique

This article summarizes Balint's thoughts on the fundamental problems of psychoanalytic technique and their links with libidinal development as conceived by him.     

An application of the stress-diathesis model: A review about the association between smoking tobacco,smoking cessation,and mental health

BackgroundWorldwide, approximately 24% of all adults smoke, but smoking is up to twice as prevalent in people with mental ill-health. There is growing evidence that smoking may be a causal risk factor in the development of mental illness, and that smoking cessation leads to improved mental health.MethodsIn this scholarly review we have: (1) used a modern adaptation of the Bradford-Hill criteria to bolster the argument that smoking could cause mental ill-health and that smoking cessation could reverse these effects, and (2) by considering psychological, biological, and environmental factors, we have structured the evidence to-date into a stress-diathesis model.ResultsOur model suggests that smoking is a psychobiological stressor, but that the magnitude of this effect is mediated and modulated by the individual's diathesis to develop mental ill-health and other vulnerability and protective factors. We explore biological mechanisms that underpin the model, such as tobacco induced damage to neurological systems and oxidative stress pathways. Furthermore, we discuss evidence indicating that it is likely that these systems repair after smoking cessation, leading to better mental health.ConclusionBased on a large body of literature including experimental, observational, and novel causal inference studies, there is consistent evidence showing that smoking can negatively affect the brain and mental health, and that smoking cessation could reverse the mental ill-health caused by smoking. Our model suggests that smoking prevention and treatment strategies have a role in preventing and treating mental illness as well as physical illness.     

How Can Contextual Variables Influence Creative Thinking? Contributions from the Optimal-Level of Arousal Model

More and more research is showing how different environments can lead to greater or lower creative skills. The purpose of this concept paper is to introduce a novel application of the optimal-level of arousal model that could address inconsistencies present in the literature. After introducing possible definitions of creativity, I discuss the optimal-level of arousal theory and how considering the “arousal” and “mood changing” potentials of contexts could enlighten findings related to inter-individual differences, domain-specificities, developmental aspects, and gender differences. Among other things, this model will clarify the factors influencing motivation to display creative skills which could improve the external validity of creativity studies. Examples of the kinds of hypotheses that can be tested by applying this model in future creative studies will also be proposed.     

On the existence of prelinguistic categories: A case study

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether infants spontaneously form categories during the prelinguistic period and whether these categories are based on the same principles as adult basic-level categories. A new methodology, using a functional use measure as the determinant of category composition, was employed in a case study of one infant's horn category. Results indicated that this category met Schlesinger's (1982) criteria for a prelinguistic category and that the category was based on similarity relationships, as adult categories are.