The effects of music exposure and own genre preference on conscious and unconscious cognitive processes: a pilot ERP study

Did Beethoven and Mozart have more in common with each other than Clapton and Hendrix? The current research demonstrated the widely reported Mozart Effect as only partly significant. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 16 professional classical and rock musicians during a standard 2 stimulus visual oddball task, while listening to classical and rock music. During the oddball task participants were required to discriminate between an infrequent target stimulus randomly embedded in a train of repetitive background or standard stimuli. Consistent with previous research, the P3 and N2 ERPs were elicited in response to the infrequent target stimuli. Own genre preference resulted in a reduction in amplitude of the P3 for classical musicians exposed to classical music and rock musicians exposed to rock music. Notably, at the pre-attentive stage of processing (N2) beneficial effects of exposure to classical music were observed for both groups of musicians. These data are discussed in terms of short and long-term music benefits on both conscious and unconscious cognitive processes.     

Results of an Intervention for Individuals and Families with <Emphasis Type="Italic">BRCA</Emphasis> Mutations: A Model for Providing Medical Updates and Psychosocial Support Following Genetic Testing

Providing medical management updates and long-term support to families with hereditary cancer syndromes in rural areas is a challenge. To address this, we designed a one-day retreat for BRCA1/2 carriers in our region. The retreat included educational updates about medical management, genetic privacy and discrimination, and addressed psychological and family issues. Evaluations completed at the conclusion of the retreat were overwhelmingly positive with requests for a similar event in the future. The impact of this retreat on a variety of health behaviors was assessed. Eligible participants completed questionnaires before and 6 months after the retreat. Questionnaires focused on lifestyle, cancer screening and prevention practices, psychological history and distress, decision-making regarding genetic testing, and family communication issues. For individuals who completed both the pre and post retreat questionnaires, one-half made lifestyle changes and nearly two-thirds increased cancer screening, initiated chemoprevention, completed or planned to complete preventative surgery in the future. We conclude that this type of forum provides a valuable opportunity for BRCA carriers and their families to receive updated medical information, share personal experiences, provide and receive support, as well as change health behaviors.     

Breast Cancer as Trauma: Posttraumatic Stress and Posttraumatic Growth

Diagnosis and treatment of cancer has been associated with both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and posttraumatic growth (PTG). This cross-sectional study sought to assess the frequency, common predictors, and interrelationships of PTSD symptoms and PTG in breast cancer survivors (n = 65). In this sample, symptoms of PTSD and reports of PTG were common and were not significantly related to one another. Greater social constraints on talking about breast cancer and perception of cancer as a traumatic stressor were associated with greater PTSD symptomatology. Younger age and perception of cancer as a traumatic stressor were associated with greater PTG. Findings suggest the central role of subjective appraisal in adjustment to cancer. Psychosocial interventions should be sensitive to the potential for PTG, both in treatment design and in assessment of outcomes.     

People accounting: Social category-based choice

This paper presents people accounting—a hypothesis that describes how a simple numerical imbalance in representation along nominal social category lines can affect people’s choice of candidates in highly competitive situations (e.g., awards, jobs, etc.). For example, two scholarship finalists from California and New York may be equally qualified, but the award-winning chance for the California candidate will drop precipitously if 8 of the past 10 winners were from California. Studies 1-3 illustrate this effect. Study 4 links people accounting to intergroup fairness concerns and suggests that people accounting is more likely to occur when the category dimension is meaningful (e.g., Stanford/Princeton) than when it is not (e.g., left/right-handedness). Study 5 shows that candidates from overrepresented categories (e.g., “Californians”) must achieve higher minimum standards in order to be selected. The implication is that highly competitive decisions are often influenced by headcounts along mundane social category lines.     

Regulatory focus and investment decisions in small groups

Regulatory Focus Theory was applied to small interactive groups. Based on previous research, it was expected that groups with a promotion focus would discuss gain-relevant information, whereas groups with a prevention focus would be concerned with potential losses. Furthermore, promotion groups were expected to make riskier decisions than prevention groups. Regulatory focus was manipulated by rewarding good or penalizing poor group performance on a preliminary task. Subsequently, three-person groups discussed several investment funds and made a consensual investment decision. Results supported the hypotheses and suggested that regulatory focus requires time to exert its influence in groups.     

Following the Path to Equality Through Law: Reflections on Baker et al., <Emphasis Type="Italic">Equality: from Theory to Action</Emphasis>

This article assesses the significance of Baker et al., Equality: from Theory to Action from the perspective of current concerns occupying legal equality scholars in the UK, focusing in particular on the practical relevance of equality studies to the kinds of issues arising from the debate over the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR). The article highlights and considers key issues, including the delineation of the sphere of inequality protection, the normative content of the concept of equality espoused by law and the potential of law to reach beyond its current limits to embrace the broader dimensions of (in)equality identified in Baker et al.’s account.     

Effects of route guidance variable message signs (VMS) on driver behaviour

Effects of route guidance Variable Message Signs (VMS) on speed and route choice were investigated in a field study on two sites on motorways. Two VMS were used in the study, which displayed information about a closed road section downstream on the motorways and recommendations for alternative routes. Route choice, speed and braking behaviour were compared between vehicles approaching the VMS while they displayed messages and while they were left blank without message. There was high compliance with the messages on the VMS. About every fifth vehicle changed route choice according to the recommendation, and almost none drove as far as the closed road section. Speed measurements of 3342 vehicles showed large speed reductions, and video observations showed that large proportions of vehicles braked while approaching the VMS. The speed reductions and braking manoeuvres can partly be attributed to attention overload or distraction due to the information on the VMS. However, a proportion of the speed reductions was due to chain reactions where one vehicle braked and forced the following vehicles to brake or change lanes in order to avoid collisions. Safety problems may result directly from distraction, or indirectly from the reactions of the drivers to the distraction.     

错误相关负波（ERN）在精神病理学研究中的应用

错误相关负波（error-related negativity, ERN）是由行为错误诱发的一种脑电波成分,最大峰值在错误反应之后的50ms左右,偶极子源定位于前扣带回（anterior cingulate cortex, ACC）附近。错误加工（error processing）的经典研究范式中出现的ERN成分可能反映了ACC具有错误检测、冲突监控、强化学习、情绪动机等功能。大量研究表明过度的和不足的错误相关脑活动（hyperactive and hypoactive error processing）可能分别与精神病理学的内化性和外化性障碍（internalizing and externalizing disorders）相关联。内化性和外化性障碍的内表型（endophenotype）的研究,还存在许多值得进一步探索的问题。     

情绪对职业决策的影响

职业决策是决策研究领域的重要课题,引起了心理学家和决策研究者的高度关注.本文在以往研究的基础上,引人情绪和职业种类变量探讨了情绪对职业决策的影响,结果显示:(1)无论是四种还是八种职业决策任务,积极情绪的被试同消极情绪的被试相比,信息搜索的时间较长,信息搜索的深度显著增加;(2)在职业选择策略上,积极情绪的被试更加倾向于基于选项的加工,而消极情绪的被试随着从四种职业决策任务到八种决策任务的转变,逐渐倾向于基于属性的加工;(3)情绪影响了决策者职业决策的信息加工能力.