Advances in Cognitive Sciences
Year:2010 | Volume:11 | Issue:4 (44)|Papers Count:16

Objective: The aim of the present study is to assess the relation of the polysemic process of a Persian simple verb with cognitive factors. The present article evaluates the hypothesis holding that polysemy as a linguistic process in which a verbal element (here, a simple verb) takes diverse meanings, is not an accidental process, but is based on cognitive abilities, and methodological differences affect the semantic assessment of words. Method: This research can be considered as a theoretical study regarding its aim, and as a descriptive (non-experimental) and causal-comparative study regarding data collection. The samples of the study were randomly chosen from among classical and modern literature as well as colloquial language.Results: A characteristic of the present Persian language structure is having a very limited inventory (about 115 to 130) of simple verbs while there are many such verbs in languages such as French and English. Polysemy or in other words the presence of various meanings for a single verbal element can appropriately compensate for this shortcoming. In this study the polysemy of the verb “oftadan” is assessed based on concepts such as categorization, image schemas, prototypes and radial networks, which are central to cognitive linguistics.Conclusion: After assessing the samples, the hypothesis was approved and it was shown that humans’ physical and material experiences and tendencies influence their manner of conceptualization and understanding of polysemic verbs. Also, it was revealed that the best function of prototype is in polysemy. Semantic relations in a word are graduated and not absolute.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between cognitive disorders and depression in the elderly residing or not residing in care homes, the correlation between these two disorders, the comparison of the above factors in the mentioned groups, and ultimately, the comparison of these factors between male and female groups in care homes. Method: The Mini Mental State Examination and the Geriatric Depression Scale were used to evaluate cognitive disorders and depression in 120 elderly individuals.Results: Results indicated that depression and cognitive disorders are the most prevalent disorders among the elderly residing in care homes, and that there is significant relationship between these two disorders. The degree of cognitive disorder and depression was higher in females than in males.Conclusion: The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in the elderly residing in care homes is higher than those who do not reside in these locations, which is probably due to the heterogeneous elderly population of these centers as well as various stressors.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare alexithymia and emotional intelligence in two groups from gifted students’ school and normal students’ school. Method: 175 high school students (86 gifted, 89 normal) participated in this study. All participants were asked to complete the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (FTAS-20) and Farsi version of Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS). Statistical methods and indices including prevalence, percentage, means, standard deviation, multivariate analysis of variance and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used to analyze data.Results: The results revealed that gifted students had lower levels of alexithymia than normal students; but the difference in emotional intelligence was not significant. Alexithymia was negatively associated with emotional intelligence in both groups. Due to their better and faster understanding of emotional situations, and a more efficient processing and organization of these situations, gifted students suffer less from alexithymia. A high cognitive intelligence does not necessarily entail high emotional intelligence, since cognitive intelligence is fundamentally different from emotional intelligence.Conclusion: Alexithymia is a kind of deficiency in processing and regulation of emotions, and therefore, is negatively related to emotional intelligence.

Objective: The aim of the present research was to investigate the mediating role of maladaptive core beliefs and eating disorder beliefs in the relationship between parental bonding and eating disorder symptoms. Method: The statistical sample of this study comprised second grade high school students (403 individuals) who were selected from among public girls’ schools in the city of Tehran, using multistep cluster sampling. All participants completed the Farsi versions of Parental Bonding Inventory PBI (Parker et al., 1979); Young Schema Questionnaire YSQ: Short Form (Young, 1998); Eating Disorder Belief Questionnaire EDBQ (Cooper et al., 1996), and Eating Disorder Inventory EDI (Garner et al, 1983). Validity and reliability of questionnaires were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and factor analysis. The probable causal model was analyzed using covariance structure analysis or structure equation model.Results: Results showed that eating disorder beliefs and maladaptive core beliefs respectively play a moderating variable and a mediating variable in the relationship between parental bonding and eating disorder symptoms.Conclusion: Based on the mentioned evidence it could be concluded that parental bonding, primary maladaptive beliefs, and eating disorder beliefs can form bases for the development of eating disorder; however, each play different roles in the psychopathology of this disorder.

Objective: The goal of the present study was to evaluate the applicability of functional job analysis in the analysis of cognitive functions of occupational responsibilities in occupations of the National Petrochemical Industries Company (NPC). Method: Five trained evaluators selected a sample of 50 tasks from the form of 1387 and 1388 task statements, based on theory and method analysis. The evaluators rated things and people (to which the employees were related using their knowledge, skills and abilities in their physical cognitive and interpersonal functional areas) according to the instructions of this method.Results: Reliability was higher than what was expected in all instances and showed significant correlation with the evaluators’ ratings.Conclusion: The results confirmed the strength of this method in the analysis of occupation and executive capability in many organizations.

Objective: The relative high speed of experts in problem solving can inflexibly fix them on an early solution in some circumstances and negatively influence their efficiency in subsequent problem solving. The goal of the present study is the comparative evaluation of the effect of mental set on the problem solving of expert and novice students. Method: 48 novice and expert students solved Luchin’s water jar problems using a 2*3 (2 levels of expertness*3 levels of mental set) factorial design.Results: Results were obtained using factor analysis of variance and showed the following: 1) expert participants were more affected by mental set and were fixed on the early problem solving, 2) expert participants outperformed novices in solving non-set problems, and 3) non-set students outperformed mentally set participants.Conclusion: In some circumstances, expertise in problem solving may increase the vulnerability to mental set effects, and, therefore, worsen the performance (in comparison with novices).

Objective: The purpose of conducting this research was to investigate the relationship between epistemological beliefs (belief in simplicity of knowledge, certainty of knowledge, source of knowledge, innate ability in learning, and quick learning); motivational beliefs (mastery, performance, extrinsic goal orientation and self efficacy) and identifying the relative contribution of each in the prediction of cognitive engagement in students. Method: 316 students of Tabriz Islamic Azad University (201 females and 115 males) were randomly selected using one stage sampling, and completed the epistemological, goal achievement and motivational strategies for learning questionnaires. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis and Pearson’s correlation test.Results: Results indicated that cognitive engagement was positively correlated with self efficacy and mastery, goal orientation performance, and certainty of knowledge; and negatively correlated with extrinsic goal orientation, quick learning and innate ability in learning. Also, results revealed that self efficacy motivational beliefs is the best predictor factor of students’ cognitive engagement, and goal oriented mastery, certainty of knowledge, gender and innate ability in learning ranked thereafter. Innate learning ability had a negative relationship with and inhibitory effect on cognitive engagement.

Objective: An accompaniment has been established between philosophy and science by cognitive science and obtained conceptually and empirically defensible theories of mind. Method: This article examines methodological changes that occurred in cognitive science and its implications in methods of research in education.Results: The results of this examination shows that although there are diverse methods in investigation of mind such as conceptual analysis, computational approach, methodological materialism, simulation and etc., there is no accurate distinction between philosophy and science. Hence, at least in two aspects, these fields could be tied each other: the first is that methods of science have philosophical assumptions and the other one is that philosophy should be based on empirical basis.Conclusion: Thus, innovation and implication of cognitive science for research in education will fall dawn the boundary among philosophical and scientific research and so philosophical research on education will be in the process of scientifically research in education.