Sensory and non-sensory factors and the concept of externality in obese subjects

9 obese and 9 normal subjects performed a psychophysical task in which food- or non-food-related stimuli were briefly flashed tachistoscopically at a speed and intensity near the visual threshold. A signal was presented on one-half the trials and noise only on the other one-half of the trials. Using signal detection theory methodology, separate measures of sensory sensitivity (d') and response bias (beta) were calculated. No differences were noted between obese and normal subjects on measures of sensory sensitivity but significant differences on response bias. Obese subjects had consistently lower response criteria than normal ones. Analysis for subjects categorized by whether they were restrained or unrestrained eaters gave findings identical to those for obese and normal. The importance of using a methodology that separates sensory and non-sensory factors in research on obesity is discussed.     

Probabilistic Mental Models with Continuous Predictors

Gigerenzer and his colleagues have sought to develop psychologically plausible models of human judgment. Their models are classified as ones of bounded rationality based on a principle of one-reason decision making. The models associated with the theory of Probabilistic Mental Models (PMM) have been developed for tasks in which all predictors are binary. This article extends PMM to the case of continuous predictors. The current model employs the limitation on the number of categories people use in making absolute judgments along a single perceptual dimension (7 +/- 2; Miller, 1956). The algorithm transforms each continuous predictor to be consistent with this limitation, then implements a step-down one-reason decision procedure similar to previous PMM models. Like previous PMM models, the 7 +/- 2 model predicts binary judgments as well as a multiple-regression model. However, the model does not successfully predict the probability judgments of individual participants, which is also true of all other models in the literature. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Estrogen abolishes latent inhibition in ovariectomized female rats

Estrogen is frequently prescribed as a method of birth control and as hormone replacement therapy for post-menopausal women with varied effects on cognition. Here the effects of estrogen on attention were examined using the latent inhibition (LI) behavioral paradigm. Ovariectomized (OVX) female rats were given either estrogen benzoate (EB, 10 or 100 microg/ml/kg; SC) or sesame oil vehicle. Males and OVX females receiving vehicle displayed normal LI. In contrast, LI was abolished in OVX females receiving EB. The lack of LI in OVX females receiving EB was a result of low suppression ratios, reflecting strong conditioning between the tone and the shock in these subjects even if they were pre-exposed to the tone. Thus, estrogen impaired the ability of OVX females to ignore irrelevant stimuli. Since different cognitive tasks vary in their required ability to ignore irrelevant stimuli, these results may account for some of the variations in the current literature on estrogen and cognition.     

Immune disorders and handedness in dyslexic boys and their relatives

Thirty dyslexic and 30 control boys aged 7–11 years were compared for frequency of immune disorders and handedness as well as for family history of immune disorders and learning disabilities (dyslexia and stuttering). They were also compared for neurological status and for history of speech and language difficulties. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the frequency of immune disorders and in handedness. The results showed significantly more dyslexic boys with soft neurological signs and signs of speech and language disorders. The frequency of dyslexia was significantly higher in the relatives of the dyslexic boys. Also significantly more mothers of the dyslexic boys reported difficulties during pregnancy and complications at delivery. The results are discussed in terms of Geschwind's hypothesis and neuromaturational delay as possible determinants of developmental dyslexia.     

Table of criterion values (β) used in signal detection theory

A table of criterion values for use with the theory of signal detection (TSD) is presented. Criterion values (β) are presented for varying proportions of hits and false alarms. A brief explanation of signal detection theory is given, and the measures for sensory sensitivity (d′) and response criterion (β) are described.     

Personal and social bases of children's self-concepts about physical movement

This project examined the personal and social bases of children's self-concepts about physical movement. Children completed the Movement Assessment Battery, ASK-KIDS self-concept inventory, personal and social self-categorizations. Participants were girls and boys from 5 to 12 years old. Study 1 (N=242) confirmed that the ASK-KIDS self-concept inventory could be extended to physical movement for younger and older girls and boys. In Study 2 (N=42), self-concepts about movement were not necessarily associated with actual performance and personal self-categorizations about oneself as a 'bookish' or 'sporty' person. In contrast, self-concepts about physical movement were associated with social self-categorizations regarding age and sex. Study 3 (N=70) confirmed the social basis of children's self-concepts about movement. Self-concepts about physical movement were associated with children's sense of belonging and not with a sense of individuality. The findings have implications for the design of programs that motivate children to participate in physical activities.     

Vesper bells and penumbra awaiting shadow: Heidegger and Zhuangzi’s hermeneutics of words

In Heidegger’s thinking, a language is neither words nor expressions. The discussion of a language brings not the language itself but rather us into its essence, and makes us gather unto “the genesis of the very language itself.” With snows and vesper bells, Heidegger summoned both heaven and earth and gods and men, making them merge into a single world. Likewise, Zhuangzi used the words of Qixie to summon the fleeting clouds in an endless sky and a dusky earth populated by living beings and dust.     

真实急病情境下共情对大学生慈善捐助的影响:有调节的中介效应

基于真实急病情境,采用道德强度、道德认同、共情和慈善捐助问卷对462名大学生进行调查,探讨了共情影响大学生慈善捐助的内在机制。结果显示:(1)女生在真实急病情境下比男生更容易对主人公的不幸事件产生共情反应;大学生真实急病情境下的共情反应随年级关系的疏远而逐渐降低;(2)共情在道德强度与慈善捐助的关系中具有部分中介作用,即道德强度通过共情对慈善捐助产生间接影响;(3)道德认同对共情的中介作用具有调节效应,具体而言,相对于低道德认同的个体,高道德认同的个体表现出更多的慈善捐助,并且共情对道德强度和慈善捐助的中介效应也显著增强。研究结论对于理解慈善捐助的内在机制具有理论价值,对于慈善捐助的教育和干预具有现实启示意义。     

Latent inhibition is affected by phase of estrous cycle in female rats

Estrogen has been shown to have a strong modulatory influence on several types of cognition in both women and female rodents. Latent inhibition is a task in which pre-exposure to a neutral stimulus, such as a tone, later impedes the association of that stimulus with a particular consequence, such as a shock. Previous work from our lab demonstrates that high levels of estradiol (E2) administered to ovariectomized (OVX) female rats abolishes latent inhibition when compared to female rats with low levels of E2 or male rats. To determine if this E2-induced impairment also occurs with the natural variations of ovarian hormones during the estrous cycle, this behavior was investigated in cycling female rats. In addition, pre-pubertal male and female rats were also tested in this paradigm to determine if the previously described sex differences are activational or organizational in nature. In a latent inhibition paradigm using a tone and a shock, adult rats were conditioned during different points of the estrous cycle. Rats conditioned during proestrus, a period of high E2 levels, exhibited attenuated latent inhibition when compared to rats conditioned during estrus or metestrus, periods associated with low levels of E2. Moreover, this effect is not seen until puberty indicating it is dependent on the surge of hormones at puberty. This study confirms recent findings that high E2 interferes with latent inhibition and is the first to show this is based in the activational actions of hormones.     

Can I leave my hat on? A cross-level study of multiple team membership role separation

This article conceptualizes role separation in multiple team membership (MTM) (i.e., the extent to which a multiteamer's role within a focal team is different from his/her role in another team) as a key predictor of individual and team outcomes. Existing literature on MTM focuses primarily on the total number of concurrent teams that an individual contributes to, and thus largely ignores the potential diversity that may characterize MTM. In Study 1, we develop and validate a measure of MTM role separation that reflects differences in (a) expected work results; (b) team collaboration; (c) leader expectations; and (d) client and/or customer characteristics. In Study 2, we use field data to examine the cross-level implications of MTM role separation. As expected, we find that MTM role separation is positively related to a multiteamer's role ambiguity within a focal team and, by extension, harms the performance of the entire focal team. This indirect relationship is not observed when a focal team's teamwork quality (TWQ) is high. We discuss how these findings advance our understanding of the multifaceted and multi-level nature of MTM and help multiteamers, team leaders, and organizations deal with MTM's challenges.