Clarifying the linguistic signature: measuring personality from natural speech

In this study, we examined the viability of measuring personality using computerized lexical analysis of natural speech. Two well-validated models of personality were measured, one involving trait positive affectivity (PA) and negative affectivity (NA) dimensions and the other involving a separate behavioral inhibition motivational system (BIS) and a behavioral activation motivational system (BAS). Individuals with high levels of trait PA and sensitive BAS expressed high levels of positive emotion in their natural speech, whereas individuals with high levels of trait NA and sensitive BIS tended to express high levels of negative emotion. The personality variables accounted for almost a quarter of the variance in emotional expressivity.     

Two ways to be complex and why they matter: implications for attitude strength and lying

Integrative complexity broadly measures the structural complexity of statements. This breadth, although beneficial in multiple ways, can potentially hamper the development of specific theories. In response, the authors developed a model of complex thinking, focusing on 2 different ways that people can be complex within the integrative complexity system and subsequently developed measurements of each of these 2 routes: Dialectical complexity focuses on a dialectical tension between 2 or more competing perspectives, whereas elaborative complexity focuses on complexly elaborating on 1 singular perspective. The authors posit that many variables have different effects on these 2 forms of complexity and subsequently test this idea in 2 different theoretical domains. In Studies 1a, 1b, and 2, the authors demonstrate that variables related to attitude strength (e.g., domain importance, extremism, domain accessibility) decrease dialectical complexity but increase elaborative complexity. In Study 3, the authors show that counterattitudinal lying decreases dialectical complexity but increases elaborative complexity, implicating a strategic (as opposed to a cognitive strain) view of the lying-complexity relationship. The authors argue that this dual demonstration across 2 different theoretical domains helps establish the utility of the new model and measurements as well as offer the potential to reconcile apparent conflicts in the area of cognitive complexity.     

Competing Contingencies Over Derived Relational Responding: A Behavioral Model of the Implicit Association Test

The Psychological Record - Subjects were exposed to a word-picture association training phase in which each of 2 arbitrary nonsense syllables printed in blue and red font, respectively, were paired...     

Fostering Taiwanese preschoolers’ understanding of the addition–subtraction inverse principle

The present research involved gauging preschoolers’ learning potential for a key arithmetic concept, the addition–subtraction inverse principle (e.g., 2 + 1 − 1 = 2). Sixty 4- and 5-year-old Taiwanese children from two public preschools serving low- and middle-income families participated in the training experiment. Half were randomly assigned to an experimental group; half, to a control condition. Participants were tested for an understanding of inversion before and after intervention. One-third of the 5 year olds from both groups performed at the marginally or reliably successful levels before the intervention, and three quarters of them did so in the posttest. Only one of the 4 year olds was marginally successful before the intervention and 4 year olds in the experimental group somewhat benefited from the intervention. Significant social class effect were evident.     

Exercise and Depression: A Review of Reviews

There has been considerable research interest in the effects of exercise upon depression outcomes. Recently, health agencies in the United Kingdom (UK) and beyond have made several guidance statements on this issue. Therefore, this review seeks to provide a synthesis of evidence regarding the effectiveness of exercise in the management of depression (including postnatal depression) in adults. Studies were identified by searching PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library (CENTRAL) and PsychINFO using relevant search terms. The article describes how meta-analyses from peer reviewed journals have reported exercise as treatment for depression is more effective than no treatment, as effective as traditional interventions in some instances, possibly a promising approach to postnatal depression and has equivalent adherence rates to medication. However, reviews have also raised concerns about the methodological quality of trials, possible overestimation of treatment effects and lack of data regarding long term benefits. Based on the available evidence it is concluded that while awaiting further high quality trial evidence it would seem appropriate for exercise to be recommended in combination with other treatments.     

Detecting changes in simulated events using partial‐interval recording and momentary time sampling

In a series of three studies, we evaluated simulated data with reversal designs to determine whether partial‐interval recording (PIR) and momentary time sampling (MTS) detected changes that were evident with continuous measures. The results from Study 1 showed that MTS with interval sizes up to 30 s detected most of the moderate and large changes in duration events and MTS with interval sizes up to 1 min detected most large changes in duration events. By comparison, PIR with 10‐s intervals detected approximately half of all changes in duration events. The results of Study 2 showed that only 10‐s PIR reliably detected most small, moderate, and large changes in frequency events. The results of Study 3 showed that PIR with 10‐s intervals generated a relatively high percentage of false positives for duration events, whereas MTS did not. As a whole, the results support previous findings, but also provide new guidelines for the use of PIR and MTS. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Brief Behavioral Therapy for Pediatric Anxiety and Depression: Piloting an Integrated Treatment Approach

Mood and anxiety disorders in youth are disabling, distressing, and prevalent. Furthermore, depression and anxiety frequently co-exist, may share several etiological factors, and respond to similar interventions. In this paper, we report preliminary results from a treatment adaptation project designed to condense existing cognitive behavioral therapy protocols for anxiety and depression to their core components and combine them into a brief, integrated treatment suitable for the broad population of internalizing youth seen in primary care. Specifically, we discuss: (a) the rationale for targeting anxiety and depression in pediatric primary care and the deployment-focused treatment development model; (b) the content of our behaviorally based treatment program; and (c) clinical outcomes of 2 sample cases with comorbid depression and anxiety.     

Neighborhood crime as a predictor of individual differences in emotional processing and regulation

Emerging research suggests that early exposure to environmental adversity has important implications for the development of brain regions associated with emotion regulation, yet little is known about how such adversity translates into observable differences in children's emotion‐related behavior. The present study examines the relationship between geocoded neighborhood crime and urban pre‐adolescents' emotional attention, appraisal, and response. Results indicate that living in a high‐crime neighborhood is associated with greater selective attention toward negatively valenced emotional stimuli on a dot probe task, less biased appraisal of fear on a facial identification task, and lower rates of teacher‐reported internalizing behaviors in the classroom. These findings suggest that children facing particularly high levels of environmental threat may develop different regulatory processes (e.g. greater use of emotional suppression) than their peers from low‐crime neighborhoods in order to manage the unique stressors and social demands of their communities.