Encoding strategy affects false recall and recognition: Evidence from categorical study material

The present research investigated memory vulnerability to distortions. Different encoding strategies were used when categorized lists were studied. The authors assumed that an imagery strategy would be responsible for decreasing false memories more than a word-whispering strategy, which is consistent with the model of semantic access and previous research in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm (the DRM paradigm; Deese, 1959; Roediger & McDermott, 1995). A normative study of category lists and 4 experiments were conducted to verify the memory vulnerability to different encoding strategies (imagery, word-whispering, control). Half of subjects recalled and half recognized previously studied words. The results revealed a marked reduction in false recognition and recall after imagery encoding, relative to after word-whispering encoding.     

Consensus collaboration enhances group and individual recall accuracy

We often remember in groups, yet research on collaborative recall finds “collaborative inhibition”: Recalling with others has costs compared to recalling alone. In related paradigms, remembering with others introduces errors into recall. We compared costs and benefits of two collaboration procedures—turn taking and consensus. First, 135 individuals learned a word list and recalled it alone (Recall 1). Then, 45 participants in three-member groups took turns to recall, 45 participants in three-member groups reached a consensus, and 45 participants recalled alone but were analysed as three-member nominal groups (Recall 2). Finally, all participants recalled alone (Recall 3). Both turn-taking and consensus groups demonstrated the usual pattern of costs during collaboration and benefits after collaboration in terms of recall completeness. However, consensus groups, and not turn-taking groups, demonstrated clear benefits in terms of recall accuracy, both during and after collaboration. Consensus groups engaged in beneficial group source-monitoring processes. Our findings challenge assumptions about the negative consequences of social remembering.     

Combining Explicit Timing with an Interdependent Group Contingency Program to Decrease Transition Times

ABSTRACT

A sixth-grade teacher and consultant serving as a behavioral specialist developed, implemented, and evaluated the Timely Transitions Game (TTG), a procedure designed to reduce room-to-room transition times. The TTG combined several procedures that have been shown to alter student behavior including explicit timing procedures and an interdependent, group-oriented reward program with randomly selected criteria. Five transition times were measured and recorded each day. At the end of the school day, the teacher randomly selected a transition and a criterion (seconds taken to transition). If the class completed the randomly selected transition in less time than the randomly selected criterion, they earned a letter. When students earned enough letters (e.g., the five letters that spell M-U-S-I-C), they received access to the reward (e.g., listening to music during independent seat-work). Results indicated immediate and sustained decreases in transition times following the implementation of the intervention. Although methodological concerns prevent drawing cause-and-effect conclusions, the current study shows how educators can adapt and combine empirically validated strategies and procedures to remedy presenting problems.     

Setting Generalization during Self-Reinforcement with Educationally Handicapped Children

Eight educationally handicapped boys ranging in age form 10 to 11 years old and described as the worst behavior problems in their class participated in a series of single-subject studies carried out in their self-contained classrooms. Three served as target subjects, using self-reinforcement procedures to increase their sustained on-task behavior in a treatment setting; five served as generalization subjects. Data were collected in three settings within the self-contained classroom; an early morning treatment setting, a late morning generalization setting, and an afternoon generalization setting. The three target subjects averaged a 51% increase over their baseline median levels of sustained on-task behavior in the treatment setting. They averaged 84% and 96% generalization to the late morning and afternoon generalization settings, respectively. These results demonstrate that self-reinforcement can produce setting generalization of treatment effects in the absence of prior externally determined reinforcement. Evidence for subject and subject-setting generalization was also obtained.     

Cognitive-behavioral treatment and antidepressants combined with virtual reality exposure for patients with chronic agoraphobia

In this study we compared the efficacy of virtual reality exposure combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy (VRET) to that of traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) alone in reducing phobic symptoms in a sample of patients with long-term agoraphobia. The study was a between-subject design with three experimental conditions (VRET group, N = 30; CBT group, N = 30; and medication only group, N = 20) and repeated measures (pre-treatment, post-treatment, and six-month follow-up). All patients were receiving antidepressant medication. Results showed that all therapies were statistically effective both at post-treatment and six-month follow-up. The VRET group showed clinical improvement in most variables measured at follow-up. The CBT group showed the highest dropout rates. These results are discussed pointing out that VRET probably serves as an intermediate procedure for an efficient exposure to phobic stimuli. Besides describing the advantages of VRET for the treatment of agoraphobia symptoms in cost-benefit terms, the study also considered issues related to higher treatment adherence and motivation.     

人口逆淘汰及其预防

对人口逆淘汰必须全面、动态地加以认识.必须阻止人口逆淘汰,提高人口质量,变"人口"为"人力".教育是关键措施,医疗卫生和环境改善十分重要,但决不能鼓励高学历人口多生育而限制农村人口的出生.     

今、帛、竹书《周易》与今、古文问题

帛书及楚竹书、阜阳汉简<周易>的面世,极大地拓展了我们对<周易>经文的研究视野.东汉熹平间,灵帝诏诸儒正定五经,以熹平石经作为今文标准本,熹平石经遂成为后人研究、界定汉代经今、古文的重要依据.然今以帛<易>考之,汉初人们以隶字抄书,并无严格的今、古文区分,故熹平石经作为分辨汉人今、古文的权威,只是为平息当时的今、古文之争.汉唐人以自己所见之有限的古文本而定其"古文某作×",今以竹书校之,方知其所见之古文本及其古文字,与战国竹书古文本多有不同.而由今本与竹书本多有相同相通者考之,知今本确为古文本无疑.随着帛<易>的出土,有本师传授的今文<易>在亡佚千余年后又重现于世,对弄清<周易>六十四卦中的一些疑难卦爻辞原旨,厘清汉人今、古文经学的发展与演变,无疑有重大的借鉴与帮助.     

论爱因斯坦的伦理思想和道德实践

爱因斯坦不仅是20世纪最伟大的科学家和思想家,而且也是一位伟大的人。他的伦理思想丰富而深邃,他的道德实践切实而感人。这位知行合一的伟人不愧是世人做人的楷模。     

社会支持、主动反刍与创伤后应激障碍的关系:来自地震后青少年的追踪研究

以追踪研究的方式,在汶川地震后3.5年、4.5年和5.5年三个时间点,采用社会支持问卷、反刍问卷和创伤后应激障碍量表对汶川地震后245名中学生进行调查。通过建立交叉滞后模型,考察社会支持、主动反刍与创伤后应激障碍(PTSD)的相互作用关系。结果发现,震后3.5年至5.5年间,社会支持与主动反刍之间的跨时间点预测作用不显著,PTSD对社会支持的跨时间点预测作用不显著,但对主动反刍具有显著的跨时间点正向预测作用。震后3.5年至4.5年间,社会支持对PTSD的跨时间点负向预测作用、主动反刍对PTSD的跨时间点正向预测作用均显著,但是这些作用在震后4.5年至5.5年间变得不再显著。