Experimental evidence for route integration and strategic planning in wild capuchin monkeys

Both in captivity and the wild, primates are found to travel mostly to the nearest available resource, but they may skip over the closest resource and travel to more distant resources, which are often found to be more productive. This study examines the tradeoff between distance and reward in the foraging choices of one group of wild capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella nigritus) using feeding platforms in large-scale foraging experiments conducted over four years. Three feeding sites were arrayed in an oblique triangle, such that once the monkey group had chosen one site to feed, they had a choice between two remaining sites, a close one with less food and the other up to 2.3 times as far away but with more food. Sites were provisioned once per day. The capuchins generally chose the closer feeding site, even when the more distant site offered up to 12 times as much food. The distances to, rewards of, or various profitability measures applied to each alternative site individually did not explain the group’s choices in ways consistent with foraging theory or principles of operant psychology. The group’s site choices were predicted only by comparing efficiency measures of entire foraging pathways: (1) direct travel to the more rewarding distant site, versus (2) the longer ‘detour’ through the closer site on the way to the more distant one. The group chose the detour more often when the reward was larger and the added detour distance shorter. They appeared to be more sensitive to the absolute increase in detour distance than to the relative increase compared to the straight route. The qualitative and quantitative results agree with a simple rule: do not use the detour unless the energy gain from extra food outweighs the energy cost of extra travel. These results suggest that members of this group integrate information on spatial location, reward, and perhaps potential food competition in their choice of multi-site foraging routes, with important implications for social foraging. This contribution is part of the special issue “ A Socioecological Perspective on Primate Cognition” (Cunningham and Janson 2007b).     

Chimpanzees really know what others can see in a competitive situation

Chimpanzee’s perspective-taking abilities are currently disputed. Here we show that in some food competition contexts, subordinate chimpanzees do take the visual perspective of dominant individuals, preferentially targeting a hidden piece of the food that the dominant cannot see over a piece that is visible to both individuals. However, the space where the animals compete is critical in determining whether subjects demonstrate this skill. We suggest that competition intensity, as mediated by these spatial factors, may play an important role in determining the strategy chimpanzees utilize in competitive contexts. Since some strategies may not require visual perspective taking in order to be successful, chimpanzees may not always demonstrate this skill. Differences in spatial arrangement may therefore account for the conflicting results of past studies.     

Are Two Reasons Better Than One? The Role of Appeal Type in Consumer Responses to Sustainable Products

In the face of the growing prevalence of multiple appeals to sustainable consumption in marketers’ sustainable product communications, we examine the efficacy, in terms of consumer reactions, of adding an extrinsic appeal (e.g., “Purchase this green product to save money!”) to an intrinsic appeal (e.g., “Purchase this green product to save the environment!”) based communication for a sustainable product. Three studies provide support for our basic assertion that, compared to an intrinsic appeal, joint appeals (i.e., an intrinsic and extrinsic appeal together) reduce consumer preference for sustainable products. As well, these studies demonstrate that this adverse effect of joint appeals is based on a lowering of consumers’ attributions of the company's sustainability efforts to intrinsic motives (e.g., to the company's genuine concern for the environment). Finally, not all consumers react adversely to joint appeals; relative to intrinsic appeals, such appeals increase, rather than decrease, the intrinsic attributions and sustainable product preferences for consumers with lower involvement with sustainable consumption.     

基于自身短期与社会长远利益两难选择的绿色消费机制

环境恶化及消费对环境的巨大影响,使得顾客进行绿色消费的意义重大而深远.企业希望能够掌握绿色消费的特点和机制,从而能够拉动绿色需求.绿色营销研究多针对企业,而针对顾客的研究甚少.为数不多的绿色消费研究甚少关注顾客在进行绿色消费时在自身短期利益与社会长远利益之间的两难选择,对绿色消费机制的研究也很缺乏.本研究试图从该两难选择入手,使用自我控制、利他行为、自我构建等理论,采用实验方法,从顾客的视角来研究个体因素、文化因素与情境因素是如何通过影响“关注长远利益”、“关注社会利益”,从而影响绿色消费的,并研究这两种机制的边界条件、冲突及自我构建对自身短期利益与社会长远利益两难选择的调和.     

熵增原理对构建心理和谐的理论探讨

创建社会主义和谐社会是我国目前一项重大战略决策,而构建社会成员的心理和谐是实现其目标的基本要求和重要基础。系统阐述了熵概念、熵增原理及耗散结构理论,分析了心理系统作为一种耗散结构所应具备的必要条件;通过对心理系统进行熵分析,初步探讨了构建心理和谐的方法与途径,并在森田疗法的实际案例中进行剖析,为研究和谐心理提供了新的理论视角。     

Multidimensional eating profiles associated with personality traits during emerging adulthood: A cluster-analytic approach

IntroductionPersonality traits can give a fuller understanding for eating behaviors, such as food choice, (un)healhty eating.ObjectiveTo examine eating styles with a multidimensional perspective considering cognitive, affective and conative (or behavioral) components of eating styles in emerging adulthood, and how they may be related to the Big Five and impulsivity traits.MethodsSelf-reported questionnaires were used to explore the association between the eating styles, Big five traits and facets of impulsivity among young French adults (n = 450; Mean Age = 20.84 years; SD = 2.4, with 79.6% of women).ResultsOn the basis of cluster analysis, six eating styles were identified: Healthier, Uninhibited, Dysregulated, Stress-related, Restrictive and Ethical restraint eaters. Results suggest that Uninhibited eaters reported lower scores on Conscientiousness and higher scores on Negative and Positive urgency. The Dysregulated group had lower scores on Extraversion, and high scores on Neuroticism, Negative urgency and Lack of premeditation. Restrictive eaters showed low levels of Openness and Lack of premeditation. The Ethical restraint style was characterized by low scores on Agreeableness and Positive urgency. The ability or inability to cope with both emotional distress and positive and negative impulsive behaviors was related to young adult's eating cognitions and behaviors.ConclusionConsidering the existence of subtypes of eaters and separate associated personality-related traits, an individual differences perspective (e.g., age, gender, disposition to control one's emotional experiences) should be incorporated.     

体验型消费和实物型消费的差异：研究方法及效应

体验型消费是指以获得一种体验为目的的消费行为, 而实物型消费为以获得某种实质物品为目的的消费行为, 以往研究发现这两种不同的消费类型在消费者心理以及行为的多个维度上的影响都存在差异。本文首先回顾了过往研究所采用的研究方法并整理为如下三类：对消费类型的操纵方法、消费类型偏好的测量方法以及非实验研究方法。并从心理与行为两个角度, 梳理了体验型消费和实物型消费影响的差异。未来研究需进一步关注影响不同消费类型的前因变量, 充分利用新兴数据获取方式、关注不同消费类型的模型建构和内部维度, 以及体验型消费可能存在的“阴暗面”。     

The preference for experiences over possessions: Measurement and construct validation of the Experiential Buying Tendency Scale

There is growing support that money spent on experiential items increases an individual's happiness. However, there is minimal research on the causes and long-term consequences of the tendency to make experiential purchases. Given the importance of experiential buying for improving well-being, an understanding of the preference for experiential purchasing is imperative. Thus, we developed the Experiential Buying Tendency Scale (EBTS) to measure habitual experiential purchasing. Across eight samples (n?=?9634), the EBTS was developed, and shown to be reliable, valid, and predictive of consumer behavior and psychological well-being. An experiential purchasing tendency was related to higher extraversion, openness, empathic concern, and reward seeking. Further, non-materialistic values predicted a preference for experiential purchasing, which led to increased psychological need satisfaction, and, ultimately, increased subjective well-being. The discussion proposes that experiential purchasing may be a function of one's sensitivity to rewards, emotional responsiveness to events, and appreciation of the world's beauty.     

廉价的优越感：社会排斥如何影响新奢侈品的消费

本研究从消费者社会需求层面,探讨在中国新奢侈品会给哪些人带来优越感,什么样的产品可以带来优越感,以及为何会带来优越感等问题。本研究使用一个混合设计的实验,结果发现：（1）相比较非社会排斥状态,社会排斥状态增加了消费者的身份消费需求。（2）在产品炫耀性大时,相比较传统大众产品和奢侈品,社会排斥增加了消费者对新奢侈品的购买意愿。而在产品炫耀性小时,社会排斥的影响不显著;（3）社会排斥、产品种类和产品炫耀性三者的交互作用影响消费者购买意愿的中介变量是消费者感知的产品身份价格比。结论表明,相比较传统大众产品和奢侈品,炫耀性新奢侈品以相对低的价格满足了社会排斥消费者的身份消费需求,为他们提供了一个获得优越感的渠道。