Age-related differences in the von restorff isolation effect

When one item is made distinct from the other items in a list, memory for the distinctive item is improved, a finding known as the isolation or von Restorff effect (after von Restorff, 1933). Although demonstrated numerous times with younger adults and children, this effect has not been found with older adults (Cimbalo & Brink, 1982). In contrast to the earlier study, we obtained a significant von Restorff effect for both younger and older adults using a physical manipulation of font colour. The effect size for older adults was smaller than that obtained for younger adults, confirming a prediction of Naveh-Benjamin's (2000) associative deficit hypothesis, which attributes age-related differences in memory performance to older adults' reduced ability to form associations. The findings are consistent with related research in which older adults demonstrate similar—but smaller—benefits for distinctive information to those for younger adults.     

Grounding as a facilitator in Anglo-Canadian and Mainland Chinese conversations

This study examined whether a short training in grounding strategies could improve intercultural communication. Forty intercultural dyads (Anglo-Canadians and Mainland Chinese) were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Prior to their conversations the experimental groups received 10–15 min training on grounding while the control groups received no training. The trained dyads performed significantly better than the untrained dyads in grounding, speaker presentation and listener recall, thus documenting that the 10–15 min training on grounding was fruitful in improving intercultural communication. Grounding training may open a new avenue for reducing intercultural miscommunication, thus improving information transmission.     

Personality self-concept affects processing of trait adjectives in the self-reference memory paradigm

We combined personality, social cognitive, and cognitive paradigms for researching the self. Specifically, we examined whether personality trait assessments are associated with variation in the cognitive processes that produce the self-reference effect in memory. We found that self-reported, but not indirectly assessed, trait orderliness (Study 1; N = 98) and openness (Study 2; N = 92) were associated with slower free recall when corresponding trait adjectives were self-referenced, but not when adjectives were encoded in control tasks. The slower recall showed mixed predictive validity. Results suggest that personality congruent adjectives elicit more elaborative processing in the form of propositions that arise during self-reference, which counter-intuitively slows recall in a manner consistent with random search memory models and cue overload theory.     

专家记忆优势效应理论的比较

依据专家记忆优势效应三个主要理论 (即模板理论、长时工作记忆理论和限制调节理论 )的不同特点选取变量 ,以中国象棋为实验材料 ,采用 2× 2× 2× 2混合设计 ,对三个理论进行检验比较。研究发现 :(1)被试在记忆棋局条件下的包含测验成绩 ,优于选择着法条件下的 ;(2 )棋局与棋手水平之间不存在显著的交互作用 ;(3)棋局与提取时的意识水平之间存在显著的交互作用 ,对局中的外显效应大于排局中的外显效应 ,而棋局的内隐效应则无显著差异。上述结果表明 ,相对而言 ,长时工作记忆理论能够对专家记忆优势效应作出合理的解释     

How Tangible Mock-Ups Support Design Collaboration

This paper is a contribution to a more conscious use of tangible mock-ups in collaborative design processes. It describes a design team’s use of mock-ups in a series of workshops involving potential customers and users. Focus is primarily on the use of three-dimensional design mock-ups and how differences in these affected the dialogue. Reflective conversations were established by using tangible mock-ups as “things-to-think with.” They served as boundary objects that spanned the gap between the different competencies and interests of participants in design. The design mock-ups evoked different things for different participants, whereas the challenge for the design team was to find boundaries upon which everybody could agree. The level of details represented in a mock-up affected the communication so that a mock-up with few details evoked different issues, whereas a very detailed mock-up evoked a smaller variation of issues resulting in a more focused communication.     

Mood and recall of autobiographical memory: the effect of focus of self-knowledge

Mood state facilitates recall of affectively congruent memories (i.e., mood-congruent recall). Mood state may also promote motivation to alleviate a negative affective state, leading to retrieval of affectively incongruent memories (i.e., mood incongruent recall). The present study demonstrates that the focus of self-knowledge influences the occurrence of both mood-congruent recall and mood-incongruent recall. Three experiments found that mood-congruent recall occurred when participants recalled their experiences from a self-aspect that was related to the elicitor of moods, whereas mood-incongruent recall occurred when they recalled their experiences from a self-aspect that was unrelated to the elicitor of moods. These results suggest that the nature of the self-aspect from which persons recall their experiences determines whether mood-congruent or mood-incongruent recall occurs.     

中英文对偶词呈现的空间位置对词义记忆的影响

采用即时记忆和延迟记忆任务,考察了双语信息加工对偶词呈现的空间位置对词义记忆的影响,结果表明：（1）对偶词呈现的空间位置对词义记忆存在影响,且这种影响只出现在延迟记忆中;（2）在延迟记忆任务中,变换词对呈现的空间位置,对对偶词记忆的效果要显著地优于固定空间位置条件;（3）对偶词的呈现背景不同对词对记忆没有影响。     

小学生系列回忆中移动和重复错误特征的研究

以小学一、三、五年级学生为被试,以同音汉字为实验材料,要求被试完成系列回忆任务。实验发现：移动错误随年级的增高而减少,年级差异显著;移动错误出现最多的是在移动距离为1个和2个的时候,移动距离差异显著;重复错误年级差异和移动距离差异均不明显。     

The After-School Needs and Resources of a Low-Income Urban Community: Surveying Youth and Parents for Community Change

Using a collaborative research approach, this project describes a partnership between community residents and university researchers to develop a comprehensive survey of the after-school needs of a low-income urban community in a large Midwestern city. Surveying parents and children was considered particularly important because the current literature on after-school does not include much input from them, the key stakeholders in programming. By surveying pre- and young adolescent youth (N = 416) and parents (N = 225) in the community, information was gathered to document the need for after-school programming, tap program preferences, and uncover barriers to participation and enrollment. Survey findings revealed significant differences between youth and parent perspectives. Disagreements between youth and parent survey responses suggest that after-school programs in the community should offer a balance of academic, recreational, and social activities, as well as a tutoring or homework component. Further, in order to increase participation and attendance rates, community after-school programs need to address the following barriers to participation: safety, transportation, family responsibilities (e.g., care for siblings, household chores), and access to information about available programs. These findings guided the planning of future after-school programs. The survey results and comparisons between youth and parent data will be presented.     

Linking cheating in school and corruption

Introduction

Previous research suggests a link between academic cheating and corruption. However, no prior empirical studies examined this link with cross-cultural data.