The Role of Simple Semantics in the Process of Artificial Grammar Learning

This study investigated the effect of semantic information on artificial grammar learning (AGL). Recursive grammars of different complexity levels (regular language, mirror language, copy language) were investigated in a series of AGL experiments. In the with-semantics condition, participants acquired semantic information prior to the AGL experiment; in the without-semantics control condition, participants did not receive semantic information. It was hypothesized that semantics would generally facilitate grammar acquisition and that the learning benefit in the with-semantics conditions would increase with increasing grammar complexity. Experiment 1 showed learning effects for all grammars but no performance difference between conditions. Experiment 2 replicated the absence of a semantic benefit for all grammars even though semantic information was more prominent during grammar acquisition as compared to Experiment 1. Thus, we did not find evidence for the idea that semantics facilitates grammar acquisition, which seems to support the view of an independent syntactic processing component.     

From Equality‐Based Respect to Environmental Activism: Antecedents and Consequences of Global Identity

Global identity reflects social identification with the world and the largest, most inclusive human ingroup and is generally associated with behavior that serves the world and all humans, such as transnational cooperation or proenvironmental engagement. While the outcomes of being globally identified are well‐established, the antecedents of global identity are only partially explored. Drawing from research suggesting that respect fosters identification in small groups, we argue that the general experience of being respected as an equal by others increases global identification. In an online study with 469 Germans (students and nonstudents), we tested the relation between equality‐based respect and global identification in a structural equation model, with proenvironmental intentions and donation behavior as outcome variables. As expected, equality‐based respect, but not other forms of social recognition (need‐based care and achievement‐based social esteem), predicted global identity while higher global identity, in turn, predicted proenvironmental activism. These effects were substantial beyond known predictors of proenvironmental behavior and thus suggest that equality‐based respect represents an important facet of responses to global challenges.     

Music fan personality stereotyping in a sample of South African young adults

This study aimed to elicit stereotypes about personality characteristics of young adults residing in South Africa, based solely on music genres. Participants were 941 undergraduate students at a South African university. They responded to a number of surveys about music genre preferences and personality traits. Data were analysed for trends and patterns in personality attributions based on music genre preferences. The results indicated that participants hold distinct stereotypes about the personality traits, so that those with who preferred Classical, Blues and Jazz music were seen to display higher openness to experience than comparison groups with other music genre preferences. Those with Rap, Reggae and Folk music genre preferences were stereotyped as artistic and unconventional. Young South African adults appear to use musical preference to define personality.     

Cognitive behavioral therapy in practice: therapist perceptions of techniques,outcome measures,practitioner qualifications,and relation to research

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has a strong evidence base for several psychiatric disorders, however, it may be argued that currently there is no overall agreement on what counts as ‘CBT’. One reason is that CBT is commonly perceived as encompassing a broad range of treatments, from purely cognitive to purely behavioral, making it difficult to arrive at a clear definition. The purpose of the present study was to explore practicing therapists’ perceptions of CBT. Three hundred fifty members of two multi-disciplinary interest groups for CBT in Sweden participated. Mean age was 46 years, 68% were females, 63% psychologists and mean number of years of professional experience was 12 years. Participants completed a web-based survey including items covering various aspects of CBT practice. Overall, therapist perceptions of the extent to which different treatment techniques and procedures were consistent with CBT were in line with current evidence-based CBT protocols and practice guidelines, as were therapists’ application of the techniques and procedures in their own practice. A majority of participants (78%) agreed that quality of life or level of functioning were the most important outcome measures for evaluating treatment success. Eighty percent of therapists believed that training in CBT at a basic level was a requirement for practicing CBT. There was a medium size Spearman correlation of r_s=.46 between the perceived importance of research to practice and the extent to which participants kept themselves updated on research. Implications for training, quality assurance, and the effectiveness of CBT in clinical practice are discussed.     

Group acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for bipolar disorder and co-existing anxiety – an open pilot study

Previous studies have supported acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for reducing impairment related to various chronic conditions. ACT may possibly be beneficial for bipolar disorder (BD) with co-existing anxiety, which is associated with a poorer treatment outcome. Efforts are needed to identify suitable psychological interventions for BD and co-existing anxiety. In this open clinical trial, we included 26 patients with BD type 1 or 2 at an outpatient psychiatric unit specializing in affective disorders. The intervention consisted of a 12-session manualized group treatment that included psychoeducation, mindfulness, engaging in values-based behaviour, cognitive defusion, acceptance and relapse prevention modules. Participants completed four self-report questionnaires covering anxiety symptoms (Beck Anxiety Inventory - BAI), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory - BDI-II), quality of life (Quality of Life Inventory - QOLI) and psychological flexibility (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire - AAQ-2) before, during and after the treatment. At post-treatment, the participants reported significant improvements in all outcome measures, with large effects (Cohen’s d between 0.73 and 1.98). The mean reduction in anxiety symptoms was 45%. At post-treatment, 96% of the patients were classified as responders on at least one of the outcome measures. A limitation is that the trial is uncontrolled. The results suggest that ACT has the potential to be an effective treatment for BD patients with co-existing anxiety. Further randomized studies are warranted.     

Does Acquisitive Self‐Presentation in Personality Self‐Ratings Enhance Validity? Evidence from two experimental field studies

The aim of the present research was to demonstrate that acquisitive self‐presentation in personality scales is not a barrier to their criterion‐related validities in human resource contexts, but rather a means to improve them. A pilot study (Study 1) with 96 job incumbents provided preliminary positive evidence. In Study 2, in the experimental group (n=99), the instructions asked job incumbents to work on a Big‐Five personality inventory (BFI‐K) as if they took part in a personnel selection procedure for a personally very attractive position. In the control group (n=93) of Study 2, job incumbents were asked to answer the inventory items honestly. As expected, the correlation between the self‐ratings of the motive to get along (i.e., which comprises emotional stability, conscientiousness, and agreeableness) and contextual performance assessments was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group in Study 2. Additionally, the correlation between the self‐ratings of the motive to get ahead (i.e., which comprises extraversion and openness to experience) and task performance and leadership assessments was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group in Study 2. It is proposed that responding to a personality inventory in a human resource decision situation should be conceptualized as a workplace simulation.     

Identität und die Ambivalenz gegenüber Fremdem

Zusammenfassung   Anhand der Erz?hlung Ein altes Blatt und des Films Easy Rider wird die Ambivalenz gegenüber Fremdem aufgezeigt: Liebe (Xenophilie) und Hass (Xenophobie) markieren die beiden Pole. Es geht dann um die Entwicklung eines psychoanalytischen Begriffs des allt?glich-lebensweltlichen Selbstseins, der diese Ambivalenz abbildet. Dazu wird das Konzept der Identit?t herangezogen. über Eriksons Verst?ndnis hinausgehend wird Identit?t nicht nur von ihrer Leistungsseite her gesehen, der Schaffung einer einigerma?en als geordnet und sinnhaft erfahrenen Welt (Positivit?t der Identit?t). Diese Leistung wird zugleich als Abwehr verstanden, wobei das Abgewehrte als der Identit?t ebenfalls zugeh?rig betrachtet wird (Negativit?t der Identit?t). Identit?t ist durch eine konflikthafte Dynamik von Selbsterhaltung und Selbstaufhebung gepr?gt. Im allt?glich-lebensweltlichen Kontext dominiert die Selbsterhaltungstendenz. In der Ambivalenz gegenüber Fremdem spiegelt sich die Dynamik von Selbsterhaltung (Ablehnung) und Selbstaufhebung (Anziehung). Genauer noch ist die Anziehung durch das Fremde als M?glichkeit zu verstehen, das Last- und Zwanghafte der Identit?tspositivit?t zu ver?ndern, d. h. ein Anderer werden zu k?nnen. Auf der Grundlage dieser überlegungen werden zwei Aspekte der Identit?t in der Postmoderne dargestellt: die Entwicklung einer adoleszent anmutenden Identit?tsstruktur und die Bedeutung der enormen Fülle von Fremdem, die die Globalisierung mit sich bringt. Ein Fallbeispiel zeigt, wie sich eine Angstsymptomatik als Ausdruck eines Identit?tswiderstands gegen die durchgreifende ?konomisierung der Arbeitsumgebung verstehen l?sst. Das klinische Material macht deutlich, dass die vorangehenden überlegungen auch für den klinischen Diskurs von Relevanz sind.

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Identity and ambivalence towards the stranger

Abstract   On the basis of the tale An Old Leaf and the movie Easy Rider, it will be shown that people have a deep-seated ambivalence towards what they recognize as extraneous to their own way of being. Xenophilia (attraction, love) and xenophobia (repulsion, hatred) are the two poles of the ambivalence. A psychoanalytic concept of being in one’s own everyday life-world in a way which comprehends the ambivalence of xenophilia and xenophobia is formulated. For this purpose the concept of personal identity is used. In contrast to Erikson identity is not restricted to its function of constituting an inner world for the subject, which is at least to a certain degree ordered and meaningful (positivity of identity). Rather, the positivity of identity is functioning defensively as well. What is fended off is not annihilated mentally, but it belongs to the subject’s identity (negativity of identity). Personal identity is thus conceptualized as a dynamic structure with two opposing forces, viz. identity-maintenance (mirrored in xenophobia), and identity-suspension (mirrored in xenophilia). In postmodernity the structure of identity resembles an adolescent one with the centre of identity shifting from the positivity of identity in the direction of its negativity. Due to processes of globalization there is a growing burden of influences on the subject’s identity that come from beyond the everyday life-world. Case material is presented that shows the clinical relevance of the ideas that have been developed. Severe symptoms of anxiety could be understood as an identity-maintaining resistance by opposing the transformation of the patient’s working conditions for the purpose of short-term economic goals only.

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überarbeitete Fassung eines Vortrags, gehalten anl?sslich der DPG-Jahrestagung „Psychoanalyse in Zeiten der Globalisierung. Struktur und Identit?t im Wandel“, 22.–25. 5. 2008 in München     

Ergebnisse der Katathymimaginativen Psychotherapie

The goal of this study was to examine the effect of guided affective imagery therapy in an outpatient setting.At first, 140 patients were recruited.Unfortunately, there were many drop-outs at the beginning of the study as well as at later assessments.The data of 66 patients could be evaluated.The patients were assessed at the beginning of the therapy, after 25 sessions, at the end of the therapy and 18 month after the end of the therapy. Because of too many drop-outs, the originally planned waiting-control-design was realized only to some extent.The diagnoses of the patients consisted mainly of neurotic disorders,many of them with a dysthymia. Data were gathered by standardized questionnaires. There were marked effects of the therapies at the end of the treatments and also at the follow-up evaluation.Effect sizes were larger than 0.8 in somatic symptoms, mood, depression and life satisfaction.On the one hand, therefore, these therapies had been very effective. On the other hand, it became obvious during the course of the study, how difficult it is to conduct such a design with many therapists in a private practice and without financial support.