Developing access to number magnitude: a study of the SNARC effect in 7- to 9-year-olds

The SNARC (spatial-numerical association of response codes) effect refers to the finding that small numbers facilitate left responses, whereas larger numbers facilitate right responses. The development of this spatial association was studied in 7-, 8-, and 9-year-olds, as well as in adults, using a task where number magnitude was essential to perform the task and another task where number magnitude was irrelevant. When number magnitude was essential, a SNARC effect was found in all age groups. But when number magnitude was irrelevant, a SNARC effect was found only in 9-year-olds and adults. These results are taken to suggest that (a) 7-year-olds represent number magnitudes in a way similar to that of adults and that (b) when perceiving Arabic numerals, children have developed automatic access to magnitude information by around 9 years of age.     

负数的空间表征引起的空间注意转移

本研究采用数字线索提示的刺激探测任务, 通过三个实验探讨负数的低水平加工能否,以及怎样引起空间注意的转移。实验一探讨只有负数单独呈现作为线索时能否引起空间注意的转移。结果表明：对负数绝对值大小的加工能引起空间注意的转移。实验二进一步探讨在正数、负数和零混合作为线索时能否引起空间注意的转移。结果表明：对负数数量大小的加工能引起空间注意的转移。实验三再次用正数, 负数和0三种数字混合作为探测刺激前的线索, 但仅对负数和零作为提示线索之后的探测刺激进行反应, 又一次得到了由有效提示线索所引发的对数字数量大小加工引起的空间注意的转移。本研究表明, 对负数的低水平加工可以引起空间注意的转移, 然而, 是对绝对值的加工还是数量大小的加工引起注意转移依赖于共同参与的其它数字加工产生的影响。     

Reflections on Business Decision-Making: Time for a Paradigm Shift?

Over the past few decades the pace of change in the business environment has been rapid, as the effects of electronic innovations and the acceptance of the globalisation mind-set have occurred. Communism has collapsed and the power of corporations has grown in the global community that has developed. It has become imperative that business decision-makers become aware that their decisions may limit the choices of future generations by irretrievably destroying the currently existing physical and social environment. Decision-making in today's business environment will have a profound affect on human well-being in general and specifically on the breadth of options that are provided to the business decision-makers of tomorrow. Against this background it is argued that senior managers should adopt a new paradigm through which to view the world and assess the import of their decisions. Managers need to consider the effects of their decisions not only on the economy but also on the environment and the social world, which the economy is meant to serve. Managers must ensure their ways of doing business are sustainable.     

大小判断任务中正负号及其异同对SNARC效应的影响

SNARC效应(Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes)是指被试对数字做按键反应时,对于较小的数字,按左键的速度快于按右键;对于较大的数字,按右键的速度快于按左键。本研究以ERP作为测量手段,采用修正的大小判断任务,旨在探究数字正负号及其异同对SNARC效应的影响。行为结果发现,在反应时上,当目标数字与基线数字正负号相同且基线数字为+5时,一致条件显著快于不一致条件。ERP结果发现,当目标数字与基线数字正负号相同时,无论基线数字为+5还是–5,在反应选择阶段,不一致都比一致条件更负且均诱发了P3。当目标数字与基线数字正负号相异时,若基线数字为+5,一致比不一致条件在刺激呈现阶段诱发了波幅显著更小的N300;若基线数字为–5,一致比不一致条件在反应执行阶段诱发了更正的LPP。无论目标数字与基线数字正负号相同还是相异,在反应选择阶段,不一致都比一致条件更负且均诱发了P3,表明出现了SNARC效应。同时,SNARC效应的出现激活了额叶头皮位置,负数加工伴随左额叶的激活,而正数加工伴随右额叶的激活,溯源分析结果进一步表明SNARC效应定位于额叶与顶叶。这些结果说明负数按实际大小表征在心理数字线上,支持了负数空间表征的个体发展论假说;表明符号捷径机制会改变SNARC效应的发生时间;同时证明了负数与正数的空间表征具有不同的优势半球。     

正负数混合呈现对负数SNARC效应的影响

采用数字大小判断任务,探讨正负数混合呈现对负数SNARC效应的影响。结果发现,负数单独呈现条件下,负数出现反转的SNARC效应;负数和无加号正数混合呈现,且只对负数作反应条件下,负数有反转SNARC效应;负数和有加号正数混合呈现,且只对负数作反应条件下,负数出现反转SNARC效应;负数和无加号正数混合呈现,并对正负数分别作反应的条件下,负数有反转SNARC效应出现,而正数出现SNARC效应。说明负数空间表征受其绝对值大小的影响,绝对值较小的负数(-1、-2)表征在心理数字线的左侧,绝对值较大的负数(-8、-9)表征在数字线的右侧,且不能延伸至心理数字线左侧。     

A NEW LOOK AT THE SCIENCE‐AND‐RELIGION DIALOGUE

Abstract. Cognitive science is beginning to make a contribution to the science‐and‐religion dialogue by its claims about the nature of both scientific and religious knowledge and the practices such knowledge informs. Of particular importance is the distinction between folk knowledge and abstract theoretical knowledge leading to a distinction between folk science and folk religion on the one hand and the reflective, theoretical, abstract form of thought that characterizes both advanced scientific thought and sophisticated theological reasoning on the other. Both folk science and folk religion emerge from commonsense reasoning about the world, a form of reasoning bequeathed to us by the processes of natural selection. Suggestions are made about what scientists and theologians can do if they accept these claims.     

近似数量系统敏锐度与数学能力的关系

近年来,来自认知发展、比较认知、跨文化认知和神经生物学的研究证据都表明近似数量系统的存在,并且相较于一般认知能力,它更可能是决定个体数学能力差异最为重要的因素。本文综述了有关近似数量系统敏锐度与数学能力相互关系的横断研究、纵向研究、训练研究及认知神经科学的研究成果,分析了影响二者关系的因素,包括个体年龄、数学能力高低、抑制控制等,并总结了多种理论对二者间显著正相关关系的解释。未来研究需要在确定更具信效度的测量范式的基础上探讨近似数量系统与数学能力各维度的关系,以及这种相互关系背后的原因,并将研究结论运用于数学教学及计算障碍个体的干预。     

数字SNARC效应中大小和顺序信息的分离*

分别以经度数和语言等级数为材料,采用快速刺激分类范式,通过两个实验试图分离出SNARC效应中的数字大小和顺序信息。结果发现,被试在对东经经度数的加工中存在SNARC效应,对西经经度数的加工出现反转的SNARC效应;正数组被试在汉语等级数加工中出现反转的SNARC效应,在日语等级数加工中出现SNARC效应,而负数组恰好相反。本研究表明,数字SNARC效应在大小信息和顺序信息中出现了分离,相较数字的大小信息而言,数字的顺序信息对SNARC效应影响更大。     

The relationship between non-symbolic multiplication and division in childhood

Children without formal education in addition and subtraction are able to perform multi-step operations over an approximate number of objects. Further, their performance improves when solving approximate (but not exact) addition and subtraction problems that allow for inversion as a shortcut (e.g., a?+?b???b?=?a). The current study examines children's ability to perform multi-step operations, and the potential for an inversion benefit, for the operations of approximate, non-symbolic multiplication and division. Children were trained to compute a multiplication and division scaling factor (*2 or /2, *4 or /4), and were then tested on problems that combined two of these factors in a way that either allowed for an inversion shortcut (e.g., 8*4/4) or did not (e.g., 8*4/2). Children's performance was significantly better than chance for all scaling factors during training, and they successfully computed the outcomes of the multi-step testing problems. They did not exhibit a performance benefit for problems with the a*b/b structure, suggesting that they did not draw upon inversion reasoning as a logical shortcut to help them solve the multi-step test problems.     

从JNC高血压指南的演变史看盐与高血压的关系

高血压是当今世界上最大的流行病,是脑卒中、心脏病及肾脏病最主要的危险因素。通过回顾比较不同时期的JNC高血压指南,了解对盐与高血压关系认识的发展过程,体会限盐对高血压防治的重要性及发展前景。