Emotional intelligence, personality, and task-induced stress

Emotional intelligence (EI) may predict stress responses and coping strategies in a variety of applied settings. This study compares EI and the personality factors of the Five Factor Model (FFM) as predictors of task-induced stress responses. Participants (N = 200) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 task conditions, 3 of which were designed to be stressful. Results confirmed that low EI was related to worry states and avoidance coping, even with the FFM statistically controlled. However, EI was not specifically related to task-induced changes in stress state. Results also confirmed that Neuroticism related to distress, worry, and emotion-focused coping, and Conscientiousness predicted use of task-focused coping. The applied utility of EI and personality measures is discussed.     

The cycle of schizoaffective disorder, cognitive ability, alcoholism, and suicidality

In this study we investigated the putative role of cognitive dysfunction, diagnosis (schizoaffective versus schizophrenia disorder), and alcoholism as risk factors for suicidal behavior among individuals with DSM-TV schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders. Subjects received cognitive tests and medical records were reviewed for evidence of a history of suicide attempts or suicidal ideation. Discriminant analysis was used to identify cognitive test performance measures that distinguished those with versus those without suicidal behavior. None of the cognitive measures discriminated between the two groups. The rates of suicidal behavior (suicidal ideation and suicide attempts) did not differ between participants with versus those without comorbid alcohol use. An association was found between suicidal behavior and the diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. It was concluded that the history of prominent mood syndromes characteristic of schizoaffective disorder contributes to increased risk of suicidal behaviors. Cognitive dysfunction and/or alcoholism did not contribute additionally to risk in this study.     

Toward a comprehensive model of antisocial development: a dynamic systems approach

The purpose of this article is to develop a preliminary comprehensive model of antisocial development based on dynamic systems principles. The model is built on the foundations of behavioral research on coercion theory. First, the authors focus on the principles of multistability, feedback, and nonlinear causality to reconceptualize real-time parent-child and peer processes. Second, they model the mechanisms by which these real-time processes give rise to negative developmental outcomes, which in turn feed back to determine real-time interactions. Third, they examine mechanisms of change and stability in early- and late-onset antisocial trajectories. Finally, novel clinical designs and predictions are introduced. The authors highlight new predictions and present studies that have tested aspects of the model     

Do approach-avoidance actions create attitudes?

Do approach-avoidance actions create attitudes? Prior influential studies suggested that rudimentary attitudes could be established by simply pairing novel stimuli (Chinese ideographs) with arm flexion (approach) or arm extension (avoidance). In three experiments, we found that approach-avoidance actions alone were insufficient to account for such effects. Instead, we found that these affective influences resulted from the interaction of these actions with a priori differences in stimulus valence. Thus, with negative stimuli, the effect of extension on attitude was more positive than the effect of flexion. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the affect from motivationally compatible or incompatible action can also influence task evaluations. A final experiment, using Chinese ideographs from the original studies, confirmed these findings. Both approach and avoidance actions led to more positive evaluations of the ideographs when the actions were motivationally compatible with the prior valence of the ideographs. The attitudinal impact of approach-avoidance action thus reflects its situated meaning, which depends on the valence of stimuli being approached or avoided.     

Recognizing odors associated with meaningful places

Thirty-two undergraduates inhaled odors while outlining episodes, set in 8 living rooms, involving either themselves or the actual inhabitants. They rated odors, rooms, and episodes on 7-point scales and were tested for odor recognition. Episodes were content analyzed, and the frequency of categories was assessed. Separate factor analyses determined relationships between rating scales and content analysis categories. Regression analysis showed greater odor recognition when participants judged the odor to fit the imagined episode but less recognition when an unpleasant odor was incongruously paired with a warm episode. Odor recognition also was greater when the narrative outlines described familiar characters figuring out the scenes. Results supported the congruity hypothesis, whereby odors become markers for meaningful scenes with which they fit.     

P-E Fit as moderator of the accountability – employee reactions relationships: Convergent results across two samples

The current two-sample investigation, which incorporated Conservation of Resources (COR) and Person-Environment (P-E) fit theories, investigated the interaction effects of felt accountability × P-E fit on the work outcomes of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, depressed mood, and work intensity. Consistent with the conceptual underpinnings of felt accountability as either a threat or opportunity, satisfaction, work intensity, and organizational commitment increased in settings possessing both heightened answerability and high levels of P-E fit. Further, individuals reported a reduction in depressed mood when heightened accountability was coupled with high P-E fit perceptions. These findings were consistent across samples providing evidence of generalizability. Implications, strengths and limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.     

Backward recall and benchmark effects of working memory

Working memory was designed to explain four benchmark memory effects: the word length effect, the irrelevant speech effect, the acoustic confusion effect, and the concurrent articulation effect. However, almost all research thus far has used tests that emphasize forward recall. In four experiments, we examine whether each effect is observable when the items are recalled in reverse order. Subjects did not know which recall direction would be required until the time of test, ensuring that encoding processes would be identical for both recall directions. Contrary to predictions of both the primacy model and the feature model, the benchmark memory effect was either absent or greatly attenuated with backward recall, despite being present with forward recall. Direction of recall had no effect on the more difficult conditions (e.g., long words, similar-sounding items, items presented with irrelevant speech, and items studied with concurrent articulation). Several factors not considered by the primacy and feature models are noted, and a possible explanation within the framework of the SIMPLE model is briefly presented.     

A Challenge for Soft Line Replies to Manipulation Cases

Cases involving certain kinds of manipulation seem to challenge compatibilism about responsibility-grounding free will. To deal with such cases many compatibilists give what has become known as a ‘soft line’ reply. In this paper I present a challenge to the soft line reply. I argue that any relevant case involving manipulation—and to which a compatibilist might wish to give a soft line reply—can be transformed into one supporting a degree of moral responsibility through the addition of libertarian elements (such as alternative possibilities of a kind unavailable under determinism and executive control of the sort commonly associated with agent-causation). From a compatibilist’s perspective the subtraction of libertarian elements should make no difference to any assessment of the agent’s responsibility. The compatibilist should therefore judge the agent morally responsible after the removal of the libertarian elements. Yet removal of the libertarian elements returns the case to its original form and thus what started out as a soft line has now collapsed into a hard line reply. Various ways of resisting my argument are considered, but each is shown to carry important burdens.