Hearing others’ pain: neural activity related to empathy

The human voice is one of the principal conveyers of social and affective communication. Recent neuroimaging studies have suggested that observing pain in others activates neural representations similar to those from the first-hand experience of pain; however, studies on pain expressions in the auditory channel are lacking. We conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging study to examine brain responses to emotional exclamations of others’ pain. The control condition comprised positive (e.g., laughing) or negative (e.g., snoring) stimuli of the human voice that were not associated with pain and suffering. Compared to these control stimuli, pain-related exclamations elicited increased activation in the superior and middle temporal gyri, left insula, secondary somatosensory cortices, thalamus, and right cerebellum, as well as deactivation in the anterior cingulate cortex. The left anterior insular and thalamic activations correlated significantly with the Empathic Concern subscale of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Thus, the brain regions involved in hearing others’ pain are similar to those activated in the empathic processing of visual stimuli. Additionally, the findings emphasise the modulating role of interindividual differences in affective empathy.     

Le « test par CDD » comme frein au fonctionnement des entreprises

In France, in order to evaluate job applicants, some employers use short term contract before recruiting on a long term contract. The present study aims to compare companies having this practice and others. More precisely, we will appreciate the level of recruitment difficulties and the degree of fundamental error of attribution according companies. Results indicate that companies having “test by CDD” have more recruitment difficulties and more fundamental error of attribution to explain these failures.     

Sergei Bulgakov,Philosophy of Economy. The World as Household

Studies in East European Thought -     

Facets of dynamic positive affect: differentiating joy, interest, and activation in the positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS)

This article proposes the differentiation of Joy, Interest, and Activation in the Positive Affect (PA) scale of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS; D. Watson, L. A. Clark, & A. Tellegen, 1988). Study 1 analyzed the dynamic course of PA before, during, and after an exam and established the differentiation of the three facets. Study 2 used a multistate-multitrait analysis to confirm this structure. Studies 3-5 used success-failure experiences, speaking tasks, and feedback of exam results to further examine PA facets in affect-arousing settings. All studies provide convincing evidence for the benefit of differentiating three facets of PA in the PANAS: Joy, Interest, and Activation do have distinct and sometimes even opposite courses that make their separation meaningful and rewarding.     

Values Espoused by Australian and US Organisations

On a compare´ les valeurs de 132 organisations, 77 australiennes et 55 ame´ricaines, apparie´es selon la branche industrielle. Un logiciel d'analyse de contenu a recense´ les re´fe´rences aux valeurs dans les rapports annuels des anne´es 1986 a` 1990. On a compare´ les fre´quences des re´fe´rences a` neuf valeurs graĉe a` l'analyse de re´gression multiple et a` l'analyse en clusters, ce qui a permis de classer chaque organisation dans l'une de quatre cate´gories the´oriques de´finies par leur profil ou structure de valeurs: Elite, Leadership, Me´ritocratique et Colle´giale (Kabanoff, 1991). Les organisations de type me´ritocratique caracte´risent davantage les organisations ame´ricaines que les organisations australiennes, tandis que l'inverse est vrai pour les organisations de type e´litiste.
Seventy‐seven Australian and 55 US organisations matched by industry were compared in terms of their espoused values by using computer‐aided content analysis to count the value references in their annual reports for the years 1986–1990. Frequencies of reference to nine values were compared using multiple regression and cluster analysis, which assigned organisations to one of four theoretically specified organisational types based on their value structures or profiles—Elite, Leadership, Meritocratic, and Collegial (Kabanoff, 1991). Meritocratic‐type organisations were more prevalent among US than Australian organisations, while the opposite was true for Elite‐type organisations.     

Callous-unemotional features, behavioral inhibition, and parenting: independent predictors of aggression in a high-risk preschool sample

A behaviorally-uninhibited temperament, callous-unemotional (CU) features, and harsh parenting have been associated with specific patterns of aggressive behavior in older children and adolescents. We tested the additive and interactive effects of these factors in predicting different types of aggressive behavior in a high-risk preschool sample. Forty-nine preschoolers and their parents registering for Head Start programs were recruited for participation. Behavioral inhibition, CU features, and attitudes toward various types of parenting were assessed through parent rating scales completed at the time of registration. Behavioral inhibition, CU features, and aggression were assessed by teacher ratings approximately six months later. Analyses revealed that behavioral inhibition, CU features, and harsh parental attitudes all contributed independently to the prediction of aggressive behavior. These associations were strongest for proactive types of aggression. Our results suggest that a behaviorally uninhibited temperament, CU features, and attitudes favoring harsh parenting are all important for understanding the development of aggression in preschool children.