Social eye gaze modulates processing of speech and co-speech gesture

In human face-to-face communication, language comprehension is a multi-modal, situated activity. However, little is known about how we combine information from different modalities during comprehension, and how perceived communicative intentions, often signaled through visual signals, influence this process. We explored this question by simulating a multi-party communication context in which a speaker alternated her gaze between two recipients. Participants viewed speech-only or speech + gesture object-related messages when being addressed (direct gaze) or unaddressed (gaze averted to other participant). They were then asked to choose which of two object images matched the speaker’s preceding message. Unaddressed recipients responded significantly more slowly than addressees for speech-only utterances. However, perceiving the same speech accompanied by gestures sped unaddressed recipients up to a level identical to that of addressees. That is, when unaddressed recipients’ speech processing suffers, gestures can enhance the comprehension of a speaker’s message. We discuss our findings with respect to two hypotheses attempting to account for how social eye gaze may modulate multi-modal language comprehension.     

Towards a symbol literacy approach in the education of children

Abstract

Children enter a world that is full of symbols, most of which have become inaccessible. This is true not only because of a positivistic attitude that views analogical truth as nonsensical, but also because of the fragmentation that we experience. This situation is impoverishing children’s awareness, connectedness as well as their ability to access and express existential concerns and the answers different generations have tried to provide. It is for this reason that children need to learn a variety of symbols and the ‘grammar’ of how they form meaning. A symbolic literacy approach not only helps them to read symbols but also enables them to formulate meaning and to connect with the deeper reality and facilitates their ability to transcend physical reality. The paper will also refer to the development of an interdisciplinary pedagogy and its implementation through a project that is being done in collaboration with Maltese primary schools.     

Concurrent tobacco use and risky drinking in South Africa: Results from the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

The aim of this study was to examine socio-demographic and psychosocial correlates of concurrent tobacco use and risky drinking. We analysed data from the cross-sectional South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1) 2011–2012. The sample included 14 764 adolescents and adults aged 15 years and older. They responded to questions on tobacco and alcohol use, psychosocial, and socio-demographic indicators. Results indicate that 9.6% (16.8% among men and 3.5% among women) of South Africans were involved in concurrent tobacco use and risky drinking, 18.2% in current tobacco use only, and 20.3% in risky drinking only. In covariate adjusted analysis, being 25 to 64 years, being male, belonging to the coloured population group, residing in urban areas, having experienced three or more traumatic events, and poor self-rated health were associated with concurrent tobacco use and risky drinking. Findings suggest socio-demographic and health factors are important for public health interventions in addressing concurrent tobacco and alcohol use in South Africa.     

发展性计算障碍儿童的数量转换缺陷

本研究拟考察发展性计算障碍儿童的认知缺陷成因。实验1要求被试在三种形式(点/点,数/数,点/数)下进行数量比较,实验2仅将点集替换为汉字数字词。结果表明障碍组和正常组在数/数、点/数和汉字/汉字比较任务上的成绩存在显著差异,而在点/点和汉字/汉字比较上没有差异。据此推论,计算障碍儿童符号加工能力受到损伤,符号与非符号数量转换能力存在缺陷,但非符号加工能力和不同符号间数量转换没有缺陷,支持语义提取缺陷假设。     

亲子关系对贫困儿童问题行为的影响

以247名贫困儿童为被试进行问卷调查,构建家庭社会经济地位和亲子关系对贫困儿童问题行为的多重中介模型,得到抑郁、自我控制的中介作用。结果显示,亲子关系和社会经济地位分别通过中介路径影响贫困儿童问题行为,与亲子关系有关的中介路径为91.25%,与抑郁有关的中介效应为57.60%,与自我控制有关的中介效应为57.15%. 结论：良好的亲子关系或成为贫困儿童的保护因子;应关注贫困儿童心理健康,增加有效心理疏导机制;注重培养贫困儿童的自我控制能力。     

上司地位知觉对下属默契的影响——反馈寻求行为和观点采择的作用

下属默契指的是下属与上司间不经言传而暗相投合的状态,它能潜移默化地提升下属绩效。因此,探讨下属默契的产生原因,对组织有着重要意义。鉴于此,本文以目标动机模型为理论基础,探讨了上司地位知觉对下属默契的影响及其内部机制。通过对186名企业员工的调查分析发现,上司地位知觉对下属默契有显著的正向影响;反馈寻求行为在此过程中起部分中介作用;此外,下属的观点采择能力调节了反馈寻求行为与下属默契间的正向关系。     

Can Everyday Brands Be Threatening? Responses to Brand Primes Depend on Childhood Socioeconomic Status

The current work investigates whether childhood socioeconomic status influences how people respond to brands. Results from two experiments show that, perhaps counterintuitively, everyday brands—and not luxury brands—can threaten the self‐esteem of people who had poor childhoods. Supported by the results of our pilot study, we argue this is because everyday brands represent a material norm that can be difficult for low‐income consumers to achieve. Furthermore, our findings suggest that consumers from poor backgrounds may cope with this threat by becoming morse self‐interested, as indicated by decreased volunteer intentions.     

Follower Jealousy at Work: A Test of Vecchio's Model of Antecedents and Consequences of Jealousy

The present study tests the validity of Robert P. Vecchio's seminal work on antecedents and consequences of jealousy. Specifically, we examine whether antecedents such as in-group status, supervisory considerateness, and supervisory differentiation of subordinates are associated with jealousy. In addition, we examine whether jealousy is associated with the outcome variable of social loafing. Leaders (n = 73) and their followers (n = 303) working in business organizations in Norway contributed data. Multilevel analyses showed that a high-quality working relationship with one's supervisor was inversely related to reports of jealousy. In addition, supervisors who displayed high levels of considerateness, for example, by providing followers with positive emotional support, were better able to reduce subordinate jealousy. This is a novel observation since previous research failed to demonstrate such a relationship. Finally, jealousy was positively associated with social loafing, suggesting that jealous followers engaged in an active counterproductive resistance response. The present study contributes to the extant literature by identifying unexamined antecedents of jealousy and a dysfunctional behavioral response to jealousy in the form of social loafing in the workplace.