Functional learning among children, adolescents, and young adults

This study examined age-related differences in functional learning performance manifested among children, adolescents, and young adults placed in a two-cue ecology involving cues with direct relation and inverse relations with the criterion. On each trial, participants were instructed to consider the values taken by two cues, predict from these two values the value of a criterion, and finally examine the corresponding feedback value (i.e., the correct value of the criterion for this situation). The authors' hypotheses were that: (a) very few children under 11 years of age would be able to learn how to use the inverse relation cue for predicting the criterion, although they would be able to correctly use the direct relation cue; (b) most adolescents and young adults over 17 years of age would be able to learn how to use the inverse relation cue and combine it with the direct relation cue; and (c) adolescents between 11 and 17 years of age would show various levels of achievement. In general, these predictions were confirmed. Not until 11 years was a substantial proportion of participants (23%) able to reject the direct relation hypothesis and select the inverse relation hypothesis during learning.     

The acceptability of prophylactic mastectomy among lay people and health professionals: A pilot study

IntroductionWomen with certain genetic mutations have a risk of up to 85% of developing breast cancer. Bilateral prophylactic mastectomy is the most effective way to reduce risk of cancer.ObjectiveThis pilot study focuses on the acceptability of prophylactic breast surgery and examines, in a series of concrete cases, the cognitive processes by which health professionals and lay people make their judgments. This research also aims to identify the factors involved in these judgments. An additional objective is to determine whether there are groups with different patterns of responses.MethodWe recruited two samples in France, one comprising 90 lay people and the other 30 health professionals (n = 120) and asked them how acceptable it would be for a woman at a high risk of breast cancer to undergo a prophylactic surgery (mastectomy), in each of the 64 scenarios presented to them. The scenarios were all combinations of two levels of age, of marital status, of parenting status, of body appearance investment, of reconstructive surgery and also two levels of the person suggesting oncogenetic diagnosis.ResultsWe found that lay people and health professionals structured the factors in the scenarios in nearly the same way. They assigned importance to three factors: the most important one was reconstructive surgery, and then the age of the woman. The least important factor was the person who requested the genetic test. Furthermore, the age of the participants, and knowing a person who had cancer impacted the degree of acceptability assigned by participants. Being a lay person or a health professional did not have a direct impact on acceptability but influenced the integration of factors. In addition, cluster analysis showed that only a small group was opposed to mastectomy.ConclusionThis pilot study demonstrated that three factors have to be considered when judging the acceptability of prophylactic mastectomy and showed a common cognitive foundation for future discussion, at the levels of both clinical care and health policy, of the conditions under which prophylactic surgery might be acceptable.     

长期戒断海洛因成瘾者冲动性相关脑区的结构及功能特征

冲动性是药物成瘾者的典型特征, 它既包含了抑制控制成瘾者药物使用的力量, 也包含驱动成瘾者使用药物的成分, 两者不平衡导致冲动性用药行为。海洛因成瘾者本身具有冲动性人格特质, 长时间的海洛因使用又会造成成瘾者冲动性相关的大脑结构与功能的异常。目前难以确定戒断后, 冲动性及相关的大脑结构与功能是否还呈异常状态。本研究采用基于体素的形态学分析、低频振幅、局部一致性和功能连接方法, 以35例海洛因成瘾戒断者和无任何成瘾史的健康个体26人为研究对象, 探索在长期戒断后, 海洛因成瘾者与其冲动性相关的驱动、控制系统脑网络的结构和功能情况。结果显示, 相比对照组, 戒断组灰质总体积及右内侧额上回的灰质体积显著减小, 右侧颞中回和左内侧旁扣带回的灰质体积随用药总量的增加而降低; 右侧眶部额下回与尾状核功能连接显著增强, 右侧颞中回和左侧中央前回功能连接显著降低; 右眶额中回的ReHo值、右眶额下回和左海马体的ALFF值比对照组显著更低, 而右中央后回的ReHo值显著更高。这些脑区的状况与冲动性的神经基础相吻合, 说明海洛因成瘾戒断者在戒断44个月, 奖赏、凸显、习惯性行为等网络系统仍然呈现异常状态, 且与成瘾药物使用总量有关。这些异常可能是成瘾冲动性的驱动力的神经基础, 可以作为解释成瘾者戒断后容易复吸的因素之一。     

脑岛在成瘾中的结构和功能异常

脑岛位于大脑外侧裂的深处, 与情绪和内感受等多种心理功能有关。脑岛在成瘾中的结构变化和功能连接异常, 表明了脑岛在成瘾中的作用, 刺激脑岛区域干预成瘾也逐渐成为研究者们关注的领域。未来的研究应该通过对脑岛进行精细分割和多种方法相结合来进一步考察脑岛在成瘾中的具体作用, 并挖掘不同成瘾类型的共性和特性, 以便更好开展基于脑的成瘾干预。     

The multiple realization book

In this review of Thomas W. Polger and Lawrence A. Shapiro’s The Multiple Realization Book I look at the positive account, Modest Identity Theory, that Polger and Shapiro advance. In §2 of this review, I outline P&S’s arguments against multiple realization and summarize the view they defend, Modest Identity Theory. In §3, I consider what consequences the adoption of Modest Identity Theory might have on the ontology of psychological or mental kinds. In particular, I highlight the ontological pluralism and anti-reductionism that Polger and Shapiro endorse. Modest Identity Theory tolerates multiple taxonomies of psychological kinds, which represents an important departure from earlier versions of Identity Theory. I conclude in §4 by arguing that the way Modest Identity Theory individuates psychological kinds very closely resembles the way that those kinds are individuated by functionalism. I argue that the causal properties individuative of psychological kinds can be used to group together distinct neuroanatomical characteristics. I illustrate this by describing research into the functional connectivity of the reading network. I conclude by emphasizing the value of using empirical evidence from neuroscience and cognitive science to inform the new pluralistic ontology of psychological and mental kinds with which Modest Identity Theory is compatible.     

The relations between specific measures of simulated driving ability and functional ability: New insights for assessment and training programs of older drivers

To gain new insights for driving assessment and training, this study had two objectives: (1) to investigate the relations between specific measures of older drivers’ driving ability and demographic/functional ability measures, and (2) to verify the explained variance of these relations to determine the strength of these relations. A sample of 55 older drivers (mean age 76 years) completed a set of functional ability tests as well as a driving simulator test. Results indicate that (1) each specific driving measure is related to a specific set of functional abilities, and (2) only a small proportion of the variability observed in the specific driving measures is explained by demographic variables (3–15%) and by functional abilities (7–36%). For driving assessment programs, it will be necessary to assess several functional abilities to cover the complexity of the driving task. Furthermore, an assessment program focusing solely on demographic and/or functional ability measures, will not be successful in discriminating safe from unsafe older drivers. For driving training programs, it will be necessary to focus on the right set of functional abilities given that specific driving measures are related to different functional abilities. Moreover, a training targeting functional abilities might only have marginal effects on driving ability, given the relatively low amount of driving ability variance that is explained by functional abilities.     

The functional‐cognitive framework for psychological research: Controversies and resolutions

The scientific goals, values and assumptions of functional and cognitive researchers have propelled them down two very different scientific pathways. Many have, and continue to argue, that these differences undermine any potential communication and collaboration between the two traditions. We explore a different view on this debate. Specifically, we focus on the Functional‐Cognitive (FC) framework, and in particular, the idea that cognitive and functional researchers can and should interact to the benefit of both. Our article begins with a short introduction to the FC framework. We sweep aside misconceptions about the framework, present the original version as it was outlined by De Houwer (2011) and then offer our most recent thoughts on how it should be implemented. Thereafter, we reflect on its strengths and weaknesses, clarify the functional (effect‐centric vs. analytic‐abstractive) level and consider its many implications for cognitive research and theorising. In the final section, we briefly review the articles contained in this Special Issue. These contributions provide clear examples of the conceptual, empirical and methodological developments that can emerge when cognitive, clinical, personality and neuroscientists fully engage with the functional‐cognitive perspective.     

The developmental pathways leading to pattern recognition, joint attention, language and cognition

According to the functional/emotional hypothesis, the core capacities necessary for cognitive and language development, such as pattern recognition, joint attention, and intention reading, are downstream effects of more basic processes having to do with early patterns of affect signalling. In this paper, we present preliminary research that tests the functional/emotional hypothesis. The data set consists of profiles of the emotional functioning of infants and young children at ages 0-3, 4-5, 6-9, 10-14, 15-18, 19-24, 25-30, and 31-42 months. Data were collected on a representative population of 1640 children across the US. Results of this preliminary research point to expected correlations between the development of affective signalling and pattern recognition, joint attention, and intention reading. However, we acknowledge that this is only the first step in providing supportive evidence for the functional/emotional hypothesis. Further research is needed to establish causal connections between affective signalling and the core capacities necessary for cognitive and language development.