Attentional mechanisms linking rejection to hostile reactivity: the role of "hot" versus "cool" focus

Drawing on the hot–cool systems analysis of self–regulation, we examined whether attentional focus mediates the negativity of cognitive–affective reactions to interpersonal rejection. The hypothesis was that whereas a hot, arousing focus to representing rejection experiences should increase anger–hostility, accessing the cool system through distraction and distancing should attenuate such responses. Participants imagined an autobiographical rejection experience, focusing either on their physiological and emotional reactions (hot focus) or on the physical setting of the experience (cool focus). Participants in a third condition received no specific attentional instructions. Both implicit and explicit measures showed that hostile thoughts and feelings were attenuated in the cool–focus compared with the hot–focus condition. The findings support the adaptive value of activating a cooling strategy under hot, arousing conditions that otherwise elicit automatic, hot–system responses.     

An animal model of fetishism

An animal model of sexual fetishism was developed with male Japanese quail based on persistence of conditioned sexual responding during extinction to an inanimate object made of terrycloth (Experiments 1 and 3). This persistent responding occurred only in subjects that came to copulate with the terrycloth object, suggesting that the copulatory behavior served to maintain the fetishistic behavior. Sexual conditioning was carried out by pairing a conditioned stimulus (CS) with the opportunity to copulate with a female (the unconditioned stimulus or US). Copulation with the CS object and persistent responding did not develop if the CS was a light (Experiment 1) or if conditioning was carried out with a food US (Experiment 2). In addition, subjects that showed persistence in responding to the terrycloth CS did not persist in their responding to a light CS (Experiment 3). The results are consistent with the hypothesis that conditioned copulatory behavior creates a form of self-maintenance that leads to persistent responding to an inanimate object. The development of an animal model of such fetishistic behavior should facilitate experimental analysis of the phenomenon.     

Tactical differences in coping with rejection sensitivity: the role of prevention pride

Prevention pride reflects a person's subjective history of success in preventing negative outcomes, leading to a strategic avoidance of errors of commission (e.g., explicit mistakes) in new situations. Two studies examined the impact of prevention pride on the strategies that highly rejection sensitive (HRS) people use to cope with the anxiety of anticipated rejection and the negative feelings elicited by perceived rejection. It was hypothesized that prevention pride orientation would lead HRS people toward covert and passive rather than overt and active forms of negative coping. Results indicated that HRS individuals who were also high in prevention pride reported increased use of self-silencing, presumably to prevent rejection. When rejection was perceived, however, they expressed hostility passively, by reducing positive behavior (e.g., withdrawing love and support) while inhibiting direct, active acts of hostility (e.g., yelling).     

Effectiveness and acceptability of parent training via telehealth among families around the world

Teaching parents to conduct functional analyses and to implement functional communication training is an efficacious approach for treating socially maintained problem behavior (Derby et al., 1997). Research has found that delivering this assessment and intervention package via telehealth technologies is efficient and acceptable to caregivers in the United States (Wacker et al., 2013b). We replicated this work with families residing in rural and urban areas of eight countries. Two behavior therapists located in the United States conducted appointments in the participants' native languages, using interpreters as needed. Parent‐implemented functional analyses and treatment with functional communication training were highly effective in reducing problem behavior in children diagnosed with autism. Furthermore, parents rated the procedures as acceptable and indicated that the treatment would be effective with their children. These findings indicate that telehealth technologies are a viable option for clinicians to provide behavior analysis services to families around the world.     

Rejection Sensitivity and Executive Control: Joint predictors of Borderline Personality features

Two studies tested the hypothesis that rejection sensitivity (RS) and executive control (EC) jointly predict borderline personality (BP) features. We expected high RS to be related to increased vulnerability for BP features specifically in people who also had difficulties in executive control (EC). Study 1 tested this hypothesis using a sample of college students (N = 379) whereas Study 2 (N = 104) was conducted using a community sample of adults. Both studies operationalized EC by a self-report measure. For a subsample in Study 2 (N = 80), ability to delay gratification at age 4 was also used as an early behavioral precursor of EC in adulthood. In both studies, high RS was associated with increased BP features among people low in self-reported EC. Among those high in self-reported EC, the relationship between RS and BP features was attenuated. Study 2 found parallel findings using preschool delay ability as a behavioral index of EC. These findings suggest that EC may protect high RS people against BP features.     

Resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia buffers against rejection sensitivity via emotion control

Emerging evidence suggests that high resting heart rate variability in the respiratory frequency band, or respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) may capture individual differences in the capacity to engage in situationally appropriate regulation of affect and behavior. The authors therefore hypothesized that high RSA may act as a protective factor against difficulties controlling negative affect and hostile behaviors in conflicts with romantic partners in highly rejection-sensitive individuals--a population otherwise vulnerable to these responses. Results were consistent with this hypothesis such that highly rejection-sensitive participants reported less emotion control and more hostility in conflicts only if they were also low in RSA. Furthermore, emotion control mediated the joint effect of rejection-sensitivity and RSA on hostile conflict behavior. These results are consistent with the argument that resting RSA is a marker of flexible responding in the context of highly emotional situations, and further suggest that it may serve as a protective factor particularly in vulnerable populations.     

Alone but together,autonomous but related: Self‐construal effects on happiness in social experiences

Communal tables and open workspaces have become popular servicescapes, that is, contemporary spaces for experiencing, dining, or working alone but together. Previous research demonstrates that experiencing with close others (e.g., with friends or family) increases happiness and satisfaction, but experiences shared with strangers in contexts such as communal tables or workshops have not yet been thoroughly analyzed. Addressing this research gap from a social–psychological perspective, we suggest that even though individuals are generally happier when they share experiences with loved ones, self‐construal plays a moderating role in the relationship. Individuals with high autonomy and high relatedness do not anticipate greater happiness from experiences shared with friends than with those shared with strangers. Three experimental studies (two online and one field) demonstrate this effect, using different operationalizations of autonomy relatedness. Managerial implications are discussed, and suggestions are made for future research.     

A Mother,A Baby,and Two Treatment Approaches: Discussing A Switch Case from CBT and Mentalization Perspectives

ABSTRACT

As the literature on perinatal depression and anxiety grows, there is an increased need for dialogue among theoretical approaches for mother-infant mental health. This article describes a community mental health program incorporating a range of treatment models for pregnant and postpartum women experiencing issues during the transition to parenthood. Perinatal distress can affect parenting practices, from breastfeeding to health care access, creating the need for targeted, practical, and concrete interventions. Interventions that aim to foster secure attachment relationships and mentalization capacities can also help increase maternal sensitivity and attunement and joy in caregiving, and reduce withdrawn/hostile behaviors that may be associated with perinatal distress. The article describes psychotherapy with a mother and her newborn that began from a cognitive-behavioral approach and transitioned to a psychodynamic mentalization-focused treatment. Working principles and examples of two additional components of treatment, a group psychotherapy and research measures, are discussed. The case helps demonstrate how attachment theory can inform treatment and build a bridge between alternative approaches.     

Cross‐cultural comparison of political leaders' operational codes

This study aims at comparing operational codes (namely, philosophical and instrumental beliefs about the political universe) of political leaders from different cultures. According to Schwartz (2004), cultures can be categorised into 3 dimensions: autonomy–embeddedness, egalitarianism–hierarchy and mastery–harmony. This study draws upon the 1st dimension (akin to the most popular cultural dimension of Hofstede: individualism–collectivism) and focuses on comparing the leaders of autonomous and embedded cultures based on how cooperative/conflictual they are. The main research hypothesis is as follows: the leaders of embedded cultures would be more cooperative than the leaders of autonomous cultures. For this purpose, 3 autonomous cultures (the UK, Canada and Australia) and embedded cultures (Singapore, South Africa and Malaysia) cultures were chosen randomly and the cooperativeness of the correspondent countries' leaders were compared after being profiled by Profiler Plus. The results indicated that the leaders of embedded cultures were significantly more cooperative than autonomous cultures after holding the control variables constant. The findings were discussed in the light of relevant literature.     

Building Bridges for Refugee Empowerment

After the Syrian Humanitarian Crisis, the people of Turkey have long-established informal organizations to accommodate refugees. These local agencies often take responsibility as a cultural bridge between the refugee and the host community to establish peaceful relationships between two communities. In this paper, I examined the activities of one such local women’s organization in the Central Anatolia region. The organizational structure of this network of women was critically examined based on the principles of critical feminist theory. The findings showed that this organization challenged the dominant narratives of refugees as victims and helpers as liberators. In contrasts to much of the literature on refugee and migration studies, which avoided questioning the position of helpers, it unveiled some of the unacknowledged benefits accrued by the local women and presents an alternative humanitarian endeavor for improving refugees’ life standards.