Enhanced spatial ability in aged dogs following dietary and behavioural enrichment

We examined the benefits of a broad spectrum antioxidant diet and enrichment comprised of physical exercise, environmental stimulants and cognitive testing, on spatial memory performance in beagle dogs. Both aged (N=48) and young (N=16) beagle dogs (Canus familiaris) were tested yearly on a three-component delayed non-match to position spatial task for three consecutive years. The results showed that young enriched animals acquired the task in fewer sessions, made fewer errors, responded slower and made fewer positional responses, compared to aged enriched animals. An analysis restricted to aged animals revealed that antioxidant administration and enrichment resulted in fewer errors, slower responses and decreased positional responses, particularly in Year 3. Finally, cohort differences emerged, which exemplify the significance of early environmental intervention. Aged dogs that were housed with other animals and exposed to an outdoor environment in early development displayed greater benefits from both interventions. These findings indicate that long-term dietary intervention and enrichment can buffer age-associated cognitive decline.     

The time course effect of moderate intensity exercise on response execution and response inhibition

This research aimed to investigate the time course effect of a moderate steady-state exercise session on response execution and response inhibition using a stop-task paradigm. Ten participants performed a stop-signal task whilst cycling at a carefully controlled workload intensity (40% of maximal aerobic power), immediately following exercise and 30 min after exercise cessation. Results showed that moderate exercise enhances a subjects’ ability to execute responses under time pressure (shorter Go reaction time, RT without a change in accuracy) but also enhances a subjects’ ability to withhold ongoing motor responses (shorter stop-signal RT). The present outcomes reveal that the beneficial effect of exercise is neither limited to motor response tasks, nor to cognitive tasks performed during exercise. Beneficial effects of exercise remain present on both response execution and response inhibition performance for up to 52 min after exercise cessation.     

Performance Indicators in Math: Implications for Brief Experimental Analysis of Academic Performance

Brief experimental analysis (BEA) can be used to specify intervention characteristics that produce positive learning gains for individual students. A key challenge to the use of BEA for intervention planning is the identification of performance indicators (including topography of the skill, measurement characteristics, and decision criteria) that meaningfully relate to longer term success in the learning environment. This study investigates the utility of various curriculum-based assessment and measurement estimates of mathematics performance for predicting functional outcomes (i.e., retention of learned skills over time and faster learning of related content in the future). All children in grades 2–5 at the participating school participated in protocol-based computational fluency-building intervention 4 days per week for an entire school year. Specific criteria were applied each week to systematically increase intervention difficulty classwide according to a pre-established sequence of computational skill objectives. Three measurements were routinely obtained. Each week children completed a timed probe of the skill for which intervention was currently occurring and a timed probe of previously mastered skills from the sequence of computational skill objectives. Each month, all children completed a timed probe of mathematics skills representing computational skills that students were expected to master by year’s end at each grade level. At all grade levels, learning a skill that appeared early in the hierarchy or sequence of skills related positively to learning of future related and more complex computational skills. Fluency criteria were specified that predicted retention of the skill over several months.     

Social facilitation of eating novel food in tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella): input provided by group members and responses affected in the observer

Learning about food palatability from watching what conspecifics eat might be one of the advantages of group living. A previous study investigated whether group members' presence or eating activity account for social facilitation of eating of foods never previously tasted. Capuchins encountered novel colored foods when (1) alone (Alone condition) or (2) with group members visible in the nearby cage (Group-present condition) or (3) with group members present and eating a familiar food that had not been colored (Group+food condition). Social facilitation of eating occurred when group members were eating, despite the difference in color between the familiar food eaten by them and the novel food presented to the experimental subject. To clarify what subjects learnt from group members when social facilitation occurred, we further analyze here the data from the previous study. The number of visual exposures to the colored novel food (as a group member) correlated with increased consumption of that novel food when encountered later (as experimental subject). In contrast, the number of times that an individual fed on the familiar food (as a group member) did not decrease its consumption of novel food (as experimental subject). Therefore, capuchins (1) habituated to the colors of the novel foods, and (2) did not take into account that seeing group members eating a food does not provide information about the palatability of a differently colored food. Since social facilitation of eating occurs when foods do not match in color, at least in capuchins, social facilitation of eating should not be considered as a way of learning about a safe diet, but rather as a way of overcoming neophobia. Accepted after revision: 18 August 2001 Electronic Publication     

动作视频游戏对发展性阅读障碍者阅读技能的影响及其内在机制

发展性阅读障碍是一种在获得阅读技能方面的特殊困难, 这种障碍会严重影响个体的发展, 如何帮助发展性阅读障碍者改善其阅读技能是近年来研究的焦点。传统的干预方法主要针对发展性阅读障碍者的语音缺陷, 这类方法存在一些问题, 如费时费力、给阅读障碍者带来阅读压力等。近年来, 大部分研究表明通过趣味性的动作视频游戏训练可以显著地提高发展性阅读障碍者的阅读技能, 但是其背后的机制尚不明确。基于大细胞通路缺陷理论框架, 从视觉空间注意、注意跨通道转换、视觉运动加工等方面来梳理动作视频游戏与阅读之间的关系, 揭示了动作视频游戏训练对阅读效率影响的可能内在机制。未来的研究可以在大细胞通路缺陷理论的框架下, 深入分析动作视频游戏改善阅读的神经机制, 并尝试开发更适合发展性阅读障碍者的干预程序。     

寻找镜中的自我：精神分裂症患者的视觉观点采择

精神分裂症患者的视觉观点采择影响其必要的社交活动和生活质量。本文通过对精神分裂症患者视觉观点采择的研究进行梳理,总结出相关的心理特点：精神分裂症患者的视觉观点采择过程受损,表现出自我中心性和他人中心性。在神经生理上表现出与视觉观点采择相关的脑区激活减弱。可能的原因是患者认知功能中反应抑制能力和心理旋转能力的受损所致,建议采用认知干预疗法可能会改善患者的视觉观点采择能力。目前的研究论证了精神分裂症患者视觉观点采择过程的损伤,对于不同水平的视觉观点采择下精神分裂症患者的认知模式还未有明确的定论,未来的研究可以从该角度入手,更加明确精神分裂症患者不同水平视觉观点采择的特点和神经生理活动。     

青少年孤独感与抑郁症状:反应风格的中介作用以及性别的调节作用

基于反应风格理论,本研究探索反应风格在青少年孤独感与抑郁症状之间的中介效应。使用孤独感量表、儿童反应风格量表以及儿童抑郁量表对 795 名 青少年进行调查。结果发现：（1）青少年孤独感能显著预测抑郁症状。（2）青少年孤独感能通过反刍、问题解决间接预测抑郁症状。（3）反应风格整体（比率分数）中介青少年孤独感与抑郁症状之间的关系。本研究结果显示,反应风格能够解释青少年孤独感与抑郁症状之间的内在机制。     

急性心理应激影响记忆效果：心理韧性的调节作用

研究选取56名大学生被试,通过特里尔社会应激测验、记忆和心理韧性测验来探究急性心理应激对大学生记忆效果的影响,以及心理韧性在二者关系中的调节作用。结果表明相对于非应激组,应激组大学生的整体记忆成绩更差,且应激组中的高应激反应大学生的记忆成绩比低应激反应者的记忆成绩更差;心理韧性可以调节应激反应与记忆成绩之间的关系,表现为高心理韧性者的记忆成绩显著好于低心理韧性者。研究进一步从认知加工资源分配与再分配的视角讨论了心理应激、心理韧性与记忆功能三者间的关系与启示。     

不同铆测验设计下多维IRT等值方法的比较

实际应用中测验往往具有多维结构, 如果仍采用单维IRT方法进行等值, 会得到不准确的结果。因此对于多维结构的测验, 需要使用多维IRT等值方法来实现参数的转换。基于共同题设计, 文章通过模拟研究的方法, 考察了不同铆测验设计下几种多维IRT等值方法的表现, 同时考虑了测验长度、两个维度题目数量的比例、铆测验长度、铆测验的选择策略、两个维度之间的相关和等值群体的能力水平差异六个因素的影响。所比较的多维IRT等值方法有：均值/均值(MM)方法, 均值/标准差(MS)方法, Stoking-Lord (SL)方法, Haebara (HB)方法, 最小平方(LS)方法。结果显示：(1) SL, HB和LS方法得到的等值误差均方根最小, 且在各条件下表现较为稳定。(2) MM和MS方法在非等组条件下呈现出很大的误差均方根。(3)铆测验设计对SL, HB和LS方法的等值结果没有显著影响。(4)在两个维度之间的相关较高, 测验长度和铆测验长度较长, 等值群体的能力水平没有差异的条件下, SL, HB和LS方法得到的等值误差均方根最小。     

应用Rasch模型测试和分析儿童入学准备状态

本研究的目的在于应用Rasch模型编制和分析数学入学准备测验,从而分析Rasch模型的有效性和优势。自编数学入学准备测试,对150名平均年龄为6.6岁的儿童进行测查,应用Rasch模型对题目和评分等级做出修正并分析结果。结果表明修正后的测试具有较好的信效度,较好地拟合了Rasch模型,评分等级设置合理,测试的整体难度相对较低。儿童的Rasch分数和性别无关,但受到年龄、家庭社会经济地位的影响。相对于经典测量理论而言,应用Rasch模型进行入学准备测试的编制和分析具有优势。