What happens to our representation of identity as familiar faces age? Evidence from priming and identity aftereffects

Matching identity in images of unfamiliar faces is error prone, but we can easily recognize highly variable images of familiar faces – even images taken decades apart. Recent theoretical development based on computational modelling can account for how we recognize extremely variable instances of the same identity. We provide complementary behavioural data by examining older adults’ representation of older celebrities who were also famous when young. In Experiment 1, participants completed a long-lag repetition priming task in which primes and test stimuli were the same age or different ages. In Experiment 2, participants completed an identity after effects task in which the adapting stimulus was an older or young photograph of one celebrity and the test stimulus was a morph between the adapting identity and a different celebrity; the adapting stimulus was the same age as the test stimulus on some trials (e.g., both old) or a different age (e.g., adapter young, test stimulus old). The magnitude of priming and identity after effects were not influenced by whether the prime and adapting stimulus were the same age or different age as the test face. Collectively, our findings suggest that humans have one common mental representation for a familiar face (e.g., Paul McCartney) that incorporates visual changes across decades, rather than multiple age-specific representations. These findings make novel predictions for state-of-the-art algorithms (e.g., Deep Convolutional Neural Networks).     

Can we adapt to highly automated vehicles as passengers? The mediating effect of trust and situational awareness on role adaption moderated by automated driving style

The emergence of highly automated driving technology provides safe and convenient travel while also causing user inadaptation. Therefore, based on human factors engineering, it is necessary to study highly automated vehicles (HAVs) that meet different user needs. Thus, this study aims to investigate the relationships between state anxiety, situational awareness, trust, and role adaptation. The adaptation model is constructed to conduct a study on the adaptation of HAVs with different automated styles when user roles change from driver to passenger. Simulated riding was conducted in the HAV experiment (N = 117), collecting scale data after each participant had experienced each automated driving style. A structural equation modeling approach was applied to analyze the adaptation model based on scale data. The results showed that there was a significant correlation between state anxiety, situational awareness, trust, and role adaptation. State anxiety has a significant negative predictive effect on trust, situational awareness, and role adaptation. In addition to its direct impact on role adaptation, state anxiety also has an indirect effect on role adaptation through situational awareness and trust. Furthermore, the automated driving style has been confirmed to have a moderating role in the relationship between the direct and indirect effects of state anxiety and role adaptation. Our findings contribute to multiple streams of the literature and have important implications for designing personalized automated driving to improve user acceptance.     

Computational modeling of organisational learning by self-modeling networks

Within organisational learning literature, mental models are considered a vehicle for both individual learning and organizational learning. By learning individual mental models (and making them explicit), a basis for formation of shared mental models for the level of the organization is created, which after its formation can then be adopted by individuals. This provides mechanisms for organizational learning. These mechanisms have been used as a basis for an adaptive computational network model. The model is illustrated by a not too complex but realistic case study.     

Cognitive Organization of Favorable and Unfavorable Beliefs About Performing a Behavior

Abstract

Intentions to perform behaviors are influenced by beliefs about their consequences, but researchers have not addressed how such beliefs are cognitively organized. In 3 experiments, the authors tested the hypothesis that beliefs are organized according to whether they are favorable or unfavorable in regard to performing a behavior. In Experiment 1, a group of U.S. students first read a list of beliefs favorable and unfavorable to going to a vacation resort and then listed their beliefs about condom use. In Experiment 2, another group of U.S. students listed their beliefs about condom use. In Experiment 3, a 3rd group of U.S. students listed their beliefs about a novel behavior (asking the experimenter for candy). The results of all 3 experiments were consistent with the hypothesis that people cognitively organize their beliefs according to whether they are favorable or unfavorable to the behavior in question.     

Mechanism of Stimulation: An Alternative Explanation for Genetic Variation in the Evolutionary Theory

A new evolutionary concept is presented, based on the principle of biological diversity by organismal adaptation, more specifically the origin of the first variations and the process leading to speciation. The article suggests the mechanism of stimulation as the major promoter of genetic variation, making an overall assessment and accurate to the natural phenomenon responsible for this evolutionary step. Constantly, environmental forces interact with the organism, favoring changes to the organs toward adaptation. Stimulation focuses on this action–reaction between organism and environment, trying to decipher the causes/consequences resulting. The article also addresses possible relationships and constraints with neo-Darwinism.     

Symmetry breaking analysis of prism adaptation's latent aftereffect

The effect of prism adaptation on movement is typically reduced when the movement at test (prisms off) differs on some dimension from the movement at training (prisms on). Some adaptation is latent, however, and only revealed through further testing in which the movement at training is fully reinstated. Applying a nonlinear attractor dynamic model (Frank, Blau, & Turvey, 2009) to available data (Blau, Stephen, Carello, & Turvey, 2009), we provide evidence for a causal link between the latent (or secondary) aftereffect and an additive force term that is known to account for symmetry breaking. The evidence is discussed in respect to the hypothesis that recalibration aftereffects reflect memory principles (encoding specificity, transfer-appropriate processing) oriented to time-translation invariance-when later testing conserves the conditions of earlier training. Forgetting or reduced adaptation effects follow from the loss of this invariance and are reversed by its reinstatement.     

低家庭社会经济地位与青少年社会适应的关系:感恩的补偿和调节效应

该研究采用家庭社会经济地位问卷、青少年外化问题行为调查表、焦虑抑郁量表、学业成就问卷和感恩问卷对1518名中学生进行调查,考察了低家庭社会经济地位(低家庭SES)与青少年社会适应的关系,以及感恩在其中的补偿和调节效应。结果发现:1)低家庭SES与外化问题行为和内化问题行为(以焦虑抑郁为指标)显著正相关,与学业成就显著负相关;2)感恩在低家庭SES与青少年社会适应各指标关系间的补偿效应均显著;3)感恩在低家庭SES与青少年社会适应各指标关系间的调节效应均不显著。这表明低家庭SES对青少年发展具有跨领域的不利影响,而感恩在其中具有显著"滞后的"补偿作用,但"同步的"风险缓冲作用有限。     

Indications of Resilience Factors in Families Who have Lost a Home in a Shack Fire

The aim of this study was to explore the presence of resilience factors in families living in an informal settlement on the outskirts of a rural town that have lost their homes in a shack fire. A mixed methods research design was utilised. Qualitative data were obtained through responses to an open‐ended question, and quantitative data were obtained through the completion of questionnaires by an adult representative of each of the 38 African families that were identified through convenience sampling. To identify resilience factors, content analyses (on the qualitative data) were performed and Spearman correlations (for the quantitative data) were calculated. The results show that supportive communication, a sense of being in control and having internal strengths and dependability, while working together as a family, are vital to the resilience of the families that took part in this study. Furthermore, material support from the municipality and extended family, shelter provided by members of the extended family, and financial support from the extended family were also indicated as essential in overcoming the crisis and being resilient. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adaptation of the Children's Friendship Training Program for Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

ABSTRACT

Previous research attests to the marked impairments in social functioning exhibited by children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), suggesting that such children are in need of social skills intervention. Recently, an existing evidence-based manualized behavioral treatment for improving children's friendships was implemented and demonstrated to be effective with children aged 6–12, diagnosed with FASD. In the present report, we describe methods for adapting this behavioral intervention in line with the specific cognitive and behavioral deficits seen in children with FASD and other developmental disabilities to enhance treatment efficacy.     

Coping variables as predictors of perioperative emotional states and adjustment

Abstract

Surgery, regardless of its kind and severity, can be regarded as a major stress situation for any patient. High preoperative emotional arousal may negatively influence adaptation during surgery and, consequently, rate of postoperative recovery. In a series of previous studies, our research group analyzed the influence of dispositional and actual coping on subjective and objective stress indicators before, during, and after surgery. The present study investigates the influence of the dispositional coping variables vigilance and cognitive avoidance on actual surgery-related coping, state anxiety, and indicators of intra- and postoperative adjustment. The sample consisted of 42 male and 42 female patients undergoing elective maxillofacial surgery under general anaesthesia. Dispositional coping was measured on the dimensions vigilance and cognitive avoidance with the Mainz Coping Inventory. Actual surgery-related coping was assessed by means of a newly constructed inventory containing items to measure the four dimensions avoidance, vigilance, positive restructuring, and seeking social support.

Self-reported state anxiety was differentiated according to the cognitive, affective, and somatic components. The patients' adaptation was assessed by measuring doses of the narcotic agents used for induction of anaesthesia, the intraoperative status, and the amount of postoperative (analgesic and psychotropic) medication. Significant effects of coping mode, gender, and time of measurement were observed on the cognitive, affective and somatic component of state anxiety, the indicators of intraoperative adaptation and on postoperative medication. Also, patients' actual coping behavior could partly be predicted by dispositional coping. Results indicate that actual coping behavior and gender should be taken into account when trying to predict adaptation and developing psychological preparatory intervention programs.