Generalization gradients in human predictive learning: Effects of discrimination training and within-subjects testing

Generalization gradients have been investigated widely in animal conditioning experiments, but much less so in human predictive learning tasks. Here, we apply the experimental design of a recent study on conditioned fear generalization in humans (Lissek et al., 2008) to a predictive learning task, and examine the effects of a number of relevant procedural parameters drawn from the generalization literature in animal conditioning. Experiment 1 shows that prior discrimination learning and steady-state testing procedures sharpen the gradient; Experiment 2 shows that within-subjects testing of the range of generalization stimuli also sharpens the gradient. In addition, Experiment 2 shows that, in case of very flat initial generalization, an orderly gradient can reveal itself through differential rates of extinction learning. Finally, Experiment 2 also evidenced an orderly gradient of generalization-of-extinction. These results suggest that discrimination processes have an important effect on the generalization of predictive learning in humans, and highlight behavioral analogies between animal conditioning and human predictive learning.     

Development of the Mental Clutter Scale

Mental fog is a core symptom of fibromyalgia. Its definition and measurement are central to an understanding of fibromyalgia-related cognitive disability. The Mental Clutter Scale was designed to measure mental fogginess. In an exploratory factor analysis of two different samples (n=128 and n=170), cognitive symptoms of fibromyalgia loaded on 2 dimensions: cognition and mental clarity. The mental clarity factor comprised 8 items with factor loadings greater than .60 and was named the Mental Clutter Scale. The factor stability of the new scale was good, internal consistency was .95, and test-retest reliability over a median of 5 days was .92. The 8-item scale is a quick measure of mental fog that provides clinicians with information about cognitive functioning in fibromyalgia.     

Speed of reasoning and its relation to reasoning ability

The study investigates empirical properties of reasoning speed which is conceived as the fluency of solving reasoning problems. Responses and response times in reasoning tasks are modeled jointly to clarify the covariance structure of reasoning speed and reasoning ability. To determine underlying abilities, the predictive validities of two cognitive covariates, namely perceptual and executive attention, are investigated. A sample of N = 230 test takers completed a reasoning test, Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM), and attention tests indicating perceptual and executive attention. For modeling responses the two-parameter normal ogive model, and for modeling response times the two-parameter lognormal model was applied. Results suggest that reasoning speed is a unidimensional construct representing significant individual differences, and that reasoning speed and ability are negatively correlated but clearly distinguishable constructs. Perceptual and executive attention showed differential effects on reasoning speed and reasoning ability, i.e., reasoning speed is explained by executive attention only, while reasoning ability is explained by both covariates. Implications for the assessment of reasoning are discussed.     

Predicting school achievement from cognitive and non-cognitive variables in a Chinese sample of elementary school children

The present study had two aims: First, to investigate the joint and specific roles of working memory (WM) and intelligence as predictors of school achievement. And second, to replicate and extend earlier findings (Spinath, Spinath, Harlaar, & Plomin, 2006) on the incremental validity of non-cognitive over cognitive abilities in the prediction of school achievement. The present sample consisted of N = 179 Chinese primary school children in the fourth grade. All measures including working memory (WM), intelligence and motivational items were assessed in class. Teachers provided test scores for the domains of Chinese and Math. We found that WM was a good predictor of school achievement and comparable in predictive power to intelligence. Together, cognitive ability including both WM and intelligence explained 17.8% and 36.4% of the variance in children's Chinese and Math scores, respectively. The relative importance of WM and intelligence varied with school domains with greater predictive power of WM for Math while intelligence explained a greater proportion of the variance in Chinese although the magnitude of this difference was only moderate. Domain-specific motivational constructs contributed only marginally to the prediction of school achievement for both Chinese and Math.     

Children Exposed to the Arrest of a Family Member: Associations with Mental Health

The arrest of a parent or other family member can be detrimental to children’s health. To study the impact of exposure to the arrest of a family member on children’s mental health and how said association may change across developmental periods, we examined baseline data for children (birth through 11 years) entering family-based systems of care (SOC). Children exposed to the arrest of a family member had experienced significantly more 5.38 (SD = 2.59) different types of potentially traumatic events (PTE) than children not exposed to arrest 2.84 (SD = 2.56). Multiple regression model results showed that arrest exposure was significantly associated with greater behavioral and emotional challenges after controlling for children’s age, gender, race/ethnicity, household income, caregiver’s education, parenting factors, and other PTE exposure. Further analyses revealed differences in internalizing and externalizing behaviors associated with arrest exposure across developmental levels. This study highlights some of the mental health challenges for children exposed to the arrest of a family member, while adding to our knowledge of how such an event affects children across different developmental periods. More trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate systems need to be in place at all levels to assist children and families experiencing arrest.     

Resolving competition when naming an object in a multiple-object display

Naming an object in the context of other objects requires the selection and processing of the target object at different levels, while the processing of competing representations activated by context objects has to be constrained. At what stage are these competing representations attenuated? To address this question, we presented pairs of target and context objects that were either similar in visual shape (e.g., umbrella–palm tree) or dissimilar in visual shape (e.g., umbrella–ladder), so that the context object would attract various amounts of attention. The activation of the context object at different levels of processing was assessed by means of auditory distractors (semantically related, or phonologically related, or unrelated to the context object). Semantic and phonological distractor effects were observed for shape-related object pairs, but not for unrelated object pairs. This finding suggests that context objects do not activate their associated lexical representations to any substantial amount, unless they capture attention. In that case, they undergo full lexical processing up to a phonological level. Implications for models of word production are discussed.     

The Influence of Attachment Style,Self-protective Beliefs,and Feelings of Rejection on the Decline and Growth of Trust as a Function of Borderline Personality Disorder Trait Count

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with paradoxical trust behaviours, specifically a faster rate of trust growth in the face of trust violations. The current study set out to understand whether attachment style, self-protective beliefs, and feelings of rejection underpin this pattern. Young adults (N=234) played a 15-round trust game in which partner cooperation was varied to create three phases of trust: formation, dissolution, and restoration. Discontinuous growth modelling was employed to observe whether the effect of BPD trait count on trust levels and growth is moderated by fearful or preoccupied attachment style, self-protective beliefs, and feelings of rejection. Results suggest that the slower rate of trust formation associated with BPD trait count was accounted for by feelings of rejection or self-protective beliefs, both of which predicted a slower rate of trust growth. The faster rate of trust growth in response to trust violations associated with BPD trait count was no longer significant after self-protective beliefs were accounted for. Interventions targeting self-protective beliefs and feelings of rejection may address the trust-based interpersonal difficulties associated with BPD.

     

Stressors and Social Resources at Work: Examining the Buffering Effects of LMX,POS, and Their Interaction on Employee Attitudes

Journal of Business and Psychology - Numerous advancements have been made regarding how aspects of job roles and organizational environments affect work attitudes. However, less attention has been...     

The Moderating Influence of Religion on the Behavioral Health of Formerly Incarcerated Men

Formerly incarcerated persons have been found to sustain disproportionate rates of infectious and chronic diseases that place them at elevated levels of morbidity and mortality. However, prior research has found that religiosity moderates risks for poor health outcomes. We assess the moderating influence of religiosity on non-compliance with health maintenance and risk behaviors found to be robust predictors of poor health. Findings indicated that religiosity was not significantly associated with health maintenance behaviors. However, religiosity did demonstrate a significant negative relationship with reductions in health risk behaviors including marginal reductions in prior substance dependency and significant reductions in opinions on extramarital and unprotected sex practices contrary to prior research findings of the prevalence of high sexual risk behaviors. Findings validate prior research that found this population at sustained risk for illness. However, the study demonstrated a clear inverse relationship between religion and health risk behaviors found to be prevalent among formerly incarcerated men. Results from this exploratory investigation suggest that the moderating influence of religion on high risk behaviors of formerly incarcerated men should be examined over a much longer study period with controls to tease out the unfettered influence of religion.