The Economic, Political, Strategic, and Rhetorical Uses of Simple Constructive Dilemma in Legal Argument

The author argues that simple constructive dilemma is a valuable argument form for reasoning under relative conditions of uncertainty. When applied to legal argument this value of simple constructive dilemma is shown in its political, strategic, rhetorical, and especially economic, uses by lawyers and judges. After considering some examples of the use of the form by trial lawyers, the author gives examples of the more interesting use of the form by appellate courts. Research into the use of simple constructive dilemma by appellate courts helps us to understand how those courts distribute judicial resources. It also helps us to understand the political role of the appellate courts with respect to the doctrine of the separation of powers. Given some of the specific examples of legal reasoning used by the appellate courts presented in this article, and given the discussion of the doctrine of precedent, the article’s focus is on common law legal systems of the Anglo-American-type.     

Absolute and relative pitch: Global versus local processing of chords

Absolute pitch (AP) is the ability to identify or produce notes without any reference note. An ongoing debate exists regarding the benefits or disadvantages of AP in processing music. One of the main issues in this context is whether the categorical perception of pitch in AP possessors may interfere in processing tasks requiring relative pitch (RP). Previous studies, focusing mainly on melodic and interval perception, have obtained inconsistent results. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of AP and RP separately, using isolated chords. Seventy-three musicians were categorized into four groups of high and low AP and RP, and were tested on two tasks: identifying chord types (Task 1), and identifying a single note within a chord (Task 2). A main effect of RP on Task 1 and an interaction between AP and RP in reaction times were found. On Task 2 main effects of AP and RP, and an interaction were found, with highest performance in participants with both high AP and RP. Results suggest that AP and RP should be regarded as two different abilities, and that AP may slow down reaction times for tasks requiring global processing.     

Self‐absorption paradox is not a paradox: Illuminating the dark side of self‐reflection

Although considered an important component of a healthy personality, self‐reflection has not so far been shown to have any specific benefits for mental health. This research addresses this issue by taking into consideration two important suppressor variables, self‐rumination and the need for absolute truth. The latter is an innovative variable, defined and presented in this research. The first two studies aimed to validate a new measure that acts as an operational definition of the need for absolute truth. The first study was conducted with two group of participants; the first group consisted of 129 females and 67 males, mean age = 20 years, and the second 182 females and 104 males, mean age = 27. In the second study, participants were 22 females and 18 males, mean age = 20.5. In the final study, conducted with 296 female, 163 male participants (mean age = 37), suppressor effects were tested using structural equation modeling. The results showed that by taking account of these two suppressor variables, particularly the need for absolute truth, the expected relationship between self‐reflection and mental health was revealed. The need for absolute truth was shown to be crucial for understanding the effects of self‐reflection on mental health, therefore it should be considered in all processes of psychotherapy.     

想象重要他人对自我评价转移的影响

研究目的：本研究的目的是在中国文化背景下,考察想象不同的重要他人对于个体自我评价转移的影响,并探讨自尊在其中的调节作用。考虑到大学生年龄相当,拥有相似的角色经验,故本研究选用了大二女生作为被试。研究选择了三类重要他人：父母、同性朋友、异性朋友（包括男朋友）,由于每一类重要他人所对应的关系自我各不相同,所以研究编制了针对不同重要他人的自我评价特质词表,作为因变量测量的工具。 过程与方法：本研究设计了两个实验,实验中将用到录音机。实验一为单因素实验设计,在三个实验室同时展开,各个实验室的想象重要他人分别为父母、同性朋友、异性朋友。主试告知参与者,本实验将进行一项大学女生的想象力测试,首先聆听一段描写风景的散文录音,进行想象练习。然后请她们在头脑中想象一位指定的重要他人,比如想象重要他人的形象、语言、行为等特征,尽可能详细生动。想象结束,首先请被试回忆并填写刚才想象的主要内容。然后告诉被试,另一个课题组正在搜集有关“当代大学生自我形象”的资料,请她们帮忙填写《自我评价特质词表》,对自己的一些特质进行评价。最后,主试向参与者致谢并进行了解释。实验二的想象重要他人为同性朋友和男朋友,实验过程与实验一基本一致,在自我评价测量中采用了专门针对“同性朋友”和“男朋友”的量表,并在想象完成后填写自尊量表。 结果与结论：本研究所有统计检验的显著性水平在a<0.05的水平上进行。研究探讨了中国文化背景下大学女生的关系自我评价特质,发现其与西方文化背景下的关系自我评价特质显著不同。证明了想象重要他人影响个体自我评价的维度,并会产生自我评价转移的现象,没有发现自尊变量的调节作用。     

On Categorical Equivalences of Commutative BCK-algebras

A commutative BCK-algebra with the relative cancellation property is a commutative BCK-algebra (X;*,0) which satisfies the condition: if a ≤ x, a ≤ y and x * a = y * a, then x = y. Such BCK-algebras form a variety, and the category of these BCK-algebras is categorically equivalent to the category of Abelian ℓ-groups whose objects are pairs (G, G ₀), where G is an Abelian ℓ-group, G ₀ is a subset of the positive cone generating G ⁺ such that if u, v ∈ G ₀, then 0 ∨ (u - v) ∈ G ₀, and morphisms are ℓ-group homomorphisms h: (G, G ₀) → (G′,G′₀) with f(G ₀) ⫅ G′₀. Our methods in particular cases give known categorical equivalences of Cornish for conical BCK-algebras and of Mundici for bounded commutative BCK-algebras (= MV-algebras). This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Mental fatigue disturbs local processing more than global processing

Focusing of attention is influenced by external features such as the presence of global or local target stimuli, but also by motivation and mood states. In the current study, we examined whether working on cognitively demanding tasks for 2 h, which induces mental fatigue, subsequently had a differential effect on global and local processing. The results showed that, compared to non-fatigued participants, fatigued participants particularly displayed compromised local processing. This indicates that mental fatigue may also manifest itself as effects on attentional focusing. The findings of this study are in line with recent ideas about the nature of fatigue-related cognitive deficits, implying disturbances in the control over attention and behaviour.     

How pigeons discriminate the relative frequency of events.

This study examined how pigeons discriminate the relative frequencies of events when the events occur serially. In a discrete-trials procedure, 6 pigeons were shown one light nf times and then another nl times. Next, they received food for choosing the light that had occurred the least number of times during the sample. At issue were (a) how the discrimination was related to two variables, the difference between the frequencies of the two lights, D = nf - nl, and the total number of lights in the sample, T = nf + nl; and (b) whether a simple mathematical model of the discrimination process could account for the data. In contrast with models that assume that pigeons count the stimulus lights, engage in mental arithmetic on numerons, or remember the number of stimuli, the present model assumed only that the influence of a sample stimulus on choice increases linearly when the stimulus is presented, but decays exponentially when the stimulus is absent. The results showed that, overall, the pigeons discriminated the relative frequencies well. Their accuracy always increased with the absolute value of the difference D and, for D > 0, it decreased with T. Performance also showed clear recency, primacy, and contextual effects. The model accounted well for the major trends in the data.     

Relative Value Units: Using the New “Currency” for Measuring Clinical Productivity in a Productivity/Incentive Plan

This paper presents an overview of a productivity/incentive plan for faculty in an academic medicine center's department of behavioral medicine and psychiatry. The model utilizes the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) for its measurement of clinical productivity. The paper provides an introduction to RBRVS terminology and how the RBRVS system was developed. The productivity/incentive plan developed for the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, is described. The advantages and limitations of utilizing Relative Value Units (RVUs) in a productivity model are discussed. The paper may provide helpful insights to those charged with developing productivity/incentive plans at other academic health science centers.     

Political Power and Race Relations in South Africa: African Attitudes Before and After the Transition

When an oppressed majority finally gains political power, what happens to its attitudes to its erstwhile oppressor, and to its perceptions and feelings about its socioeconomic disadvantages that were established during its oppression? Longitudinal data from pre- and post-transition surveys of black South African college and high school students indicate marked reductions in perceptions of and outrage about intergroup socioeconomic inequity and deprivation relative to English-speaking and Afrikaans-speaking whites, but no change in attitudes toward these groups or toward whites in general. The findings are discussed in terms of contemporary theory and research on justice, intergroup relations, and group conflict. Some tentative implications for the prospects for a democratic political culture in South Africa are noted.     

项目等距呈现过程中的系列位置效应

以中国汉字为材料,利用刘英茂提出的向前和向后联想的方法,证明在不同呈现时间和不同间隔时间条件下,系列位置曲线中首因效应和近因效应性质的分化过程。结果说明,系列位置曲线的近因部分对时间变化更为敏感,表现为绝对记忆的性质。系列位置曲线中首因效应和近因效应性质的分化,取决于项目呈现时间、项目间隔时间和系列包含的项目数。