情绪的动机强度与工作记忆任务类型的协调性对自我控制任务的影响

考察趋近动机强度不同的积极情绪和回避动机强度不同的消极情绪与工作记忆的协调性对自我控制任务的影响。结果发现,与高趋近动机的积极情绪、高回避动机的消极情绪以及中性情绪相比,在低趋近动机的积极情绪下完成言语工作记忆以及在低回避动机的消极情绪下完成空间工作记忆,工作记忆成绩提高,而Stroop分数降低,这表明情绪与工作记忆的协调性受到情绪动机强度的影响。     

Spatial offloading in multiple task monitoring

Coordinating multiple tasks requires a high degree of cognitive control, and individuals with limited executive functions often show difficulties in everyday multitasking. We tested the hypothesis that demands on executive control can be alleviated by internally representing the temporal pattern of goals and deadlines as spatial relations. In two experiments, participants completed a multitasking session by monitoring deadlines of four clocks running at different rates, along with separate tasks of executive functioning and spatial ability. In Experiment 1, individual and gender-related differences in spatial ability (mental rotation) predicted multitasking performance, beyond the contributions of both the updating and inhibition components of executive functioning, and even when spatial cues were eliminated from the layout of the monitoring task. Experiment 2 extended these findings by showing that concurrent spatial load impaired task monitoring accuracy, and that these detrimental effects were accentuated when spatial abilities were compromized due to fluctuation in female sex hormones. These findings suggest that multiple task monitoring involves working memory-related functions, but that these cognitive control demands can be offloaded by relying on spatial relation processes.     

音乐训练对认知能力的影响

在当今社会中, 越来越多的儿童接受音乐训练, 试图通过音乐训练提高认知能力。针对认知活动中的语言能力、空间能力以及数学能力, 探究音乐训练与认知能力的关系, 试图为音乐教育提供实证依据。研究结果表明, 尽管音乐训练与认知能力的关系较为复杂, 但是, 音乐训练与个体的语言知觉和产生能力以及空间视觉化能力都存在正相关, 且在一定程度上可以提高这些认知能力。     

基于双眼视差的立体视觉去掩蔽效应

基于双眼视差的立体视觉不改变目标与掩蔽刺激之间的信噪比, 但能使不同的刺激被知觉在不同的深度位置上以降低目标信号所受到的掩蔽作用。本综述在总结前人双眼去掩蔽研究的基础上, 强调深度维度上的视觉注意在这种主观空间分离去掩蔽过程中所起的重要作用, 并介绍了双眼去掩蔽在现代科技领域中的典型性应用。最后, 结合听觉主观空间分离去掩蔽的研究进展, 本综述认为主观空间分离去掩蔽是大脑处理复杂刺激场景的一个基本功能。     

空间能力测验及其研究应用

空间能力所表现出的个体差异一直是空间能力研究中的热点问题,在研究中所使用的测验也多种多样。二维空间能力测验主要包括标准心理旋转测验及其多种变式;三维空间能力测验则是运用虚拟现实技术针对动态空间定位与位置学习等空间能力开发出的新型测验。这些测验主要用于探讨空间能力个体差异的影响因素。本文在介绍测验的同时总结了空间能力个体差异研究的结果并提出展望。     

空间频率信息对面孔身份与表情识别的影响

已有面孔身份与表情识别研究提示, 高频空间信息可能选择性地与表情识别有关, 而低频空间信息则选择性地与身份识别有关。为验证这一假设, 操纵空间频率设计三个Garner效应测量实验。实验1测量全频条件下身份表情识别之间的Garner效应, 结果显示, 相互间的干扰均显著。实验2测量高频条件下的干扰效应, 发现表情识别的Garner效应不再显著而身份识别的Garner效应无明显变化, 出现分离。实验3测量低频条件下的Garner效应, 结果表明, 表情与身份识别的Garner效应仍显著, 未受高频过滤影响。基于Garner范式, 提出面孔识别的可分离度与难度双指标同时考察的方法, 对实验结果进行了分析, 并由此得出结论, 高频空间信息是面孔身份与表情信息分离的有效尺度。     

类别关系判断中空间信息的内隐学习

采用“单-双任务”的研究范式探索视觉空间信息加工过程中是否存在内隐学习。通过比较“单-双”任务组被试在完成空间关系判断任务之后再认呈现的空间场景是否是曾在判断任务中经历过的反应数据来探讨类别空间关系判断中的内隐学习情况。研究结果证明：二维和三维情境中单任务组被试在类别空间关系判断过程中对空间背景信息的学习存在内隐学习, 且该学习过程还受到刺激情境特性的影响。     

The Two-Point Threshold: Not a Measure of Tactile Spatial Resolution

The two-point threshold, or compass test, has long been used as a measure of tactile spatial resolution; however, since it was first developed, there have been problems associated with its use. Some of these problems include setting an appropriate criterion for responding "two," extreme variability both within and between subjects, and the ability of subjects to discriminate two points from one at separations well below the two-point threshold. Recent neurophysiological results have clarified some of the neural mechanisms responsible for spatial resolution and demonstrated the inadequacy of the two-point threshold as a measure of spatial mechanisms. Several new methods may overcome these problems and provide a valid measure of spatial resolution and a reflection of neural mechanisms.     

Neural Bases of Human Working Memory

Working memory is the memory system that allows us to briefly keep information active, often so we can operate on it. Studies with rhesus monkeys first established that this system is partly mediated by neural mechanisms in the prefrontal cortex. Recently, there has been a substantial effort to study the neural bases of working memory in humans, using neuroimaging techniques such as positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Some of the initial neuroimaging studies with humans focused on the neural mechanisms that mediate our ability to keep spatial information active. These results indicated that human spatial working memory is partly mediated by regions in parietal and prefrontal cortex. Subsequent research has shown that a different neural system is involved when people store object (rather than spatial) information, a difference similar to that found in monkeys.     

空间场景表征中的参照系选取

被试在矩形房间中从两个不同的观察点学习物体场景并在多个朝向上对物体形成的空间关系进行判断,通过控制场景中物体主要内在轴相对于环境结构（房间和地毯）的方向和被试的学习顺序,探讨被试在场景空间表征中采用何种参照系和参照系选取时的影响因素。两个实验结果发现：（1）内在参照系（intrinsic reference systems）和环境参照系均可以用于物体场景的表征,两类参照系之间的关系却是影响被试物体场景表征时参照系选取的重要因素,即当内在参照系与环境参照系方向一致时,被试无论从哪个朝向学习,都选择从垂直于内在参照系和环境参照系的朝向进行表征。反之,当二者方向不一致时,表征时参照系的选择取决于被试的学习经历;（2）无论内在参照系与环境参照系方向是否一致,物体场景本身内在结构的规则性都能够促进空间记忆,即内在结构的规则性既有助于准确编码物体的相对位置,也有助于提高空间关系判断的准确性。