A comparison of stimulus set size on tact training for children with autism spectrum disorder

Previous studies on skill acquisition have taught targets in stimulus sets composed of different numbers of stimuli. Although the rationale for selection of a stimulus set size is not clear, the number of target stimuli trained within a set is a treatment decision for which there is limited empirical support. The current investigation compared the efficiency of tact training in 4 stimulus set sizes, each of which included 12 stimuli grouped into (a) 4 sets of 3 stimuli, (b) 3 sets of 4 stimuli, (c) 2 sets of 6 stimuli, and (d) 1 set of 12 stimuli. Results of all 4 participants with autism spectrum disorder show tact training with larger (i.e., 6 and 12) stimulus set sizes was more efficient than training with smaller (i.e., 3 and 4) stimulus set sizes.     

Number and time in acquisition,extinction and recovery

We measured rate of acquisition, trials to extinction, cumulative responses in extinction, and the spontaneous recovery of anticipatory hopper poking in a Pavlovian protocol with mouse subjects. We varied by factors of 4 number of sessions, trials per session, intersession interval, and span of training (number of days over which training extended). We find that different variables affect each measure: Rate of acquisition [1/(trials to acquisition)] is faster when there are fewer trials per session. Terminal rate of responding is faster when there are more total training trials. Trials to extinction and amount of responding during extinction are unaffected by these variables. The number of training trials has no effect on recovery in a 4-trial probe session 21 days after extinction. However, recovery is greater when the span of training is greater, regardless of how many sessions there are within that span. Our results and those of others suggest that the numbers and durations and spacings of longer-duration “episodes” in a conditioning protocol (sessions and the spans in days of training and extinction) are important variables and that different variables affect different aspects of subjects' behavior. We discuss the theoretical and clinical implications of these and related findings and conclusions—for theories of conditioning and for neuroscience.     

Hick's Law in a Stochastic Race Model with Speed-Accuracy Tradeoff

We present an analytic solution for a race model of n stochastic accumulators for multiple choice reaction time. We show that to maintain a constant level of accuracy, the response criterion needs to be increased approximately logarithmically with n, to compensate for the increase with n in the likelihood that an incorrect alternative will be most active after any fixed amount of time accumulating information. Assuming that participants monitor and maintain a constant level of performance can then explain the logarithmic dependency of the response latency on n as specified by Hick's law. Moreover, we show that for short time intervals, the Shannon information that observers extract from a stimulus, is predicted to increase linearly with processing time.     

An examination of indexes for determining the number of clusters in binary data sets

The problem of choosing the correct number of clusters is as old as cluster analysis itself. A number of authors have suggested various indexes to facilitate this crucial decision. One of the most extensive comparative studies of indexes was conducted by Milligan and Cooper (1985). The present piece of work pursues the same goal under different conditions. In contrast to Milligan and Cooper's work, the emphasis here is on high-dimensional empirical binary data. Binary artificial data sets are constructed to reflect features typically encountered in real-world data situations in the field of marketing research. The simulation includes 162 binary data sets that are clustered by two different algorithms and lead to recommendations on the number of clusters for each index under consideration. Index results are evaluated and their performance is compared and analyzed.Author names are listed in alphabetical order.This piece of research was supported by the Austrian Science Foundation (FWF) under grant SFB#010 (Adaptive Information Systems and Modeling in Economics and Management Science).The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers and especially the associate editor for their helpful comments and suggestions.     

理解评估与成绩预测：两种不同的元理解监测形式

探讨理解评估与成绩预测与各种强化元理解监测线索的认知任务的关系。结果发现,理解评估与成绩预测的判断值偏离标准测验成绩的程度受监测线索强化方式的调节;主动强化监测线索比被动强化更能提高理解评估和成绩预测的精确性;精确的理解评估或成绩预测所需的线索不同,利用同一线索评估理解或预测成绩,其精确性也不同。这一结果挑战了元理解监测的一维观,表明理解评估与成绩预测涵盖了元理解监测不同方面的心理特征     

内源性注意与外源性注意对数字加工的不同影响

分别采用内源性注意和外源性注意实验范式,材料为小数（1－4）和大数（6－9）的中文与阿拉伯数字,任务为判断数字是否大于5,考察在注意与非注意条件下不同大小数字加工的距离效应和符号效应。结果发现：⑴在内源性线索和外源性线索的注意条件下,大小数都出现了距离效应;但在非注意条件下,内源性线索时的大小数都出现了距离效应,而外源性线索时只有小数出现了距离效应,大数的距离效应明显减弱或消失。⑵在内源性线索和外源性线索的注意条件下,大小数都没有出现符号效应;但在非注意条件下,大数没有出现符号效应,而小数出现了符号效应（阿拉伯数字的绩效比中文数字差）,并且内源性线索时的符号效应强度小于外源性线索。     

不同注意条件下的空间－数字反应编码联合效应

考察在无线索、内源性线索与外源性线索时不同符号数字在注意与非注意条件下的空间－数字的反应编码联合效应（Spatial Numerical Association of Response Codes,简称SNARC效应）。采用1到9的中文与阿拉伯数字为材料,以判断数字奇偶为任务。实验结果表明：⑴无线索时注意条件下阿拉伯和中文数字都出现了SNARC效应,而非注意条件下则都没有出现,并且受影响的主要是较大的数字（8、9）;⑵外源性线索和内源性线索时,我们得到一个逐渐递减的SNARC效应,受影响的也主要是较大的数字（8、9）。在内源性线索的注意条件阿拉伯和中文数都有SNARC效应,而在非注意条件只有阿拉伯数有SNARC效应;在外源性线索的注意条件只有阿拉伯数有SNARC效应,而在非注意条件阿拉伯和中文都没有SNARC效应,说明外源性注意的影响比内源性注意更大,中文数字所受的影响比阿拉伯数字更大。     

不同注意条件下大数与小数的加工差异

考察在注意（注视点）与非注意（非注视点）条件下数字加工的距离效应和符号效应。采用小数（1－4）和大数（6－9）的中文与阿拉伯数字为材料,以判断数字是否大于5为任务。实验结果表明：⑴ 在注意条件下,大小数都出现了距离效应;而在非注意条件下,只有小数出现距离效应;⑵ 在注意条件下,大小数都没有出现符号效应;而在非注意条件下,只有小数出现符号效应,中文数字绩效显著好于阿拉伯数字。     

婴儿数量表征的客体档案和类比模型

人对数量的表征及其发展是心理学研究的重要问题之一。20世纪70年代以来,国外对婴儿数量表征的研究取得了一系列理论和方法的进步。文章简要介绍了婴儿数量辨别和推理能力的研究方法,对婴儿数量表征相关的理论进行了重点讨论。大量详实的证据表明,婴儿拥有一个“天生的”数量机制,这为人数学能力的发展提供了基础。     

执行功能与数量加工：回顾与展望

回顾了执行功能与数量加工之间的复杂关系。其中,执行功能的4个子系统——抑制、转换、刷新和双任务协调对数量加工的影响各不相同：抑制可以在一定程度上改变数量加工时的自动激活程度;转换功能则主要依赖注意来进行调节;刷新与数量加工关系的研究成果比较少;而双任务协调与数量加工之间的联系存在争论。文章最后分3个方面进行了研究趋势的展望,认为未来执行功能与数量加工的研究将突破相关研究的局限,通过更精巧的设计和大量特殊被试的研究取得突破性进展。