Theoretische Lücken der Cognitive Science

Theoretical gaps of the cognitive science. First of all the gap-thesis is based on a criticism 1. of the computer-orientated cognitive science (it confuses information with the information carrier), 2. of connectivism (its linguistic borrowing from the neurobiology is not appropriate), 3. of Varelas production model (the elimination of the function of representation results in the loss of the cognitive ability). From the context of meaning and time, then the author sketches a cognitive theoretical approach, in which thinking as a (symbolic and/or subsymbolic) representation of meaning is introduced, which develops in a three-digit relation between world, language and substrate on the basis of isomorphy of time. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

认知速度在智力结构中重要性的发展研究

结合认知实验方法和心理测量学方法,探讨认知速度在智力结构中的重要性随着年龄增长而发生变化的趋势。研究结果表明,认知速度的确是智力结构中的重要因素,但并不是唯一起决定作用的因素;并且,随着年龄的增长,认知速度在智力结构中的重要性趋向于降低,而智力的元成份在智力结构中的重要性则趋向于提高。     

Not only encoding and retrieval: The enactment effect as a function of task preparation

Three experiments examined the implications of adding a fourth preparation stage to the encoding-retention-retrieval stage analysis of memory. Action memory was selected as the research domain. The results demonstrated that systematic variation of the preparation stage yields new insights about enactment effects in memory. Together with effects of enactment in the preparatory stage, enactment was also shown to give differential effects in encoding and retrieval, with interactions between these three factors. The experimental results were discussed in relation to a strategy processing interpretation of action memory.     

Formal reasoning in Japanese older adults: The role of metacognitive strategy,task content,and social factors

This study investigated the availability of deductive reasoning competence in late adulthood. Forty-six Japanese older (mean age =71 years) and 58 Japanese young adults (mean age =19.6 years) were assessed for formal or deductive reasoning using Overton's (1990) revision of the four-card selection task. For older adults, metacognitive strategy—operating as a procedure designed to access reasoning competence—resulted in enhanced performance levels. When the semantic content of the reasoning task involved emotional issues, however, the metacognitive strategy failed to facilitate reasoning performance. This suggests that reasoning competence is available in late adulthood but that performance is susceptible to contextual variables. Social factors were not significantly related to older adults' reasoning performance. Thus, assessment of these factors may have been based on too broad a definition to describe adequately the status of the older adults. For the young, only semantic task content was related to reasoning performance.     

中转站系统框架的心理学研究

通过总结人类问题求解的特点,我们提出了问题求解的一种中转站系统框架。本文采用口语报告分析所进行的研究表明该框架是一种问题求解方面的知识结构和有效的启发式求解策略。实验证明了次序性、熟悉性、类似性和系统控制性是决定求解能力和效率的关键因素。说明了中转站及其排序、强规则和弱规则及其相互配合、以及中转站系统的控制策略在较大程度上反映和模拟了人在求解复杂的专门问题时的知识结构和控制过程。     

Sprachspiel vs. vollständige Sprache

The article formulates a criticism of Wittgenstein's later philosophy which, in its substance, I would like to think, is fairly the same as the (hermeneutic) criticism issued by Apel and Habermas in the sixties. Contrary to these philosophers, however, I try to make the point by focusing on the distinction between language game and language, respectively between intralanguage relations of family resemblance (between language games) and interlanguage translation relations. The notion of a complete language is introduced — completeness of a language being, roughly, its possibility in principle of being translated into any (other) language — and the criticism of Wittgenstein is formulated as the allegation that he does not, or will not, acknowledge such a concept of completeness.So far the contents of the first part of the article. The rest of it assembles some hints, remarks and reminders which bear upon the question of the completeness of a language. These considerations include comments on the conditions of translatability, on the performative (agent's) knowledge or intention-in-action of the acting person, on Habermas' concept of communicative competence and on the notion of a responsible subject of action. It is alleged that to speak of translation and reporting an event as language games is misleading.     

DISCRIMINATION TRAINING FOR PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES: A COMPARISON OF THE TASK DEMONSTRATION MODEL AND THE STANDARD PROMPTING HIERARCHY

A comparison was made between two procedures for teaching persons with severe handicaps: (a) the task demonstration model, which is based upon a fading procedure and general case programming, and (b) the standard prompting hierarchy, a least-to-most intrusive prompting procedure commonly used to teach these individuals. Five phases were used in comparing the procedures: pretesting, training, two generalization tests, and a 6-month maintenance test. Eight students learned two discrimination tasks by each procedure, with each task involving two- or three-digit numbers. Results showed that under the task demonstration model all 8 subjects had more unprompted correct responses (about 1.5 times as many) in training, all 8 subjects had fewer errors (about 0.6 times as many) in training, all 8 subjects had more correct responding in the generalization test with untrained stimuli in the training room, 6 of 8 subjects had more correct responding with untrained stimuli in another room, a 7th had equivalent amounts, and 7 of 8 subjects had more correct responding on a 6-month maintenance test. Thus, the task demonstration model proved superior to the standard prompting hierarchy in 29 of 32 tests of correct responding. Results are discussed in terms of implications for stimulus control training strategies.     

ACQUISITION AND MAINTENANCE OF HEALTH-CARE ROUTINES AS A FUNCTION OF FEEDBACK DENSITY

Two schedules of feedback were examined to determine their relative effects on the acquisition and maintenance of three health-care routines: feeding, positioning, and transferring physically disabled patients. Four direct service providers' performances in the natural environment were measured weekly. Concurrent schedules and multiple baselines across subjects and response classes were used to evaluate the effects of written instructions combined with either continuous, intermittent, or no-feedback schedules. Results showed that instructions alone led to slight and usually brief changes. Marked improvements were noted after feedback was introduced, with the continuous schedule producing more rapid acquisition. Follow-up measures indicated performance maintenance for both schedules. Subjects rated the feedback programs favorably and recommended provision of this service to co-workers. Cost estimates indicated that, although considerable time was spent developing the observational system, the feedback procedure was relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and did not interfere with patient care.     

Effects of mood and knowledge on evaluations: An experimental study

An experimental study was conducted to estimate the impact of subjects' mood states on their responses to evaluative ratings. Four experimental groups were induced by either a very negative, mildly negative, neutral or positive mood-inducing film. As hypothesized, systematic differences were found between the groups in their evaluations. Factual knowledge about the evaluation object was, contrary to expected, not found to modify mood effects. This negative finding could, however, be explained by a strong stereotypical impression of the object (a distant travel destination) held by the respondents.     

Alternative test criteria in covariance structure analysis: A unified approach

In the context of covariance structure analysis, a unified approach to the asymptotic theory of alternative test criteria for testing parametric restrictions is provided. The discussion develops within a general framework that distinguishes whether or not the fitting function is asymptotically optimal, and allows the null and alternative hypothesis to be only approximations of the true model. Also, the equivalent of the information matrix, and the asymptotic covariance matrix of the vector of summary statistics, are allowed to be singular. When the fitting function is not asymptotically optimal, test statistics which have asymptotically a chi-square distribution are developed as a natural generalization of more classical ones. Issues relevant for power analysis, and the asymptotic theory of a testing related statistic, are also investigated.This research has been supported by the U.S.-Spanish Joint Committee for Cultural and Educational Cooperation, grant number V-B.854020. The author wishes to express his gratitude to P. M. Bentler who provided very helpful suggestions and research facilities—with an stimulating working environment—at the University of California, Los Angeles, where this work was undertaken. Thanks are also due to W. E. Saris who provided very valuable comments to earlier versions of this paper. Finally, it has also to be acknowledged the editor's and reviewers suggestions which led to substantial improvements of this article.