This study, integrating psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives, investigates bilingual puns with phonetic approximations between two languages, Chinese and English, as a medium for humour and identity expression, and how phonetic approximations involving consonantal shifts (e.g., s/sh and f/h), vowel transformations, rhoticity, and additional schwa influence participants’ perception of bilingual pun stickers. A quantitative approach was used, involving two experiments: a speech production and perception task, and a response-time experiment. These assessed participants’ responses to phonetic approximations in controlled experiments and real-world pun stickers. The results indicate that phonetic similarity, particularly in consonants, leads to faster recognition times, while more pronounced differences, such as between /f/ and /h/, hinder recognition. Vowel roundness, diphthong shifts, and hiatuses were also found to significantly affect pun comprehension, whereas schwa insertion and rhoticity were less influential. The findings highlight the importance of phonetic awareness in bilingual education, with a focus on vowel and consonant accuracy in speech perception and production, and suggest applications of bilingual pun stickers in second language teaching, while acknowledging limitations such as sample size and the absence of multimodal analysis.

This study investigates the impact of environmental factors on neuroticism by focusing on a cohort of Chinese females born in the 1970s. Specifically, it examines the correlation between filial piety as an environmental factor and levels of neuroticism in these individuals. Compliance served as a mediator in the hypothesized model, and the ideal of filial piety was added to identify the effect of belief or thought systems on behavior. The research contains five hypotheses: (1) a positive correlation between filial piety and compliance, (2) a positive correlation between compliance and neuroticism, (3) a negative correlation between neuroticism, (4) a negative correlation between neuroticism and ideal filial piety, and (5) a positive correlation between filial piety and ideal filial piety. The result affirms hypotheses (2), (3), (4), and (5) while failing to demonstrate a correlation between obedience and filial piety. The failure to support this hypothesis may be attributed to limitations including questionnaire translation issues and the random selection of participants. Orientations for future studies have been discussed.

This article reviewed previous studies testing for the causal or correlational relationship between modality-specific brain regions (e.g. motor cortex) and processing of corresponding perceptual-motor semantics. The proposed experiment aimed to investigate the functional role of visual cortex in understanding visual-associated words by studying the selective effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to primary visual cortex on response time (RT) to visual-associated words in lexical decision task. Participants will receive either sham or true anodal-tDCS, then perform the auditory lexical decision task to decide if the stimulus is a word in English or a pseudoword word. The experimental prediction was that compared to sham tDCS, anodal tDCS will affect the RTs with visual-associated word stimuli significantly more than to nonvisual-associated word stimuli. If the experimental prediction is supported, then this experiment would provide additional empirical evidence for the embodied simulation hypothesis, whilst establishing a causal role for visual cortex in visual semantic processing.

Previous studies have supported the view that gambling disorder is associated with impaired decision-making. While scholars try to explain it through neurobiological approaches, this study aims to investigate different explanations from the perspective of evolutionary psychology. Our research will mainly focus on the underlying malfunction of risk sensitivity mechanism and effect of social comparison. Participants consist of non-disordered people and gambling disorder patients selected from volunteers and patients from hospital. There are two different situations (visible and invisible) to identify the impact of social comparison. Participants are supposed to choose different risk levels to get higher scores. The expected result of this experiment will be under the combined influence of the mechanism malfunction and social comparison. For gambling disorder patients, the malfunction of risk sensitivity mechanism will lead to an extreme preference for high risk and scores, while non-gamblers will stop or choose a low risk level after obtaining enough or a high score. Affected by social comparison, both kinds of participants will manifest a tendency for higher risk. This study will contribute to explaining differential performance between individuals with gambling disorders and non-gamblers in the gambling scenario through the theory of evolutionary psychology.

This literature review focuses on the effect of working memory deficits on academic performance in children with ADHD. Many research studies cover the basic aspects of ADHD’s impact on both working memory and school performance. However, many neglect the variance in academic performances that are affected. For example, many researchers have neglected the effects of ADHD on standardized testing. Many also conclude with biased experimental results that have been proven inaccurate. Many of the studies this literature review covers contain information from the past 20 years. ADHD is usually associated with a deficit in working memory. This leads to lower academic performances (SAT and standardized testing, especially in reading and math) compared to neurotypical children. This literature review can contribute to ADHD’s development on an academic path, giving notice to parents and teachers for extra care and accommodations for children with ADHD. Increasing social awareness and emphasis on ADHD intervention and education is part of the goal of this review. Furthermore, it is recommended to research and experiment with larger samples from diverse cultures for a deeper understanding of this topic.

When humans want to befriend someone, they must remember what their faces look like and try to link faces and names together. Sometimes, they may mismatch some of their friends due to the high similarity of faces. Indeed, they may not observe faces carefully so that information from faces is not deeply stored in their mind. People trained in visual art may have a stronger ability to recognize the features and structures of subjects than those who never undergo any art training. They may distinguish similar faces from the aspects common people are unaware of and accurately link faces to names in their brains. In order to explore whether regular visual art training can enhance people's face recognition & memory ability, experts and non-experts were invited to finish a self-reported questionnaire about their subjective face recognition ability, and an objective face recognition test called Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT). Through these two exams, the results found were not powerful enough to confirm the hypothesis, which meant the relation between visual art training and face recognition ability was still ambiguous.

Traditional foreign language exams in China typically prioritize listening, reading, and writing, often overlooking the importance of oral communication. This study aims to address this imbalance by investigating whether digital tools can enhance oral English proficiency among Chinese primary school students. Specifically, we focus on the use of digital technology, such as language learning apps, in improving speaking skills. The research involves 50 students, aged 12-13, who are divided into experimental and control groups. Both groups undergo pre- and post-intervention assessments to measure changes in oral proficiency. The experimental group uses a designated digital learning tool for a set period, while the control group follows the traditional curriculum without digital assistance. The results will offer valuable insights into the effectiveness of integrating technology into language learning curricula, providing practical recommendations for educators and policymakers aiming to improve foreign language teaching methods. This study seeks to contribute to the growing body of literature on digital technology in education and its potential to address gaps in traditional language instruction.

Previously, communication difficulties between autistic people and their non-autistic peers were attributed to the Theory of Mind deficit; an alternative model was proposed in the recent decade, arguing for a bidirectional breakdown in communication across neurotypes. By reviewing selected articles, empirical evidence favored the double empathy problem (DEP), suggesting both autistic and non-autistic people feel higher enjoyment when interacting with people of the same neurotypes. This review analyzed that autistic individuals rely less on facial expressions, directness of communication as well as better detail retention in written materials. However, researchers might want to incorporate autistic voices and explore the underlying mechanism of DEP to form a robust view. It is also important to create a neurodiverse world that can be beneficial for both autistic and non-autistic individuals.

Throughout history, the authenticity and credibility of children’s eyewitness testimony have been subjects of ongoing debate among researchers. Our study examines previous research on factors affecting the accuracy and reliability of children’s testimony, highlighting how external factors, particularly interview elements, significantly contribute to children’s false reports without dismissing their testimony solely based on age. These factors include question types, interviewer's attitudes, and specific interview protocols. These findings are crucial for the legal system, highlighting how external factors significantly contribute to children’s false reports without dismissing their testimony solely due to age. Finally, most studies have been conducted in Western country's contexts and might have been arguably affected by Western cultural norms. This paper also pointed out the lack of studies on cultural differences between Western and non-Western countries. Addressing this gap could provide new research directions for future scholars. Overall, we emphasize the need for meticulous interviewing techniques tailored to different contexts to increase the accuracy and trustworthiness of children’s statements.

This paper examines the contrasting concepts of love in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Classical Chinese thought. Through comparative analysis, it highlights how cultural contexts shape understandings of love. In Romeo and Juliet, love is depicted as intense and fervent, driving the protagonists to the brink of self-destruction and prioritizing personal emotion over societal norms. This individualistic portrayal emphasizes impulsiveness and selflessness. In contrast, the Classical Chinese view of love often focuses on familial relationships and social responsibilities, advocating a balance between personal desires and communal obligations. Despite these differences, Shakespeare's depiction of love offers a new perspective that can enrich the Classical Chinese understanding of emotional expression. This study not only explores the nuances of love in different cultural frameworks but also suggests that Shakespearean themes can provide valuable insights for enhancing Classical Chinese love narratives. Ultimately, this research serves as a foundational reference for further explorations of cross-cultural love concepts, encouraging deeper understanding and communication between diverse literary traditions. Future studies should expand upon this theme by examining additional works and perspectives to foster greater intercultural dialogue.