Sensitivity to lateral information on a perceptual word identification task in French third and fifth graders

This study aimed at examining sensitivity to lateral linguistic and nonlinguistic information in third and fifth grade readers. A word identification task with a threshold was used, and targets were displayed foveally with or without distractors. Sensitivity to lateral information was inferred from the deterioration of the rate of correct word identification when displayed with distractors. Results show that the two reader groups were sensitive to both right and left lateral information. The area of sensitivity to this information was more extended for the identification of easy words than difficult words. Examination of the detrimental effect of distractors suggests that in both third and fifth graders, the impact of lateral information on foveal processing is the result of a general distraction effect, but also of linguistic processing whose nature remains to be clarified.     

The Value of Task Conflict to Group Decisions

We tested the ability of task conflict to improve the quality of decisions made by four‐person groups. In a choice between two entrepreneurial investments, conflict was created by endowing group members with a preference for either one investment or the other. Because the decision was subjective, decision quality was necessarily judged by a process criterion, the reduction in the biased evaluation of new information to support the leading alternative. Groups in which conflict was installed exhibited less bias than individuals, who themselves exhibited less bias than groups without such conflict. Regardless of whether conflict was installed, groups that reached an early consensus exhibited the greatest information bias, while groups that experienced sustained conflict exhibited the least. Before achieving consensus, information bias was not significantly different from zero, but then rose steadily after that agreement. This result identifies one specific mechanism by which conflict can improve the process of group decisions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

4PLRT模型与3PLRT模型在瑞文标准推理测验中的比较研究

研究目的：考察反应时与智力的关系以及通过模型对比考察4PLRT模型特性。方法：以瑞文标准推理测验为例,对4PLRT模型与3PLRT模型作比较研究。结论：（1）项目时间参数与难度参数正相关,可以依据时间参数将瑞文标准测验划分成三大部分。（2）能力估计结果比较：由于项目参数和被试速度参数的作用,CTT条件下能力相等的不同被试在计时与非计时条件下存在差异。（3）关于被试的答题策略：被试会基于自身能力而充分权衡时间与准确性的关系。这两种不同模型下被试的能力值之间的比较也说明了时间是一个重要的智力评估因子。     

行政职业能力倾向测验:历史、现状与未来研究

经过二十多年的发展,行政职业能力倾向测验已经成为公务员考试中不可缺少的测评工具之一。在实践发展中,行测内外部的变化引发了许多研究问题。然而,现有研究的广度和深度都较为有限。为了提高行测的科学化水平,该文指出未来亟需从以下方面开展研究:(1)借鉴认知诊断理论对各个题型进行研究;(2)测量结构的确立;(3)分级分类考试的架构设计;(4)新题型开发;(5)分数合成;(6)试题公平性等。     

题库优化设计的回顾与展望

题库优化设计是指在题库建立前确定一份最佳的题库开发蓝图,使题库更好地服务于组卷。目前,在线性计算机化测验的情景下,题库优化设计方法主要包括：线性规划法、成本函数法;在计算机适应性测验（CAT）情境下,题库设计方法主要包括：影子测验设计法、p-优化设计法。文中首先介绍这些优化设计法的基本思路、具体步骤与相关的应用研究,然后评述当前题库设计研究的局限,指出未来的可能研究方向。     

大学生人际交往技巧的结构及其评估问卷编制

探讨大学生人际交往技巧的结构并在此基础上编制问卷。参考过往文献中提出的结构,通过结构性访谈,编制了大学生人际交往技巧评估问卷,并对其进行探索性因素分析和验证性因素分析。结果：探索性因素分析显示,大学生人际交往技巧包含“语言技巧”,“沟通技巧”“共情能力”,“冲突处理技巧”,“主动交往程度”,“对人际关系的认识”6个维度;问卷的内部一致性系数为0.88,各维度的内部一致性系数为0.65-0.83;验证性因素分析显示,问卷各项拟合指数较为理想,说明问卷具有较好的结构效度。结论：该问卷结构明晰,信效度都达到了测     

Bottom-up and top-down dynamics in young children's executive function: Labels aid 3-year-olds’ performance on the Dimensional Change Card Sort

Executive function (EF) improves between the ages of 3 and 5 and has been assessed reliably using the Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS), a task in which children first sort bivalent cards by one dimension (e.g., shape) and then are instructed to sort by a different dimension (e.g., color). Three-year-olds typically perseverate on the pre-switch dimension, whereas 5-year-olds switch flexibly. Labeling task stimuli can facilitate EF performance (0110 and 0060), but the nature of this effect is unclear. In 3 experiments we examined 2 hypotheses deriving from different theoretical perspectives: first, that labels facilitate performance in a more bottom-up fashion, by biasing attention to relevant task rules (Kirkham et al., 2003); and second, that labels aid performance in a more top-down fashion by prompting reflection and an understanding of the hierarchical nature of the task (Zelazo, 2004). Children performed better on the DCCS when labels referred to the relevant sorting dimension (Experiment 1). This was a function of the content of the labels rather than the change in auditory signal across phases (Experiment 2). Furthermore, labeling the opposite dimension only did not have a symmetrically negative effect on performance (Experiment 3). Together, these results suggest external, verbal labels bias children to attend to task-relevant information, likely through interaction with emerging top-down, endogenous control.     

Coping with dental treatment correlates of dispositional and domain specific monitoring and blunting

Abstract

Relations between coping style and several variables on an intermediary level were studied in a group of dentally anxious patients (N = 68) awaiting dental treatment. Monitoring was found to be positively related to the need of information: General dispositional monitoring was the best predictor of the need of information in case of more distant threat, whereas domain specific monitoring was the best predictor in case of imminent threat. Furthermore. dental trait anxiety was strongly related to early anticipatory tension, degree of anticipatory tension at several moments in time, and tension during treatment as perceived by the dentist, thereby overshadowing the weaker effects of coping style. Domain specific blunting was negatively related to desires for informational adaptations in the waiting room, and to question proneness as perceived by the dentist during treatment. It is concluded that, in order to study further effects of coping style, a sample homogeneous with respect to domain specific anxiety is needed.     

Correlates of satisfaction with body function and body appearance in middle- and older aged adults: The activity counseling trial (ACT)

Abstract

This study examined the dimensional structure and correlates of body satisfaction among middle-aged and older adult men (n = 471) and women (n = 383) who were participants in the Activity Counseling Trial. Correlates were grouped as (1) fitness parameters, (2) demographic characteristics, and (3) components of subjective well-being. Factor analyses demonstrated that body function and body appearance were independent components of satisfaction in this population. Body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness were directly related to satisfaction with body appearance; however, satisfaction with body function was most strongly related in expected directions to measures of subjective well-being. Age was positively related to both measures of body satisfaction, whereas data on race revealed that blacks were more satisfied with their body appearance and function than whites. The observed relationships for body satisfaction suggest that older adults may value body function more than body appearance. Furthermore, the associations of race and age with body satisfaction have important implications for intervention research.     

Encouraging patient participation in general practice consultations: Effect on consultation length and content,patient satisfaction and health

Abstract

Following the evidence from earlier research that one-to-one interventions can increase the patient's contribution to the consultation, this paper reports the results from a randomised control trial which assessed the effects of a leaflet designed to enhance patient participation in consultations. A random sample of patients (aged 16 to 74) waiting to see a general practitioner were given either an intervention leaflet, which encouraged the patient to take an active role in the consultation, or a control leaflet which gave dietary advice. The effects of the intervention were assessed by measuring length of consultation, number of questions asked by the patient, patient satisfaction score, doctor's feelings about the consultation, the change in patients' health in the 4 weeks following the consultation (measured by the SF-36 Health Survey) and the number of patient visits to a GP in the following year. The results showed that patients in the intervention group had significantly longer consultations than those in the control group and tended to ask more questions but there was no significant effect on patient satisfaction. The doctor tended to feel that he had a better understanding of patients in the intervention group. Overall there was no significant effect on SF-36 scores but, for patients under the age of 40, and for those in higher social classes the scores of patients in the intervention group improved to a significantly greater degree than did those for the control group. The intervention did not have any effect on the number of GP visits made by patients in the subsequent year. The study results show that a relatively simple leaflet can have an impact on patients' behaviour during the consultation, even though there were no effects on patient satisfaction with the consultation or in the number of GP visits in the following year.