Sleep deprivation adversely affects interpersonal responses to frustration

Sleep deprivation produces negative effects on mood and cognitive function, but existing data have almost exclusively utilized objective rating scales, which do not permit evaluation of idiosyncratic and unstructured responses. In this study, we used a semi-projective measure, the Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration (P-F) Study, to assess subjective responses to frustration following two nights without sleep. Twenty-six healthy volunteers completed the P-F at rested baseline and again following 55 h of continuous wakefulness. Participants provided written responses for an ambiguous cartoon character confronted with various frustrating situations. Relative to rested baseline, sleep deprivation was associated with altered responses on several indices, indicating a great number of uncommon types of responses, increased tendency to blame others for problems, and a reduced willingness to alleviate a conflict situation by accepting blame. Individual differences in several aspects of emotional intelligence were predictive of the extent to which responses to frustration changed with sleep loss. These findings suggest that sleep deprivation significantly weakens the inhibition of aggression and willingness to behave in ways that facilitate effective social interaction, possibly through reduced metabolic activity in prefrontal regions of the brain important for personality, affect, and inhibitory behavior.     

Absorbed in sleep: Dissociative absorption as a predictor of sleepiness following sleep deprivation in two high-functioning samples

In recent years, a labile sleep-wake cycle has been implicated as a cause for dissociative experiences, and studies show that dissociation is elevated following sleep deprivation. Dissociative individuals may find it harder to regulate sleepiness in the face of sleep disruption. Although there is significant variability in reactions to sleep deprivation, research on trait predictors is scarce. The present study examined the ability of trait dissociation to prospectively predict sleepiness following sleep loss and recovery sleep. Two high-functioning samples, namely, Remotely Piloted Aircraft officers (N = 29) and Air Force jet pilots (N = 57) completed state and trait questionnaires assessing sleep and dissociation before and after full or partial sleep loss. Dissociative absorption was a consistent predictor of an increase in sleepiness following sleep loss and following recovery sleep, controlling for baseline sleepiness levels. We discuss the findings in light of a difficulty to regulate and monitor consciousness states.     

Effects of sleep deprivation and morningness-eveningness traits on risk-taking

Individuals differ along a continuum of preference for diurnal activity level, known as Morningness-Eveningness. Individuals low in Morningness traits, i.e., preferring later awakening and bed times, have been shown to score higher on personality traits of impulsiveness and novelty-seeking. No studies have yet examined the association between Morningness-Eveningness and the related construct of risk-taking. Therefore, the present study examined (1) whether Morningness was correlated with self-reported and behavioral measures of risk-taking, and (2) whether one night of sleep deprivation would produce changes in risk-taking and sensation-seeking. 54 healthy adults were administered the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire at intake, and administered the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, Evaluation of Risks Scale, and Balloon Analog Risk Task at rested baseline, again following 23 hr. of sleep deprivation, and finally after a 12-hr. period of recovery sleep. Lower Morningness scores were associated with higher self-reported total risk-taking propensity when rested (p< .05) and sleep deprived (p<.005), but correlations were not significant for sensation seeking or actual risk-taking behavior. Relative to baseline and postrecovery periods, sleep deprivation significantly reduced risk-taking propensity, including self-report indices of self-control, danger-seeking, energy level, and sensation-seeking, and behaviorally measured risk-taking. Chronotype did not interact with sleep condition for any of the dependent variables, although Evening Types scored higher on several indices of risk-propensity. Findings suggest that Morningness traits are inversely related to greater risk-taking propensity, while sleep deprivation significantly reduces self-reported and behaviorally demonstrated willingness to engage in high-risk and sensational activities under conditions of uncertainty, regardless of chronotype.     

Effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance by United States Air Force pilots

This study examined the effects of 35 h of continuous sleep deprivation on performance in a variety of cognitive tasks as well as simulated flight. Ten United States Air Force pilots completed the Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB), Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT), and Operation Span Task (OSPAN), as well as simulated flight at 3 h intervals over a 35 h sleep deprivation period. Performance declined on all tests after about 18–20 h of continuous sleep deprivation, although the degree to which performance degraded varied. During the second half of the sleep deprivation period, performance on the simulated flight was predicted by PVT and OSPAN reasonably well but much less so by the MATB. Variance from optimal flight performance was predicted by both PVT and OSPAN but each measure added incremental validity to the prediction. The two measures together accounted for 58% of the variance in flight performance in the second half of the sleep deprivation period.     

Associations Between Sleep Hygiene and Insomnia Severity in College Students: Cross-Sectional and Prospective Analyses

Although a small number of studies characterized cross-sectional associations between sleep hygiene and insomnia severity, no prior study has examined their relationships prospectively. Further, the relationship between sleep hygiene and insomnia severity among college students has rarely been examined. This study examined the prevalence of diverse sleep hygiene behaviors and their associations with insomnia severity in two independent samples of college students from a cross-sectional (N = 548; mean age = 19; 59% female; 71% White) and a two-wave short-term prospective (N = 157; mean age = 19; 71% female; 76% White) study. A total of 12% to 13% of students reported clinically significant insomnia. On average, students reported frequent engagement in inconsistent sleep-wake schedules and lounging and worrying/thinking about important matters in the bed. Improper sleep scheduling, behaviors that promote arousal near bedtime, and uncomfortable sleeping environments were positively associated with cross-sectional insomnia severity. After controlling for other well-established risk factors, only improper sleep scheduling remained significant. Prospectively, baseline improper sleep scheduling predicted insomnia severity at a 2-month follow-up after controlling for baseline insomnia severity and other well-established risk factors. Together, findings suggest a potential unique role of improper sleep scheduling in insomnia among college students.     

Blame attribution in sexual victimization

The current study explored how victims and third-parties attribute blame and perpetrator motivation for actual sexual victimization experiences. Although we do not assert that victims are responsible for perpetrators’ behavior, we found that some victims do not allocate all blame to their perpetrator. We sought to examine how victims and third-parties allocate blame in instances of actual completed and attempted sexual victimization and how they perceived perpetrator motivations. Victims of completed rape (n = 49) and attempted sexual assault (n = 91), and third-parties who knew a victim of sexual assault (n = 152) allocated blame across multiple targets: perpetrator, self/victim, friends, family, and the situation. Participants also described their perceptions of perpetrator’s motivation for the sexual assault. Victims tended to assign more blame to themselves than third-parties assigned to victims. Furthermore, victims perceived perpetrators as being more sexually-motivated than third-parties did, who viewed perpetrators as more power-motivated. Results suggest that perceptions of rape and sexual assault significantly differ between victims and third-party individuals who have never directly experienced such a trauma.     

A comprehensive analysis of factors leading to speeding offenses among large-truck drivers

Much research has demonstrated that speeding is the most common offense among car drivers. However, few studies have focused on this offense among drivers of large trucks. This paper investigates the factors that lead to speeding offenses for drivers of large trucks in Taiwan. The study sample consisted of information for 2101 male large-truck drivers from a national survey in 2012. The results revealed that drivers’ daily working hours ranged from 2 to 15 h with a mean of 9.67 h, and that they worked for approximately 25.23 days – and rested only 4.77 days – per month. Among these observed drivers, 11.6% reported having at least one speeding offense over a one-year period. The results of a logistic regression model presented that the factors that influenced speeding offense were not related to job experience. Rather, the driver’s demographics (age and education), mental condition (sleep quality), and driving status (yearly distance driven and driving late at night) were significantly linked to speeding offenses.     

“Put the blame on…others!”: The battle of cyclists against pedestrians and car drivers at the urban environment. A cyclists’ perception study

The main hypothesis of the paper is that cyclists tend to blame primarily car drivers, for the conflict events they have experienced with cars, but they do not have the same intention for the conflict events with pedestrians. For this purpose, 306 cyclists were interviewed through a revealed questionnaire survey and 64% revealed that they had experienced a conflict with a pedestrian whereas 55% revealed that they had experienced a conflict with a car. From the responses, two linear regression models were developed, with the perceived responsibility considered as the dependent variable.The cycling–pedestrian model indicated that cyclists who also have car accessibility, tend to blame primarily the pedestrians for the incidents, compared to cyclists who do not possess a car. Further, cyclists tend to give less responsibility to pedestrians for incidents occurred at sidewalks, crosswalks, etc. compare to incidents occurred at shared use paths. In addition, cyclists do not blame pedestrians for conflicts occurred primarily at sidewalks and crosswalks; places were pedestrians are considered to have the priority. Finally, cyclists aged between 55 and 64 years old, are giving less responsibility to pedestrians for the incident, compare to cyclists aged between 25 and 39 years old.On the other hand, the cycling–car model showed that an illegal cyclist’s movement at a road segment can reduce by half the responsibility the cyclists give to the car drivers, compare to the responsibility they give when the latter have an aggressive driving behavior. It was also found that cyclists, who tend to cycle less than 1 h, do not blame so much the car drivers for the incident, compared to cyclists that cycle for longer. Finally, cyclists who prefer the bicycle lane to be located along the road instead at the sidewalk, tend to accuse less the drivers for the incident.     

Can happy mood reduce the just world bias? Affective influences on blaming the victim

Do temporary moods influence people's tendency to blame victims for undeserved negative events? Based on research on the just world effect and recent affect theories, this experiment predicted and found that positive mood decreased and negative mood increased people's motivation to blame innocent victims for their misadventures. Participants (N = 70) were induced into positive or negative mood by viewing films, and subsequently read a newspaper article describing a random assault on either a fellow student (in-group member) or a corporate employee (out-group member). Their reactions were assessed on three measures: attributions of responsibility, dissociation from the victim and character evaluations. Positive mood reduced and negative mood increased the tendency to blame the victim, and in-group victims were blamed more than out-group victims. These results are discussed in terms of recent theories of affect and motivation, and their implications for real-life social judgments are considered.     

Infant sleep-wake behaviors at two weeks,three and six months

Although infant sleep-wake behavior presents several developmental changes during the first six months, literature lacks on reference values and few studies have explored the role of individual change and stability on infant sleep-wake behavior during the first six months. This study aimed (1) to describe infant sleep-wake behaviors during the 24-h period, day and night, at two weeks, three, and six months, (2) and to explore developmental changes and the role of individual change and stability on infant sleep-wake behaviors from two weeks to six months. Ninety-four primiparous mothers completed measures on infant sleep-wake behaviors at two weeks, three and six months. Significant developmental changes were found on infant sleep-wake behaviors from two weeks to six months. Two-week-old infants sleep 13.3 h, spend 8.7 h awake, awake 6.1 times, have 0.4 h of latency to sleep, and 3.2 h of longest sleep period. Three-month-old infants sleep 13.0 h, spend 9.2 h awake, awake 5.5 times, have 0.4 h of latency to sleep, and 5.2 h of longest sleep period. Six-month-old infants sleep 12.2 h, spend 10.0 h awake, awake 5.2 times, have 0.4 h of latency to sleep, and 5.6 h of longest sleep period. Significant individual change and stability were also found on infant sleep-wake behaviors from two weeks to six months. Despite significant developmental and individual changes, individual stability explains a significant amount of the variance on infant sleep-wake behaviors over the first six months of life.     

Active sleep is associated with the face preference in the newborns who familiarized with a responsive face

Aim of this study was to investigate the preferential looking behaviour, subsequent to a familiarization task (8-min) with a previously responsive or motionless face, before and after a sleep cycle. Moreover, the role of the active sleep in memory consolidation of the responsive or motionless faces was explored. Hypotheses were that the newborns undergoing a motionless familiarization will exhibit a novelty effect (preference for the novel face) whereas the newborns undergoing a responsive familiarization will show a familiarity effect (preference for the known face) before and after the sleep cycle; moreover, the amount of active sleep will be associated with the looking time at the known face after a sleep cycle.Forty-five healthy full-term newborns were randomly assigned to two groups (group 1: motionless-familiarization and group 2: responsive-familiarization); in both groups newborns were video-recorded during four post-familiarization face-preference tasks, two of them performed before and two after a sleep cycle.During the pre-sleep-trials, there was not a significant preference for one face in both groups. During the post-sleep trials, the newborns showed a clear preference for the novel face. This effect was more evident in group 1. Only in group 2 there was a significant positive correlation between the active sleep duration and the looking duration at the known-face during the post-sleep trials (r = 0.41; p = 0.040). Multiple regression confirmed that only in the group 2 the total duration of the active sleep was associated with the looking duration at the known-face during the post-sleep trials (Adjusted R² = 0.13; β = 0.41; t = 2.2; p = 0.040).Findings showed that in newborns the face representation can be recalled after a sleep cycle. Moreover, the amount of the active sleep predicted the post-sleep looking toward the known-face only in the newborns who interactively familiarized with the face.     

The effects of foot cooling on postural muscle responses to an unexpected loss of balance

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of foot sole somatosensory information during reactive postural control. Twenty young adults (22.0 ± 1.4 y) participated in this study. Baseline skin sensitivity from the foot sole was assessed using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments. Postural muscle responses, in the form of electromyographic (EMG) onset latencies and amplitudes, were then obtained while participants recovered their balance while standing on a moveable platform that could translate in either the forward or backward direction. Following these baseline measures, the participant’s foot soles were immersed in a 0–2 °C ice-water bath for 12 min followed by a 3 min re-immersion period. At the completion of foot cooling, foot sole sensitivity and postural muscle responses to the balance perturbations were re-assessed. Results indicated that the foot cooling protocol reduced foot sole sensitivity and remained reduced throughout the duration of the experiment (p < 0.001). The reduction in foot sole somatosensation resulted in the soleus EMG onset latency being delayed by 3 ms (p = 0.041) and the soleus and medial gastrocnemius EMG amplitudes increasing by 14–23% (p = 0.002–0.036) during the balance perturbation trials. While the magnitude of these results may suggest that foot cooling has a minor functional consequence on reactive postural control, it is likely that the results also reflect the ability of the central nervous system to rapidly adapt to situations with altered somatosensory feedback.     

Mangy mutt or furry friend? Anthropomorphism promotes animal welfare

Recent research has demonstrated that people have an affinity for non-human entities that appear to have human qualities. The current studies build on this research, examining whether anthropomorphism can be used to promote animal welfare. In Study 1 (n = 42), participants read scenarios about dogs and reported more willingness to help the ones described with anthropomorphic language relative to those described with non-anthropomorphic language. In Study 2 (n = 57), participants rated dogs on either human or canine characteristics (e.g., good listener vs. good at listing to commands). Relative to the non-anthropomorphism condition, participants in the anthropomorphism condition reported more willingness to adopt dogs from a shelter, and more support for animal rights, animal welfare, and vegetarian and vegan attitudes. Moreover, these pro-animal attitudes fully mediated the effect of the anthropomorphism manipulation on willingness to adopt the dogs.     

Money,moral transgressions,and blame

Two experiments tested participants' attributions for others' immoral behaviors when conducted for more versus less money. We hypothesized and found that observers would blame wrongdoers more when seeing a transgression enacted for little rather than a lot of money, and that this would be evident in observers' hand-washing behavior. Experiment 1 used a cognitive dissonance paradigm. Participants (N = 160) observed a confederate lie in exchange for either a relatively large or a small monetary payment. Participants blamed the liar more in the small (versus large) money condition. Participants (N = 184) in Experiment 2 saw images of someone knocking over another to obtain a small, medium, or large monetary sum. In the small (versus large) money condition, participants blamed the perpetrator (money) more. Hence, participants assigned less blame to moral wrong-doers, if the latter enacted their deed to obtain relatively large sums of money. Small amounts of money accentuate the immorality of others' transgressions.     

The impact of the amount of social evaluation on psychobiological responses to a body image threat

The present study examined the impact of amount of social-evaluative body image threat on psychobiological responses. Women (N = 123) were randomized into an individual-threat, group-threat or no-threat condition. Participants completed a measure of state body shame and provided a sample of saliva (to assess cortisol) at baseline and following their condition. Both threat conditions had higher baseline-adjusted body shame following the threat compared to the no-threat condition; however, no difference on baseline-adjusted body shame between the threat conditions was found. The same pattern of results was found for cortisol – both threat conditions had higher baseline-adjusted response cortisol than the no-threat condition, with no significant differences between the threat groups. Findings suggest that the magnitude of psychobiological responses to a social-evaluative body image threat does not differ with the amount of social-evaluative threat (individual- versus group-threat). These findings provide insight into the context of body image threats of women.     

The relationship between physical appearance concerns,disgust, and anti-fat prejudice

This study examined relationships between physical appearance concerns (fear of fat, body image disturbance; BIDQ), disgust, and anti-fat prejudice (dislike, blame), and tested whether disgust mediates relationships between physical appearance concerns and anti-fat prejudice. Participants (N = 1649; age = 28 years) provided demographic data and completed measures of anti-fat prejudice, tendency to feel disgust, and physical appearance concerns. Univariate, multivariate, and mediation analyses were conducted. Univariate and multivariate associations were found between fear of fat, BIDQ, disgust, and anti-fat prejudice for women. For women only, mediation analyses showed that disgust partially mediated relationships between physical appearance concerns and dislike of fat people. For men, univariate and multivariate relationships were found between fear of fat, and dislike and blame of fat people, but disgust was not related to anti-fat prejudice. Newer constructs centering on physical appearance concerns and disgust appear promising candidates for understanding anti-fat prejudice.     

Occipital long-interval paired pulse TMS leads to slow wave components in NREM sleep

Neural correlates of conscious vs unconscious states can be studied by contrasting EEG markers of brain activity between those two states. Here, a task-free experimental setup was used to study the state dependent effects of occipital transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). EEG responses to single and paired pulse TMS with an inter-stimulus-interval (ISI) of 100 ms were investigated under Non-REM (NREM) sleep and wakefulness. In the paired pulse TMS condition adopting this long ISI, a robust positive deflection starting around 200 ms after the second pulse was found. This component was not obtained under wakefulness or when a single TMS pulse was applied in sleep. These findings are discussed in the context of NREM sleep slow waves. The present results indicate that the long interval paired-pulse paradigm could be used to manipulate plasticity processes in the visual cortex. The present setup might also become useful for evaluating states of consciousness.     

Lack of degradation in visuospatial perception of line orientation after one night of sleep loss

Sleep deprivation impairs a variety of cognitive abilities including vigilance, attention, and executive function. Although sleep loss has been shown to impair tasks requiring visual attention and spatial perception, it is not clear whether these deficits are exclusively a function of reduced attention and vigilance or if there are also alterations in visuospatial perception. Visuospatial perception and sustained vigilance performance were therefore examined in 54 healthy volunteers at rested baseline and again after one night of sleep deprivation using the Judgment of Line Orientation Test and a computerized test of psychomotor vigilance. Whereas psychomotor vigilance declined significantly from baseline to sleep-deprived testing, scores on the Judgment of Line Orientation did not change significantly. Results suggest that documented performance deficits associated with sleep loss are unlikely to be the result of dysfunction within systems of the brain responsible for simple visuospatial perception and processing of line angles.     

White Female Bystanders’ Responses to a Black Woman at Risk for Sexual Assault: Associations With Attitudes About Sexism and Racial Injustice

Women of color are affected by both sexism and racism. We examined White women’s attitudes about sexism (hostile and benevolent sexism) and racial injustice (White empathic responses to racism) as correlates of their responses to a Black woman at risk for an alcohol-related sexual assault. White undergraduate women (N = 172) reported on their attitudes and then completed measures of blame and willingness to intervene in response to a scenario in which a woman named “LaToya” is at risk. All 3 types of attitudes were directly related to victim blame, whereas only hostile sexism was directly, negatively related to willingness to intervene. White empathic responses to racism moderated the associations between benevolent sexism and both victim blame and willingness to intervene. Results suggest that among White female bystanders, both hostile and benevolent sexist attitudes were related to increased blame and reduced willingness to intervene to help Black women at risk. The adverse effects of benevolent sexism, however, were reduced for those with greater concerns about racial injustice.