Utilizing a Creative Task to Assess Langerian Mindfulness

Despite the growing interest in mindfulness and its demonstrated benefits, there are concerns about the reliance on subjective assessment tools. This study focused on the measurement of Langerian mindfulness, which refers to the active process of noticing new things and flexibly responding to the current context. Some of its key features overlap with the construct of creativity, which can be used to create a direct assessment for central components of mindfulness. The aim is to start a discussion in the field about how a direct creativity-based tool to current subjective measures might best be used.     

A Within-Group Analysis of African American Mothers’ Authoritarian Attitudes,Limit-Setting and Children’s Self-Regulation

Research suggests that higher levels of authoritarian parenting exist in African American (AA) families than in European American (EA) families, and that authoritarian attitudes may be associated with more positive outcomes in AA families than EA families. However, less is known about authoritarian attitudes and children’s development within AA families. This within-group study of 50 African American mothers and their 3-year-old children examined associations between maternal authoritarian attitudes, observed maternal limit-setting strategies, and children’s self-regulation during a limit-setting interaction. The findings indicate that while AA families may hold more authoritarian attitudes than EA families, the direction of effect of authoritarian attitudes on children’s outcomes appears to be the same in both ethnic groups. In this sample, when examining AA authoritarian attitudes relative to those of other AA mothers, less or lower authoritarian attitudes were associated with authoritative limit-setting behavior (firm limits within the context of overall warmth and responsiveness) and better children’s self-regulation.     

Insightful problem solving and emulation in brown capuchin monkeys

We investigated problem solving abilities of capuchin monkeys via the “floating object problem,” a task in which the subject must use creative problem solving to retrieve a favored food item from the bottom of a clear tube. Some great apes have solved this problem by adding water to raise the object to a level at which it can be easily grabbed. We presented seven capuchins with the task over eight trials (four “dry” and four “wet”). None of the subjects solved the task, indicating that no capuchin demonstrated insightful problem solving under these experimental conditions. We then investigated whether capuchins would emulate a solution to the task. Seven subjects observed a human model solve the problem by pouring water from a cup into the tube, which brought the object to the top of the tube, allowing the subject to retrieve it. Subjects were then allowed to interact freely with an unfilled tube containing the object in the presence of water and objects that could be used to solve the task. While most subjects were unable to solve the task after viewing a demonstrator solve it, one subject did so, but in a unique way. Our results are consistent with some previous results in great ape species and indicate that capuchins do not spontaneously solve the floating object problem via insight.     

Do humans prefer altruistic mates? Testing a link between sexual selection and altruism towards non‐relatives

Humans are often seen as unusual in displaying altruistic behaviour towards non‐relatives. Here we outline and test a hypothesis that human altruistic traits evolved as a result of sexual selection. We develop a psychometric scale to measure mate preference towards altruistic traits (the MPAT scale). We then seek evidence of whether mate choice on the basis of altruistic traits is present and find it in one study (N=170 couples). We also predict that a stronger female MPAT, as measured by responses to the MPAT scale, will be expressed – a result found in all three studies (Ns=380, 340, and 398). Both sets of results are consistent with the hypothesized link between human altruism towards non‐relatives and sexual selection.     

The Role of Excess Cognitive Capacity in the Relationship Between Job Characteristics and Cognitive Task Engagement

A model is presented in which two categories of individual differences, differences related to task capacity and differences related to task motivation, are proposed to influence the relationship between task characteristics and cognitive task engagement. It is proposed that task characteristics will interact with the performer’s task capacity to influence the excess cognitive capacity available to the task performer. To the degree one’s capabilities meet or exceed the demands of the job, excess cognitive capacity is more likely. The relationship between excess cognitive capacity and cognitive task engagement is then moderated by factors influencing one’s task motivation, and by cognitive and physical interventions if the excess capacity is actively utilized in a safe manner. If the excess cognitive capacity is safely utilized, or if task motivation is high, cognitive task engagement is more likely. Implications of the model for human resource management are discussed.     

The development and evaluation of the Harm Reduction Self-Efficacy Questionnaire.

The authors recruited 99 injection drug users to assess the psychometric properties of a new self-report questionnaire--the Harm Reduction Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (HRSEQ)--designed to measure injection drug users' confidence to employ 15 specific health-preserving coping skills in different types of high-risk situations (experiencing withdrawal, feeling depressed, and feeling social pressure to use drugs unsafely). Scores for each high-risk situation had good internal consistency (alphas = .89 -.92) and good 1-week test-retest reliability (rs = .70 -.85). Comparison with measures of drug-related problems, use of coping skills, and health self-efficacy supported both construct and discriminant validity of the HRSEQ. Exploratory factor analyses revealed 3 major themes (cleanliness precautions, overdose precautions, and safer injection practices) that summarized most, but not all, of the 15 items. Mean differences among the 3 situations suggest that harm reduction self-efficacy should be assessed in the context of specific high-risk situations.     

The role of working memory in decoding emotions

Decoding facial expressions of emotion is an important aspect of social communication that is often impaired following psychiatric or neurological illness. However, little is known of the cognitive components involved in perceiving emotional expressions. Three dual task studies explored the role of verbal working memory in decoding emotions. Concurrent working memory load substantially interfered with choosing which emotional label described a facial expression (Experiment 1). A key factor in the magnitude of interference was the number of emotion labels from which to choose (Experiment 2). In contrast the ability to decide that two faces represented the same emotion in a discrimination task was relatively unaffected by concurrent working memory load (Experiment 3). Different methods of assessing emotion perception make substantially different demands on working memory. Implications for clinical disorders which affect both working memory and emotion perception are considered.     

Autoshaping a leverpress in rats with lateral, medial, or complete septal lesions

Rats with either control operations or lateral, medial, or complete septal lesions received 600 trials of leverpress training using an autoshaping procedure, i.e., food delivery followed a 10 s illuminated lever presentation, or occurred immediately after a leverpress. Rats with complete septal lesions acquired the leverpress faster than controls and had more food-tray entries per minute during the first 100 trials than the other groups. Rats with lateral or medial septal lesions had leverpress and food-tray entries equivalent to controls. The facilitation of autoshaping a leverpress may partially be explained by the general increase in motor reactivity to stimuli found following septal lesions.     

“I've Been a Long Time Leaving”: The Role of Limited Skill Transferability in Increasing Suicide‐Related Cognitions and Behavior in Veterinarians

Barriers to occupational mobility were investigated to determine whether they increased reported suicide‐related cognitions and behavior over 12 months. This was explored in a two‐wave longitudinal study. Intention to leave, depression, perceived skill transferability, and suicide‐related cognitions and behavior was measured at both time points approximately 12 months apart. Results indicated that when there was a high intention to leave at T1, reported suicide‐related cognitions and behavior increased over 12 months only when skill transferability to other professions was perceived to be limited. Findings support the role of limited occupational mobility in suicide‐related cognitions and behavior.