Signalling signalhood and the emergence of communication

A unique hallmark of human language is that it uses signals that are both learnt and symbolic. The emergence of such signals was therefore a defining event in human cognitive evolution, yet very little is known about how such a process occurs. Previous work provides some insights on how meaning can become attached to form, but a more foundational issue is presently unaddressed. How does a signal signal its own signalhood? That is, how do humans even know that communicative behaviour is indeed communicative in nature? We introduce an experimental game that has been designed to tackle this problem. We find that it is commonly resolved with a bootstrapping process, and that this process influences the final form of the communication system. Furthermore, sufficient common ground is observed to be integral to the recognition of signalhood, and the emergence of dialogue is observed to be the key step in the development of a system that can be employed to achieve shared goals.     

转换加工研究回顾

任务转换是人类认知活动的基本方式,其过程转换加工为中央执行系统的重要功能。转换加工在工作记忆中体现为控制竞争同一认知资源的两项任务之间相互转换的过程。执行转换任务的反应时比执行重复任务的反应时更长,两反应时之差为转换代价。行为实验和神经生理学实验在转换加工的研究范式、转换代价的成分以及执行控制的理论等领域取得一定成果,但也存在诸多争议。事件相关电位和功能磁共振成像技术的联合使用能直观地反映大脑转换加工的时、空动态变化特征,将为转换加工的进一步研究提供证据     

人际信任研究及其在组织管理中的应用

组织中的人际信任,可以促进组织成员之间的沟通,增强组织凝聚力,提高工作效率,从而降低组织运行和管理成本。因此,心理学、社会学和管理学等从各自的角度对组织中信任问题进行了大量研究。该文综述了国内、外对组织人际信任的研究。首先探讨了几种基本的信任定义;然后重点介绍了在组织中建立人际信任以及导致信任破坏的个人因素、人际互动因素以及组织环境、社会文化等宏观因素;最后从组织管理的角度展望了信任研究的未来方向。     

国内外农村医疗保障的政府规制比较分析

运用政府规制理论，从政府规制机构、政府规制标准和对筹资的规制三个方面对国内外农村医疗保障中的政府规制进行比较分析，从而启发我们要精简规制机构，提高规制效率；完善规制标准，提高规制效力；用法律来规制各级政府对医疗保障补助资金的转移支付。     

HOME ACCESS MODIFICATIONS: EFFECTS ON COMMUNITY VISITS BY PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

We examined the effects of access modifications to home entrances of people with physical disabilities on their reported community outings. An interrupted time-series design was used, in which the introduction of ramps was staggered across the homes of 6 people with moderate to severe mobility impairments. Four participants reported increases in weekly outings following installation of ramps at their entrances, and 2 reported a small decrease. These findings suggest that reducing the response requirements of access to and from the residence of people with mobility impairments may increase community visits, but may be insufficient given other environmental barriers in the community.     

The Effects of a Self-sacrificing Minority on Pro-environmental Norms and Behavior: An Investigation Using a Sea Pollution Game

This research investigated how a minority member sacrificing his/her personal benefits to protect the environment might influence the attitudes and behavior of others. The experiment, using a sea pollution game, employed a 2(minority factor)×2(cost factor) factorial design. Under the high-cost condition, in which an ecological minority bears the substantial cost it was hypothesized that the rate of subjects' pro-environmental behavior would be higher in the one-minority case than in the no-minority case. In contrast, under the low-cost condition, the differences between these two cases would decrease. The results supported this assumption. In prompting pro-environmental behavior, a self-sacrification minority member is more influential than one whose behavior is not self-sacrificing. Moreover, under the one-minority condition, path analyses indicated that the subjects' cost evaluation did not affect their behavior. It was concluded that when the subjects saw an ecological minority, the inhibiting effects of cost on their pro-environmental behavior would decrease.     

Hemispheric alpha asymmetries during an electromyographic biofeedback procedure for stuttering: A single-subject experimental design

A single-subject “double-reversal” experimental design was used to investigate the use of electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback on the dysfluent behaviors of a right-handed male stutterer. A systematic decrease in EMG amplitude accompanied a progressive approximation of increased verbal complexity resulting in increased fluent behavior. Electroencephalographic (EEG) alpha data (8–12 Hz) gathered during baseline and pre- and post- treatment sessions appeared to co-vary with changes in fluency with right hemispheric suppression associated with greater dysfluencies and left hemispheric alpha suppression with decreased dysfluencies. The results are discussed relative to stutterer's adoption of differing behavioral production strategies for fluent speech that are associated with hemispheric information processing strategies.     

The use of a portable delayed auditory feedback unit in stuttering therapy

A portable on-the-body delayed auditory feedback was used in the establishment and transfer modes of fluent speech in a stutterer while he was on the Monterey Fluency Program. The performance of the client was compared with a “standard” population of stutterers. The portable DAF was comparable to the larger DAF in establishment and superior in transfer with minimal behavioral and technical problems. Use and potential value of the portable DAF in transfer and maintenance phases of therapy are discussed.     

A feature analysis of stuttered phonemes

Stuttered and nonstuttered phonemes of 20 adult males were analyzed for distinctive feature patterns using the Chomsky-Halle system. The features (+ consonantal), (- voice), (+ continuant), and (- strident) occured significantly more often in stuttering than in nonstuttering instances. Results suggest that adult stuttering is most likely to occur when the primary sites of tension and discoordination are lingual and laryngeal and when the speaker must shift from (- voice) to (+ voice).