Cardiac modulation of startle: Effects on eye blink and higher cognitive processing

Cardiac cycle time has been shown to affect pre-attentive brainstem startle processes, such as the magnitude of acoustically evoked reflexive startle eye blinks. These effects were attributed to baro-afferent feedback mechanisms. However, it remains unclear whether cardiac cycle time plays a role in higher startle-related cognitive processes, as well. Twenty-five volunteers responded first by ’fast as possible’ button pushes (reaction time, RT), and second, rated perceived intensity of 60 acoustic startle stimuli (85, 95, or 105 dB; 50 ms duration; binaural; instantaneous rise time), which were presented either 230 or 530 ms after the R-wave, and eye blink responses were measured by EMG. RT was divided into evaluation and motor response time according to previous research. Increasing stimulus intensity enhanced startle eye blink, intensity ratings, and RT components. Eye blinks and intensity judgments were lower when startle was elicited at a latency of R + 230 ms, but RT components were differentially affected: the evaluative component was attenuated, and the motor component was accelerated when stimuli were presented 230 ms after the R-wave. We conclude that the cardiac cycle affects the attentive processing of acoustic startle stimuli.     

时序信息和空间信息在工作记忆中的分离存储

采用相对新近性判断范式（judgments of relative recency）,通过三个实验探讨了工作记忆中时序信息和空间信息的存储方式及其关系。实验一比较了有无空间线索两种条件下时序信息的记忆绩效,结果发现,有无空间线索并不影响对时序信．E-的记忆。实验二和实验三通过控制刺激呈现的视野范围和减少呈现位置的不确定性来利化空间线索,结果表明,时序信息的记忆绩效也不受空间线索的影响。由此推论,工作记忆中的时序信息和空间信息是分离编码存储的,加入空间线索并不能提高时序信息的记忆绩效。     

The influence of instructions and terminology on the accuracy of remember–know judgments

The remember–know paradigm is one of the most widely used procedures to examine the subjective experience associated with memory retrieval. We examined how the terminology and instructions used to describe the experiences of remembering and knowing affected remember–know judgments. In Experiment 1 we found that using neutral terms, i.e., Type A memory and Type B memory, to describe the experiences of remembering and knowing reduced remember false alarms for younger and older adults as compared to using the terms Remember and Know, thereby increasing overall memory accuracy in the neutral terminology condition. In Experiment 2 we found that using what we call source-specific remember–know instructions, which were intended to constrain remember judgments to recollective experiences arising only from the study context, reduced remember hits and false alarms, and increased know hits and false alarms. Based on these data and other considerations, we conclude that researchers should use neutral terminology and source-specific instructions to collect the most accurate reports of the experiences of remembering and knowing arising from the study context.     

Quantity-based judgments in the domestic dog (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Canis lupus familiaris</Emphasis>)

We examined the ability of domestic dogs to choose the larger versus smaller quantity of food in two experiments. In experiment 1, we investigated the ability of 29 dogs (results from 18 dogs were used in the data analysis) to discriminate between two quantities of food presented in eight different combinations. Choices were simultaneously presented and visually available at the time of choice. Overall, subjects chose the larger quantity more often than the smaller quantity, but they found numerically close comparisons more difficult. In experiment 2, we tested two dogs from experiment 1 under three conditions. In condition 1, we used similar methods from experiment 1 and tested the dogs multiple times on the eight combinations from experiment 1 plus one additional combination. In conditions 2 and 3, the food was visually unavailable to the subjects at the time of choice, but in condition 2, food choices were viewed simultaneously before being made visually unavailable, and in condition 3, they were viewed successively. In these last two conditions, and especially in condition 3, the dogs had to keep track of quantities mentally in order to choose optimally. Subjects still chose the larger quantity more often than the smaller quantity when the food was not simultaneously visible at the time of choice. Olfactory cues and inadvertent cuing by the experimenter were excluded as mechanisms for choosing larger quantities. The results suggest that, like apes tested on similar tasks, some dogs can form internal representations and make mental comparisons of quantity.     

注意负荷对内隐序列学习的影响研究

运用次级任务研究范式,采用符号计数的次级任务和歧义序列中的次级条件序列,将内隐序列学习分为单任务组和双任务组,统一在单任务条件下测试。结果发现:(1)两组被试内隐学习成绩差异不显著;(2)双任务组被试在学习组块和测试组块的内隐学习差异也不显著。结果进一步支持了在次级任务占用注意资源的条件下内隐学习仍然可以正常地获得、内隐序列学习不受注意负荷影响的观点。     

A Unified Nonparametric IRT Model for <Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>-Dimensional Psychological Test Data (<Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>-ISOP)

The (univariate) isotonic psychometric (ISOP) model (Scheiblechner, 1995) is a nonparametric IRT model for dichotomous and polytomous (rating scale) psychological test data. A weak subject independence axiom W1 postulates that the subjects are ordered in the same way except for ties (i.e., similarly or isotonically) by all items of a psychological test. A weak item independence axiom W2 postulates that the order of the items is similar for all subjects. Local independence (LI or W3) is assumed in all models. With these axioms, sample-free unidimensional ordinal measurements of items and subjects become feasible. A cancellation axiom (Co) gives, as a result, the additive isotonic psychometric (ADISOP) model and interval scales for subjects and items, and an independence axiom (W4) gives the completely additive isotonic psychometric (CADISOP) model with an interval scale for the response variable (Scheiblechner, 1999). The d-ISOP, d-ADISOP, and d-CADISOP models are generalizations to d-dimensional dependent variables (e.g., speed and accuracy of response). The author would like to thank an Associate Editor and two anonymous referees and also Professor H.H. Schulze for their very valuable suggestions and corrections.     

Putting the system back into systems change: a framework for understanding and changing organizational and community systems

Systems change has emerged as a dominant frame through which local, state, and national funders and practitioners across a wide array of fields approach their work. In most of these efforts, change agents and scholars strive to shift human services and community systems to create better and more just outcomes and improve the status quo. Despite this, there is a dearth of frameworks that scholars, practitioners, and funders can draw upon to aid them in understanding, designing, and assessing this process from a systemic perspective. This paper provides one framework--grounded in systems thinking and change literatures--for understanding and identifying the fundamental system parts and interdependencies that can help to explain system functioning and leverage systems change. The proposed framework highlights the importance of attending to both the deep and apparent structures within a system as well as the interactions and interdependencies among these system parts. This includes attending to the dominant normative, resource, regulative, and operational characteristics that dictate the behavior and lived experiences of system members. The value of engaging critical stakeholders in problem definition, boundary construction, and systems analysis are also discussed. The implications of this framework for systems change researchers and practitioners are discussed.     

自我参照和环境参照整合过程中的主方位判断

通过三个实验证明,自我参照和环境参照转化与整合过程中的主方位判断受拍摄方向和目标位置的影响。二者对主方位判断的作用模式不会随主方位判断任务的改变而改变,拍摄方向效表现为：朝北效应（匹配效应）和主方位效应,体现的是自我参照和环境参照整合过程中环境参照对主方位的影响;目标位置效应的认知加工时间模式可表示为：前-后轴<左-右轴<其他位置,体现的是自我参照和环境参照整合过程中自我参照对主方位的影响。本文以规范轴和规范方向为框架对数据结果进行了分析和解释。     

不规则几何图形识别中的信息取样优先序

研究了不规则几何图形识别中的信息取样优先序。被试为浙江大学本科生80 名,男女各半,年龄18－22 岁,色觉正常,视力或矫正视力正常。刺激材料为20个不规则几何图形。实验的自变量有3个：①作业任务,认同与匹配2种;②显示条件,良好与不良2种;③显示方式,旋转与不旋转2种。因变量用了反应时与错误指数二项。实验的作业有二项,一项是对呈现在CRT上图形做判别作业;一项是有关信息取样优先序的问卷作业。Friedman 双向方差分析和Kendall一致性系数检验的结果表明：不规则几何图形的信息取样优先序有按取样特征信息差异度序进行编排的趋势。较稳定的取样序,特别是将整体信息置于较优先地位的取样序有助于提高图形识别的作业绩效     

国外有关内隐自尊的研究

作为内隐社会认知领域的一部分,内隐自尊是指人们在对与自我相关或自我分离的客体进行评价时的一种态度表现,而这种态度无法通过内省的方式被识别。根据近几年的研究成果,Greenwald与 Banaji将内隐自尊概括为三种形式：实验控制条件下的内隐自尊,如角色扮演、单纯所有权现象及小群体效应;原生内隐自尊,例如社会交往中的相似-吸引现象、劝说中的认知反应、选择决策的扩散效应、姓名字母偏爱效应;二级内隐自尊,如自我积极性、内隐的合群与排斥及替代性自尊