Does Location Uncertainty Modulate Unconscious Processing Under Continuous Flash Suppression?

Previous research suggests that selective spatial attention is a determining factor for unconscious processing under continuous flash suppression (CFS), and specifically, that inattention toward stimulus location facilitates its unconscious processing by reducing the depth of CFS (Eo et al., 2016). The aim of our study was to further examine this modulation-by-attention model of CFS using a number priming paradigm. Participants (N = 26) performed a number comparison task on a visible target number (“compare target to five”). Prime-target pairs were either congruent (both smaller or larger than five) or incongruent. Spatial attention toward the primes was varied by manipulating the uncertainty of the primes’ location. Based on the modulation-by-attention model, we hypothesized the following: In trials with uncertain prime location, RTs for congruent prime-target pairs should be faster than for incongruent ones. In trials with certain prime location, RTs for congruent versus incongruent prime-target pairs should not differ. We analyzed our data with sequential Bayes factors (BFs). Our data showed no effect of location uncertainty on unconscious priming under CFS (BF0+ = 5.16). However, even visible primes only weakly influenced RTs. Possible reasons for the absence of robust number priming effects in our study are discussed. Based on exploratory analyses, we conclude that the numerical order of prime and target resulted in a response conflict and interfered with the predicted priming effect.     

Book Reviews

Kressel, Neil J. (ed.) Political Psychology: Classic and Contemporary Readings
Barber, James David The Book of Democracy
Aron, Adrianne and Corne, Shawn (eds) Writings for a Liberation Psychology: Ignacio Martin-Baró
Ettin, Mark F.; Fidler, Jay W. and Cohen, Bertram D. Group Processes and Political Dynamics     

内隐态度实验研究:加工水平与黄,白,黑情感态度

研究使用肯定词和否定词分别与黄、白、黑三字搭配的实验卡片。随机抽取医学院本科生34名,采用2种加工水平×3种测量目标的混合设计来考察态度情感特征的无意识性。结果发现：1）加工水平对被试的自我报告和线索提取有不同的影响,即自我报告受加工水平影响,线索提取不受加工水平影响,发生实验性分离;2）加工水平对被试态度的实验性分离也有不同影响,即概念加工下出现高度分离,数据加工下则低度分离,3）经过改造的语义线索法是测量内除态度的有效方法。     

模拟互变问题解决认知策略的实验研究

本实验通过对模拟互变问题解决认知策略的定性和定量分析,研究认知策略的类型及其信息加工程序。结果表明,存在尝试性策略、分析性策略和直觉性策略三类策略。最佳策略属于分析性策略。     

Information processing in chronic pain disorder: A preliminary analysis

Researchers have alternately suggested selective attention, impaired stimulus filtering, and affective language deficiency models as accounting for multiple somatic complaints in persons with chronic pain disorder. The purpose of the present study was to establish the comparative usefulness of these three models for explaining somatic focus in a chronic pain population. Nine chronic pain patients evidencing high somatic focus (somatizing chronic pain patients), 10 chronic pain patients evidencing low somatic focus (nonsomatizing chronic pain patients), and 10 healthy control subjects were administered a computerized version of the emotional Stroop test as a test of these models. A total of 105 pain-, depression-, and neutral-content words were used as Stroop test stimuli. Stroop test color-naming response latencies were submitted to a two-way Group × Word Type mixed-model ANOVA, with Word Type as the repeated measure. Results reveal that neither the selective attention model nor the affective language deficiency model adequately explain Stroop test performance in somatizing chronic pain patients. Findings provide tentative support for the impaired stimulus filtering model, with somatizing chronic pain patients evidencing similar Stroop test response delays across all words. These results suggest that chronic pain sufferers misinterpret bodily sensations. Findings are discussed in terms of a bilevel approach for treatment of somatizing chronic pain patients that would include assisting the patient in accurate appraisal and interpretation of physical symptoms.     

Affective information processing and the assessment of anxiety

A conceptualization of anxiety as comprising three loosely coupled response systems of overt behavior, verbal report, and physiological activation has proven useful in clinical and theoretical work. With this framework as a starting point, an information-processing approach to the study of emotion is described. Emotions are conceived as affective programs within the brain, with information coded as propositions organized into associative networks. Affective expression results when such a network is accessed and processed, which can occur when a sufficient number of propositions are activated by environmental stimuli and/or internal associations. It is hypothesized that information about the expressive physiology is an integral component of the associative structure, and that processing of the network accordingly results in measurable psychophysiological response. Data from studies of emotional imagery, as well as other areas of research, are reviewed in support of these theories. The utility of this approach for the assessment of anxiety disorders is discussed, and results of clinical studies are presented to suggest that individual differences in accessing and processing emotional information may bear significant implications for prognosis and treatment selection. It is speculated that differences among the anxiety disorders could be interpreted in terms of the degree of cognitive organization of the network, leading to potential refinement of current diagnostic categories. In conclusion, cognitive psychology paradigms are discussed in terms of their application to the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders.The authors' research is supported in part by NIMH Grant MH 37757. Portions of this paper were presented at the NIMH Conference on Anxiety, Tuxedo, NY, September 1983. Several of its themes were developed there at more length, and this material may be found in the publication of the conference proceedings (Tuma & Maser, 1985).     

句子加工和语义记忆结构的实验研究

本文报告的实验,以句子验证范式为基础,采用常规试验和信号试验相混合的程序,对汉语句子加工的有关问题作了考察,实验结果表明,句子理解的时间,依赖于人对句中所含概念之间语义关系的认知度;人对句子的理解是一个部分信息逐渐积累的过程。根据实验材料,作者对语义记忆的结构问题作了讨论。     

Biases in Visual Attention in Children and Adolescents With Clinical Anxiety and Mixed Anxiety-Depression

Recent research has indicated that anxious adult and child patients and high trait-anxious adults selectively shift attention toward threatening stimuli. The present study extends this research and investigates the content-specificity of the effects in clinically anxious and mixed anxious–depressed children and adolescents. Twenty four generally anxious patients, aged 9 to 18, 19 mixed anxious–depressed patients, and 24 normal controls were comparable with respect to age, sex, verbal IQ, and vocabulary level. The participants carried out an attentional deployment task in which probe detection latency data were used to determine the distribution of visual attention for threat-related and depression-related material. The results showed that clinically anxious children, relative to controls, selectively allocated processing resources toward threat stimuli. However, mixed anxious–depressed children, relative to controls, did not show any attentional bias towards either threat- or depression-related stimuli. Preliminary data on age and gender differences are also presented. The results of this study are discussed in the light of previous research.     

识别不同编码方式符号的仿真研究

本研究利用计算机技术 ,以执行过程交互控制 (EPIC)理论框架为基础 ,建立了一个人类信息加工过程的计算模型 ,并对人在简单任务下的作业绩效进行了仿真。结果说明 :(1 )本研究所建的模型克服了原有 EPIC理论无法控制模型中参数值变化的缺陷 ,促进了 EPIC理论的发展 ;(2 )仿真结果和实验结果拟合良好 ,模型具有良好的预测能力。本研究为以仿真方法研究简单任务的心理过程提供了一次有益的尝试。