Something to smile about: The interrelationship between attractiveness and emotional expression

Previous studies have suggested a link between the processing of the emotional expression of a face and how attractive it appears. In two experiments we investigated the interrelationship between attractiveness and happiness. In Experiment 1 we presented morphed faces varying in attractiveness and happiness and asked participants to choose the more attractive of two simultaneously presented faces. In the second experiment we used the same stimuli as in Experiment 1 and asked participants to choose the happier face. The results of Experiment 1 revealed that the evaluation of attractiveness is strongly influenced by the intensity of a smile expressed on a face: A happy facial expression could even compensate for relative unattractiveness. Conversely, the findings of Experiment 2 showed that facial attractiveness also influences the evaluation of happiness: It was easier to choose the happier of two faces if the happier face was also more attractive. We discuss the interrelationship of happiness and attractiveness with regard to evolutionary relevance of positive affective status and rewarding effects.     

The fractal property of internal structure of facial affect recognition: A complex system approach

Based on a circumplex model of facial affect, four inner affective circumplexes, assumed to have 100%, 75%, 50%, and 25% emotional intensities, were investigated in terms of fractal, which is a concept of complex systems. Results revealed that the perimeters of the circumplex excluding the 25% condition possessed fractal property characterised by features specific to fractals. Results also showed that fractal dimension in the 50% condition (1.58 dimension) was significantly higher than that in the 100% (1.45 dimension) and 75% (1.45 dimension) conditions, indicating that the cognitive structure of facial affect in the 50% condition was more complex than that in the 100% and 75% conditions.     

From being non-judgemental to deconstructing normalising judgement

Beginning with Carl Rogers' exhortation for counsellors to be non-judgemental of their clients, this article explores the rationale for withholding judgement in therapy, including diagnostic judgement. It traces Rogers' incipient sociopolitical analysis as a foundation for this ethic and argues that Michel Foucault provides a stronger basis for it than Rogers. Foucault unearths the role of normalising judgement in the modern world. Rather than simply offering non-judgemental listening, this article argues for the next step of inviting clients to deconstruct processes of normalising judgement. Questions that invite persons to make a judgement on the system of judgement that envelops them are illustrated. Narrative counselling practices for doing this are exemplified.     

‘Peer review’ culture

A relatively high incidence of unsatisfactory review decisions is widely recognised and acknowledged as ‘the peer review problem’. Factors contributing to this problem are identified and examined. Specific examples of unreasonable rejection are considered. It is concluded that weaknesses of the ‘peer review’ system are significant and that they are well known or readily recognisable but that necessary counter-measures are not always enforced. Careful management is necessary to discount hollow opinion or error in review comment. Review and referee functions should be quite separate.     

音乐欣赏过程中三至十岁儿童的情绪判断与想象发展

研究不同年龄儿童音乐欣赏后的情绪判断及想象,结果表明：儿童对喜悦、悲伤两种艺术情绪判断正确率呈极显著差异,学前儿童情绪判断正确性喜悦大大高于悲伤。进入小学学习后的儿童对悲伤情绪判断正确率迅速提高。儿童想象指数随年龄缓慢增加。情绪正确判断人数与产生想象人数呈显著相关。     

中文阅读中的语音类似效果

两个实验中的音韵和同声母没有启动效果这个事实,表明中文词视觉认知是经过正字法路线直接通达语义的。然而实验二同音词的启动效果可得出与以上相反的结论,即语音在中文阅读中有一定作用。两种不同的结果表明,语音在中文阅读中是否有作用,对书写词本身包含的语音类似信息具有依赖性。可能的结论是,在词汇通达中语音激活是自动的,但在中文似乎要比拼音文字弱;中文阅读也许更具有直通语义的特点。此研究支持双通道理论。     

5至7岁儿童道德判断依据的研究

本研究分别用动机错误程度差异增大与后果严重程度差异缩小的两个系列改编对偶故事对5至7岁儿童的道德判断依据进行了研究。结果表明,在上述两种情况下,儿童由原来的后果判断转为动机判断的人数均达显著性水平。儿童的年龄越大,转变的人数就越多。据此可以认为,这个时期的儿童在进行道德判断时会受到行为后果与行为动机两个方面的影响,只不过是行为后果的影响作用要大大超于行为动机;而随着年龄的增大,两者的相对影响作用逐步会此消彼长。皮亚杰的有关结论应予以补充与修正。