Does Partisan Bias Modulate Neural Processing of Political Information? An Analysis of the Neural Correlates of Corruption and Positive Messages

Daily worldwide newspapers print articles exposing government corruption. Yet these messages do not lead to a loss of votes for the corrupt parties. Sympathizers’ partisan bias, which respectively minimizes and maximizes corruption and positive messages of their own parties respectively, is widely considered the main cause of the loss of effectiveness of political communications. Despite the well-established existence of such bias when processing political information, little is known as to its psychological origin. Through the use of neuroscience (fMRI), this study explores the underlying brain mechanisms of negative (corruption) and positive political messages related to a conservative and a socialist Spanish political party, as well as the differences between their sympathizers. The findings reveal that negative (vs. positive) political messages exert the greatest neuroimaging impact on the electorate, as shown in aversive, risk, and disappointment-related brain regions. Interestingly, we show that there exists a main partisan bias against opposite parties (and not a positive bias toward one’s own party) that stems from a higher risk, ambiguity, and disbelief provoked by both positive and negative information about rival parties. Furthermore, this bias was more pronounced among conservative supporters. The current findings provide valuable insights for political parties to improve their communication campaigns.     

视觉工作记忆回溯线索效应的产生机制：认知阶段分离

以往研究关于视觉工作记忆回溯线索效应的产生机制主要存在5种假设, 目前依然存在争议。本研究通过改进前人研究实验范式, 采用包含内源性回溯线索的颜色回忆报告范式, 进一步对这5种假设进行检验。在实验1中, 我们调控了线索与探测阵列之间的时间间隔, 发现不同时间间隔不影响无线索条件的行为表现, 而在正常线索条件中被试的记忆精度以及能记住的项目数量均优于无线索条件; 在实验2中, 我们对回溯线索伴随的干扰刺激类型进行控制, 结果显示, 在不同条件下记忆精度不存在差别, 但当回溯线索伴随干扰刺激呈现时, 被试能记住的项目数量会被降低, 降低程度受干扰刺激的类型调制; 在实验3中, 我们对伴随回溯线索的干扰刺激的呈现时间进行控制, 发现虽然回溯线索效应仍然存在, 但干扰刺激的呈现时间不会影响效应程度。研究结果表明, 回溯线索的出现使得被试能够在决策加工前完成内部注意资源的再分配, 从而避免了同时进行这两种认知加工与记忆表征维持本身竞争认知资源。本研究为认知阶段分离假设提供了支持证据, 对解决回溯线索效应产生机制的争议以及理解内部注意与视觉工作记忆的关系有重要意义。     

群体认同对群际敏感效应及其行为表现的影响

通过实验研究了群际互动中个体对不同来源身份的消极群体评价的情绪反应及群体认同的调节作用, 并从情绪-行为反应的连续性视角探索群际敏感效应的行为表现及内在机制。结果发现:(1)相比内群体的消极群体评价, 外群体的消极群体评价更能引起消极情绪反应; (2)群体认同对群际敏感效应起调节作用, 高群体认同者对来自外群体消极评价的情绪反应更加负面, 而低群体认同者这种趋势并不明显; (3)高群体认同者在经历外群体的消极群体评价后会表现出更多的内群体积极行为, 且消极情绪反应对此起中介作用。研究扩展了群际敏感效应的适用范围, 并为探讨其内部机制和后续影响提供了新的研究思路。     

大学积极心理学课程的双元互动教学模式改革实验研究

采用实验组对照组前后测设计对232名大学生进行重复测量方差分析和中介效应检验,考查双元互动教学模式下大学积极心理学教学对其学生积极心理学知识、态度、情感、价值观的改善效果。结果发现：（1）双元互动教学模式能显著提升大学生的积极心理学知识;（2）双元互动教学模式下大学生的总体幸福感、积极的价值观念显著提高,生活满意度得到保持;（3）在双元互动教学模式下大学生个人价值观以生活满意度为部分中介促进总体幸福感形成,以促成教学目标。由此可见,双元互动教学模式可以实现大学积极心理学学科教育和情感培养的双目标。     

语言熟练度对Stroop效应的影响——不平衡双语者的任务态fMRI研究

目的:探讨语言熟练度对Stroop效应的影响及其背后的脑机制。材料与方法:17位被试参与本研究。被试母语为汉语,第二语言为英语。在被试完成中英文的stroop色字的任务过程中对被试进行fMRI扫描。结果:在色字相一致的条件下,中文任务与英文任务相比,双侧背侧枕叶及右侧背外侧前额叶有更强的激活; 反向比较,双侧腹侧枕叶有更强的激活。在色字不一致的条件下,中文任务与英文任务相比,双侧背外侧前额叶、右侧枕下回有更强的激活; 反向比较,并无显著激活的脑区。此外,中文Stroop效应引起左侧额下回显著的激活。英文Stroop效应中,左侧额下回无显著激活。结论:结合前人研究,我们得出,语言熟练度影响了对注意控制有重要作用的背外侧前额叶以及与反应抑制有关的左侧额下回在Stroop任务中的参与程度,进而影响了Stroop任务的表现     

Cognitive complexity of social images revealed by Jewish Israeli adolescents relating to drawings of Jews and Arabs

The present study examined age‐related differences among Israeli youth regarding the complexity of their mental images of Jews and Arabs, two groups that are adversaries in the Middle East conflict. The participants, 494 Jewish children and adolescents ranging from 8–16 years old each, drew two human figures, one Jewish and one Arab, and then attributed a forename and a profession to each drawn image. Four complexity variables were scored as follows: image complexity (number of items included in the figure), embellishments (number of items added to the drawing and in the space around the figure), image name, and image profession. Overall, participants depicted members of their in‐group as more complex. However, early adolescence was found to be a critical age at which differences emerged. The findings suggest that introducing complexity to social representations in early adolescence may facilitate prevention of negative associations related to outgroups and enhance intervention to reduce stereotypes, prejudice, and racism.     

The relationship between endowment and ownership effects in memory across cultures

An object one owns is typically more highly valued than an equivalent object owned by another person. This endowment effect has been attributed to the aversion of loss of one’s possessions (through selling), or the added value of an item due to self-association (through owning). To date, investigation of these mechanisms has been hampered by the between-subjects methodology traditionally employed to measure endowment. Over two experiments, we report a novel within-subjects method for measuring an endowment bias. In these studies, Western participants showed enhanced valuation of owned items, whereas East-Asian participants did not. This endowment bias also correlated with the ownership effect in memory (a measure of self-referential processing) in Western, but not East-Asian participants. Our results suggest that the endowment effect is partly predicated on the same factors that influence the ownership effect and that this commonality is likely linked to conceptions of ownership specifically, and self-concept more generally.     

Aging drivers and post delineated express lanes: Threading the needle at 70 miles per hour

Post-delineated express lanes represent a combination of driving complexities that are particularly difficult for older drivers to navigate. The narrow geometry and high speeds that are common to this treatment reflect a critical test for drivers whose depth perception, contrast sensitivity, and visual processing speed are reduced. The present study was designed to empirically examine the effects of age and color of express lane delineators on driver behavior. Three groups of participants (aged 18–39, 40–64, and 65 + years old) were required to complete a series of simulated driving scenarios consisting of combinations of single and dual lane configurations, with speed and lane position measured at the beginning and midpoint of each express lane. All drivers were pre-screened on various visual functioning abilities. Drivers in the 65 and older group show significant age-related declines in depth perception, contrast sensitivity, and phoria which were subsequently correlated with a wide range of driving measures including deceleration rate, brake time, jerk, speed, and lane position. Age related perceptual declines were statistically correlated with slower driving speed and wider lane deviations, including a statistically significant increase in the number of excursions beyond the typical 12-foot lane width. Based on these findings, the behavior of senior drivers was identified as a distinct design condition that should govern the design of high-speed, narrow geometric conditions. This age group requires wider lane widths, particularly at the beginning of single-lane post delimited sections, wider buffer areas around the post markers, and dual lane configurations wherever possible.     

老年人视听觉整合的影响因素及其神经机制

老年人的视听觉整合能力强于还是弱于年轻人, 目前尚存在很大争议。对老年人视听觉整合脑机制的研究, 将为老年人脑保健提供一种科学的跨通道整合方案。基于已有研究成果从两方面进行论述：1)影响老年人视听觉整合的因素, 包括刺激的物理属性、刺激呈现的时空关系以及刺激得到的注意资源。2)老年人视听觉整合效应。研究表明, 一方面, 老年人表现出更高的功能连接性、网络效率和较强的视听觉整合效应, 如：老年人在后顶叶、内侧前额叶和左前额叶等脑区有较强的激活, 额中央区的P2振幅表现出超加性; 老年人比年轻人的视听觉整合发生较早并有较长的延伸。另一方面, 老年人有较长的反应时和较弱的整合促进, 以及对视听觉刺激进行反应时颞上回脑区的振幅弱于年轻人。简单刺激诱发的老年人视听觉整合为进一步揭示整合机制提供了可靠的基础, 但是对于复杂情景下的视听觉信息整合加工机制仍待探究。     

消极身体意象对青少年的负面影响

消极身体意象是青少年健康成长所面临的重要问题之一。了解消极身体意象对青少年的危害以及其形成的影响因素, 对于青少年群体身心健康发展具有重要意义。消极身体意象对青少年的负面影响主要包括自我概念、情绪体验、体重控制策略、饮食失调和社会生活五个方面; 并且青少年消极身体意象形成的影响因素主要有生物因素(BMI)、社会文化因素(父母、同伴和大众媒体)和心理因素(人格因素、认知方式)。未来可从以下几个方面进一步深入研究：(1) 基于生物-心理-社会模型的视角完善青少年身体意象发展的理论模型; (2) 考察社交媒体等新兴因素的作用; (3) 阐明青少年在加工身体相关信息时的认知特点; (4) 推进中国青少年消极身体意象本土化研究。