How pigeons discriminate the relative frequency of events.

This study examined how pigeons discriminate the relative frequencies of events when the events occur serially. In a discrete-trials procedure, 6 pigeons were shown one light nf times and then another nl times. Next, they received food for choosing the light that had occurred the least number of times during the sample. At issue were (a) how the discrimination was related to two variables, the difference between the frequencies of the two lights, D = nf - nl, and the total number of lights in the sample, T = nf + nl; and (b) whether a simple mathematical model of the discrimination process could account for the data. In contrast with models that assume that pigeons count the stimulus lights, engage in mental arithmetic on numerons, or remember the number of stimuli, the present model assumed only that the influence of a sample stimulus on choice increases linearly when the stimulus is presented, but decays exponentially when the stimulus is absent. The results showed that, overall, the pigeons discriminated the relative frequencies well. Their accuracy always increased with the absolute value of the difference D and, for D > 0, it decreased with T. Performance also showed clear recency, primacy, and contextual effects. The model accounted well for the major trends in the data.     

项目等距呈现过程中的系列位置效应

以中国汉字为材料,利用刘英茂提出的向前和向后联想的方法,证明在不同呈现时间和不同间隔时间条件下,系列位置曲线中首因效应和近因效应性质的分化过程。结果说明,系列位置曲线的近因部分对时间变化更为敏感,表现为绝对记忆的性质。系列位置曲线中首因效应和近因效应性质的分化,取决于项目呈现时间、项目间隔时间和系列包含的项目数。     

Are there True Contradictions? A Critical Discussion of Graham Priest's, Beyond the limits of thought

The present article critically examines three aspects of Graham Priest's dialetheic analysis of very important kinds of limitations (the limit of what can be expressed, described, conceived, known, or the limit of some operation or other). First, it is shown that Priest's considerations focusing on Hegel's account of the infinite cannot be sustained, mainly because Priest seems to rely on a too restrictive notion of object. Second, we discuss Priest's treatment of the paradoxes in Cantorian set-theory. It is shown that Priest does not address the issue in full generality; rather, he relies on a reading of Cantor which implicitly attributes a very strong principle concerning quantification over arbitrary domains to Cantor. Third, the main piece of Priest's work, the so-called “inclosure schema”, is investigated. This schema is supposed to formalize the core of many well-known paradoxes. We claim, however, that formally the schema is not sound. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Towards a topological philosophy

This article examines the use of mathematical concepts in philosophy, focusing on topology, which may be viewed as a modern supplement to geometry. We show that Plato and Parmenides were already employing geometric ideas in their research, and discuss three examples of the application of topology to philosophical problems: the first concerns the analysis of the Cartesian distinction between res extensa and res cogitans, the second the ontology of possible worlds of Wittgenstein's Tractatus, and the third Leibniz's monadology. We also consider the role of topology in mathematical explanations of the sort found in science, arguing that it can perform a role in philosophy that is of comparable importance.     

The educational pyramid: A model for community intervention

Urban adolescents represent a group who are at special risk for a variety of psychological and behavioral problems. A life skills program was implemented with middle and high school students, using an educational pyramid approach to maximize the ecological appropriateness of the intervention and to increase the likelihood that the program will be continued with progressively lessened university facilitation. Additionally, the educational pyramid offers the opportunity for all participants—university faculty, graduate students, collaborating professionals in the community, and high school leaders—to be both teachers and learners.     

表面概貌对原理运用的影响的实验研究

探讨样例与作业问题的表面概貌相似性对原理运用的影响作用。实验１扩大了Ｒｏｓｓ的研究材料中样例与测题表面概貌方面的差异程度,探讨两者的表面概貌相似性对原理运用的影响。实验２探讨样例与测题在表面概貌的事件类型方面发生改变的条件下,两者的表面概貌相似性对原理运用的影响。实验３探讨在样例与测题表面概貌有两个级别差异的条件下,两者的表面概貌相似性对原理运用的影响。３个实验均采用被试内设计,要求被试学习原理及样例后完成与样例的表面概貌有不同相似关系的测题。结果表明：（１）样例与问题的表面概貌对原理运用有影响,当两者表面概貌发生较大的变化尤其是在表面概貌的事件类型方面发生变化时,其表面概貌相似性对原理运用的影响就会明显地表现出来;（２）样例与问题的表面概貌对原理运用的影响作用,受到两者对象对应性质的制约,当对象对应相似时,其表面概貌相似就会促进解答测题时运用原理,而当两者的对象对应相反时,其表面概貌相似就会对原理运用产生干扰作用。据此可以认为,样例与作业问题表面概貌的相似性,不仅会影响原理的通达,而且也会影响原理的运用。Ｒｏｓｓ关于表面概貌相似与否不影响原理运用的结论应该予以修正。     

The ontogeny of cumulative culture: Individual toddlers vary in faithful imitation and goal emulation

The success of human culture depends on early emerging mechanisms of social learning, which include the ability to acquire opaque cultural knowledge through faithful imitation, as well as the ability to advance culture through flexible discovery of new means to goal attainment. This study explores whether this mixture of faithful imitation and goal emulation is based in part on individual differences which emerge early in ontogeny. Experimental measurements and parental reports were collected for a group of 2‐year‐old children (N = 48, age = 23–32 months) on their imitative behavior as well as other aspects of cognitive and social development. Results revealed individual differences in children's imitative behavior across trials and tasks which were best characterized by a model that included two behavioral routines; one corresponding to faithful imitation, and one to goal emulation. Moreover, individual differences in faithful imitation and goal emulation were correlated with individual differences in theory of mind, prosocial behavior, and temperament. These findings were discussed in terms of their implications for understanding the mechanisms of social learning, ontogeny of cumulative culture, and the benefit of analyzing individual differences for developmental experiments.     

利他性惩罚的动机

社会规范的维系离不开对违规者实施的利他性惩罚, 然而, 从个体心理层面来看, 利他性惩罚的动机却并不是全然利他的。除了积极维护公平原则以外, 追求良好声誉、规避潜在损失或消除负性情绪也在不同程度上驱动了利他性惩罚。此外, 对惩罚成本数量和成本形式的敏感也表明基于成本-收益原则的策略性动机在驱动利他性惩罚中占据一席之地。进一步探索在利他性惩罚实施过程中不同动机之间的相互作用是未来的重要研究方向。     

心理旋转训练对5~6岁儿童空间能力和数学能力的影响

采用2（时间：前测/后测）×2（分组：实验组/控制组）的两因素混合实验设计,考察心理旋转游戏训练对5~6岁儿童空间及数学能力的影响。基于心理旋转的可塑性以及空间能力与数学能力之间的密切关系设计心理旋转干预方案,将36名被试分为实验组和控制组进行为期8周共24次的干预研究。研究结果表明：（1）空间能力与数学能力之间显著正相关;（2）心理旋转游戏有效地提高了5~6岁儿童的空间能力和数学能力,该训练方案具有良好的即时效果。     

数学学习不良的研究及趋势

认知心理学、神经心理学的研究发现了数学学习不良(MD)儿童的3种基本算术技能障碍:语义记忆型MD、程序型MD、视觉空间型MD,并对它们的机制和特征做了考察.近年来对MD儿童较高级数学问题解决的研究呈现如下特点:参与到该研究的领域很多;研究所涉及的认知和非认知因素增多;教学干预研究大量出现.目前MD研究在辨别MD儿童、缺陷的概念以及神经心理学解释上面临挑战.因此该研究领域的趋势是从发展的、整体的视角来考察影响MD的各种因素,并注意各种方法的革新和结合.