Construct and Criterion‐Related Validation of a Measure of Emotional Reasoning Skills: A two‐study investigation

In a two‐study investigation, the construct and criterion‐related validities of the Test of Emotional Intelligence, an ability‐based measure of emotional reasoning skills, were examined. In Study 1, as hypothesized, emotional reasoning skills were related to emotion recognition ability (i.e., as measured by Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy), emotional empathy, and three measures of successful social functioning (i.e., social astuteness, interpersonal influence, and apparent sincerity) assessed by peers, after controlling for personality and occupational environment characteristics. In Study 2, results from a predictive validation study demonstrated that Emotional Intelligence explained additional variance in overall job performance ratings beyond general mental ability and personality traits. Contributions and implications of this research investigation, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.     

Kopfschmerz: Pharmakotherapie? und/oder Psychotherapie? und/oder sonstige Therapie?

Zusammenfassung  Der Kopfschmerz ist ein h?ufiges Leiden, das sich vor allem auch beim praktischen Arzt, und nicht nur beim Facharzt, findet (5 % in der Allgemeinpopulation). Der Kopfschmerz hat mehrfache Ausformungen und Mitursachen-Faktoren. Es ist daher kontraproduktiv, hierbei nur auf eine Art der Behandlung oder eine Ursache abzuzielen. Nur in der multifaktoriellen Betrachtungsweise unter gezieltem Einsatz sinnvoller therapeutischer Kombinationen wird man mit dieser Crux der Patienten und der ?rzte bestm?glich weiterkommen. Es werden immer noch Problempatienten übrig bleiben. Diese müssen psychotherapeutisch begleitet werden. Man darf sie nicht in die Hoffnungslosigkeit und/oder den Abusus versinken lassen, sondern muss immer wieder versuchen, Weiteres zu probieren, und sie auf dem therapeutischen Pfad zu halten (Abb. 1a).      

Visualization of multiple influences on ocellar flight control in giant honeybees with the data-mining tool Viscovery SOMine

Viscovery SOMine is a software tool for advanced analysis and monitoring of numerical data sets. It was developed for professional use in business, industry, and science and to support dependency analysis, deviation detection, unsupervised clustering, nonlinear regression, data association, pattern recognition, and animated monitoring. Based on the concept of self-organizing maps (SOMs), it employs a robust variant of unsupervised neural networks—namely, Kohonen’s Batch-SOM, which is further enhanced with a new scaling technique for speeding up the learning process. This tool provides a powerful means by which to analyze complex data sets without prior statistical knowledge. The data representation contained in the trained SOM is systematically converted to be used in a spectrum of visualization techniques, such as evaluating dependencies between components, investigating geometric properties of the data distribution, searching for clusters, or monitoring new data. We have used this software tool to analyze and visualize multiple influences of the ocellar system on free-flight behavior in giant honeybees. Occlusion of ocelli will affect orienting reactivities in relation to flight target, level of disturbance, and position of the bee in the flight chamber; it will induce phototaxis and make orienting imprecise and dependent on motivational settings. Ocelli permit the adjustment of orienting strategies to environmental demands by enforcing abilities such as centering or flight kinetics and by providing independent control of posture and flight course.     

Effectiveness and cost offset analysis of group CBT for hypochondriasis delivered in a psychiatric setting: an open trial

Hypochondriasis is highly prevalent in medical settings, has detrimental effects for affected individuals, and is associated with high societal costs. Although cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of hypochondriasis, it is not widely available because of a lack of properly trained therapists. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate therapy forms that require less therapist time. The authors investigated the effect and economic impact of group CBT delivered in a psychiatric setting among 24 people with hypochondriasis. A within-group design with prolonged baseline was used, and all participants received 10 weeks of group-based treatment. The primary outcome measures were the Health Anxiety Inventory and the Illness Attitude Scales. Results indicate significant improvement on both measures at posttreatment and 6-month follow-up (Cohen's d = 1.03-1.72). Medical and nonmedical costs were substantially lowered. The authors conclude that group-based CBT delivered in a psychiatric setting is an effective and potentially highly cost-effective treatment for hypochondriasis.     

Feeling Global,Acting Ethically: Global Identification and Fairtrade Consumption

Global identification has become a popular construct in recent psychological debate as it relates to harmonious intergroup relations and a caring for all humanity. Based on social identity theorizing, the current research tests whether global identification can also predict consumer choices, at the expense of lower personal benefit. Importantly, we assumed that concerns about global injustice represent a crucial component of that relation. We predicted that participants who identified strongly with all humanity would rather choose a Fairtrade product alternative over a conventional one, compared with low identifiers. In addition, we assumed that this effect be mediated by perceived global injustice. Both predictions were confirmed in a consumer choice study (N = 68). Overall, global identification and globally relevant consumer behavior seem meaningfully interconnected, and we discuss these findings with regard to recent theoretical developments in Fairtrade consumption research.