Learning what from where: Effects of spatial regularity on nonspatial sequence learning and updating

The current study examined the influence of redundant stimulus features on our ability to build and update representations of our environment. We hypothesized that our ability to process redundant spatial features would speed our ability to adapt to changing nonspatial regularities. Using a computerized version of the children's game “rock–paper–scissors”, undergraduates were instructed to win as often as possible against a computer opponent. The computer's plays were repeating sequences of five choices that were presented either with spatial regularity (i.e., “rock” would always appear on the left, “paper” in the middle, and “scissors” on the right) or without spatial regularity (i.e., the items were equally likely to appear in any of the three locations). Once participants learned a sequence, the computer switched to a different sequence without participants being informed that a switch had occurred. Redundant spatial regularity improved a participant's ability both to learn sequences of plays and to update their plays to reflect new computer sequences. Our results suggest that our perceptual system is sensitive to redundant spatial stimulus features and that this information can improve learning and updating.     

The importance of internal facial features in learning new faces

For familiar faces, the internal features (eyes, nose, and mouth) are known to be differentially salient for recognition compared to external features such as hairstyle. Two experiments are reported that investigate how this internal feature advantage accrues as a face becomes familiar. In Experiment 1, we tested the contribution of internal and external features to the ability to generalize from a single studied photograph to different views of the same face. A recognition advantage for the internal features over the external features was found after a change of viewpoint, whereas there was no internal feature advantage when the same image was used at study and test. In Experiment 2, we removed the most salient external feature (hairstyle) from studied photographs and looked at how this affected generalization to a novel viewpoint. Removing the hair from images of the face assisted generalization to novel viewpoints, and this was especially the case when photographs showing more than one viewpoint were studied. The results suggest that the internal features play an important role in the generalization between different images of an individual's face by enabling the viewer to detect the common identity-diagnostic elements across non-identical instances of the face.     

医学书面语体的特征研究

以病历、医嘱、处方、检验报告、诊断学等教科书中书面语言为基础,对医学书面语体的内部结构和外部要素进行分析,认为医学书面语体作为一个相对新型的语体,在语词、句法、辞格和篇章等方面有显著的特征。还深入研究了这些特征与相关联的语言外部要素间联系。     

An optimized facial stimuli paradigm for hybrid SSVEP+P300 brain computer interface

In this paper, hybrid BCI that merges Event Related Potentials (P300) and Steady State visual Evoked Potentials (SSVEP) simultaneously is proposed to enhance the performance of Four-choice command system. Here we integrate human facial structure in external visual stimulus to evoke stronger cortical responses in hybrid SSVEP+P300 BCI & compare it with non-face stimuli. We also addressed question of feasibility of eliciting one potential by face & other by non-face stimuli. To evoke SSVEP & P300 responses, paradigms with non-face stimuli, neutral face stimuli, and facial expression changes stimuli are proposed. We also projected additional paradigm where SSVEP is elicited by non-face and P300 by flashing different facial expressions. Results proved the last paradigm evoke stronger cortical potentials and thereby improve system accuracy and ITR than other paradigms. Author discussed external stimulus parameters that might affect simultaneous evocation of multiple brain potentials and their deterioration effect on individual potentials.     

Inner speech slips exhibit lexical bias, but not the phonemic similarity effect

Inner speech, that little voice that people often hear inside their heads while thinking, is a form of mental imagery. The properties of inner speech errors can be used to investigate the nature of inner speech, just as overt slips are informative about overt speech production. Overt slips tend to create words (lexical bias) and involve similar exchanging phonemes (phonemic similarity effect). We examined these effects in inner and overt speech via a tongue-twister recitation task. While lexical bias was present in both inner and overt speech errors, the phonemic similarity effect was evident only for overt errors, producing a significant overtness by similarity interaction. We propose that inner speech is impoverished at lower (featural) levels, but robust at higher (phonemic) levels.     

Biases towards internal features in infants' reasoning about objects

This paper reports the results of two sets of studies demonstrating 14-month-olds' tendency to associate an object's behavior with internal, rather than external features. In Experiment 1 infants were familiarized to two animated cats that each exhibited a different style of self-generated motion. Infants then saw a novel individual that had an internal feature (stomach color) similar to one cat, but an external feature (hat color) similar to the other. Infants looked reliably longer when the individual's motion was congruent with the hat than when it was congruent with the stomach. Using a converging method involving object choice, Experiment 2 found that infants prioritized the internal feature over the external feature only when the object's behavior was self-generated. In the absence of self-generated behaviors, however, infants did not show a preference towards the internal feature.     

儿童心理健康发展的家庭生态系统特点研究

通过元分析及变量频数分析技术完成影响儿童心理发展的家庭生态系统关键变量的筛选,运用生态系统发展观,对746名中小学生的家庭生态系统进行了研究。分别从差异模式、关系模式和系统结构模式对健康组和问题组儿童的家庭各子系统关键因素之间的差异,子系统关键因素间、子系统间的关系,以及整体生态系统的特点进行分析,考察了儿童心理健康发展的家庭生态系统特点。     

口语词语产生理论与语法特征通达研究的发展

近年来,研究者对口语词汇产生过程的各个层次展开了深入的探讨,各种理论与模型争论的焦点主要集中在各阶段间的关系、表征被选择的方式和词汇化的时间进程等方面,其中关于语法特征的通达一直是人们最为关注的问题之一。文章回顾了该领域内从研究初期至今较有代表性的一些理论、模型和有关语法特征通达的研究进展。希望能对有关汉语字词产生基本问题的研究有所推动。     

民本思想在近代中国的演变及其特点

民本思想在近代中国经历了三个不同的历史演变阶段：鸦片战争到甲午战争前为民本思想体系开始动摇的阶段;戊戌维新时期为民本思想衰变阶段;辛亥革命时期为民本思想走向衰亡和政治生命终结阶段。其演变的特点有三：其一,民本思想演变始终与近代中国社会主要矛盾的发展变化相联系;其二,民主思想在近代中国的拓展,实际上也是民本思想理论体系逐渐崩溃解体、功能作用日益萎缩的过程;其三,民本思想的演变总是与统治阶级及先进中国人的理想与信念、理论与实践相联系。