When Self-Interest Matters

The relative influence of self-interest and values on policy preferences was assessed experimentally in a national survey that posed questions about three contemporary political issues—Social Security reform, the home mortgage interest tax deduction, and health care benefits for domestic partners. For each issue, respondents were randomly assigned to one of three priming conditions that influenced the frame of reference for their policy evaluations. The results show that people are more likely to recognize their own self-interest, and to act upon it, when their stakes in the policy are clear or when they have been primed to think about the personal costs and benefits of the policy. This relationship is somewhat weakened but not eliminated when sociotropic considerations are primed. People with a smaller stake in an issue are less likely to behave on the basis of self-interest and more likely to be influenced by their values and symbolic predispositions, especially when exposed to information that cues sociotropic concerns, group identifications, or value orientations.     

Political Contacts: Analyzing the Role of Similarity in Theories of Prejudice

Over the last 50 years, many theories of prejudice reduction in social psychology have embraced the premise that intergroup contact allows people to recognize similarities between themselves, and that this perceived similarity overwhelms the social distance associated with intergroup antipathy. Given the mixed empirical evidence, however, we suggest that the positive effects of perceived similarity have been overemphasized. Although similarity may be sufficient for improved intergroup relations, the relationship between similarity and intergroup relations is far more complex than the literature usually suggests. Moreover, studying difference in intergroup contexts may yield new ways to resolve intergroup conflict and address group inequalities.     

Application of Variability of Practice Hypothesis in Alzheimer Patients

This study examined the effects of constant versus variable practice on learning a simple motor task in eight patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease (AD). According to the variability of practice hypothesis, variations in practice of a motor skill result in superior learning as evidenced by better ability to transfer the skill. Eight AD patients were matched for Mini-Mental State Exam and baseline scores and then randomly assigned to a constant or variable practice group. Then, the participants were trained in hitting a tennis ball with a small racquet against a horizontal target (practice task) over 12 sessions. Finally, they were asked to aim at a vertical target (transfer task). All participants showed improvement on the practice task. On the transfer task, three of four participants in the variable practice group outperformed their matched counterparts, suggesting learning benefits of variable practice.     

A test of torque-control and equilibrium-point models of motor control

Based upon predictions of equilibrium-point (EP) models of motor control, a recent article by Jaric et al. (1999) [Human Movement Sciences, 18, 49–66] reported that the peak velocity (PV) of an inertially loaded single degree-of-freedom elbow movement was not altered to a statistically distinguishable degree by the accuracy of the subject's expectation about the size of the load. They concluded that their results confirmed their EP models and were incompatible with what they described as torque-control models. A review of the literature and analysis of a more extensive set of data does not support that conclusion. To the contrary, if the actual load is heavier (or lighter) than expected, it is moved more slowly (or faster) than it would have been, had expectation matched reality. Torque-control models predict those consequences, EP models do not.     

FOK:是线索熟悉,还是目标提取?

以围棋定式为实验材料,检验了关于FOK判断的线索熟悉假说和目标提取假说。结果表明：在有线索可以利用的情况下,被试会依据线索的熟悉作出FOK判断;而在线索难以利用的情况下,被试就会依据目标的提取来作出FOK判断。该文还对FOK的研究方法提出了一点看法。     

How great is great ape foresight?

Osvath and Osvath (Anim Cogn 11: 661–674, 2008) report innovative studies with two chimpanzees and one orangutan that suggest some capacity to select and keep a tool for use about an hour later. This is a welcome contribution to a small, but rapidly growing, field. Here we point out some of the weaknesses in the current data and caution the interpretation the authors advance. It is not clear to what extent the apes really engaged in any foresight in these studies. This is an invited response to Osvath and Osvath (2008).     

权力的社会认知研究述评

作为人类古老现象的权力,却是社会心理学的一个崭新课题。近年来,社会心理学家从社会认知的视角对权力心理进行了很多具有启发性的研究。理论和实证研究表明,权力的存在或激发广泛地影响了个体有意和无意的社会认知、情绪和社会行为,这些心理和行为既包含消极的成分,也包含中性和积极的成分。文章指出了权力心理学具有“强调社会认知、基础认知甚至神经机制”等特点和趋势。     

组织社会化研究的整合：交互作用视角

组织社会化是个体由组织的外部成员转化为具有参与性和效益性内部人员的适应过程。当前组织社会化研究零碎、分裂,缺少统一理论做指导,亟须进行有效的整合。在论述整合的必要性的基础上,重点分析符号互动与组织社会化的关系,并建立组织社会化的交互作用模型,最后指出了模型的验证、细化及重视中介和调节变量等问题     

BDNF基因与抑郁

抑郁的发生发展具有重要的遗传基础。随着细胞分子生物学实验方法以及分子遗传技术的进步, 与神经可塑性有关的BDNF基因作为抑郁遗传学研究的候选基因日益受到关注。概观而言, 已有相关研究主要探查了BDNF基因与抑郁的直接关联, BDNF基因与其他基因对抑郁的交互作用, 以及环境因素对BDNF基因与抑郁关系的调节作用。然而, 研究结论尚存在分歧甚至相互矛盾。其原因包括研究设计、环境测量指标、抑郁测量方法与研究对象种族背景等方面的差异。未来研究可通过采用多基因–环境设计, 考察被试种族、性别和年龄的调节作用, 以及探究潜在的作用机制等进一步推进和深化有关BDNF基因与抑郁关系的研究。     

汉语确定性无界否定句模拟加工的时间进程

以往关于否定句理解的心理模拟过程是一步完成的还是两步完成的, 结果并不一致, 这与各个研究使用的实验材料类型有关。本研究以汉语确定性无界否定句为研究对象, 采用句-图匹配范式和2(句子类型：汉语确定性无界肯定句和汉语确定性无界否定句) × 2 (图片描绘事物状态与句子描述的事物状态的匹配类型：匹配与不匹配)被试内实验设计, 以对图片判断的反应时和正确率为指标, 探讨其理解的早期(250 ms)、中期(750 ms)和晚期(1500 ms)的心理模拟过程。研究结果表明：确定性无界否定句理解的心理模拟是分两步进行的, 首先模拟的是否定句的被否定状态, 随着加工时间的推进, 完成了对确定性无界否定句的第二步模拟即对实际状态的模拟。但是, 比其他类型否定句的模拟过程所用的时间要短, 即在阅读理解的中期就完成了心理模拟。