Empathy, theory of mind, and individual differences in the appropriation bias among 4- and 5-year-olds

Evidence that young children often claim ownership of their partner’s contributions to an earlier collaborative activity, the appropriation bias, has been attributed to shared intentionality (Cognitive Development (1998) 13, 91–108). The current investigation explored this notion by examining individual differences in the bias among 4- and 5-year-olds as a function of empathy and theory of mind. On two occasions, children joined an adult and two dolls (with each doll being operated by one of the humans) in a picture matching board game before being asked to remember who placed each picture. Children showed a robust appropriation bias despite excellent recognition memory for the studied pictures (Study 1) and particularly in relation to the human sources (Study 2). Whereas higher levels of self-reported empathy were associated with a greater frequency of appropriation errors and fewer correct attributions for pictures placed by the adult and her doll partner, the opposite pattern emerged for theory of mind. Moreover, the positive relations between theory of mind and source monitoring accuracy remained robust after controlling for general ability and inhibitory skills. We consider the implications of these findings for understanding the processes driving the appropriation bias.     

The role of recollection in source memory: an examination of schizophrenia patients and their first-degree relatives

Source recognition memory deficits have repeatedly been observed in people with schizophrenia (SZ), and have also recently been observed in their first-degree relatives. These deficits have been hypothesized to result, at least in part, from impairments in the conscious recollection process. Although other processes are clearly also affected in SZ, it has been proposed that impairments in the conscious recollection process could be a parsimonious explanation for the source memory deficits observed in their relatives. Here, we tested 25 patients with SZ and 34 of their non-affected parents, as well as two groups of matched healthy controls, on a short-term associative memory task that shares the characteristics of standard source recognition tasks but minimizes the need for recollection of stored information from memory. This task was administered in order to determine if deficits can still be observed in these people when involvement of the conscious recollection process is minimized. We observed deficits on our short-term source memory task in people with SZ, but their first-degree relatives did not share this deficit. These results support the idea that multiple memory processes supporting associative/source memory are affected in SZ, whereas the source memory deficits previously observed in relatives of SZ seem specific to tasks that rely on the conscious recollection process.     

ERP correlates of performance monitoring in elderly

Previous studies on performance monitoring repeatedly found attenuated error-related negativities (Ne/ERN) in elderly, while findings for the correct-related negativity (Nc/CRN) are inconsistent. The present study aimed at clarifying inconsistent Nc/CRN results in elderly. Therefore, a refined design was employed to control for potential influences on the Nc/CRN, namely decision uncertainty and partial error processing. Further, we intended to study Nc/CRN variations with trial compatibility that were found in previous studies for younger but not for older adults. Results revealed increased Nc/CRN and decreased Ne/ERN amplitudes in older compared to younger adults. While the Ne/ERN was larger than the Nc/CRN in younger adults, both components were similar-sized in older adults. Further, a modulation of Nc/CRN amplitudes between compatible and incompatible trials was observed in younger adults, but was absent in older adults. Reduced differentiation of response-related negativities with response accuracy or stimulus compatibility in elderly suggests a reduced adaptation of associated processes to changing demands. Further, this might also point to different processes reflected by Nc/CRN and Ne/ERN and to reduced error-specific monitoring but increased general or strategic monitoring in elderly.     

False rumors and true belief: Memory processes underlying children’s errant reports of rumored events

Previous research has shown that overhearing an errant rumor—either from an adult or from peers—about an earlier experience can lead children to make detailed false reports. This study investigates the extent to which such accounts are driven by changes in children’s memory representations or merely social demands that encourage the reporting of rumored information. This was accomplished by (a) using a warning manipulation that eliminated social pressures to report an earlier heard rumor and (b) examining the qualitative characteristics of children’s false narratives of a rumored-but-nonexperienced event. Findings indicated that overheard rumors can induce sensory and contextual characteristics in memory that can lead children to develop genuine false beliefs in seeing rumored-but-nonexperienced occurrences. Such constructive tendencies were especially likely among 3- and 4-year-olds (relative to 5- and 6-year-olds) and when rumors were picked up from peers during natural social interactions (relative to when they were planted by an adult).     

Duality and nonduality in meditation research

The great variety of meditation techniques found in different contemplative traditions presents a challenge when attempting to create taxonomies based on the constructs of contemporary cognitive sciences. In the current issue of Consciousness and Cognition, Travis and Shear add ‘automatic self-transcending’ to the previously proposed categories of ‘focused attention’ and ‘open monitoring’, and suggest characteristic EEG bands as the defining criteria for each of the three categories. Accuracy of current taxonomies and potential limitations of EEG measurements as classifying criteria are discussed.     

句子加工中的语义P600效应

句子加工领域的研究中,一般认为,N400效应与语义加工有关,句法违反通常引发P600效应。然而近年来一些研究发现,句子语义违反时也引发了P600效应,即语义P600效应。对语义P600效应的诱发原因及其功能意义,目前有三种代表性的解释:监控说认为,P600效应是由语言理解过程中的认知冲突引发的,反映了认知监控系统对可能出现的加工错误的检测与解决;而非句法中心动态模型认为语义P600效应反映的是句子理解过程中两条通路之间出现冲突时的持续分析;扩展的论元依赖模型则用新的句子加工模型来解释语义P600效应,认为语义P600效应与句法违反引发的P600效应产生于句子加工的不同过程。     

数据-笔墨比率对过程监控任务绩效的影响

以24名参加飞行员心理选拔的大学生为被试,采用模拟过程监控任务,以反应时、心理负荷与情境意识为指标,考察了数据-笔墨比率在动态图形显示设计中的应用。研究结果表明,低数据-笔墨比率显示条件下的反应时较短、情境意识较高,即适当增加表达数据点之间关系的笔墨虽然会降低数据一笔墨比率,但有助于监控绩效。实验结果说明,在将静态图形显示的设计原则运用于动态显示设计时,应对其适用性进行检测。     

大学生的阅读理解监控,阅读理解成绩及其相关因素

该研究选取90名大学生为被试,探索了阅读理解监控,阅读理解成绩及其相关因素。结果发现:大学生的阅读广度,阅读理解效能感和对所阅读材料的熟悉程度对其理解监控水平具有直接的影响作用;大学生的阅读理解监控,阅读广度和阅读材料的难度对其阅读理解成绩具有直接的影响作用;阅读广度同时经由阅读理解监控进而对阅读理解成绩具有间接影响作用。     

儿童计算的元认知监测及其对策略选择的影响

为了考察儿童在计算中的元认知监测及其对策略选择的影响,选用两种实验材料,对五种元认知监测判断的特点及监测判断对策略选择的影响进行考察,发现:儿童的元认知监测判断等级值总体上具有较高的一致性,元认知监测判断大多与策略选择高度相关,具有较好的预测力,但受材料、指导语等因素影响,又呈现出复杂的关系。本研究从一个侧面证实了元认知监控的基本假说和元认知监测判断的状态说。     

3～5岁幼儿元认知监控发展特点的研究

该研究以北京市某幼儿园5个班98名幼儿为被试,利用拼图任务对其元认知监控能力的发展特点进行了探讨,结果发现:3～5岁幼儿在活动操作过程中,随着年龄的增长,注视目标的次数增多,完成任务的总时间在缩短,正确率在提高,但是悔步次数和停顿次数随着年龄变化的差异不显著;同时,注视目标的次数和停顿次数随着任务难度的变化而变化,表现出了一定的元认知监控能力。