The effect of positive affect on conflict resolution: Modulated by approach-motivational intensity

The motivational dimensional model of affect proposes that the influence of positive affect on cognitive processing is modulated by approach-motivational intensity. The present research extended this model by examining the influence of positive affect varying in approach-motivational intensity on conflict resolution—the ability to resolve interference from task-irrelevant distractors in order to focus on the target. The global–local task (Experiment 1) and letter-Flanker task (Experiment 2) were used to measure conflict resolution. Additionally, the 4:2 mapping design that assigns two kinds of task-relevant stimuli to one response key and two more to another response key was used in these two tasks to dissociate stimulus and response conflict. Results showed that positive affect varying in approach motivation had opposite influences on conflict resolution. The opposite influences are primarily reflected in low approach-motivated positive affect impairing, while high approach-motivated positive affect facilitating the resolution of response conflict. Conversely, the stimulus conflict was slightly influenced. These findings highlight the utility of distinguishing stimulus and response conflict in future research.     

Person‐specific versus multilevel autoregressive models: Accuracy in parameter estimates at the population and individual levels

This paper compares the multilevel modelling (MLM) approach and the person‐specific (PS) modelling approach in examining autoregressive (AR) relations with intensive longitudinal data. Two simulation studies are conducted to examine the influences of sample heterogeneity, time series length, sample size, and distribution of individual level AR coefficients on the accuracy of AR estimates, both at the population level and at the individual level. It is found that MLM generally outperforms the PS approach under two conditions: when the sample has a homogeneous AR pattern, namely, when all individuals in the sample are characterized by AR processes with the same order; and when the sample has heterogeneous AR patterns, but a multilevel model with a sufficiently high order (i.e., an order equal to or higher than the maximum order of individual AR patterns in the sample) is fitted and successfully converges. If a lower‐order multilevel model is chosen for heterogeneous samples, the higher‐order lagged effects are misrepresented, resulting in bias at the population level and larger prediction errors at the individual level. In these cases, the PS approach is preferable, given sufficient measurement occasions (T ≥ 50). In addition, sample size and distribution of individual level AR coefficients do not have a large impact on the results. Implications of these findings on model selection and research design are discussed.     

Of Tooth and Claw: Predator Self-Identifications Mediate Gender Differences in Interpersonal Arrogance

Men often score higher than women do on traits or tendencies marked by hostile dominance. The purpose of the present research was to contribute to an understanding of these gender differences. Four studies (total N?=?494 U.S. undergraduates) administered a modified animal preference test in which participants could choose to be predator or prey animals, but not labeled as such. Men were consistently more interested in being predator animals than women were, displaying a sort of hostile dominance in their projective preferences. Predator self-identifications, in turn, mediated gender differences in outcomes related to hostile dominance. Studies 1 and 2 provided initial evidence for this model in the context of variations in interpersonal arrogance, and Studies 3 and 4 extended the model to nonverbal displays and daily life prosociality, respectively. The findings indicate that gender differences in hostile dominance are paralleled by gender differences in preferring to think about the self in predator-like terms. Accordingly, the findings provide new insights into aggressive forms of masculine behavior.     

允许CAT题目检查的区块题目袋方法

允许题目检查能够促进计算机化自适应测验(CAT)在实际中的应用。在不影响能力估计精度和测验公平性的前提下, 允许CAT题目检查能够缓解考生考试焦虑, 减少无关因素引起的测量误差。区块题目袋方法是连续区块方法与题目袋方法的结合, 不仅能允许CAT题目检查, 还能够弥补题目袋方法的不足。研究结果表明：(1)合理作答策略下, 区块题目袋方法的估计精度在低能力水平上要优于题目袋方法; (2)在应对类似Wainer作答策略时, 区块题目袋方法的估计精度在所有能力水平上均优于题目袋方法。(3)随着区块数的增加, 区块题目袋方法的能力估计精度越接近无修改的基线水平。     

表象预期调控生物运动性别信息的识别

生物运动系在运动的生物体身的关键节点安置12～15个光点的运动痕迹形成的动画。研究表明光点生物运动包含了丰富的社会性信息,其社会性信息的识别涉及多个心理活动过程,其中大脑自上而下的知觉调控过程发挥重要作用。本研究通过两个实验探讨了表象预期在大脑自上而下调控光点生物运动性别信息识别的作用。结果发现：（1）表象预期能够加快男性生物运动的性别识别速度;想象中性形象被试倾向于将性别中立的生物运动识别为中性,而较少为男性或者女性。（2）表象预期条件和无表象预期条件下性别中立的光点生物运动性别类型识别都表现出“男性偏差”现象。（3）反应类型能够影响生物运动的性别识别。本研究有利于揭示大脑自上而下调控光点生物运动性别信息识别的心理机制。     

内倾特质个体的自我参照加工程度效应

采用事件相关电位技术和三类刺激的经典oddball范式,以内隐的方式探讨内倾特质个体的自我参照加工程度效应及其神经机制。实验发现,在P2的波幅上,在电极前部、前中部和中部位置高自我相关的刺激比其它刺激诱发了更大的P2波幅。在P2的潜伏期上,在电极前部、中部、和中后部位置高自我相关的刺激比其它刺激诱发了更短的潜伏期。在N2的波幅上,高自我相关名字比其它刺激在左脑所诱发了更大的P2的波幅;对比内倾型被试,中间型被试的高自我相关名字比其它刺激诱发了更大的N2的波幅。在N2的潜伏期上,高自我相关的刺激在全脑都比其它刺激诱发了更短的N2潜伏期,且中后部电极位置的潜伏期最短;两类人格被试的高自我相关名字比其它刺激诱发了更短的N2潜伏期,但中间型人格被试的潜伏期最短。在P3平均波幅上,高自我相关的刺激在全脑都比其它刺激诱发了更大的P3波幅,其中中部脑区效应最大。研究结果表明内倾特质个体的自我参照加工具有程度效应,但对比中间型个体,内倾特质个体的自我参照加工的程度效应更弱。     

Diagnostic utility of the PTSD Checklist in detecting ptsd in Chinese earthquake victims

By using the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) module of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) as the gold standard to identify PTSD, the current study investigated the diagnostic efficiency of the PTSD Checklist (PCL) as a screening questionnaire in a sample of 152 Chinese victims of the Wenchuan earthquake. The results showed that the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was .96 (SE = .02), and the optimally efficient cutoff score was 44. The findings provide preliminary support of the PCL as a screening questionnaire among Chinese earthquake victims. The present study may contribute to further PTSD-related research and practices in Chinese disaster settings.     

The nose tells it to the eyes: crossmodal associations between olfaction and vision

Crossmodal linkage between the olfactory and visual senses is still largely underexplored. In this study, we investigated crossmodal olfactory-visual associations by testing whether and how visual processing of objects is affected by the presence of olfactory cues. To this end, we explored the influence of prior learned associations between an odour (eg odour of orange) and a visual stimulus naturally associated with that odour (picture of orange) on the movements of the eyes over a complex scene. Participants were asked to freely explore a photograph containing an odour-related visual cue embedded among other objects while being exposed to the corresponding odour (subjects were unaware of the presence of the odour). Eye movements were recorded to analyse the order and distribution of fixations on each object of the scene. Our data show that the odour-related visual cue was explored faster and for a shorter time in the presence of the congruent odour. These findings suggest that odours can affect visual processing by attracting attention to the possible odour source and by facilitating its identification.