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.     

Developing new online calibration methods for multidimensional computerized adaptive testing

Multidimensional computerized adaptive testing (MCAT) has received increasing attention over the past few years in educational measurement. Like all other formats of CAT, item replenishment is an essential part of MCAT for its item bank maintenance and management, which governs retiring overexposed or obsolete items over time and replacing them with new ones. Moreover, calibration precision of the new items will directly affect the estimation accuracy of examinees’ ability vectors. In unidimensional CAT (UCAT) and cognitive diagnostic CAT, online calibration techniques have been developed to effectively calibrate new items. However, there has been very little discussion of online calibration in MCAT in the literature. Thus, this paper proposes new online calibration methods for MCAT based upon some popular methods used in UCAT. Three representative methods, Method A, the ‘one EM cycle’ method and the ‘multiple EM cycles’ method, are generalized to MCAT. Three simulation studies were conducted to compare the three new methods by manipulating three factors (test length, item bank design, and level of correlation between coordinate dimensions). The results showed that all the new methods were able to recover the item parameters accurately, and the adaptive online calibration designs showed some improvements compared to the random design under most conditions.     

默读和出声阅读的副中央凹预视效应

以往研究大多考察默读中是否存在副中央凹预视效应及存在何种类型的预视效应,很少有研究探讨出声阅读中的副中央凹预视效应以及阅读中预视信息提取的时间进程。本研究采用边界范式,通过两个眼动实验考察默读和出声阅读中的副中央凹预视效应及预视信息提取的时间进程。实验1发现在默读和出声阅读中都存在副中央凹预视效应,但是默读中副中央凹预视效应更大。实验2发现出声阅读中在注视中央凹词汇的早期不能提取副中央凹处信息。两个实验的结果表明默读和出声阅读条件下的副中央凹加工是不同的,需要用不同的眼动模型解释。     

宽宏大量与睚眦必报:宽恕和报复对愤怒的降低作用

本研究通过3个实验比较宽恕和报复对愤怒的降低作用。采用假设情景的方法,实验1通过在冒犯行为之后直接启动宽恕或报复,结果显示宽恕比报复对愤怒的降低作用更好,并且对消极情绪也具有降低作用;实验2考察在不同冒犯行为意图下宽恕与报复对愤怒的降低作用,结果显示不管是有意而为还是无心之过的冒犯行为,宽恕对愤怒的降低作用均要优于报复。实验3要求被试在冒犯行为后进行宽恕或报复,结果显示宽恕和报复对愤怒均有降低作用,但是宽恕的降低效果要显著优于报复。研究显示,对于冒犯行为后的愤怒感,宽恕的降低作用优于报复。     

流动儿童消极学业情绪对学习自我效能感的影响:情绪调节策略的调节作用

以397名流动儿童为被试,采用问卷法考察流动儿童消极学业情绪对学习自我效能感的影响以及情绪调节策略在其中的调节作用。结果表明：（1）流动儿童学业情绪对控制感的负向预测作用高于对基本能力感的预测作用,其中有恼火、羞愧、无助对基本能力感预测作用显著;认知重评对基本能力感预测作用显著,并且认知重评情绪调节策略对恼火、沮丧与基本能力感的关系有调节作用,而表达抑制对无助与基本能力感的关系有调节作用。（2）流动儿童学业情绪中除恼火外,焦虑、羞愧、厌倦、无助、沮丧和心烦对控制感的预测作用均显著。认知重评和表达抑制均对控制感的预测作用显著,并且认知重评与羞愧、厌倦、沮丧的调节作用显著,表达抑制与沮丧的调节作用显著。     

HO-GDINA模型的EM算法参数估计

Generalized DINA Model(G-DINA)为认知诊断模型提供了一个一般性的理论框架,而高阶诊断模型不仅能描述被试的总体水平,还能描述被试对属性的掌握情况(微观的认知状态)以及被试掌握属性与能力的关系,提供更丰富的信息。如果能把这两者结合起来,可能对实际诊断工作的操作有较大帮助。文章首先对考虑高阶结构的整合性模型——HO-GDINA模型的形式进行讨论,探讨其参数估计EM算法的实现,并用模拟过程对模型的估计精度进行研究,结果验证了HO-GDINA的EM算法的正确性,并且说明该算法对该模型有较高估计精确度。然后用饱和模型在约束条件下的特殊形式HO-DINA模型对"分数减法"这一经典数据进行EM算法参数估计和具体分析,展示了HO-GDINA在实际情况中的具体使用,并与de la Torre之前用MCMC估计算法得到的研究结果做比较,基本一致,进一步表明HO-GDINA模型的参数估计EM算法在实际情境中的特殊形式下仍然适用。     

循证医学时代安慰剂的再认识

安慰剂的治疗作用早已被人们认识,但是对于其在医学上的应用却一直存在争议.在循证医学兴起的今天,我们应该如何辩证地看待安慰剂的作用及不足,以及在临床试验中应该如何应用安慰剂是一个值得探讨的问题.     

主观幸福感的结构及其与人格特质的关系

以239名大学生为被试,考察了主观幸福感(SWB)的结构及其与人格特质的关系。分析表明,SWB由生活满意度、积极情感和消极情感三个相关的维度构成,而且它们可以共同负荷于一个高阶因子。外倾和神经质是SWB的重要预测指标,积极情感的主要预测指标是外倾,神经质则是消极情感最有力的预测指标,而外倾和神经质对消极情感和生活满意度有相同的预测力。情感平衡是外倾和神经质影响生活满意度的中介变量。     

崇尚科学拒绝伪科学

伪科学(Pseudoscience)一词出现于1844年。我们今天称之为伪科学的许多东西在历史上与科学曾有着千丝万缕的联系,如占星术之于天文学,炼金术之于化学。但是历史上的占星术和炼金术都不是伪科学,只有在科学值得冒充之后,它们有意识地冒充科学才可算是伪科学。面对社会上的日渐泛滥的伪科学,我们不得不提高警惕,利用科学的方法揭露伪科学的真面目。我们迫在眉睫的任务是提高全民族的科学文化素质,提倡科学精神,拒绝伪科学。