In the Name of Culture and Religion: The Political Function of Blasphemy in Islamic States

ABSTRACT

This article argues that blasphemy laws and a cultural relativist approach to human rights have a political function in authoritarian states. Islamic states use a strong cultural relativist approach to justify their dismal human rights record. The main aim of this approach, however, is survival. The article shows how Islamic countries use religion for their own political survival purposes and how blasphemy laws are often used to silence critique of political, social and religious orders that infringe on basic human rights. From this perspective, blasphemy laws are tools of oppression, not a symbol of cultural and religious difference. By highlighting how blasphemy laws and a cultural relativist approach to religion have been used as tools of oppression by authoritarian regimes, the article underscores the importance of freedom of expression for any functioning democracy.     

The metaphysics of cognitive artefacts

This article looks at some of the metaphysical properties of cognitive artefacts. It first identifies and demarcates the target domain by conceptualizing this class of artefacts as a functional kind. Building on the work of Beth Preston, a pluralist notion of functional kind is developed, one that includes artefacts with proper functions and system functions. Those with proper functions have a history of cultural selection, whereas those with system functions are improvised uses of initially non-cognitive artefacts. Having identified the target domain, it then briefly looks at the multiple usability of physical structures and the multiple realizability of cognitive function. Further developing insights from the “dual nature of artefacts thesis”, the article ends with conceptualizing the structure–function relations of cognitive artefacts. More specifically, it unpacks the relation between physical structure, representational structure, information, and cognitive function.     

孤独症谱系障碍者的视觉-空间工作记忆缺陷及脑机制

孤独症谱系障碍(ASD)个体存在视觉-空间工作记忆加工缺陷,主要表现在4个方面,即随认知负荷增大而缺陷加重、工作记忆容量不足、工作记忆加工过程中的注意功能失调和对刺激进行整体组织的能力缺乏。神经机制研究显示,ASD个体存在明显的额-顶工作记忆网络激活异常,以及相关脑区的脑结构、白质连接异常。另外,作为基础性的认知加工过程,ASD个体的视觉-空间工作记忆各加工环节与言语工作记忆、执行功能、社会认知等因素均存在交互影响。纵观目前研究成果,未来研究可从研究手段、机制探究和干预训练三方面入手,着眼于研究方法的生态化和多元化,揭示客体和空间工作记忆的机制分离,并着力开发更具针对性的干预训练模式。     

Destination and source memory in Huntington's disease

Destination memory refers to the recall of the destination of previously relayed information, and source memory refers to the recollection of the origin of received information. We compared both memory systems in Huntington's disease (HD) participants. For this, HD participants and healthy adults had to put 12 items in a black or a white box (destination task), and to extract another 12 items from a blue or a red box (source task). Afterwards, they had to decide in which box each item had previously been deposited (destination memory), and from which box each item had previously been extracted (source memory). HD participants showed poorer source as well as destination recall performance than healthy adults in the proposed tasks. Correlation analysis showed that destination recall was significantly correlated with episodic recall in HD participants. Destination memory impairment in HD participants seems to be considerably influenced by their episodic memory performance.     

A Topsis‐Based Approach for Prioritized Aggregation in Multi‐Criteria Decision‐Making Problems

Aggregation in multi‐criteria decision‐making environments is a process of combining the values of a set of attributes into one representative value for the entire set of attributes. Many aggregation methods—ranging from the simple averaging approach to more sophisticated methods, such as ordered weighted averaging—have been applied in previous research. One challenge in aggregation arises in special cases of prioritized aggregation, wherein the prioritized relationships between attributes must be considered during aggregation. This paper presents a new approach to aggregating attributes with prioritized relationships. First, an overview of past research is conducted to identify different aggregation methods, classes and properties. Next, the concept of prioritized aggregation is explained in detail. A prioritized aggregation method utilizing the technique of order preference by similarity to ideal solution is then presented. Subsequently, the presented prioritized aggregation method is applied on an actual case study. According to the results, the aggregation method presented in this paper is, through the application of technique of order preference by similarity to ideal solution, capable of quantifying and considering the prioritized relationship between a set of attributes undergoing aggregation. Finally, conclusions are stated, and a discussion describing future work pertinent to this paper is presented. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基本心理能力老化的中介变量

从整合思路,针对认知老化的四个中介变量建立基本心理能力老化的结构方程模型。样本来自北京三个社区的217位60-85岁的老人。采用计算机化的任务测查五项基本心理能力和加工资源的各项指标。结果表明：(1)感觉功能、加工速度和加工容量是基本心理能力老化的重要中介变量;(2)基本心理能力老化的中介作用表现出层次性。感觉功能是最基础的一层中介作用,它通过加工速度和加工容量间接调节基本心理能力的老化;加工速度对基本心理能力老化的作用受感觉功能的影响,同时也通过加工容量对基本心理能力的老化起作用;加工容量在基本心理能力老化的中介模型中直接与基本心理能力产生联系,但是其61％的变异来自感觉功能和加工速度;(3)负启动测验与颜色词启动测验不能共同表达加工抑制,以颜色词启动值作为观测指标的加工抑制不能进入基本心理能力老化的中介模型。     

不同链接函数下多级评分认知诊断模型的比较及应用研究

认知诊断测验因具有传统测验所不具备的诊断功能而日益受到重视。当前多级评分认知诊断模型开发中,研究者采用不同的链接函数（Link Function）开发出不同的多级评分认知诊断模型。本研究基于局部或相邻类别链接函数(Local or Adjacent Categories Link Function)的思想,开发出多级评分认知诊断模型LC-DINA研究采用Monte Carlo模拟研究与实证应用研究相结合的方法,将新开发模型与已有模型进行比较并应用于国际数学与科学评估（TIMMS）中,为实际应用者提供了借鉴。     

Network structure reveals clusters of associations between childhood adversities and development outcomes

Exposure to childhood adversity is common and associated with a host of negative developmental outcomes. The most common approach used to examine the consequences of adversity exposure is a cumulative risk model. Recently, we have proposed a novel approach, the dimensional model of adversity and psychopathology (DMAP), where different dimensions of adversity are hypothesized to impact health and well‐being through different pathways. We expect deprivation to primarily disrupt cognitive processing, whereas we expect threat to primarily alter emotional reactivity and automatic regulation. Recent hypothesis‐driven approaches provide support for these differential associations of deprivation and threat on developmental outcomes. However, it is not clear whether these patterns would emerge using data‐driven approaches. Here we use a network analytic approach to identify clusters of related adversity exposures and outcomes in an initial study (Study 1: N = 277 adolescents aged 16–17 years; 55.1% female) and a replication (Study 2: N = 262 children aged 8–16 years; 45.4% female). We statistically compare our observed clusters with our hypothesized DMAP model and a clustering we hypothesize would be the result of a cumulative stress model. In both samples we observed a network structure consistent with the DMAP model and statistically different than the hypothesized cumulative stress model. Future work seeking to identify in the pathways through which adversity impacts development should consider multiple dimensions of adversity.     

How visually impaired cyclists ride regular and pedal electric bicycles

The present study investigates whether visually impaired cyclists compensate for their vision limitations by maintaining a lower speed or a larger distance to the kerb than normally sighted cyclists when riding a regular bicycle or pedal electric bicycle (pedelec). A normally sighted control group (n = 10), a peripheral visual field loss group (n = 9), and a low visual acuity group (n = 12) rode a fixed route (7.5 km) in the Netherlands on a regular bicycle and on a pedelec. Speed and lateral position were measured when participants cycled a (I) one-way cycle path, (II) two-way cycle path, (III) residential area, and (IV) shared space zone. With regard to both the regular bicycle and the pedelec, no significant speed or lateral position differences were found between the three groups. In conclusion, for some people with severe and permanent visual impairments, and under certain circumstances, regular bicycle and pedelec riding may be possible without noticeable speed reduction or adapted lane position to compensate for their functional impairment. The present findings may further optimise the cycling advice provided by mobility trainers of vision rehabilitation centres and the independent mobility of visually impaired people.     

多层次研究的数据聚合适当性检验:文献评价与关键问题试解

组织管理领域的多层次研究经常需要测量共享单位特性构念, 常用方法是将单位内若干个体成员的评分聚合到单位层次, 确保聚合后的分数具有充分代表性的统计前提是通过聚合适当性检验。聚合适当性检验的常用指标是组内一致性r_WG和组内信度ICC(1)、ICC(2), 但目前学界对于这两类指标何者更优、r_WG的原分布选择和数据清理、各指标的划界值等关键问题存在诸多争议。为此, 首先对国内9份管理学、心理学期刊2014年以来发表的166篇包含聚合适当性检验的论文进行内容分析, 并以Journal of Applied Psychology上的85篇论文为对比, 查明常规实践中的共性问题, 进而提出实践建议:(1)明确功能定位, 将r_WG作为聚合适当性指标, ICC(1)和ICC(2)分别作为效度、信度指标。(2)计算r_WG时审慎选择原分布, 排除组内一致性过低的组。(3)为各指标设定更加合理、有适度灵活性的划界值, 停止使用武断、粗糙的经验标准。最后, 强调研究者在模型构建和聚合决策中应加强理论考量, 避免片面依赖统计检验结果。