Warmth and competence in animals

Social‐perception dimensions may explain human‐animal relationships because animals show intent toward humans (social perception's warmth dimension) and, consequently, their potential effect on humans is relevant (competence dimension). After reviewing current literature about perceptions of animals’ ascribed intentions and abilities, three studies tested the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) (Fiske, Cuddy, Glick, & Xu, 2002) and the Behaviors from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes Map (Cuddy, Fiske, & Glick, 2007) regarding animal targets. Study 1 found a four‐cluster SCM structure. Warmth and competence judgments predicted specific emotions and behavioral tendencies toward animals (Study 2). Study 3 supported associations between animals and social groups based on their respective perceived warmth and competence. Taken together, results showed the relevance of SCM dimensions for social perception of animals.     

Methodological Rigor in Journal of Counseling & Development Qualitative Research Articles: A 15‐Year Review

The authors conducted a content analysis on the type, frequency, and intensity of use of various indicators of rigor for 68 qualitative research articles published between 1999 and 2014 in the Journal of Counseling & Development. The authors identified the most frequently listed and implemented strategies for the research articles. The authors found a significant engagement in rigor strategies across time, variations in intensity in strategy use, and a significant positive relationship between intensity of strategy use across time.     

Insomnia symptoms are associated with elevated C-reactive protein in young adults

Abstract

Objective: Insomnia is associated with elevated inflammation; however, studies have not investigated if this relationship is confounded with depression and neuroticism, which are associated with insomnia and inflammation. The current study examined the association of insomnia symptoms with C-reactive protein (CRP) and with interleukin-6 (IL-6), independently and after controlling for depressive symptoms and neuroticism. Design: Fifty-two young adults (mean age?=?25.2?±?3.9 years, 52% female) completed a baseline survey to assess psychological characteristics, followed by a plasma blood draw. Main outcome measures: Plasma CRP and IL-6. Results: When examined alone, insomnia symptoms were significantly associated with elevated CRP (β?=?0.52; R²?=?0.27), as was neuroticism (β?=?0.41, R²?=?0.17), but not depressive symptoms (β?=?0.21, R²?=?0.05). The association between insomnia symptoms and CRP remained significant when depressive symptoms and neuroticism were entered into the model simultaneously; this model did not explain more variance than the model with insomnia symptoms alone. No variables were associated with IL-6. Conclusions: Results suggest that insomnia symptoms are independently associated with elevated CRP in young adults, even after controlling for presumed overlapping psychological constructs. Findings highlight the potential importance of treating insomnia to reduce systemic inflammation.     

The Developmental Impact of Child Abuse on Adulthood: Implications for Counselors

Many adults are exposed to maltreatment during their childhood. As a result, they may experience long‐term negative outcomes in a range of developmental areas. The purpose of this article was to examine the social, physical, and mental health consequences of child abuse in adulthood. Implications for counseling practice are provided.     

The beginning of conversation: Early patterns of mother-infant vocal responsiveness

Microanalytic techniques were used to characterize the structure of the prespeech communication of 4-month-old infants and their mothers. Two observers continuously recorded the interactive behavior of mothers and their infants during hour-long observations in the homes of 25 families. Loglinear models were used to examine the extent to which the vocal behavior of one person was conditional upon the vocal behavior of the partner. Within the limits of this microanalytic approach, analyses indicated that patterns of mother-infant vocal exchange were structurally similar to patterns of adult conversation. Initial vocal responses were followed by suppression of vocalization, allowing the partner to join the conversation. The comparative effectiveness of vocal behavior as an elicitor of vocalization and as a response to vocalization was shown for mothers and infants relative to the other behaviors observed. Vocalization served as a modulator of visual attentiveness: When the partner was not visually attentive, vocalization elicited visual attention.     

Why do we share aggressive online content? Testing a short cycle model

The present study aimed to observe the impacts of aggressive online content exposure and personality on aggressive content sharing, considering the mediating role of positive and negative affects. A total of 302 Brazilians, equally divided into two groups, participated in a social network simulation, being exposed to aggressive (experimental group) or neutral (control group) posts and choosing what they would like to share on this site (among aggressive or nonaggressive material). A factorial MANOVA showed a significant difference for positive and negative affects and aggressive content sharing (Wilks' Λ = 0.936; F[3, 298] = 6.812; p = .001; η² = 0.064). Through structural equation modeling, an explanatory model was also tested, in which this behavior was directly predicted by aggressive online content exposure and suffered indirect effects from openness, conscientiousness, and extroversion, mediated by positive affects (goodness-of-fit index = 0.997, comparative fit-index = 0.998, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.996, SRMR = 0.028, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.035, CI = 0.003−0.054). It is possible to conclude that the objectives are met, highlighting the contribution to understanding aggressive online behavior through the proximal processes described in the general aggression model.     

The Biological Findings in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Review1

In this paper the authors review the literature on biological and treatment studies of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and present current unifying hypotheses regarding the pathophysiology. The psychophysiological studies stress overarousal, while endocrine studies suggest a decreased Cortisol production in denial and low symptom states with increases in highly symptomatic states. Suggestive evidence is provided that PTSD is associated with permanent changes in brain mechanisms involving the locus coeruleus, amygdala, and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. Drug treatments are promising but not fully satisfactory as yet. Directions for further research are provided.     

Assimilation processes in the late stages of phonological development

This article reports a research on late phonological assimilation processes in child language in order to determine the possible stages in their evolution and the variations in relative frequency as a function of directionality (progressive vs. regressive), distance (contiguous vs. non-contiguous), and type of phonemes involved in assimilations (consonants vs. vowels). The corpus analyzed was collected from 240 children ranging in age between three and six years old. The speech samples were obtained in naturalistic settings of spontaneous conversation with the researchers, and were transcribed and analyzed with the tools provided by the CHILDES Project. Results describe a profile with three stages, reflecting the general dynamics of phonological development. Around the age of four, a general reorganization of the phonological system takes place, and the least frequent assimilation processes (progressive, contiguous and intervocalic) tend to disappear earlier. The most frequent assimilation processes (regressive, non-contiguous and inter-consonant) tend to persist as processing errors in the transition to adult speech. These findings show the functional complexity of late assimilation processes, as well as the need for taking it into account when planning clinical intervention.