Reaching long-term goals based on local interaction between an organism and the environment: computer simulations based on adaptive behavior

An agent-based computer simulation created using the adaptive-behavior approach has shown that in some cases it is possible to reach a long-term goal (defined here as a desirable place far removed from the agent in time and in space) without necessarily having an exhaustive, predefined plan of action, but rather by using a set of rules on sensorimotor couplings that govern the organism's local interaction with its environment. We used an agent-based simulation program that emulated a two-dimensional microworld in which agents interacted with their environment and other agents through a set of sensorimotor couplings to reach a long-term goal. The main hypothesis was that the sensorimotor coupling, which consisted of following other agents, led to the emergence of collective behavior that enabled the agents to attain the long-term goal. We systematically varied the sensorimotor couplings that allowed agents to follow other agents, agents' perceptual field length, and the number of obstacles. In total, there were 160 independent simulations for each design cell. Analysis supported the hypothesis and suggested that, in addition to the process of reaching long-term goals, other cognitive processes, such as categorization, memory, and reasoning, can be reconsidered bearing in mind the emergence of behavior and an approach based on interaction between the organism and its environment.     

Mood changes after maximal exercise testing in subjects with symptoms of exercise dependence

Considering exercise has positive and negative reinforcing properties, the mood states of sedentary, nonexercise-dependent and exercise-dependent volunteers were compared after maximal exercise testing. Mood status was evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory, Trait-State Anxiety Inventory, and Profile of Mood States (POMS). No differences were detected before the test or after it, indicating little possibility of positive reinforcement. However, a significant reduction in the POMS Tension-Anxiety scores was observed in both exerciser groups (greater in the exercise-dependent group) but not in the sedentary group. Only in the exercise-dependent group were significant reductions in Anger and Total Mood Disorders scores observed compared with their pre-exercise scores. These data suggest that exercising has stronger negative reinforcement properties for exercise-dependent volunteers and is a factor which could increase the odds of their becoming dependent on exercise.     

Psychological inertia in adolescence: Sexist attitudes and cognitive and social strategies that hinder gender equality

Current Psychology - This work analyses sexist attitudes, cognitive strategies and social attitudes in young people between 12 and 16 years of age, attending secondary education. The...     

Therapist Factors Matter: A Systematic Review of Parent Interventions Directed at Children’s Behavior Problems

The present review systematically explored research examining the relationship between therapist‐related factors and the outcomes of parent interventions directed at children’s behavior problems. A systematic search of the literature was conducted with online scientific databases, parenting programs, web sites, and bibliographic references of the selected articles, according to PRISMA guidelines. A total of 24 quantitative studies met the inclusion criteria. Although some methodological limitations were identified with respect to the measurement of therapist factors, the reviewed research strongly suggests that the therapist plays a critical role in parent interventions directed at behavior problems. In particular, many parent outcomes are found to be related to the parent–therapist alliance, the therapist’s fidelity to the intervention, specific therapist’s in‐session actions, and the therapist’s personal variables. The parent–therapist alliance and therapist fidelity to the intervention consistently relate to changes in parenting practices, and alliance additionally relates to fewer perceived barriers to participation in treatment, more treatment acceptability, and greater parenting satisfaction and self‐efficacy. In addition, specific in‐session therapist interpersonal actions relate to parents’ engagement and satisfaction, while both the therapist’s interpersonal actions and more active skills relate to parent change. Therapist’s personal variables have been scarcely or poorly studied to date, but the results found justify the need to develop further research in this area. In conclusion, more attention should be given to the role of the therapist when implementing parenting programs directed at behavior problems, and more and better research is needed that can overcome the methodological limitations identified.     

Measurement invariance of the Phubbing Scale across 20 countries

Mobile phone addiction is a robust phenomenon observed throughout the world. The social aspect of mobile phone use is crucial; therefore, phubbing is a part of the mobile phone addiction phenomenon. Phubbing is defined as ignoring an interlocutor by glancing at one's mobile phone during a face-to-face conversation. The main aim of this study was to investigate how the Phubbing Scale (containing 10 items) might vary across countries, and between genders. Data were collected in 20 countries: Belarus, Brazil, China, Croatia, Ecuador, India, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UK, Ukraine and USA. The mean age across the sample (N = 7696, 65.8% women, 34.2% men) was 25.32 years (SD = 9.50). The cross-cultural invariance of the scale was investigated using multigroup confirmatory factor analyses (MGCFA) as well as the invariance analyses. Additionally, data from each country were assessed individually via confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs). We obtained two factors, based on only eight of the items: (a) communication disturbances and (b) phone obsession. The 8 items Phubbing Scale.     

Effective use of the blank comparison procedure in simple discrimination by infant capuchin monkeys: A methodological note

In studies of simple and conditional discrimination, procedures are needed to measure those aspects of stimuli that control behavior. The blank comparison procedure is one such procedure. It was designed explicitly for assessing S+ and S- functions when discriminative stimuli are presented simultaneously. In this procedure, a neutral stimulus serves sometimes as S+ and sometimes as S-. Its discriminative function is defined in relation to other stimuli in the display. The present study aimed to prepare 2 infant female capuchin monkeys for the effective use of the blank comparison procedure in a simple discrimination task. First, simple discrimination training was applied up to a stable accuracy criterion of ≥90%. This training was followed by the replacement of S+ and then of S- stimuli with new stimuli. Ultimately, trials with the blank comparison were introduced. Following this sequence, both monkeys immediately displayed highly accurate blank-comparison performances without the need for stimulus control shaping or other preparatory discrimination training. Thus, this procedure sequence may be an efficient, effective method for establishing blank-comparison baselines for experimental analyses of S+/S- discriminative functions and perhaps for other applications in teaching simple and conditional discrimination performances to this species and others.     

The “Big Two” and socially induced emotions: Agency and communion jointly influence emotional contagion and emotional mimicry

Motivation and Emotion - Three studies investigated the effects of two fundamental dimensions of social perception on emotional contagion (i.e., the transfer of emotions between people). Rooting...     

A longitudinal study on depressive symptoms and physical activity during the Spanish lockdown

Background/Objective: The aim was to evaluate the evolution of depressive symptoms and to explore the influence of physical activity (PA) practice during the home confinement due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Spain. Method: Information was collected from 595 confined participants who reported personal and contextual information, depressive symptoms and PA levels at four time points. Results: The changes in depressive symptoms were analyzed using a linear mixed model with cubic splines. Results showed a significant increase, with a significant rise between T1 and T2 (OR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.83-3.10). It continued growing until T4 (OR = 2.93, 95% CI = 1.97-4.38). A negative relationship was observed between the increase in depressive symptoms and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels, with a significant slope up to 4 hours of MVPA per week (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.29-0.90) that tended to increase until 16 hours per week of MVPA (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.20-0.87). Conclusions: Results from a partition model showed that moderate intensity of PA could be enough to prevent an increase of depressive symptoms during home isolation.     

Changes in Body Mass Index and Quality of Life—Population-Based Follow-up Study COURAGE and COURAGE-POLFUS,Poland

Applied Research in Quality of Life - The study aimed to verify an association between changes in body mass index (BMI) and quality of life (QoL) in a 4-year follow-up in a population-based study...