Early executive functioning in a global context: Developmental continuity and family protective factors

This study extends the methodological and theoretical understanding of executive functions (EFs) in preschoolers from low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMIC). First, the authors describe a rigorous process of adapting and evaluating six EF tasks to produce a culturally and developmentally appropriate measure of emerging EFs in a large sample of at‐risk children in rural Pakistan. Next, the authors identify critical developmental and family factors that relate to preschoolers’ EFs over the first 4 years of life. Direct assessment of children's general cognitive skills at age two showed developmental continuity with EFs at age four, and these early cognitive skills mediated the effect of an antecedent parenting intervention on EFs as well as associations of targeted individual and family factors with EFs. Furthermore, directly assessed maternal cognitive capacities and observed maternal scaffolding uniquely predicted EFs in preschoolers. This study is also the first to demonstrate a significant overlap between direct assessments of IQ and EFs in young children from LMIC. Children's general intelligence mediated the associations of EFs with antecedent physical growth and cognitive skills as well as concurrent family factors (maternal verbal intelligence, maternal scaffolding, and home stimulation). After controlling for shared variance between preschoolers’ general intelligence and EFs, three factors emerged as unique predictors of EFs: exposure to an early parenting intervention, physical growth status at age two, and number of older siblings. The findings have important implications for the design of interventions that aim to improve EFs in young children in LMIC. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/316329544/5abde94cd7     

Cyberbullying Involvement of Adolescents with Low Vision Compared to Typical Adolescents,as Related to Perceived Social Support

This study examined adolescents with low vision (LV) compared to students without disabilities regarding their cyberbullying experiences, as related to perceived social support. Sample consisted of 407 students (61 with LV) who completed self-reported questionnaires. Findings revealed that students with LV are using the computer and the Internet as much as the typical students, but students with LV had less frequent Internet interactions with friends. Students with LV reported being more involved in cyberbullying as cybervictims, cyberperpetrators, cyberwitnesses, knowing someone and telling their online experience to another, and having lower social support compared to students without disabilities. Students with LV are more willing to report and to share their online experiences with another person. The findings add to our knowledge about students’ experiences of cyberbullying and suggest implementing effective coping strategies programs to raise the awareness of cyberbullying risky behavior.     

Thinking About a Word—Love,for Example

What is it we do when we philosophize about a word? How are we to act as we ask the philosophical question par excellence, “What is … ?” These questions are addressed here with particular focus on Troy Jollimore's Love's Vision and contemporary theories of love. Jollimore's rationalist account of love, based on a specific understanding of “reasons for love,” illustrates a particular philosophical mistake: When we think about a word, we are prone to believe that even though “the sense of the word” that we investigate may be up for grabs, the other words we use when we do these investigations are not. Jollimore's exploration of love is guided by specific conceptions of “reasons” and “rationality” that remain unquestioned. The article argues that we may have to rethink a great number of words as we embark on the task of uncovering the sense of one word.     

Language, Learning, and Color Perception

Abstract— People perceive colors categorically. But what is the role of the environment (or nurture)—specifically, language—in color perception? The effects of language on the way people categorize and perceive colors have been considered to be minimal, but recent evidence suggests that language may indeed change color perception. Speakers of languages with different color-name repertoires show differences in the way they perceive color. Research shows that categorical effects on color perception can be induced through laboratory training and suggests language can similarly change color perception through the mechanism of perceptual learning.     

“儿童认知发展水平诊断工具”动态测验的初步编制与应用

本研究旨在将“儿童认知发展水平诊断工具” (Inventory of Piaget’s Developmental Task, IPDT)中的守恒与关系领域分测验改编成动态测验, 并应用于不同程度学业成绩儿童当中以探查其认知发展的潜在水平。在实验研究基础上结合以往动态测验的编制技术, 把动态施测过程分为“前测—干预—迁移—后测”4个阶段, 分别确定各阶段的测题并构建了6等级提示系统。在中等学业成绩儿童(n = 33)和低学业成绩儿童(n = 35)中的应用发现, 动态测验测得的能力获得变量对儿童的学业成绩具有重要的预测作用, 证实了所改编测验的有效性; 动态测验情境下中、低学业成绩儿童的潜在认知水平基本相同, 所改编的动态测验有助于发掘儿童的潜在认知发展水平。     

周边视觉的知觉学习

知觉学习是指知觉能力随着知觉训练或经验逐渐改变的现象。它具有特异性-迁移性,可以根据时程划分为快速学习和慢速学习。知觉学习意味着与知觉直接对应的脑区神经元激活方式的变化,并且与注意有着一定的联系。目前周边视觉的知觉学习研究已有一些成果：对于非语词刺激,随着练习,判断目标刺激（例如刺激朝向、游标视敏度）的能力,有很大的提升;对于语词刺激,周边视觉的知觉学习可以帮助提高阅读速度。可以通过提高视觉广度来提高周边视觉的阅读速度。周边视觉的知觉学习还有着重大应用价值,可以帮助中央凹视觉缺损的人们提高周边视觉能力,帮助恢复阅读能力。     

汉语发展性阅读障碍儿童的视觉大细胞-背侧通路功能

发展性阅读障碍是一种在获得阅读技能方面的特殊困难,其致病原因一直是该领域的核心问题。越来越多的研究表明视觉大细胞-背侧通路功能与阅读技能之间存在紧密联系。视觉大细胞-背侧通路缺陷可能是导致阅读障碍的主要原因之一。一些研究发现汉语阅读障碍儿童同样存在视觉大细胞-背侧通路缺陷。本文将回顾近些年汉语发展性阅读障碍儿童视觉大细胞-背侧通路功能的相关研究成果,并对该领域未来的发展方向做出展望。     

Translucent experiences

This paper considers the claim that perceptual experience is “transparent”, in the sense that nothing other than the apparent public objects of perception are available to introspection by the subject of such experience. I revive and strengthen the objection that blurred vision constitutes an insuperable objection to the claim, and counter recent responses to the general objection. Finally the bearing of this issue on representationalist accounts of the mind is considered.

IABP在心脏直视手术围术期低心排的应用

为了探讨主动脉内球囊反搏（IABP）治疗心脏手术围术期低心输出量综合征（LCOS）的临床疗效,对16例心脏手术围术期LCOS患者,经过股动脉放置IABP导管于降主动脉内进行左心辅助治疗,IABP治疗前、后监测患者连续有创动脉收缩压（SABP）、有创平均动脉压（MABP）、中心静脉压（CVP）、动脉血氧分压（PaO2）、心率（HR）、尿量和血管活性药物的使用。结果显示,IABP辅助治疗时间25h～116h,平均（78．5±40．5）h。行IABP治疗后,SABP、MABP、PaO2较术前明显提高（P〈0．05）,HR、CVP明显下降（P〈0．05）,尿量增加,血管活性药物使用量明显减少（P〈0．05）,12例患者心功能好转而脱离IABP,11例（69．3％）存活,4例死于心源性休克,1例死于多器官功能不全综合征（MODS）。提示正确及时地使用IABP能明显改善心脏手术围术期LCOS患者的血流动力学指标,减少血管活性药物的使用,建议对有适应证者应尽早应用,适时撤离。     

低出生体重与代谢综合征

低出生体重是发生成年期代谢综合征的高危因素。“代谢程序化”与“营养程序化”概念的提出对人们从多层面认识该现象的内在机制有重要指导作用。随着对发生机制研究的深入,人们终将找到预防低出生体重发生成年期代谢综合征的早期干预措施。