Transformation and alignment in similarity

This paper contrasts two structural accounts of psychological similarity: structural alignment (SA) and Representational Distortion (RD). SA proposes that similarity is determined by how readily the structures of two objects can be brought into alignment; RD measures similarity by the complexity of the transformation that “distorts” one representation into the other. We assess RD by defining a simple coding scheme of psychological transformations for the experimental materials. In two experiments, this “concrete” version of RD provides compelling fits of the data and compares favourably with SA. Finally, stepping back from particular models, we argue that perceptual theory suggests that transformations and alignment processes should generally be viewed as complementary, in contrast to the current distinction in the literature.     

客体档案理论的过去、现在和未来

客体档案理论是解释认知过程中如何形成时空表征连续性的重要理论之一。首先,从特征整合论所提出的客体档案概念出发,论述了客体档案模型及其实验依据,在此基础上对涉及客体档案形成、保持与更新的特点所存在的争论进行阐述,之后介绍了由客体档案理论新近发展成的事件档案理论及其依据,最后对目前客体档案研究中存在的一些热点问题如客体档案理论的核心假设和客体档案内部存储的信息类型及其关系等做出总结和展望     

Object correspondence across brief occlusion is established on the basis of both spatiotemporal and surface feature cues

The correspondence problem is a classic issue in vision and cognition. Frequent perceptual disruptions, such as saccades and brief occlusion, create gaps in perceptual input. How does the visual system establish correspondence between objects visible before and after the disruption? Current theories hold that object correspondence is established solely on the basis of an object’s spatiotemporal properties and that an object’s surface feature properties (such as color or shape) are not consulted in correspondence operations. In five experiments, we tested the relative contributions of spatiotemporal and surface feature properties to establishing object correspondence across brief occlusion. Correspondence operations were strongly influenced both by the consistency of an object’s spatiotemporal properties across occlusion and by the consistency of an object’s surface feature properties across occlusion. These data argue against the claim that spatiotemporal cues dominate the computation of object correspondence. Instead, the visual system consults multiple sources of relevant information to establish continuity across perceptual disruption.     

Syntactic processing in Korean-English bilingual production: Evidence from cross-linguistic structural priming

A structural priming experiment investigated whether grammatical encoding in production consists of one or two stages and whether oral bilingual language production is shared at the functional or positional level [Bock, J. K., Levelt, W. (1994). Language production. Grammatical encoding. In M. A. Gernsbacher (Ed.), Handbook of psycholinguistics (pp. 945-984). San Diego, CA: Academic Press] by manipulating syntactic structure and argument order in structurally parallel Korean and English dative sentences. The results revealed that structural priming across languages can occur when both languages share syntactic structure, independent of argument order. Specifically, cross-linguistic argument-order-independent structural priming in canonical Korean postpositional and English prepositional dative structures was observed, providing evidence for shared bilingual syntactic processing occurring at the abstract, functional level within a two-stage grammatical encoding process. This is the first demonstration of cross-linguistic priming of argument-order-independent structural information.     

Against digital ontology

The paper argues that digital ontology (the ultimate nature of reality is digital, and the universe is a computational system equivalent to a Turing Machine) should be carefully distinguished from informational ontology (the ultimate nature of reality is structural), in order to abandon the former and retain only the latter as a promising line of research. Digital vs. analogue is a Boolean dichotomy typical of our computational paradigm, but digital and analogue are only “modes of presentation” of Being (to paraphrase Kant), that is, ways in which reality is experienced or conceptualised by an epistemic agent at a given level of abstraction. A preferable alternative is provided by an informational approach to structural realism, according to which knowledge of the world is knowledge of its structures. The most reasonable ontological commitment turns out to be in favour of an interpretation of reality as the totality of structures dynamically interacting with each other. The paper is the first part (the pars destruens) of a two-part piece of research. The pars construens, entitled “A Defence of Informational Structural Realism”, is developed in a separate article, also published in this journal.     

A positive information logic for inferential information

Performing an inference involves irreducibly dynamic cognitive procedures. The article proposes that a non-associative information frame, corresponding to a residuated pogroupoid, underpins the information structure involved. The argument proceeds by expounding the informational turn in logic, before outlining the cognitive actions at work in deductive inference. The structural rules of Weakening, Contraction, Commutation, and Association are rejected on the grounds that they cause us to lose track of the information flow in inferential procedures. By taking the operation of information application as the primary operation, the fusion connective is retained, with commutative failure generating a double implication. The other connectives are rejected.     

An evaluation of resurgence following functional communication training conducted in alternative antecedent contexts via telehealth

Treatments based on differential reinforcement may inadvertently increase the recurrence of problem behavior in the face of challenges because reinforcers for appropriate behavior occur in the same context as problem behavior. The current study evaluated one potential approach to mitigating these problems with differential reinforcement treatments based on behavioral momentum theory. Specifically, appropriate behavior was trained in contexts without a history of reinforcement prior to intervening with problem behavior. Participants were 4 children with autism spectrum disorder. Treatment used telehealth to implement functional communication training (FCT) in three alternative contexts with minimal or no history of reinforcement for problem behavior before initiating FCT in the treatment context. Evaluations of the effects of treatment and tests of resurgence were conducted intermittently during treatment to evaluate maintenance. When FCT treatment was initiated in alternative contexts, initial results were comparable to more typical implementations of FCT. Resurgence was reduced to similar levels during tests of resurgence for all participants when compared to more typical previously published implementations of FCT, but clinically significant reductions in resurgence occurred more quickly in the present study. These findings support training appropriate behavior in an alternative context to mitigate the resurgence of problem behavior during differential reinforcement treatments.     

Analysis of the factors affecting drivers’ queue-jumping behaviors in China

In China, drivers’ queue-jumping behaviors are very common. To explore the factors affecting drivers’ queue-jumping, first, a driving attitude scale, a risk perception scale and a queue-jumping behavior scale were designed, and an existing Type A behavior pattern scale and a driver skill scale were also introduced. Second, these scales were used to collect empirical data, and 202 valid samples were obtained. Third, the reliability and validity of the developed scales were verified, and a structural equation model of drivers’ queue-jumping behaviors was established to explore the interrelationships among the Type A personality trait, cognitions (including attitudes and risk perception), driver skills (including driving skill and safety motivation) and queue-jumping behaviors. The results showed that drivers’ cognitions significantly affected their queue-jumping behaviors; specifically, drivers’ attitudes toward queue-jumping and traffic violations positively correlated with their queue-jumping behaviors (β = 0.323, t = 3.470; β = 0.277, t = 3.072), while drivers’ risk perception toward queue-jumping negatively correlated with their queue-jumping behaviors (β = −0.297, t = −3.889). Drivers’ driving skill and safety motivation also significantly affected their queue-jumping behaviors (β = 0.198, t = 2.385; β = −0.355, t = −4.101). Although Type A personality trait had no significant effects on drivers’ queue-jumping behaviors, it had significant effects on drivers’ attitudes toward queue-jumping and traffic violations (β = 0.336, t = 4.720; β = 0.215, t = 2.873) and their risk perceptions toward queue-jumping (β = −0.232, t = −3.279). In other words, the Type A personality trait can indirectly affect drivers’ queue-jumping behaviors through drivers’ attitudes and risk perceptions toward queue-jumping. The results provided offer traffic administration departments a theoretical foundation for governing this behavior.     

Travel behavior as a driver of attitude: Car use and car pride in U.S. cities

Individuals attribute social status and personal image to owning and using a car (‘car pride’), which may interact with their travel behavior in complex ways. This study explores the multi-directional relations among car pride, car ownership, and car use for a sample of 1236 adult commuters in New York City, NY and Houston, TX. Applying multivariate structural equation modeling and incorporating instrumental variables, we find evidence of a feedback loop among car pride, car ownership, and car use. Our results suggest that an individual with higher car pride is more likely to own a vehicle, and, enabled with this ownership, use it more frequently. And individuals who use their car more frequently are likely to feel more pride in owning and using their vehicle.This exploration of causal multi-directionality in transportation attitude-behavior relations has important implications for behavioral research, model development, and policy interventions. For researchers, potential bidirectionality must be anticipated from the outset of research design and accounted for appropriately in modeling to address underlying endogeneity. For policymakers, our results suggest that there are multiple intervention points within the reinforcing cycle of attitudes and car consumption. Policies could directly target car ownership and use or could consider influencing behavior through attitude change.     

Working memory capacity — facets of a cognitive ability construct

Working memory capacity is differentiated theoretically along two dimensions: contents and functions. The resulting 3×3 matrix was operationalized by 23 tasks sampled from the literature. Data for these tasks from 128 participants were analyzed by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Regarding the content facet, spatial working memory was clearly distinct from the other two content categories. A distinction between verbal and numerical working memory was not warranted. On the functional dimension the postulated categories of simultaneous storage and transformation and of coordination could not be separated. The third category was clearly separate from the first two functions. This factor could be interpreted to reflect a mixture of variance due to mental speed and to supervisory functions of the central executive.