Facilitation by Variation: Right-to-Left Learning of English Yes/No Questions

This study advances the hypothesis that optional structural variation in language facilitates syntactic learning (facilitation‐by‐variation). Support for this is provided by a right‐to‐left‐elaboration acquisition model for English yes/no questions (YNQs). Previous studies have focused on the acquisition of ‘‘inverted’’ YNQs, a cornerstone of nativist theories of language development. Data from five American children (1;3 to 5;1) and their parents show that children hear a range of adult questions (Coming?You coming?Are you coming?), not all inverted. These variants are ordered from structurally least complex noncanonical forms to complex canonical inverted forms. I use state‐of‐the‐art econometric techniques to estimate breakpoints in YNQ time series and show that noncanonical questions emerge early in children’s speech and facilitate acquisition of canonical ones. This incremental structure‐building process relies on an adjunction strategy that augments noncanonical questions with initial auxiliaries and subjects. Development proceeds incrementally from right to left to derive auxiliary‐initial structures.     

Functional characterisation of the extrastriate body area based on the N1 ERP component

Electrophysiological and functional neuroimaging evidence points to the existence of neural populations that respond strongly and selectively to the appearance of the human body and its parts. However, the relationship between ERP and fMRI markers of these populations remains unclear. Here we used a previously identified functional dissociation between two body-selective regions identified with fMRI (extrastriate body area or EBA; fusiform body area or FBA) in order to better understand the source of a body-selective N1 ERP component. Specifically, we compared the magnitude of the N1 elicited by images of fingers, hands, arms and bodies to that obtained for hierarchically-matched control stimuli. We found close agreement between the pattern of body-part selectivity exhibited by N1, and the pattern of BOLD selectivity elicited in a previous study by the same type of stimuli in EBA (in contrast to FBA). We interpret these findings as evidence for EBA as the primary generator of the body-selective N1 component. Our results are an example of the use of functional criteria to distinguish among the possible neural sources of ERP markers.     

图形型归纳推理的神经机制:一项fMRI研究

利用fMRI脑成像技术探讨图形型归纳推理的神经机制。设计了一种由图形形状和条纹方向描述的简单几何图形组成的归纳推理任务,这种图形型任务与以往研究中常用的语句型归纳推理任务是同质的。根据两个图形共享特征数量的不同设计了两种实验任务:共享两个特征(2T)和共享一个特征(1T),以休息基线(Rest)作为控制任务。2T和1T任务均为归纳推理任务,但2T任务包含知觉特征整合成分,而1T任务不包括。结果发现:与控制任务相比,归纳推理任务在前额区(BA6、9、11、46、47)、尾状核、壳核和丘脑等脑区有显著激活,反映了"前额皮层-纹状体-丘脑"通路在图形型归纳推理中的重要作用;图形型归纳推理中的知觉信息整合与右侧额下回(BA47)、双侧尾状核头部、壳核等脑区有关。     

HUMAN CLONING THROUGH THE EYES OF MUSLIM SCHOLARS: THE NEW PHENOMENON OF THE ISLAMIC INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOSCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS

In the wake of the February 1997 announcement that Dolly the sheep had been cloned, Muslim religious scholars together with Muslim scientists held two conferences to discuss cloning from an Islamic perspective. They were organized by two influential Islamic international religioscientific institutions: the Islamic Organization of Medical Sciences (IOMS) and the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA). Both institutions comprise a large number of prominent religious scholars and well-known scientists who participated in the discussions at the conferences. This article gives a comprehensive analysis of these conferences, the relation between science and religion as reflected in the discussions there, and the further influence of these discussions on Muslims living in the West. Modern discussions on Islamic bioethics show that formulating an Islamic perspective on these issues is not the exclusive prerogative of religious scholars. Formulating such perspectives has become a collective process in which scientists play an essential role. Such a collective approach strengthens the religious authority of Muslim scholars and makes it more influential rather than undermining it.     

GAPS IN THE ARGUMENT: A DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN ASPECTS OF COSMOLOGY

In this discussion review of Robert John Russell's collection of essays I agree with him about the necessity of human existence given the claims of Christian theology. I look in detail at his suggestions for speaking to this issue, especially his thesis of NIODA—noninterventionist objective divine action. I end up disagreeing with the suggestion and argue that in respects Russell is tackling the science-religion relationship in the wrong way.     

早期剥夺所致大鼠抑郁样行为与海马BDNF mRNA表达变化

为探讨早期剥夺对大鼠行为与海马脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF)mRNA表达的影响,将新生的SD大鼠随机分为正常对照组与早期剥夺组,早期剥夺组在出生后1～14d每天孤养4h。监测体重,在出生后36?64天进行液体消耗试验,每周一次。12w龄时,进行穿梭箱试验,酶联免疫法检测海马BDNF含量,原位杂交法观察海马BDNF mRNA的表达。早期剥夺组大鼠体重显著低于正常对照组(p0.01),糖水摄入量与糖水偏爱显著低于正常对照组(p0.05或p0.01)。穿梭箱试验中,早期剥夺组大鼠在训练时的穿梭反应次数显著少于正常对照组(p0.05),在测试时,两组大鼠的被动逃避行为、主动逃避行为与逃避错误次数无显著差异。早期剥夺组大鼠海马BDNF含量、CA1区和CA3区BDNF mRNA表达显著低于正常对照组(p=0.05或p0.05)。提示早期剥夺可导致大鼠生长减慢,表现出快感缺失的抑郁样行为,但未诱导成年大鼠表现出明显的习得性无助倾向,早期剥夺能下调成年大鼠海马BDNFmRNA的表达。     

Predicting academic success with the Big 5 rated from different points of view: Self‐rated,other rated and faked

Self‐ratings of personality predict academic success above general intelligence. The present study replicated these findings and investigated the increment of other‐ratings or intentionally distorted self‐ratings. Participants (N = 145) had to compile a personality questionnaire twice. First they were given neutral instructions. The second time they were asked to imagine a specific applicant setting. Furthermore, two peers rated each participant. Additionally, verbal, numerical and figural reasoning scores were obtained. Grades on a statistics exam obtained 2 months later served as the criterion. Results replicated prior findings and showed incremental validity for self‐ and other‐rated personality, which was stable after controlling for intelligence. Faking had no impact on the domain‐score level, but results on the facet‐score level were less encouraging. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reflections on the varieties of hypnotizables: A commentary on Terhune and Cardeña

This commentary reflects on the varieties of high hypnotizable subjects suggested in the works by Barber, Barrett, Pekala and colleagues, and Terhune and Cardeña (2010). These different studies point to the existence of different types of low, medium, and high hypnotizable subjects. However, types of high hypnotizables have received the most attention. Two main concerns are raised in this commentary: (a) drawing parallels between the suggested typologies is not without problems given methodological differences among different studies, and (b) the low base rates of these special types is likely not to appeal to a typical clinician, already resistant to testing for hypnotizability, to conduct initial assessments so as to tailor suggestion to fit specific typologies.     

言语和非言语信号加工的早期分离——来自ERP研究的证据

利用128导事件相关电位技术,对19名正常被试在言语、峰鸣声和音乐刺激上产生的脑电早期外源性成分N1进行了考察。实验结果发现,在音素条件和蜂鸣声条件下,左侧额叶N1波幅显著高于右侧。偶极子溯源分析发现音素条件和蜂鸣声条件下的偶极子都位于左脑额叶,而音乐条件下的两个偶极子位于右脑额叶。证明范畴属性对信号加工大脑半球优势的影响在加工的早期就开始发挥作用。     

PASS理论语境中的认知过程(英文)

计划-注意-同时性加工-继时性加工,这些基本PASS概念的提出,是为了给传统上将智力作为一个笼统构念的做法提供某种替代的选择。在这一新的理论途径中,我将一般能力分解为对主要认知过程的研究,其中每个认知过程均有其行为、认知和神经心理成分,而且重要的是,每个认知过程均有相应的一组评估测量任务。PASS模型,这一理论框架能够充分包容体现于教育和组织行为中的广泛一系列认知功能。