Read-out of emotional information from iconic memory: the longevity of threatening stimuli

Previous research has shown that emotional stimuli are more likely than neutral stimuli to be selected by attention, indicating that the processing of emotional information is prioritized. In this study, we examined whether the emotional significance of stimuli influences visual processing already at the level of transient storage of incoming information in iconic memory, before attentional selection takes place. We used a typical iconic memory task in which the delay of a poststimulus cue, indicating which of several visual stimuli has to be reported, was varied. Performance decreased rapidly with increasing cue delay, reflecting the fast decay of information stored in iconic memory. However, although neutral stimulus information and emotional stimulus information were initially equally likely to enter iconic memory, the subsequent decay of the initially stored information was slowed for threatening stimuli, a result indicating that fear-relevant information has prolonged availability for read-out from iconic memory. This finding provides the first evidence that emotional significance already facilitates stimulus processing at the stage of iconic memory.     

Die Validit?t dynamisch-ver?nderbarer Risikofaktoren bei der Vorhersage einschl?giger R��ckf?lle p?dosexueller Straft?ter

The present study examines the predictive validity of dynamic risk factors for the prediction of sexual recidivism in a sample of pedosexual offenders (N?=?135) released from the Austrian prison system between 2002 and 2005. Static-99 was used to rate static risk factors and in order to measure dynamic risk factors Stable-2000 and Stable-2007 were applied. In addition to the demonstration of results about the interrater reliability the results about the predictive and incremental validity of the dynamic risk assessment are presented. After a mean follow-up period of 5½ years Static-99, Stable-2000 and Stable-2007 showed excellent interrater reliability and good predictive validity for the prediction of sexual recidivism. Furthermore, Stable-2007 showed better predictive accuracy than its predecessor and added incremental predictive validity beyond Static-99.     

Beyond quantitative decline: conceptual shifts in adolescents' development of interest in mathematics

Research has shown that the average values for academic interest decrease during adolescence. Looking beyond such quantitative decline, we explored qualitative change of interest in the domain of mathematics across adolescence. Study 1 was based on a longitudinal data set (annual assessments from Grade 5 to Grade 9; N = 3,193). Latent variable modeling showed that the measurement coefficients of the latent variable of interest (intercepts, structural weights, and error variances) significantly differed across time points, indicating structural changes of the construct. Study 2 was based on interviews with adolescents (Grades 5 and 9, N = 70). Cognitive validation was used to explore differences in subjective concepts of interest across age groups. As expected, there were significant age-related differences, indicating a shift from an affect-laden concept in 5th grade to a more cognitively oriented concept in 9th grade. The findings suggest that developmental research should integrate quantitative and qualitative perspectives of construct change over time and pay more attention to issues of measurement invariance and qualitative changes of constructs over time.     

To judge a book by its weight you need to know its content: Knowledge moderates the use of embodied cues

Participants evaluated a book as more important when it weighed heavily in their hands (due to a concealed weight), but only when they had substantive knowledge about the book. Those who had read a synopsis (Study 1), had read the book (Study 2) and knew details about its plot (Study 3) were influenced by its weight, whereas those unfamiliar with the book were not. This contradicts the widely shared assumption that metaphorically related perceptual inputs serve as heuristic cues that people primarily use in the absence of more diagnostic information. Instead, perceptual inputs may increase the accessibility of metaphorically congruent knowledge or may suggest an initial hypothesis that is only endorsed when supporting information is accessible.     

Causal Models of Physical Exercise Participation: Testing the Predictive Power of the Construct "Pressure to Change"

This study examines 2 different causal models to predict physical exercise motivation and behavior under a longitudinal perspective. The first model includes 5 latent variables that were hypothesized to have an impact on exercise intention and behavior: behavior-specific social support, exercise self-efficacy, perceived health benefits, perceived barriers, and subjective vulnerability to cardiovascular disease. The second model was based on all variables of the first model, but additionally included the new variable "pressure to change." Pressure to change was defined as the extent to which a person feels the necessity that specific personal life circumstances (e.g., health status, social relations) may not remain as they are and ought to be changed. It was hypothesized that the inclusion of health-related pressure to change would result in a better prediction of exercise intention. The proposed causal models were tested separately at the stages of exercise adoption and maintenance. Covariance structure analyses (LISREL) confirmed that pressure to change may be an important factor in the motivational process that leads to the adoption of regular physical exercise. Adding this latent variable to the basic model improved the amount of explained variance in exercise intention by 6%. Furthermore, the results did not support the assumption that cognitive control is critical especially during the acquisition of exercise behaviors, but may be less influential once the behavioral routines have been established. Our data rather indicate that regular physical exercise, even if performed on a regular basis for years, always remains a behavior that requires a high level of cognitive guidance.     

Virtuelle Objekte und ihre Verwendung

Zusammenfassung. Wir leben in einer Epoche, die man als Post-Gutenberg-Epoche bezeichnen kann. Das dominierende Zeichensystem ist nicht mehr die Schrift, sondern das elektronische Zeichen. Ungef?hr das Jahr 1950 wird als Wendepunkt zwischen diesen beiden Epochen angesehen, und zwar deshalb, weil in den Jahren nach dem 2. Weltkrieg die amerikanischen Haushalte mit Fernsehger?ten ges?ttigt waren und sich somit dieses neue Zeichensystem durchgesetzt hatte. Thema dieses Aufsatzes ist die Ver?nderung unserer Zeichensysteme und damit unserer Symbolwelten, der Wandel von der Welt des Schriftzeichens zur Welt des elektronischen Zeichens, die dadurch entstandene M?glichkeit, elektronische Objekte zu schaffen, die ich virtuelle Objekte nennen m?chte, die Manipulation von Objektwahl und Objektbeziehung, die damit einhergeht und die Rolle, die uns Analytikern in einer solchen Welt zukommt. Diese elektronischen Zeichen haben mit gro?em Tempo ein Eigenleben entwickelt, es ist eine ganze Klasse neuer Objekte entstanden, die Klassen der virtuellen Objekte. Dies sind elektronisch ver?nderte, erg?nzte oder rein elektronisch produzierte Objekte. Damit verbunden ist eine Industrialisierung von Objektwahl und Objektbeziehung. Es entsteht die manipulierte Objektwahl und Objektbeziehung und die Verdr?ngung natürlicher Objekte durch virtuelle. Dieser Vorgang ist auch mit einem Wechsel des Sozial- und Kulturverst?ndnisses verbunden. Es entstehen neue Muster des Sozial- und Kulturverst?ndnisses, die man als Industriefeudalismus bezeichnen k?nnte. Ziel des Beitrags ist es, über die Ver?nderung unserer Zeichenwelt und die damit verbundene Industrialisierung von Objektbeziehung zu reflektieren und sie, soweit schon m?glich, zu deuten.

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Virtual objects and their application: about the industrial production of object relationships

Summary. We live in an epoch that could be designated as the post-Gutenberg-era. Writing is no longer the dominant sign system. It is replaced by electronic signs. We consider approximately the year 1950 as the turning-point between these two epochs, because by then, in the years after the 2nd World War the American households were saturated with televisions. Thereby, the new sign system asserted itself. The topic of this article is the transformation of our sign system and thereby of our worlds of symbols, the leap from the world of written signs into the world of electronic signs, and the possibility born out of it to create electronic objects, which I prefer to call virtual objects. The manipulation of object-choice and object-relationships accompanying this change and the role assigned to analysts in this new world will be considered as well. These electronic signs developed quickly a life of their own. A totally new class of objects came into being, the class of virtual objects. These are electronically transformed, completed or wholly electronically produced objects. This procedure is accompanied by an industrialization of object-choice and object-relationships. The manipulated object-choice and object-relationship is born and, moreover, a displacement of natural objects through virtual ones. A change of the socio-cultural understanding is also a consequence of this process. New patterns of socio-cultural understanding develop, that could be described as industrial feudalism. The goal of this article is to describe the transformation of our world of signs and the connected industrialization of object relationships, and to interprete them according to our present possibilities.

     

Evidence for attenuated affective processing in obesity

Attenuated affective processing is hypothesized to play a role in the development and maintenance of obesity. Using an affective priming task measuring automatic affective processing of verbal stimuli, a group of 30 obese participants in a weight-loss program at the Psychosomatic University Clinic Bonn (M age = 48.3, SD = 10.7) was compared with a group of 25 participants of normal weight (M age = 43.6, SD = 12.5). A smaller affective priming effect was observed for participants with obesity, indicating less pronounced reactions to valenced adjectives. The generally reduced affective processing in obese participants was discussed as a possible factor in the etiology of obesity. Individuals who generally show less pronounced affective reactions to a given stimulus may also react with less negative affect when confronted with weight gain or less positive affect when weight is lost. Consequently, they could be expected to be less motivated to stop overeating or to engage in dieting and will have a higher risk of becoming or staying obese.