新员工心理契约短期动态变化的实证研究

本文从心理契约具有动态性的角度出发,考察了新员工进入企业组织后的社会化过程中,心理契约预期、心理契约执行与心理契约违背三方面的变化。样本为382名进入企业组织的一年半以内的新员工。结果验证,心理契约在我国具有不同程度的短期动态变化的特性,具体情况因心理契约的预期、执行和违背的各维度而有所不同。同时,新员工早期工作经验与心理契约执行中的交易性义务变化有显著性差异。     

关于动力系统中自我强化和学生期待对学习效率影响的实验研究

本实验考察了在教学活动中,动力系统中自我强化和学生期待两因素与中学生学习效率的关系。结果表明：在其它教学条件相同的情况下,适当地、适时地满足学生期待对初中生学习效率的提高有较明显的作用,而对高中学生则作用不明显;对中学生进行自我强化的训练,有助于高中生学习效率的提高,而对初中生学习效率的作用则不明显;实验中未出现交互作用。     

Combining dynamic systems and multivariate analyses to compare the mother-child interactions of externalizing subtypes

A dynamic systems analysis was conducted to distinguish the parent–child interactions of pure externalizing children from children comorbid for externalizing and internalizing problems. Thirty-three parents and clinically referred children (8–12 years old) discussed a problem for 4 min and then tried to wrap up in response to a signal (a perturbation). The perturbation was intended to increase the pressure on the dyad, triggering a reorganization of their behavioral system. We hypothesized that the comorbid group would be distinguished from the externalizing-only group as a result of this reorganization, but not before. The sequential data were analyzed using a combination of case-sensitive (state space grids and chi-square analyses) and group-based, multivariate techniques (log-linear modeling). Results revealed that externalizing dyads engaged in a permissive pattern throughout the problem-solving session, whereas comorbid dyads shifted from a permissive pattern to a mutually hostile pattern after the perturbation. These findings punctuate the need for a dynamic systems approach to the study of relationship processes associated with the development of childhood psychopathology. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.     

Generative models, brain function and neuroimaging

The representational capacity and inherent function of any neuron, neuronal population or cortical area in the brain is dynamic and context-sensitive. Functional integration, or interactions among brain systems, that employ driving (bottom up) and backward (top-down) connections, mediate this adaptive and contextual specialisation. A critical consequence is that neuronal responses, in any given cortical area, can represent different things at different times. This can have fundamental implications for the design of brain imaging experiments and the interpretation of their results. Our arguments are developed under generative models of brain function, where higher-level systems provide a prediction of the inputs to lower-level regions. Conflict between the two is resolved by changes in the higher-level representations, which are driven by the ensuing error in lower regions, until the mismatch is "cancelled". From this perspective the specialisation of any region is determined both by bottom-up driving inputs and by top-down predictions. Specialisation is therefore not an intrinsic property of any region but depends on both forward and backward connections with other areas. Because the latter have access to the context in which the inputs are generated they are in a position to modulate the selectivity or specialisation of lower areas. The implications for classical models (e.g., classical receptive fields in electrophysiology, classical specialisation in neuroimaging and connectionism in cognitive models) are severe and suggest these models may provide incomplete accounts of real brain architectures. Here we focus on the implications for cognitive neuroscience in the context of neuroimaging.     

Rotation in the dynamic factor modeling of multivariate stationary time series

A special rotation procedure is proposed for the exploratory dynamic factor model for stationary multivariate time series. The rotation procedure applies separately to each univariate component series of aq-variate latent factor series and transforms such a component, initially represented as white noise, into a univariate moving-average. This is accomplished by minimizing a so-called state-space criterion that penalizes deviations of the rotated solution from a generalized state-space model with only instantaneous factor loadings. Alternative criteria are discussed in the closing section. The results of an empirical application are presented in some detail.This research was supported by the Institute for Developmental and Health Research Methodology, University of Virginia.     

Cyber-bullying: An investigation of the psychological profile of university student participants

The present study investigated the psychological profile of 430 Greek university students who reported cyber-bullying/victimization experiences. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire, measuring cyber-bullying, cyber-victimization, Internet frequency and use, personality characteristics, and psychological symptoms. Results indicated that 58.4% of the sample had participated in a cyber-bullying incident assuming any role. Cyber bully/victims, the most common participant role, endorsed more psychological symptoms, more psychopathic traits, and were high sensation seekers, compared to the rest of the groups, whereas cyber-victims scored higher on empathy. Cyber-bullying was predicted by callous/unemotional and impulsive/irresponsible traits, depression, Internet use, as well as lack of social skills. The latter four variables also predicted cyber-victimization along with gender. Findings are discussed in terms of prevention and intervention strategies.