Stimulus selection with duration as a relevant cue

To date, research has not explicitly examined how duration competes with other stimulus dimensions for control over responding. The present study investigated some familiar selective mechanisms of stimulus control over key pecking in pigeons, with duration and line tilt as discriminative stimuli in successive discrimination procedures. Specifically, pigeon's key pecking was reinforced with food or extinguished following compound stimuli comprising one of two line orientation stimuli presented for one of two different durations. Traditional experimental designs explored stimulus additivity, overshadowing, blocking, and learned irrelevance. Although stimulus additivity was observed, control by duration was masked by line tilt in extinction testing that followed facilitated acquisition with redundant, relevant cues. In addition, although prior training with duration relevant partially blocked subsequent acquisition of control by line tilt when both stimulus dimensions were relevant, there was a tendency for control by duration to decrease with continued compound training. It was suggested that the greater time required to distinguish duration on a trial—compared to more commonly studied stimulus dimensions, which can be distinguished almost immediately—puts duration at a competitive disadvantage in situations where other relevant dimensions are also available.     

从《周易参同契》看易学在道教中的传播与影响

<周易参同契>作为道教易学的重要代表作,其最重要的特色是会归"大易"、"黄老"和"炉火"三家之理,借<周易>言黄老说炼丹.本文将<周易参同契>置于汉代易学的背景下,从黄老道家哲学与道教仙学的发展中,来探讨<周易参同契>如何托<周易>卦爻象为象征符号来隐喻金丹道之内涵,以展示易学在道教中的传播与影响.     

Extradimensional transfer in the easy-to-hard effect

In three experiments analyzing determinants of the easy-to-hard effect, pigeons acquired a hard discrimination after training on other problems. Intradimensional pretraining resulted in immediate transfer to the hard discrimination. Extradimensional pretraining consistently did not produce immediate transfer but did facilitate learning rate. In Experiment 1, the compounding of cues from an easy extradimentsional discrimination with those from the hard discrimination resulted in the former overshadowing the latter. When different types of extradimensional discriminations were introduced in Experiments 2 and 3, the degree of transfer was not proportional to the similarity in incidental background cues across problems. The findings indicate that in the easy-to-hard effect: (a) intra- and extradimensional mechanisms jointly contribute to the development of stimulus control, (b) intradimensional transfer is more consistent with the gradient-interaction model than the selective attention model, and (c) extradimensional transfer is better accounted for by the construct of general attentiveness rather than by the neutralization of background cues.     

An evaluation of self-esteem and impression management theories of anticipatory belief change

The predictions of self-esteem and impression management theories of anticipatory belief change were examined as a function of whether or not subjects were reminded that their preexperimental attitudes has been assessed, the source of the expected persuasive communication (expert vs. peer), and whether or not explicit instructions were given regarding the experimenter's concern with opinion change. Anticipatory shifts changed as a function of an interaction of all three variables. In the Reminder conditions, subjects changed their attitudes toward a peer's position when the experimenter explicitly referred to opinion change. In the No Reminder conditions, subjects shifted toward an expert when the instructions were explicit and toward a peer when the instructions were implicit. The results were discussed as qualifying previous research in this area and as problematic for both self-esteem and impression management approaches to anticipatory shifts.     

The Presuppositions of Religious Pluralism and the Need for Natural Theology

In ‘The Presuppositions of Religious Pluralism and the Need for Natural Theology’ I argue that there are four important presuppositions behind John Hick’s form of religious pluralism that successfully support it against what I call fideistic exclusivism. These are i) the ought/can principle, ii) the universality of religious experience, iii) the universality of redemptive change, and iv) a view of how God (the Eternal) would do things. I then argue that if these are more fully developed they support a different kind of exclusivism, what I call rational exclusivism, and become defeaters for pluralism. In order to explain rational exclusivism and its dependence on these presuppositions I consider philosophers J.P. Moreland, William Lane Craig, and Alvin Plantinga, who offer arguments for their forms of exclusivism but I maintain that they continue to rely on fideism at important points. I then give an example of how knowledge of the Eternal can be achieved.

选择、自我表达与选择扩散效应

自我表达会影响西方人的态度, 产生选择扩散效应。国外相关的跨文化研究发现东方人不存在该效应。通过4个实验研究中国文化下自我表达对选择态度的影响, 发现选择方式(主动、被动)和自我表达形式(直接、间接)对选择态度产生影响。无论是自己的主动选择还是强加的被动选择, 直接的自我表达会增加对所获对象的喜爱程度, 表现为对获得性的肯定。研究者认为, 两种选择方式下不同的心理加工过程导致了这种获得性：直接表达使个人态度暴露在外, 进行主动选择时要对他人的给予做出肯定回应; 而进行被动选择时, 人们要减缓因利益受损可能导致的失调, 同时中国文化下的面子策略也使人们增加对所获对象的喜爱程度。不过, 间接的自我表达对选择态度的影响不明显。研究者认为, 多个影响因素的相互消长使选择态度得以维持。     

The role of memory and integration in early time concepts

The nature of 5- to 8-year-old childrens ' time concepts was examined by analyzing two possible explanations for the greater difficulty children demonstrate in comparing durations that differ in beginning times as compared to those that differ in ending times. The explanations were (a) poor recall of beginnings as compared to endings due to their lower salience, (b) difficulty in integrating information from both points and reliance on endings only due to their greater salience. The subjects were 630 boys and girls from kindergarten to second grade. The children were presented with a series of two lights in different orders and combinations and were asked to compare order of beginnings and endings, and duration of the two lights. Results contradicted the memory explanation. In addition, repetitious questioning about order of one point (beginning or ending) appeared to have shifted children's attention from that point to the complementary point. Possible sources of children's failure to integrate beginning and end points when comparing durations were discussed.     

Influence of sex-role identity on two indices of social anxiety

The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between sex-role identity and two measures of self-reported social anxiety. The Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI), Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SAD), and Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (FNE) were administered to 23 male and 26 female undergraduate students. Generally, sex role was associated with social anxiety for women, but not for men. Androgynous women reported the least anxiety, sex-role stereotyped women reported a moderate amount, and undifferentiated women reported the most anxiety of all groups. Results were interpreted in light of conflicting hypotheses of androgyny rather than masculinity being associated with greater adjustment and the value of a situational analysis of behaviors associated with sex-role orientation.     

Some foundations and directions for applied developmental psychology

Applied developmental psychology (ADP) is an “umbrella” discipline which includes a range of psychological sciences and professions committed to use of the data base and methods of developmental psychology to address problems in education, health, human services and public policy. ADP emerges now as a manifestation of increasing recognition of the limits of developmental psychology's traditional models and paradigms, increasing recognition of our appropriate role in social problem-solving and public policy formation and an employment market which reflects these awarenesses. Consideration of clinical psychology as an ADP provides examples of synergies and distinctions helpful in defining ADP. The “linkage” concept inherent in a “scientist-practitioner” model is emphasized as a key in this definition and as a basis for designing appropriate doctoral training programs in ADP.