453 research outputs found
Philosophical and Psychological Housecleaning: A Mathematical Framework for Cognitive-Emotional Maintenance Across Lifespan Development
No full textThis theoretical paper presents a mathematical framework for philosophical and psychological housecleaning as an essential component of lifespan development. The framework emerged from an intellectual exercise called "Connect Four"—a methodology I have refined over three decades of application—linking any concept to psychology, philosophy, and consilience. When applied to the mundane concept of "housecleaning" suggested by co-author Tracy L. Boether, unexpected theoretical richness emerged. Drawing support from existing empirical literature on cognitive accumulation (Murre & Dros, 2015), rumination (Nolen-Hoeksema et al., 2008), and treatment resistance (Taylor et al., 2012), we develop a theoretical model for understanding cognitive-emotional maintenance processes. We define the cognitive space Ψ as a theoretical quadruple (B, E, M, τ) representing beliefs, emotions, memories, and temporal ordering. Based on empirical findings that information intake exceeds forgetting rates, we propose that cognitive accumulation follows A(t) = A₀ + ∫₀ᵗ [I(s) - D(s)]ds. We theoretically distinguish between toxic elements T ⊂ Ψ requiring elimination (metaphorically "mold") and dormant valuable elements V ⊂ Ψ requiring revitalization (metaphorically "dust"). The theoretical housecleaning operator H: Ψ → Ψ' is formalized as Ψ' = (Ψ \ T) ∪ R(V), representing elimination and revitalization processes. Drawing from treatment resistance literature, we hypothesize that maintenance difficulty increases exponentially: D(t) = D₀e^(λt), suggesting optimal quarterly maintenance intervals. The mathematical framework demonstrates internal consistency and formal rigor, providing precision in theoretical statements, constraints on theoretical proliferation, and generation of non-obvious predictions. We acknowledge seven major challenges to the framework—from metaphorical oversimplification to cultural bias—and propose specific research pathways to address each. The paper presents both real-life applications of the Connect Four methodology across three decades and a defense of mathematical formalization in theoretical psychology. While entirely theoretical and speculative, this framework demonstrates how consilience can transform everyday concepts into formal theoretical structures, providing a mathematical language for understanding cognitive maintenance that may guide future empirical research
Philosophical and Psychological Housecleaning: A Mathematical Framework for Cognitive-Emotional Maintenance Across Lifespan Development
No full textThis theoretical paper presents a mathematical framework for philosophical and psychological housecleaning as an essential component of lifespan development. The framework emerged from an intellectual exercise called "Connect Four"—a methodology I have refined over three decades of application—linking any concept to psychology, philosophy, and consilience. When applied to the mundane concept of "housecleaning" suggested by co-author Tracy L. Boether, unexpected theoretical richness emerged. Drawing support from existing empirical literature on cognitive accumulation (Murre & Dros, 2015), rumination (Nolen-Hoeksema et al., 2008), and treatment resistance (Taylor et al., 2012), we develop a theoretical model for understanding cognitive-emotional maintenance processes. We define the cognitive space Ψ as a theoretical quadruple (B, E, M, τ) representing beliefs, emotions, memories, and temporal ordering. Based on empirical findings that information intake exceeds forgetting rates, we propose that cognitive accumulation follows A(t) = A₀ + ∫₀ᵗ [I(s) - D(s)]ds. We theoretically distinguish between toxic elements T ⊂ Ψ requiring elimination (metaphorically "mold") and dormant valuable elements V ⊂ Ψ requiring revitalization (metaphorically "dust"). The theoretical housecleaning operator H: Ψ → Ψ' is formalized as Ψ' = (Ψ \ T) ∪ R(V), representing elimination and revitalization processes. Drawing from treatment resistance literature, we hypothesize that maintenance difficulty increases exponentially: D(t) = D₀e^(λt), suggesting optimal quarterly maintenance intervals. The mathematical framework demonstrates internal consistency and formal rigor, providing precision in theoretical statements, constraints on theoretical proliferation, and generation of non-obvious predictions. We acknowledge seven major challenges to the framework—from metaphorical oversimplification to cultural bias—and propose specific research pathways to address each. The paper presents both real-life applications of the Connect Four methodology across three decades and a defense of mathematical formalization in theoretical psychology. While entirely theoretical and speculative, this framework demonstrates how consilience can transform everyday concepts into formal theoretical structures, providing a mathematical language for understanding cognitive maintenance that may guide future empirical research
Understanding insertion and integration in a study abroad context: the case of English-speaking sojourners in France
No full textThis paper draws on a recent study of British students of languages undertaking a year abroad in France, in a variety of placements (as language teaching assistants, as exchange students, and as workplace interns). The data were gathered in the context of the 2011-2013 LANGSNAP project, a larger study undertaken which investigated both the language learning and social integration of British students spending an academic year abroad in France, Spain or Mexico Having made a positive choice to specialise in languages at university, and having already reached a relatively advanced level in French during their secondary school education, it could be assumed that these students were positively motivated to further develop their language skills, to deepen their intercultural understanding, and to integrate socially within the local society. Indeed, in pre-departure interviews (in French), the participating students unanimously expressed the wish to integrate and in particular to make French same-aged friends. The paper first of all presents an overview of the range of tools used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data on participants’ social integration. The paper then goes on to evaluate the degree of success of even such highly motivated participants in achieving this declared goal, and to consider social, sociolinguistic and personal factors which appear to influence the degree of social integration achieved by individual participants
From technical to teachable: Tone and vowel length
No full textLanguage documentation and description in their many forms (e.g., word lists, dictionaries and grammars, discourse representations, or audio/visual recordings) often for academic purposes of research, in and of themselves cannot save a language. They do, however, comprise a critical facet of the revitalization enterprise. Challenges come when these sources of information are overly technical and inaccessible to communities working to revitalize the language (Penfield & Tucker 2011; Rice 2011; Hinton 2001) and are perceived as only preservation oriented. This presentation discusses ways in which meeting community needs for teaching can be addressed through documentation designed to be mutually beneficial. Examples come from a revitalization effort focused on tone and vowel length in Cherokee.
Understanding the distinctive features of tone and vowel length in the Cherokee language without available resources has been challenging for second language learners whether in the classroom or studying on their own. With no corresponding audio and written examples for the learners, teachers, or researchers to refer to, learners felt limited. Responding to this community need, documentation served to specifically feed into teaching through a close interface between the different foci of documenting and creating educationally helpful tools. The collaborative aspect of the project brought together speakers, second language users, linguists, educational specialists, and others with a vested interest in taking documentation beyond preservation to facilitating teaching.
Documentation and acoustic analysis resulted in data about pitch and vowel length including visual representations (AUTHOR submitted). This technical info contributed toward a better understanding of the nature of Cherokee tone and vowel length. To convert this information to a useful form for language learning, we built on the idea that improving ability to receptively identify tones can generalize to production (Wang et al. 1999). Research indicates that the complexity of and confusion about input associated with tones can be lessened by providing visual pitch contours with written forms accompanying audio materials (e.g., Liu, et al. 2011) and also by presenting tones in pairs (e.g., Wang et al. 1999).
The resulting “teachable” component kept linguistics jargon to a minimum and incorporated visual representations in PowerPoint lectures with embedded audio that could be used by teachers plus allow learners to practice on their own. Constant input from teachers and learners helped guide the documentation process so it would result in information valuable to revitalization efforts – thus, teaching needs helped determine the direction the documentation work.
REFERENCES
AUTHOR. Submitted. “Collaborative Documentation and Revitalization of Cherokee Tone.” Language Documentation and Conservation.
Penfield, S.D. & Tucker, B.V. 2011. “From Documenting to Revitalizing an Endangered Language: Where do Applied Linguists Fit?” Language and Education, 25(4), 291-305.
Rice, S. 2011. “Applied Field Linguistics: Delivering Linguistic Training to Speakers of Endangered Languages.” Language and Education, 25(4), 319-338.
Hinton, L. 2001. “Audio-Video Documentation” In L. Hinton and K. Hale (Eds.), The Green Book of Language Revitalization in Practice, 265-271. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Wang, Y. Spence, M., Jongman, A., & Sereno, J. 1999. “Training American Listeners to Perceive Mandarin Tones.” Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 106(6), 3649-3658.
Liu, Y., Wang, M., Perfetti, C.A., Brubaker, B., Wu, S., & MacWhinney, B. 2011. “Learning a Tonal Language by Attending to the Tone: An In-Vivo Experiment.” Language Learning, 61(4), 1119-1141
ACT Family Violence Intervention Program review
No full textThis paper reports on a review of the Australian Capital Territory’s Family Violence Intervention Program, which provides an interagency response to family violence matters.
The scope of the review was to analyse the program’s activities and outcomes using 2007–08 data provided by participating agencies, supported by in-depth interviews with key stakeholders including victims whose matters had been finalised in court. After the completion of this report, additional data from 2008–09 and 2009–10 was made available by some Family Violence Intervention Program (FVIP) participating agencies. Although not within the scope of this evaluation, these data pointed to some preliminary improvements in the FVIP
Effects of estrous stage and time of day on prepulse inhibition in female rats
No full textPrepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response is a measure of sensory motor gating, and is affected in various neuropsychiatric disorders. Although PPI has been used extensively to study both the neural effects of such conditions, as well as in the search for animal models, a number of critical issues have been encountered. Published methods for testing PPI vary widely across many parameters, two of the most common being the phase of the light/dark cycle during which the subjects are tested and the inclusion or exclusion of females. While previous research has attempted to clarify the effect of these factors, results for both human and animal studies have often been contradictory. This study investigated the relevance of the estrous cycle and time of day as variables that may influence PPI in adult female Sprague-Dawley rats. Results indicate that PPI is not affected by estrous phase, but may be affected by the time of day of testing, particularly at higher prepulse levels. At the 86 dBs prepulse level, rats tested during the light phase of the light/dark cycle displayed significantly lowered PPI as compared to the animals tested during the dark phase. Additionally, other measures such as baseline startle, habituation and activity during testing did not vary across the estrous or light cycles. These findings indicate that while estrous phase does not have any effect on PPI in female Sprague-Dawley rats when tested under these parameters, the time of day during which testing occurs does have the potential to alter PPI.Accession Number: 18621080. Date Created: 20080804. Date Completed: 20081024. Update Code: 20081217. Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't. Journal ID: 7905558. Publication Model: Print-Electronic. Cited Medium: Print. NLM ISO Abbr: J. Neurosci. MethodsSource type: Electronic(1
Persistent changes in learning and memory in rats following neonatal treatment with domoic acid
No full textThe present study examined the effects of neonatal exposure to serial low dose injections of the glutamate agonist, domoic acid (DOM), on learning and memory in two spatial memory tasks in the rat. Neonatal Sprague Dawley rats were given single daily injections of low dose DOM (20 microg/kg) over postnatal days 8-14 and assessed as adolescents and adults in the radial 8-arm maze and the Morris Water Maze, respectively. Our results indicate that the DOM-treated rats showed a complex pattern of lasting alterations in learning and memory performance measures that were task specific. Adolescent DOM-treated animals, regardless of sex, demonstrated superior choice accuracy over seven days of testing in the 8-arm baited version of the radial maze. As adults, these same animals manifested improvements in several performance measures in the water maze. These improvements were also observed in a reversal task. However, when the escape platform was returned to its original position, some regression in search strategies were observed in the DOM-treated animals, especially the females, compared to their saline counterparts. These findings demonstrate that low-dose administration of a selective kainate receptor agonist during critical periods of CNS maturation produces lasting changes in learning and memory in the rat; adding to the ever-expanding body of literature which underscores the importance of optimal glutamatergic signaling to normal neurodevelopmental processes.Accession Number: 19146865 Language: English. Date Created: 20090223. Date Completed: 20090526. Update Code: 20090526. Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't. Journal ID: 0151504. Publication Model: Print-Electronic. Cited Medium: Print. NLM ISO Abbr: Physiol. Behav.Source type: Electronic(1
Neonatal domoic acid abolishes latent inhibition in male but not female rats and has differential interactions with social isolation.
No full textDeficits in attention have long been identified as a core feature in schizophrenia and related neuropsychiatric disorders. We have investigated the combined effects of neonatal treatment with domoic acid (DOM) and social isolation rearing (both putative animal models of schizophrenia) on latent inhibition (LI), a measure of attentional processing. Daily subcutaneous injections of 20 μg/kg DOM or saline were administered to rat pups from postnatal days (PND) 8-14. After weaning, rats were housed either alone or in groups of 4 until LI was assessed at PND 110 using a lick-suppression conditional emotional response paradigm. Neonatal treatment with DOM abolished LI behaviour in adult male rats regardless of housing condition when tested 48 h after conditioning, but this effect was not observed in female rats. Social isolation rearing also reduced LI in male rats, but not to the same extent as DOM. When tested again one week later, single-housed males treated with DOM displayed significant LI whereas saline treated or group-housed DOM males did not. No significant differences were found with females 1 week later. We conclude that neonatal DOM and social isolation both impair attentional processing in young adult male, but not female, rats although the mechanisms by which this occurs appear to be different.journal articleresearch support, non-u.s. gov't2014 Aug 222014 06 19importe
Altered pre-pulse inhibition in adult rats treated neonatally with domoic acid
No full textAltered functioning of the glutamate system during critical periods of development is believed to play a role in various neurodevelopmental disorders, such as schizophrenia. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response is deficient in people with schizophrenia. This study investigated the theory that neonatal treatment with domoic acid (DOM), a glutamate agonist, leads to deficient PPI. Results indicate that neonatal treatment with DOM leads to lowered PPI in adult males and an increased startle response in adult females.Accession Number: 17973071. Date Created: 20080605. Date Completed: 20080819. Update Code: 20081217. Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't. Journal ID: 9200312. Publication Model: Print-Electronic. Cited Medium: Internet. NLM ISO Abbr: Amino AcidsSource type: Electronic(1
NMDA receptor involvement in the effects of low dose domoic acid in neonatal rats
No full textWe have previously reported that neonatal rats display enhanced sensitivity to domoic acid relative to adults, and that perinatal injections of low doses of domoic acid alter early associational learning in the newborn rat. The current study was designed to further investigate the effects of low dose domoic acid on neonatal odour conditioning and to determine if the observed effects are due in part to an action on NMDA receptors. Groups of rat pups were conditioned to a novel odour on postnatal day (PND) 8, injected with 20 microg/kg domoic acid either alone, or in combination with the NMDA antagonist CPP (or appropriate controls), daily from day 8-14, re-exposed to the conditioning odour or a novel odour on day 9, and tested for odour preference on day 13 using a standard 3-choice paradigm. Results indicated that rats treated with domoic acid spent significantly more time over the conditioning odour than did saline-treated rats when tested on PND 13. This effect was antagonized by concomitant injection of CPP, indicating an involvement of NMDA receptors in the actions of DOM in this paradigm. Rats injected with either saline or CPP alone showed the opposite effect, i.e. a preference for the alternate odour. The results indicate that a very low dose of DOM produces a conditioned odour preference in neonatal rats and that this effect is due in part to NMDA receptor involvement, thereby emphasizing a role for both kainate and NMDA glutamate receptors in implicit memory
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