The effects of social context,source fairness,and perceived self‐source similarity on social influence: a self‐categorisation analysis

Based upon a self‐categorisation analysis of social influence (Turner, 1991), we predicted that individuals who self‐categorise with the source of a communication would align their own private attitudes more closely with the source when that source was distributively fair rather than unfair in an intragroup context. We expected this pattern to reverse in an intergroup context when the unfairness was ingroup favouring. These expectations were confirmed in a laboratory experiment (N=101). The data suggest that neither source similarity nor source fairness serve simply as persuasion cues to which individuals thoughtlessly conform. We argue, instead that, once self‐categorised, individuals: (1) actively attend to an ingroup member's behaviours and the context in which they occur, and (2) are influenced only by a source who provides some form of social identity enhancement, either by being fair in an intragroup context (Lind & Tyler, 1988) or ingroup favouring in an intergroup context (Tajfel & Turner, 1986). Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Do we need positive illusions to carry out plans? Illusion: and instrumental coping

This study tested the theory that positive illusions and instrumental (problem-focused) coping behaviours are related (Brown, J. D. (1993). Coping with stress: The beneficial role of positive illusions. In A. P. Turnbull, J. M. Patterson, S. K. Behr, D. L. Murphy, J. G. Marquis, & M. J. Blue-Banning (Eds.), Cognitive coping, families, and disability, Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.). Positive illusion was assessed as a discrepancy between positive bias towards the self in trait ratings and positive bias towards average others, where ratings were self-favouring. Problem-focused coping was assessed through recall of coping with a recent stressful situation. The results showed that positive illusion scores were unrelated to problem-focused coping scores. It was suggested that although individuals need to be positive to cope well they do not need positive illusions. Tests for gender differences showed that males held more positive illusions than females. No gender differences were found for problem-focused coping but females used emotion-focused coping more than males to cope with a recent stressful situation.     

Backward masking: evidence of reduced subcortical amygdala engagement in autism

Recent data suggest that subthreshold presentation of emotional information is relayed to the amygdala along subcortical pathways. We examined the effect of backward masked neutral and anxious faces on the social decisions of a group of high functioning children with autism ages 7-13 years and matched controls. Participants were asked to select the friendliest of two faces, one of which was associated with the subthreshold (33 ms) presentation of an anxious face (A/N) and the other a subthreshold neutral face (N/N). Neutral paired faces were selected more often than A/N paired faces by both groups. However, children with autism selected significantly fewer N/N stimuli and more A/N stimuli than controls. These results suggest that the social choices of children with autism were influenced less by emotional information presented subconsciously and suggest a subcortical contribution to the social/emotional processing deficits observed in autism.     

Parenting after Weight Loss Surgery: A Conceptual Model and Two Case Reports

The ways families approach eating, shape, and weight can result in stress for individual family members and challenge the overall functioning of the family. This is further complicated among families with a parent who has history of obesity or undergone weight loss surgery (WLS). Although WLS can positively impact other family members, it can also exacerbate conflicts regarding feeding and weight. Such conflicts can involve uncertainty regarding the extent to which the entire family should make the dietary changes recommended for the post-WLS parent. Conflict might also center on the appropriate level of concern regarding the children’s risk of developing (or maintaining) obesity. This paper uses two case examples to describe the application of a specialized, time-limited intervention: Parent-Based Prevention following Bariatric Surgery (PBP-B). The program was developed to address the unique challenges and concerns that arise after, or are exacerbated by, WLS. Each detailed case example illustrates a common child-feeding challenge and the employment of key PBP-B strategies throughout the course of treatment. In the first case, the parent who had undergone WLS believed the family’s current eating behaviors were the same as those that had led to her own overeating, obesity, and co-occurring psychiatric symptoms, while her husband disagreed. In the second case, both parents were concerned about their son’s weight, yet due to their prior eating histories, they felt unable to construct boundaries around the feeding experience. Both cases follow families through the entire intervention and illustrate key points and challenges. These cases underscore the need for novel treatment modalities to support families following parental WLS.     

Empirically validated treatments—What now?

Progress in the identification of empirically supported psychological interventions is described, along with possible mechanisms for training in such treatments. Obstacles to training established clinicians, including time, cost, and geographic barriers are also discussed.     

Cognition and native-language grammar: The organizational role of adjective-noun word order in information representation

In the present research, we investigated the influence of native-language adjective-noun word order on category accessibility for nouns and adjectives by comparing Portuguese speakers (in whose language nouns precede adjectives) with English speakers (in whose language adjectives precede nouns). In two studies, we presented participants with different numbers of verbal or pictorial stimuli, and subsequently they answered questions about noun- and adjective-conditioned frequencies. The results demonstrated a primacy effect of nativelanguage word order. Specifically, although both populations showed a speed advantage for noun-conditioned questions, this tendency was significantly stronger for Portuguese than for American participants. We discuss the important role of native-language syntax rules for the categorization and representation of information.     

The exact vs. approximate distinction in numerical cognition may not be exact, but only approximate: How different processes work together in multi-digit addition

Two types of calculation processes have been distinguished in the literature: approximate processes are supposed to rely heavily on the non-verbal quantity system, whereas exact processes are assumed to crucially involve the verbal system. These two calculation processes were commonly distinguished by manipulation of two factors in addition problems: the identity of the target and the distance of the distractor. However, in all previous studies, these two factors were not manipulated independently. In this fMRI study, we could disentangle the two factors by using a different (two-digit) number stimulus set. Both behavioral and neurofunctional data suggest that the cognitive processes involved could be best explained by the (independent) factors target and distractor distance. Based on these data we suggest that the exact/approximate distinction does not seem to be as generally valid as previously assumed. We conclude that this study may be a starting point for a closer examination of the experimental, procedural and strategic conditions of when the exact/approximate distinction is valid and when it is not.     

Progressive age-related changes in the attentional blink paradigm

Previous studies on aging and attention typically examine group differences between younger and older adults, rather than seeing aging as a continuous process. Using correlational analyses, this study examined progressive changes in the magnitude of the attentional blink (AB) associated with aging. Increased age was found to be significantly associated with the ability to detect the second target (T2), whereby older age was correlated with the production of a longer and more pronounced AB; this supports the proposition that aging is associated with reduced inhibitory processes and selective attention. It was also found that AB performance somewhat improves between ages 18-39 years, but tends to decline from 40 years of age onward, providing an interesting and novel finding that AB effects may become more sensitive at this point in time. The AB task may prove useful in the assessment of selective attention in normal healthy adults, as well as changes associated with pathological aging.     

Ethnic differences in BMI, weight concerns, and eating behaviors: comparison of Native American, White, and Hispanic adolescents

Evidence suggests that substantial proportions of adolescents, regardless of ethnicity or gender, are engaged in excessive weight control behaviors. Crago and Shisslak (2003), however, have noted that small samples and poorly validated instruments have limited the value of previous ethnic difference studies. Using the McKnight Risk Factor Survey, we compared Native American, White, and Hispanic adolescents. Native students were divided into groups with one (NA-mixed) or two (NA) Native American biological parents. Surveys were completed by 5th through 10th grade students. BMI z-scores were significantly higher for boys and girls in the NA group, and boys in this group were significantly more engaged in weight control behaviors, including purging. A higher percentage of Native and Hispanic girls preferred a larger body size. BMI was positively correlated with weight and shape concerns and with weight control behaviors, regardless of ethnicity or gender. Overweight among Native adolescents may put them at greater risk for eating problems than their White peers.