焦虑中的安全行为及其影响

安全行为是个体用于预防或者减轻恐惧后果的行为, 它被认为是焦虑障碍维持的重要机制之一, 也会对焦虑的暴露治疗产生干扰。安全行为与焦虑水平、焦虑相关的认知偏差存在联系, 错误归因假说、注意资源偏离假说和行为信息假说对这种联系做出了解释。此外, 安全行为的使用会削弱焦虑暴露治疗的效果、提高暴露的接受性。未来研究应对安全行为做出更清晰的界定和准确的测量, 进一步改进研究设计, 借鉴第三代行为治疗的理论解释安全行为与焦虑的关系; 同时还需要考察安全行为的双重作用, 开发聚焦于安全行为的治疗方案并评估其效果。     

Advances in a cognitive behavioural model of body dysmorphic disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is the most distressing and handicapping of all the body image disorders. A cognitive behavioural model of BDD is discussed which incorporates evidence from recent studies and advances in the author’s 1996 conceptual model. The model aims to understand the maintenance of symptoms in BDD, to assist in the process of engagement of therapy and to guide the strategies to use. At the core of BDD is an excessive self-focussed attention on a distorted body image, the negative appraisal of such images leading to rumination, changes in mood and the use of safety behaviours. Evidence for possible risk factors in the development of BDD is also discussed.     

The psychophysiological correlates of risk recognition among victims and non-victims of sexual assault

This study examined the psychophysiological correlates of risk recognition in sexual victimization. Victims and non-victims of sexual assault listened to a hypothetical date rape interaction and were asked to indicate the point at which the man had become sexually inappropriate. Subjective and objective (physiology) measures of responding as well as a measure of risk recognition in reaction to the date rape scenario were analyzed to evaluate both between and within-subjects' differences. Results showed that, relative to non-victims, victims of sexual assault displayed significant differences in risk recognition as well as both subjective and objective measures of physiological reactivity. Overall, the results indicate that altered physiological responding to relevant threat cues may be related to individuals' ability to identify and react to threatening sexual situations.     

商业银行信贷风险管理中的内部利益冲突与伦理治理

商业银行信贷风险管理中最大的难题是内部利益冲突导致的风险管理失灵甚至无效。信贷从业人员个人权力与组织利益的冲突、眼前利益与长远利益的冲突、等等银行内部利益的冲突时刻都在冲击着风险管理的闸门。这些利益冲突因为风险本身的特征而具有隐蔽性。要真正落实风险管理,就必须运用伦理治理手段平衡有关利益。     

Adolescents’ heightened risk-seeking in a probabilistic gambling task

This study investigated adolescent males’ decision-making under risk, and the emotional response to decision outcomes, using a probabilistic gambling task designed to evoke counterfactually mediated emotions (relief and regret). Participants were 20 adolescents (aged 9–11), 26 young adolescents (aged 12–15), 20 mid-adolescents (aged 15–18) and 17 adults (aged 25–35). All were male. The ability to maximize expected value improved with age. However, there was an inverted U-shaped developmental pattern for risk-seeking. The age at which risk-taking was highest was 14.38 years. Although emotion ratings overall did not differ across age, there was an increase between childhood and young adolescence in the strength of counterfactually mediated emotions (relief and regret) reported after receiving feedback about the gamble outcome. We suggest that continuing development of the emotional response to outcomes may be a factor contributing to adolescents’ risky behaviour.     

When self-protection overreaches: Relationship-specific threat activates domain-general avoidance motivation

Murray, Holmes, and Collins’ [Murray, Holmes, and Collins (2006) Optimizing assurance: The risk regulation system in relationships. Psychological Bulletin, 132, 641-666] interpersonal risk regulation model posits that people cope with threats to their romantic relationships by prioritizing self-protection goals over connectedness goals. The current paper tests whether these relationship-specific responses to threat are reflective of broader shifts in motivation. In Study 1, participants were quicker to identify avoidance-related words than approach-related words following a relationship-specific threat. In Study 2, threatened participants performed better than control participants on an anagram task under an avoidance frame, but not under an approach frame. These results suggest that relationship threat nonconsciously heightens global avoidance motivation and that the interpersonal risk regulation model may originate from a more fundamental approach-avoidance system.     

Optimal correction for guessing in multiple-choice tests

Subjects’ decisions in multiple-choice tests are an interesting domain for the analysis of decision making under uncertainty. When the test is graded using a rule that penalizes wrong answers, each item can be viewed as a lottery where a rational examinee would choose whether to omit (sure reward) or answer (take the lottery) depending on risk aversion and level of knowledge. We formalize students as heterogeneous decision makers with different risk attitudes and levels of knowledge. Building on IRT, we compute the optimal penalty given students’ optimal behavior and the trade-off between bias and measurement error. Although MCQ examinations are frequently used, there is no consensus as to whether a penalty for wrong answers should be used or not. For example, examinations for medical licensing in some countries include MCQ sections with penalty while in others there is no penalty for wrong answers. We contribute to this discussion with a formal analysis of the effects of penalties; our simulations indicate that the optimal penalty is relatively high for perfectly rational students but also when they are not fully rational: even though penalty discriminates against risk averse students, this effect is small compared with the measurement error that it prevents.     

A comparison of risk factors for women seeking labiaplasty compared to those not seeking labiaplasty

Little is known about the factors associated with the desire for labiaplasty. We compared 55 women seeking labiaplasty with 70 women in a comparison group who were not seeking labiaplasty. Measures administered included the Perception of Appearance and Competency Related Teasing Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Disgust Scale Revised, and the Genital Appearance Satisfaction scale with open-ended questions about their genitalia. Approximately a third of the labiaplasty group recalled specific negative comments in the past towards their labia, a proportion significantly greater than the three per cent in the comparison group. Participants reporting genital teasing also showed higher Genital Appearance Satisfaction scores than those who were not teased. However, women seeking labiaplasty were, compared to the comparison group, no more likely to have a history of neglect or abuse during childhood. There was no difference between the groups on disgust sensitivity or the perception of being teased in the past about their competence or appearance in general.