A Sociocultural Approach to Narcissism: The Case of Modern China

Using large Internet samples, we examined the possible influence of sociodemographic factors on the Chinese self‐concept and in particular, on the level of narcissism. We found that (i) younger persons are more narcissistic than older ones; (ii) persons from higher socioeconomic classes are more narcissistic than those from lower socioeconomic classes; (iii) persons from only‐child families are more narcissistic than those from families with multiple children; (iv) persons from urban areas are more narcissistic than those from rural areas; and (v) individualistic values are predictive of individual differences in narcissism. The findings suggest that sociocultural changes contribute to the rise of narcissism in China. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Logical problems with Prokasy’s assessment of contingency relations in classical skin conductance conditioning

Prokasy has not dealt with the main issue raised in the Furedy, Poulos, and Schiffman (1975) paper: that “adjustments” to previously random schedules can result in violations of randomness. With regard to those points which Prokasy has chosen to discuss we have argued, first, that the logical basis of Prokasy’s method of assessing contingencies is faulty in that it leads to paradoxical consequences. Second, direct quotes are provided to show that, as indicated in our previous paper, and contrary to Prokasy’s (1975) claim, doubts concerning the associative status of first-interval electrodermal responses have been published by several investigators.     

Nostalgia’s place among self-relevant emotions

How is nostalgia positioned among self-relevant emotions? We tested, in six studies, which self-relevant emotions are perceived as most similar versus least similar to nostalgia, and what underlies these similarities/differences. We used multidimensional scaling to chart the perceived similarities/differences among self-relevant emotions, resulting in two-dimensional models. The results were revealing. Nostalgia is positioned among self-relevant emotions characterised by positive valence, an approach orientation, and low arousal. Nostalgia most resembles pride and self-compassion, and least resembles embarrassment and shame. Our research pioneered the integration of nostalgia among self-relevant emotions.     

Understanding adherence to physiotherapy: Findings from an experimental simulation and an observational clinical study

This article reports two studies assessing the influence of self-efficacy, outcome expectancies and aversive feedback on different aspects of adherence. Study 1 employed a computer simulation of physiotherapy to test experimentally the effects of aversive feedback (i.e., loud noise) experienced during simulated therapy on adherence behaviour in a student population. Study 2 examined whether similar effects of aversive feedback (i.e., pain) experienced during physiotherapy in a clinical setting would be observed in a longitudinal questionnaire study of predictors of adherence. In both studies, self-efficacy and outcome expectancies were assessed at baseline and after experience of the task (performing simulated or actual physiotherapy). Study 1 found that self-efficacy and outcome expectancies predicted persistence with simulated physiotherapy (i.e., completing the experimental session), whereas aversive feedback influenced adherence during sessions (i.e., correct response rate). Study 2 found that self-efficacy and outcome expectancies predicted persistence with actual physiotherapy (i.e., completing the prescribed number of sessions). Aversive feedback and outcome expectancies influenced adherence during sessions. We conclude that different factors predict different aspects of adherence behaviour. It is therefore important to measure both persistence over time and adherence during sessions, and to investigate the predictors of each dimension of adherence.     

Motivated expectations of positive feedback in social interactions

People self-enhance in a variety of ways. For example, they generally expect to perform better than others, to be in control of events, and to have a brighter future. Might they also self-enhance by expecting to receive positive feedback in social interactions? Across five studies, we found that they did. People's desire for feedback correlated with how positive they expected it to be (Study 1), and their feedback expectations were more positive for themselves than for others (Study 2). People's positive feedback expectations also covaried with trait tendencies to self-enhance (i.e., self-esteem and narcissism; Study 3) and with a direct situational manipulation of self-enhancement motivation (Study 4). Finally, people expected to receive positive feedback but did not consistently expect to receive self-verifying feedback (Study 5). These findings are consistent with social expectations being driven in part by the self-enhancement motive.     

The past makes the present meaningful: nostalgia as an existential resource

The present research tested the proposition that nostalgia serves an existential function by bolstering a sense of meaning in life. Study 1 found that nostalgia was positively associated with a sense of meaning in life. Study 2 experimentally demonstrated that nostalgia increases a sense of meaning in life. In both studies, the link between nostalgia and increased meaning in life was mediated by feelings of social connectedness. Study 3 evidenced that threatened meaning increases nostalgia. Study 4 illustrated that nostalgia, in turn, reduces defensiveness following a meaning threat. Finally, Studies 5 and 6 showed that nostalgia disrupts the link between meaning deficits and compromised psychological well-being. Collectively, these findings indicate that the provision of existential meaning is a pivotal function of nostalgia.     

Quantifying self‐motives: Functional links between dispositional desires

Previous research has sought to establish the existence, or gauge the relative strength, of key self‐evaluation motives (i.e., self‐enhancement, self‐verification, self‐assessment, self‐improvement). Here, we attempted, across five samples, to quantify individual differences in self‐motive strength and explore their empirical ramifications. We devised brief self‐report indices for each self‐motive and checked their factor structure, reliability, and validity. We found that self‐enhancement covaried mainly with self‐verification, and that self‐assessment covaried mainly with self‐improvement, thus validating key hypotheses regarding their functional links. Moreover, self‐enhancement and self‐verification covaried with positive personality traits, as well as with preferences for receiving positive feedback and perceptions of its accuracy. In sum, self‐reported variations in dispositional self‐motive strength form theoretically meaningful patterns. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Order Algebras as Models of Linear Logic

The starting point of the present study is the interpretation of intuitionistic linear logic in Petri nets proposed by U. Engberg and G. Winskel. We show that several categories of order algebras provide equivalent interpretations of this logic, and identify the category of the so called strongly coherent quantales arising in these interpretations. The equivalence of the interpretations is intimately related to the categorical facts that the aforementioned categories are connected with each other via adjunctions, and the compositions of the connecting functors with co-domain the category of strongly coherent quantales are dense. In particular, each quantale canonically induces a Petri net, and this association gives rise to an adjunction between the category of quantales and a category whose objects are all Petri nets.