Looking back and looking ahead: adult age differences in consistency of diachronous ratings of subjective well-being

The goal of this study is to investigate the consistency of diachronous ratings of subjective well-being (SWB). A heterogeneous sample (25-74-year-olds; N = 3,596) provided ratings of their present SWB, reconstructed their SWB of 10 years ago, and anticipated their SWB 10 years from now. Developmental tasks and self-evaluative principles were used to predict age differences in diachronous consistency. As predicted, in young adulthood, past SWB was rated lower and future SWB higher than present SWB. In contrast, in later adulthood, the past was rated higher and the future lower than present SWB. Analyses of rank-order consistency demonstrated that in later adulthood both future and past SWB were more strongly related to present SWB than in young adulthood. Results show how models of self-evaluation play out at different points in the life span.     

Now you see it,now you don't--the confusing case of confusion as an emotion: commentary on Rozin and Cohen (2003)

P. Rozin and A. B. Cohen (2003) contend that confusion is an emotion because it is valenced, it has a distinct facial expression, and it has a distinct internal state. On the basis of these criteria, they call for further study of this unstudied stateand challenge emotion researchers to consider "confusion" to be an emotion. The author agrees with Rozin and Cohen (2003) that confusion is an affective state, is valenced, has an (internal) object, may be expressed facially, and that laypersons may, under certain circumstances, consider it an emotion. However, its expression is likely to be an expressive component of emotions for which goal obstruction is central. Further, confusion may also not be as commonly considered an emotion by laypersons, as Rozin and Cohen contend. Finally, confusion is not unstudied, only most of the time it is not emotion researchers who do the researching.     

Emotional mimicry of older adults’ expressions: effects of partial inclusion in a Cyberball paradigm

As intergenerational interactions increase due to an ageing population, the study of emotion-related responses to the elderly is increasingly relevant. Previous research found mixed results regarding affective mimicry – a measure related to liking and affiliation. In the current study, we investigated emotional mimicry to younger and older actors following an encounter with a younger and older player in a Cyberball game. In a complete exclusion condition, in which both younger and older players excluded the participant, we expected emotional mimicry to be stronger for younger vs. older actors. In a partial inclusion condition, in which the younger player excluded while the older player included the participant, we predicted that the difference in player behaviour would lead to a difference in liking. This increased liking of the older interaction partner should reduce the difference in emotional mimicry towards the two different age groups. Results revealed more mimicry for older actors following partial inclusion especially for negative emotions, suggesting inclusive behaviour by an older person in an interaction as a possible means to increase mimicry and affiliation to the elderly.     

In Babel

In discussions on the plurality or the pluralism of different theoretical approaches in psychoanalysis there is often talk about “Babylonian” circumstances, at times connected with the hope of being able to leave language confusion and communication problems behind. The author takes up the metaphor “Babel”, describes constructive and destructive facets of the actual state inside the psychoanalytic Babel and illustrates with examples some problems but also the potentials of the analytic discourse. She pleads for giving the potentials inside Babel a chance before looking for solutions beyond Babel. In the field of tension between inside and beyond Babel approaches are described how to tolerate the diversity of other language games, to acknowledge it and to deal with it.     

Overshadowing and latent inhibition in nausea-based context conditioning in humans: Theoretical and practical implications

Volunteer participants underwent nausea-inducing body rotation in a distinctive context, and the acquired ability of the contextual cues to evoke nausea was subsequently assessed by a symptom rating scale. One group received prior exposure to the context (a latent inhibition procedure); a second consumed a novel flavour prior to rotation (an overshadowing procedure); a third group experienced both procedures; and a control group received neither. When tested in the context in the absence of rotation, all groups reported an increase in nausea-related symptoms at the time when rotation had previously occurred, an outcome consistent with the occurrence of conditioned nausea. The magnitude of this increase did not differ across the groups, but the overall level of responsiveness (the degree to which nausea-related symptoms were reported) was enhanced in the latent inhibition and reduced in the overshadowing condition. Cortisol levels showed the same pattern. The implications of these findings for the proposal that overshadowing and latent inhibition procedures might be used to control the development of anticipatory nausea in patients undergoing chemotherapy is considered.     

Zur Psychodynamik der Langeweile

Zusammenfassung. Das Ph?nomen Langeweile wird als Ich-Zustand und als Beziehungsgeschehen in der analytischen Situation untersucht. Das in der psychoanalytischen Literatur vorherrschende Verst?ndnis der Langeweile als Abwehr libidin?ser und aggressiver Triebwünsche und als charakterologische Abwehr schwerer maligner Depression und psychosenaher Zust?nde wird um die Frage erweitert, unter welchen seelischen Bedingungen Langeweile toleriert werden kann und als übergangszustand kreative und regenerative M?glichkeiten in sich birgt. Diese Dialektik von Abwehr und kreativer Ich-Leistung bildet den Rahmen für das klinische Material. Drei exemplarische Fallsequenzen dienen der Darstellung sehr unterschiedlicher Qualit?ten und Schweregrade der Langeweile in der analytischen Beziehung. Die in der Langeweile abgewehrten Affekte und Beziehungsqualit?ten – Langeweile als übertragungswiderstand – werden untersucht: Langeweile als „geheimer Zuchtmeister der Triebe” dient der Abwehr inzestu?s-?dipaler Triebwünsche; sie schützt vor nicht tolerierbaren Leerzust?nden und depressiven Affekten, die mit traumatischen Erinnerungen verbunden sind; sie fungiert schlie?lich in Form von l?hmender, „t?dlicher” Langeweile als ein übertragungswiderstand, in dem der Patient die Beziehung zur Analytikerin vor destruktiver Bem?chtigung und sadistischen Triebwünschen zu schützen versucht. Die Arbeit wird durch einige philosophische und literarische Passagen (Oblomow) erg?nzt, die auf die Langeweile als kulturhistorisch interessantes Sujet verweisen.

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Psychodynamics of boredom

Summary. The phenomenon of boredom is examined as ego state and as reflection of the relationship within the analytic situation. In psychoanalytical literature boredom is predominantly viewed as defence against libidinal and aggressive wishes and as characterological defence against serious malignant depression and states close to psychosis; here the question is extended to the consideration under what psychological conditions boredom may be tolerated and may even constitute a transitional phase towards the development of creative and regenerative potential. The dialectics of repression and creative ego-achievement form the framework for the discussion of the clinical material. Three casework sequences illustrate vastly differing aspects of boredom both in its intrinsic qualities and its degree in the analytic relationship. The affects and relationship qualities which are repressed in boredom – i.e. boredom as transference resistance – are considered: boredom as ”secred tamer of the drives” serves the repression of incestuous/oedipal drives; it serves as a protection against intolerable emptiness and the depressive affects relating to posttraumatic memories; and, finally, as crippling ”deadly” boredom it may function as transference resistance whereby the patient attempts to protect the analytic relationship from destructive usurpation and sadistic wishes. The paper concludes with some philosophical and literary passages (Oblomov) which illustrate interesting cultural and historical facets of the subject.

     

Negative emotionality,attachment quality,and behavior problems in early childhood

Negative emotionality, as well as attachment security and disorganization, are seen as major contributors to social adjustment and maladjustment in childhood. However, relatively little is known about whether infant negative emotionality and attachment quality operate together to affect developing behavior problems. The present study thus aims to contribute to this question. Participants were 64 healthy firstborn children and their primary caregivers. Negative emotionality was assessed at the infant ages of 4, 8, and 12 months using laboratory routines. At 18 months, the Strange Situation procedure was conducted to assess infant attachment security and disorganization, and at 30 months, the child's behavior problems were assessed within a structured clinical interview. Attachment security and attachment disorganization were significantly associated with subsequent behavior problems. There was no significant relation between infant negative emotionality and behavior problems. However, there were indications of a stronger association between attachment disorganization and behavior problems in infants high in negative emotionality. The results underpin the importance of attachment quality as well as negative emotionality in social adjustment. Disorganized attachment precedes poor adjustment, especially in infants high in negative emotionality.