Cooperation in repeated interactions: A systematic review of Centipede game experiments, 1992–2016

Cooperation is a fundamental form of social interaction, and turn-taking reciprocity one of its most familiar manifestations. The Centipede game provides a formal model of such alternating reciprocal cooperation, but a backward induction (BI) argument appears to prove logically that instrumentally rational players would never cooperate in this way. A systematic review of experimental research reveals that human decision makers cooperate frequently in this game, except under certain extreme conditions. Several game, situational, and individual difference variables have been investigated for their influence on cooperation. The most influential are aspects of the payoff function (especially the social gain from cooperation and the risk associated with a cooperative move), the number of players, repetitions of the game, group vs. individual decisions, and players’ social value orientations (SVOs). Our review of experimental evidence suggests that other-regarding preferences, including prosocial behavioural dispositions and collective rationality, provide the most powerful explanation for cooperation.     

Non-response to sad mood induction: implications for emotion research

Experimental induction of sad mood states is a mainstay of laboratory research on affect and cognition, mood regulation, and mood disorders. Typically, the success of such mood manipulations is reported as a statistically significant pre- to post-induction change in the self-rated intensity of the target affect. The present commentary was motivated by an unexpected finding in one of our studies concerning the response rate to a well-validated sad mood induction. Using the customary statistical approach, we found a significant mean increase in self-rated sadness intensity with a moderate effect size, verifying the “success” of the mood induction. However, that “success” masked that, between one-fifth and about one-third of our samples (adolescents who had histories of childhood-onset major depressive disorder and healthy controls) reported absolutely no sadness in response to the mood induction procedure. We consider implications of our experience for emotion research by (1) commenting upon the typically overlooked phenomenon of nonresponse, (2) suggesting changes in reporting practices regarding mood induction success, and (3) outlining future directions to help scientists determine why some subjects do not respond to experimental mood induction.     

Mood induction in a clinically depressed population

Mood induction paradigms have become particularly useful in isolating and examining the relationship between mood and cognition relative to depressive vulnerability. The relationship between these two variables was examined using a 2 × 4 design (Diagnostic Group × Condition) whereby subjects classified as depressed (N=72) and nondepressed (N=61) were assigned to one of four conditions. It was shown that the cognitions of clinically depressed individuals were more dysfunctional than those of nondepressed subjects and that they can undergo temporary states of elation in the absence of any significant change in depressive cognition. How these results relate to cognitive theories of emotion is discussed.     

Contrast and autoshaping in multiple schedules varying reinforcer rate and duration

Thirteen master pigeons were exposed to multiple schedules in which reinforcement frequency (Experiment I) or duration (Experiment II) was varied. In Phases 1 and 3 of Experiment I, the values of the first and second components' random-interval schedules were 33 and 99 seconds, respectively. In Phase 2, these values were 99 seconds for both components. In Experiment II, a random-interval 33-second schedule was associated with each component. During Phases 1 and 3, the first and second components had hopper durations of 7.5 and 2.5 seconds respectively. During Phase 2, both components' hopper durations were 2.5 seconds. In each experiment, positive contrast obtained for about half the master subjects. The rest showed a rate increase in both components (positive induction). Each master subject's key colors and reinforcers were synchronously presented on a response-independent basis to a yoked control. Richer component key-pecking occurred during each experiment's Phases 1 and 3 among half these subjects. However, none responded during the contrast condition (unchanged component of each experiment's Phase 2). From this it is inferred that autoshaping did not contribute to the contrast and induction findings among master birds. Little evidence of local contrast (highest rate at beginning of richer component) was found in any subject. These data show that (a) contrast can occur independently from autoshaping, (b) contrast assays during equal-valued components may produce induction, (c) local contrast in multiple schedules often does not occur, and (d) differential hopper durations can produce autoshaping and contrast.     

Using extinction to promote response variability in toy play

We report the effects of extinction and positive reinforcement on the number of untrained topographies emitted by children with toys. Baseline showed no appropriate toy play. Participants were then trained individually on one topography for each toy. Previously reinforced topographies of toy play were placed on extinction, resulting in the induction of untrained topographies.     

Effects of Rumination and Mindful Self-Focus Inductions During Daily Life in Patients With Remitted Depression: An Experimental Ambulatory Assessment Study

Rumination has been proposed as an important risk factor for depression, whereas mindful attention is considered a protective form of self-focusing. Experimental studies have demonstrated differential effects of these modes when induced in the lab. However, their impact on daily life processes is poorly understood, particularly in individuals vulnerable to depressive relapses. The aim of our study was to examine short- and longer-term effects of repeated brief rumination and mindful self-focus inductions during daily life on momentary mood, cognitions, and cortisol in patients with remitted depression (rMDD) as well as in healthy individuals, and to identify their potential differential effects in these groups. The study involved repeated short ambulatory inductions of a ruminative or a mindful self-focus during daily life with additional assessments of momentary mood, rumination, self-acceptance, and cortisol over 4 consecutive days in a sample of patients with rMDD (n = 32, ≥2 lifetime episodes, age 19–55 years) and matched healthy controls (n = 32, age 21–54 years). Multilevel models revealed differential immediate effects of the two induction modes on all momentary mood and cognitive outcomes (all p’s < .001), but not on cortisol. Detrimental effects of rumination over mindful self-focus inductions were particularly strong for cognitions in the patient group. Longer-term effects of the inductions over the day were lacking. This study underlines immediate deteriorating effects of an induced ruminative compared to a mindful self-focus on momentary mood and cognitions during daily life in patients with rMDD and in healthy individuals. The observed stronger rumination-related reactivity in patients suggests heightened cognitive vulnerability. Understanding rumination- and mindfulness-based mechanisms of action in real-life settings can help to establish mechanism-based treatment options for relapse prevention in depression.     

大学生学科问题类比迁移的实验研究

考察了单个和两个源问题条件下大学生学科问题类比迁移的情况。实验1考察表面特性对学科问题迁移成绩的影响,以及个体的时间控制、解题策略。实验2考察两个源问题表面相似关系和思路归纳关系对迁移成绩的影响。结果表明：1)表面相似性对迁移成绩影响显著,同领域学科问题之间更容易迁移;2)依据表面和依据结构来激活源问题都是有效策略．源问题学习时间与迁移效果之间不存在显著关系;3)思路归纳对迁移成绩影响显著。     

个体归纳推理能力的发展及其机制研究展望

归纳推理是从特定事件或事实向一般的事件或事实推论的过程。当前归纳推理研究主要集中在三个领域：归纳论断力度的判断、个体归纳推理能力的发展、归纳推理能力的神经基础。诸多研究所涉及到的主要是对已经形成的归纳论断能够成立的可能性大小进行判断,并未真正揭示归纳的心理过程．也未能阐明归纳过程的心理机制。以后将结合知识丰富问题和知识贫乏问题、儿童概念形成问题、归纳推理的心理效应问题、归纳推理的神经基础、归纳推理的计算模型等方面进一步深入开展研究。     

Forming all pairs in a minimal number of steps

How can N individuals in a closed space meet and greet each other most efficiently? This paper presents a general solution to this problem—an algorithm or “dance” that will achieve universal pairing in the least possible number of moves or steps. A proof of the suggested algorithm is included, showing that it guarantees that every two participants will greet each other once and only once, and that no procedure with this property can be accomplished with fewer steps. Slightly different procedures are required for the odd and even cases. The algorithm has been applied in classroom settings, and could be applied in any social setting where the objective is to initiate efficiently a sense of group cohesion and common purpose.     

归纳推论—演绎推论的不对称性在中国文化背景下的表现

归纳推论-演绎推论的不对称性是指人们在社会交往中会做出较多的归纳推论,而较少做出演绎推论,但这种社会推论倾向亦受到了文化及语言的影响.本研究目的是检验该现象在中国文化背景下的表现.采用Maass等人提出的研究范式,在一个实验中同时引发被试做出归纳和演绎两种推论,使用特别选取的特质形容词和相应的行为信息,用录音呈现实验材料.因变量为: (1)正确再认实际呈现过的材料; (2)正确拒绝没有呈现过的材料; (3)虚报没有呈现过的材料; (4)从已呈现的材料中做出推论的数量.统计被试做出各类反应的次数及反应时间.结果表明,中国被试并没有表现出对归纳推论的偏向,研究讨论了这一现象的文化影响.