Do we map remembrances to the left/back and expectations to the right/front of a mental timeline? Space–time congruency effects with retrospective and prospective verbs

Recent experimental studies have shown that people code time in terms of a mental timeline which typically runs from left to right or from back to front. Determining the cognitive function of this mental timeline for language processing, however, is still an unsettled issue. Whereas the studies of Ulrich and Maienborn (2010) and Ulrich et al. (2012) argue against an automatic activation of the mental timeline for the interpretation of tense and temporal adverbials at sentence level, Sell and Kaschak (2011) observe an automatic activation for the processing of past- and future-related sentences in small stories. The present paper reports the results of three experiments which examine the processing of sentences with retrospective and prospective verbs (e.g., to remember, to regret vs. to expect, to announce) in present tense, which locate a second, embedded event in the past or the future. When temporal information was task-relevant, a space–time congruency effect emerged (Experiment 1). This suggests that the mental timeline is not only linked to overtly deictic linguistic material but may also be construed in a more intricate way through the compositional construction of sentence meaning. The congruency effect disappeared, however, when temporal information was task-irrelevant (Experiments 2 and 3), suggesting that the mental timeline is not functionally involved in the cognitive processing of these especially demanding two-event sentences. The results of the present study support the conclusion that the relevant factor driving an automatic activation of the mental timeline is not the number of linguistically expressed events, but might rather be the number of sentential units.     

THE “GHOSTS” OF IRAS PAST AND THE CHANGING CULTURAL CONTEXT OF RELIGION AND SCIENCE

Beginning with our cosmic ancestors and the 1950s ancestors of Institute on Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS, the “Ghosts”), this essay highlights the wider, post‐World War II cultural context, including other science and religion organizations, in which IRAS was formed. It then considers eight challenges from today's context. From the context of science there are (1) the challenge of scale that leads us to question our place in the scheme of things and can lead to a challenge to morale concerning whether we make any difference; (2) the challenge of human variability that leads to the question whether there is a single human moral nature; and (3) the challenge of detailed explanation that leads to the question of what is the task of theology in relation to detailed scientific explanation. From the religion context there are (4) the challenge of objectivity—studying religion without practicing religion; and (5) the challenge of pluralism and the variety of cultural and religious perspectives. From the context of the growing and diverse science‐and‐religion enterprise, considered from the perspective of IRAS developed in the first part of this essay, there are the challenges of (6) apologetics and (7) intellectualization. Finally, from the context of our growing, worldwide consumerist culture that is contributing to the radical alteration of the planetary environment, leading to much suffering, there is (8) the challenge of becoming more motivated to act for the long‐term global good.     

Phonological representation and speech understanding with cochlear implants in deafened adults

In the present study cognitive performance in 15 deafened adult cochlear implant candidates was examined and related to level of speech understanding after 12 months of experience with the implant. The implant group performed on par with normal hearing controls in all cognitive tasks used in the study with one exception: Performance was significantly lower in cognitive tasks where use of a phonological representation of sound is a key task-demand. Observations of the implanted individuals’ level of speech understanding indicate that only those individuals who, pre-operatively, were in possession of phonological representations comparable to that of normal hearing could follow and understand a speaker that was out of sight. The results are discussed with respect to (a) deterioration in the phonological representation of sounds as a function of absence of external auditory stimulation, and (b) the role of cognitive factors in predicting success in speech understanding with the implant.     

一位阿拉伯数字的空间表征

数字数量的空间表征问题是认知心理学领域的研究热点之一。本研究采用Fischer等人的实验范式,探讨了较浅程度加工时一位阿拉伯数字在水平和垂直方向上的空间表征,结果发现:(1)对数字进行较浅程度的加工(仅仅注视数字)时,在水平方向上出现了SNARC效应,即激活了数字在水平方向上的空间表征,数字数量按照小、中、大的顺序自左而右地映射到心理数字线上;(2)对数字进行较浅程度加工时,在垂直方向上没有出现SNARC效应,即未激活数字在垂直方向上的空间表征。     

相似性信息的激活对情境性表征影响的年龄差异

使用视觉搜索范式研究了6岁、9岁、12岁和成人,在限时和不限时呈现材料条件下对实物图形的视觉搜索及再认。结果表明:1)限时和不限时视觉搜索任务方式对视觉搜索和再认的准确性、反应时均有显著影响。2)视觉搜索和再认的准确性随被试年龄的增长而提高,反应时则随其年龄增长而缩短。3)靶项目是否作为搜索项目出现对视觉搜索和再认的准确性没有显著影响,但对视觉搜索和再认的反应时有显著影响,靶项目的出现使视觉搜索和再认的反应时都显著缩短。4)搜索项性质对视觉搜索和再认的反应时指标有显著影响,但对准确性没有显著影响。     

小学生数学应用题解题水平影响因素的实验研究

该研究采用四因素混合实验设计考察不同的问题呈现方式对不同视空间能力、场认知方式以及不同年级小学生的数学应用题解题水平的影响情况,研究得出以下结论:有一定视觉提示的问题呈现方式在不同程度上促进了小学生数学应用题解题水平的提高,但不同的问题呈现方式对不同被试影响情况不同;低空间能力-场依存型被试在图形提示的呈现方式下解题水平提高程度最大。     

EFFECTS OF CHOICE MAKING ON THE SERIOUS PROBLEM BEHAVIORS OF STUDENTS WITH SEVERE HANDICAPS

This study assessed the impact of choice making on the serious problem behaviors of 3 students with severe autism and/or mental retardation. In the context of within-subject reversal designs, the results showed consistently reduced levels of problem behaviors (e.g., aggression) when the students were given opportunities to make choices among instructional tasks and reinforcers. Additional data showed no systematic differences in the rate of correct responding between the two conditions. The results are discussed in relation to the continuing search for effective, nonintrusive solutions to the occurrence of serious problem behavior.     

问题解决的表征态理论

问题解决的表征态理论(简称RST)认为问题解决就是问题的表征态连续、非线性的变化的过程,其中存在数据驱动和概念驱动两种方式。在问题表征态变化的过程中,问题解决者所掌握的专业知识起着重要的作用,它是问题解决者对问题情境信息进行同化的基础,也是对问题结构进行心理建构的基础。RST的假设及其推论在中学生物理问题解决过程中得到检验。