Task choice and semantic interference in picture naming

Evidence from dual-task performance indicates that speakers prefer not to select simultaneous responses in picture naming and another unrelated task, suggesting a response selection bottleneck in naming. In particular, when participants respond to tones with a manual response and name pictures with superimposed semantically related or unrelated distractor words, semantic interference in naming tends to be constant across stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) between the tone stimulus and the picture–word stimulus. In the present study, we examine whether semantic interference in picture naming depends on SOA in case of a task choice (naming the picture vs reading the word of a picture–word stimulus) based on tones. This situation requires concurrent processing of the tone stimulus and the picture–word stimulus, but not a manual response to the tones. On each trial, participants either named a picture or read aloud a word depending on the pitch of a tone, which was presented simultaneously with picture–word onset or 350 ms or 1000 ms before picture–word onset. Semantic interference was present with tone pre-exposure, but absent when tone and picture-word stimulus were presented simultaneously. Against the background of the available studies, these results support an account according to which speakers tend to avoid concurrent response selection, but can engage in other types of concurrent processing, such as task choices.     

The influence of a reading task on children’s eye movements during reading

In the present study, second graders (n= 23), fourth graders (n= 16), sixth graders (n= 24) and adults (n= 21) read texts adopted from children’s science textbooks either with the task to answer a “why” question presented as the title of the text or for comprehension when their eye movements were recorded. Immediately after reading, readers answered a text memory and an integration question. Second graders showed an effect of questions as increased processing during first-pass reading, whereas older readers showed the effect in later look-backs. For adult readers, questions also facilitated first-pass reading. Text memory or integration question-answering was not influenced by the reading task. The results indicate that questions increase the standards of coherence for text information and that already young readers do modify their reading behaviour according to task demands.     

自我—他人危机决策信息加工过程的差异:来自眼动的证据

本研究采用iView X-RED眼动仪,分两个实验来考察自我-他人危机决策的信息加工过程的差异。实验一采用单因素实验设计探讨自我-他人危机决策的信息加工过程,结果表明：为自我决策组的平均阅读时间、平均注视时间、平均注视次数、平均凝视时间、平均回视次数都显著高于为他人决策组。实验二采用2（任务框架：积极,消极）x2（决策者角色：为自我、为他人）混合实验设计,结果表明：在积极框架下,为自我决策组平均阅读时间、平均注视时间、平均注视次数、平均凝视时间、平均回视次数显著高于为他人决策组;在消极框架下,两个组没有显著差异。总体表现为,自我-他人危机决策的信息加工过程存在差异,且受任务框架的影响。     

Ensemble statistics as units of selection

The current study investigated whether attentional mechanisms operate on ensembles as higher-order units for selection. In Experiment 1, we presented sets of circles and asked participants to compare the mean sizes of the sets while concurrently detecting a small probe appearing at a centroid of one of the sets. We found that, both with and even without the task instruction to favour larger mean sizes, people's mean size judgement was more accurate for the sets with larger mean sizes. In addition, detection of the probe appearing in the set with the largest mean size was facilitated by a matching task instruction. However, when the task instruction favoured smaller mean sizes, mean size judgement became more accurate for the sets with smaller mean sizes. These results suggest that attentional selection can be based on ensembles. In Experiment 2, we found further evidence that attention was directed towards the centroid of an ensemble, rather than towards an individual member of the ensemble. Together, these results suggest that attentional modulation can operate at the level of ensembles instead of selecting individuals separately and that the centroid of an ensemble can be the locus of selection based on an ensemble.     

Conscious knowledge influences decision‐making differently in substance abusers with and without co‐morbid antisocial personality disorder

Decision‐making impairment, as measured by the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), is a consistent finding among individuals with substance use disorder (SUD). We studied how this impairment is influenced by co‐morbid antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and conscious knowledge of the task. Three groups were investigated: SUD individuals without co‐morbid ASPD (n = 30), SUD individuals with co‐morbid ASPD (n = 16), and healthy controls (n = 17). Both SUD and SUD+ASPD participants had poor overall IGT performance. A block‐by‐block analysis revealed that SUD participants exhibited slow but steady improvement across the IGT, whereas SUD+ASPD participants exhibited initial normal improvement, but dropped off during the last 40 trials. Conscious knowledge of the task was significantly correlated to performance for controls and SUD participants, but not for SUD+ASPD participants. Our findings suggest that decision‐making proceeds differently in SUD and SUD+ASPD individuals due to differences in acquisition and application of conscious knowledge.     

The link between ego-resiliency and changes in Big Five traits after decision making: The case of Extraversion

After performing such solitary decision making tasks as the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and the Game of Dice Task (GDT), we expected that changes will occur in Extraversion trait measured by a short Hungarian Big Five Inventory (BFI). We also hypothesized that ego-resiliency (Block, 2002)—a dimension measuring the ability to adapt to situational demands—will be linked to the magnitude of Extraversion change. After a pre-task measurement of the Big Five traits and ego-resiliency, participants (N = 93) completed the IGT and the GDT tasks. After each task, they filled out the BFI again. Pre- and post-task Big Five trait values showed significant differences. Participants reported lower post task scores on the Extraversion dimension and the magnitude of Extraversion change between pre- and post-task measurements correlated with ego-resiliency. The results highlight some short term effects of contextual factors influencing self-characterizations in BFI dimensions. Especially, individuals with high ego-resiliency give characteristically more introverted self-characterization after solitary tasks. The present results show an example of how the interplay between contextual factors and ego-resiliency can modify self-characterization within a very short period of time.     

Task complexity matters: The influence of trait mindfulness on task and safety performance of nuclear power plant operators

People with high level of trait mindfulness are more likely to maintain an open and present-focused awareness and attention. Whereas a positive link between trait mindfulness and well-being has been established, its influence on real-world performance has not been fully addressed. In Study 1, we validated the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) in a Chinese sample (N = 294) and found that a two-dimensional solution (a presence factor and an acceptance factor) best fit the data. In Study 2, using this validated scale, we directly investigated the influence of trait mindfulness on task and safety performance. In a sample of 136 Chinese nuclear power plant operators, it was found that trait mindfulness interacted with task complexity to influence performance. For high-complexity-task holders (the control room operators), the presence factor was positively related to their task and safety performance; for the low-complexity-task holders (the field operators), the presence factor had no influence on safety performance but a negative influence on task performance. The acceptance factor did not have any meaningful influences. These results suggest that the benefit of being mindful outweighs its cost for complex but not simple tasks. Implications are discussed.     

Cognitive-Behavioural Treatment Package for Teaching Grooming Skills to a Man with an Intellectual Disability

A combination of health education, use of picture cues based on task analyses, a system of least prompts and social reinforcement was applied to teach various grooming skills to a man with a moderate intellectual disability. A multiple baseline design across behaviours was employed to show the effects. The results indicated rapid learning of lacking skills such as tooth brushing, shaving, showering and washing of arms and face.     

不同类型罪犯在爱荷华赌博任务中的决策功能缺陷

采用爱荷华赌博任务(Behcara等人1994年版本)测量了8类共222名在监男性罪犯以及32名普通男性的决策功能, 并运用前景效用学习模型分析了不同类型罪犯在情感决策中的心理功能缺陷。罪犯组选择牌1的比例与控制组没有显著差异, 选择牌2的比例显著高于控制组, 选择牌3和牌4的比例显著低于控制组。暴力犯和涉黑犯对收益和损失都不敏感, 对过去的预期效用折扣很快; 吸毒犯(已戒除)、涉毒犯、盗窃犯和抢劫犯对奖赏加工正常, 对惩罚不敏感; 经济犯选择一致性最低; 性罪犯选择一致性最高。结果表明不同类型罪犯在爱荷华赌博任务中都具有决策功能缺陷, 但他们的决策功能缺陷由不同的心理功能缺陷所致。     

大学生感恩内隐效应的实验研究

研究探讨内隐联想测验(Implicit Association Test,IAT)和Go/No-go联想任务测验(Go/No-go Association Task, GNAT)测量大学生感恩的可行性,并分析内隐感恩与外显感恩的关系。预备性研究从现代汉语字典中挑选自我词/他人词各16个,从汉语成语大辞典中挑选出与感恩相关的积极词/消极词各20个,根据65位大学生的评定结果筛选出自我词/他人词各8个,积极词/消极词各8个,用于正式研究。正式研究采用IAT、GNAT感恩测量程序和青少年感恩量表(Adolescent Gratitude Scale,AGS),对155名大学生同时进行IAT、GNAT及外显感恩的测量。结果发现:(1)大学生普遍具有积极的内隐感恩,内隐感恩不存在性别、生源地和独生与否等人口统计学指标上的显著差异;(2)大学生的内隐感恩与外显感恩相关不显著,是两个不同的建构;(3)采用IAT和GNAT研究感恩是可行的。