A Social-Neuroscience Perspective on Empathy

ABSTRACT— In recent years, abundant evidence from behavioral and cognitive studies and functional-imaging experiments has indicated that individuals come to understand the emotional and affective states expressed by others with the help of the neural architecture that produces such states in themselves. Such a mechanism gives rise to shared representations, which constitutes one important aspect of empathy, although not the sole one. We suggest that other components, including people's ability to monitor and regulate cognitive and emotional processes to prevent confusion between self and other, are equally necessary parts of a functional model of empathy. We discuss data from recent functional-imaging studies in support of such a model and highlight the role of specific brain regions, notably the insula, the anterior cingulate cortex, and the right temporo-parietal region. Because this model assumes that empathy relies on dissociable information-processing mechanisms, it predicts a variety of structural or functional dysfunctions, depending on which mechanism is disrupted.     

Caregiver burden and family functioning in different neurological diseases

Aim of this study is to examine caregiver burden and family functioning in different neurological conditions. Forty-two primary caregivers of patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementia (AD), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) were administered scales for the evaluation of caregiver burden (CBI) and family functioning (FACES IV). Caregiver burden was overall high, with caregivers of patients with ALS and ABI having exceeded the CBI cut-off score for possible burn-out. The average scores of caregivers of patients with AD or other dementia and PD were close to the cut-off score, whereas those of caregivers of patients with MS were significantly lower than the others. Family cohesion, family satisfaction and the quality of family communication were associated with reduced levels of caregiver burden, whereas disengagement was associated with a higher burden. The data from the present study confirm that caregiver burden is a relevant issue in the context of neurological diseases, especially for those causing higher degrees of impairment. Significant correlations with family functioning emerged as well, highlighting the importance of studying and treating caregiver burden within the context of family relations.     

Will recalling a purchase increase your well‐being? The sequential mediating roles of postpurchase sharing and relatedness need satisfaction

To shed light on the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between purchase type and well‐being (including hedonic and eudaimonic well‐being), this study explored the mediating roles of both postpurchase sharing and relatedness need satisfaction in a Chinese sample. In the current study, participants were required to recall an impressive past purchase and report the level of postpurchase sharing, relatedness need satisfaction, and well‐being experienced after the purchase. The results indicated that (a) participants in the experiential purchase group reported higher levels of both hedonic and eudaimonic well‐being than did those in the material purchase group, and (b) postpurchase sharing and relatedness need satisfaction sequentially mediated the relationship between purchase type and well‐being. Specifically, individuals were more willing to share with others after experiential purchases than after material ones. Therefore, in turn, they experienced higher levels of relatedness need satisfaction, which was conducive to higher levels of both hedonic and eudaimonic well‐being.     

企业员工知识分享行为的结构与测量

通过对52名员工访谈和217名员工的开放式问卷调查,经专家讨论,编制了适合中国文化背景的员工知识分享行为问卷。对407份有效问卷的探索性分析表明：员工知识分享行为是三因素结构,即分享质量、协同精神和躬行表现。为了进一步验证员工知识分享行为问卷的信度和效度,对428份有效数据的验证性因素分析证实了三维结构模型的合理性,说明基于中国文化背景下编制的员工知识分享行为问卷具有较好的信度和效度     

共情的毕生发展:一个双过程的视角

共情中包含情绪和认知两种加工过程,二者有着不同的发展轨迹和机制。其中情绪共情是一种与生俱来的能力,从婴儿期直到成年期呈现下降趋势,到老年阶段有所上升,呈现出U形发展轨迹。其发展可能是由于镜像神经元储存的共享表征日益丰富和精细。认知共情发展相对较晚,从出生直到成年期呈现上升趋势,在老年阶段逐渐下降,呈现倒U形的发展轨迹。其发展是随着颞顶联合区和前额叶皮层成熟、个体区分自我他人和抑制自我中心能力增强而逐渐发展的。只有分别考察两个成分的发展才能了解共情发展的本质和机制。     

团队学习的理论与相关研究进展述评

团队学习是指团队成员通过互动不断获取、整合与分享知识, 并在此基础上改善行为、优化团队体系, 提升组织适应性以达到组织目标的过程。在文献研究的基础上, 介绍了团队学习的概念内涵和性质、理论基础、结构与测量, 并且探讨了团队学习的影响因素、影响效应模型及作用机制, 最后指出了团队学习研究应继续理清概念内涵的界定、结构与测量工具的开发、系统模型的构建扩充、影响效应的结果变量和跨文化扩展研究等问题。     

课业负担对学校生活满意度的影响:学校氛围的多水平调节作用

课业负担对学校生活满意度有重要影响,但是学校氛围对课业负担的多水平调节作用少有研究涉及。在发展系统理论的基本框架下,本研究构建了一个多水平的调节模型,同时考察学校氛围中不同水平的变量对学生学校生活满意度的影响及其作用机制。以20155名五、八年级学生为研究对象,本研究采用学生知觉的师生关系及校长知觉的学生士气、教师士气、学生消极行为、教师负面状态来考察学生和校长对学校氛围的评价。多水平模型分析发现:(1)在控制了年级、性别、城乡后,课业负担对学校生活满意度仍有显著的消极影响;(2)课业负担对学校生活满意度的负向影响,随学生知觉的师生关系和校长知觉的学生士气的变好而减弱。研究结果有利于从发展系统理论及相互作用的视角理解学校氛围的作用,"减负"不仅要确实减少学生的课业负担,也要重视学校中其他环境变量的综合影响。     

A social validation explanation for mutual enhancement

Group members experience mutual enhancement when they evaluate one another’s task capabilities more positively because they are discussing shared as compared to unshared information. Two experiments investigated a social validation explanation for mutual enhancement. In Experiment 1, members of dyads read and discussed either shared or unshared information and collectively recalled this information under conditions where accuracy was important or not. Mutual enhancement occurred when need for accuracy was higher, but not when it was lower. In Experiment 2, members of dyads read validating or non-validating information from an outsider after they collectively recalled shared or unshared information. Members who discussed unshared information and received no validating communication from the outsider gave one another the lowest task capability ratings compared to members who discussed shared information and/or received validating communication from the outsider. All of these results are consistent with a social validation explanation for mutual enhancement.     

Exploring the rabbit hole of possibilities by myself or with my group: The benefits and liabilities of activating counterfactual mind‐sets for information sharing and group coordination

The current experiment explored the effect of activating a counterfactual mind‐set on the discussion of unique information and group judgment accuracy. Evidence suggests that a counterfactual mind‐set is characterized by a focused, analytic mental state and, when activated at the group level, improves group judgment accuracy in the murder mystery paradigm (a hidden profile task). We hypothesized that the beneficial effect of the counterfactual mind‐set would only help group problem‐solving tasks if the mind‐set had been activated at the group level, allowing the analytical mind‐set to play out in an atmosphere of synergistic coordination. In contrast, if this highly focused mental state is activated at the individual level, it could impair group judgment quality because inwardly focused analytical individuals may fail to coordinate their behavior with other group members. Consistent with our hypothesis, activating a counterfactual mind‐set at the individual level had a debilitating effect on the group judgment task, whereas activating a counterfactual mind‐set at the group level had a facilitative effect, increasing information sharing, synergistic coordination and judgment accuracy. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Manoeuvring Strategically with Praeteritio

This paper investigates the role that the stylistic device of praeteritio (or paralipsis) can play in arguers’ attempts to reconcile their rhetorical with their dialectical aims by manoeuvring strategically when carrying out particular discussion moves of the dialectical procedure for resolving a dispute. First, attention will be paid to the ways in which praeteritio can be realized in discourse. Next, an analysis is given of the effects the use of praeteritio may have as a result of the presentational means that are employed. This analysis will be used to establish the possibilities for strategic manoeuvring with this device in the different stages of an argumentative discussion. Finally, an indication is given of how the types of strategic manoeuvring that a praeteritio can be instrumental in may derail, and in which violations of the rules for critical discussion such derailed manoeuvrings may result.