A categorical approach to polyadic algebras

It is shown that a locally finite polyadic algebra on an infinite set V of variables is a Boolean-algebra object, endowed with some internal supremum morphism, in the category of locally finite transformation sets on V. Then, this new categorical definition of polyadic algebras is used to simplify the theory of these algebras. Two examples are given: the construction of dilatations and the definition of terms and constants.     

A multisensory interaction effect in the conceptual realm of time

Recent studies on the conceptualization of abstract concepts suggest that the concept of time is represented along a left-right horizontal axis, such that left-to-right readers represent past on the left and future on the right. Although it has been demonstrated with strong consistency that the localization (left or right) of visual stimuli could modulate temporal judgments, results obtained with auditory stimuli are more puzzling, with both failures and successes at finding the effect in the literature. The present study supports an account based on the relative relevance of visual versus auditory-spatial information in the creation of a frame of reference to map time: The auditory location of words interacted with their temporal meaning only when auditory information was made more relevant than visual spatial information by blindfolding participants.     

Role of Researchers in the Ethical Conduct of Research: A Discourse Analysis From Different Stakeholder Perspectives

The ethical conduct of research rests largely on researchers, and as such, an understanding of how they perceive and enact their role in research is paramount. However, the literature around ethics and research mostly focuses on researchers’ perception of Research Ethics Boards (REB; also known as Institutional Review Boards) roles and functions. To fill that gap, we analyzed the perceptions of researchers, REB members, and influential parties (n = 40) about researchers’ role in the ethical conduct of research through discourse analysis. Three discourses emerged: researchers as reflective practitioners, protectors of participants, and technicians. Understanding the commonalities and differences among the discourses may foster a shared and compelling institutional research culture.     

Effects of Environmental Uncertainty and Social Value Orientation in Resource Dilemmas

This study investigated the relationship between environmental uncertainty and social value orientation in a replenishable resource dilemma paradigm. One hundred seventy-two undergraduates harvested units from a common resource pool over 20 trials. Two levels of social value orientation (cooperative, noncooperative) were crossed with two levels of replenishment rate uncertainty (low, high). As predicted, noncooperators harvested significantly more resources than cooperators and high uncertainty subjects harvested more resources than low uncertainty subjects. The primary finding was the hypothesized three-way interaction among social value orientation, environmental uncertainty, and trials: Social value orientation moderated harvest decisionsonlyunder conditions of high uncertainty during the middle series of harvest trials. Noncooperators increased their harvests during this period, while cooperators harvested less and held their harvests constant across these trials. These results demonstrate that systematic individual differences exist in decision makers' responses to high environmental uncertainty. We suggest that social value orientation may exert its effect by influencing the scanning and processing of goal-relevant cues in this decision environment.     

Anatomoclinical correlations of the aphasias as defined through computerized tomography: Exceptions

We have studied the frequency of exceptions to classical aphasia localizations in right-handed, literate, adult, native speakers of Italian with focal vascular left-hemisphere lesions, correlating clinical and computerized tomography data. Two hundred sixty-seven subjects were given computerized tomography (CT) examinations; lesions were mapped onto lateral diagrams and the sites of the lesions were defined. Patients were then classified as nonfluent aphasics, fluent aphasics, and nonaphasics. Patients with negative CT scans (n = 10) or only "deep" lesions (n = 50) were not studied for anatomoclinical correlations. Of the remaining 207 patients, 36 presented unexpected findings. There were seven cases of fluent aphasia and "anterior" CT lesions and six cases with nonfluent aphasia and "posterior" CT lesions among them. The significance of these findings is discussed.     

Asynchronous language acquisition in developmental dysphasia

A longitudinal study was conducted to document and compare evolution of children with linguistic acquisition impairment. To determine whether development of the analytic mechanisms underlying linguistic processing occured in similar fashion, two children with mixed developmental dysphasia were assessed from 4 to 5:6 years of age with psycholinguistic tests at 6-months interval. Spontaneous speech and language production (consonant repertory in initial word position, MLU, and lexical diversity) were investigated in a standardized symbolic play context. The phonologic and lexico-morphologic evolution analyses revealed a marked improvement in motor control of phonology and in the application of morphosyntaxic rules in child 1, whereas child 2 was still impaired in phonology and morphosyntax. The singular developmental changes in spontaneous speech results indicate dynamic relationships between various language production facets and variability in the kind of deficit and lexical automation presented by these children. These contrasts in the evolution of language production profiles between child 1 and child 2 also underline the importance of longitudinal studies in the analysis of the atypical linguistic processing paths used by children with developmental dysphasia.     

Cognitive Load and the Equality Heuristic: A Two-Stage Model of Resource Overconsumption in Small Groups

Two studies were conducted to test a two-stage model of the psychological mechanisms underlying the overconsumption of scarce resources in small groups. The model proposes that members of groups sharing resources first anchor their consumption choices on an “equal-division” heuristic and then, given sufficient cognitive capacity, adjust their choices in a self-serving direction. The results from both studies support the model. The first study found that when faced with a common resource pool almost all group members expressed thoughts regarding equality; however, individuals with sufficient cognitive capacity requested more from the pool and expressed more task-relevant thoughts than individuals lacking the necessary cognitive resources. The second study provided additional support for the two-stage model by demonstrating that group members' cognitions occur in the order predicted by the model and by demonstrating that an individual difference, social value orientation, affects thought processes only when individuals are not experiencing high cognitive loads. Implications are discussed.     

Neural correlates of lexical and sublexical processes in reading

The purpose of the present study was to compare the brain regions and systems that subserve lexical and sublexical processes in reading. In order to do so, three types of tasks were used: (i). silent reading of very high frequency regular words (lexical task); (ii). silent reading of nonwords (sublexical task); and, (iii). silent reading of very low frequency regular words (sublexical task). All three conditions were contrasted with a visual/phonological baseline condition. The lexical condition engaged primarily an area at the border of the left angular and supramarginal gyri. Activation found in this region suggests that this area may be involved in mapping orthographic-to-phonological whole word representations. Both sublexical conditions elicited significantly greater activation in the left inferior prefrontal gyrus. This region is thought to be associated with sublexical processes in reading such as grapheme-to-phoneme conversion, phoneme assembly and underlying verbal working memory processes. Activation in the left IFG was also associated with left superior and middle temporal activation. These areas are thought to be functionally correlated with the left IFG and to contribute to a phonologically based form of reading. The results as a whole demonstrate that lexical and sublexical processes in reading activate different regions within a complex network of brain structures.