Attention, Joint Attention, and Social Cognition

ABSTRACT— Before social cognition there is joint processing of information about the attention of self and others. This joint attention requires the integrated activation of a distributed cortical network involving the anterior and posterior attention systems. In infancy, practice with the integrated activation of this distributed attention network is a major contributor to the development of social cognition. Thus, the functional neuroanatomies of social cognition and the anterior–posterior attention systems have much in common. These propositions have implications for understanding joint attention, social cognition, and autism.     

The effects of signaling stimulus presentation during noncontingent reinforcement

The effects of signaling the return of items or attention during treatment with noncontingent reinforcement were examined. First, functional analyses showed that the problem behavior exhibited by 2 teenagers with developmental disabilities was sensitive to social positive reinforcement. Next, delivery of the stimulus that maintained problem behavior on a fixed-time (FT) schedule was compared to a condition in which the removal of the stimulus during the same FT schedule was immediately preceded by a statement indicating that the stimulus would be returned and the initiation of a digital timer. Results show that the FT schedule reduced problem behavior, and the addition of an informative statement and a timer further decreased problem behavior.     

面孔识别动态增益效应研究综述

近年来,研究者围绕动态面孔识别中的动态增益效应开展了一系列的研究。本文围绕面孔熟悉程度和面孔的活动类型两个方面对与动态增益效应有关的一系列动态面孔认知研究进行了总结,并对不同研究的差异进行了比较和分析。最后,对动态面孔认知规律、眼动模式和脑机制等研究方向上的发展进行了展望。     

Delay, Probability, and Social Discounting in A Public Goods Game

A human social discount function measures the value to a person of a reward to another person at a given social distance. Just as delay discounting is a hyperbolic function of delay, and probability discounting is a hyperbolic function of odds-against, social discounting is a hyperbolic function of social distance. Experiment 1 obtained individual social, delay, and probability discount functions for a hypothetical $75 reward; participants also indicated how much of an initial $100 endowment they would contribute to a common investment in a public good. Steepness of discounting correlated, across participants, among all three discount dimensions. However, only social and probability discounting were correlated with the public-good contribution; high public-good contributors were more altruistic and also less risk averse than low contributors. Experiment 2 obtained social discount functions with hypothetical $75 rewards and delay discount functions with hypothetical $1,000 rewards, as well as public-good contributions. The results replicated those of Experiment 1; steepness of the two forms of discounting correlated with each other across participants but only social discounting correlated with the public-good contribution. Most participants in Experiment 2 predicted that the average contribution would be lower than their own contribution.     

海洛因延迟强化物超快速折扣倾向的心理机制

以124名处于不同戒除时相的男性海洛因戒除者为被试, 采用金钱和海洛因延迟折扣任务(DDT), 并以基于线索暴露的渴求感测量为效度指标, 探讨了该类人群对海洛因延迟强化超快速折扣倾向及其心理机制。结果发现: (1) 相对于金钱延迟强化, 戒除者对海洛因延迟强化表现出显著的超快速折扣倾向, 且该倾向不随戒除期的延长而改变; (2) 戒除者对海洛因延迟强化的超快速折扣行为可能是其冲动性特质与海洛因相关线索共同作用的结果, 海洛因相对于金钱折扣率的增量部分可能反映了海洛因及其相关线索对该类人群主观渴求感的诱发效应。     

简算策略教学提高小学四年级儿童的计算水平及延迟效应

采用3组平衡组实验设计对小学四年级171名学生进行教学实验,两组实验班学生分别采用讲授式和探究式教学方法进行简算策略计算教学,对照班教师自主进行计算教学。结果揭示：通过专门开设简算策略教学训练课,实验班学生的的计算成绩、计算速度和计算兴趣显著高于对照班学生;实验班的延迟提示与不提示测验无显著差异,未出现策略“利用性缺陷”现象;讲授式和探究式教学方法进行策略教学的效果无明显差异。本研究表明：专门开设策略训练课能提高学生的计算水平和学习兴趣,是有效的和必要的;只要教学方法得当,策略“利用性缺陷”可以避免     

3~5岁幼儿自我延迟满足的发展特点及其中澳跨文化比较

采用实验室实验和情境观察相结合的方法,考察了我国3~5岁幼儿自我延迟满足发展的特点及中澳幼儿自我延迟满足的跨文化差异。研究结果表明：(1) 3~5岁幼儿自我延迟满足平均延迟时间随年龄增长而延长;3岁幼儿使用延迟策略少,4岁幼儿主要使用寻求策略,5岁幼儿主要使用寻求策略和自我分心、问题解决策略,自我言语控制策略在整个幼儿期始终不具有显著优势性。(2) 澳大利亚幼儿自我延迟满足发展水平高于我国同龄幼儿;在延迟策略选择上中澳幼儿既具有差异性,又具有一定的相似性;文化价值观通过教育影响着幼儿自我延迟满足的发展。     

时间贴现的性质与脑机制

时间贴现是指个人对事件的价值量估计随着时间的流逝而下降的心理现象,它是行为选择理论的一个重要组成部分。着重介绍了时间贴现的数学模型（指数模型、双曲线模型族、非双曲线模型）、时间贴现现象和概率贴现现象的联系、延迟兑现与提前兑现时间贴现不对称现象及其理论解释,还讨论了时间贴现现象的神经机制研究。提出了时间贴现未来研究的几个主要问题     

Stimuli inevitably generated by behavior that avoids electric shock are inherently reinforcing.

A molecular analysis based on the termination of stimuli that are positively correlated with shock and the production of stimuli that are negatively correlated with shock provides a parsimonious count for both traditional discrete-trial avoidance behavior and the data derived from more recent free-operant procedures. The necessary stimuli are provided by the intrinsic feedback generated by the subject's behavior, in addition to those presented by the experimenter. Moreover, all data compatible with the molar principle of shock-frequency reduction as reinforcement are also compatible with a delay-of-shock gradient, but some data compatible with the delay gradient are not compatible with frequency reduction. The delay gradient corresponds to functions relating magnitude of behavioral effect to the time between conditional and unconditional stimuli, the time between conditioned and primary reinforcers, and the time between responses and positive reinforcers.     

Antenatal determinants of early childhood talking delay and behavioural difficulties

The determinants of talking delay alone or its comorbidity with behavioural difficulties was examined in 5768 two-year-old members of the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study. Using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development inventories and the total difficulties score from the preschool Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, a composite measure was created so that children were categorised as showing no language or behavioural concerns (72.5%), behavioural only difficulties (6.1%), language only difficulties (18.1%), and comorbid language and behavioural difficulties (3.3%). Analyses revealed that antenatal factors such as maternal perceived stress, inadequate folate intake, vitamin intake, alcohol consumption during the first trimester and maternal smoking all had a significant effect on child outcomes. In particular, low multivitamin intake and perceived stress during pregnancy were associated with coexisting language and behavioural difficulties. These findings support international research in showing that maternal factors during pregnancy are associated with developmental outcomes in the early childhood period, and demonstrate these associations within a NZ context. Interventions which address maternal stress management and health behaviours during pregnancy could be beneficial to offspring development.