ORCID Profile
0000-0003-3273-7202
Current Organisations
Nanyang Technological University
,
Macquarie University
Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the Feedback Form.
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Teacher Education and Professional Development of Educators | Early Childhood Education (excl. Māori) | Education Systems |
Learner and Learning Processes | Pedagogy | Assessment and Evaluation of Curriculum
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 24-04-2008
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 26-09-2019
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-02-2014
DOI: 10.1111/CDEP.12059
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 08-2010
DOI: 10.1037/A0019152
Abstract: Gaze direction influences younger adults' perception of emotional expressions, with direct gaze enhancing the perception of anger and joy, while averted gaze enhances the perception of fear. Age-related declines in emotion recognition and eye-gaze processing have been reported, indicating that there may be age-related changes in the ability to integrate these facial cues. As there is evidence of a positivity bias with age, age-related difficulties integrating these cues may be greatest for negative emotions. The present research investigated age differences in the extent to which gaze direction influenced explicit perception (e.g., anger, fear and joy Study 1) and social judgments (e.g., of approachability Study 2) of emotion faces. Gaze direction did not influence the perception of fear in either age group. In both studies, age differences were found in the extent to which gaze direction influenced judgments of angry and joyful faces, with older adults showing less integration of gaze and emotion cues than younger adults. Age differences were greatest when interpreting angry expressions. Implications of these findings for older adults' social functioning are discussed.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 04-05-2007
Abstract: Three studies consider a basis for intergroup helping. Specifically, they show that group members may help others to disconfirm a stereotype of their own group as mean. Study 1 shows that Scots believe they are seen as mean by the English, resent this stereotype, are motivated to refute it, and believe out-group helping is a particularly effective way of doing so. Study 2 shows that increasing the salience of the English stereotype of the Scottish as mean leads Scots to accentuate the extent to which Scots are depicted as generous. Study 3 shows that increasing the salience of the stereotype of the Scots as mean results in an increase in the help volunteered to out-group members. These results highlight how strategic concerns may result in out-group helping. In turn, they underscore the point that helping others may be a means to advance a group's interest.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 02-2013
DOI: 10.1037/A0028387
Abstract: There is a large body of accumulated evidence from behavioral and neuroimaging studies regarding how and where in the brain we represent basic numerical information. A number of these studies have considered how numerical representations may differ between in iduals according to their age or level of mathematical ability, but one issue rarely considered is whether the representational acuity or automaticity of using numerical representations differs between the sexes. We report 4 studies that suggest that male participants show a stronger influence of the spatial representation of number as revealed through the spatial numerical association of response codes (SNARC) effect, through the numerical distance effect (NDE), and through number-line estimations. Evidence for a sex difference in processing number was present for parity decisions (Experiment 1), color decisions (Experiment 2), number-line estimations (Experiment 3), and magnitude decisions (Experiment 4). We argue that this pattern of results reflects a sex difference in either the acuity of representation or reliance upon spatial representations of number, and that this difference may arise due to differences in the parietal lobes of men and women.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 12-2021
DOI: 10.1037/EDU0000640
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-03-2004
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2005
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 11-02-2022
DOI: 10.3389/FPSYG.2022.800977
Abstract: Although it is thought that young children focus on the magnitude of the target dimension across ratio sets during binary comparison of ratios, it is unknown whether this is the default approach to ratio reasoning, or if such approach varies across representation formats (discrete entities and continuous amounts) that naturally afford different opportunities to process the dimensions in each ratio set. In the current study, 132 kindergarteners (Mage = 68 months, SD = 3.5, range = 62–75 months) performed binary comparisons of ratios with discrete and continuous representations. Results from a linear mixed model revealed that children followed an additive strategy to ratio reasoning—i.e., they focused on the magnitude of the target dimension across ratio sets as well as on the absolute magnitude of the ratio set. This approach did not vary substantially across representation formats. Results also showed an association between ratio reasoning and children’s math problem-solving abilities children with better math abilities performed better on ratio reasoning tasks and processed additional dimensions across ratio sets. Findings are discussed in terms of the processes that underlie ratio reasoning and add to the extant debate on whether true ratio reasoning is observed in young children.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 12-11-2022
DOI: 10.1177/1476718X211052785
Abstract: The first 3 years of life are identified as a period where children are primed for mathematical thinking, and a time where significant and critical development occurs. Additionally, mathematical ability in the years before children start school serves as a strong predictor of later achievement. However, many early childhood educators do not recognise the relevance of focussing on numeracy with very young children, and there remains a paucity of research on mathematical thinking and learning with infant and toddler aged children. This study sought to investigate early childhood educators’ perspectives on mathematics for children birth to 5 years of age. Educators were invited to complete an online survey and a mixed methods approach was used to interpret the responses. The findings revealed that even though mathematics was seen as relevant and important across the birth to five age range, these values were not significantly reflected in educator’s preferred or espoused teaching practices. The study also identified a range of factors that positively and negatively influenced educator self-efficacy and dispositions towards mathematics across their lifespans. Practitioner led research projects are suggested as an effective form of professional learning to incorporate into future research projects.
Publisher: Copernicus GmbH
Date: 22-03-2013
Abstract: Abstract. Several proxy-based and modeling studies have investigated long-term changes in Caribbean climate during the Holocene, however, very little is known on its variability on short timescales. Here we reconstruct seasonality and interannual to multidecadal variability of sea surface hydrology of the southern Caribbean Sea by applying paired coral Sr/Ca and δ18O measurements on fossil annually banded Diploria strigosa corals from Bonaire. This allows for better understanding of seasonal to multidecadal variability of the Caribbean hydrological cycle during the mid- to late Holocene. The monthly resolved coral Δδ18O records are used as a proxy for the oxygen isotopic composition of seawater (δ18Osw) of the southern Caribbean Sea. Consistent with modern day conditions, annual δ18Osw cycles reconstructed from three modern corals reveal that freshwater budget at the study site is influenced by both net precipitation and advection of tropical freshwater brought by wind-driven surface currents. In contrast, the annual δ18Osw cycle reconstructed from a mid-Holocene coral indicates a sharp peak towards more negative values in summer, suggesting intense summer precipitation at 6 ka BP (before present). In line with this, our model simulations indicate that increased seasonality of the hydrological cycle at 6 ka BP results from enhanced precipitation in summertime. On interannual to multidecadal timescales, the systematic positive correlation observed between reconstructed sea surface temperature and salinity suggests that freshwater discharged from the Orinoco and Amazon rivers and transported into the Caribbean by wind-driven surface currents is a critical component influencing sea surface hydrology on these timescales.
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2022
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-02-2017
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 02-07-2021
DOI: 10.1177/17470218211026800
Abstract: This study probed the cognitive mechanisms that underlie order processing for number symbols, specifically the extent to which the direction and format in which number symbols are presented influence the processing of numerical order, as well as the extent to which the relationship between numerical order processing and mathematical achievement is specific to Arabic numerals or generalisable to other notational formats. Seventy adults who were bilingual in English and Chinese completed a Numerical Ordinality Task, using number sequences of various directional conditions (i.e., ascending, descending, mixed) and notational formats (i.e., Arabic numerals, English number words, and Chinese number words). Order processing was found to occur for ascending and descending number sequences (i.e., ordered but not non-ordered trials), with the overall pattern of data supporting the theoretical perspective that the strength and closeness of associations between items in the number sequence could underlie numerical order processing. However, order processing was found to be independent of the notational format in which the numerical stimuli were presented, suggesting that the psychological representations and processes associated with numerical order are abstract across different formats of number symbols. In addition, a relationship between the processing speed for numerical order judgements and mathematical achievement was observed for Arabic numerals and Chinese number words, and to a weaker extent, English number words. Together, our findings have started to uncover the cognitive mechanisms that could underlie order processing for different formats of number symbols, and raise new questions about the generalisability of these findings to other notational formats.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 09-2015
DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2014.994537
Abstract: In line bisection tasks, adults and children bisect towards the numerically larger of two nonsymbolic numerosities [de Hevia, M. D., & Spelke, E. S. (2009). Spontaneous mapping of number and space in adults and young children. Cognition, 110, 198–207. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2008.11.003]. However, it is not clear whether this effect is driven by number itself or rather by visual cues such as subtended area [Gebuis, T., & Gevers, W. (2011). Numbers and space: Indeed a cognitive illusion! A reply to de Hevia and Spelke (2009). Cognition, 121, 248–252. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2010.09.008]. Furthermore, this effect has only been demonstrated with flanking displays of two and nine items. Here, we report three studies that examined whether this “spatial bias” effect occurs across a range of absolute and ratio numerosity differences in particular, we examined whether the bias would occur when both flankers were outside the subitizing range. Additionally, we manipulated the subtended area of the stimulus and the aggregate surface area to assess the influence of visual cues. We found that the spatial bias effect occurred for a range of flanking numerosities and for ratios of 3:5 and 5:6 when subtended area was not controlled (Experiment 1). However, when subtended area and aggregate surface area were held constant, the biasing effect was reversed such that participants bisected towards the flanker with fewer items (Experiment 2). Moreover, when flankers were identical, participants bisected towards the flanker with larger subtended area or larger aggregate surface area (Experiments 2 and 3). On the basis of these studies, we conclude that the spatial bias effect for nonsymbolic numerosities is primarily driven by visual cues.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-2001
Publisher: Leibniz Institute for Psychology (ZPID)
Date: 31-07-2023
DOI: 10.5964/JNC.10557
Abstract: There is ongoing debate regarding what performance on the number line estimation task represents and its role in mathematics learning. The patterns followed by children’s estimates on the number line task could provide insight into this. This study investigates children’s estimation patterns on the number line task and assesses whether mathematics achievement is associated with these estimation patterns. Singaporean children (n = 324, Age M = 6.2 years, Age SD = 0.3 years) in their second year of kindergarten were assessed on the number line task (0-100) and their mathematical performance (Numerical Operations and Mathematical Reasoning subtests from WIAT II). The results show that most children’s number line estimation patterns can be explained by at least one mathematical model (i.e., linear, logarithmic, unbounded power model, one-cycle power model, two-cycle power model). But the findings also highlight the high percentage of participants for which more than one model shows similar support. Children’s mathematical achievement differed based on the models that best explained children’s estimation patterns. Children whose estimation patterns corresponded to a more advanced model tended to show higher mathematical achievement. Limitations of drawing conclusions regarding what performance on the number line task represents based on models that best explain the estimation patterns are discussed.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 10-07-2008
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 07-10-2023
Publisher: IEEE
Date: 12-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2023
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 05-2011
DOI: 10.1037/A0023068
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 03-09-2020
Abstract: As a result of globalization, kindergarten curriculum frameworks in Asia have been strongly influenced by Western theories, pedagogies, and values. In this article, we argue that Singapore’s Nurturing Early Learners and Hong Kong’s Kindergarten Education Curriculum Guide present key notions that are inconsistent with cultural values that are deeply rooted in these two societies. To overcome the challenges these inconsistencies trigger for teachers, principals, teacher educators, and parents, we advocate for the design of 'glocal' (global/local, explicitly hybrid) curriculum frameworks, based on principles that are culturally appropriate and socially situated. Drawing on recent research studies, we analyze current curriculum ractice gaps in relation to the notions of Child-Centeredness, Quality Interactions, Creativity and Self-Expression, and Play. In seeking the global/local balance that is needed in Singapore and Hong Kong, four alternative glocal notions are proposed: Child-Appropriateness, Pedagogical Quality, Arts Engagement, and Child-Led Activities. We conclude there is an urgent need for generating a solid corpus of local research in both jurisdictions, which should guide subsequent curriculum reforms and teacher preparation models. Our final aim is to contribute to early childhood education policy discussions in Asia, against the background of internationalization.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 09-2018
DOI: 10.1037/DEV0000561
Abstract: Although algebra is a prerequisite for higher mathematics, few studies have examined the mathematical and cognitive capabilities that contribute to the development of algebra word problems solving skills. We examined changes in these relations from second to ninth grades. Using a cross-sequential design that spanned 4 years, children from 3 cohorts (Mage = 7.85, 10.05, and 12.32) were administered annual tests of algebra word problems, mathematical skills (mathematical relational tasks, arithmetic word problems), and cognitive capabilities (working memory, updating, inhibitory, task switching, and performance intelligence). The cross-sectional findings showed that ability to solve mathematical relational problems was associated strongly with performance in algebra word problems. Working memory and updating explained variance in the relational, but not the algebra problems. Using an autoregressive cross-lagged model with structured residuals to analyze the longitudinal data, we found relational and arithmetic performance predicted independently algebra performance from one year to the next. The strength of these relations was consistent across grades. These findings point to the importance of developing skills in relational problems as one of the tools for improving algebra performance. (PsycINFO Database Record
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-09-2012
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 11-2022
DOI: 10.1037/EDU0000732
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2010
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 26-06-2017
DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2017.1343865
Abstract: Understanding a child's ability to decode emotion expressions is important to allow early interventions for potential difficulties in social and emotional functioning. This study applied the Rasch model to investigate the psychometric properties of the NEPSY-II Affect Recognition subtest, a U.S. normed measure for 3-16 year olds which assesses the ability to recognize facial expressions of emotion. Data were collected from 1222 children attending preschools in Singapore. We first performed the Rasch analysis with the raw item data, and examined the technical qualities and difficulty pattern of the studied items. We subsequently investigated the relation of the estimated affect recognition ability from the Rasch analysis to a teacher-reported measure of a child's behaviors, emotions, and relationships. Potential gender differences were also examined. The Rasch model fits our data well. Also, the NEPSY-II Affect Recognition subtest was found to have reasonable technical qualities, expected item difficulty pattern, and desired association with the external measure of children's behaviors, emotions, and relationships for both boys and girls. Overall, findings from this study suggest that the NEPSY-II Affect Recognition subtest is a promising measure of young children's affect recognition ability. Suggestions for future test improvement and research were discussed.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1037/EDU0000090
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-05-2023
DOI: 10.1007/S10212-023-00708-2
Abstract: Number line estimation has been found to be strongly related to mathematical reasoning concurrently and longitudinally. However, the relationship between number line estimation and mathematical reasoning might differ according to children’s level of performance. This study investigates whether findings from previous studies that show number line estimation significantly predicting mathematical reasoning replicate, and whether this relationship holds across several points of the mathematical reasoning distribution. Participants include 324 Singaporean children (162 girls, M age = 74.1 months, SD age = 4.0) in their second year of kindergarten who were assessed on the number line estimation task (0–10 and 0–100) and mathematical reasoning skills. The results replicate previous findings showing that higher accuracy on the number line estimation task is predictive of higher mathematical reasoning, for both the 0–10 and 0–100 number line. Quantile regressions show that performance on the number line task similarly predict mathematical reasoning across the performance distribution. Possible differences between the 0–10 and 0–100 number line’s predictive capacity are discussed.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 13-06-2010
Abstract: Previous research revealed age differences in following the gaze of others. To date, however, investigations have concentrated on only young faces as target stimuli. The present study explored whether varying the age of target stimuli moderated gaze following in younger and older adults. Overall, older participants showed less evidence of gaze following, but this was qualified by the age of the face viewed. Younger participants showed an own-age bias, following the gaze cues of stimuli depicting those in their own age range to a greater extent than stimuli depicting older adults. However, a similar own-age effect was not found for older participants. These findings suggest that age differences in gaze following may be driven by younger participants having an advantage for processing the gaze cues from the faces of younger adults, highlighting the importance of varying the age of the target stimuli when assessing age differences in some aspects of social perception.
Publisher: Center for Open Science
Date: 20-09-2023
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2006
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-07-2021
DOI: 10.1111/DESC.13135
Abstract: Growing evidence suggests that parents’ practices contribute to their children's cognitive development and that such practices may reflect SES disparities. This study investigated longitudinal interrelations between home mathematics environment (HME), children's math achievement, and two facets of SES (mother's educational attainment and household income—subsidy status) during the first year in kindergarten ( n = 500 children M age at T1 = 57.3 months, SD = 3.8). Results revealed that these facets of SES operated through different mechanisms in kindergarten—the association between mothers’ education and math growth at the end of K1 is fully mediated by HME and children's baseline math knowledge. Furthermore, only home math activities that explicitly supported the understanding of addition and subtraction contributed to children's math growth independently of SES background. The pattern of longitudinal associations suggests that the provision of home math activities may reflect children's mathematical abilities rather than SES disparities.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-02-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.COGNITION.2011.05.003
Abstract: Older adults often perform poorly on Theory of Mind (ToM) tests that require understanding of others' beliefs and intentions. The course and specificity of age changes in belief reasoning across the adult lifespan is unclear, as is the cause of the age effects. Cognitive and neuropsychological models predict that two types of processing might influence age differences in belief reasoning: executive functioning and social cue detection. In the current study we assessed 129 adults aged between 18 and 86 on novel measures of ToM (video clips and verbal vignettes), which manipulated whether true or false belief reasoning was required. On both video and verbal tasks, older adults (aged 65-88) had specific impairments in false belief reasoning, but showed no such problem in performing true belief tasks. Middle-aged adults (aged 40-64) generally performed as well as the younger adults (aged 18-39). Difficulties in updating information in working memory (but not inhibitory problems) partially mediated the age differences in false belief reasoning. Also, the ability to decode biological motion, indexing social cue detection, partially mediated age-related variance in the ability to interpret false beliefs. These results indicate that age differences in decoding social cues and updating information in memory may be important influences on the specific problems encountered when reasoning about false beliefs in old age.
Publisher: Cordoba University Press (UCOPress)
Date: 24-07-2017
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 08-2011
Abstract: Research indicates that the most commonly held belief about deception is that people avert their gaze when lying. The present study assessed adult age-related differences in both the association between averted gaze and judgments of deception and the strength of the "deceiver stereotype." In Study 1, younger and older adult participants were required to decide if in iduals displaying direct gaze or differing degrees of gaze aversion were lying or telling the truth. In Study 2, a group of younger and older adults were explicitly asked about their beliefs concerning how different behaviors related to deception. Findings revealed that, compared with younger participants, when asked to decide whether in iduals were lying, older adults were less likely to associate direct gaze with honesty and averted gaze with deception. This effect was not due to age-related differences in the strength of the deceiver stereotype, as when explicitly asked, both younger and older participants associated averted gaze with lying. These findings provide further evidence of age-related differences in the ability to extract socially relevant information from the eye region, which might relate to changes in visual scanning of facial features with age.
Publisher: No publisher found
Date: 2002
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 12-2006
DOI: 10.1037/1040-3590.18.4.373
Abstract: Although several neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders can emerge during the preschool period, there are comparatively few instruments to assess executive control. Evidence for validity of the Shape School (K. A. Espy, 1997) was examined in a s le of 219 typically developing young children. There was good evidence for validity, as Shape School performance variables were interrelated and were associated to other criterion measures considered to measure aspects of executive control. Also suggesting validity, the Shape School variables varied as a function of whether the task demands (a) were executive, (b) required inhibition of a prepotent response or context-controlled selection among relevant stimulus-response sets, and (c) included unitary or concurrent processing. The Shape School may be an effective tool by which to measure executive control in young children who have atypical developmental patterns.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-01-2022
DOI: 10.1111/DESC.13218
Abstract: In this study ( n = 1000, M age at K1entry = 53.4 months, SD = 3.4 53% females), we investigated the contributions of the family socioeconomic status (SES maternal education and an income‐related measure) and number and age of siblings to the development of children's math, reading, and working memory (WM) updating skills over the kindergarten years. Results from a multivariate multilevel growth curve model showed that children from more disadvantaged SES backgrounds already had a multifaceted developmental lag at kindergarten entry. Maternal education was the aspect of SES that more clearly affected the child's cognitive development the mother's education predicted children's math, reading, and WM‐updating skills at kindergarten entry as well as the rate of development of reading skills over the kindergarten years. Independently of SES status, children with more siblings also showed poorer reading and math skills than those in one‐child families at kindergarten entry. We also found that both older and younger siblings affected, negatively, children's reading skills before they attended kindergarten—which suggests that the development of reading skills is more responsive to environmental factors during the first years than other aspects of the child development. The findings underscore the independent role of siblings upon entry to kindergarten, and the enduring role of maternal education even after children are exposed to formal schooling.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-03-2023
DOI: 10.1111/CDEV.13918
Abstract: This study recruited 428 Singaporean children at risk of math learning difficulties (MLD M age = 83.9 months, SD age = 4.35 months 41% female). Using a factor mixture model that considered both quantitative and qualitative differences in math ability, two qualitatively different groups were identified: one with generalized difficulties across different math skills and the other with more focal difficulties in arithmetic fluency. Reading, working memory capacity, and numeracy (number line estimation skills and numerical discrimination) uniquely explained group membership. Children within each group differed in the extent of difficulties they exhibited, with numeracy variables differentially contributing to math ability in each group. Findings speak against a dimensional view of MLD and underscore the conceptual limitations of using basic numeracy performance to profile learning difficulties.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 08-2004
DOI: 10.1207/S15326942DN2601_4
Abstract: To investigate the role of inhibitory control in preschoolers' ability to switch sets, 3 conditions of the Dimensional Change Card Sort task ( Zelazo, Reznick, & Pinon, 1995) were tested. In Condition B (novel response options, standard stimuli) action inhibition was reduced, but the need for attentional inhibition was maintained. In Condition C (novel stimuli, standard response options) demands on both action and attentional inhibition were reduced. Performance in these was compared to that in the standard condition (A). Rule complexity was comparable across conditions. All 21 children who passed preswitch (average age 37 months) were tested on all postswitch conditions, order counterbalanced. Although reducing demands on action inhibition (Condition B) did not significantly improve performance, when demands on both action and attentional inhibition were reduced (Condition C) almost all children (95%) successfully switched sets (even children only 2 1/2 years old). Inadequate inhibition (of attention alone or both attention and action) appears sufficient to account for virtually all errors by preschoolers on this card sorting task.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2008
DOI: 10.1016/J.COGNITION.2007.07.015
Abstract: Conflicting evidence has arisen from correlational studies regarding the role of executive control functions in Theory of Mind. The current study used dual-task manipulations of executive functions (inhibition, updating and switching) to investigate the role of these control functions in mental state and non-mental state tasks. The 'Eyes' pictorial test of Theory of Mind showed specific dual-task costs when concurrently performed with an inhibitory secondary task. In contrast, interference effects on a verbal 'Stories' task were general, occurring on both mental state and non-mental state tasks, and across all types of executive function. These findings from healthy functioning adults should help to guide decisions about appropriate methods of assessing ToM in clinical populations, and interpreting deficits in performance in such tasks in the context of more general cognitive dysfunction.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2011
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 31-10-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S13158-022-00341-Y
Abstract: Workplace bullying in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector is a pervasive and significant issue in Australia and globally. Workplace bullying can negatively impact early childhood professionals’ mental health, contributing to staff turnover and attrition. Given the current, and predicted, future shortages of ECEC staff, it is critical that strategies be implemented to support staff well-being and maintain healthy and safe workplaces. The aims of this study were to examine the current prevalence of workplace bullying in the ECEC sector in Australia and to identify protective workplace factors associated with lower prevalence of workplace bullying. Using a convergent parallel mixed methods design, findings are drawn from qualitative and quantitative survey questions within a large study on ECEC educators’ well-being conducted in Australia. Participants were 591 early childhood professionals working in ECEC a variety of ECEC settings. Findings indicated that 24.6% of respondents reported experiencing workplace bullying and that most bullying was perpetrated by co-workers. Some workplace factors were related to lower rates of bullying, including positive teamwork, better supervisor relations, lower work-related stressors and having greater influence on workplace decisions. Implications of the findings are discussed in relation to informing policy and practices to address workplace bullying in the ECEC sector by identifying aspects of the workplace that serve as protective factors.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2000
Abstract: In the Judd illusion, observers inaccurately bisect the shaft located between two arrowheads pointing in the same direction. The magnitude of error is greater when verbal judgements are compared to action based responses (reaching out and grasping the centre of the bar). This difference has been attributed to the presence of two visual streams within cortical processing. In contrast, we provide evidence that the improved accuracy in the reaching condition may be due to occlusion of the illusory background during the transport phase of the movement. We suggest that caution is required when interpreting performance differences between two conditions that are not strictly equivalent.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-07-2013
DOI: 10.1111/COGS.12060
Abstract: Despite the fact that they play a prominent role in everyday speech, the representation and processing of fixed expressions during language production is poorly understood. Here, we report a study investigating the processes underlying fixed expression production. "Tip-of-the-tongue" (TOT) states were elicited for well-known idioms (e.g., hit the nail on the head) and participants were asked to report any information they could regarding the content of the phrase. Participants were able to correctly report in idual words for idioms that they could not produce. In addition, participants produced both figurative (e.g., pretty for easy on the eye) and literal errors (e.g., hammer for hit the nail on the head) when in a TOT state, suggesting that both figurative and literal meanings are active during production. There was no effect of semantic decomposability on overall TOT incidence however, participants recalled a greater proportion of words for decomposable rather than non-decomposable idioms. This finding suggests there may be differences in how decomposable and non-decomposable idioms are retrieved during production.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 03-2010
DOI: 10.1037/A0018248
Abstract: The present study investigated age-related changes in the ability to discriminate between distinctions in the emotion underlying enjoyment and nonenjoyment smiles, both when making explicit decisions about feelings of happiness and when making social judgments of approachability. No age differences were found in the ability to discriminate between these two types of smile. However, older adults demonstrated a greater bias toward reporting that any smiling in idual was feeling happy. Older adults were also more likely to choose to approach an in idual who was displaying a nonenjoyment smile. Implications of these findings for older adults' interpersonal functioning are discussed.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 12-10-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FPSYG.2021.710470
Abstract: Existing research has mainly examined the role of cognitive correlates of early reading and mathematics from a stationary perspective that does not consider how these skills unfold and interact over time. This approach constraints the interpretation of cross-domain associations and the specificity of domain-specific covariates. In this study, we disentangle the role of these predictors and investigate cross-domain associations between reading, math, and two related domain-specific predictors (phonological awareness and fluency with number sets) over the kindergarten years ( n =512, Mage=54months, SDage=3.5, 52% females). Results reveal that the overlap between reading and math skills changes over development. Reciprocal associations between reading and math abilities are observed at earlier stages then, reading abilities become the lead force. Findings also show that phonological awareness and fluency with number sets are domain-specific predictors that do not contribute to cross-domain gains in academic skills. Indeed, there is a trend for domain-specific skills to be more strongly related to achievement at the beginning of formal education than at the beginning of kindergarten, which suggests an increasing differentiation of domains over the kindergarten years. Such findings have implications for the timing and nature of interventions that aim to support children’s reading and mathematical development.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-1997
Abstract: Children's arithmetical difficulties are often explained in terms of a short-term memory deficit. However, the underlying cause of this memory deficit is unclear, with some researchers suggesting a slow articulation rate and hence increased decay of information during recall, while others offer an explanation in terms of slow speed of item identification, indicating difficulty in retrieving information stored in long-term memory. General processing speed is also related to measures of short-term memory but has rarely been assessed in studies of children's arithmetic. Measures of short-term memory, processing speed, sequencing ability, and retrieval of information from long-term memory were therefore given to 7-year-old children. When reading ability was controlled for, arithmetic ability was best predicted by processing speed, with short-term memory accounting for no further unique variance. It was concluded that children with arithmetic difficulties have problems specifically in automating basic arithmetic facts which may stem from a general speed of processing deficit.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-2005
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2017
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Date: 2019
Publisher: Copernicus GmbH
Date: 05-11-2012
Abstract: Abstract. Interpreting stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) records from stalagmites is still one of the complex tasks in speleothem research. Here, we present a novel model-based approach, where we force a model describing the processes and modifications of δ18O from rain water to speleothem calcite (Oxygen isotope Drip water and Stalagmite Model – ODSM) with the results of a state-of-the-art atmospheric general circulation model enhanced by explicit isotope diagnostics (ECHAM5-wiso). The approach is neither climate nor cave-specific and allows an integrated assessment of the influence of different varying climate variables, e.g. temperature and precipitation amount, on the isotopic composition of drip water and speleothem calcite. First, we apply and evaluate this new approach under present-day climate conditions using observational data from seven caves from different geographical regions in Europe. Each of these caves provides measured δ18O values of drip water and speleothem calcite to which we compare our simulated isotope values. For six of the seven caves modeled δ18O values of drip water and speleothem calcite are in good agreement with observed values. The mismatch of the remaining caves might be caused by the complexity of the cave system, beyond the parameterizations included in our cave model. We then examine the response of the cave system to mid-Holocene (6000 yr before present, 6 ka) climate conditions by forcing the ODSM with ECHAM5-wiso results from 6 ka simulations. For a set of twelve European caves, we compare the modeled mid-Holocene-to-modern difference in speleothem calcite δ18O to available measurements. We show that the general European changes are simulated well. However, local discrepancies are found, and might be explained either by a too low model resolution, complex local soil-atmosphere interactions affecting evapotranspiration or by cave specific factors such as non-equilibrium fractionation processes. The mid-Holocene experiment pronounces the potential of the presented approach to analyse δ18O variations on a spatially large (regional to global) scale. Modelled as well as measured European δ18O values of stalagmite s les suggest the presence of a strong, positive mode of the North Atlantic Oscillation at 6 ka before present, which is supported by the respective modelled climate parameters.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2006
DOI: 10.1016/J.YHBEH.2006.02.008
Abstract: Digit ratio (as a putative indicator of prenatal androgen exposure) is related to a range of sexually dimorphic abilities, including spatial skills and mathematical ability. This study examined a phenomenon known as the SNARC effect (Spatial Numerical Association of Response Codes), which is taken as evidence of a mental representation of magnitude along a left-right-oriented number line, with low magnitudes associated with the left side of space, and high numbers with the right side of space. Participants made a parity judgement of numbers with responses made with a left key to odd numbers and a right key to even numbers. This was reversed for a second block of trials. Response times to numbers one to nine with both the right and left hand were calculated, and regression analyses conducted to analyse whether lower magnitudes were responded to faster with the left hand and higher magnitudes with the right hand. Participants with lower (more masculine) digit ratios on the right hand showed a stronger SNARC effect compared to participants with high digit ratios. This pattern of results was also found when the analyses were conducted separately for men and women. Results from left hand digit ratios indicated that only low digit ratio females showed a significant SNARC effect. These findings add to a growing literature on the relationship between digit ratio and cognitive abilities in this case, simple cognitive representations that are accessed automatically rather than complex skills such as mental rotation or "mathematics" where a variety of solution strategies may be utilised.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 09-2007
DOI: 10.1037/0882-7974.22.3.639
Abstract: Tasks assessing theory of mind (ToM) and non-mental state control tasks were administered to young and older adults to examine previous contradictory findings about age differences in mental state decoding. Age differences were found on a verbal ToM task after controlling for vocabulary levels. Older adults achieved significantly lower scores than did younger adults on static and dynamic visual ToM tasks, and a similar pattern was found on non-ToM control tasks. Rather than a specific ToM deficit, older adults exhibited a more general impairment in the ability to decode cues from verbal and visual information about people.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-04-2018
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 10-2012
DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2012.673631
Abstract: There is evidence from the SNARC (spatial–numerical association of response codes) effect and NDE (numerical distance effect) that number activates spatial representations. Most of this evidence comes from tasks with explicit reference to number, whether through presentation of Arabic digits (SNARC) or through magnitude decisions to nonsymbolic representations (NDE). Here, we report four studies that use the neural overlap paradigm developed by Fias, Lauwereyns, and Lammertyn (2001) to examine whether the presentation of implicit and task-irrelevant numerosity information (nonsymbolic arrays and auditory numbers) is enough to activate a spatial representation of number. Participants were presented with either numerosity arrays (1–9 circles or triangles) to which they made colour (Experiment 1) or orientation (Experiment 2) judgements, or auditory numbers coupled with an on-screen stimulus to which they made a colour (Experiment 3) or orientation (Experiment 4) judgement. SNARC effects were observed only for the orientation tasks. Following the logic of Fias et al., we argue that this SNARC effect occurs as a result of overlap in parietal processing for number and orientation judgements irrespective of modality. Furthermore, we found stronger SNARC effects in the small number range (1–4) than in the larger number range (6–9) for both nonsymbolic displays and auditory numbers. These results suggest that quantity is extracted (and interferes with responses in the orientation task) but this is not exact for the entire number range. We discuss a number of alternative models and mechanisms of numerical processing that may account for such effects.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 2002
Abstract: Contrasting predictions have been made about the effects of positive mood states on the performance of frontal lobe tests that tap executive functions such as inhibition, switching, and strategy use. It has been argued that positive mood is likely to improve some cognitive processes, particularly those dependent on the frontal cortex and anterior cingulate of the brain. However, there is some evidence that happy mood may impair executive functioning. The current experiments investigated the effects of positive mood on Stoop and fluency tests, which are frequently used to assess executive function. Positive mood impaired performance on a switching condition of the Stroop test, but improved performance on a creative uses test of fluency. The effect of positive mood on an executive task may therefore depend on whether a task is inherently motivating or is impaired by diffuse semantic activation.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-01-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S41809-021-00093-6
Abstract: Contemporary approaches suggest that emotions are shaped by culture. Children growing up in different cultures experience culture-specific emotion socialization practices. As a result, children growing up in Western societies (e.g., US or UK) rely on explicit, semantic information, whereas children from East Asian cultures (e.g., China or Japan) are more sensitive towards implicit, contextual cues when confronted with others’ emotions. The aim of the present study was to investigate two aspects of preschoolers’ emotion understanding (emotion recognition and emotion comprehension) in a cross-cultural setting. To this end, Singaporean and German preschoolers were tested with an emotion recognition task employing European-American and East Asian child’s faces and the Test of Emotion Comprehension (TEC Pons et al., 2004). In total, 129 German and Singaporean preschoolers (mean age 5.34 years) participated. Results indicate that preschoolers were able to recognize emotions of child’s faces above chance level. In line with previous findings, Singaporean preschoolers were more accurate in recognizing emotions from facial stimuli compared to German preschoolers. Accordingly, Singaporean preschoolers outperformed German preschoolers in the Recognition component of the TEC. The overall performance in TEC did not differ between the two s les. Findings of this study provide further evidence that emotion understanding is culturally shaped in accordance with culture-specific emotion socialization practices.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 03-2008
DOI: 10.1037/0012-1649.44.2.588
Abstract: The effect of 3 intervention board games (linear number, linear color, and nonlinear number) on young children's (mean age = 3.8 years) counting abilities, number naming, magnitude comprehension, accuracy in number-to-position estimation tasks, and best-fit numerical magnitude representations was examined. Pre- and posttest performance was compared following four 25-min intervention sessions. The linear number board game significantly improved children's performance in all posttest measures and facilitated a shift from a logarithmic to a linear representation of numerical magnitude, emphasizing the importance of spatial cues in estimation. Exposure to the number card games involving nonsymbolic magnitude judgments and association of symbolic and nonsymbolic quantities, but without any linear spatial cues, improved some aspects of children's basic number skills but not numerical estimation precision.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 24-08-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2012
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-07-2021
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 13-09-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FEDUC.2021.703112
Abstract: Childhood socioeconomic status (SES) is strongly predictive of math achievement in early childhood and beyond. In this study, we aimed to further our understanding of the mechanisms underpinning the SES-achievement gap by examining whether two aspects of self-regulation—executive functions (EF) and behavioral self-regulation (BSR)—mediate between SES and math achievement. Using data from a longitudinal study in Singapore ( n = 1,257, 49% males), we examined the predictive link from SES to math achievement at entry to formal education (age 7), and the role of EF (child-assessed) and BSR (child-assessed and teacher-rated) as mediators of the SES-math achievement relationship. After accounting for children’s non-verbal reasoning and prior math achievement, EF and BSR (both child-assessed) emerged as significant partial mediators between SES and math. A key contribution of our study is in demonstrating that both components of self-regulation play a small role in explaining SES disparities in math achievement. Our findings further suggest that a balanced focus on enhancing EF and BSR skills of children from low-SES families may help to attenuate the SES-math achievement gap. More generally, our research contributes new insights to the ongoing debate about the theoretical distinctions between EF and BSR.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 11-2021
DOI: 10.1037/PAS0001075
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 09-09-2019
Abstract: The SNARC (spatial–numerical association of response codes) effect is the finding that people are generally faster to respond to smaller numbers with left-sided responses and larger numbers with right-sided responses. The SNARC effect has been widely reported for responses to symbolic representations of number such as digits. However, there is mixed evidence as to whether it occurs for non-symbolic representations of number, particularly when magnitude is irrelevant to the task. Mitchell et al. reported a SNARC effect when participants were asked to make orientation decisions to arrays of one-to-nine triangles (pointing upwards vs. pointing downwards) and concluded that SNARC effects occur for non-symbolic, non-canonical representations of number. They additionally reported that this effect was stronger in the subitising range. However, here we report four experiments that do not replicate either of these findings. Participants made upwards/inverted decisions to one-to-nine triangles where total surface area was either controlled across numerosities (Experiments 1, 2, and 4) or increased congruently with numerosity (Experiment 3). There was no evidence of a SNARC effect either across the full range or within the subset of the subitising range. The results of Experiment 4 (in which we presented the original stimuli of Mitchell et al.) suggested that visual properties of non-symbolic displays can prompt SNARC-like effects driven by visual cues rather than numerosity. Taken in the context of other recent findings, we argue that non-symbolic representations of number do not offer a direct and automatic route to numerical–spatial associations.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 15-03-2006
Abstract: This study examines basic number processing (subitizing, automaticity, and magnitude representation) as the possible underpinning of mathematical difficulties often evidenced in deaf adults. Hearing and deaf participants completed tasks to assess the automaticity with which magnitude information was activated and retrieved from long-term memory (using a Stroop-like paradigm to assess congruity effects), the representational format of magnitude information (by analysis of distance and Spatial Numerical Association of Response Codes effects), and the ability to rapidly enumerate small sets (subitizing). Both groups showed distance effects taken to indicate the use of a visual-spatial analog number line representing approximate quantity. Furthermore, both groups showed similar patterns of performance on the subitizing tasks and showed similar amounts of interference in an analysis of congruity effects. This is taken as evidence against the notion that idiosyncratic differences in basic number processing account for mathematical difficulties experienced by deaf in iduals.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-01-2012
DOI: 10.1111/J.2044-8279.2010.02016.X
Abstract: Exposure to mathematical pattern tasks is often deemed important for developing children's algebraic thinking skills. Yet, there is a dearth of evidence on the cognitive underpinnings of pattern tasks and how early competencies on these tasks are related to later development. We examined the domain-specific and domain-general determinants of performances on pattern tasks by using (a) a standardized test of numerical and arithmetic proficiency and (b) measures of executive functioning, respectively. Participants were 163 6-year-olds enrolled in primary schools that typically serve families from low to middle socioeconomic backgrounds. Children were administered a battery of executive functioning (inhibitory, switching, updating), numerical and arithmetic proficiency (the Numerical Operations task from the Wechsler In idual Achievement Test-II), and three types of pattern tasks. Contrary to findings from the adult literature, we found all the executive functioning measures coalesced into two factors: updating and an inhibition/switch factor. Only the updating factor predicted performances on the pattern tasks. Although performance on the pattern tasks were correlated with numerical and arithmetic proficiency, findings from structural equation modelling showed that there were no direct or independent relationships between them. The findings suggest that the bivariate relationships between pattern, numeracy, and arithmetic tasks are likely due to their shared demands on updating resources. Unlike older children, these findings suggest that for 6-year-olds, better numerical and arithmetic proficiency, without accompanying advantages in updating capacities, will no more likely lead to better performance on the pattern tasks.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-05-2019
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2013
DOI: 10.1111/CDEV.12096
Abstract: Although early studies of executive functioning in children supported Miyake et al.'s (2000) three-factor model, more recent findings supported a variety of undifferentiated or two-factor structures. Using a cohort-sequential design, this study examined whether there were age-related differences in the structure of executive functioning among 6- to 15-year-olds (N = 688). Children were tested annually on tasks designed to measure updating and working memory, inhibition, and switch efficiency. There was substantial task-based variation in developmental patterns on the various tasks. Confirmatory factor analyses and tests for longitudinal factorial invariance showed that data from the 5- to 13-year-olds conformed to a two-factor structure. For the 15-year-olds, a well-separated three-factor structure was found.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 1999
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.ACTPSY.2014.03.009
Abstract: To date, there have been several attempts made to build a database of normative data for English idiomatic expressions (e.g., Libben & Titone, 2008 Titone & Connine, 1994), however, there has been some discussion in the literature as to the validity and reliability of the data obtained, particularly for decomposability ratings. Our work aimed to address these issues by looking at ratings from native and non-native speakers and to extend the deeper investigation and analysis of decomposability to other aspects of idiomatic expressions, namely familiarly, meaning and literality. Poor reliability was observed on all types of ratings, suggesting that rather than decomposability being a special case, in idual variability plays a large role in how participants rate idiomatic phrases in general. Ratings from native and non-native speakers were positively correlated and an analysis of covariance found that once familiarity with an idiom was accounted for, most of the differences between native and non-native ratings were not significant. Overall, the results suggest that in idual experience with idioms plays an important role in how they are perceived and this should be taken into account when selecting stimuli for experimental studies. Furthermore, the results are suggestive of the inability of speakers to inhibit the figurative meanings for idioms that they are highly familiar with.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-2007
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 15-08-2022
DOI: 10.1177/18369391221120958
Abstract: This paper details the research design of a multidisciplinary, multi-method, collaborative research project investigating health communication from the experiences of the early childhood education (ECE) sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the rapidly evolving pandemic, the ECE sector was instantly tasked with expanding their required health practices to prevent the spread of infection. It was evident that the sector needed a system to communicate health advice in a timely, consistent and effective manner. Founded on a partnership model based on ‘knowledge brokering’ theory, this project demonstrates the value of a multidisciplinary research team collaborating with stakeholder organisations to investigate how COVID-19 health information traversed through complexities of organisational layers and erse communities of families and staff. Detailing our data collection and analysis protocols, we conclude by outlining how our innovative research design is generating actionable and impactful recommendations for both the ECE and health sectors.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 2008
DOI: 10.1037/A0014348
Abstract: Previous research has investigated age differences in complex social perception tasks such as theory of mind and emotion recognition, with predominant findings of age-related declines. The present study investigated whether there are also age-related changes in basic aspects of social perception. In iduals' ability both to detect subtle differences in eye-gaze direction (e.g., where someone is looking in the environment) and to subsequently use these gaze cues to engage in joint attention with others was assessed. Age-related declines were found in the detection of the most subtle differences in gaze aversion. The ability to engage in joint attention by following gaze cues also declined with age. These age differences were not solely attributable to age impairments in visual perception and visual attention. The potential role of age-related neural declines in social perception problems was considered, along with the implications that age deficits in these basic social skills may have for older adults' social perception.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 12-2015
DOI: 10.1037/DEV0000063
Abstract: Younger and older adults differ in performance on a range of social-cognitive skills, with older adults having difficulties in decoding nonverbal cues to emotion and intentions. Such skills are likely to be important when deciding whether someone is being sarcastic. In the current study we investigated in a life span s le whether there are age-related differences in the interpretation of sarcastic statements. Using both video and verbal materials, 116 participants aged between 18 and 86 completed judgments about whether statements should be interpreted literally or sarcastically. For the verbal stories task, older adults were poorer at understanding sarcastic intent compared with younger and middle-aged participants, but there was no age difference in interpreting control stories. For the video task, older adults showed poorer understanding of sarcastic exchanges compared with younger and middle-aged counterparts, but there was no age difference in understanding the meaning of sincere interactions. For the videos task, the age differences were mediated by the ability to perceive facial expressions of emotion. Age effects could not be explained in terms of variance in working memory. These results indicate that increased age is associated with specific difficulties in using nonverbal and contextual cues to understand sarcastic intent. (PsycINFO Database Record
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-11-2010
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-08-2017
DOI: 10.1111/BJDP.12204
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-11-2016
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 26-05-2016
Abstract: The Test of Early Mathematics Ability–Third Edition (TEMA-3) is a commonly used measure of early mathematics knowledge for children aged 3 years to 8 years 11 months. In spite of its wide use, research on the psychometric properties of TEMA-3 remains limited. This study applied the Rasch model to investigate the psychometric properties of TEMA-3 from three aspects: technical qualities, internal structure, and convergent evidence. Data were collected from 971 K1 children in Singapore. Item fit statistics suggested a reasonable model-data fit. The TEMA-3 items were found to demonstrate generally good technical qualities, interpretable internal structure, and reasonable convergent evidence. Implications for test development, test use, and future research are further discussed.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 02-2019
DOI: 10.1037/XLM0000590
Abstract: Generally, people respond faster to small numbers with left-sided responses and large numbers with right-sided responses, a pattern known as the SNARC (spatial numerical association of response codes) effect. The SNARC effect is interpreted as evidence for amodal automatic access of magnitude and its spatial associations, because it occurs in settings where number is task-irrelevant and for different number formats. We report five studies designed to establish the degree to which activation of magnitude and its spatial associations is truly automatic and amodal. Based on the notion of autonomous automaticity, we hypothesized that the mere presence of a number form (to which participants made a color decision) would be sufficient to elicit the SNARC effect. However, we found no evidence of a SNARC effect for simple color decisions to Arabic digits (Experiment 1). There was a SNARC effect for color decision to digits when participants recognized the stimulus as a digit before responding (Experiment 2), participants viewed the digit for sufficient time before color onset (Experiments 3 and 5), or there was temporal uncertainty regarding color onset (Experiment 3). There was no SNARC effect for color decision to arrays of circles (Experiment 4), regardless of viewing time or temporal uncertainty. Overall, our results suggest that, while access to magnitude and its spatial associations is not automatic in an "all-or-none" sense, it is certainly at the strong end of automaticity, and that this automatic activation is modality dependent. Our findings are most supportive of conceptual coding accounts of the SNARC effect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-10-2015
DOI: 10.1111/CCH.12288
Abstract: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) assesses behavioural adjustment in children aged 3 to 16 years. To ascertain the appropriateness of the scale for a specific population, it is important to examine whether the distinctiveness of the scale dimensions can be verified empirically. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test explicitly which of three models better explain our data, and whether model fit was improved by the addition of method factors. Parents of 411 Singaporean kindergartners completed the SDQ. A four-factor multi-trait multi-method model (Prosocial, Conduct, Hyperactivity, Internalizing and two method factors) provided the best fit to the data. There was strong evidence for convergent and discriminant validity. However, differences in configural loading pattern indicated gender-related differences in the mapping of the SDQ items. Differences in factor structure across countries and gender may reflect differing conceptions of the underlying dimensions, as well as differences in normative expectations. However, our findings may allow its use as a screening tool to identify Singaporean children at risk of emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.RIDD.2014.03.047
Abstract: This study sought to examine the construct validity of the Family Outcomes Survey-Revised (FOS-R) in Singapore, describe the extent to which family outcomes of early childhood intervention (ECI) are attained, and obtain caregivers' perception on the extent to which ECI has served their needs. The FOS-R was translated into Chinese (simplified) and Malay for use in Singapore. Bilingual (i.e., English-Chinese and English-Malay) versions of the instrument were distributed to caregivers of young children with disabilities receiving ECI in four centers in Singapore. A total of 291 surveys were available for analyses (response rate of 43.1%). Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that there was a fit between the current data set and the FOS-R structure proposed by the developers. Overall, the participants reported moderately high attainment of family outcomes. They also reported that the ECI programs were mostly helpful. Other aspects of the cross-cultural application of instruments were considered and implications for local service provision as well as directions for future research were discussed.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.ACTPSY.2018.09.010
Abstract: The extent to which task and notation influence the processing of numerical magnitude is under theoretical and empirical debate. To date, behavioural studies have yielded a mixed body of evidence. Using the case of written number words in English and Chinese, we re-examined this issue. Thirty-nine bilingual participants who showed a balanced profile of language dominance in English and Chinese completed three tasks of numerical processing (Magnitude Comparison, Numerical Matching, and Language Matching) with pure English, pure Chinese, and mixed notation number words. We conducted frequentist and Bayesian statistics on the data. Magnitude processing, as indexed by the numerical distance effect (NDE), was found to be dependent on task. Specifically, the NDE occurred in all notation conditions in the Magnitude Comparison Task and mixed notation trials in the Numerical Matching Task only. However, the data indicated that magnitude processing was independent of notation. Task and notation had an interactive influence on overall speed of processing, where participants responded to Chinese number words significantly faster than other notations for the Magnitude Comparison and Numerical Matching Tasks only. Finally, Bayesian analyses indicated that task and notation do not interact to affect magnitude processing. Specifically, the Bayes Factor and posterior model probabilities of the Bayesian ANOVA yielded strongest support for the model with three main effects (Task, Notation, Numerical Distance) and two two-way interactions (Task × Numerical Distance, Task × Notation). These findings highlight the critical role of task in numerical magnitude processing, provide support for a notation-independent account of magnitude processing, and suggest that linguistic/orthographic factors, combined with task, may interact to affect overall speed of processing.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 04-2023
DOI: 10.1037/PAS0001188
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Start Date: 06-2023
End Date: 06-2026
Amount: $544,236.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity