青年人的声音应该得到聆听

全世界居住在城市的青年人越来越多地寻找机会在影响他们生活的问题上发表自己的意见——说出他们生活中有关快乐与痛苦的真实情况。     

Effect of overlearning on retention.

The effectiveness of overlearning in enhancing performance has been acknowledged by researchers within the training community for years. In spite of this general consensus, the empirical basis for this claim is often not clear. This article presents a meta-analysis of the effects of overlearning on retention. Results indicate that overlearning produces a significant effect on retention of moderate overall magnitude and that the effect of overlearning on retention is moderated by the degree of overlearning, type of task, and length of retention period. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of gesture on speech production and comprehension

Hand gestures are ubiquitous in communication. However, there is considerable debate regarding the fundamental role that gesture plays in communication and, subsequently, regarding the value of gesture for telecommunications. Controversy exists regarding whether gesture has a primarily communicative function (enhancing listener comprehension) or a primarily noncommunicative function (enhancing speech production). Moreover, some have argued that gesture seems to enhance listener comprehension only because of the effect gesture has on speech production. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which gesture enhances listener comprehension and the extent to which the effect of gesture on listener comprehension is mediated by the effects of gesture on speech production. Results indicated that gesture enhanced both listener comprehension and speech production. When the effects of gesture on speech production were controlled, the relationship between gesture and listener comprehension was reduced but still remained significant. These results suggest that gesture aids the listener as well as the speaker and that gesture has a direct effect on listener comprehension, independent of the effects gesture has on speech production. Implications for understanding the value of gestural information in telecommunications are discussed. Potential applications of this research include the design of computer-mediated communication systems and displays in which the visibility of gestures may be beneficial.     

WAVELET-BASED STEGANOGRAPHY

Wavelets, which are used to separate data into different components, have many applications. Steganography, one such application, is a form of secret communication where the existence of a message is concealed. Methods for applying univariate and bivariate wavelets to steganography include embedding messages into the insignificant wavelet coefficients of decomposed signals and images. Recomposing then creates stego-objects that appear unaltered from the original cover-objects. First demonstrated is a technique for hiding messages in strings of data with linear trends using the univariate Daubechies D ₄ wavelets. Then, after developing the bivariate Haar wavelets and filters, a unique process of decomposing and recomposing an image in greyscale in order to implement steganography will be illustrated.     

Does stress lead to a loss of team perspective?

One of the more well-established findings in the research literature is that stress leads to a restriction or narrowing of attentional focus. In the present study, we extend this research to the group context. We propose that, in a team environment, the narrowing of attention induced by stress may result in a shift in perspective from a broad team perspective to a more narrow or individualistic self-focus, and this loss of team perspective may result in degraded team performance. The results of an empirical study found that stress resulted in a narrowing of team perspective and that team perspective was a significant predictor of team performance. Moreover, when the effects of team perspective were controlled, the effects of stress on team performance were substantially weakened. These results suggest that one way in which stress impacts team performance is by narrowing or weakening the team-level perspective required for effective team behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Status and cockpit dynamics: A review and empirical study.

One of the most troublesome dynamics evident in the airplane cockpit is related to patterns of authority relations between the captain and the first officer. Too often, captains fail to listen and first officers fail to speak. The authors propose that many instances of superordinate and subordinate behavior in the cockpit—the captain's tendency to reject input from other team members and the first officer's hesitancy to question the captain—represent cases of status generalization. First, the authors describe the theory of status generalization and show support for the operation of the theory by presenting examples of flightcrew behavior that the theory predicts. Second, an initial empirical test was conducted to instantiate the claim that captain–first officer differences can be seen as status differences. Finally, the significance and implications of this perspective are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Virtual Teams: Effects of Technological Mediation on Team Performance.

Recent advances in networking environments and telecommunications have led to the proliferation of teams that do not work face-to-face but interact over a computer-mediated communications network. Although some have asserted that virtual teams transcend boundaries of time or distance, others have claimed that working remotely in a mediated team environment differs in significant ways from working face-to-face. In this article, the authors examine the effects of technological mediation on team processes such as cohesiveness, status and authority relations, counternormative behavior, and communication. They discuss conditions under which distance matters in virtual team interaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of preparatory information on enhancing performance under stress.

Research conducted largely in medical and clinical settings suggests that receiving preparatory information prior to a stressful event can reduce negative responses to stress. Although results within this domain have been promising, little research has examined the efficacy of preparatory information on enhancing performance in a more applied task environment. This study examined the effect of preparatory information on reducing stress reactions and enhancing performance on a realistic decision-making task. Results indicated that those who received preparatory information prior to performing under high-stress conditions reported less anxiety, were more confident in their ability to perform the task, and made fewer performance errors than those who received no preparatory information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology and the military: Research applications and trends.

Perhaps no other institution has been as inextricably linked with the growth and development of psychology as the military. This symbiotic relationship, born of the expediency of World War I, rests on two roles: (a) the military as a test-bed or applied laboratory for the examination of psychological processes, and (b) the military as an impetus to initiate and direct research and innovation in psychology. In this article, we examine three areas of research that in historical perspective have most prospered from this relationship: selection and classification, training, and human factors. We address topics that hold promise for future collaboration and describe how the military manages research and development. Finally, to assist those interested in research opportunities with the military, we profile the primary behavioral science research organization within the Department of Defense. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)