Prosocial behaviour mediates the relation between empathy and aggression in primary school children

ABSTRACT

The negative association between empathy and aggression has been widely investigated in the literature. However, the role of potential mediators and the extent to which their effects are gender-specific have been given considerably less attention. The present cross-sectional study was therefore aimed at examining the direct and indirect relations between empathy (differentiated into perspective taking and empathic concern), prosocial behaviour and aggression in a sample of 240 primary school children between 8 and 12 years of age. The results showed that perspective taking and empathic concern had indirect (rather than direct) negative effects on aggression by enhancing prosocial behaviour. These indirect paths applied equally well to boys and girls, although significant gender differences were observed in empathic concern, prosocial behaviour and aggression. Possible explanations and differences with previous studies are discussed.     

Naïve chicks do not prefer objects with stable body orientation,though they may prefer behavioural variability

Animal Cognition - Domestic chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus) have been widely used as a model to study the motion cues that allow visually naïve organisms to detect animate agents shortly...     

Economic Predictors of Differences in Interview Faking Between Countries: Economic Inequality Matters,Not the State of Economy

Many companies recruit employees from different parts of the globe, and faking behavior by potential employees is a ubiquitous phenomenon. It seems that applicants from some countries are more prone to faking compared to others, but the reasons for these differences are largely unexplored. This study relates country-level economic variables to faking behavior in hiring processes. In a cross-national study across 20 countries, participants (N = 3,839) reported their faking behavior in their last job interview. This study used the random response technique (RRT) to ensure participants’ anonymity and to foster honest answers regarding faking behavior. Results indicate that general economic indicators (gross domestic product per capita [GDP] and unemployment rate) show negligible correlations with faking across the countries, whereas economic inequality is positively related to the extent of applicant faking to a substantial extent. These findings imply that people are sensitive to inequality within countries and that inequality relates to faking, because inequality might actuate other psychological processes (e.g., envy) which in turn increase the probability for unethical behavior in many forms.     

One-minute time interval estimation as a novel potent indicator of emotional concerns in cancer patients prior to starting chemotherapy

Our study explored the potential relationship between time estimation and issues that lead to distress in cancer patients prior to starting chemotherapy. Time estimation was assessed in 375 chemonaïve patients with solid tumors by evaluating each subject’s prospective estimation of how quickly one minute passed compared to the actual time. The median estimated value (40 s) was used to stratify the patients into the two categories of fast and slow time estimation. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer (DT) and Problem List (PL) were used at the beginning of treatment to evaluate levels of distress and patient concerns. A fast time estimation correlated significantly with gender and items reported in the emotional domain on the PL. Females exhibited significantly faster time estimation than males. Patients who reported fear, worry and loss of interest in usual activities estimated the one-minute interval significantly faster than patients who did not report such items. In the multivariate logistic regression model, patients who experienced fast time estimation had a higher risk of reporting items in the emotional domain. Time estimation is a novel potent indicator of emotional concerns on the PL. This test is an easily performed, time-saving, nonintrusive, ultrashort screening tool that is suitable even for patients who are not willing to reveal their emotional status via direct questionnaires.

     

Blocked vs. interleaved presentation and proactive interference in episodic memory

Although a number of theoretical accounts of proactive interference (PI) in episodic memory have been proposed, existing empirical evidence does not support conclusively a single view yet. In two experiments we tested the predictions of the temporal discrimination theory of PI against alternative accounts by manipulating the presentation schedule of study materials (lists blocked by category vs. interleaved). In line with the temporal discrimination theory, we observed a clear buildup of (and release from) PI in the blocked condition, in which all the lists of the same category were presented sequentially. In the interleaved condition, with alternating lists of different categories, a more gradual and smoother buildup of PI was observed. When participants were left free to choose their presentation schedule, they spontaneously adopted an interleaved schedule, resulting again in more gradual PI. After longer delays, we observed recency effects at the list level in overall recall and, in the blocked condition, PI-related effects. The overall pattern of findings agrees with the predictions of the temporal discrimination theory of PI, complemented with categorical processing of list items, but not with alternative accounts, shedding light on the dynamics and underpinnings of PI under diverse presentation schedules and over different time scales.     

‘Journeys’ in the Life-Writing of Adult-Child Dementia Caregivers

This article explores how Alzheimer’s disease caregivers struggle under the impact of a parent’s memory loss on their own personality. In particular, it analyses how caregivers perceive and, thus, present their experiences of the ever intensifying caregiving activity in terms of a ‘journey’. In doing so, this work takes into account both the patient’s continuing bodily as well as cognitive decline and its intricately linked influence on the caregiver’s physical and emotional stability. Equally, this study investigates how caregivers portray memory loss, and how their portrayal fits into our conceptualisation of illness narratives and the culture of autobiographical writing.     

Prior probabilities and representational momentum

In many previous experiments on representational momentum (in which memory for the final location of a moving target is displaced in the direction of target motion), participants judged whether a probe presented after a target vanished was at the same location where that target vanished or at a different location. The experiments reported here manipulated the actual or expected prior probability a same response to such a probe would be correct. In Experiment 1, a same response was correct on 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, or 90% of the trials, but observers were not instructed regarding these probabilities. In Experiment 2, a same response was correct on 11% of the trials, but different groups of participants were instructed that a same response would be correct on 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, or 90% of the trials. Probabilities of a same response to different probe positions, weighted mean estimates of representational momentum, hit rates and false alarm rates, and d′ and ß are reported. Representational momentum occurred in all conditions but was not influenced by actual or expected prior probability a same response would be correct. The data suggest representational momentum does not result from changes in sensitivity, and a distinction between performance bias and competence bias is introduced.     

Lateralized suckling in domestic horses (Equus caballus)

Brain lateralization enables preferential processing of certain stimuli and more effective utilization of these stimuli in either the left or the right cerebral hemisphere. Horses show both motor and sensory lateralization patterns. Our aim was to determine whether a lateralized response could be detected in foals during the naturally side-biased behaviour, suckling. The foals’ preferred suckling side could be the effect of either visual or motor lateralization. In the case of a visual lateralized response, foals are expected to suck more often from the mother’s right side, so potential danger can be detected by the better adapted right hemisphere (i.e. left eye). Motor lateralization can be identified when a foal will suck predominantly from one side, either left or right. We found no population trend in the preferred suckling side, but we detected significant differences amongst individual foals. One-third (35.4 %) of 79 foals showed a strong, either right or left side preference which increased with age. The mothers did not influence the foals’ suckling side preferences either by side-biased rejection or termination of suckling. According to our findings, a general pattern of sucking with the left eye open for better danger detection and recognition is unlikely in foals up to 7 months old. Foals of this age are probably young or fully focused on suckling and rely on their mothers’ vigilance. Individual side preferences amongst foals are suggested to be based on motor lateralization.