Political participation and basic values in Europe: Replication and extension of Vecchione et al. (2015)

Vecchione et al. (Br J Psychol, 106 , 2015, 84) demonstrated the effects of four higher-order values on political participation across 20 European countries. In their Study 1, they found that political participation was related to three higher-order basic values and that these associations were stronger in more democratic countries. The present study attempted a replication using a more rigorous modelling approach. Multilevel structural equation models with latent variables for both participation and basic values replicated the main effects of Self-Transcendence and Conservation values but demonstrated negative effects of Openness values (vs. positive in the original study) and positive effects of Self-Enhancement values (vs. ambiguous or insignificant in the original study), while cross-level interactions indicated weaker effects of values in more democratic countries (vs. the opposite in the original study). These discrepancies appeared mostly due to the original study’s implicit assumption that basic values’ measurement errors were zero. The new results indicated a counter-intuitive similarity of effects of supposedly opposite values. Self-Transcendence–Self-Enhancement is suggested to be a politically motivating value dimension, whereas Openness to Change–Conservation is a dimension that discourages political participation regardless of the preferred extreme.     

Commonly-defined and individually-defined posttraumatic growth in the US and Japan

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is the experience of positive change resulting from the struggle with major life crises. Research on PTG has relied on instruments such as the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI: Tedeschi &; Calhoun, 1996), in which items that describe positive changes are assumed to represent personal growth equally for all people. However, some positive changes may indicate greater growth for some people. Individually-defined PTG may differ from commonly-defined PTG. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between these two definitions of PTG and how culture affects them. Participants from the US (n = 456) and Japan (n = 279) indicated the degree to which each change in the PTGI represented personal growth. Results from mixed-model analyses of variance revealed that there were main effects for defined growth as well as interaction effects for all PTGI factors. For example, US participants reported greater growth on the factors Relating to Others and New Possibilities for the commonly-defined level, but once individually-defined PTG was considered, growth scores for US participants decreased substantially, and more so than for Japanese participants. Discussion addresses cultural and individual differences in the subjective definitions of PTG and highlights several directions for future research.     

MMPI correlates of performance on a behavior therapy ward.

In a behavioral treatment program for acute psychiatric patients, points were earned for adaptive behavior (e.g. self-care, attending ward activities) and lost for maladaptive behavior (e.g. assaults, verbal abuse). Points earned could be spent for a variety of goods and services (e.g. passes, extra staff time). Statistically significant correlations were found between MMPI scale scores and point-earning behavior. High scores on the F, 5, 6 and 8 scales were associated with low point gain for adaptive behavior, high point loss for maladaptive behavior, a high proportion of points spent to points earned, and a low overall net point earnings. Low score on F scale in combination with high score on 2 scale best predicted point-gain behavior, whereas high score on 8 scale in combination with low score on 1 scale best predicted point-loss behavior. Overall net points were best predicted by low score on F scale in combination with high scores on 0 and 9 scales. When subjects were grouped into common psychiatric profile types, differences were found in point-gain behaviors for items related to personal care and attending ward activities. At least some of these differences could be attributed to two factors: high scores on the 2, 3 and 7 scales were associated with higher than average point earnings, while high scores on the 8 scale were associated with lower than average point earnings.     

The Personal Expansion Questionnaire: Measuring one’s tendency to expand through novelty and augmentation

Previous research indicates that self-expansion, or acquiring a partner’s resources by “including the other in the self”, benefits satisfaction in romantic relationships (Aron, Mashek, &; Aron, 2004). The present investigation seeks to broaden traditional conceptualizations of self-expansion by integrating it with principles of social penetration theory (Taylor, 1968) and considering expansion not only as a dyadic process, but also an individual personality trait. We have termed the newly conceptualized construct “personal expansion”. Three separate studies (N = 172 married adults, 606 undergraduate students, and 129 additional undergraduates, respectively) are presented to validate the Personal Expansion Questionnaire; a 10-item self-report scale developed to measure this newly defined construct. Results indicate a two factor structure underlying personal expansion. Both convergent and discriminant validity are established in comparison to one’s individual needs, affective traits, and the Big Five personality factors. Finally, test-retest reliability for the PEQ is demonstrated across five weeks. Consideration is given to the unique ways that personal expansion may be particularly relevant to long-term relationship success at both the individual and dyadic level.     

Social Perception of Rape Victims in Dating and Married Relationships: The Role of Perpetrator’s Benevolent Sexism

Two hypothetical scenario studies examined how situational, perpetrator, and observer factors affect blame towards rape victims. In Study 1, Spanish high school students (N?=?206) read about a rape committed by a boyfriend or husband who was described as benevolently sexist or not. Study 2 (N?=?201 British college students) replicated and extended Study 1 by adding a condition in which the rapist was described as a hostile sexist. In both studies, participants’ benevolent sexism scores predicted more victim blame when the rapist was described as a husband (but not a boyfriend) who held benevolently sexist attitudes. Study 2 showed that participants’ hostile sexism scores predicted more victim blame when the rapist was described as a hostile sexist.     

Towards a resolution of the personality triad: Persons,situations, and behaviors

The issue of the variant vs. invariant in personality often arises in different forms of the “person–situation” debate, which is based on a false dichotomy between the personal and situational determination of behavior. Previously reported data are summarized that demonstrate how behavior can vary as a function of subtle situational changes while individual consistency is maintained. Further discussion considers the personal source of behavioral invariance, the situational source of behavioral variation, the person–situation interaction, the nature of behavior, and the “personality triad” of persons, situations, and behaviors, in which each element is understood and predicted in terms of the other two. An important goal for future research is further development of theories and methods for conceptualizing and measuring the functional aspects of situations and of behaviors. One reason for the persistence of the person situation debate may be that it serves as a proxy for a deeper, implicit debate over values such as equality vs. individuality, determinism vs. free will, and flexibility vs. consistency. However, these value dichotomies may be as false as the person–situation debate that they implicitly drive.     

Tonic postural lean after-effects influenced by support surface stability and dynamics

Tonic neuromuscular processes are evident during lean after-effects, which occur after prolonged standing on a fixed ramp. Postural processes underlying lean after-effects were examined here using dynamic surface conditions. Three tilt adaptation conditions were tested with eyes-closed (n = 11). Tilt adaptation conditions involved standing for 120 s on a fixed toes-up ramp (7°) or on a toes-up sinusoidally tilted surface (7° ± 3°), which was followed by 120 s of standing on either a fixed horizontal surface or sway-referenced surface. All participants showed postural after-effects (p < .003). Specifically, standing on a fixed horizontal surface after sine-tilt adaptation, resulted in forward leaning which decayed over 120 s back to baseline. Standing on a sway-referenced surface after tilt-adaptation, initially showed no lean after-effect, however over the course of the trial the center-of-pressure shifted backward (p < .02). This after-effect during sway-reference conditions was also evident in the sway-induced surface tilt, which increased in dorsiflexion (p < .002), rather than decaying back to baseline. Thus, adaptation occurs on a dynamically tilted surface, while reliability of the surface as a stable reference affects the return of the center-of-pressure and surface tilt to baseline. These findings relate to changes in flexor/extensor muscle tonic set-point which also occur following a prolonged voluntary isometric contraction.     

A Meta-Analysis of the Convergent Validity of Self-Control Measures

There is extraordinary diversity in how the construct of self-control is operationalized in research studies. We meta-analytically examined evidence of convergent validity among executive function, delay of gratification, and self- and informant-report questionnaire measures of self-control. Overall, measures demonstrated moderate convergence (r_random = .27 [95% CI = .24, .30]; r_fixed = .34 [.33, .35], k = 282 samples, N = 33,564 participants), although there was substantial heterogeneity in the observed correlations. Correlations within and across types of self-control measures were strongest for informant-report questionnaires and weakest for executive function tasks. Questionnaires assessing sensation seeking impulses could be distinguished from questionnaires assessing processes of impulse regulation. We conclude that self-control is a coherent but multidimensional construct best assessed using multiple methods.     

权力不稳定性对权力效应的逆转作用

摘 要 基于权力的趋近-抑制理论，本研究探讨权力不稳定性对权力效应产生逆转作用以及权力动机对这一逆转作用的影响。实验采用角色扮演法和真实任务角色来操纵被试的权力水平和权力不稳定性，以赌博任务中的冒险行为和金钱分配任务中的趋利行为来测量被试的权力趋近/抑制效应。结果发现：权力稳定条件下，高权力被试比低权力被试表现出更多的冒险行为和趋利行为；权力不稳定条件下则相反，低权力被试比高权力被试表现出更多的冒险行为和趋利行为。权力不稳定条件下高权力动机的高权力者相比低权力动机的高权力者倾向给自己分配更少的金额数，表现出更为明显的抑制倾向；而高权力动机的低权力者相比低权力动机的低权力者倾向于提出更高要求的金额数，表现出更为明显的趋近倾向。该研究证实了权力不稳定性对权力效应的逆转作用，而权力动机对这一逆转作用起到增强趋势。     

The link between ego-resiliency and changes in Big Five traits after decision making: The case of Extraversion

After performing such solitary decision making tasks as the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and the Game of Dice Task (GDT), we expected that changes will occur in Extraversion trait measured by a short Hungarian Big Five Inventory (BFI). We also hypothesized that ego-resiliency (Block, 2002)—a dimension measuring the ability to adapt to situational demands—will be linked to the magnitude of Extraversion change. After a pre-task measurement of the Big Five traits and ego-resiliency, participants (N = 93) completed the IGT and the GDT tasks. After each task, they filled out the BFI again. Pre- and post-task Big Five trait values showed significant differences. Participants reported lower post task scores on the Extraversion dimension and the magnitude of Extraversion change between pre- and post-task measurements correlated with ego-resiliency. The results highlight some short term effects of contextual factors influencing self-characterizations in BFI dimensions. Especially, individuals with high ego-resiliency give characteristically more introverted self-characterization after solitary tasks. The present results show an example of how the interplay between contextual factors and ego-resiliency can modify self-characterization within a very short period of time.     

Test–retest reliability of the soleus H-reflex excitability measured during human walking

The purpose of the study was to investigate with what accuracy the soleus H-reflex modulation and excitability could be measured during human walking on two occasions separated by days. The maximal M-wave (Mmax) was measured at rest in the standing position. During treadmill walking every stimulus elicited an M-wave of 25 ± 10% of Mmax in the soleus muscle and a supra-maximal stimulus elicited a maximal M-wave 60 ms after the first stimulus. Both Mmax during rest and during walking were later used for normalization. When normalized to resting Mmax, the peak reflex amplitude during walking was 5% lower on Day 2 than on Day 1 (p = .32). However, when the peak H-reflex was normalized to Mmax in every sweep, Day 2 showed a significant 15% lower amplitude (p = .037). The same pattern was found for the mean H-reflex. Spearman’s Rho was .92 when normalized to resting Mmax but .88 when normalized to Mmax in every sweep. The Pearson product was used to identify one participant at a time on Day 1 among all seven participants on Day 2. For both normalization procedures 5 of 7 participants were identified by this test. Since 5 of 7 participants were recognized between days, it must be recommended to use 10-15 participants for training or intervention studies as far as the H-reflex pattern of modulation during movement is concerned.     

Assessing the Directionality of Deindividuated Behavior: Effects of Deindividuation,Modeling, and Private Self-Consciousness on Aggressive and Prosocial Responses

This study investigated the effects of deindividuation, modeling, and private self-consciousness on antisocial and prosocial responses. Groups of four participants (N = 72) were exposed to factorial combinations of situational cues (deindividuating vs. individuating) and modeling prosocial vs. no model vs. antisocial) and subsequently were given the choice to behave either aggressively or altruistically toward another person. Subjects receiving deindividuating cues produced higher levels of aggression and dispensed greater sums of money compared with individuated participants. Subjects exposed to a prosocial model administered more money than did subjects exposed to the no-model or aggressive model. Although an expected main effect of models on aggression approached significance, a predicted Situational Cues x Model interaction did not. This investigation suggests that subjective deindividuation is a neutral condition. When antisocial environmental cues are present, deindividuated persons are likely to engage in aggressive actions, whereas prosocial cues influence deindividuated group members to behave altruistically. Although deindividuated group members are affected by stimuli such as models, they are not influenced to a greater degree than are individuated people. Finally, these results suggest that when the situational manipulations designed to reduce private self-awareness are salient and powerful, they may affect behavior more than do dispositional levels of private self-consciousness.     

Situational Familiarity,Efficacy Expectations,and the Process of Credibility Attribution

Four experiments investigated the influence of situational familiarity within a judgmental context on the process of credibility attribution. We predicted that high familiarity with a situation would lead to higher efficacy expectations for, and a more pronounced use of, verbal information when making judgments of credibility. Under low situational familiarity, judges were expected to experience higher efficacy expectations for, and a more pronounced use of, nonverbal information. In Experiments 1 through 4, participants under low or high situational familiarity saw a film in which nonverbal cues (fidgety vs. calm movements) and verbal content cues (low vs. high plausibility) were manipulated. As predicted, when familiarity was low, only the nonverbal cues influenced participants’ judgments of credibility. In contrast, participants in the high familiarity condition used only the verbal cues. Experiments 3 and 4 showed that efficacy expectations regarding verbal and nonverbal information, but not processing motivation, drive this familiarity effect.     

自我损耗对利他惩罚的影响:愤怒与公正敏感性的作用

采用2个行为实验探讨了自我损耗对利他惩罚的影响。实验1采用“Stroop”任务操纵被试的自我损耗，并考察愤怒情绪在其中的中介作用；实验2使用公正敏感性量表选出高低两组被试后采用“划e”任务操纵被试的自我损耗。两个实验均用最后通牒博弈考察被试的利他惩罚行为。结果发现：高损耗组被试对不公平分配方案的拒绝比例显著高于低损耗组；愤怒情绪在两者间起部分中介作用；高公正敏感组中出现了明显了自我损耗促进效应，低公正敏感组不存在。证实了自我损耗对利他惩罚促进作用。     

社会排斥促进亲群体行为意向：权力感的调节作用

亲群体行为在个体的成长与发展中具有重要的适应价值。三个研究探讨了社会排斥对亲群体行为意向的影响以及权力感的调节作用。研究1采用问卷法考察社会排斥与亲群体行为意向的关系,发现社会排斥能够正向预测亲群体行为意向;研究2与研究3采用实验法操纵社会排斥,并分别通过回忆法启动个体状态权力感（研究2）、测量特质权力感（研究3）,发现在社会排斥下,相比于低权力感者,高权力感者的亲群体行为意向更高,结果证实了权力感能够调节社会排斥对亲群体行为意向的影响。     

Assessment of postural control in patients with Parkinson’s disease: Sway ratio analysis

Analysis of the postural stability impairments in neurodegenerative diseases is a very demanding task. Age-related declines in posturographic indices are usually superimposed on effects associated with the pathology and its treatment. We present the results of a novel postural sway ratio (SR) analysis in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and age-matched healthy subjects. The sway ratios have been assessed based upon center of foot-pressure (CP) signals recorded in 55 parkinsonians (Hoehn and Yahr: 1-3) and 55 age-matched healthy volunteers while standing quiet with eyes open (EO) and then with eyes closed (EC). Complementing classical sway measure abnormalities, the SR exhibited a high discriminative power for all controlled factors: pathology, vision, and direction of sway. Both the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) sway ratios were significantly increased in PD patients when compared to the control group. An additional SR increase was observed in the response to eyes closure. The sway ratio changes documented here can be attributed to a progressive decline of a postural stability control due to pathology. In fact, a significant correlation between the mediolateral SR under EO conditions and Motor Exam (section III) score of the UPDRS was found. The mediolateral sway ratios computed for EO and EC conditions significantly correlated with the CP path length (r = .87) and the mean anteroposterior CP position within the base of support (r = .38). Both indices reflect postural stability decline and fall tendency # in parkinsonians. The tremor-type PD patients (N = 34) showed more pronounced relationships between the mediolateral SR and selected items from the UPDRS scale, including: falls (Kendall Tau = .47, p < .05), rigidity (.45, p < .05), postural stability (retropulsion) (.52), and the Motor Exam score (.73). The anteroposterior SR correlated only with tremor (Kendal Tau = .77, p < .05). It seems that in force plate posturography the SR can be recommended as a single reliable measure that allows for a better quantitative assessment of postural stability impairments.     

Personal characteristics,relationship quality,and social support perceptions and behavior in young adult romantic relationships

This study investigated three questions: (1) Do both personal characteristics and perceived qualities of romantic relationships contribute to partners’perceptions of support? (2) Do these variables predict supportive behavior in partner interactions that can be observed by others? (3) How do situational characteristics affect the predictors of observed supportive behavior? Eighty-six university undergraduates and their romantic partners completed a questionnaire packet and participated in a structured videotaped interaction that included a stress-inducing intervention. Participants’perceived support from the relationship was predicted by participants’own personal characteristics and view of the relationship, as well as by partners’personal characteristics. Observed supportive behavior in a somewhat familiar task was related to personal characteristics of both partners and their views of the relationship. Supportive behavior after an experimenter-administered stressor was predicted only by the couple's personal characteristics. Results demonstrate how study of social support in close relationships can advance understanding of relations between support perception and support receipt.     

Turning the knots in your stomach into bows: Reappraising arousal improves performance on the GRE

This research examined the benefits of interpreting physiological arousal as a challenge response on practice and actual Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. Participants who were preparing to take the GRE reported to the laboratory for a practice GRE study. Participants assigned to a reappraisal condition were told arousal improves performance, whereas control participants were not given this information. We collected saliva samples at baseline and after the appraisal manipulation, which were then assayed for salivary alpha amylase (sAA), a measure of sympathetic nervous system activation. Reappraisal participants exhibited a significant increase in sAA and outperformed controls on the GRE-math section. One to three months later, participants returned to the lab and provided their score reports from their actual GRE. Again, reappraisal participants scored higher than controls on the GRE-math section. These findings illuminate the powerful influence appraisal has on physiology and performance both in and out of the laboratory.     

关于归因定向与行为预测的实验研究

不同的归因方式将导致人们对行为的不同预测倾向。本文正是基于这样的假设,来考察在信息匮乏的情况下,性情归因和情景归因对他人积极行为和消极行为的预测倾向的影响。结果发现,两种归因方式都导致被试对积极行为的预测多于对消极行为的预测,而情景归因下的被试对积极行为的预测又显著多于性情归因下的被试。在此基础上,在引人价值判断的因素后,发现不同的归因方式启动了不同的价值判断,进而影响到对行为的预测。