Table of Content

15 July 2025, Volume 41 Issue 4

Previous Issue   

A Comparative Study of Form-sound Integration between School-aged Children and Adults: The Mutual Influence of Visual Form and Phonetic Information

WANG Yuxuan, LIU Menglian, YANG Yinghui, BI Hongyan

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  457-464.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.01

Abstract ( )   PDF (772KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

This study employed a lexical decision task to investigate the differences between school-aged children and adults in the mutual influence between visual form processing and phonetic processing during form-sound integration. The results showed: (1) Regarding the influence of phonetic information on visual form processing, incongruent phonetic information interfered with visual form processing in children, while congruent phonetic information facilitated visual form processing in adults; (2) Regarding the influence of visual forms on phonetic processing, congruent visual forms facilitated phonetic processing in both children and adults, with a greater facilitating effect on phonetic processing in adults, while incongruent visual forms interfered with phonetic processing in both children and adults. This study reveals the differences in form-sound integration abilities between school-aged children and adults from two perspectives, that is, the influence of phonetic information on visual form processing and the influence of visual forms on phonetic processing.

Retrieve Key Steps to Promote Problem Solving

MA Xiaofeng, JI Xiying, ZHANG Qiyun, LIU Minghui, ZHANG Jing

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  465-472.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.02

Abstract ( )   PDF (1561KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Recent research has shown that example study only(EE) was more effective(higher test performance) and efficient(attained with less effort invested in learning or test tasks) than example-problem pairs(EP). For problem solving, free recall and problem-solving bring a heavy cognitive load. The process of acquiring knowledge is gradual, and fade example can be used as scaffolding to support the transition from schema acquisition to schema application. And Carpenter et al. (2020) showed that the potential of retrieval practice to promote problem solving depends on how well it enhances the memory of the necessary information needed to solve problems. The necessary information needed to solve the problem may be the key step in the solution step. Therefore, in order to reduce the cognitive load and ensure that the necessary information for solving new problems can be retrieved, this study assumes that retrieving the key steps in problem solving in the learning process can promote the performance of problem solving. Through an experiment, this study investigated the influence of retrieving key steps on problem solving. In the experiment, the complementary method is used to determine the key steps in the example. One hundred and twenty college students participated in the material evaluation. One hundred and twenty college students were randomly assigned to four experimental conditions (lack of worked example from step one or step two or step three or step four). Chi-square test was conducted for the number of people who wrote correctly and the wrong number of people. It is found that the fourth step in the example is the key step to solve the problem. For the formal experiment, eighty-nine college students participated in the experiment. The experiment was designed by single factor (learning strategy: worked example repeated learning group, worked example-problem solving group, worked example-key step retrieved group) between subjects. The results show that the main effect of learning strategies is significant, and the test scores of the worked example-key step retrieved group are significantly higher than those of the worked example repeated learning group and the worked example-problem solving group. There is no significant difference between the worked example repeated learning group and the worked example-problem solving group. For cognitive load, the main effect of learning strategies is not significant. As for the comprehensive index of cognitive load, the main effect of learning strategies is significant. And the cognitive load of worked example repeated learning group is significantly higher than that of worked example-key step retrieved group and worked example-problem solving group. There is no significant difference between the cognitive load of the worked example-key step retrieved group and the worked example-problem solving group. The results of this study have a positive influence on actual instructions. For the study of problem solving, teachers can provide appropriate teaching tips for students in the learning process, that students can retrieve the key steps in problem solving, and help students to effectively promote learning and solve problems.

The Intrinsic Relationship between Domain General and Domain Specific Abilities and Dyscalculia and Its Implications: Based on A Meta-analysis Perspective

WANG Yanjiao, HUANG Jiazhen, LONG Jia, WANG Pei

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  473-481.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.03

Abstract ( )   PDF (1498KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

The causes of dyscalculia are mainly related to the deficits of domain general abilities and domain specific abilities. A meta-analysis method was used to explore the specific effects of domain general and domain specific ability deficits on dyscalculia children in mainland China in this study. The literature published between 1991~2021 on children with numeracy disorders in mainland was searched and screened, resulting in 142 articles, 1220 independent effect sizes, 6921 children with numeracy disorders and 6913 normal children for meta-analysis. The results showed that both domain general ability deficits and domain specific ability deficits were significant contributors to children with dyscalculia (g = -0.87). Domain-specific ability deficits (g = -1.06) were more likely than domain-general ability deficits (g = -0.63) to contribute to the development of dyscalculia in children. Parents, educators and social personnel need to take appropriate measures for specific defects to actively intervene and educate children with dyscalculia.

The Effect of Pedagogical Agent on Cognitive Absorption and Its Internal Mechanism

HENG Shupeng, ZHAO Huanfang, ZHOU Zongkui

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  482-490.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.04

Abstract ( )   PDF (1131KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

The present study tested whether pedagogical agent(PA) can improve cognitive absorption, and whether social presence would mediate the association between pedagogical agent(PA) and cognitive absorption, and the effect of individuals’ tendency to form parasocial relationships (TPSR). The experiment employed a 2(Agent: PA vs.non-PA)×2( TPSR: high vs.low) between-subjects design.Participants (n=92) were dichotomized into high TPSR (n=45) and low TPSR (n=47), and randomly assigned to PA group (n=47) or non-PA group (n=45). Results of ANOVAs showed that there were main effects for pedagogical agent and for TPSR on both social presence and cognitive absorption, and there was also a significant interaction between PA and TPSR for both dependent variables.The results also revealed a mediated moderation.TPSR moderated the effect of PA on cognitive absorption, and the moderating effect of TPSR was mediated by social presence.

The Influence of Basic Emotions and Moral Emotions on Moral Judgment across Different Age Groups

FENG Na, LIANG Feng, WANG Fen, HE Chunli, ZHANG Hui

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  491-499.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.05

Abstract ( )   PDF (1699KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Moral judgment refers to evaluating moral behaviors based on one’s principles. This study explored the impact of basic and moral emotions on moral judgment across different age groups through two experiments. Results: (1) Emotion impacts children's moral judgment differently based on emotion type; moral emotions affect their evaluation of behavior, with proud promoting prosocial tendencies and leniency towards antisocial behavior, while shame leads to harsher attitudes towards antisocial behavior; (2) Emotion also influences adults' moral judgment, but primarily in evaluating prosocial behavior; positive emotions like happiness and pride lead to rational rewards for prosocial actions, whereas negative emotions such as sadness and shame increase appreciation for prosocial behavior. This study sheds light on the impact of various emotional contents on the moral cognition of both young children and adults, offering scientific evidence for effective moral education.

The Neural Basis of Physical Manipulation Promoting Children’s Learning of Geometric Concept: An fNIRS Study

SHI Licheng, LENG Ying, TAN Dingliang

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  500-509.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.06

Abstract ( )   PDF (2229KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Physical manipulation is beneficial for young children's learning. However, for children with abstract thinking, researchers hold different opinions on whether physical manipulation promotes or hinders learning. The neural basis for the effect of physical manipulation has yet to be clarified. The learning-test paradigm and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technique were used to compare the learning results and brain activation patterns between the physical manipulation group and the observational learning group. The results showed that: (1) Physical manipulation promoted children's learning of geometric concept. Children in the physical manipulation group extracted concepts faster and more accurate than those in the observational learning group; (2) In the stage of geometric concept encoding, physical manipulation caused the activation of the somatosensory association cortex, accompanied by a significant inhibition of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which was more prominent in those with low academic level; (3) In the retrieval stage, the somatosensory association cortex was reactivated, and its activation level positively predicted the accuracy. These results suggested that physical manipulation activated the somatosensory cortex, thereby promoting geometric concept learning for children with abstract thinking. Physical manipulation promotes understanding of geometric concepts and alleviate cognitive load, which is more beneficial for children with lower mathematical academic level.

The Effects of Social Mobility Beliefs on Academic Persistence of Chinese Rural Adolescents in Areas out of Povery: The Moderating Role of Academic Coping Strategies

ZHANG Feng, HUANG Silin, MEI Kehan, ZHANG Jiatian, DENG Yiyi

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  510-517.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.07

Abstract ( )   PDF (988KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Academic persistence can help adolescents in relative poverty achieve good academic achievement, which helps them improve their family’s socioeconomic situation through education. Thus, it is of great significance to explore the factors that promote academic persistence. Adolescents with non-urban household registration in the areas out of poverty were followed for one year, to reveal the effect of social mobility beliefs on academic persistence and its boundary conditions. The results showed that: (1) Social mobility beliefs at T1 were nonsignificantly related to academic persistence at T2; (2) Academic coping strategies moderated the relationship between social mobility beliefs and academic persistence one year later, and the relationship was significant for adolescents with higher levels of academic coping strategies. In conclusion, the findings indicated that academic coping strategies positively moderate the relationship between social mobility beliefs and academic persistence.These findings emphasized the significance of both upward social mobility beliefs and coping strategies when facing difficult tasks and challenges for rural adolescents’ academic persistence. Moreover, it may also reveal the effectiveness of the connotation of “both ambition and intelligence” educational assistance policy in China’s post-poverty transition period from a psychological perspective.

Combined Effects of Maternal Rejection and Dopaminergic Polygenes on Externalizing Behavior in Preschoolers: A Proximal Mechanism of Effortful Control

XING Shufen, BAI Rong, LIU Xia, LI Sen

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  518-527.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.08

Abstract ( )   PDF (1267KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Two hundred and eighty-five preschool children and their mothers were recruited as participants to examine the effect and mechanism of maternal rejection and dopaminergic genes on children’s externalizing behavior. Mothers reported their rejective parenting behaviors, children’s externalizing behaviors, and effortful control. Children’s dopaminergic genes were typed by collecting saliva. After controlling children’s sex, age, and parental education levels, results showed that: (1) Maternal rejection was a significant predictor of children’s externalizing behavior; (2) There was a significant interaction between maternal rejection and dopamine polygenic cumulative scores on children’s externalizing behaviors. The interaction was in line with the “diathesis-stress model”. That is, compared with children with higher polygenic cumulative scores, children with lower scores showed more externalizing behaviors when experienced maternal rejection; (3) The mediating role of children’s effortful control was significant in the above interaction. These findings provide support for theoretical development and intervention research in the field.

A Common Factor Model of Callous-unemotional Traits and Borderline Personality Traits in Adolescents: A Cross-lagged Study

PENG Daju, CHENG Cheng, GUO Peiyang, XU Yang

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  528-538.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.09

Abstract ( )   PDF (2043KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

On a sample of 450 middle school students who were followed up for one year, the current study examined the bidirectional relationship between sensitivity to threat, social affiliation, and callous-unemotional traits, borderline personality traits by cross-lagged modeling. The results revealed that: (1) The sensitivity to threat and callous-unemotional traits can predict each other; the social affiliation at T1 can negatively predict the callous-unemotional traits at T2; the significant interaction of fearlessness and low social affiliation at T1 can predict the callous-unemotional traits at T2; (2) The sensitivity to threat at T1 can positively predict the callous-unemotional traits at T2, the social affiliation at T1 can negatively predict the callous-unemotional traits at T2; the significant interaction of high sensitivity to threat and high social affiliation at T1 can predict the borderline personality traits at T2. The study reveals the callous-unemotional traits and borderline personality traits share a common etiological trait, which has some theoretical and practical implications for psychological care and preventive intervention for mental health in adolescents.

The Relationship between Parenting Self-efficacy and Adolescent Anxiety: The Mediating Roles of Overparenting and Parent-child Conflict

WANG Lingfei, ZHANG Mingming, YUAN Keman, BIAN Yufang

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  539-549.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.10

Abstract ( )   PDF (1524KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

A two-year longitudinal study (T1 at 8th grade and T2 at 9th grade) surveyed 1,788 eighth-grade students and their parents from 13 secondary schools in Beijing using convenience sampling to examine the association between parenting self-efficacy (PSE) and adolescent anxiety, and the roles of overparenting and parent-child conflict. Results showed a significant negative correlation between PSE and adolescent anxiety, both immediately and one year later. At T1, overparenting and parent-child conflict fully mediated the relationship between PSE and adolescent anxiety, with three mediating pathways, including the effect of overparenting, parent-child conflict, and chain mediation. Overparenting was also a full mediator between PSE at T1 and adolescent anxiety at T2, while the mediating effect of parent-child conflict was not significant. Additionally, the study revealed the correlation of paternal parenting efficacy with adolescent anxiety differed from that of maternal parenting efficacy. The research results have revealed the relationship between PSE and adolescent anxiety, as well as the underlying mechanisms involved. These findings provide valuable insights for reducing adolescent anxiety.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal Axis Multilocus Genetic Variation, Peer Victimization, and Adolescent Aggression: The Mediating Role of Empathy

SONG Xiaofan, CAO Yanmiao, LIN Xiaonan, JI Linqin, ZHANG Wenxin

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  550-560.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.11

Abstract ( )   PDF (1332KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

The extant studies interpreted the gene-environment interactions (G×E) as the different responsiveness or sensitivity to environmental influences between individuals with diverse genotypes and failed to reveal the underlying mechanisms through which the G×E manifest. The present study examined the interaction between HPA-axis multilocus genetic profile score (MGPS) and peer victimization on adolescent aggression, as well as the mediating role of cognitive and affective empathy. The study utilized longitudinal data from a community sample of Chinese adolescents (N = 1076, M_age = 13.31 years, 50.2% girls). The results showed that peer victimization increases adolescent aggressive behavior among those with lower HPA-axis MGPS. Further, the moderating effects were mediated by cognitive rather than affective empathy. For adolescents with lower HPA-axis MGPS, peer victimization was related to lower levels of cognitive empathy, which increased the risk for aggressive behavior. This study provides a new perspective for understanding the etiology of aggressive behavior, emphasizing the importance of exploring the gene-endophenotypes-behavior mechanism.

The Effect of Parent-child Relationship on Adolescent Aggression Behavior: The Mediating Role of Mindfulness and the Moderation Role of NR3C1 Gene rs41423247 Polymorphism

HU Yiqiu, HE Zhen, ZENG Zihao, LIU Shuangjin, YANG Qin, FANG Xiaoyi

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  561-570.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.12

Abstract ( )   PDF (1304KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Teenagers are in the critical period of life development, but also the physical and mental transition from childish to mature period. As an important part of the family environment, parent-child relationship will have an important impact on the physical and mental development of adolescents. As an important index to measure social adaptability and mental health of adolescents, adolescent aggression is closely related to parent-child relationship. Most of the previous studies explain the development mechanism of adolescent prosocial behavior from the perspective of environmental factors or only from the perspective of genetic factors. However, with the rise of gene×environment research paradigm, the formation and development of individual aggressive behavior have a new perspective. According to previous studies, parent-child relationship is an important factor affecting the development of adolescents’ aggressive behavior. In addition to parent-child relationship, mindfulness, as a positive internal trait of individuals, can also affect adolescents’ aggressive behavior. Not only that, but the development of adolescent mindfulness level is also affected by the parent-child relationship. In addition, both adolescent aggression and mindfulness are influenced by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Therefore, the research method of gene×environment is helpful to further explain the internal development mechanism of adolescent aggressive behavior. As a consequence, environmental variables (parent-child relationship) and genetic variables (NR3C1 gene rs41423247 polymorphism) will be included in this paper to construct a moderated mediation model. To investigate whether the interaction between gene and environment affects teenagers’ aggressive behavior and mindfulness. The research object of this paper comes from a middle school in Changsha City, Hunan Province. The survey method is questionnaire. After the questionnaire survey, the students were arranged to go to the experimental area, and professionals began using oral swab to collect epithelial cells shed from students’ mouths for DNA samples Finally, 701 valid samples were obtained. This article uses SPSS 23.0 and Amos 24.0 to analyze all the data. The results show that: (1)Mindfulness plays an intermediary role in the influence of parent-child relationship on adolescent aggression; (2)The interaction between rs41423247 polymorphism and parent-child relationship significantly predicted mindfulness, and this interaction pattern corresponded to differential susceptibility model. Specifically, in the negative parent-child relationship environment, the level of mindfulness of adolescents carrying C/C genotypes is lower than that of adolescents carrying G/G and G/C genotypes. In the positive parent-child relationship environment, adolescents with C/C genotypes had higher levels of mindfulness than those with G/G and G/C genotypes.

The Changes in Students’ Perceived School Climate and Psychological Suzhi during “Rural High School Entering the City” Program and Their Relationship: A One-year Longitudinal Study

NIE Qian, ZHANG Dajun, TENG Zhaojun, LI Ci, MENG Ran, FAN Jun, GUO Cheng

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  571-578.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.13

Abstract ( )   PDF (1384KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

A one-year longitudinal study examined the changes in the perception of school climate and psychological suzhi among students from the 'Rural High School Entering the City’ program. The sample consisted of 1,157 students (M_age = 15.89 years, SD = 0.69) who came from three rural high schools in the 'Rural High School Entering the City’ program in one of the districts in southwest China. The three-wave study (half a year apart) was carried out before and after rural students entered the city. Results: (1) Compared with their perception of school climate before entering the city, their perceived school climate and sub-dimensions (teacher-student relationships, student-student relationships, the fairness of rules, and clarity of expectations) significantly decreased; (2) Students’ psychological suzhi, cognitive quality, and individuality quality were relatively stable before and after entering the city. The trajectory of their adaptability quality was a U-shaped, declining and rebounding; (3) The correlation between students’ perceived school climate and psychological suzhi becomes weaker after entering the city. Students perceived school climate after entering the city had a significant longitudinal effect on their psychological suzhi half a year later. Practical Implications: Improving the school’s objective environment differs from advancing students’ perceived school climate. Educational authorities and school administrators should foster the 'Rural High School Entering the City’ students’ perceptions of school climate by creating warm teacher-student and student-student relationships in the new school, establishing fair rules and regulations, and clarifying school goals and expectations; therefore, promoting the development of students’ psychological suzhi.

The Bidirectional Association between Negative Life Events and Mobile Addiction among University Freshmen: The Role of Perceived Social Support

TIAN Yu, DING Hongjun, GUO Zongxin

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  579-588.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.14

Abstract ( )   PDF (1634KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

In order to investigate the reciprocal association between negative life events and mobile addiction among university freshmen and the bidirectional mediating role of perceived social support, 1511 freshmen from 5 universities were surveyed with a one-year gap by the Adolescent Self-rating Life Events Checklist (ASLEC), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS) and Mobile Phone Addiction Index Scale (MPAI). The results of cross-legged analysis showed that, after controlling the confounding effects of gender, household registration, age and annual household income, (1) Negative life events and mobile addiction positively predicted each other across time; (2) Perceived social support played a bidirectional mediating role across time in the association between negative life events and mobile addiction. The documented findings suggest that improving perceived social support of university freshmen is important for breaking the vicious cycle of negative life events and mobile addiction.

Inhibition Mechanisms Underlying Active Forgetting

WANG Yifan, ZHANG Huan

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  589-597.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.15

Abstract ( )   PDF (844KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Active forgetting refers to forgetting that is caused by consciously inhibiting the memory process of certain content. Memory formation is a dynamic process that includes memory encoding, consolidation, retrieval, and reconsolidation. Inhibition acting on different phases of memory will result in distinct inhibition mechanisms, which will lead to different types of active forgetting. The characteristics of active forgetting and its cognitive-neural mechanisms when inhibition is applied to the encoding, retrieval, consolidation, and reconsolidation stages are reviewed in this paper. Future research should compare the cognitive and neural mechanisms of different active forgetting phenomena, particularly the similarities and differences in the inhibition process and mechanism. Also, it should include non-cognitive factors in the study. Finally, different populations and their active forgetting processes should be inspected.

Individual Differences in the Process of Emotional Empathy across Attachment Types

FAN Meng, LIU Xinyi, YUE Jiaying, CHEN Xu

Psychological Development and Education. 2025, 41(4):  598-608.  doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.04.16

Abstract ( )   PDF (1045KB) ( )   Save

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Research based on attachment theory has largely demonstrated the influence of attachment type on emotional empathy, but past research has mostly ignored the process and complexity of emotional empathy. The process model of emotional empathy divides emotional empathy into three stages, the performance of each stage is affected by attachment type, and the effect of attachment type on the early stages may be responsible for differences in performance in the later stages. Future research can dynamically examine the effects of attachment type on the process of emotional empathy and its internal neural mechanisms from the temporal dimension; and deeply explore the moderating roles played by different types of emotional cues, different empathic objects, and different situational factors in the influence of attachment type on the process of emotional empathy.