A qualitative analysis of mock jurors' deliberations of linkage analysis evidence

Evidence about a suspect's behavioural similarity across a series of crimes has been presented in legal proceedings in at least three different countries. Its admission as expert evidence, whilst still rare, is becoming more common thus it is important for us to understand how such evidence is received by jurors and legal professionals. This article reports on a qualitative analysis of mock jurors' deliberations about expert linkage analysis evidence. Three groups of mock jurors (N = 20) were presented with the prosecution's linkage analysis evidence from the USA State v. Fortin I murder trial and expert evidence for the defence constructed for the purposes of the study. Each group was asked to deliberate and reach a verdict. Deliberations were video‐recorded and subject to thematic content analysis. The themes that emerged were varied. Analysis suggested that the mock jurors were cautious of the expert evidence of behavioural similarity. In some cases they were sceptical of the expert. They articulated a preference that expert opinion be supported using statistics. Additional themes included jurors having misconceptions concerning what is typical offender behaviour during rape which suggests there is a need for expert linkage analysis evidence regarding behavioural similarities and the relative frequencies of crime scene behaviours. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

预见:情景记忆的未来投射与重构

预见是对有关个人的未来事件进行模拟的过程。相关的研究从几个方面展开:从比较心理学的角度探讨预见能力的种系发生图谱,从发展心理学的角度考察预见能力的发生发展状况,从认知神经科学的角度揭示预见过程的认知机制和神经基础。未来的研究应该补充和修正预见能力的种系发生图谱,揭示发展过程中预见能力与其他能力的关系,进一步考察卷入预见过程脑区之间的特定神经通路,并提高和拓展其社会应用的价值和范围。     

提议者的意图、相对收益与绝对收益对不同年龄回应者公平行为的影响

实验呈现了最后通牒博弈的3种分配情境：匿名者分配情境中, 匿名者提出方案, 且与被试分享资源, 故成熟的回应者需考虑意图、相对收益和绝对收益; 随机数生成器(RNG)分配情境中, 无关的匿名他人与被试分享资源, 故需考虑相对收益与绝对收益; 计算机分配情境中, 因计算机不能带走资源, 故只需考虑绝对收益。实验通过分析3种分配情境下回应者对同一分配方案的拒绝情况, 探讨意图、相对收益、绝对收益对公平行为的影响。结果发现：(1)年幼儿童(4~5岁)倾向于接受绝大多数分配方案; (2)年长儿童(9~11岁)在3种分配情境和多数分配方案上的拒绝率均高于其他组; (3)青少年(16~18岁)在方案2/8上的拒绝次数存在显著差异, 且匿名者分配情境显著多于RNG分配情境, 计算机分配情境显著多于零; 在3/7方案上的拒绝次数存在显著差异, 且计算机分配情境显著多于零; (4)成年人(21~24岁)在1/9和2/8方案上的拒绝次数存在显著差异, 且RNG分配情境显著多于计算机分配情境, 计算机分配情境显著多于零; 在 3/7方案上的拒绝次数具有显著差异, 且匿名者分配情境显著多于RNG分配情境, 计算机分配情境显著多于零。结果表明, (1)年幼儿童很难抵制绝对收益的吸引, 表现最为自利; (2)年长儿童更多考虑了相对收益, 能够抵制绝对收益的吸引, 并开始关注提议者的意图; (3)青少年处于关注提议者意图的重要时期, 主要基于意图与绝对收益进行决策; (4)成人的决策是意图、相对收益、绝对收益共同作用的结果。     

条件推理中的二元效应初探

通过预备实验选取前件(或后件)是二元(或多元)的5种条件命题的4种推理形式作为实验材料,以大学本科生为被试,考察了五种不同条件命题类型对4种推理结果的影响.结果表明命题类型、推理规则以及两者的交互作用都非常显著.这个结果进一步验证了条件推理的集合映射模型.     

Your divided attention, please! The maintenance of multiple attentional control sets over distinct regions in space

When non-informative peripheral cues precede a target defined by a specific feature, cues that share the critical feature will capture attention while cues that do not will be effectively ignored. We tested whether different attentional control sets can be simultaneously maintained over distinct regions of space. Participants were instructed to respond only to specific colored targets at specific locations. Most trials included non-predictive cues whose location and/or color were either congruent or incongruent with the spatial and/or color properties of the impending target. We observed contingent capture only for cues that were consistent with the attentional control set applied to that region of space. This is the first demonstration that separate attentional control sets can be simultaneously maintained at distinct spatial locations, with implications for the flexibility of endogenous control over automatic attentional orienting.     

学习不良青少年与一般青少年学业情绪特点的比较研究

本研究采用问卷法调查了1034名青少年(学习不良青少年506名),比较了学习不良青少年与一般青少年的学业情绪的特点。结果表明:(1)学习不良青少年的积极学业情绪显著低于一般青少年;学习不良青少年的消极学业情绪显著高于一般青少年。(2)学习不良青少年与一般青少年在学业情绪上的差异主要表现在初一、初二和高二、高三年级。(3)总体来说,男生的积极学业情绪多于女生,女生的消极学业情绪多于男生。     

A comparative effectiveness trial of functional behavioral assessment methods

Clinicians report primarily using functional behavioral assessment (FBA) methods that do not include functional analyses. However, studies examining the correspondence between functional analyses and other types of FBAs have produced inconsistent results. In addition, although functional analyses are considered the gold standard, their contribution toward successful treatment compared with other FBA methods remains unclear. This comparative effectiveness study, conducted with 57 young children with autism spectrum disorder, evaluated the results of FBAs that did (n = 26) and did not (n = 31) include a functional analysis. Results of FBAs with and without functional analyses showed modest correspondence. All participants who completed functional communication training achieved successful outcomes regardless of the type of FBA conducted.     

无痛人流不同麻醉的比较

为了更好地实行无痛人流,提高无痛人流的镇痛效果、降低麻醉风险及提高患者满意度,用比较治疗学的理念及方法对目前国内报道的一些主要无痛人流的麻醉方法进行比较和分析。结果发现镇静药丙泊酚与强效镇痛药复合应用于无痛人流安全有效。比较治疗学方法有助于无痛人流不同麻醉的临床抉择。     

Ceteris Paribus Conditionals and Comparative Normalcy

Our understanding of subjunctive conditionals has been greatly enhanced through the use of possible world semantics and, more precisely, by the idea that they involve variably strict quantification over possible worlds. I propose to extend this treatment to ceteris paribus conditionals – that is, conditionals that incorporate a ceteris paribus or ‘other things being equal’ clause. Although such conditionals are commonly invoked in scientific theorising, they traditionally arouse suspicion and apprehensiveness amongst philosophers. By treating ceteris paribus conditionals as a species of variably strict conditional I hope to shed new light upon their content and their logic.