Visual context does not promote concurrent sequence learning

Concurrent sequence learning (CSL) of two or more sequences refers to the concurrent maintenance, in memory, of the two or more sequence representations. Research using the serial reaction time task has established that CSL is possible when the different sequences involve different dimensions (e.g., visuospatial locations versus manual keypresses). Recently some studies have suggested that visual context can promote CSL if the different sequences are embedded in different visual contexts. The results of these studies have been difficult to interpret because of various limitations. Addressing the limitations, the current study suggests that visual context does not promote CSL and that CSL may not be possible when the different sequences involve the same elements (i.e., the same target locations, response keys and effectors).     

同性恋成因的理论探讨

关于同性恋的成因,人们分别从两个角度进行了分析,其一是生理角度,学者们探讨了三个方面的因素：遗传因素、大脑结构和激素水平。其二是心理社会角度,精神分析学说强调恋母情节导致了特殊的母子关系,从而引起性心理异常,形成同性恋。行为主义心理不主张重视伙伴关系、偶然的机遇以及特殊的经历在同性恋形成中的作用。     

Increasing Behavioral Skills and Level of Understanding in Adults: A Brief Method Integrating Dennison's Brain Gym & #x00AE; Balance with Piaget's Reflective Processes

A single session intervention was given individually to 4 adults in order to assist them in achieving their personal goals by improving their behavioral skills for achieving the goals and their conceptual understanding of & #x201C;how to & #x201D; attain these goals. The method was based on a brain-ability analysis of understanding & #x201C;conservation & #x201D; on Jean Piaget's conservation tasks combined with Paul and Gail Dennison's Brain Gym & #x201C;balance & #x201D; procedure. My & #x201C;whole brain understanding & #x201D; model (C. A. Wolfsont, 1999, 2000) and M. L. Commons et al.'s Hierarchical Complexity Scoring System manual were used to analyze the verbal protocols (M. L. Commons et al., 1992; Commons, Danaher, & Meaney, 2000). Increases were found in the participants' conceptual understanding and in the complexity of their performance.     

Training for paraprofessional counsellors: Evaluating the meaning and impact of a common factors approach

A group of 12 people participated in a short (40 hours) counselling training programme for paraprofessional counsellors, which emphasised the importance of common factors in accounting for therapeutic effectiveness. The general framework, language and skills of a brief, solution‐focused approach was used as a means of translating the theoretical/conceptual ideas of the common factors model into specific counsellor behaviours and also to provide structure and focus for counselling sessions. A pluralist methodology was employed to assess the personal meaning of the training for participants and the impact of the training on the development of counselling skills and awareness. Results indicated the training impacted positively on the development of counselling skills and ability to handle difficult client behaviours but less so on personal values and ability to deal with process issues. The majority of participants believed the training contributed positively toward their personal development.     

中学生个性因素及其与学业成就关系的探讨

研究者基于个性对个体成功具有重要影响的观点,假设中学生的个性对其学业成就具有预测性。采用儿童14种人格因素问卷对145名初中生进行测试,并对14种人格变量进行因素分析,得到了自我控制能力因素、精神状态因素、合作与创新精神因素、社会能力因素和智力性因素等5个因子。再利用这5个因子与学生的期末成绩(语、数、外总成绩)进行全纳回归分析,结果发现:与非智力的个性因素相比,智力性因素对中学生的学业成就可以进行更为有效的预测。     

A psychophysiological study on the function of the response‐stop in the Eriksen task1,2

Abstract: In the Eriksen task, we examined the hypothesis ( Iwaki, 1998 ) that a negative event‐related potential, which was enlarged at the frontal site synchronized with the presentation of an erroneous response causing stimulus, is related to the response‐stop function. Fourteen subjects responded selectively with their hands to the stimuli that consisted of a central target letter and surrounding compatible noise letters (e.g., HHHHH) or incompatible noise (e.g., SHHHS for small‐conflict condition or SSHSS for large‐conflict). The results showed that the increased negativity for the incompatible stimuli was synchronized with the stimulus onset but not with the response. Based on the hypothesis above, it is predicted that greater enhancement of an erroneous response by a stimulus causes the response‐stop to work harder in order to avoid an error, and this results in the larger negativity. This was supported by the evidence showing that the negativity was largest for the large‐conflict incompatible stimulus, followed by the small‐conflict, and then the compatible. We also discuss the possibility that the negativity is the NO‐GO potential concerned with the response‐stop function.     

Sexual differences in memory in shiny cowbirds

Avian brood parasites depend on other species, the hosts, to raise their offspring. During the breeding season, parasitic cowbirds (Molothrus sp.) search for potential host nests to which they return for laying a few days after first locating them. Parasitic cowbirds have a larger hippocampus/telencephalon volume than non-parasitic species; this volume is larger in the sex involved in nest searching (females) and it is also larger in the breeding than in the non-breeding season. In nature, female shiny cowbirds Molothrus bonariensis search for nests without the male’s assistance. Here we test whether, in association with these neuroanatomical and behavioural differences, shiny cowbirds display sexual differences in a memory task in the laboratory. We used a task consisting of finding food whose location was indicated either by the appearance or the location of a covering disk. Females learnt to retrieve food faster than males when food was associated with appearance cues, but we found no sexual differences when food was associated with a specific location. Our results are consistent with the view that parasitism and its neuroanatomical correlates affect performance in memory tasks, but the effects we found were not in the expected direction, emphasising that the nature of avian hippocampal function and its sexual differences are not yet understood. Received: 30 April 1998 / Accepted after revision: 5 September 1998     

成就目标对青少年成就动机和学业成就影响的研究

本研究在迈尔（Maehr）等人研究的基础上,考察了成就目标（任务目标和能力目标）与动机和学业成就之间的关系。结果表明,任务目标通过内部动机对学业成就产生积极的影响,能力目标通过外部动机对学业成就产生消极的影响。     

重点中学与普通中学学生非智力因素的比较研究

本研究分别对重点中学与普通中学初一、初三年级学生的非智力因素状况进行调查,结果表明初一年级学生的非智力因素水平在两类学校之间不存在差异,而初三年级学生的非智力因素水平在两类学校之间存在着显著性差异（Ｐ＜０．０５）。随着年龄的增长,重点中学与普通中学学生的非智力因素水平都有所发展,但重点中学的学生发展得更好。本研究表明学校的教育环境影响着学生非智力因素的发展。     

在内隐学习条件下任务难度对于判断准确率的影响

本研究利用自行设计的复杂规则产生出不同难度的任务系统,进而通过实验阐明了内隐学习的三个特征;（一）在任务难度极大的情况下,内隐学习并不发挥作用;（二）在任务难度降低到一定程度的时间,内隐学习开始发挥作用,这仿佛是一个“阈限”;（三）随着任务难度逐渐降低,内隐学习的效率也随着提高,但是最科停止在一个较高的水平而再继续上升,可以间接推断,内隐学习获得了样例的具体信息。