Ego depletion and its paradoxical effects on ethical decision making

Whereas previous research has shown that ego depletion can lead to an increase in unethical behavior, we suggest that this effect hinges on the social consensus of the unethical behavior. Drawing from theories on social consensus and dual-process decision-making, we hypothesize and confirm that ego depletion is associated with increased unethical behavior of comparatively low social consensus. We then find that, as hypothesized, ego depletion is associated with decreased unethical behavior of high social consensus (Studies 1 and 2). Results further suggest that, controlling for state self-control resources, depleted participants are less likely to engage in unethical behavior of high social consensus as a result of increased subjective fatigue (Study 3). Taken together, our findings challenge a widely-held assumption about the negative effects of ego depletion on ethical decision making.     

Religious Affiliation and Attitudes Towards Gay Men: On the Mediating Role of Masculinity Threat

Previous research suggests that people from some religious backgrounds hold more negative attitudes towards gay men than others do. The current research focuses on psychological variables as an alternative explanation to religious affiliation, testing whether masculinity beliefs regarding gay men and their perceived threat to one's masculinity can explain such between‐group differences in negative attitudes. With a sample of 155 male heterosexual university students (Muslims and Christians in Germany), we found that Muslims held more negative attitudes towards gay men than Christians did. Yet, this relation was partially mediated by beliefs about the masculinity of gay men and the experience of masculinity threat imposed by gay men, substantially reducing the effect of religious affiliation on antigay attitudes. In sum, similar psychological processes explained antigay attitudes of both Muslims and Christians. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Informing Children of Their Newborn Screening Carrier Result for Sickle Cell or Cystic Fibrosis: Qualitative Study of Parents’ Intentions,Views and Support Needs

Newborn screening for cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease enables the early identification and treatment of affected children, prolonging and enhancing their quality of life. Screening, however, also identifies carriers. There are minimal or no health concerns for carriers. There are, however, potential implications when carriers reach reproductive age, and thus research attention has been given to how best to convey information about these implications in a meaningful, balanced way which does not raise undue anxieties. Most research focuses on the communication from health professional to parent, yet ultimately this information is of greatest significance to the child. This study examines parents’ intentions to inform their child of newborn screening carrier results. Semi-structured interviews with 67 family members explored their intentions to inform the child, and related views and support needs. Parents almost unanimously indicated they planned to inform the child themselves. Health professionals were expected, however, to provide guidance on this process either to parents through advice and provision of written materials, or directly to the child. Although parents initially stated that they would convey the result once their child had developed the ability to understand the information, many appeared to focus on discrete life events linked to informed reproductive decision making. The results highlight ways in which health care providers may assist parents, including providing written material suitable for intergenerational communication and ensuring that cascade screening is accessible for those seeking it. Priorities for further research are identified in light of the results.     

学校联结和学业能力对高中生自尊的影响:一个多层线性模型

为探究高中生自尊的影响因素,本研究以来自18所学校的4776名高中生为研究对象,以自尊的价值—能力理论为依据,采用问卷法探讨价值因素(学校联结)和能力因素(学业能力)对高中生自尊的影响,并基于生态系统学视角构建多层线性模型。结果表明:(1)班级层面学校联结对个体自尊具有显著正向预测作用;(2)个体学业能力在学校联结与自尊之间具有中介作用;(3)个体学业能力对个体自尊的正向预测作用受到班级学业能力的调节,在高学业能力的班级条件下,个体学业能力对自尊水平的预测作用更强。     

父母情感温暖对儿童青少年学校投入的影响:有调节的中介模型

研究探索了青少年自我管理能力在父母情感温暖与学校投入之间的中介作用,以及学校氛围对上述中介效应的调节作用。采用父母情感温暖量表、青少年自我管理量表、学校氛围量表和学校投入量表对1033名中小学生进行测查。结果表明:(1)父母情感温暖可以正向预测学校投入;(2)自我管理在其中起中介作用,即父母情感温暖可以通过自我管理间接影响学校投入;(3)父母情感温暖影响学校投入的有调节的中介模型成立,其中学校氛围在前半段和后半段路径中均起调节作用,但作用有所不同。     

The failing measurement of attitudes: How semantic determinants of individual survey responses come to replace measures of attitude strength

The traditional understanding of data from Likert scales is that the quantifications involved result from measures of attitude strength. Applying a recently proposed semantic theory of survey response, we claim that survey responses tap two different sources: a mixture of attitudes plus the semantic structure of the survey. Exploring the degree to which individual responses are influenced by semantics, we hypothesized that in many cases, information about attitude strength is actually filtered out as noise in the commonly used correlation matrix. We developed a procedure to separate the semantic influence from attitude strength in individual response patterns, and compared these results to, respectively, the observed sample correlation matrices and the semantic similarity structures arising from text analysis algorithms. This was done with four datasets, comprising a total of 7,787 subjects and 27,461,502 observed item pair responses. As we argued, attitude strength seemed to account for much information about the individual respondents. However, this information did not seem to carry over into the observed sample correlation matrices, which instead converged around the semantic structures offered by the survey items. This is potentially disturbing for the traditional understanding of what survey data represent. We argue that this approach contributes to a better understanding of the cognitive processes involved in survey responses. In turn, this could help us make better use of the data that such methods provide.     

Mechanism of formation of aligned two-phase microstructure in a Fe-0.25wt%C alloy under high magnetic field gradients

The effect of a magnetic force on creating an aligned two-phase microstructure in a Fe-0.25wt%C alloy under magnetic field gradients has been investigated. Through the changes in the heating temperature, both dipolar interactions and magnetic forces work together during the austenite to ferrite transformation. The results showed that the aligned two-phase microstructure is not observed under the influence of the magnetic force alone. The ferrite grains are elongated due to dipole interactions at the early stages of their nucleation and growth and then the magnetic force turns the elongated ferrite grains, whose major axis is not parallel to the direction of magnetic force, to the direction of the field in the presence of magnetic field gradients.     

对急危重症患者家属签署知情同意书中不同意的病例回顾分析

分析在急危重症患者中签署知情不同意的原因,探讨对策.选择我院2010年6月1日～2011年12月30日在ICU抢救已出院归档的急危重症患者家属签署的600份知情同意书中52份不同意的病例进行分析总结.52份病例的知情同意书签字不同意,原因多方面.知情不同意是患者或家属的权力,如何保障更好行使此权利,同时保障其健康是医务人员努力的目标,也需要对出现的问题进一步探讨.     

The dissemination and research of Laszlo's systems philosophy in China

Since the 1980s, the so‐called “new six‐theory” (Dissipative structure theory, Synergetics theory, Catastrophe theory, Chaos theory, Fractal theory, and Hypercycle theory), different from the traditional “systems theory,” “information theory,” and “cybernetics theory” (the “old three theory") has been introduced into China. With it, Laszlo's systems philosophy has been given close attention by Chinese scholars. The main elements of this work are analyzed in terms of the publication and research of Laszlo's work on systems philosophy, and more specifically on systems philosophy and the theory of knowledge, systems philosophy and general evolution theory, systems philosophy and the theory of value, and systems philosophy and metaphysics.