Influence of in utero exposure to maternal depression and natural disaster-related stress on infant temperament at 6 months: The children of Superstorm Sandy

This study examined the effects of in utero exposure to maternal depression and Superstorm Sandy, a hurricane that hit metropolitan New York in 2012, on infant temperament at 6 months. Temperament was assessed using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised. Maternal depression was measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. The main effects and the interaction of maternal depression and Sandy exposure on infant temperament were examined using a multivariable generalized linear model. Results show that prenatal maternal depression was associated with lower emotion regulation and greater distress. Stratification and interaction analyses suggested that the adverse effects of prenatal maternal depression on problematic temperament were amplified by in utero Sandy exposure. This study underscores the importance of providing prenatal screening and treatment for maternal depression during pregnancy while also identifying high-risk families who may have suffered from disaster-related traumas to provide necessary services. As the frequency of natural disasters may increase due to climate change, it is important to understand the consequences of in utero stress on child development and to formulate plans for early identification.     

Reverse evolution in nanoscale Cu-rich precipitates of an aged Fe–Cu alloy under electropulsing

Nanoscale Cu-rich precipitates (CRPs) are one of the most important microstructural nano-features responsible for embrittlement and hardening of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs), which threaten the safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPPs) and hinder the lifetime extension of nuclear reactors. A thermally aged Fe-1.1 wt.%Cu alloy, which is used to simulate embrittlement of the irradiated RPV steels, was treated by electropulsing with various parameters. The effect of electropulsing on nanoscale CRPs was investigated by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Compared to the traditional heat treatment, the electropulsing treatment (EPT) can accelerate the dissolution of CRPs in an aged Fe-Cu alloy on account of the higher atomic drift flux and the additional Gibbs free energy induced by electropulsing. More importantly, EPT is likely to be a new way of eliminating irradiation-induced Cu-rich precipitates.     

生活事件对初中生抑郁的影响:自尊和反刍思维的链式中介作用

为了探讨生活事件、自尊、反刍思维和初中生抑郁之间的关系,研究采用青少年生活事件量表、自尊量表、反刍思维量表和儿童抑郁量表对684名初中生进行调查。结果显示：（1）生活事件与初中生抑郁呈显著正相关;（2）自尊和反刍思维在生活事件和初中生抑郁间起链式中介作用。生活事件不仅是触发初中生抑郁的重要外部因素,而且生活事件还会通过影响自尊和经由反刍思维对初中生抑郁产生间接作用。因此,减少和避免生活事件对初中生心理的冲击,增强其自尊水平,调整其负性认知方式是改善和预防初中生抑郁的重要途径。     

揭秘经济管理中的行为异象：心理账户理论的应用启示

2017年Richard H. Thaler获得诺贝尔经济学奖, 其重要的研究贡献之一是催生并发展了心理账户理论。心理账户理论被广泛用于解释经济管理中的行为异象。文章以消费决策、金融管理决策两大领域的应用研究为外在逻辑, 以心理账户的设立、运算和关闭过程的特点为内在逻辑, 重点探讨了消费决策中的“标签效应”、“预算效应”、“价格幻觉”、“解耦效应”和“效用偏差”; 金融管理决策中的“粘蝇纸效应”、“薪酬感知之谜”、“税收-投资之谜”、“会计信息披露之谜”和“处置效应”十大行为异象。文章进一步提出未来可能的两个研究方向, 一是通过眼动技术和认知神经科学方法揭示心理账户影响行为决策的内在过程及神经机制; 二是将心理账户理论应用于“以小拨大”的行为助推, 助力政府公共管理和企业管理决策。     

条件性恐惧记忆消退的提取干预范式及其作用的神经机制

基于记忆再巩固理论的恐惧记忆提取干预范式被证明可以有效消退恐惧记忆, 能克服传统消退容易复发的缺点。该范式通过单独呈现条件刺激激活原有恐惧记忆, 使记忆重返不稳定状态, 随后在再巩固时间窗内实施干预则能改写原有记忆。目前该范式起作用的神经机制尚不明确, 本文在现有的人类研究和动物研究基础上, 总结了杏仁核、前额叶和海马三个脑区在提取干预过程中的作用, 以及该领域研究的争议点, 为之后的研究提供思路。     

The Experience of Intimate Relationships Among Homosexual Men in Malaysia

Malaysia is relatively conservative regarding topics like sex, and, especially, research on homosexual relationships is scarce. The current study aims to understand the experience of intimate relationships among homosexual men in Malaysia using a phenomenological qualitative approach. A total of 12 participants of various ethnic backgrounds (between 21 and 35 years of age) were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling via the Malaysian-based LGBT-friendly Facebook group. Thematic analysis was applied for data analysis, and themes emerged through looking into the perception and practice of intimate relationships. The findings of the current study reflect that the hetero-normative perception of intimate relationships is common among the participants, and is compatible with the cultural norms. However, in terms of sexual practices, the findings show similarities with more liberal parts of the world, as open relationships and casual sex is common among homosexual men. Hence, open relationships are being adopted as a strategy to improve the survivability of the relationship instead of just to satisfy sexual needs. The findings highlight the lack of a frame of reference for homosexual relationships in Malaysia. The current study adds to the scarce research on homosexuality in this country, which could assist professional helpers to better understand the different dynamics and beliefs of relationships among homosexual men and the challenges they may face.     

Perfectionism mediated the relationship between brain structure variation and negative emotion in a nonclinical sample

In maladaptive respects, perfectionism reflects an individual’s concern over making mistakes and doubting the quality of his or her own actions excessively, which would affect one’s emotion. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms associated with the perfectionism and negative affect. In this study, voxel-based morphometry was performed to identify the brain regions underlying individual differences in perfectionism, which was measured by the Chinese Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (CFMPS), in a large sample of nonclinical young adults. Our results showed that the two subdimensions of the perfectionism, concern over mistakes (CM) and doubts about actions (DA), were both positively correlated with the self-reported anxiety and depression as well as the gray matter volume (GMV) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a pivotal brain region in cognitive control, affective state, and regulation. Moreover, CM, DA, and organization scores were respectively correlated with distributed brain regions involved in multiple cognitive and emotion processes. Our results furthermore revealed that the score of DA acted a mediational mechanism underlying the relationship between the GMV of ACC and self-rating negative affect (anxiety and depression). Taken together, these results might suggest the neuroanatomical basis of perfectionism and the association among the perfectionism, negative emotion, and brain architecture. This study emphasized that perfectionism could play a crucial role in the arousal of negative affect.     

Trait compassion is associated with the neural substrate of empathy

Individual differences in the personality trait Agreeableness underlie humans’ ability to interpret social cues and coordinate effectively with others. However, previous investigations of the neural basis of Agreeableness have yielded largely inconsistent results. Recent evidence has demonstrated that Agreeableness can be divided into two, correlated subdimensions. Compassion reflects tendencies toward empathy, sympathy, and concern for others, while Politeness reflects tendencies toward compliance and refraining from aggression and exploitation. The present study seeks to clarify the neural substrates of Agreeableness by examining whether structural differences in the brain show distinct associations with Compassion and Politeness. Results of a meta-analysis of fMRI studies examining empathy were used to generate hypotheses about the brain regions and networks that underlie trait Compassion. Results of a large-scale structural neuroimaging investigation (N = 275) were largely consistent with the meta-analysis: Compassion was positively correlated with gray matter volume in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and anterior insula (AI). Further, these differences appear to be associated with Compassion specifically, as opposed to Politeness, suggesting that these two traits have at least partially distinct neuroanatomical substrates.     

利他仅仅利他吗?——进化视角的双路径模型

利他对受助者及社会有弥足珍贵的价值,能提高群体的功能性,增加危机中的生存概率从而保持种群延续;但利他会降低助人者自身的适应性,使其生存与繁殖的可能性较其他个体,尤其是自利者,处于不利地位。利他行为是如何得到进化的这一难题吸引了各领域学者的关注。本文回顾了具有代表性的多水平选择理论与竞争性利他理论,结合利他研究的最新实证证据,提出利他增加助人者适应性的双路径模型。内部路径指利他行为可以通过自激励的内在过程,促进助人者身心的正性互动,带来内部效用增益,从而在某些时刻提高其适应性。外部路径为利他传递展现助人者品质的信号,有助于提升其群体内地位并增加合作、择偶机会。进而,利他行为能够在个体与群体层面的进化选择中得到保存。未来研究可以从身心关系的角度继续探讨利他问题,促成利他的正性循环。     

自然自明性的失落——Blankenburg精神分裂理论述评

传统的精神分裂研究,关注的主要是精神分裂的妄想症候群。因为精神分裂中相对特殊的症状,在妄想形式中可以得到最轻易的把握。Blankenburg则认为:精神分裂的本质结构变异是先于妄想的。因此,他致力于在精神分裂的症状贫乏型(主要是青春型和单纯型)中,寻找精神分裂的本质变异。他发现:精神分裂异常中的核心缺损是自然自明性的失落。根据胡塞尔的超越现象学,自然自明性失落有四个原因:与世界关系的改变、时间建构的改变、自我建构的改变、交互主体性的改变。Blankenburg的精神分裂理论,作为二十世纪有关精神分裂的最重要工作之一,对于今天的精神分裂研究仍然有极其重要的意义。