Reaching long-term goals based on local interaction between an organism and the environment: computer simulations based on adaptive behavior

An agent-based computer simulation created using the adaptive-behavior approach has shown that in some cases it is possible to reach a long-term goal (defined here as a desirable place far removed from the agent in time and in space) without necessarily having an exhaustive, predefined plan of action, but rather by using a set of rules on sensorimotor couplings that govern the organism's local interaction with its environment. We used an agent-based simulation program that emulated a two-dimensional microworld in which agents interacted with their environment and other agents through a set of sensorimotor couplings to reach a long-term goal. The main hypothesis was that the sensorimotor coupling, which consisted of following other agents, led to the emergence of collective behavior that enabled the agents to attain the long-term goal. We systematically varied the sensorimotor couplings that allowed agents to follow other agents, agents' perceptual field length, and the number of obstacles. In total, there were 160 independent simulations for each design cell. Analysis supported the hypothesis and suggested that, in addition to the process of reaching long-term goals, other cognitive processes, such as categorization, memory, and reasoning, can be reconsidered bearing in mind the emergence of behavior and an approach based on interaction between the organism and its environment.     

Why do employees engage in counterproductive work behaviours? Cultural values and white-collar employees in China

This study examines the role of cultural values in influencing counterproductive work behaviours (CWBs). In particular, it focuses on the cultural values of power distance, long-term orientation and collectivism (both horizontal and vertical collectivism) as well as the Confucian values of guanxi and harmony. In line with recent approaches in moral psychology and sociology, we consider how Confucian values become moral triggers or inhibitors for employees to engage in CWB. In addition, we consider the moderating effects of guanxi and harmony on the relationships between the cultural values of power distance, long-term orientation, collectivism and CWB. The results from a survey of 489 white-collar employees in China confirmed the importance of cultural values in influencing CWB. Specifically, our findings indicate that guanxi moderates the relationship between cultural values and CWB and acts as a moral trigger for an employee to engage in CWB. With the exception of horizontal collectivism, we also found that harmony moderates the relationship between cultural values and CWB. Specifically, harmony acts as a moral inhibitor for an employee to engage in CWB. Lastly, we discuss the implications of the findings for theory and practice in the context of managing an increasingly global workplace and business environment.

     

认知抑制对科学创造力和艺术创造力的影响

研究通过2个实验,考察不同高低抑制水平对科学创造力和艺术创造力的影响。通过安排不同难度的Simon任务（不一致试次占70%或10%）来消耗被试的认知资源,达到操纵被试的抑制水平,以侧抑制任务的前后测来评估被试抑制水平的变化情况,实验1和实验2分别以科学创造力测验和粘贴画任务测量被试的科学创造力和艺术创造力。结果发现,在科学创造力测验上,高抑制水平组被试的流畅性和灵活性得分显著高于低抑制水平组;在粘贴画任务中,低抑制水平组被试的创造性、可爱程度、综合印象得分以及总分均显著高于高抑制水平组。表明高认知抑制水平有利于科学创造力,低认知抑制水平有利于艺术创造力,认知抑制对科学创造力和艺术创造力的影响存在分离效应。     

拒绝敏感性与边缘型人格特征的关联：一项元分析

运用元分析法整合探究拒绝敏感性与边缘型人格特征关联的已有实证研究, 旨在分析两者间的关联, 并同时考察可能影响该关联的其他变量。经过文献检索和筛选, 共纳入符合要求的原始文献50篇, 含84个效应量, 总样本量为7400人。同质性检验结果表明, 纳入研究的异质性较高, 故进一步对各影响因素变量进行了亚样本及元回归分析。结果发现, 在不同研究设计类型、被试所处地、样本类型、边缘型人格特征指标、拒绝敏感性测量类型的亚样本下, 二者之间的关联存在一定差异, 其中在横向设计、其他地区样本、混合被试、整体边缘型人格特征、量表法测量时所得的拒绝敏感性与边缘型人格特征间的关联最强; 年龄与女性被试比例对该关联不存在显著影响。未来研究可通过纵向研究进一步揭示二者间的预测方向, 考察拒绝敏感性不同成分与边缘型人格特征间的关联, 并在国内开展探索二者关联的研究。     

前瞻性情绪作为社会风险的信息源假说：公共场景下风险决策的情绪及文化机制探讨

本研究从梳理决策的情绪理论入手, 在综合几种主要理论的基础上提出了“前瞻性情绪作为社会风险信息源”的假说。前瞻性情绪是在决策过程中产生的, 由于对决策选择的预期而感受到的, 进而影响决策行为的情绪。社会环境下的风险事件具有突发和稍纵即逝的特征, 如果一个公民对这类风险事件做出反应, 其结果的概率难于量化。在这种情况下, 前瞻性情绪能够为决策者快速提供有关信息, 并形成对决策预期结果严重性和可能性的综合表征, 从而成为公众场景下风险决策的有效线索。不同前瞻性情绪的组合在面对社会性风险事件时具有针对性的作用。近年来在文化比较中对于面子、荣誉和尊严文化的划分, 也为我们研究文化的情绪特征和行为效应提供了理论框架。本研究拟通过四项研究和多个实验探讨前瞻性情绪如何影响公众场景下人们的风险应对行为, 并对三种文化的情绪特征进行比较, 探索情绪性决策中个人因素、群体因素、及文化因素如何共同决定公共场景下风险决策(如亲社会行为或反社会行为)的发生与发展, 同时也期望为公共政策的制定及风险管理提供科学依据。     

Effects of perceptual and conceptual similarities on consumers' evaluations of copycat brand names

Copycats often choose brand names that mimic perceptual, conceptual, or both elements of leading brand names. Yet little is known about how perceptual and conceptual similarities of a copycat interact to affect consumers' evaluations, especially in logographic language systems (e.g., Chinese). Three laboratory experiments demonstrate that perceptual similarity alone leads to negative evaluations of copycat brand names; this negative effect, however, can be mitigated when conceptual similarity is added. The underlying mechanism for this effect can be traced to consumers' persuasion knowledge. Perceptual (vs. conceptual) similarity activates consumers' persuasion knowledge about the insincere motives of the copycat brand, which in turn shapes their brand evaluations. However, this effect can become less prominent when conceptual similarity is added because it alleviates use of persuasion knowledge, or when a consumer is in a happy mood because it neutralizes persuasion knowledge. These findings shed light on how different types of copycat strategies interact to affect copycat brand name evaluations and offer important implications for marketing practice. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cumulative neurological factors associated with long-term outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors

Prior research has demonstrated the reliability and validity of the Neurological Predictor Scale (NPS) in relation to childhood brain tumor survivor outcomes; however, its use has not been examined in adult long-term survivors. The current study examines the concurrent validity of the NPS with long-term intellectual and adaptive outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors relative to individual variables alone. A total of 68 adult survivors of childhood brain tumors (M = 24 years old, SD = 4) almost 16 years post diagnosis (SD = 6) completed intellectual evaluations using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Survivors’ adaptive functioning skills were assessed via informant structured clinical interviews (SIB-R). NPS scores were computed from data acquired from medical records. The NPS was significantly associated with intellectual (R² = 0.208, p < .05) and adaptive outcomes (R² = 0.30, p < .05) over and above individual risk factors. Approximately 18% of long-term survivors were identified as impaired in intellectual outcomes, and 29% were identified as impaired in adaptive functioning in everyday life skills. The NPS quantifies the cumulative effects of treatment and neurological sequelae experienced by both short- and long-term survivors of childhood brain tumors. It is a useful and easy measure to employ in clinical research that focuses on quantifying the neurological risk factors associated with long-term intellectual and adaptive functioning outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors.     

原发性醛固酮增多症的诊断和治疗

随着检测技术和认识的提高,原发性醛固酮增多症的检出率越来越高,已经成为继发性高血压中最常见的原因.血浆醛固酮和肾素比值是筛查和诊断的重要指标,肾上腺静脉取血对定位诊断和决定治疗方案十分重要.     

Gender-Based Measurement Invariance of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents

The aim of this study was to evaluate the measurement invariance of the Chinese version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA; Gullone and Taffe (Psychological Assessment, 24(2), 409–417, 2011)) across gender. A total of 1388 Chinese adolescents (48.1% males), ranging in age from 11 to 16 years (M = 12.9, SD = 1.09) were recruited from four Chinese middle schools and completed the ERQ-CA. The Cronbach’s α values, omega coefficients, and item-total correlations for the two subscales of the ERQ-CA indicated adequate internal consistency reliability. The results of confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis revealed that all configural, metric, scalar, and partial strict invariance models provided acceptable fit to the data. The result of latent means analysis demonstrated statistically non-significant differences between boys and girls. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the ERQ-CA displays appropriate measurement invariance across gender for Chinese youth of ages 11 to 16.

     

The Effects of School Bonding on High School Seniors’ Academic Achievement

The authors examine the effects of school bonding on academic achievement (measured by math achievement scores) in a sample of 12th graders from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 ( Ingels, Pratt, Rogers, Siegel, & Stutts, 2005 ). Components of school bonding have proximal and distal effects on academic achievement. Attachment to school and school involvement had direct effects on achievement; attachment to teachers and school commitment behaviors had indirect effects on achievement through school‐related delinquency and prior achievement. Implications for counselors are discussed.