Gene Concepts and Genethics: Beyond Exceptionalism

The discursive explosion that was provoked by the new genetics could support the impression that the ethical and social problems posed by the new genetics are somehow exceptional in their very nature. According to this view we are faced with special ethical and social problems that create a challenge so fundamental that the special label of genethics is needless to justify. The historical account regarding the evolution of the gene concepts could serve us to highlight the limits of what we know about genes and what we can do with genes. The widespread notion about the exceptionality of genetic knowledge and its applicative possibilities is hardly justifiable and leads to misunderstandings regarding the conceptualization of the ethical and social problems we might face. Following a more realistic interpretation of the role of genes in human life we might avoid a whole set of fictive dilemmas and counterproductive regulatory efforts in bioethics. Bioethical discourse should move from the gene-centered scientific discourse toward the more sophisticated and complex discourses where human development represented as a matter of complex interactions between genomes and environments, between genes, educational factors, nutritional regimes, and other different developmental resources. If a gene is seen as one among the different developmental resources that are shaping a given human trait then both genethics and genetic exceptionalism could hardly be represented as a justified approach in discussing the ethical and social problems of genetics.     

特征信息和呈现时间对异族面孔知觉的影响

为了探讨面孔认知中内部特征和加工时间对种族判断的影响,采用面孔种族评价任务,选用被试内设计,通过操纵内部特征替换部位,刺激呈现时间,以及种族三个自变量进行研究.结果发现:对中国被试来说,面孔种族信息的获取是一个随时间不断累积信息的过程.在此过程中鼻和口特征并不能提供有效的亚洲和高加索种族信息,眼部特征和构型信息在加工中...     

Intent Attributions and Aggression: A Study of Children and their Parents

This research aimed to further clarify the relationship between children's self-reported hostile intent attributions (for ambiguous instrumental or relational provocations) and peer-reported aggression (physical and relational) in 500 fourth-grade children. In addition, we examined whether parents' intent attributions might predict children's intent attributions and aggression. Both parents (mothers and fathers) in 393 families completed intent attribution questionnaires. Results showed, consistent with past research, that boys' instrumental intent attributions were related to physical aggression. Children's relational intent attributions, however, were not associated with relational aggression. Contrary to expectations, most children responded with hostile intent attributions for relational provocations. Finally, in regard to parent-child connections, maternal intent attributions correlated with children's intent attributions whereas paternal intent attributions corresponded with children's relational aggression.     

模拟员工招聘过程中的有意遗忘效应

以隐私信息和非隐私信息为目标信息,以66名大学生为被试,采用类似字表范式,探讨了模拟员工招聘过程中三种提示条件下的有意遗忘效应。结果发现:①在模拟员工招聘过程中,有意遗忘效应显著,不同的提示会影响决策的结果;②简历上的与工作无关的个人隐私信息对招聘者的决策过程有一定的消极影响;③一定的干预手段可以部分消除个人隐私信息对聘用决策的消极影响,但不能完全消除。     

客体运动方向的视觉工作记忆容量

记忆动态场景中多客体的特征和时空信息是人类重要的认知活动。目前有关视觉工作记忆的研究虽然广泛探讨了对视觉信息的存储容量及机制,然而所采用的刺激材料均呈现于静态场景中,且不包含运动信息。而有关多客体追踪的研究只关注动态场景中多客体信息的实时更新,而不涉及一段时间内对客体信息的保持。本研究结合视觉工作记忆领域的变化觉察范式和多客体追踪范式,以独立运动的客体为刺激材料,探讨多个客体的运动方向信息在工作记忆中的存储容量问题。结果表明,在工作记忆中能够存储大约3个客体的运动方向信息。     

Limited information estimation and testing of discretized multivariate normal structural models

Discretized multivariate normal structural models are often estimated using multistage estimation procedures. The asymptotic properties of parameter estimates, standard errors, and tests of structural restrictions on thresholds and polychoric correlations are well known. It was not clear how to assess the overall discrepancy between the contingency table and the model for these estimators. It is shown that the overall discrepancy can be decomposed into a distributional discrepancy and a structural discrepancy. A test of the overall model specification is proposed, as well as a test of the distributional specification (i.e., discretized multivariate normality). Also, the small sample performance of overall, distributional, and structural tests, as well as of parameter estimates and standard errors is investigated under conditions of correct model specification and also under mild structural and/or distributional misspecification. It is found that relatively small samples are needed for parameter estimates, standard errors, and structural tests. Larger samples are needed for the distributional and overall tests. Furthermore, parameter estimates, standard errors, and structural tests are surprisingly robust to distributional misspecification. This research was supported by the Department of Universities, Research and Information Society (DURSI) of the Catalan Government, and by grants BSO2000-0661 and BSO2003-08507 of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology.     

Spatial encoding by bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) of a reward within an artificial flower array

We presented bumblebees a spatial memory task similar to that used with other species (e.g., cats, dogs, and pigeons). In some conditions we allowed for presence of scent marks in addition to placing local and global spatial cues in conflict. Bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) were presented an array of artificial flowers within a flight cage, one flower offering reward (S+), while the others were empty (S−). Bees were tested with empty flowers. In Experiment 1, flowers were either moved at the time of testing or not. Bees returned to the flower in the same absolute position of the S+ (the flower-array-independent (FAI) position), even if it was in the wrong position relative to the S− and even when new flower covers prevented the use of possible scent marks. New flower covers (i.e., without possible scent marks) had the effect of lowering the frequency of probing behavior. In Experiment 2, the colony was moved between training and testing. Again, bees chose the flower in the FAI position of the S+, and not the flower that would be chosen using strictly memory for a flight vector. Together, these experiments show that to locate the S+ bees did not rely on scent marks nor the positions of the S−, though the S− were prominent objects close to the goal. Also, bees selected environmental features to remember the position of the S+ instead of relying upon a purely egocentric point of view. Similarities with honeybees and vertebrates are discussed, as well as possible encoding mechanisms.     

Online Primary Sources in Religious Studies: Active Learning Exercises for Information Literacy Instruction

Online primary sources are a valuable resource for undergraduate students in religious studies courses. They provide firsthand, factual information about the beliefs and practices of religious traditions, movements, cults, and so on. In addition, they are readily and freely accessible online. Given their value as an information resource, undergraduate students need to be able to identify primary sources and understand how to use them in academic research. The purpose of this article is to describe activities for information literacy instruction that focus on primary sources in religious studies. These activities are intended as a resource for academic librarians who are teaching—or who plan to teach—undergraduate students how to identify and use primary sources.