Divided Visual Attention and Left Hemisphere Activation Among Psychopathic and Nonpsychopathic Offenders

Recent divided attention studies suggest the impulsive antisocial behavior of psychopaths may be related to deficient processing of information under conditions that place substantial demands on left-hemisphere-specific processing resources (left hemisphere activation (LHA) hypothesis; D. S. Kosson [1996, 1998]). To examine performance under conditions constraining eye movements and covert shifts of attention, 26 psychopathic and 46 nonpsychopathic inmates completed a divided attention task in which lateralized stimuli appeared briefly and simultaneously in the left visual field (LVF) and right visual field (RVF) of a monitor. Targets were either presented primarily in the RVF to induce LHA or were equiprobable in LVF and RVF to promote equal activation (EA) of left and right hemisphere resources. Psychopaths were less accurate than nonpsychopaths only under LHA conditions; within-group comparisons also revealed a substantial decrement from EA to LHA only in psychopaths. Thus, psychopaths’ performance deficits were specific to conditions priming left hemisphere resources asymmetrically.     

Effects of scapular retraction/protraction position and scapular elevation on shoulder girdle muscle activity during glenohumeral abduction

According to scapulohumeral rhythm, shoulder abduction is followed through scapular upward rotation to ensure joint mobility and stability. Of interest, the shoulder abduction can be performed holding the scapula in different positions and in association with scapular elevation, with possible effects on shoulder muscle activity. Therefore, the aim of the study was to analyze the activity of relevant shoulder muscles and the activity ratios between the scapulothoracic muscles, during shoulder abduction performed in different combinations of scapular position (neutral, retracted, protracted) and scapular elevation.The electromyographic activity of middle deltoid, serratus anterior, upper, middle and lower fibers of trapezius was recorded during shoulder abduction movements executed holding the scapula in neutral, retracted and protracted position, and subsequently a shoulder elevation movement. The activation of each muscle and the scapulothoracic muscles activity ratios were determined every 15 degrees, from 15° to 120° of abduction.Scapular retraction led to higher activation of the entire trapezius muscle, whereas protraction induced higher upper trapezius, middle deltoid and serratus anterior activity, along with lower activity of middle and lower trapezius. Shoulder elevation led to higher activity of the upper trapezius and middle deltoid. Moreover, it induced lower activation of the serratus anterior and middle and lower trapezius, thus leading to high ratios between the upper trapezius and the other scapulothoracic muscles, especially between 15 and 75 degrees of abduction.This study highlights that shoulder abduction performed with scapular protraction and in combination with scapular elevation leads to increased activity of the middle deltoid and upper trapezius, resulting in imbalances between the scapulothoracic muscles that could hamper the optimal scapulohumeral rhythm. The abduction performed in the aforementioned scapular conditions also induce potential reciprocal inhibition effects between the movers and stabilizers muscles of scapula, suggesting different motor control strategies of integrating a common shoulder movement with various modification of the scapular position.     

强弱语义语境下的否定句加工机制

2个眼动实验分别探讨强弱语义语境下的否定句加工机制, 以便考察语言理解是命题表征的过程还是经验模拟的过程, 抑或是二者兼具。在实验中, 被试首先听句子(强语义语境：如“胳膊不是弯曲的”的备择选项为“伸直的胳膊”, 其中“弯曲−伸直”为具有反义关系的强语义连接关系; 弱语义语境：如加工“裙子不是蓝色的”的备择选项为“黑色的裙子”, “蓝色−黑色”为弱语义连接关系), 然后会看到4张同时呈现的图片, 被试的任务是按键选择与句子描述匹配的图片。结果发现, 在强语义语境条件下, 被试在早期(201~600 ms时窗)对描述事件否定状态的图片(弯曲的胳膊)与描述事件实际状态的图片(伸直的胳膊)的注视概率没有差别, 晚期(601 ms后)仅对描述事件实际状态的图片的注视概率更高; 弱语义语境条件下, 被试在早期(401~600 ms)仅对描述事件否定状态的图片(蓝裙子)注视概率更高, 晚期(801 ms后)仅对描述事件实际状态的图片(黑色裙子)注视概率更高; 并且, 都对描述事件否定状态的图片的注视概率低于随机水平。结果支持符号依存假设和抑制假设。     

形声字的语义透明度和结构类型对义符语音激活进程的影响

采用启动命名任务考察形声字的语义透明度和结构类型对义符语音激活进程的影响。结果发现,透明汉字和不透明汉字的义符语音在SOA=50 ms时都出现了激活;在SOA=100 ms时,透明汉字的义符语音激活仍然显著,不透明汉字的义符语音激活消退了;到SOA=300 ms时,两类汉字的义符语音激活完全消退。左形右声结构汉字的义符语音在SOA=50 ms和SOA=100 ms时都出现了激活,右形左声结构汉字的义符语音只在SOA=50 ms时出现了微弱的激活。     

中国背景下建言行为研究：结构、形成机制及影响

建言行为研究伴随角色外行为研究而兴起, 对其研究顺应了知识管理等管理新理念的要求, 也与弘扬自主创新的时代主题一致。相比国外的盛行, 国内对该主题的本土化实证研究尚待加强。经对以往研究的总结分析, 结合本土化研究取向, 本研究拟采用半结构化访谈、配对成组问卷的现场研究和实验室模拟研究等方法, 以特质激活理论、社会认同理论和经济理性观为基础, 探索中国背景下企业员工建言行为的构思、形成机制及其对组织创新的影响。具体包括以下三个方面：(1)中国背景下建言行为结构研究; (2)建言行为多层次动态形成机制研究, 包括基于特质激活的个体特征对建言行为的影响研究, 基于个人认同的领导行为对建言行为的影响研究, 基于社会认同的组织因素对建言行为的影响研究, 及基于经济理性的个体与情境因素对建言行为交互影响的实验模拟研究; (3)建言行为对组织创新的影响研究。     

Posture,muscular tone and visual attention in 5 month‐old infants

The present paper aims at studying the relationships between posture, muscle tone and visual attention in 5 month‐old infants. To this end, a specially designed seating arrangement made it possible to vary posture while keeping constant the spatial relationship between eyes and stimuli. Five month‐olds were placed in the reclining position (30°) or in a more erect position (60°). The more erect the posture, the more difficult it should be for the infant to maintain a straight body axis. Muscle tone was evaluated, and infants distinguished in terms of whether they were hypertonic or hypotonic. It was hypothesised that in a more erect position hypotonic children, who experience more difficulties in maintaining posture, should organise their visual exploration in ways different from those considered to be hypertonic. To test it, pairs of three‐dimensional stimuli were presented in the distal visual field for one group (N=48) and in the proximal visual field in another group (N=32) for 2 min in each posture. The dynamical organisation of attention was evaluated through the number and duration of fixations on each target, the number of shifts from one target to the other (alternations) and the number of repetitions (back to the previous target). Results showed that visual behaviour was significantly affected by the distance at which stimuli were presented. Infants spent more time in visual exploration when the object was within reach than when it was out of reach. Although posture was shown to play a role in the organisation of visual exploration, no link with muscle tone was found, a surprising result which is discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

语言理解中抑制机制的研究概况

抑制是语言理解中的一种重要的认知加工机制。该简要介绍了语言理解中抑制的概念、分类和有关抑制机制的建构一整合模型、结构建构框架等理论;同时,概括介绍了对语言内部无关或不适当信息干扰的抑制、对来自语言外部无关信息干扰的抑制以及跨通道语言理解过程中有关抑制的研究。     

干扰子的激活、抑制及其加工时程

针对有关干扰子激活和抑制加工的时程研究存在的分歧,采用干扰效应和负启动效应双指标,探讨不同知觉负载水平下干扰子的激活和抑制及其加工时程问题。结果显示：在同一实验条件下采用干扰效应和负启动效应双指标可将干扰子加工过程分离为激活和抑制两个阶段;激活加工时程发生在选择性注意早期,抑制加工时程发生在选择性注意的早期至中期之间。这一结果与Lavie等的推测及认知神经科学研究成果均有异同。     

Self-construal level and voice procedures: The individual self as psychological basis for procedural fairness effects

In the current article, we investigate the influence of self-construal level on procedural fairness effects, that is, the finding that fair versus unfair procedures influence people’s evaluations of their relation with decision-making authorities. In two experiments, we manipulated self-construal level by activating the individual self (“I”) or the social self (“We”), and we induced a control condition. Furthermore, we manipulated procedural fairness by granting versus denying participants an opportunity to voice their opinion in a decision-making process. Results consistently revealed stronger procedural fairness effects if the individual self is activated than if the social self is activated. It is concluded that sometimes the individual self, rather than the social self, constitutes the psychological basis for procedural fairness effects.     

Emotional reactivity and self-regulation in relation to personality disorders

Associations of both reactive and regulative temperamental features with personality disorders (PDs) are investigated in a sample of 162 normal controls and 89 psychiatric inpatients. Reactive and regulative temperamental features were assessed by means of the BIS/BAS Scales and the Attentional Control Scale. Dimensional PD scores were obtained by using the ADP-IV. All PDs were characterized by low levels of effortful control, cluster C PDs by high BIS and cluster B PDs by high BAS. For several PDs, BIS and effortful control interacted: BIS was only related to severe PD pathology if effortful control was low. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.