The Impact of Affective States and Affective Shifts on Creative Ideation and Evaluation

This study aims to examine the impact of affective states and affective shifts on ideation and evaluation of creativity. Affects were induced by a two‐stage imagination procedure of recalling autobiographical experiences. Three periods of divergent thinking were measured to represent the participants’ creative ideation at different times. Creative evaluation was measured by estimating the originality of each response provided by the participants. The results indicate that (a) during the initial period of ideation, groups with positive affect obtain better creative ideation than the groups with neutral or negative affect. (b) The ideation in positive affect groups gradually decreases over time, while the ideation in negative affect groups gradually increases over time. (c) During the evaluation of originality, groups with negative affect have a higher proportion of over‐estimates and a lower proportion of under‐estimates than groups with positive affect. The viewpoints of cognitive tuning theory, which posit that the affective state influences creativity, are supported.     

Neural Correlates of Biased Responses: The Negative Method Effect in the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale Is Associated with Right Amygdala Volume

Self‐esteem is a widely studied construct in psychology that is typically measured by the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale (RSES). However, a series of cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies have suggested that a simple and widely used unidimensional factor model does not provide an adequate explanation of RSES responses due to method effects. To identify the neural correlates of the method effect, we sought to determine whether and how method effects were associated with the RSES and investigate the neural basis of these effects. Two hundred and eighty Chinese college students (130 males; mean age = 22.64 years) completed the RSES and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Behaviorally, method effects were linked to both positively and negatively worded items in the RSES. Neurally, the right amygdala volume negatively correlated with the negative method factor, while the hippocampal volume positively correlated with the general self‐esteem factor in the RSES. The neural dissociation between the general self‐esteem factor and negative method factor suggests that there are different neural mechanisms underlying them. The amygdala is involved in modulating negative affectivity; therefore, the current study sheds light on the nature of method effects that are related to self‐report with a mix of positively and negatively worded items.     

Positive and Negative Affect in Loss Aversion: Additive or Subtractive Logic?

Previous studies explain loss aversion as the result of a situation in which the expected negative emotions derived from a potential loss exceed the expected positive emotions derived from a potential gain (subtractive logic). We questioned this view and proposed additive logic, in which a linear combination between negative and positive emotions can be used as summed anticipatory affect intensity (SAAI) to explain loss aversion. By disproving two implicit hypotheses of subtractive logic, Study 1 showed that the additive logic of expected positive and negative affect was more effective than the subtractive logic in predicting loss aversion. Study 2 used real monetary gains and losses to verify the conclusion in Study 1. Using state‐trait theory to comprehensively consider the state and trait aspects of affect intensity, we further deduced that the immediate expected affect intensity might originate from the difference of an individual trait in affect intensity. Study 3 proved this hypothesis and showed that SAAI plays an intermediary role between affect intensity and loss aversion. Furthermore, Study 4 used real gamblers in casinos in Macau as its sample and obtained the same conclusion regarding loss aversion in real life as was found in the laboratory. Finally, we explained the effect of SAAI on loss aversion and indicated the contribution and significance of this study. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Different Brain Wave Patterns and Cortical Control Abilities in Relation to Different Creative Potentials

Contemporary understanding of brain functions provides a way to probe into the mystery of creativity. However, the prior evidence regarding the relationship between creativity and brain wave patterns reveals inconsistent conclusions. One possible reason might be that the means of selecting creative individuals in the past has varied in each study. By distinguishing creative potential as open-ended versus closed-ended based on theoretical views, this study examined different brain wave patterns and cortical control abilities in relation to different creative potentials by using electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback equipment. The results demonstrated that participants’ performance on the open-ended creative problem was positively related to EEG alpha frequencies, whereas performance on the closed-ended creative problem was related to larger variability in EEG dynamics between alpha and beta waves when performing either open-ended or closed-ended creativity tasks. Further, better control in changing states of brain wave activities according to the EEG biofeedback signals could predict closed-ended creativity performance. Open-ended creativity was related only to the enhancement of alpha signals. These results help clarify previous inconsistent findings, reveal different natures of distinct creativities, and further suggest ways to improve different aspects of creativity with modified biofeedback procedures.     

A Longitudinal Study of Cultural Adaptation among Mexican and Dominican Immigrant Women

The present longitudinal study examined cultural adaptation (i.e., acculturation and enculturation) and its correlates in a sample of 189 Mexican and Dominican immigrant women. Acculturation and enculturation were measured within the domains of language competence, identity, and cultural knowledge at two time points over a 1-year period. Across groups and domains, cultural adaptation was generally stable over time; only American cultural knowledge showed change and only for MA women. Several correlates of cultural adaptation were identified. For Mexican women, living in poverty and in immigrant-dense neighborhoods was associated with lower acculturation. For Dominican women, age at immigration was the most robust correlate and was associated with more acculturation and less enculturation, though poverty and neighborhood characteristics emerged as significant for Dominican women too. Findings are consistent with the notion of cultural adaptation as a complex construct that is influenced by cultural context as well as individual immigrant characteristics.     

结构对称汉字识别的加工机制——部件识别的实验研究

从部件加工的角度设计了两个实验,分别运用部件启动作业和部件启动再认范式,考察了结构对称汉字识别的加工特点。结果发现:在部件加工层面也存在着显著的结构对称效应。即同一个部件,作为结构对称字的构成部件的启动效应明显大于它作为非对称字的构成部件的启动效应;作为结构对称字的构成部件被识别的反应时和错误率均显著地小于它构成非对称字时被识别的反应时和错误率。这意味着结构对称汉字中的部件(或笔画)比非对称汉字中的同样部件(或笔画)具有加工优势。显示出多层次的结构对称效应。     

中学生人格特征与应对方式的相关研究

通过对782名中学生应对方式、人格特征(A型人格、自我价值感)的测试,探讨人格特征与中学生应对方式的相关以及不同人格中学生应对方式的特点。结果表明：(1)中学生的人格特质(A型人格和自我价值感)与应对方式有显著的相关。(2)不同人格特征中学生应对方式之间有显著差异。A型人格的中学生倾向于使用着重情绪的应对方式,相比B型人格的中学生较少使用着重问题的应对方式。高自我价值感的中学生更多使用问题解决和求助应对方式,低自我价值感的中学生更多采用幻想应对方式。     

我国五城市青少年学生价值观的调查

本研究用Roeach编制的“价值调查表”对广州、深圳、武汉、成都和重庆五个城市的2125名青少年学生的调查结果表明,我国青少年学生的价值观总的来看相当一致,在终极性价值观中,有所作为、真正的友谊,自尊、国家安全被列为4个最重要的价值观。内心平静、舒适的生活、兴奋的生活、拯救灵魂被列入4个最不重要的价值观;在工具性价值观中,有抱负、有能力、胸怀宽广被列为很重要的价值观,而整洁、自我控制、服从则被列为很不重要的价值观。此外有些价值观在性别上、年龄上和学科专业上也有团体差异和个别差异。     

双眼性的深度运动速度与方向知觉研究

研究双眼性的深度运动知觉,结果表明,双眼视网膜象的速度差信息,在深度运动的速度检测中起重要作用;而速度比信息则有助于判断深度运动的方向,人眼感知的深度运动的速度大小正比于双眼网膜象的速度差,感知的运动方向则取决于速度比。提出人类视觉系统具有从二维网膜信息获得三维运动知党的双限性机制,据此解释了双眼视觉的速度检测特性以及所具有的０．２°的方向分辨率,理论模型与实验结果及日常视知觉符合良好。