Leaders' Perceptions and Nuclear Proliferation: A Political Psychology Approach to Proliferation

Contributing to an emerging scholarship emphasizing ideational approaches for understanding nuclear proliferation, this work offers a new analytical framework focusing on leaders' perceptions about the international system and how their “perceived strategic context” may influence the decision of “going nuclear.” Rather than being an inevitable occurrence driven by abstract systemic factors, like the security dilemma, this actor‐specific, ideational approach offers a narrative depicting the fundamental role played by policy makers' perceptions about the international environment in which their proliferation decisions are made. Utilizing operational code analysis, leaders' unique perceived strategic contexts are identified and expectant strategies for self and other analyzed by using the theory of moves sequential game construct. Initial testing of the framework is performed by examining the debated nuclear proliferation cases of South Africa and India. The results highlight the important role of individuals' views concerning the strategic environment they inhabit when weighing proliferation decisions.     

Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire—Reliability and Factor Structure: A Swedish Version

Two studies were conducted to assess the Swedish version of the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), which was originally created by Baer et al. (2006). The aim of Study 1 was to examine the psychometric properties of the FFMQ using data from 495 individuals. Quantitative and qualitative analyses resulted in a reduction of the scale by 10 items. Psychometric properties, including internal consistency of the revised instrument, were examined. The Swedish FFMQ provides results comparable to those obtained by Baer. Cronbach's alphas were high for all the facets. The Swedish FFMQ appears to be a potentially useful tool in measuring mindfulness among Swedish participants. The aim of Study 2 was to test the suggested hierarchical five-factor solution and construct validity, using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Similar to findings for the English version of the FFMQ, the CFA showed that the Observing facet was not a significant part of an overall self-reported mindfulness structure in a Swedish population with little meditation experience.     

移动窗口条件下聋生阅读过程中字词识别的实验研究

本研究采用移动窗口技术,以短文为实验材料,分别以单字呈现和多字呈现两种方式,对阅读技能水平较高和较低的聋生进行了实验,旨在验证和探讨聋生在汉语文章阅读过程中语音编码所起的作用。实验结果发现,聋生在短文阅读过程中存在语音激活的现象,但语音与字形所起的作用在不同实验中表现不同;聋生,特别是阅读能力较高的聋生,在阅读过程中,字形起到了关键的作用。     

DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY,NATURAL SELECTION,AND THE CONCEPTUAL BOUNDARIES OF THE MODERN EVOLUTIONARY SYNTHESIS

Using the evolution of the stickleback family of subarctic fish as a touchstone, we explore the effect of new discoveries about regulatory genetics, developmental plasticity, and epigenetic inheritance on the conceptual foundations of the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis. Identifying the creativity of natural selection as the hallmark of the Modern Synthesis, we show that since its inception its adherents have pursued a variety of research projects that at first seemed to conflict with its principles, but were accommodated. We situate challenges coming from developmental biology in a dialectic between innovation and tradition, suggesting on the basis of past episodes that even if developmental plasticity and epigenetic inheritance are aligned with its principles the Modern Synthesis (and its image in the public reception of evolution) will be significantly affected.     

Assessing mobility in an aging society: Personal and built environment factors associated with older people’s subjective transportation deficiency in the US

This study analyzed subjective transportation deficiency, in terms of missing activities due to lack of transportation, of the older population aged 65 and over in the United States. This study found that those who have lower personal automobile accessibility and minority females are more likely to experience transportation deficiency. Older people who have lower income, have lived for a relatively short period (3–10 years) in their communities, and live with minors are also more likely to experience lack of transportation. Older people who live in suburban communities have greater transportation deficiency, but the placement of activity locations within walking distance can improve transportation deficiency among older people who do not drive. The availability of public transit services within walking distance and knowledge about transportation alternatives do not significantly affect the transportation deficiency of the older population. The results indicate that a substantive focus should be given to how to help the older population keep driving as long as they can, and aid communities with high concentrations of older minority females. Also, developing activity clusters containing commercial and social service facilities in suburban areas with high concentrations of older populations, has the potential to alleviate transportation deficiency among this widely observed group of people who age in place.