Rich interpretation vs. deflationary accounts in cognitive development: the case of means-end skills in 7-month-old infants

Seven-month-old infants appear to learn means-end skills, such as pushing a button to retrieve a distant toy (Psychological Review 104 (1997) 686). The present studies tested whether such apparent means-end behaviors are genuine, or simply the repetition of trained behaviors under conditions of greatest arousal, as suggested by a dynamic systems reinterpretation. When infants were trained to repeat behaviors that did not serve as means to retrieving toys (pushing a button to light a set of distant lights), their button-pushing differed significantly from infants for whom button-pushing served as a means for retrieving toys. Further, infants demonstrated means-end skills with behaviors that they had not been trained to repeat. Implications for early means-end abilities and for debates surrounding the interpretation of infant behavior are discussed.     

Explaining intra-individual variability in social behavior through idiographic assessment: The case of humor

Much variability in social behavior is intra-individual; people vary their actions strategically across contexts. Yet most personality assessment methods are inter-individual; they chart between-person differences in average behavioral tendencies. The present research advanced novel idiographic assessment methods to predict intra-individual variability in a behavioral domain of long-standing interest to personality psychologists: humor. Individuals participated in three assessment sessions. Personal beliefs about reasons for using humor were assessed either idiographically or with respect to a nomothetic system of humor-related reasons for action. The subjective relevance of nomothetically- and idiographically-identified reasons to everyday social situations was assessed. Subsequently, participants reported their perceived likelihood of using humor in specific social contexts. As predicted, likelihood of humor use varied substantially as a function of the relevance of situations to idiographically-identified reasons, but did not vary as a function of the relevance of situations to reasons identified nomothetically. Implications for personality and assessment are discussed.     

The development and validation of an implicit measure of competence need satisfaction

Research on self-determination theory has typically relied on explicit measures when examining the concept of competence need satisfaction. As a result, we know relatively little about competence need satisfaction that arises under conditions of automaticity. Across four studies, we developed and validated implicit measures of competence need satisfaction by drawing on two tasks: a relational variant of the implicit association test (IAT; Study 1, 3, and 4) and the implicit relational assessment procedure (IRAP; Study 2–3). Results across these studies revealed that both implicit measures were either unrelated or moderately related to their explicit counterpart. They were also unrelated to one another. Unlike the IRAP, the IAT was found to be reliable, to display discriminant validity, and to yield meaningful but modest relations with constructs in a nomological network. Together, these results provide modest support for the usefulness of the competence need satisfaction IAT but not of the competence need satisfaction IRAP as an implicit measure of the need for competence. Future research examining the unique predictive value of this IAT is needed, together with research on possible explanations for the low reliability of the IRAP.     

Self-esteem, performance feedback, and cardiovascular stress reactivity

This study sought to establish the impact of performance-related feedback on cardiovascular responses to stressors, and whether this impact is influenced by individual differences in self-esteem. A total of 66 college women were categorized as either high or low in self-esteem on the basis of their scores in a standardized psychometric test. They then took part in a laboratory experiment, in which they were assigned to one of three performance-feedback manipulations. Following the provision of feedback on an initial laboratory task (picture-matching), they undertook a second task (mental arithmetic). Cardiovascular functioning was monitored throughout. Provision of negative feedback to the initial task exerted an adverse impact on cardiovascular responses, suggestive of unhappiness with performance. Provision of positive feedback to the initial task exerted an impact on cardiovascular functioning during the second task, suggestive of task engagement. Importantly, low self-esteem exacerbated the adverse impact of negative feedback. The impact of feedback and the buffering role of self-esteem may have important consequences for cardiovascular health. Further, discrepancies in the findings of previous feedback research may be accounted for by dispositional individual differences.     

The role of spatial location in remembering and forgetting peripheral words.

This study examined whether spatial location mediates intentional forgetting of peripherally presented words. Using an item-method directed forgetting paradigm, words were presented in peripheral locations at study. A recognition test presented all words at either the same or a different location relative to study. Results showed that while recognition of Remember words was unaffected by test location, when Forget words were presented in the same location at test as at study, recognition accuracy was significantly greater than when presented in a different location. Experiment 2 showed that the speed to localize a previously studied word was faster when it was presented in the same rather than a different study-test location but that the magnitude of this spatial priming was unaffected by memory instruction. We suggest that the location of peripherally presented words is represented in memory and can aid the retrieval of poorly encoded words.     

Perceived competence: a common core for self-efficacy and self-concept?

This study uses Bandura's Multidimensional Scales of Perceived Self-Efficacy (MSPSE; Bandura, 1990) and Harter's Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents (SPPA; Harter, 1988) to examine the extent to which self-efficacy and competency-related elements of the self-concept are independent constructs. Factor analysis of data provided by 778 high school students revealed that when measured using domain-general measures such as the MSPSE and SPPA, self-efficacy and competency self-concept do not represent totally separate, distinct constructs. Overlap of dimensions occurs at both the first- and second-order levels of analysis. The practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.     

Using self-generated validity to promote exercise behaviour

Self-generated validity (SGV) refers to the fact that measurement of cognitions can lead to behaviour change. The present research tested to two predictions in relation to SGV: SGV is stronger when supplementing measures of intentions and other components of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) with measures of anticipated regret; SGV is only stronger when measuring anticipated regret before measuring intentions and other components of the TPB. A total of 576 18-22-year-old students were randomly allocated to complete one of three questionnaires in relation to exercise: (1) TPB questionnaire in relation to exercising in a sports centre (TPB only); (2) TPB questionnaire including anticipated regret questions that appear after intention items and are mixed in with other items (TPB + regret mixed); (3) TPB questionnaire with anticipated regret questions first (TPB + regret first). Past use of the sports centre was also measured by self-report in all conditions. Use of the sports centre 4 and 5 weeks later was measured based on objective records. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated no effect of measuring anticipated regret compared to only measuring TPB variables, but a significant effect of measuring anticipated regret first compared to the other two conditions on sports centre use. This effect persisted after controlling for TPB variables and past behaviour (PB). The effect was moderated by intention strength but not PB. Implications for understanding SGV and behaviour change are discussed.     

A randomized trial of a representational intervention to decrease cancer pain (RIDcancerPain).

OBJECTIVE: Based on theories regarding cognitive representations of illness and processes of conceptual change, a representational intervention to decrease cancer pain (RIDcancerPain) was developed and its efficacy tested. DESIGN: A two-group RCT (RIDcancerPain versus control) with outcome and mediating variables assessed at baseline (T1) and 1 and 2 months later (T2 and T3). Subjects were 176 adults with pain related to metastatic cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome variables were two pain severity measures (BPI and TPQM), pain interference with life, and overall quality of life. Mediating variables were attitudinal barriers to pain management and coping (medication use). RESULTS: One hundred and fifty subjects completed the study. Subjects in RIDcancerPain (T1-T2 and T1-T3) showed greater decreases in Barrier scores than those in control. Subjects in RIDcancerPain (T1-T3) showed greater decreases in pain severity than those in control. Change in Barriers scores mediated the effect of RIDcancerPain on pain severity. CONCLUSION: RIDcancerPain was efficacious with respect to some outcomes. Further work is needed to strengthen it.     

Dynamic measures of anxiety-related threat bias: Links to stress reactivity

Exaggerated attention to threatening information, or the threat bias, has been implicated in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders. Recent research has highlighted methodological limitations in threat bias measures, such as temporal insensitivity, leading to the development of novel metrics that capture change and variability in threat bias over time. These metrics, however, have rarely been examined in non-clinical samples. The present study aimed to explore the utility of these trial-level metrics in predicting anxiety-related stress reactivity (stress-induced negative mood state) in trait anxious adults (N?=?52). Following a stressor, participants completed the dot probe task to generate threat bias scores. Stress reactivity was measured via stress-induced changes in subjective mood state. More variability in trial-level bias scores (TL-BSs) and greater bias away from threat (both mean and peak negative TL-BSs) predicted increased stress reactivity. The temporal characteristics of threat bias and implications for clinically-relevant measurement are discussed.