Gender Influences on Preschool Children's Social Problem-Solving Strategies

The authors investigated gender influences on the nature and competency of preschool children's social problem-solving strategies. Preschool-age children (N = 179; 91 boys, 88 girls) responded to hypothetical social situations designed to assess their social problem-solving skills in the areas of provocation, peer group entry, and sharing or taking turns. Results indicated that, overall, girls' responses were more competent (i.e., reflective of successful functioning with peers) than those of boys, and girls' strategies were less likely to involve retaliation or verbal or physical aggression. The competency of the children's responses also varied with the gender of the target child. Findings are discussed in terms of the influence of gender-related social experiences on the types of strategies and behaviors that may be viewed as competent for boys and girls of preschool age.     

The Effect of Self-Observation on Children's Problem Solving

The effects of self-observation on children's problem solving were investigated. Children (N = 124) aged 6-8 years attempted to solve the 3-disc Tower of Hanoi problem. After pretesting, children were grouped into those who (a) practiced solving the problem independently, (b) received instruction on the most efficient solution, (c) observed a videotape recording of their previous attempt, and (d) served as a control. Subsequently, children were immediately tested on the 3-disc problem and a more difficult 4-disc problem. They were tested again 1 week later. Performance was most improved for children in the practice and video conditions on the 4-disc problem. Improvements were maintained over the 1-week interval. Unique characteristics of video self-observation are discussed.     

Regressive Imagery in Creative Problem‐Solving: Comparing Verbal Protocols of Expert and Novice Visual Artists and Computer Programmers

We applied computer‐based text analyses of regressive imagery to verbal protocols of individuals engaged in creative problem‐solving in two domains: visual art (23 experts, 23 novices) and computer programming (14 experts, 14 novices). Percentages of words involving primary process and secondary process thought, plus emotion‐related words, were tabulated. Visual art protocols were higher in primary process thought and emotion‐related words; those from programming were higher in secondary process thought. Almost no main effects of expertise or interactions were found. Correlations between the measures (particularly those involving emotion‐related words) also varied as a function of task. This pattern suggests cognitive processes vary considerably across different creative problem‐solving tasks or domains, and that a more domain‐specific approach to creative cognition may be advisable. Further implications for integrating and consolidating some extant lines of creativity research are discussed.     

Getting off the Wheel

Roderick Chisholm argues that in giving an account of knowledge, we must either begin with an account of what knowledge is, and proceed on that basis to identify the particular things that we know, or else start with instances of knowledge, and proceed on that basis to formulate a definition of knowledge. Either approach begs the question against the other. This is the epistemic wheel. This article responds to Chisholm's challenge. It begins with cases of knowledge attribution and builds its account from there, identifying those features that we take to be present in the cases where we have attributed knowledge and those features that seem important when we want to withhold an attribution of knowledge. The proposal does not beg the question against either particularists or methodists; it takes the best features of each view, without beginning with either, and thereby removes us from the wheel.     

中学生物理学科问题分类表征层次的研究

以三套分别含有按照解题方法可以分为二类、三类、四类的物理学科问题分类实验材料,对济南市6所中学3个年级766名中学生进行研究,结果表明:不同年级、不同学业水平学生分类表征层次的差异显著,呈现随年级升高而升高的趋势,学优生的水平明显高于学困生,学优生更多地倾向内在分类表征;随着分类任务的类别数量增多,更多学生倾向外在分类表征;不同性别学生的分类表征层次没有显著差异;不同物理学科问题分类表征层次学生的物理成绩之间存在显著差异。     

Thinking Inside the Tool Box: Creativity,Constraints, and the Colossal Portraits of Chuck Close

This article presents a problem‐solving model to examine the often problematic relationship between expertise and creativity. The model has two premises, each the opposite of a common cliché. The first cliché asserts that creativity requires thinking outside‐the‐box. The first premise argues that experts can only think and problem solve inside the tool boxes of their expertise. The second cliché, that creativity requires freedom from constraints, points to the problem with expertise. Free to do anything, experts repeat what has worked best in the past. A solution is suggested by the second premise: to circumvent the liabilities of expertise, creativity requires constraints of a particular paired kind. The model is introduced as an expansion of prior process models focused on problem identification and construction. Problem‐finding is reanalyzed as constraint‐finding. A case study shows how one recognized creator, painter Chuck Close, uses constraints as a tool to solve the expertise‐creativity problem.     

Evaluating a humane alternative to the bark collar: Automated differential reinforcement of not barking in a home‐alone setting

The aim of this study was to develop a humane alternative to the traditional remote devices that deliver punishers contingent on home‐alone dog barking. Specifically, we evaluated the use of remote delivery of food contingent on intervals of not barking during the pet owner's absence. In Experiment 1, 5 dogs with a history of home‐alone nuisance barking were recruited. Using an ABAB reversal design, we demonstrated that contingent remote delivery of food decreased home‐alone barking for 3 of the dogs. In Experiment 2, we demonstrated that it is possible to thin the differential‐reinforcement‐of‐other‐behavior (DRO) schedule gradually, resulting in a potentially more acceptable treatment. Our results benefit the dog training community by providing a humane tool to combat nuisance barking.     

Longitudinal Study of Mild Delinquency and In-School Problem Behaviors During Junior High School1

This research investigates repetitive problem behavior (in-school problems and mild delinquency) in Japanese junior high school students from their first to third year (12–15 years old) and examines the risk factors for repetitive problem behavior among parent–child relationships, school, individual, and lifestyle factors. An analysis of the longitudinal data of 470 students (Data Set 1) found that repeated problem behavior in school was affected by low self-control, poor relationships with teachers, and lack of parental monitoring. Repeated mild delinquent behavior was affected by parental violence, poor relationships with mothers, less sleep duration, and not belonging to club activities. Some students exhibited both mild delinquency and in-school problems. Students who experienced problem behavior 10 times or more in their second year had often experienced some problem behavior (1–9 times) in their first year. Analysis of the longitudinal data of 368 students (Data Set 2) showed that in many cases, students who exhibited repeated delinquent behavior in their second year continued to exhibit problem behavior after they became third-year students. Though the number of students with repetitive mild delinquency that was totally remedied in their third year was small, a low incidence of parental violence was seen as an antecedent factor for students who did not commit mild delinquency in their third year in spite of a high frequency of delinquency in their second year.     

家庭早期的累积风险对青少年内化问题的影响

基于累积风险框架,检验个人素质和社会互动在家庭早期的累积风险影响青少内化问题上的相对贡献以及中介作用。751名青少年完成Achenbach青少年自评量表、自我效能感问卷、感恩问卷、个人主动性量表、领悟社会支持量表的测试以及累积家庭风险问卷。结果发现: (1)个人素质与社会互动在家庭早期的累积风险影响青少年内化问题过程中起着平行中介作用;(2)社会互动的间接效应大于个人素质的间接效应;(3)家庭早期的累积风险对内化问题存在直接影响。个人素质和社会互动在家庭早期风险影响内化问题的内在过程并非相互竞争,而是作为一种平行中介在运作。研究结果有助于揭示家庭早期的累积风险影响内化问题的内在作用。     

Causal Cognitive Architecture 3: A solution to the binding problem

The binding problem is considered in terms of how a brain-inspired cognitive system can recognize multiple sensory features from an object which may be among many objects, process those features individually and then bind the multiple features to the object they belong to. The Causal Cognitive Architecture 3 (CCA3) is a brain-inspired cognitive architecture using a multi-dimensional navigation map as its basic store of information, and capable of pre-causal as well as fully causal behavior. Objects within an input sensory scene are segmented, and sensory features (e.g., visual, auditory, etc.) of each segmented object are spatially mapped onto a variety of navigation maps. It is shown that to provide efficient, flexible, causal solutions to real-world problems, it is not sufficient to bind space (i.e., objects spatially) but it is necessary to also bind time (i.e., change and rate of change of objects within a sensory scene). The CCA3 binds both space and time onto a navigation map as physical features, and is better able to function in real-world environments. As the CCA3 is brain-inspired, the Causal Cognitive Architecture can help to better hypothesize and understand biological mammalian brain function, including solutions to the binding problem. The CCA3 architecture allows it to work in different knowledge domains, possess continual lifelong learning, and demonstrate reasonable explainability.