Planning at the Phonological Level during Sentence Production

In two picture–word interference experiments we examined whether phrase boundaries affected how far in advance speakers plan the sounds of words during sentence production. Participants produced sentences of varying lengths (short determiner + noun + verb or long determiner + adjective + noun + verb) while ignoring phonologically related and unrelated words to the verb of the sentence. Response times to begin producing both types of sentences were faster in the presence of a related versus unrelated distractor. The results suggest that the activation of phonological properties of words outside the first phrase and first and second phonological word affect onset of articulation during sentence production. The results are discussed in the light of previous evidence of phonological planning during multi-word production. Implications for the phonological facilitation effect in the picture–word interference paradigm are also discussed.The research reported in this article served as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the PhD degree at Harvard University for Tatiana T. Schnur     

Visioning Family-Centered Care in Genetics: What Parents and Providers Have to Say

The purpose of this multisite exploratory research study involving focus groups of consumers and service providers was to generate stakeholder input for a statewide strategic plan for genetic services in the southwestern region of the United States. This article describes the qualitative methods by which the data were collected and summarizes major themes in participants’ perceptions about genetic services. It also describes processes related to obtaining genetic services and characteristics of an ideal service delivery system for children affected by genetic disorders and the families that care for them. Implications for practice and policy are also reviewed.     

Computer supported mathematics with Ωmega

Classical automated theorem proving of today is based on ingenious search techniques to find a proof for a given theorem in very large search spaces—often in the range of several billion clauses. But in spite of many successful attempts to prove even open mathematical problems automatically, their use in everyday mathematical practice is still limited.The shift from search based methods to more abstract planning techniques however opened up a paradigm for mathematical reasoning on a computer and several systems of that kind now employ a mix of interactive, search based as well as proof planning techniques.The Ωmega system is at the core of several related and well-integrated research projects of the Ωmega research group, whose aim is to develop system support for a working mathematician as well as a software engineer when employing formal methods for quality assurance. In particular, Ωmega supports proof development at a human-oriented abstract level of proof granularity. It is a modular system with a central proof data structure and several supplementary subsystems including automated deduction and computer algebra systems. Ωmega has many characteristics in common with systems like NuPrL, CoQ, Hol, Pvs, and Isabelle. However, it differs from these systems with respect to its focus on proof planning and in that respect it is more similar to the proof planning systems Clam and λClam at Edinburgh.     

Degrees of freedom and motor planning in purposive movement

This paper presents empirical evidence suggesting that healthy humans can perform a two degree of freedom visuo-motor pursuit tracking task with the same response time delay as a one degree of freedom task. In contrast, the time delay of the response is influenced markedly by the nature of the motor synergy required to produce it. We suggest a conceptual account of this evidence based on adaptive model theory, which combines theories of intermittency from psychology and adaptive optimal control from engineering. The intermittent response planning stage has a fixed period. It possesses multiple optimal trajectory generators such that multiple degrees of freedom can be planned concurrently, without requiring an increase in the planning period. In tasks which require unfamiliar motor synergies, or are deemed to be incompatible, internal adaptive models representing movement dynamics are inaccurate. This means that the actual response which is produced will deviate from the one which is planned. For a given target-response discrepancy, corrective response trajectories of longer duration are planned, consistent with the principle of speed-accuracy trade-off. Compared to familiar or compatible tasks, this results in a longer response time delay and reduced accuracy. From the standpoint of the intermittency approach, the findings of this study help make possible a more integral and predictive account of purposive action.     

计划生育干部多种量表评定结果的相关分析

本研究采用DSQ、SCL－90、16PF问卷,对河南、陕西两省部分县（市）乡（镇）的计划生育专职机构的169名计生干部进行测试,结果发现：计生干部的防御方式、心理健康及个性特质三者存在着密不可分的内在联系。个性特征、心理健康状况影响制约着防御方式的动用;防御方式的使用影响行为后果及人的适应能力,进而作用于心理健康,心理健康状况又会重塑人格结构,影响防御方式的动用。     

An assessment of parent involvement in local interagency teams

The results of team members' evaluations of Local Interagency Teams in Vermont are used to assess the participation of parents in one level of the system of care. Active participation in discussions and knowledge of their child's legal rights were consistently highly rated aspects of parent participation. The rating of parents' appearing to feel that they were equal members was consistently low. Attendance at meetings and knowledge of services available showed significant growth over time.     

Oral contraceptive use among African American adolescents: Individual and community influences

Side effects of oral contraceptives are a noteworthy problem, particularly among low-income young women who reside in inner-city communities. The problem may be compounded by inadequate family planning services, particularly when such services are provided by general medical practices with high volumes of clients. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of pill-related side effects, with particular attention to the role of clinic characteristics. Participants were 177 pregnant and parenting African American adolescents and young women (average age=18.34). The experience of a pill-related side effect was the most frequently cited barrier to birth control use, and it was significantly related to contraceptive behavior. Finally, although participants attending comprehensive clinics experienced more barriers to medical service use than those attending neighborhood clinics, they reported fewer problems with pill-related side effects and better psychological functioning. Implications for future research and policy are discussed. This study was completed with the assistance of grants from the Illinois Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the Office of Research on Women's Health to Jean Rhodes. Portions of this paper were presented at the 1993 Biennial Meeting of the Society for Community Research and Action, Williamsburg, Virginia. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Julian Rappaport, Joel Meyers, Hope Landrine, Lori Ebert, the Reverend Annette Collins, Margaret Daniels, Khya Lawrence, and the professionals and participants at the service settings.     

The very same thing: Extending the object token concept to incorporate causal constraints on individual identity

The contributions of feature recognition, object categorization, and recollection of episodic memories to the re-identification of a perceived object as the very same thing encountered in a previous perceptual episode are well understood in terms of both cognitive-behavioral phenomenology and neurofunctional implementation. Human beings do not, however, rely solely on features and context to re-identify individuals; in the presence of featural change and similarly-featured distractors, people routinely employ causal constraints to establish object identities. Based on available cognitive and neurofunctional data, the standard object-token based model of individual re-identification is extended to incorporate the construction of unobserved and hence fictive causal histories (FCHs) of observed objects by the pre-motor action planning system. It is suggested that functional deficits in the construction of FCHs are associated with clinical outcomes in both autism spectrum disorders and later-stage stage Alzheimer's disease.     

Myopic loss aversion: Demystifying the key factors influencing decision problem framing

Advancement of myopic loss aversion theory has been hamstrung by conflicting results, methodological inconsistencies, and a piecemeal approach toward understanding the key factors influencing decision problem framing. A series of controlled experiments provides a more holistic view of the variables promoting myopia. Extending the information horizon promotes broad framing, which propels risk. Evaluation frequency and decision frequency interact regardless of information horizon, supporting the notion that restricting either mechanism alleviates myopia. When conducting evaluations infrequently, neither segregating nor aggregating retrospective returns significantly alters risk preferences. Moreover, students and real retirement plan participants exhibit comparable appetites for risk, implying that both groups frame decision problems similarly. Explanations for these findings and avenues for future research are discussed.     

父母生涯相关行为和学前教育专业大学生专业满意度的关系：生涯适应力和生涯规划的中介作用

以600名学前教育专业大学生为被试,探讨了父母生涯相关行为 (支持、干涉和缺位) 和专业满意度 (6个月后) 的关系及生涯适应力和生涯规划的中介作用。结果表明：(1) 支持对专业满意度的直接预测作用不显著,是通过正向预测生涯适应力和生涯规划及生涯适应力→生涯规划这一序列中介作用间接预测专业满意度。(2) 干涉对专业满意度的直接预测作用不显著,但通过负向预测生涯适应力及生涯适应力→生涯规划这一序列中介作用间接预测专业满意度。