Evaluations of pairs of experiences: A preference for happy endings

Experiences often consist of a number of temporally separated events or outcomes, events which might be positive or negative. Building on previous research, the present paper proposes that the chronological order of the component events influences overall evaluations of these experiences. In particular, a preference for happy endings is hypothesized such that an experience consisting of a positive and a negative event is evaluated as more satisfactory if the positive event occurs last. This preference is examined in three studies in a variety of contexts. A preference for happy endings is shown to influence people's preferences, even to the extent of influencing preferences for segregated versus integrated events (Thaler, 1985). The implications of a preference for happy endings for decision researchers are also explored.     

Psychopathy and the Five Factor Model in a Noninstitutionalized Sample: A Domain and Facet Level Analysis

The relationship of primary and secondary psychopathic dispositions as measured by the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy (LSRP) Scales to NEO-PI-R domain and facet scales of the Five Factor Model (FFM) was examined in a sample (N = 463) of young adults. Previous investigations were extended by (1) addressing the relationship of higher- (i.e., domain) and lower-order (i.e., facet) FFM traits to primary and secondary psychopathy in noninstitutionalized persons, in an attempt to validate hypotheses by T. A. Widiger and D. R. Lynam (1998); (2) examining sex differences in FFM traits in relation to these two psychopathic dispositions; and (3) lending further evidence for the validity of the LSRP. LSRP primary psychopathy was marked by low Agreeableness whereas LSRP secondary psychopathy was characterized by high Neuroticism, low Agreeableness, and low Conscientiousness. Although few sex differences were found between primary and secondary psychopathy, findings support the use of NEO-PI-R domain and facet scales in the identification of personality disorder.     

Plasticity for recovery, plasticity for development: cognitive outcome in twins discordant for mid-childhood ischemic stroke.

Cognitive and language profiles in a set of likely monozygotic 13-year-old twins raised together and discordant for an extensive left hemisphere stroke are described 6 years post-stroke. Recovery differed across four skill profiles, created based on a model of plasticity. Full recovery of lost skills and full or partial development of new skills typically involved either semantic memory or right hemisphere lateralized functions such as visual perception skills. Limited development of new skills and full or partial recovery of lost skills took place in either active verbal memory or oral language skills that are left hemisphere lateralized. Language skills concerned with real-time lexical retrieval, or the use and understanding of morphology and grammar, phonological processing skills, and auditory working memory were least likely to recover and continue to develop.     

Brexit,Trump, and Christ's Call to Discipleship

In March 2018 the World Council of Churches will convene a Conference on World Mission and Evangelism at Arusha in Tanzania to address the theme “Moving in the Spirit: Called to Transforming Discipleship.” The verbs in the title give an important clue as to its meaning. It suggests an understanding of faith that is dynamic and relevant, provoking challenge and engendering change. This article seeks to sketch salient aspects of the contemporary global context that invite such transformative engagement. We are living through a time of rapid change in the “Overton window” – the acceptable range of beliefs and values in a culture at any particular time. This is illustrated by examining populist politics; fake news, post‐truth and alternative facts; the new age of xenophobia and racism; inequality and justice; and the earth at stake. Behind the forces driving the change in values are powerful vested interests that will not take kindly to being challenged. Discipleship is going to be costly. Deep personal transformation will shape agents of change who bring hope to a deeply troubled world. Disciples are called to carry their cross, yet at the same time, and no less fundamentally, they discover the source of infinite joy.     

Psychological Skills and “the Paras”: The Indirect Effects of Psychological Skills on Endurance

We examined the indirect effects of basic psychological skills (PS) on military endurance through enhanced advanced PS while controlling for fitness. British Army recruits (n = 159) participated in three endurance events for Parachute Regiment selection and completed an adapted Test of Performance Strategies questionnaire (Hardy et al., 2010 Hardy, L., Roberts, R., Thomas, P. R., &; Murphy, S. M. (2010). Test of performance strategies (TOPS): Instrument refinement using confirmatory factor analysis. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 11, 27–35. doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2009.04.007[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Following confirmatory factor analyses, the multiple mediation regression analyses using PROCESS (Hayes, 2013 Hayes, A.F. (2013). Introduction to mediation, moderation and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. New York, NY: Guilford Press. [Google Scholar]) suggested that goal setting, imagery and relaxation all had positive indirect effects on endurance via activation, with goal setting also impacting on endurance via negative thinking. These data provide some support for basic PS influencing endurance via advanced PS.     

Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Program on School Children's Self-Reported Well-Being: A Pilot Study Comparing Effects With An Emotional Literacy Program

This pilot study aimed to test the well-being effects of a locally developed mindfulness-based program tailored for New Zealand elementary school children in comparison with an active control condition. It was hypothesized that significantly greater well-being change scores would be observed for the mindfulness group. Students (n = 106) between 9 and 11 years old were allocated by their classroom to either the 8-week mindfulness-based program or an 8-week emotional literacy program. Self-reported well-being and mindfulness measures were collected at baseline and upon program completion. Measures were administered at 12 weeks postprogram to the mindfulness group only. One-way analyses of covariance were used for the main analyses, with corresponding baseline scores entered as covariates. Both programs led to significant increases in well-being outcomes, but significantly greater changes were observed for the mindfulness group (general well-being covariate-adjusted change scores were 4.49 [SE = 0.64] for the mindfulness-based program vs. 2.63 [SE = 0.63] for the emotional literacy program). Mindfulness scores significantly increased for the mindfulness group only. There was evidence of student acceptability of the mindfulness-based program and some indication of sustainability of effects at 12 weeks. The study adds to previous research that highlights beneficial well-being effects of mindfulness-based interventions in the classroom. Further research should evaluate potential long-term effects and delivery training.