Size estimates of action-relevant space remain invariant in the face of systematic changes to postural stability and arousal

Perceptual estimates of action-relevant space have been reported to vary dependent on postural stability and concomitant changes in arousal. These findings contribute to current theories proposing that perception may be embodied. However, systematic manipulations to postural stability have not been tested, and a causal relationship between postural stability and perceptual estimates remains to be proven. We manipulated postural stability by asking participants to stand in three differently stable postures on a force plate measuring postural sway. Participants looked at and imagined traversing wooden beams of different widths and then provided perceptual estimates of the beams’ widths. They also rated their level of arousal. Manipulation checks revealed that the different postures resulted in systematic differences in body sway. This systematic variation in postural stability was accompanied by significant differences in self-reported arousal. Yet, despite systematic differences in postural stability and levels of arousal perceptual estimates of the beams’ widths remained invariant.     

人文医学与医学人文学几个问题之我见

结合医疗实际工作人文医学和医学人文学的关系应包括：(1)从人文医学的产生背景看,人文精神的内涵孕育于中国古典医学,并非现代之专有;(2)人文医学和医学人文学并非同一层次上的概念,不能交叉理解和使用;(3)从医学发展阶段的划分,提出不能将人文医学与现代医学割裂开,前者是后者的组成部分;现代医学并非生物医学;(4)人文医学的分类应增加军事医学等内容。     

Stability and Change in Domain‐specific Self‐esteem and Global Self‐esteem

A notable uptick of interest in the stability of self‐esteem has been observed over the past few years. Most researchers, however, have focused on unidimensional rather than multidimensional conceptualizations of self‐esteem. The paucity of empirical research is surprising given conflicting theoretical perspectives on the stability of self‐esteem. The goal of the present study was to thoroughly disentangle different conceptualizations of self‐esteem and test opposing classical theories on (i) the stability and (ii) the direction of mutual influence of these different forms of self‐esteem. We analysed two‐year longitudinal data from participants (N = 644 at T1, N = 241 at T2) with an average age of 47.0 years (SD = 12.4). Analyses using a latent variable approach revealed that the domains of self‐esteem were relatively stable in terms of rank order and mean levels. In fact, the size of the stability coefficients was comparable to that of other trait measures that have been reported in the literature and paralleled the stability observed for global self‐esteem. Results did not provide support for either top‐down or bottom‐up effects between domain‐specific and global self‐esteem. These findings have important theoretical and practical implications regarding the stability and development of self‐esteem in adulthood and advance the understanding of self‐esteem in personality theory. © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology     

声音概念垂直空间隐喻表征的初步探讨

本文通过2个实验,初步探讨汉语声音概念词的垂直空间隐喻表征。实验1先视觉呈现声音概念词,要求被试对随后在屏幕上方或者下方呈现的图形进行形状判断;实验2要求被试先对声音词进行音高判断,再判断图形。结果只在实验2中发现隐喻表征,说明声音词的垂直空间隐喻表征需要一定的条件。后期问卷调查后发现,声音词普遍存在多种表象,且声音并不是首先激活的。意味着声音词的垂直空间隐喻表征需要较高的声音音高维度的语义凸显度,需对声音概念进行较深层次的语义加工,才可激活垂直空间隐喻表征。     

The counterintuitive impact of responses and response times on parameter estimates in the drift diffusion model

Given a drift diffusion model with unknown drift and boundary parameters, we analyse the behaviour of maximum likelihood estimates with respect to changes of responses and response times. It is shown analytically that a single fast response time can dominate the estimation in that no matter how many correct answers a test taker provides, the estimate of the drift (ability) parameter decreases to zero. In addition, it is shown that although higher drift rates imply shorter response times, the reverse implication does not hold for the estimates: shorter response times can decrease the drift rate estimate. In the light of these analytical results, we illustrate the actual impact of the findings in a small simulation for a mental rotation test. The method of analysis outlined is applicable to a broader range of models, and we emphasize the need to further check currently used reaction time models within this framework.     

Eavesdropping on character: Assessing everyday moral behaviors

Despite decades of interest in moral character, comparatively little is known about moral behavior in everyday life. This paper reports a novel method for assessing everyday moral behaviors using the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR)—a digital audio-recorder that intermittently samples snippets of ambient sounds from people’s environments—and examines the stability of these moral behaviors. In three samples (combined N = 186), participants wore an EAR over one or two weekends. Audio files were coded for everyday moral behaviors (e.g., showing sympathy, gratitude) and morally-neutral comparison language behaviors (e.g., use of prepositions, articles). Results indicate that stable individual differences in moral behavior can be systematically observed in daily life, and that their stability is comparable to the stability of neutral language behaviors.     

A comparison of preference‐assessment methods

In Study 1, we evaluated preference stability across 4 preference‐assessment methods for 6 individuals, 5 of whom had autism spectrum disorder and 1 of whom had traumatic brain injury. We also measured participants’ problem behavior as a corollary measure during all assessment methods. The highest mean correlation coefficients and Kendall rank coefficients of concordance across administrations were observed for the paired‐stimulus and multiple‐stimulus‐without‐replacement methods. Lower correspondence across administrations was observed for the free‐operant and response‐restriction methods. Although differentially higher levels of problem behavior did not occur with a single method, lower levels were consistently observed with the free‐operant method. During Study 2, we evaluated the implications of lower coefficients on reinforcer efficacy by comparing an initially identified and an immediately identified high‐preference stimulus in a reinforcer assessment. Initially identified and immediately identified high‐preference stimuli were equally effective reinforcers, suggesting that fluctuations in preference do not necessarily affect reinforcer efficacy in practice.     

Infant sleep-wake behaviors at two weeks,three and six months

Although infant sleep-wake behavior presents several developmental changes during the first six months, literature lacks on reference values and few studies have explored the role of individual change and stability on infant sleep-wake behavior during the first six months. This study aimed (1) to describe infant sleep-wake behaviors during the 24-h period, day and night, at two weeks, three, and six months, (2) and to explore developmental changes and the role of individual change and stability on infant sleep-wake behaviors from two weeks to six months. Ninety-four primiparous mothers completed measures on infant sleep-wake behaviors at two weeks, three and six months. Significant developmental changes were found on infant sleep-wake behaviors from two weeks to six months. Two-week-old infants sleep 13.3 h, spend 8.7 h awake, awake 6.1 times, have 0.4 h of latency to sleep, and 3.2 h of longest sleep period. Three-month-old infants sleep 13.0 h, spend 9.2 h awake, awake 5.5 times, have 0.4 h of latency to sleep, and 5.2 h of longest sleep period. Six-month-old infants sleep 12.2 h, spend 10.0 h awake, awake 5.2 times, have 0.4 h of latency to sleep, and 5.6 h of longest sleep period. Significant individual change and stability were also found on infant sleep-wake behaviors from two weeks to six months. Despite significant developmental and individual changes, individual stability explains a significant amount of the variance on infant sleep-wake behaviors over the first six months of life.     

Stability and change in interests: A longitudinal examination of grades 7 through college

The joint issue of stability and change of interests in adolescence and early adulthood was investigated longitudinally over three years in three different grade cohorts. The patterns of structural stability, mean stability, rank order stability, and profile stability as well as how these patterns were moderated by gender were examined based on three cohorts of grades 7 and 8 (n = 3191), grades 9 and 10 (n = 6818), and grades 11 and 12 (n = 1078) using the Personal Globe Inventory-Short (Tracey, 2010). Results indicated that adherence to the RIASEC circular model was high and stable; there was a lack of appreciable change in interest means; interests were stable; interest crystallization, profile, and pattern were stable. While the results supported late adolescence and early adulthood being a stable period for interests in general, more changes were found among male and younger students. The implication of the current study was discussed along with its limitations and suggestions for future research.