Emotional expression and heart rate in high-risk infants during the face-to-face/still-face

In infants, eye constriction—the Duchenne marker—and mouth opening appear to index the intensity of both positive and negative facial expressions. We combined eye constriction and mouth opening that co-occurred with smiles and cry-faces (respectively, the prototypic expressions of infant joy and distress) to measure emotional expression intensity. Expression intensity and heart rate were measured throughout the face-to-face/still-face (FFSF) in a sample of infants with prenatal cocaine exposure who were at risk for developmental difficulties. Smiles declined and cry-faces increased in the still-face episode, but the distribution of eye constriction and mouth opening in smiles and cry-faces did not differ across episodes of the FFSF. As time elapsed in the still face episode potential indices of intensity increased, cry-faces were more likely to be accompanied by eye constriction and mouth opening. During cry-faces there were also moderately stable individual differences in the quantity of eye constriction and mouth opening. Infant heart rate was higher during cry-faces and lower during smiles, but did not vary with intensity of expression or by episode. In sum, infants express more intense negative affect as the still-face progresses, but do not show clear differences in expressive intensity between episodes of the FFSF.     

A preliminary investigation of impulsivity in generalized anxiety disorder

Few studies have examined the association between impulsivity and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). This study examined whether individuals with probable GAD display impulsivity in a particular way, and the extent to which impulsivity uniquely predicts GAD severity and GAD status, over and above intolerance of uncertainty (IU), a key cognitive factor in GAD. Individuals with (n = 63) and without (n = 77) probable GAD completed self-report measures of impulsivity and IU. Results revealed that elevations in the severity of GAD symptoms and in IU were associated with impulsive actions in the face of negative affect (i.e., negative urgency), but also greater premeditation and lower “functional” impulsivity (i.e., the ability to take quick action when it is advantageous to do so). Impulsivity led to an increment in the prediction of GAD symptoms and GAD status, over and above IU. Negative urgency and lower functional impulsivity were significant unique predictors of GAD severity or GAD status. The findings highlight a need to consider impulsivity in theories that implicate intolerance of negative affect and uncertainty in excessive and uncontrollable worry.     

Long-term Effects of Subliminal Priming on Academic Performance

This research examines the temporal range of subliminal priming effects on complex behavior. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants were subliminally primed with words either related or unrelated to intelligence before completing a practice exam, administered 1 to 4 days before an actual course midterm. Results revealed that the intelligence primes increased performance on the midterm compared to neutral primes. Experiment 1 demonstrated that being told that the priming task was designed to help exam performance moderated the effect of the intelligence primes. In Experiment 2, practice test performance mediated the effect of the primes on midterm performance. These experiments demonstrated that subliminal priming may have long-term effects on real-world behavior, and demonstrates one means by which long-term priming effects may occur.     

Motivation for Education and Work in Young Muslim Women: The Importance of Value for Ingroup Domains

Much work has focused on how stereotypes and discrimination negatively affect well-being, motivation, and performance in disadvantaged groups. Relatively little work has identified positive factors that contribute to motivation/performance. We focus on identity-affirmation as a positive force, presenting two studies on the effect of value by others for domains of importance to Muslims on young Muslim women's perspective on education/work. The results show how respecting identity domains that are central and salient for members of religious/ethnic minority groups maintains motivation in education/work, and secures majority-group identification. Rather than hampering societal integration, the results show that distinctive identities can be harnessed as positive sources.     

Genetic and environmental influences on rumination and its covariation with depression

This study examined the extent to which rumination and depression share genetic and environmental influences in a community sample of adult twins (N = 663). Twins completed multiple rumination questionnaires, a depressive symptoms questionnaire and a diagnostic interview. Rumination was moderately heritable (h² = .37–.41 for the latent variable) and substantially influenced by nonshared environmental factors, and these results were consistent across different measures. Nonshared environmental influences on rumination were larger for women than men. Depressive symptoms and diagnosis were influenced by genetic and nonshared environmental factors (h² = .30–.45). The genetic correlations between rumination and depression were moderate to large (rA = .40–.82), suggesting that a substantial proportion of the genetic influences on rumination overlap with those on depression. Results were similar when examining self-reported depressive symptoms and interview-based diagnosis of major depressive disorder. These results highlight the importance of rumination in the integration of cognitive and genetic models of depression risk.     

Exploring the Inconsistent Labels and Definitions of Texts Used in Informational Reading and Writing

This article discusses the various labels and definitions given for texts used for informational reading and writing and the confusion caused by the inconsistency of terms. An EBSCO search on articles published from 2006 to 2011 in the three largest literacy-related professional organizations' journals produced a total of 59 articles. Nonfiction was the most frequent label used; the term “informational text” had the greatest number of definitions and disparity in use. The authors discuss the implications of these disparities in labels and definitions for both researchers and teachers.     

Postreading Questioning and Middle School Students’ Understanding of Literature

Bibliopower can be used effectively to develop positive attitudes about reading and writing among reluctant readers and writers. The purpose of this study was to identify Newbery and Caldecott Medal books which possess bibliopower. Suggestions are made for the classroom use of these books to help students build lifetime commitments to reading and writing.     

Effects of video-game play on information processing: A meta-analytic investigation

Do video games enhance cognitive functioning? We conducted two meta-analyses based on different research designs to investigate how video games impact information-processing skills (auditory processing, executive functions, motor skills, spatial imagery, and visual processing). Quasi-experimental studies (72 studies, 318 comparisons) compare habitual gamers with controls; true experiments (46 studies, 251 comparisons) use commercial video games in training. Using random-effects models, video games led to improved information processing in both the quasi-experimental studies, d = 0.61, 95 % CI [0.50, 0.73], and the true experiments, d = 0.48, 95 % CI [0.35, 0.60]. Whereas the quasi-experimental studies yielded small to large effect sizes across domains, the true experiments yielded negligible effects for executive functions, which contrasted with the small to medium effect sizes in other domains. The quasi-experimental studies appeared more susceptible to bias than were the true experiments, with larger effects being reported in higher-tier than in lower-tier journals, and larger effects reported by the most active research groups in comparison with other labs. The results are further discussed with respect to other moderators and limitations in the extant literature.     

Early Temperament and Attachment Security with Mothers and Fathers as Predictors of Toddler Compliance and Noncompliance

This longitudinal study (n = 106) examined associations between temperament, attachment, and styles of compliance and noncompliance. Infant negative temperamental reactivity was reported by mothers at 3, 5 and 7 months. Infant attachment was assessed (Strange Situation) at 12 (mothers) and 14 months (fathers). Toddlers' styles of compliance/noncompliance were measured using two laboratory contexts (clean‐up/delay) at 20 months. Results indicated that temperament and attachment predicted toddler behaviour. Toddlers who were secure with mothers and low in temperamental negative reactivity showed more committed compliance than those who were insecure and low in negative reactivity or secure and high in negative reactivity. In addition, interactions revealed that relations between infant–mother attachment and defiance depended on infant–father attachment security, temperament and context. Findings highlight the differential and complex roles of temperament and attachment as potential precursors of later social competence. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sensitivity of MMPI Validity Scales to Motivational Factors in Psychological Evaluations of Police Officers

To examine whether Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) validity scales are sensitive to motivational sets in a specific forensic population, we compared three groups of 20 police officers being evaluated for fitness to return to duty: those who expressed a desire to return; those desiring not to, and a control group. Results indicate that four validity indices Significantly differentiated experimental groups in the expected directions. Officers wanting to return to duty minimized psychological difficulties significantly more than the other groups. Thus, our study supports the usefulness of MMPI validity scales in assessing response bias in police fitness evaluations. Data suggest that minimization occurs primarily for obvious emotional or characterological problems.