The neural basis of altruistic punishment

Many people voluntarily incur costs to punish violations of social norms. Evolutionary models and empirical evidence indicate that such altruistic punishment has been a decisive force in the evolution of human cooperation. We used H2 15O positron emission tomography to examine the neural basis for altruistic punishment of defectors in an economic exchange. Subjects could punish defection either symbolically or effectively. Symbolic punishment did not reduce the defector's economic payoff, whereas effective punishment did reduce the payoff. We scanned the subjects' brains while they learned about the defector's abuse of trust and determined the punishment. Effective punishment, as compared with symbolic punishment, activated the dorsal striatum, which has been implicated in the processing of rewards that accrue as a result of goal-directed actions. Moreover, subjects with stronger activations in the dorsal striatum were willing to incur greater costs in order to punish. Our findings support the hypothesis that people derive satisfaction from punishing norm violations and that the activation in the dorsal striatum reflects the anticipated satisfaction from punishing defectors.     

The rupture and repair of cooperation in borderline personality disorder

To sustain or repair cooperation during a social exchange, adaptive creatures must understand social gestures and the consequences when shared expectations about fair exchange are violated by accident or intent. We recruited 55 individuals afflicted with borderline personality disorder (BPD) to play a multiround economic exchange game with healthy partners. Behaviorally, individuals with BPD showed a profound incapacity to maintain cooperation, and were impaired in their ability to repair broken cooperation on the basis of a quantitative measure of coaxing. Neurally, activity in the anterior insula, a region known to respond to norm violations across affective, interoceptive, economic, and social dimensions, strongly differentiated healthy participants from individuals with BPD. Healthy subjects showed a strong linear relation between anterior insula response and both magnitude of monetary offer received from their partner (input) and the amount of money repaid to their partner (output). In stark contrast, activity in the anterior insula of BPD participants was related only to the magnitude of repayment sent back to their partner (output), not to the magnitude of offers received (input). These neural and behavioral data suggest that norms used in perception of social gestures are pathologically perturbed or missing altogether among individuals with BPD. This game-theoretic approach to psychopathology may open doors to new ways of characterizing and studying a range of mental illnesses.     

Understanding overbidding: using the neural circuitry of reward to design economic auctions

We take advantage of our knowledge of the neural circuitry of reward to investigate a puzzling economic phenomenon: Why do people overbid in auctions? Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we observed that the social competition inherent in an auction results in a more pronounced blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response to loss in the striatum, with greater overbidding correlated with the magnitude of this response. Leveraging these neuroimaging results, we design a behavioral experiment that demonstrates that framing an experimental auction to emphasize loss increases overbidding. These results highlight a role for the contemplation of loss in understanding the tendency to bid "too high." Current economic theories suggest overbidding may result from either "joy of winning" or risk aversion. By combining neuroeconomic and behavioral economic techniques, we find that another factor, namely loss contemplation in a social context, may mediate overbidding in auctions.     

Agent-specific responses in the cingulate cortex during economic exchanges

Interactions with other responsive agents lie at the core of all social exchange. During a social exchange with a partner, one fundamental variable that must be computed correctly is who gets credit for a shared outcome; this assignment is crucial for deciding on an optimal level of cooperation that avoids simple exploitation. We carried out an iterated, two-person economic exchange and made simultaneous hemodynamic measurements from each player's brain. These joint measurements revealed agent-specific responses in the social domain ("me" and "not me") arranged in a systematic spatial pattern along the cingulate cortex. This systematic response pattern did not depend on metrical aspects of the exchange, and it disappeared completely in the absence of a responding partner.     

基于利益博弈视角的土地信托流转研究——以益阳“草尾模式”为例

土地信托流转是参与主体在现有制度下为追求自身利益最大化而进行博弈的结果。湖南省益阳市草尾镇创新土地流转形式,采用"政府出资+市场运作+农户自愿"的运作模式,形成了在全国十分具有典型性和代表性的土地信托流转模式——"草尾模式"。该模式对于抑制土地抛荒、实现土地规模经营等都有非常明显的效果。分析了参与土地信托流转的利益主体的利益诉求,并基于博弈理论分析了在有无土地信托公司的情况下流出方与流入方的利益博弈,最后提出了完善土地信托流转机制的相关建议。     

Serotonin modulates behavioral reactions to unfairness

Serotonin (5-HT) has long been implicated in social behavior and impulsivity, but the mechanisms through which it modulates self-control remain unclear. We observed the effects of manipulating 5-HT function on behavior in the ultimatum game, where players must decide whether to accept or reject fair or unfair monetary offers from another player. Participants with depleted 5-HT levels rejected a greater proportion of unfair offers, but not fair offers, without showing changes in mood, fairness judgment, basic reward processing, or response inhibition. Our results suggest that 5-HT plays a critical role in regulating emotion during social decision-making.     

Relation between obesity and blunted striatal response to food is moderated by TaqIA A1 allele

The dorsal striatum plays a role in consummatory food reward, and striatal dopamine receptors are reduced in obese individuals, relative to lean individuals, which suggests that the striatum and dopaminergic signaling in the striatum may contribute to the development of obesity. Thus, we tested whether striatal activation in response to food intake is related to current and future increases in body mass and whether these relations are moderated by the presence of the A1 allele of the TaqIA restriction fragment length polymorphism, which is associated with dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene binding in the striatum and compromised striatal dopamine signaling. Cross-sectional and prospective data from two functional magnetic resonance imaging studies support these hypotheses, which implies that individuals may overeat to compensate for a hypofunctioning dorsal striatum, particularly those with genetic polymorphisms thought to attenuate dopamine signaling in this region.     

基于心理契约的网络消费者重复购买意向实证研究

网络营销情景下,消费者在进行购买决策时对心理和情感层面的感知依存度很高,通过对消费者交易心理契约、关系心理契约与感知风险、网络信息以及重复购买行为之间的关系假设,并对这些变量进行分别测量的关系验证后发现,关系心理契约主要通过影响消费者的网络信任来影响重复购买意向,而交易心理契约尽管同样主要是通过网络信任来影响重复购买行为意向,但其对网络信任的影响度要低于关系心理契约。从这一点来看,加强关系营销是提高网络营销效果的重要途径。     

存在腐败行为的扶贫资金监察进化博弈分析

运用进化博弈理论研究存在腐败行为的扶贫资金监察问题,建立了对应的博弈模型,分析了下级官员和上级部门之间的行为选择,获得了各个博弈方的复制动态方程,探讨了博弈模型在不同情形下的进化稳定策略。研究结果表明,下级官员和上级部门在有限理性基础上得到的进化稳定策略与博弈双方的收益、系统所处的初始状态有关。并根据所提出的博弈模型,提出了合理性建议。     

扶贫资金监察的进化博弈分析

运用进化博弈理论研究扶贫资金监察问题,建立了扶贫资金监察问题的博弈模型,分析了地方官员和中央政府之间的行为选择,得到了各个博弈方的复制动态方程,探讨了博弈模型在不同情形下的进化稳定策略。研究结果表明,地方官员和中央政府在有限理性基础上得到的进化稳定策略与博弈双方的收益、系统所处的初始状态有关,并根据所提出的博弈模型,提出了一些减少扶贫资金使用低效性的合理性建议。     

Checkers is solved

The game of checkers has roughly 500 billion billion possible positions (5 x 10(20)). The task of solving the game, determining the final result in a game with no mistakes made by either player, is daunting. Since 1989, almost continuously, dozens of computers have been working on solving checkers, applying state-of-the-art artificial intelligence techniques to the proving process. This paper announces that checkers is now solved: Perfect play by both sides leads to a draw. This is the most challenging popular game to be solved to date, roughly one million times as complex as Connect Four. Artificial intelligence technology has been used to generate strong heuristic-based game-playing programs, such as Deep Blue for chess. Solving a game takes this to the next level by replacing the heuristics with perfection.     

基于因子分析的“村改居”社区社会资本现状研究——以南京市花岗幸福城为例

以南京市花岗幸福城的实地调查数据为依据,运用因子分析对"村改居"社区社会资本的现状进行分析,结果表明"村改居"社区社会资本由社区归属感、互惠、社区凝聚力、社区认同感、社区信任和地方性社会网络6个公共因子构成。并对"村改居"社区社会资本的培育提出了相关建议。     

一种基于博弈理论的无线传感器网络自私节点惩罚机制

针对无线传感器网络中的搭便车现象,基于博弈理论建立自私节点惩罚机制。将传感器的可信度分为多个等级,对其进行多策略博弈,使其更加符合无线传感器网络的复杂性特点,从而激励节点对可信合作策略的选取。结果表明,基于博弈理论的无线传感器网络中自私节点惩罚机制可以有效地解决网络中的搭便车问题,从而验证了该惩罚机制的有效性。     

German farmers’ intention to use autonomous field robots: a PLS-analysis

Autonomous field robots are a promising technology for solving several problems in agriculture, as they are electrical driven, can control weeds single-plant based mechanically or with microdoses of pesticides and exert less ground pressure on the field. Whether such robots will be applied on a large scale in German agriculture depends on various parameters. Therefore, the factors influencing the behavioural intention of farmers with respect to their future adoption of autonomous field robots were investigated. The analysis applies a structural equation model based on an extended version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. The dataset, collected in 2019, consists of 500 German farmers. The results reveal significantly positive effects of farmers’ expected performance, social influence and trust as well as significantly negative effects of farmers’ effort expectancy and anxiety on the behavioural intention to use autonomous field robots. Additionally, moderating effects of age on the relationship of individual constructs to the behavioural intent to use robots could be confirmed. The results provide important information for various stakeholders. Robot suppliers should better inform farmers about the performance of their products, for instance by involving farmers in the development process of the robots. The ecological benefits attributed to field robots could meet public expectations and should be better communicated to address farmers’ social influence on the behavioural intention to use the robots. Policymakers could try to create better framework conditions, for example by establishing a stable legal situation for autonomous systems or promote its use.

     

知识扩散何以影响稻作系统转型实践?——基于结构方程模型的链式中介效应

促进水稻—冬闲农作系统向绿肥稻作系统转型是强化区域耕地质量保护与提升、保障国家粮食安全的有效措施。基于南方稻作区安徽、湖南、广西三省区934份农户调查数据,采用PLS-SEM模型和Bootstrap检验方法,分析知识扩散对农户绿肥稻作系统采纳意愿的影响效果与作用路径,并进一步运用Ordered logit模型揭示异质性农户禀赋对其参与农业知识扩散活动的影响。结果表明：知识扩散对农户绿肥稻作系统采纳意愿具有显著正向的直接影响;外部风险感知与组织信任、生态服务价值感知与组织信任分别在知识扩散对农户绿肥稻作系统采纳意愿的影响中存在链式中介作用;知识扩散通过农户障碍感知对农户绿肥稻作系统采纳意愿产生显著的间接作用;参加合作社、务农经验、教育程度、家庭收入、身体健康状况均对农户参加知识扩散活动具有显著的正向影响。据此,本研究提出开展系统性宣讲培训活动、提高农户组织信任、改善农户禀赋条件等政策建议。     

Dissociable roles of ventral and dorsal striatum in instrumental conditioning

Instrumental conditioning studies how animals and humans choose actions appropriate to the affective structure of an environment. According to recent reinforcement learning models, two distinct components are involved: a "critic," which learns to predict future reward, and an "actor," which maintains information about the rewarding outcomes of actions to enable better ones to be chosen more frequently. We scanned human participants with functional magnetic resonance imaging while they engaged in instrumental conditioning. Our results suggest partly dissociable contributions of the ventral and dorsal striatum, with the former corresponding to the critic and the latter corresponding to the actor.     

基于价值和风险感知的旅游APP持续使用意向研究

信息技术的发展推动了旅游业与互联网的深度融合，近年来，移动端旅游APP受众广泛，但客户流失率高。基于消费者感知视角，将旅游APP用户群作为研究对象，构建影响旅游APP持续使用意向的结构方程模型，采用实证分析方法，探究促进和阻碍消费者持续使用旅游APP的影响因素。结果表明：消费者使用旅游APP过程中的感知价值以及信任对其持续使用意向有显著正向影响；在感知价值的四个维度中，功能价值对持续使用意向的影响最为显著、经济价值次之；感知风险对信任和持续使用意向的影响均不显著。     

The Gonzo Scientist. Slaying monsters for science

Slaying Monsters for Science John Bohannon The first scientific conference held in Azeroth, the online universe of the role-playing game World of Warcraft, went off virtually without a hitch. Although the participants all died during the final day's social event - a massive raid on an enemy fort - they agree that this event is a glimpse at the future of scientific exchange.     

标识管理制度对消费者转基因食品购买意愿的影响研究——以武汉市为例

标识管理制度是解决GMF供应链中信息不对称问题最为常见和有效的手段,对保护消费者的知情权和选择权至关重要。本研究通过对武汉市400名消费者的调查,运用SPSS 17.0对调查数据进行一系列分析,探究标识管理制度对消费者购买意愿的影响,并得出以下结论:武汉市消费者对转基因食品的购买意愿较低,对转基因标识管理期望较高,希望强制性加贴转基因标识,转基因标识管理制度是影响消费者转基因食品购买意愿的主要因素之一,其中,消费者对政府标识管理信任度、标识关注度显著影响其对转基因食品的购买意愿。     

意思表示错误及相关制度设计

意思表示是法律行为不可或缺的。传统的民法根据萨维尼的阶段性划分方法把意思错误划分为动机、内容、表示和传达错误,有其合理性。我国民法应在其他国家相关的制度设计上,结合本国国情,建立完善的意思表示错误体系。