A double-edged sword: How social diversity affects trust in representatives via perceived competence and warmth

Previous research has claimed that diversity erodes trust, even though the empirical evidence is mixed and restricted to ethnic neighborhood diversity. Against the backdrop of increasing diversity within the political sphere and concurrently declining political trust, we examined the impact of social diversity on trust in groups of political representatives. In two experiments (N₁ = 109, N₂ = 248) we tested how the diversity of political parties affected citizens’ trust in them. In line with predictions of the stereotype content model, diverse parties were perceived as warmer and less competent than non-diverse parties (Experiments 1–2). Additionally, party diversity was perceived as having more benefits, but also involving more threats (Experiment 2). Consequently, diversity had both positive (via warmth and benefits) and negative (via competence and threats) indirect effects on trust. These results help to untangle previously mixed, for the most part non-experimental, findings of the relationship between diversity and trust.     

Facet-level analysis of the relations between personality and laboratory aggression

Multiple reviews and meta-analyses have identified the low pole of the Five-Factor Model (FFM) Agreeableness (also called Antagonism) as the primary domain-level personality correlates of aggression across self-report and behavioral methodologies. In the current study, we expand on this literature by investigating the relations between FFM facets and aggressive behavior as measured by laboratory competitive reaction time tasks (CRTTs). Across three samples (total N = 639), we conducted weighted mean analyses, multiple regression analyses, and dominance analyses to determine which FFM facets were the strongest predictors of aggression within and across domains. These analyses suggested that facets of Agreeableness were among the strongest consistent predictors of CRTT aggression, including Sympathy (r = −.21) and Cooperation (r = −.14), but facets from other FFM domains also yielded meaningful relations (e.g., Anger from Neuroticism; r = .17). We conclude by discussing these results in the context of controversies surrounding laboratory aggression paradigms and emphasizing the importance of considering small effect sizes in the prediction of societally harmful behavior like aggression.     

Assessing the Intersectionality of Religious and Sexual Identities During the Coming-Out Process

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals often experience internalized and/or externalized religious rejection due to their sexual orientation. Initial steps in the coming-out process can be especially difficult and can result in existential crises, including questioning one's place within the religious/spiritual realm. The authors propose a developmental framework for conceptualizing the role of religion and spirituality in the coming-out process. Cass's (1979, 1984) stage model of coming out and Genia's (1995) model of religious development, along with additional literature addressing LGB spirituality, serve as foundations for this framework. Counseling and research implications of the framework are also discussed.     

留守初中生同伴侵害与攻击性的关系:链式多重中介模型

为探究留守初中生同伴侵害与攻击性的关系机制,通过构建链式多重中介模型,考察歧视知觉、孤独感和心理韧性在二者关系中的多重中介效应。采用问卷调查法对519名留守初中生进行调查,结果显示：（1）留守初中生同伴侵害的发生率为96.3%,具有普遍性;（2）留守初中生同伴侵害、歧视知觉、孤独感、心理韧性与攻击性之间均呈显著相关;（3）留守初中生的歧视知觉、孤独感和心理韧性在其同伴侵害与攻击性的关系中具有链式多重中介作用;（4）同伴侵害与攻击性关系模型具有一定稳定性,同时在是否留守及单亲与双亲外出留守初中生群体中存在显著差异。研究结果揭示了同伴侵害与攻击性的关系机制,可为探索留守初中生不良同伴关系的教育策略提供参考。     

大学积极心理学课程的双元互动教学模式改革实验研究

采用实验组对照组前后测设计对232名大学生进行重复测量方差分析和中介效应检验,考查双元互动教学模式下大学积极心理学教学对其学生积极心理学知识、态度、情感、价值观的改善效果。结果发现：（1）双元互动教学模式能显著提升大学生的积极心理学知识;（2）双元互动教学模式下大学生的总体幸福感、积极的价值观念显著提高,生活满意度得到保持;（3）在双元互动教学模式下大学生个人价值观以生活满意度为部分中介促进总体幸福感形成,以促成教学目标。由此可见,双元互动教学模式可以实现大学积极心理学学科教育和情感培养的双目标。     

语言熟练度对Stroop效应的影响——不平衡双语者的任务态fMRI研究

目的:探讨语言熟练度对Stroop效应的影响及其背后的脑机制。材料与方法:17位被试参与本研究。被试母语为汉语,第二语言为英语。在被试完成中英文的stroop色字的任务过程中对被试进行fMRI扫描。结果:在色字相一致的条件下,中文任务与英文任务相比,双侧背侧枕叶及右侧背外侧前额叶有更强的激活; 反向比较,双侧腹侧枕叶有更强的激活。在色字不一致的条件下,中文任务与英文任务相比,双侧背外侧前额叶、右侧枕下回有更强的激活; 反向比较,并无显著激活的脑区。此外,中文Stroop效应引起左侧额下回显著的激活。英文Stroop效应中,左侧额下回无显著激活。结论:结合前人研究,我们得出,语言熟练度影响了对注意控制有重要作用的背外侧前额叶以及与反应抑制有关的左侧额下回在Stroop任务中的参与程度,进而影响了Stroop任务的表现     

Willingness of people who are blind to accept autonomous vehicles: An empirical investigation

Attitudes of a sample of 211 UK people who are blind concerning autonomous vehicles (AVs), and the determinants of the willingness of people who are blind to travel in AVs, were examined. Participants answered an open-ended question regarding their attitudes towards level 5 AVs and the results were analysed using a semi-automated structural topic modelling procedure. (Level 5 AVs are fully autonomous anywhere, and do not require controlled areas in which to operate.) Four “topics” emerged from the exercise: (i) “hope” for future independence and freedom to travel offered by AVs to people who are blind, (ii) scepticism that AVs will ever be configured to meet the needs of people who are blind, (iii) concerns over safety, and (iv) the affordability of AVs. The four topics were employed as mediating variables in a structural equation model designed to explain the respondents’ willingness to travel in an AV. A number of covariates were presumed to influence the four mediating topics, including a participant’s desire for independence, comorbidity, locus of control, and level of generalised anxiety. Three of the mediating variables exerted significant influences on willingness to travel in an AV, i.e., hope for future independence, misgivings about safety, and affordability. Scepticism about AVs did not have a significant effect. Several implications for AV design and for the creation of public information messages promoting AVs are suggested. In particular, public information campaigns should emphasise the freedom to travel that AVs will provide for people who are blind; reassurances concerning safety; and the inevitability of AVs appearing on the roads of economically developed countries.     

Buying an electric car: A rational choice or a norm-directed behavior?

The diffusion of electric cars can contribute to more sustainability in the transport sector, but diffusion rates in most countries are still low. We investigated motives for electric car adoption in German households from an environmental psychology perspective. The public debate focuses on rational aspects such as the purchase price or new technological demands (e.g., limited range and a new charging system). Psychological research on energy-related investment decisions in households confirms the relevance of rational motives, but additionally points to the importance of norm-directed motives (moral and social norms). We investigated the relevance of different motives in an online questionnaire with n = 220 members of German households interested in buying a new car. The questionnaire included possible rational and norm-related predictors of electric car adoption. We tested three action models to explain adoption intention: An adjusted technology acceptance model (TAM), an adjusted norm activation model (NAM), and an integrative model with predictors from both models. We analyzed the hypothesized models with path analyses. All models explained a substantial share of variance in adoption intention. The explained share of variance in the NAM was higher than in the TAM and comparably high to the integrative model. The results demonstrate the important role of moral and social motives for households’ investment decisions. Additionally, the technology’s perceived usefulness was an important rational motive. We discuss the context dependency of the results, as household members might have little knowledge about the new technology during the early stages of a technology’s diffusion process. The results strongly suggest broadening political support schemes, such as informational and image campaigns, as a way to more effectively foster electric car diffusion. More comprehensive assessments appear to be necessary in future analyses of electric car adoption as well as energy-related investment decisions.     

Using the UTAUT2 model to explain public acceptance of conditionally automated (L3) cars: A questionnaire study among 9,118 car drivers from eight European countries

We investigated public acceptance of conditionally automated (SAE Level 3) passenger cars using a questionnaire study among 9,118 car-drivers in eight European countries, as part of the European L3Pilot project. 71.06% of respondents considered conditionally automated cars easy to use while 28.03% of respondents planned to buy a conditionally automated car once it is available. 41.85% of respondents would like to use the time in the conditionally automated car for secondary activities. Among these 41.85%, respondents plan to talk to fellow travellers (44.76%), surf the internet, watch videos or TV shows (44%), observe the landscape (41.70%), and work (17.06%). The UTAUT2 (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology) was applied to investigate the effects of performance and effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, and hedonic motivation on the behavioural intention to use conditionally automated cars. Structural equation analysis revealed that the UTAUT2 can be applied to conditional automation, with hedonic motivation, social influence, and performance expectancy influencing the behavioural intention to buy and use a conditionally automated car. The present study also found positive effects of facilitating conditions on effort expectancy and hedonic motivation. Social influence was a positive predictor of hedonic motivation, facilitating conditions, and performance expectancy. Age, gender and experience with advanced driver assistance systems had significant, yet small (<0.10), effects on behavioural intention. The implications of these results on the policy and best practices to enable large-scale implementation of conditionally automated cars on public roads are discussed.