Public Attitudes to In-House Water Recycling in England and Wales

This study, which is based on responses from over 300 individuals in England and Wales, explores how a willingness to use a water-recycling system of specific configuration varies against a number of factors which are linked to system design, system scale, system context, and water-conservation behaviour. Findings show that there is broad willingness to accept in-house water recycling provided that public health is not compromised.     

Teachers' brief nonverbal behaviors in defined instructional situations can predict students' evaluations.

Can a few seconds of high school teachers' nonverbal (NV) behavior predict students' ratings of these teachers (SRT)? Yes, but NV-SRT relations varied among various instructional situations. NV behaviors while administering the class and using the board were unrelated to SRT. Positive judgments of NV behavior while disciplining the class and interacting with students were positively related to SRT. NV behaviors in frontal teaching were negatively related to SRT. The most negative NV-SRT relations were found for teachers' differential NV behavior toward high- versus low-achieving students. Teacher differentiality and SRT have rarely been investigated in high school. The structure of SRT seems to differ between high school and college, and students' anger about teachers' differentiality strongly predicted their evaluations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Acceptability of genetically modified cheese presented as real product alternative

European consumers, in general, have negative attitudes towards the use of gene technology in food production. The objective of this study was to examine whether taste and health benefits influence the acceptability of genetically modified (gm) products when they are presented as real product alternatives. Consumers in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden (n=738) assessed two cheeses: one was labelled as genetically modified (preferred in an earlier product test) and the other as conventional (neutral in an earlier product test). A smaller control group received two cheeses with blind codes. Labelling decreased consumers' intentions to buy the originally preferred gm-labelled cheese, but still the intentions were at the same level with the conventionally labelled option. Participants chose two gm cheeses out of five possible when given the option to take cheese home after tasting. Intentions to buy gm cheese could best be explained by respondents' attitudes towards gene technology and perceived taste benefits. General health interest was also a reinforcer of intentions for gm cheese with reduced fat content.     

Predicting posttraumatic growth in breast cancer survivors.

Wide variability exists with respect to how breast cancer survivors respond to common psychological and psychosocial challenges of their disease, ranging from posttraumatic stress disorder to posttraumatic growth. This cross-sectional study examined contextual, disease-related, and intraindividual predictors of posttraumatic growth in 224 randomly selected breast cancer survivors. A series of hierarchical regression analyses found that age at diagnosis, marital status, employment, education, perceived intensity of disease, and active coping accounted for 34%, 35%, and 28% of the variance in growth in relationships with others, new possibilities, and appreciation for life. These findings suggest that a more comprehensive model of growth will be helpful in understanding the various factors that play a role in breast cancer survivors' perception of psychological and psychosocial growth. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Media ratings for violence and sex: Implications for policymakers and parents.

This article reviews research on the implementation of media-rating systems, parents' use and evaluation of them, and the impact of ratings on children. Although half or more of parents report using media-rating systems, understanding of various components of the systems is low, particularly for television ratings. A meta-analysis of national polls shows that parents overwhelmingly prefer that ratings specify content, rather than giving age recommendations. A second meta-analysis, of experiments testing the effects of ratings on children's interest in programs, shows that ratings indicating restricted or controversial content have a deterrent effect for children under age 8 but that, by age 11 and especially for boys, the ratings show a small enticement effect. This effect occurs for both age-based and content-based ratings. Implications for policymakers and parents are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Neighborhood disadvantage moderates associations of parenting and older sibling problem attitudes and behavior with conduct disorders in African American children.

Data from 296 sibling pairs (mean ages 10 and 13 years), their primary caregivers, and census records were used to test the hypothesis that African American children's likelihood of developing conduct problems associated with harsh parenting, a lack of nurturant-involved parenting, and exposure to an older sibling's deviance-prone attitudes and behavior would be amplified among families residing in disadvantaged neighborhoods. A latent construct representing harsh-inconsistent parenting and low levels of nurturant-involved parenting was positively associated with younger siblings' conduct disorder symptoms, as were older siblings' problematic attitudes and behavior. These associations were strongest among families residing in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods. Future research and prevention programs should focus on the specific neighborhood processes associated with increased vulnerability for behavior problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A connectionist implementation of the theory of planned behavior: Association of beliefs with exercise intention.

The theory of planned behavior suggests attitudes are a product of salient beliefs. This study examined whether aggregating salient beliefs was plausible within a more biologically centered information-processing environment. A neural network was used to examine associations among beliefs relating to exercise intention. Data on intentions and behavioral, normative, and control beliefs from 114 respondents were used to train (by error backpropagation) a neural network to associate beliefs with intention. The R2 between the network's estimated and self-reported intention was .66. The network's representation comprised 6 belief profiles associated with high, moderate, or low behavioral intention. The neural network accommodated complex relationships among beliefs and belief-intention associations and indicated how high-level constructs such as attitudes may be viewed as the best fit (compromise state) between aroused beliefs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

基于知识情感等级BDI主体的决策行为模型研究

为了将知识、信念、愿望和意图以及害怕、焦虑和自信对决策行为的影响的强烈程度进行形式化,把无穷值的卢卡斯维茨逻辑的真值取值范围从[0,1]扩展到[-1,1]。知识情感等级BDI主体的决策行为通过添加了具体条件的不同背景的不同测度来决定;知识情感等级BDI主体模型清晰地表示了主体的知识状态、心智状态和情感状态的不确定性;此模型可以轻易地向其他类型的主体进行推广。在给出了知识情感等级BDI模型的语言、语义以及此模型的不同背景之间的相互关系之后,对知识情感等级BDI主体的军事决策行为进行了实例分析。此研究旨在为分布式人工智能和军事仿真提供形式支持。     

第二语言课堂交流意愿研究

本研究以Gardner的社会教育模型和MacIntyre等人的L2交际意愿模型为理论依据者,通过问卷调查、课堂观察和访谈相结合,调查了复合型专业本科生英语交流意愿和影响交流意愿的因素。研究发现：(1)被试者对自己的交际能力评价中等,交流意愿中等;(2)课堂活动态度对交流意愿有预测作用;(3)被试者以往的学习经历和体验对交流意愿有负面影响。     

基于SVM融合多特征的介词结构自动识别

介词结构在汉语文本中出现频率很高,正确识别介词结构边界对句法分析、语音合成中的韵律短语划分有着重要意义。该文较为系统地探讨了汉语中常用介词的边界识别问题。利用支持向量机SVM模型,基于输出概率而不是简单的二分法来选择正确的后边界。探讨了不同的特征选择,并尝试加入语义信息等不同特征组合以提高识别准确率。对常用的68个介词进行边界识别实验,5折交叉验证的准确率达到90.95%,优于前人的识别结果。