Perceptual learning substantially improves visual discrimination and detection ability, which has been associated with visual cortical plasticity. However, little is known about the dynamic changes in neuronal response properties over the course of training. Using chronically implanted multielectrode arrays, we were able to capture day-by-day spatiotemporal dynamics of neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) of monkeys trained to detect camouflaged visual contours. We found progressive strengthening and accelerating in both facilitation of neurons encoding the contour elements and suppression of neurons responding to the background components. The enhancement of this figure-ground contrast in V1 was closely correlated with improved behavioral performance on a daily basis. Decoding accuracy of a simple linear classifier based on V1 population responses also paralleled the animal's behavioral changes. Our results indicate that perceptual learning shapes the V1 population code to allow a more efficient readout of task-relevant information.

Stressful life events, personal control, and social support were examined relative to marital satisfaction among 1749 participants in seven Chinese cities. Stressful life events were categorized as life crises and life transitions. Life crises, rather than transitions, negatively predicted the marital satisfaction of Chinese. The moderating effects of personal control were found among women, but not men, and occurred only in the relationship between marital satisfaction and life crises, not life transitions. Social support buffers the negative effects of life crises on marital satisfaction. The results extend family stress-coping theory in specifying two coping resources for Chinese marriages under stress.

This study underlines the need for researchers and policy makers to pay more attention to the impact of perceived discrimination on migrant children's personality development.

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