Computational models inform clinical science and assessment: An application to category learning in striatal-damaged patients

In this article we develop a new model of classification that is intermediate between the static, single strategy decision-bound models and the dynamic trial by trial multiple systems model, dCOVIS. The new model, referred to as the sCOVIS model, assumes hypothesis-testing and procedural-based subsystems are active on each trial, but that the parameters that govern behavior of the system are fixed (static) within a block of trials. To determine the clinical utility of the model, it was applied to nonlinear information-integration classification data from patients with Parkinson’s (PD) and Huntington’s disease (HD). In one application, the models suggest that the locus of HD patients’ nonlinear information-integration deficits is in their increased reliance on hypothesis-testing strategies, whereas the locus of PD patients’ deficit is in the application of sub-optimal procedural-based strategies. In a second application, the weight associated with the hypothesis-testing subsystem is shown to account for a significant amount of the variance in longitudinal cognitive decline in non-demented PD patients above and beyond that predicted by accuracy alone. Together, the accuracy rate and this model index account for 72% of the total variance associated with cognitive decline in this sample of PD patients. Interestingly, the Wisconsin Card Sort task added no additional predictive power above and beyond that predicted by nonlinear accuracy alone.     

The approach‐avoidance framework for identifying athletes’ coping style as a function of gender and race

Anshel, M.H., Kang, M. & Miesner, M. (2010). The approach‐avoidance framework for identifying athletes’ coping style as a function of gender and race. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. The purpose of this study was to identify the coping styles of competitive athletes as a function of gender and race in response to events experienced during the contest perceived as highly stressful using the approach and avoidance coping framework. Participants (N = 218) consisted of 111 males (48 African American and 63 Caucasian) and 107 females (41 African American and 66 Caucasian), and ranged in age from 18 to 54 yrs (M ± SD; 22.29 ± 3.9 yrs). They attended a university in the southeastern US, and were considered highly skilled athletes based on their current or former participation as competitive athletes. A 12‐item inventory was completed consisting of six approach coping and six avoidance coping strategy items. Confirmatory factor analysis, composite reliability and Cronbach’s alpha indicated acceptable model‐data fit and internal scale consistency. The results suggested the athletes’ preferred coping style was avoidance, rather than approach. A 2 × 2 ANOVA showed significant main effects for gender (p = 0.003) and race (p < 0.01); males used more approach coping than females, while Caucasians applied more approach coping than African Americans. No significant interaction was found. The results indicated the need for future study on examining gender and race as moderating variables in examining athletes’ coping styles.     

Cues that trigger social transmission of disinhibition in young children

Previous studies have shown that observing a human model’s actions, but not a robot’s actions, could induce young children’s perseverative behaviors and suggested that children’s sociocognitive abilities can lead to perseverative errors (“social transmission of disinhibition”). This study investigated how the social transmission of disinhibition would occur. Specifically, the authors examined whether a robot with human appearance (an android) triggered young children’s perseveration and compared the effects of the android with those of a human model. The results revealed that the android induced the social transmission of disinhibition. Also, children were more likely to be affected by the human model than by the android. The results suggested that behavioral cues (biological movement) may be important for the social transmission of disinhibition.     

What has fMRI told us about the Development of Cognitive Control through Adolescence?

Cognitive control, the ability to voluntarily guide our behavior, continues to improve throughout adolescence. Below we review the literature on age-related changes in brain function related to response inhibition and working memory, which support cognitive control. Findings from studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) indicate that processing errors, sustaining a cognitive control state, and reaching adult levels of precision, persist through adolescence. Developmental changes in patterns of brain function suggest that core regions of the circuitry underlying cognitive control are on-line early in development. However, age-related changes in localized processes across the brain, and in establishing long range connections that support top-down modulation of behavior, more effective neural processing for optimal mature executive function. While great progress has been made in understanding the age-related changes in brain processes underlying cognitive development, there are still important challenges in developmental neuroimaging methods and the interpretation of data that need to be addressed.     

Selective attention and executive functions deficits among criminal psychopaths

The present study examined whether psychopaths exhibit deficits in selective attention and executive functions. Prison inmates were assigned to either a “psychopath” group or a “control” group according to their scores on the PCL‐R [Hare, 1991: Toronto, Multi‐Health Systems]. The two groups were compared in terms of performance on the following tests: (1) D‐II cancellation, (2) Porteus Maze, (3) Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting, (4) Stroop Color Word Interference, (5) Trail Making, and (6) Tower of London. The results support the hypothesis of selective attention and specific executive function deficits among psychopaths. Specifically, psychopaths' abilities to maintain a plan and to inhibit irrelevant information were inferior to those of control participants. Aggr. Behav. 29:393–405, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Language and executive function in self-reported impulsive aggression

The present study employed a battery of verbal tests that included a broad range of executive demands to demonstrate the differential contributions of language and executive function to the performance decrement observed in individuals who display impulsive aggressive (IA) outbursts. A profile analysis revealed that despite not differing on tasks requiring limited verbal output, the IAs deviated further from nonaggressive controls as the tasks required increasing spontaneous organization. Results suggest that language ability per se is not impaired in IAs; rather inefficient executive functioning is responsible for their significantly poorer performance on complex verbal tasks.     

执行功能子成分与学业成就的关系

目的:探讨执行功能三个子成分(抑制功能、转换功能和信息刷新功能)与学业成就的关系。方法:采用认知任务对85名大学生的执行功能子成分进行测量,并进行执行功能子成分的Stroop效应、转换任务效应及信息刷新任务效应对学业成就的逐步回归分析。结果:抑制子功能的Stroop效应及信息刷新子功能的任务效应对学业成就具有负向预测作用,两者共同解释学业成就变异的15.1%。其中,抑制子功能的Stroop效应预测作用最大,可解释学业成就变异的8.5%。结论:执行功能抑制子功能的Stroop效应及信息刷新子功能的任务效应可作为学业成就的预测因子。     

Relevance of Context-bound loci to Topical Potential in the Argumentation Stage

In relation to the task of making an expedient selection from the available loci within the topical potential that strategic manoeuvring envisages for the argumentation stage, this paper proposes a version of topics, which is both inspired to the traditional doctrine of topics and consistent with the theoretical framing and the methodological tenets that are proper of modern semantics and current theory of argumentation. The argumentative relevance of communication context in its institutionalised and interpersonal components is brought to light. Three main aspects are focussed on: the strong synergy of the topical and the endoxical components in argument construction, the use of topics in analysis and evaluation of arguments and the heuristic function of topics in the production process. I express to Peter Houtlosser, Corina Andone, Sara Greco Morasso and Andrea Rocci my profound gratitude for their precious suggestions and cordial criticisms.     

社区卫生服务中心手术功能的经济学研究

社区卫生服务中心是否应当保留或设置手术功能。调研南京市社区卫生服务中心手术功能科室的成本—效益和费用,及医院和社区卫生服务中心费用的不同。大多数中心设置外科手术功能,能维持成本;3甲医院、综合医院单病种手术平均住院费用明显高于社区卫生服务中心。社区卫生服务中心保留基本的手术功能是符合社区居民需求和社区卫生服务自身发展需要的。