Change in Seasonal Beliefs Mediates the Durability Advantage of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Over Light Therapy for Winter Depression

In treating an acute episode of winter depression, cognitive-behavioral therapy for seasonal affective disorder (CBT-SAD) and light therapy are comparably efficacious, with improvement in depression symptoms during CBT-SAD mediated by reduced seasonal beliefs (i.e., maladaptive thoughts about the seasons, light availability, and weather). Here, we tested whether the enduring benefit of CBT-SAD over light therapy following treatment is associated with offsetting seasonal beliefs during CBT-SAD. Currently depressed adults with Major Depression, Recurrent with Seasonal Pattern (N = 177) were randomized to 6 weeks of light therapy or group CBT-SAD and followedup one and two winters after treatment. Outcomes measured during treatment and at each follow-up included depression symptoms on the Structured Clinical Interview for the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression—SAD Version and Beck Depression Inventory—Second Edition. Candidate mediators measured at pre-, mid-, and posttreatment were SAD-specific negative cognitions (Seasonal Beliefs Questionnaire; SBQ); general depressogenic cognitions (Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale; DAS); brooding rumination (Ruminative Response Scale-Brooding subscale; RRS-B); and chronotype (Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire; MEQ). Latent growth curve mediation models found a significant positive path from treatment group to the slope of SBQ during treatment, with CBT-SAD showing larger improvements in seasonal beliefs with overall change in seasonal beliefs in the medium-effect range, and significant positive paths from SBQ slope to depression scores at the first and second winter follow-ups, indicating greater change towards more flexible seasonal beliefs during active treatment was associated with less severe depression symptoms following treatment. Estimated indirect effects (treatment group → SBQ change * SBQ change → outcome) were also significant at each follow-up for each outcome with β_indirect ranging from .091 to .162. Models also found significant positive paths from treatment group to the slope of MEQ and RRS-B during treatment, with light therapy showing a greater increase in “morningness” and CBT-SAD showing a greater decrease in brooding during active treatment; however, neither construct emerged as a mediator of follow-up depression scores. Change in seasonal beliefs during treatment mediates both the acute antidepressant and long-term effects of CBT-SAD and explains lower depression severity following CBT-SAD relative to light therapy.     

道德概念垂直空间隐喻理解中的映射:双向性及不平衡性

通过4个实验考察道德概念垂直空间隐喻理解中的映射机制和特征。实验1采用空间Stroop范式,发现被试判断完道德词后,对判断随后呈现在屏幕上方或下方字母的反应时的差异不显著,没有发现词汇类型对空间位置的影响。实验2采用有意识迫选法,要求被试出声读出屏幕中央的道德词后,对屏幕上方或下方的希腊语非词进行二择一迫选,发现被试读出道德词后倾向于选择屏幕上方的非词,读出不道德词后倾向于选择屏幕下方的非词。实验3仍采用Stroop范式,发现被试做出空间"上"的判断后,对随后道德词的词义判断反应时显著快于不道德词,做出空间"下"的判断后,对不道德词的反应时显著快于道德词。实验4探讨空间位置是否会对判断人物的道德性产生影响,结果发现被试倾向于认为屏幕上方的人物是道德的,而屏幕下方的人物是不道德的。4个实验的结果表明,在道德概念垂直空间隐喻的理解中,映射的方式是灵活的、双向的,既可以由始源域向目标域映射,也可以由目标域向始源域映射,但两个方向上的映射力量是不平衡的。     

教材内容的情感性分析及其处理策略

人们对教材的教学心理学分析研究相对较少,仅有的也多囿于认知维度。奥苏贝尔在其意义学习理论框架下研究了教材的意义性及其学习条件问题,并提出了著名的处理教材内容的先行组织者策略,然其研究仍属认知维度。其实,教材也是构成教学中情感现象的一个重要源点,对其进行情感性分析研究,将有助于从情感维度系统优化教学。故本文对教材内容进行较系统的情感分析,归纳为蕴涵显性、隐性、悟性和中性情感因素的四大类,并在教学实验     

奖惩频率对3～5岁幼儿完成博弈任务的影响

通过对情感决策的常用研究工具——标准爱荷华博弈任务进行了得失总量不变而频率改变的修改,并使之适合于年幼的3～5岁儿童,可以比较幼儿在不同奖惩频率任务中的表现,从而考察奖惩频率对幼儿情感决策的影响。对120名3～5岁幼儿在四种不同类型的任务中的表现进行分析后,所得实验结果如下:(1)儿童对惩罚和奖励频率的变化比较敏感:正向博弈任务中,"有利纸牌不变,不利纸牌的惩罚总量不变,只增加不利纸牌的惩罚频率"可以使3～5岁儿童完成博弈任务的成绩有显著提高;逆向博弈任务中,"不利纸牌不变,有利纸牌的奖惩总量不变,而有利纸牌奖励频率的增加"能促使4～5岁幼儿更多更快地做出正确选择。(2)幼儿的情感决策能力在3～4岁时期发展迅速,而在4～5岁时仍然有较快发展。     

信任的认知神经网络模型

信任是指一方在基于对另一方行为期望的基础上愿意冒一定的风险, 以期在将来得到积极结果的心理过程。近年, 认知神经取向的研究对信任行为引起的特定脑区激活进行了考察, 却忽略了大规模脑网络在信任过程中的整体作用。在总结前人研究的基础上提出信任的认知神经网络模型, 并从认知神经网络视角对信任行为进行解释和整合。在模型中, 信任行为是动力系统、情感系统和认知系统相互作用的结果, 并分别与奖励网络、显著网络、中央执行网络和默认网络等神经网络激活有关。此外, 模型还强调信任行为的反馈机制, 以此构成完整的建构模型。模型阐明了心理系统与中枢神经网络之间的对应关系, 从认知神经角度解释了信任行为发生的心理机制和神经基础。     

Spontaneous number discrimination of multi-format auditory stimuli in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus)

Studies using operant training have demonstrated that laboratory animals can discriminate the number of objects or events based on either auditory or visual stimuli, as well as the integration of both auditory and visual modalities. To date, studies of spontaneous number discrimination in untrained animals have been restricted to the visual modality, leaving open the question of whether such capacities generalize to other modalities such as audition. To explore the capacity to spontaneously discriminate number based on auditory stimuli, and to assess the abstractness of the representation underlying this capacity, a habituation-discrimination procedure involving speech and pure tones was used with a colony of cotton-top tamarins. In the habituation phase, we presented subjects with either two- or three-speech syllable sequences that varied with respect to overall duration, inter-syllable duration, and pitch. In the test phase, we presented subjects with a counterbalanced order of either two- or three-tone sequences that also varied with respect to overall duration, inter-syllable duration, and pitch. The proportion of looking responses to test stimuli differing in number was significantly greater than to test stimuli consisting of the same number. Combined with earlier work, these results show that at least one non-human primate species can spontaneously discriminate number in both the visual and auditory domain, indicating that this capacity is not tied to a particular modality, and within a modality, can accommodate differences in format.     

发掘情感策略的实验研究

将对内含隐性情感因素的教材内容实施情感性处理的一种策略——发掘情感策略运用于语文教学,进行现场的教学实验研究。研究结果表明：在内含隐性情感因素的文科教材内容中,可以运用发掘情感策略来对其进行情感性处理;这对促进学生的认知学习和情感发展、提高课堂教学质量是有效的。     

Scharffs' Application of Hopper's Concept: “Incohesion: Aggregation/Massification”

We begin by stating our understanding of the concepts presented in Hopper's paper, then comment on the clinical illustration, and conclude by describing two group situations in which we have applied the concepts we have taken from Hopper's paper. Hopper's fourth basic assumption applies to our work as individual psychoanalysts, family therapists, and group leaders because it integrates psychoanalytic and social understanding. We demonstrate how and why we find Hopper's idea to be a useful advance.     

Confirming satisfaction as an attitude within the service‐buying process

This paper presents research that uses cognitive and affective semantic differential scales to construct an attitude measuring instrument to be used in the services domain in the context of long applications to buy a service. The scales measure ‘Attitude to the Application Process’ (AAP) which represents satisfaction, as an internal ‘buying process’ attitude, which moderates the buying intention. Data collected over a three‐year period between 1996‐9, was analysed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The results provide evidence of a robust and useful cognitive scale. Although there were anomalies in the exploratory and confirmatory analysis of the affective scale, a robust scale is presented which represents either one or two factors. The whole measuring instrument of 14 items was developed as a means to access applicant attitudes during the application process to university — an extended and extreme application situation for first‐time consumers. The results identify that the instrument is sound and can be used in its original or modified form, depending on the context of the service‐process monitoring situation. The scales represent aspects of attitude not dealt with extensively in the literature and measure the perception of the application process as simple, open, friendly and helpful. These aspects of satisfaction mirror three attributes of service quality: assurance, responsiveness and empathy identified in previous research. Copyright © 2001 Henry Stewart Publications.