早期儿童数学学习与执行功能的关系

执行功能是个体对复杂的认知活动的自我调节和以明确目标为导向的活动过程, 对早期儿童的数学学习起着重要的作用。早期儿童数学学习与执行功能呈显著正相关, 执行功能是儿童数学学习的重要认知加工机制。早期儿童执行功能和数学学习之间存在着相互预测的关系, 执行功能可以预测数学成绩, 数学成绩可以预测执行功能。高质量的早期数学教育可能具有发展儿童执行功能和数学能力的双重价值。未来研究可以明确执行功能的界定和统一测量工具, 提供更可靠的证据证明早期儿童执行功能与数学能力的因果关系, 以及进一步探究语言、数学以及执行功能三者之间的关系。     

道德概念垂直空间隐喻的心理现实性及双向映射

研究以大学生为被试,通过三个实验考察道德概念垂直空间隐喻的心理现实性及双向映射。实验1采用面孔图片和道德词汇的匹配记忆任务发现,道德词出现在上方时,被试对词语和面孔的匹配再认率更高;不道德词出现在下方时,被试对词语和面孔的匹配再认正确率更高。结果证实了道德概念的垂直空间隐喻的心理现实性。实验2通过道德评价任务发现,被试倾向于把空间上方出现的面孔评价为更加道德,把在空间下方的面孔评价为更加不道德,证实了空间信息对道德评价的影响。实验3采用带有空间位置信息的词语记忆任务。结果表明,在位置判断任务中,被试更多地将道德词判断为在上方出现过,更多地将不道德词判断为在下方出现过。结果显示词语的道德色彩影响了空间信息判断。研究结论:传统道德概念垂直空间隐喻存在心理现实性;道德概念和空间概念之间存在双向映射。     

A Strawsonian look at desert

P.F. Strawson famously argued that reactive attitudes and ordinary moral practices justify moral assessments of blame, praise, and punishment. Here we consider whether Strawson's approach can illuminate the concept of desert. After reviewing standard attempts to analyze this concept and finding them lacking, we suggest that to deserve something is to justifiably receive a moral assessment in light of certain criteria – in particular, eligibility criteria (a subject's properties that make the subject principally eligible for moral assessments) and assignment criteria (particulars about the subject, act, and circumstances that justify assessments such as blame in a particular case). Strawson's analysis of the ordinary attitudes and practices of moral assessment hints at these criteria but does not unequivocally ground a notion of desert. Following Strawson's general naturalistic approach, we show that recent psychological research on folk concepts and practices regarding freedom, moral responsibility, and blame illuminates how people actually arrive at moral assessments, thus revealing the very eligibility criteria and assignment criteria we suggest ground a concept of desert. By pushing the Strawsonian line even further than Strawson did, by empirically investigating actual moral practice and folk understandings, we can illuminate desert and lend credence to Strawson's general anti-metaphysical position.     

A case study investigating the role of the anterior temporal lobes in general semantics and semantics specific to persons,emotions and social conceptual knowledge

The role of the anterior temporal lobes (ATLs) in semantic representation remains still much debated. Long thought to support domain-general semantic processing, recent accounts have alternatively suggested that they may be preferentially involved in the processing of person-related semantic knowledge. Several studies have supported such a distinction, but few have either examined both types of semantic processing together, or considered the role of potentially important confounding variables. Here, we address these issues by investigating both domain-general and person-specific semantic processing in a patient with focal ATL damage. The patient presents with dense anterograde and retrograde amnesia. Performance was impaired on tests of general semantic knowledge, but most striking deficits were for person-related semantics, including recognition and identification, knowledge of emotions and social conceptual knowledge. This unique case provides compelling evidence that, in addition to the role in general semantic knowledge, the ATLs are critical for person-related semantics.     

Color terms and color concepts

In their lead articles, both Kowalski and Zimiles (2006) and O'Hanlon and Roberson (2006) declare a general relation between color term knowledge and the ability to conceptually represent color. Kowalski and Zimiles, in particular, argue for a priority for the conceptual representation in color term acquisition. The complexities of the interaction are taken up in the current commentary, especially with regard to the neuropsychological evidence. Data from aphasic patients also argue for a priority for abstract thought, but nevertheless it may still be that the use of color terms is the only way in which to form color categories even if both linguistic and attentional factors play an important role.     

Mathematical models and the experimental analysis of behavior

The use of mathematical models in the experimental analysis of behavior has increased over the years, and they offer several advantages. Mathematical models require theorists to be precise and unambiguous, often allowing comparisons of competing theories that sound similar when stated in words. Sometimes different mathematical models may make equally accurate predictions for a large body of data. In such cases, it is important to find and investigate situations for which the competing models make different predictions because, unless two models are actually mathematically equivalent, they are based on different assumptions about the psychological processes that underlie an observed behavior. Mathematical models developed in basic behavioral research have been used to predict and control behavior in applied settings, and they have guided research in other areas of psychology. A good mathematical model can provide a common framework for understanding what might otherwise appear to be diverse and unrelated behavioral phenomena. Because psychologists vary in their quantitative skills and in their tolerance for mathematical equations, it is important for those who develop mathematical models of behavior to find ways (such as verbal analogies, pictorial representations, or concrete examples) to communicate the key premises of their models to nonspecialists.     

Relationship between fine/gross motor skills and language and math development in Colombian Caribbean children: A study in Barranquilla

Literature suggests that motor skills are associated with other areas of development or domains, such as language and math, especially at early ages. These results are mainly based on studies developed in medium-to-high sociocultural contexts. Thus, this study was conducted in a medium-to-low-income area. The aim was to know the 4–5 years old children's motor development (both fine and gross motor skills), and its relation to language and mathematical development. A total of 219 Colombian Caribbean children (105 boys and 114 girls) aged 4 and 5 years participated in this study. Results revealed higher motor skills among girls, although differences by gender were not notable. Positive and significant correlations were found between motor skills and language and mathematical skills, although most of the correlations were weak or moderate. Also, it was observed that fine motor skills were less related to language or mathematical development in comparison with gross motor skills, especially among boys. These results suggest that among Colombian Caribbean children gross motor skills could have a higher influence on the development and acquisition of some language and mathematical skills in comparison with fine motor skills.     

中美成年人和老年人数学能力发展的比较研究

采用一套心理计量测验考察中美两国青老年被试在算术能力、知觉速度及空间方位能力方面的操作是否有国家间和年龄组间差异,不同领域之间是否有不同的能力模式。测验结果表明：在知觉速度和空间方位测验上,中美青年组的操作成绩均明显超过老年组;在算术能力测验上,中国青年组的成绩仍超过老年组,但美国青老年组间则无明显差异;中国青年组在算术能力测验上成绩优于美国同龄组,在其它两个测验上则无明显差异;在所有能力测验上中美老年组的成绩都无明显差异;总的模式表明,美国青年的算术能力呈逐代下降趋势,中国儿童和青年的算术能力远远超过美国同龄人的状况可能只是个近期的现象。