Self- and other-estimates of multiple abilities in Britain and Turkey: a cross-cultural comparison of subjective ratings of intelligence

This study is part of a programmatic research effort into the determinants of self-assessed abilities. It examined cross-cultural differences in beliefs about intelligence and self- and other-estimated intelligence in two countries at extreme ends of the European continent. In all, 172 British and 272 Turkish students completed a three-part questionnaire where they estimated their parents', partners' and own multiple intelligences (Gardner (10) and Sternberg (3)). They also completed a measure of the 'big five' personality scales and rated six questions about intelligence. The British sample had more experience with IQ tests than the Turks. The majority of participants in both groups did not believe in sex differences in intelligence but did think there were race differences. They also believed that intelligence was primarily inherited. Participants rated their social and emotional intelligence highly (around one standard deviation above the norm). Results suggested that there were more cultural than sex differences in all the ratings, with various interactions mainly due to the British sample differentiating more between the sexes than the Turks. Males rated their overall, verbal, logical, spatial, creative and practical intelligence higher than females. Turks rated their musical, body-kinesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence as well as existential, naturalistic, emotional, creative, and practical intelligence higher than the British. There was evidence of participants rating their fathers' intelligence on most factors higher than their mothers'. Factor analysis of the ten Gardner intelligences yield two clear factors: cognitive and social intelligence. The first factor was impacted by sex but not culture; it was the other way round for the second factor. Regressions showed that five factors predicted overall estimates: sex (male), age (older), test experience (has done tests), extraversion (strong) and openness (strong). Results are discussed in terms of the growing literature in the field.     

Framing of imprecise quantities: When are lower interval bounds preferred to upper bounds?

Imprecisely known quantities (e.g., predictions) are often described in approximate terms as “more than X” or “less than Y” (e.g., “Ann will earn more than $50 000” or “less than $60 000”). Such phrases carry both quantitative and qualitative (pragmatic) information. Three studies are reported showing that lower limit estimates (more than, over, minimum) are generally more frequent, and considered more appropriate than upper limit estimates (less than, under, maximum) over a wide range of contexts. This is partly due to scalar properties of the number system, where lower numbers are attained before, and included in higher numbers, but not vice versa. As a result, upper limit statements are perceived as negations, and carry more specific information about the speaker's communicative concerns. Upper limit statements are preferred with amounts or quantities that can be perceived as small, whereas lower limit statements can be used both to indicate large quantities and as a default. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

心理应激与DNA损害

心理应激不仅能使人的行为特征发生变化,而且也能使人的生理状况发生改变,因此,被认为是某些身心疾病的诱因。在此过程中,DNA损害是心理应激造成的最终结果之一。有关DNA损害,虽然以往的研究者以人或动物为对象进行了一系列急性应激和慢性应激的实验研究,但是,心理应激是如何造成DNA损害的过程还不清楚,具体的生理心理机制还未阐明。该文利用健康心理学提出的理论模型对此进行了分析,阐述了心理应激与DNA损害之间联系的可能的机制,强调了氧化应激在这一过程中的重要作用。同时,为临床制订预防疾病的干预措施提供了思路     

More than,less than,or minimum,maximum: how upper and lower bounds determine subjective interval estimates

Uncertain quantities can be described by single‐point estimates of lower interval bounds (X₁), upper interval bounds (X₂), two‐bound estimates (separate estimates of X₁ and X₂), and by ranges (X₁?X₂). A price estimation task showed that single‐bound estimates phrased as “T costs more than X₁” and “T costs less than X₂,” yielded much larger intervals than “minimum X₁” and “maximum X₂.” This difference can be attributed to exclusive interpretations of X₁ and X₂ in the first case (X₁ and X₂ are unlikely values), and inclusive interpretations in the second (X₁ and X₂ are likely values). This pattern of results was replicated in other domains where participants estimated single targets. When they estimated a distribution of targets, the pattern was reversed. “Minimum” and “maximum” values of variable quantities (e.g., flight prices) were found to delimit larger intervals than “more than” and “less than” estimates. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Perceived threat: exploring its association with worry and its hypothesized antecedents

Two studies with college student participants (n's=262, 239) examined the relation between perceptions of threat (i.e., perceptions of the probabilities and costs of future undesirable outcomes) and: (a) worry; and (b) hypothesized antecedents of perceived threat. In both studies, higher levels of worrying were associated with higher perceived probability and cost. In Study 2, the association between perceived threat and worrying remained even when taking into account maladaptive worry beliefs and the desire for predictability; in fact, the relation between worrying and worry beliefs and desire for predictability were moderated by perceptions of threat. Higher levels of perceived probability were associated with perceiving oneself and others less favorably, whereas higher levels of perceived cost were associated with higher standards.     

Socrates on How Wrongdoing Damages the Soul

There has been little scholarly attention given to explaining exactly how and why Socrates thinks that wrongdoing damages the soul. But there is more than a simple gap in the literature here, we shall argue. The most widely accepted view of Socratic moral psychology, we claim, actually leaves this well-known feature of Socrates’ philosophy absolutely inexplicable. In the first section of this paper, we rehearse this view of Socratic moral psychology, and explain its inadequacy on the issue of the damaging consequences of wrongdoing. We then go on to provide our own account of the way in which injustice damages the soul, and then draw conclusions about how Socratic moral psychology should be understood.     

中美医疗损害责任制度改革之比较研究

医疗损害责任已成为现代社会普遍的医疗法律问题。中美两国医疗损害责任制度改革正朝着相反的方向发展。诉讼机制在美国医疗损害责任中的作用由强变弱，医疗诉讼起诉由易变难，医疗损害赔偿由不限制到相对限制，行政管理式的医疗过错责任制度由无到逐渐提议。我国医疗损害责任制度改革恰恰相反，即诉讼制度的作用由弱变强、医疗损害起诉由难到易，医疗损害赔偿由相对限制到不限制、行政管理式的医疗过错责任制度从有到无。我国医疗损害责任制度的改革趋势值得反思。建议借鉴美国医疗损害责任制度改革的经验。     

定量组织速度成像评价酒精性心肌损害左室功能的价值

为了评估定量组织速度成像(QTVI)在评价大量饮酒后心肌损害左室功能改变方面的价值,我们对饮酒量符合酒精性心肌病诊断标准患者21例(B组,每日饮白酒≥150g或啤酒4瓶,每周6天~7天,10年以上),30例健康志愿者(A组,正常对照组)进行常规超声参数及QTVI参数测定,包括:二尖瓣环收缩期峰值速度(Vs)、舒张早期运动速度(Ve)、舒张晚期运动速度(Va)等。结果显示,B组常规各超声参数与A组比较差异有显著性统计学意义(P0.01)。QTVI参数与A组比较Va减低(P0.05),Vs、Ve、Ve/Va显著减低(P0.01)。提示QTVI技术能够有效地评估酒精性心肌损害病左室功能的改变。     

Interactions of space and language: Insights from the neglect syndrome

The current article speculates about the interrelations between space and language from the perspective of the neglect syndrome. Various conflicting findings are reviewed and the effect of cultural factors is strongly emphasised. Current scientific literature describes relationships between space and language; however, the available data render it difficult to conclude whether it is the primacy of spatial representations or the complex two‐way interaction between linguistic and spatial representations that determines the nature of cognitive processing. It is hoped that studying the neglect syndrome will provide a solution to this problem. Finally, directions for future research are provided that requires bridging the gap between cognitive theorising and neuroscientific approaches.