Explaining purportedly irrational behavior by modeling skepticism in task parameters: an example examining confidence in forced-choice tasks

Many purported demonstrations of irrational behavior rely on the assumption that participants believe key task parameters that are merely asserted by experimenters. For example, previous researchers have found that participants who first reported confidence in items presented in a yes-no format did not change confidence to the degree prescribed by the normative model when those same items were later presented in a forced-choice format. A crucial assumption, however, was that participants fully believed the assertion that the forced-choice items were mutually exclusive and exhaustive. In this article, the authors derive and test a new normative model in which it is not assumed that participants fully believe the assertion. Two visual identification experiments show that the new normative model provides a compelling account of participants' confidence reports.     

The Effects of Transdiagnostic Group CBT for Anxiety on Insomnia Symptoms

Insomnia is a common feature among individuals with anxiety disorders. Studies of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety report moderate effects on concomitant insomnia symptoms, but further research is still needed especially toward understanding how CBT for anxiety renders beneficial effects on insomnia. The current study examined changes in insomnia symptoms reported by 51 Veterans who participated in a group-based transdiagnostic CBT for anxiety intervention. In addition, insomnia symptoms were examined in relation to symptoms of general distress (GD), anhedonic depression (AD), and anxious arousal (AA) pre- to post-treatment. Results revealed a small, though statistically significant (p < .05) beneficial effect on insomnia symptoms. When changes in GD, AD, and AA were simultaneously examined in relation to changes in insomnia, change in AA was the only significant predictor of insomnia symptoms. The current study highlights the role of AA in the relationship between anxiety disorders and insomnia and demonstrates that reductions in insomnia during transdiagnostic CBT for anxiety can be largely attributed to changes in AA.     

Residual Geriatric Depression Symptoms: A Place for Psychotherapy

Geriatric depression is a relatively commonly occurring mental disorder. A subpopulation of depressed older adults are those who have engaged in or completed pharmacotherapy, yet continue to experience depressive symptoms. We review the prevalence, psychosocial effects, and treatment of residual symptoms of depression in older adults. Data from previous studies conducted by our group are presented to support our contention that residual symptoms of geriatric depression are treatable through psychosocial means.     

Marginalized Identities,Trump-Related Distress,and the Mental Health of Underrepresented College Students

The current study sought to determine whether holding targeted marginalized identities was associated with greater experiences of distress related to Trump's presidency and whether participants’ level of Trump-related distress predicted decrements in mental health. Participants in the current longitudinal study included 338 underrepresented college students attending a predominantly White institution. Results indicated that individuals who held targeted marginalized identities reported greater Trump-related distress compared to their non-targeted counterparts, and that holding multiple targeted marginalized identities was associated with greater levels of Trump-related distress. Findings also indicated that Trump-related distress was associated with increases (relative to previous trajectories) in anxious but not depressive symptoms. Overall, our results suggest that a shift in sociopolitical circumstances that promulgates bigotry may be harmful to those who possess targeted marginalized identities.     

Personality and Reaction Time after Sleep Deprivation

The relationship between reaction time and both state and trait personality variables was investigated in 37 participants after 30 h of sleep deprivation. Regression analyses suggested that endorsement of greater Novelty Seeking, anger/hostility, and depression/dejection, and less confusion, was associated with greater reaction time declines on one Multi-Attribute Task Battery index after sleep deprivation. Further, greater Novelty Seeking and depression/dejection, and less vigor/activity, was associated with greater reaction time declines after sleep deprivation on another Multi-Attribute Task Battery index. Additional correlational analyses indicated that better reaction times were associated with greater Novelty Seeking and lower anger/hostility prior to sleep deprivation, and less confusion/bewilderment following sleep deprivation. Findings suggest that both state and trait personality variables are associated with reaction time performance following sleep deprivation.     

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Late Life

Although obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has received increasing attention, the study and treatment of OCD in late life has been neglected. The obsessions and compulsions seen with older adults do not appear to differ from the symptoms experienced by other age groups, although developmental issues might influence symptom focus (e.g., memory functioning-related obsessions). Hoarding difficulties might be prevalent in late life, although additional studies are needed. Seniors with OCD can present with comorbid psychiatric disorders, multiple general medical problems, and impaired cognitive functioning, complicating evaluation. There have not been controlled clinical trials of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for late-life OCD, although initial reports suggest older adults respond to CBT that includes age-related treatment modifications. We illustrate the challenges to assessing and treating older adults with OCD with case examples involving memory-related obsessions and clinical hoarding. The successful strategies used for adapting CBT for the treatment of late-life generalized anxiety disorder might serve as a model for advancing the study and treatment of late-life OCD.     

Stereo motion transparency processing implements an ecological smoothness constraint

Transparent motion stimuli allow us to investigate how visual motion is processed in the presence of multiple sources of information. We used stereo random-dot kinematograms to determine how motion processing is affected by the difference in direction and depth of two overlapping motion components. Observers judged whether a noise dot display contained one or two directions of motion. For all disparity differences, performance did not change among angles greater than 60 degrees, but the ability to detect transparent motion fell dramatically as the direction difference decreased below 60 degrees. When a disparity difference was added between the two motion components, detection became easier. We compared these results to an ideal-observer model limited by stimulus uncertainty and low-level sources of internal noise. The resulting measure of efficiency--the ratio of human to model performance--reflects changes in how motion stimuli are being processed. A decrease of both the direction and disparity differences had the effect of decreasing efficiency. These results suggest that the mechanism processing transparent motion may implement a smoothness constraint that tends to combine similar motions into a single percept.     

The effect of age on rule-based category learning

An explicit, rule-based, category-learning task with abstract visual stimuli was administered to 50 healthy older adults and 48 younger adults. Accuracy and reaction time (RT) were examined for the effects of age, perceptual abilities, rule memory, rule complexity, stimulus novelty, and response competition. Older adults performed at equivalent levels to younger adults when applying a simple rule, but showed performance decrements when applying a more complex rule. The age effect interacted with both stimulus novelty and response competition, and was not eliminated after controlling for basic perceptual abilities and rule memory. The authors suggest that older adults show category learning deficits in conditions that require enhanced cognitive control. These results are discussed in reference to the growing body of literature regarding age-related change in executive abilities and frontal lobe function.