Reinforcement value and fixed‐interval performance

The concept of reinforcement value summarizes the effect of different variables, such as reinforcement delay, reinforcement magnitude, and deprivation level, on behavior. In the present set of experiments, we evaluated the effect of reinforcement devaluation on performance under FI schedules. The literature on timing and reinforcement value suggests that devaluation generates longer expected times to reinforcement than the same intervals trained under control conditions. We devalued reinforcement with delay in Experiments 1A, 1B, and 2, and diminished deprivation in Experiments 3A and 3B. Devaluation reduced response rates, increased the number of one‐response intervals, and lengthened postreinforcement pauses, but had inconsistent effects on other timing measures such as quarter life and breakpoint. The results of delayed reinforcement and diminished deprivation manipulations are well summarized as reinforcement devaluation effects. These results suggest that devaluation may reduce stimulus control. In addition, we argue that the process by which delayed reinforcement affects behavior might also explain some effects observed in other devaluation procedures through the concept of reinforcement value.     

Age and outcome allocation: A new test of the subtractive model

The no, moderate, and large differences between shares of outcome allocated to the high and low performers are interpreted as the respective rules of equality, ordinal equity, and proportional equity. The ability to employ the proportional rule is also believed to develop around the age of 13 years. The authors hypothesized that: (i) the rule of outcome allocation is subtraction; and (ii) age differences in outcome allocation are mediated by age differences in perceived inputs. In an experiment on Chinese aged 8–20 years, measures of perceived inputs were taken after or before outcome allocation. Results from the input-allocation order supported the hypotheses. Obviously, age effects in outcome allocations by Asians can sometimes be mediated by age differences in the ability to perceive the inputs accurately.     

The effects of body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio on ratings of female attractiveness, fecundity, and health

This paper examines the effects of body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) on people’s perceptions of female attractiveness and fecundity. One hundred and two participants (51 females) were asked to rate 18 line drawings, varying across three BMI and six WHR levels, on seven different attributes (‘healthy’, ‘fertile’, ‘youthful’, ‘intelligent’, ‘nurturing’, ‘flirty’, and ‘attractive’). Line drawings manipulated arm and leg thickness while keeping torso WHR consistent, thus unconfounding previously confounded variables. The data were analysed through a doubly multivariate analysis of variance. Effect sizes were larger for BMI than for WHR. Figures of average weight and a WHR of 0.7 were rated as most attractive and healthy. Overall, the results demonstrate that the effects of BMI and WHR on perceptions of attractiveness and fecundity are interdependent and should be studied concurrently rather than in isolation.     

“值”在中国人的假设思维中的角色

先前的研究表明, 东西方在假设思维上不存在差异, 或者只是存在于特殊范围内(domain-specific)。本文在中国人的“值”的概念基础上界定一个存在于东西方的假设思维上的新差异。实验1显示了在假设思维概念里, 中国人的“值”是由决策理由的大小和后果的严重程度大小决定的, 同时“值”被证实是中国人假设思维的中介变量。实验2比较了中、法两国被试的假设思维, 结果再次证明了中国被试的假设思维是由“值”概念决定, 相比而言法国被试是由“成本－收益”概念决定的。     

使用似然比D2统计量的题目属性定义方法

题目属性的定义是实施认知诊断评价的关键步骤, 通过有丰富经验的领域专家对题目的属性进行定义是当前的主要方法, 然而该方法受到许多主观经验因素的影响。寻找客观的题目属性定义或验证方法可以为主观定义过程提供策略支持或对结果进行改进, 因此已经引起研究者们的关注。本研究构建了一种简单高效的题目属性定义方法, 研究使用似然比D2统计量从作答数据中估计题目属性的方法, 实现属性掌握模式、题目参数和题目属性向量的联合估计。模拟研究结果表明, 使用似然比D2统计量可以有效地识别题目的属性向量, 该方法一方面可以实现新编制题目属性向量的在线估计, 另一方面可以验证已经定义的题目属性向量的准确性。     

An exploratory analysis of task-interspersal procedures while teaching object labels to children with autism

Research has demonstrated that interspersing mastered tasks with new tasks facilitates learning under certain conditions; however, little is known about factors that influence the effectiveness of this treatment strategy. The initial purpose of the current investigation was to evaluate the effects of similar versus dissimilar interspersed tasks while teaching object labels to children diagnosed with autism or developmental delays. We then conducted a series of exploratory analyses involving the type of reinforcer delivered for correct responses on trials with unknown or known object labels. Performance was enhanced under the interspersal condition only when either brief praise was delivered for all correct responses or presumably more preferred reinforcers were provided for performance on known trials rather than on unknown trials.     

4～5岁儿童一一对应任务中的比例效应

一一对应和数量比较是幼儿数概念发展的两个重要方面。在本研究中．40名4岁和39名5岁的儿童分别完成了不同比例数量的一一对应任务和数量比较任务。结果表明：（1）两种实验任务下均出现比例效应．说明儿童在解决一一对应问题时,仍然用数量比较的方法来进行判断;（2）任务类型的主效应显著,一一对应任务下的正确率要显著低于数量比较任务下的正确率;（3）知觉线索更多地影响数量比较任务。     

中国人群脂肪肝主要影响因素的荟萃分析

为系统评价中国居民脂肪肝发病的主要危险因素,检索文献数据库,收集国内1997年～2008年有关脂肪肝发病危险因素的16篇文献,利用Meta分析方法,进行综合统计分析,累计病例7200例,对照11884例。结果超重（23≤BMI〈25）、肥胖（BMI≥25）、过量饮酒、吸烟、高脂饮食、食用蔬菜、饮绿茶、爱好运动、运动少、高脂血症、高HDL—Ch、低HDL-Ch、高血压、高血糖、高血总胆固醇（≥6．5mmol／L）及糖尿病合并0R值（95％CI）分别为1．68（0．68～3．90）、5．01（3．23～7．76）、3．52（1．52～8．15）、1．18（1．01～1．37）、2．82（1．50～5．31）、0．45（0．37～0．55）、0．52（0．43～0．64）、0．32（0．14～O．74）、3．49（1．26～9．65）、4．91（2．69～8．96）、0．31（0．17～0．57）、2．14（1．50～3．03）、2．19（1．43～3．35）、2．75（1．66～4．58）、2．96（0．26～32．98）、2．29（1．30～4．01）。结论为目前影响中国人群脂肪肝发生的危险因素依次为肥胖、高脂血症、饮酒、运动少、高脂饮食、高血糖、糖尿病、高血压、低HDL—Ch和吸烟;保护因素为饮用绿茶,食用蔬菜,以及高HDL—ch;尚不能确定与中国人脂肪肝发生的相关性因素为超重和高血胆固醇。     

Overweight and cognition

There is a growing concern among health authorities that an increasing number of people in the Western world become overweight and even obese. It is well known that obesity is related to several diseases (e.g., diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure) and that such diseases related to obesity lead to early death. It has also been discussed whether overweight and obesity in themselves or in relation to such diseases lead to cognitive decline. On the basis of data from a large, population‐based, prospective study we examined three cognitive domains: episodic memory, semantic memory, and spatial ability. Two body measures were used to define normal weight and overweight, body‐mass index and waist/hip ratio. Although these two body measures reveal quite different prevalence data of overweight, the associations between overweight and cognition are similar. For episodic memory, overweight interacts with age, but when controlling for hypertension, stroke and diabetes, this interaction disappears. For semantic memory, normal weight participants outperform overweight participants even after controlling for these diseases. For spatial ability, the well‐established advantage for men holds for young‐old and old‐old normal‐weight participants. For overweight participants, this advantage holds for middle‐age participants only. We conclude that there is a weight‐cognition relationship even after controlling for obesity‐related diseases. The results are discussed in terms of possible biological mechanisms.     

PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS OF PRESESSION EXPOSURE TO EDIBLE AND NONEDIBLE STIMULI

We assessed the effects of individually defined small, medium, and large periods of presession access to edible and nonedible reinforcers on response rates during sessions in which responding produced access to identical reinforcers. Any presession access to an edible reinforcer decreased response rates for 1 participant, and small and medium periods of presession access to nonedible reinforcers resulted in similar or increased response rates for 2 participants.