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.     

Processing efficiency in preschoolers’ memory span: Individual differences related to age and anxiety

In self-paced auditory memory span tasks, the microanalysis of response timing measures represents a developmentally sensitive measure, providing insights into the development of distinct processing rates during recall performance. The current study first examined the effects of age and trait anxiety on span accuracy (effectiveness) and response timing (efficiency) measures from word and digit span performance in a preschool sample (N = 76, mean age = 57 months, SD = 11). Children were reassessed 8 months later using the same two tasks plus a test of nonword memory span and a measure of articulation rate. The results at the second time point (T2) confirmed the effects of age on both processing effectiveness and efficiency. Trait anxiety was an additional negative predictor of span effectiveness (especially for digit span) and efficiency (in the case of word and nonword span). The findings are discussed in the context of factors contributing to early short-term memory development and attentional control theory.     

Brief experimental analysis of early reading interventions

The purpose of this study was to investigate how brief experimental analyses (BEAs) could be used to identify effective interventions for Kindergartners (2 girls and 2 boys, 5 years and 7-10 months old) with low performance and/or growth slope in letter sound fluency (LSF). Interventions were tested within a multielement design with brief mini-reversals until an intervention yielding at least 20% improvement on a specific subskill measure or a curriculum-based measure of LSF was identified. BEA-identified interventions were implemented one-on-one for 5 to 9 weeks. A multiple-baseline design across participants showed large intervention effects (average adjusted d = 2.4) on general outcome measures, supporting treatment validity of BEAs. Findings extend the BEA literature to younger participants, early reading interventions, and early reading measures.     

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.     

多级评分题计算机自适应测验选题策略比较

研究比较了多级评分题计算机化自适应测验五种选题策略的优劣。应用的IRT模型是Samejima的等级反应模型。参加比较的选题策略有难度均值与能力匹配法、难度中值与能力匹配法、信息量最大法和两种A分层法。比较指标采用了能力估计值返回真值偏差、能力估计标准差、人均用题数和试题调用次数标准差四个。研究采用蒙特卡罗模拟法,结果显示每种方法各有优劣,在分层得当情况下,A分层法(中)的综合效果最佳     

中小学生注意转换能力的发展研究

采用任务转换范式考察了108名中小学生的注意转换能力。反应—线索间距和线索—目标间距都分为200ms和2000ms两种水平。结果发现：（1）一般转换条件下,小5学生、初2学生和高2学生的定势选择速度相同,小5学生的定势选择正确性比初2学生和高2学生低;特定转换条件下,短时CTI下小5学生的定势转换速度比初2学生和高2学生慢,长时CTI下小5学生的定势转换速度比初2学生和高2学生快,初2学生的定势转换正确性比高2学生低;（2）一般转换条件下,任务定势重组在任务转换中作用不大,任务定势惯性在任务转换中起作用;特定转换条件下,任务定势重组和任务定势惯性在任务转换中的作用都不大。     

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     

外部攻击型和关系攻击型初中生执行功能的研究

本研究采用数字STROOP、局部-整体图形转换和色点位置刷新三种研究范式检测了40名攻击性初中生的抑制控制、任务转换和信息刷新三种执行功能的特点。研究结果表明,攻击性初中生的抑制控制能力、任务转换能力和信息刷新能力均差于非攻击性初中生。外部攻击型初中生的抑制控制能力、任务转换能力和信息刷新能力均差于非攻击性初中生。而关系攻击型初中生与非攻击性初中生和外部攻击型初中生在执行功能的三种成分上均不存在显著差异,其执行功能水平可能介于非攻击性初中生和外部攻击初中生之间。     

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。