Individual differences in cognitive control processes and their relationship to emotion regulation

Cognitive control and emotional control share many similarities, but the specific relationship between these processes is not well understood. This study explored the relationship between three types of cognitive control (working memory updating, response inhibition and set-shifting) and two emotional regulation strategies (expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal). Corrugator electromyography, behaviour and self-reports of affect were measured as indices of emotion regulation. Results indicate that working memory updating predicted negative affect reduction during reappraisal and during expressive suppression. This study specifically shows that the working memory component of cognitive control is associated with negative affect reduction. Response inhibition and set-shifting were not specifically related to negative affect reduction, but these variables did predict aspects of emotional behaviour and regulation. These results suggest a general role for cognitive control in some aspects of emotion regulation as well as a specific modulatory role for working memory updating in the regulation of negative affect.     

A measure of perceived pain and tobacco smoking interrelations: pilot validation of the pain and smoking inventory

Mounting evidence indicates that pain can motivate cigarette smoking behavior, smokers have reliably endorsed the use of tobacco to cope with pain, and there is reason to suspect that pain may impede smoking cessation. Smoking-related outcome expectancies are among the best predictors of cigarette consumption and relapse, and the goal of this pilot study was to develop a standardized measure of how tobacco smokers perceive their pain and smoking behavior to be interrelated (i.e. pain as a motivator of smoking, expectancies for smoking as a means of coping with pain, and pain as a barrier to quitting). Participants (N = 75) completed an online survey that was designed to assess interrelations between pain and tobacco smoking. The nine-item Pain and Smoking Inventory (PSI) demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = .95). As expected, PSI scores were higher among smokers with chronic pain (vs. no pain), and were positively associated with established indices of both pain and tobacco smoking dependence. These results corroborate the notion that smokers can effectively communicate perceptions of interrelations between their pain and smoking behavior. Future research is needed to establish reliability and validity of the PSI among larger, more diverse samples of smokers with varying levels of pain. Future work should also examine PSI scores as predictors of smoking cessation outcomes, and whether PSI data may usefully inform the development of tailored interventions for smokers in pain.     

The Frame Problem and Theories of Belief

The frame problem is the problem of how we selectively apply relevant knowledge to particular situations in order to generate practical solutions. Some philosophers have thought that the frame problem can be used to rule out, or argue in favor of, a particular theory of belief states. But this is a mistake. Sentential theories of belief are no better or worse off with respect to the frame problem than are alternative theories of belief, most notably, the “map” theory of belief.     

Situating social influence processes: dynamic, multidirectional flows of influence within social networks.

Social psychologists have studied the psychological processes involved in persuasion, conformity, and other forms of social influence, but they have rarely modeled the ways influence processes play out when multiple sources and multiple targets of influence interact over time. However, workers in other fields from sociology and economics to cognitive science and physics have recognized the importance of social influence and have developed models of influence flow in populations and groups-generally without relying on detailed social psychological findings. This article reviews models of social influence from a number of fields, categorizing them using four conceptual dimensions to delineate the universe of possible models. The goal is to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations to build models that incorporate the detailed, microlevel understanding of influence processes derived from focused laboratory studies but contextualized in ways that recognize how multidirectional, dynamic influences are situated in people's social networks and relationships.     

Gender differences in phonetic processing

In research on dyslexia, inadequate or inappropriate comparisons have often been made with control subjects, frequently overlooking important gender differences. More information is needed regarding the performance of control subjects, and adults, on measures purportedly assessing phonological and orthographic processing. Using tests similar to those used in dyslexic research, 20 female and 20 male college-age students were tested to examine gender differences in phonetic processing skills. The findings suggest that in equally competent readers, gender and other factors do play a significant role in determining the time it takes for phoneme manipulation and word identification. Females, especially those with poorer academic records, are significantly slower than males on measures typically used in dyslexic research. These findings show a need for a reexamination of control group equivalence (especially regarding gender), and further exploration of variables that might influence performance on these tasks.     

Influences of job type, job status, and gender on achievement motivation

This study explored two issues. First, the stereotype was explored that teachers are lower in intrinsic achievement motivation than those in other occupations; second, that job type, job status, and/or gender influence intrinsic achievement motivation. Job type was explored based on the stereotype of a high achievement motivation condition (banking) versus a low condition (teaching). Job status was examined as currently working versus retirement from the occupation. Gender referred to sex, male and female. Each of the eight cells of a 2x2x2 factorial design contained 15 subjects randomly drawn from population pools (N=264) screened for membership on specific age, years of employment, and years of retirement. Intrinsic achievement motivation was assessed by the four factors of the Helmreich and Spence (1974) Work and Family Orientation Questionnaire (WOFO). Data were analyzed for main and interaction effects using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). No support was found for the proposition that banking personnel are higher in motivation than teachers. On the second issue, gender and job status yielded statistically significant effects, suggesting that a person’s gender and whether he is working or retired both exert an influence upon his intrinsic achievement motivation.