Independent effects of word concreteness and word valence on immediate serial recall

The present study examined the roles of word concreteness and word valence in the immediate serial recall task. Emotion words (e.g. happy) were used to investigate these effects. Participants completed study-test trials with 7-item study lists consisting of positive or negative words with either high or low concreteness (Experiments 1 and 2) and neutral (i.e. non-emotion) words with either high or low concreteness (Experiment 2). In serial recall performance, we replicated the typical item concreteness effect (concrete words are better recalled than abstract words) and obtained an item valence effect (positive/neutral words are better recalled than negative words). However, there was no concreteness × valence interaction. We conclude that both word valence and word concreteness independently contribute to the serial order retention of emotion words in the immediate serial recall task.     

中文词类信息在副中央凹中的加工

本研究采用边界范式, 通过操纵预视词和目标词的词类一致性探讨中文阅读中副中央凹中能否加工词类信息。实验采用单因素3水平设计, 三种预视条件: 一致预视、词类不违背预视、词类违背预视。对实验数据进行线性混合模型及贝叶斯分析发现: 词类违背条件和词类不违背条件下对目标词的注视时间和注视概率没有显著差异, 即无词类信息的预视效应。该结果倾向于支持序列注意转移模型, 眼动控制模型的未来发展应更加关注灵活性和普适性。     

中心词和非中心词在句法启动的词汇增强效应中存在不同的机制

句法启动中, 非中心词和中心词重复是否诱发出相似强度的词汇增强效应, 目前存在着较大的理论争议。本研究在汉语双宾结构和介宾结构上分别操纵中心词和非中心词重复, 并在确保具有合适统计检验力基础上, 完成了3个句法启动实验。实验结果清楚地显示中心词重复诱发了稳定的词汇增强效应, 非中心词中的直接宾语重复也诱发了稳定但相对较弱的词汇增强效应。在此基础上, 我们尝试提出一个解释框架以调和现有的理论争议。     

快慢读者利用语境信息的差异：加工深度的作用

通过主题扫描和阅读理解两种加工深度不同的任务,考察快慢读者预测性效应差异的来源及加工深度在其中发挥的作用。被试在两种任务情境下阅读分别包含高低预测性目标词的96个句子框架,记录其眼动轨迹。结果显示：预测性效应仅在阅读理解任务中出现,快速读者在早期眼动指标上就表现出了预测性效应,慢速读者在晚期眼动指标上才表现出预测性效应。结果表明：加工深度调节快慢读者预测性效应的大小;在自然阅读情境下快慢读者的预测性效应表现符合预测编码框架假设。     

中文阅读中快速读者与慢速读者的词频效应

在熟练的中文阅读中,个体阅读效率越高,词汇加工效率是否越高,目前还缺少直接证据。本研究通过记录快速读者与慢速读者在阅读含有高频或低频目标词句子时的眼动轨迹来考察该问题。结果发现,在第一遍注视时间、回视路径时间和总注视时间上,快速读者对高频词与低频词的注视时间无显著差异,但都短于慢速读者;而慢速读者对低频词的注视时间显著长于高频词。即快速读者的早期词汇识别和后期词汇整合效率都较高,不受词频影响;而慢速读者的整个词汇加工效率较低,受词频影响较大。这些结果表明两组读者的词汇加工模式具有本质差异,符合个体差异性观点与词汇质量假说。     

单字词和复合词预视加工的差异性研究：词边界信息无影响

本实验采用眼动轨迹记录法并结合边界范式（Rayner, 1975）,操纵单字词和双字复合词的首字为一致预视或假字预视,考察单字词和复合词预视加工的差异性。另外,通过在中文句子中加入词边界信息——词间阴影,以考察词间阴影对单字词和复合词预视加工的影响。实验结果表明,复合词的预视效应大于单字词,并且词间阴影对单字词和复合词的预视加工均没有显著影响。因此,与印欧语系相比,中文阅读中更大更强的预视效应需从更深层次的语言和认知因素进行探讨。该结果更倾向于支持词切分和词汇识别模型。     

Processing Speed Weakness in Children and Adolescents with Non-Hyperactive but Inattentive ADHD (ADD)

DSM-IV-TR defines ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive as allowing up to five symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity, while theories of the inattentive type usually assume a group that is hypoactive and characterized by processing speed and cognitive interference deficits. In a community-recruited sample of 572 children and adolescents, a pure inattentive subtype of ADHD (ADD) was defined as those who met DSM-IV-TR criteria for ADHD-PI but had two or fewer hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. Processing and output speeds of those with ADD were compared to those identified with DSM-IV-TR ADHD combined type and non-ADHD controls. These results were then contrasted with those found when DSM-IV-TR defined ADHD-PI was compared with ADHD-C and controls. Processing and output speed were assessed with the Trailmaking A and B and the Stroop Naming Tests. Cognitive interference control was assessed with the interference score from the Stroop Task. Slower cognitive interference speed was found in the ADD vs. ADHD-C and controls comparisons, but not the ADHD-PI versus ADHD-C and controls comparisons. On output speed measures, ADD exhibited the slowest performance, significantly different from controls and the effect size for the set-shifting speed contrast (Trailmaking B) was double that of the ADHD-PI vs. control comparison. ADHD-Inattentive type as defined by the DSM-IV-TR is a heterogeneous condition with a meaningful proportion of those affected exhibiting virtually no hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. This subgroup may represent a distinct inattentive condition characterized by poor cognitive interference control and slow processing or output speed.     

The Modulation of Visual and Task Characteristics of a Writing System on Hemispheric Lateralization in Visual Word Recognition—A Computational Exploration

Through computational modeling, here we examine whether visual and task characteristics of writing systems alone can account for lateralization differences in visual word recognition between different languages without assuming influence from left hemisphere (LH) lateralized language processes. We apply a hemispheric processing model of face recognition to visual word recognition; the model implements a theory of hemispheric asymmetry in perception that posits low spatial frequency biases in the right hemisphere and high spatial frequency (HSF) biases in the LH. We show two factors that can influence lateralization: (a) Visual similarity among words: The more similar the words in the lexicon look visually, the more HSF/LH processing is required to distinguish them, and (b) Requirement to decompose words into graphemes for grapheme‐phoneme mapping: Alphabetic reading (involving grapheme‐phoneme conversion) requires more HSF/LH processing than logographic reading (no grapheme‐phoneme mapping). These factors may explain the difference in lateralization between English and Chinese orthographic processing.     

Sex Selection Technology: A Prediction of Its Use and Effect

We surveyed 281 undergraduates to assess their sexual preference for a firstborn child and their willingness to use sex selection technology. Results indicated overall preference for a boy among these respondents whether or not they indicated a willingness to use reproductive technology. Black women reported a greater willingness to use technology than did White women (p < .05), and older respondents (p < .10) also reported a greater intention to use the technology. Catholics were less willing to use technology than all other religious sects (p < .05). Of the 51 respondents who indicated their willingness to use technology, 73% preferred sons (p < .01). This finding held across sex, race, religion, age, and income levels. Support for the women's movement was unrelated to either preference or projected use of sex selection technology.