Context-effect bias in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.): exploring decoy influences in a value-based food choice task

Animal Cognition - Decision making is known to be liable to several context effects. In particular, adding a seemingly irrelevant alternative (decoy) to a set of options can modify preferences:...     

Flavour neophobia in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) and hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)

Flavour neophobia in gerbils and hamsters was studied by comparing the ingestive/pouching behaviour of these animals when presented with either a familiar unflavoured peanut or a novel one that imparted basic flavours such as sweet, salty, sour, or bitter. Neophobia was expressed by an aversion towards the novel nut manifested by greater latency either to ingest it (gerbils) or to deposit it in the cheek pouch (hamsters) relative to that of the unflavoured one. This method, involving reactions to the taste of novel solid food, provides a more sensitive measure than the traditional one measuring intake of a novel flavoured fluid. The results indicated that gerbils and hamsters encountering either a sweet, salty, or sour nut for the first time showed a neophobic reaction. However, there was no apparent sign of neophobia when the animals were tested with a nut flavoured with quinine. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.     

Perceived Group Identity Alters Task-Unrelated Thought and Attentional Divergence During Conversations

Task-unrelated thought (TUT) occurs frequently in our daily lives and across a range of tasks, but we know little about how this phenomenon arises during and influences the way we communicate. Conversations also provide a novel opportunity to assess the alignment (or divergence) in TUT during dyadic interactions. We conducted a study to determine: (a) the frequency of TUT during conversation as well as how partners align/diverge in their rates of TUT, (b) the subjective and behavioral correlates of TUT and TUT divergence during conversation, and (c) if perceived social group identity impacts TUT and TUT divergence during conversation. We used a minimal groups induction procedure to assign participants (N = 126) to either an ingroup, outgroup, or control condition. We then asked them to converse with one another via a computer-mediated text chat application for 10 min while self-reporting TUTs. On average, participants reported TUT about once every 2 min; however, this rate was lower for participants in the ingroup condition, compared to the control condition. Conversational pairs in the ingroup condition were also aligned more in their rates of TUT compared to the outgroup condition. Finally, we discuss subjective and behavioral correlates of TUT and TUT divergence in conversations, such as valence, turn-taking ratios, and topic shifts.     

Healthy Lifestyle,Well-being,Physical Activity,Sport, and Scholastic/academic Performance: Interactions and Connections

The physical activity and sport are key elements for a healthy lifestyle. However, a little-investigated element is the presence of a possible relationship between school or academic performance and the participation in physical activity and sport in groups of preadolescents and adolescents. In order to clarify the complex relationship between mind and body in preadolescence and adolescence, the present discussion investigates the causal and direct relationship between sport activity and performance; and describes how this relationship can be mediated by the sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy; and investigates the relationship between group sports practice and school or academic performance.     

Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury Is Predictive of Suicide Attempts Among Individuals with Mood Disorders

Nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI) prior to age 18 was evaluated as a risk factor for adulthood suicide attempt (SA). Archival data from 222 mood‐disordered participants were analyzed using multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis. Participants with a youth SA were excluded. The hazards of SA among adult participants with a history of youth NSSI were twice than those of mood‐disordered participants without youth NSSI (hazard ratio = 2.00, 95% confidence interval = 1.16–3.44, p = .01). Moreover, participants who had both youth and adult NSSI attempted suicide significantly earlier than participants who began NSSI as an adult. Youth NSSI is associated with persistent, elevated SA risk in adulthood.