Overweight and cognition

There is a growing concern among health authorities that an increasing number of people in the Western world become overweight and even obese. It is well known that obesity is related to several diseases (e.g., diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure) and that such diseases related to obesity lead to early death. It has also been discussed whether overweight and obesity in themselves or in relation to such diseases lead to cognitive decline. On the basis of data from a large, population‐based, prospective study we examined three cognitive domains: episodic memory, semantic memory, and spatial ability. Two body measures were used to define normal weight and overweight, body‐mass index and waist/hip ratio. Although these two body measures reveal quite different prevalence data of overweight, the associations between overweight and cognition are similar. For episodic memory, overweight interacts with age, but when controlling for hypertension, stroke and diabetes, this interaction disappears. For semantic memory, normal weight participants outperform overweight participants even after controlling for these diseases. For spatial ability, the well‐established advantage for men holds for young‐old and old‐old normal‐weight participants. For overweight participants, this advantage holds for middle‐age participants only. We conclude that there is a weight‐cognition relationship even after controlling for obesity‐related diseases. The results are discussed in terms of possible biological mechanisms.     

Affective Synchrony in Dual‐ and Single‐Smoker Couples: Further Evidence of “Symptom‐System Fit”?

Couples in which one or both partners smoked despite one of them having a heart or lung problem discussed a health-related disagreement before and during a period of laboratory smoking. Immediately afterwards, the partners in these 25 couples used independent joysticks to recall their continuous emotional experience during the interaction while watching themselves on video. A couple-level index of affective synchrony, reflecting correlated moment-to-moment change in the two partners' joystick ratings, tended to increase from baseline to smoking for 9 dual-smoker couples but decrease for 16 single-smoker couples. Results suggest that coregulation of shared emotional experience could be a factor in smoking persistence, particularly when both partners in a couple smoke. Relationship-focused interventions addressing this fit between symptom and system may help smokers achieve stable cessation.     

Stressed out over possible failure: The role of regulatory fit on claimed self-handicapping

The self-protective mechanism of self-handicapping appears to be motivated by the need to protect ability attributions in the face of concern about possible failure. Indeed, the present research finds a correlation between trait self-handicapping and chronic prevention focus. Moreover, the present research examines the role of “regulatory fit” on the use of claimed self-handicapping by exposing high and low trait self-handicappers to performance situations framed in prevention or promotion terms. Consistent with our regulatory fit hypothesis, high self-handicappers (HSHs) handicapped significantly more (by reporting higher levels of stress) when the task was framed in prevention focus rather than promotion focus terms, and did so even when the viability of the handicap was dubious. Self-handicapping in the prevention focus condition was mediated by elevated feelings of evaluative concern. The findings suggest that conditions of regulatory fit (i.e., HSHs under prevention focus) can lead to increased use of self-handicapping.     

‘Peace in a Thatched Hut—that is Happiness’: Subjective Wellbeing Among Peasants in Rural China

Existing research about subjective wellbeing (SWB) in China is confined to student and urban samples, even though 60% of the population reside in rural areas. It is reasonable to predict that there could be a rural-urban difference in SWB as there is a marked difference in objective (socio-economic) measures of wellbeing. The present study measured SWB within a sample of Chinese peasants living in a remote farming village. The results show that despite their relatively low socioeconomic conditions, the rural residents’ satisfaction levels were within the normative range for the Chinese population, and generally did not differ significantly from a previously published study in an affluent Chinese region (Hong Kong). In-depth interviews with participants revealed that the lower living conditions in the rural area are not adverse to drive SWB below the normative range.

惊跳反射的生理心理机制

惊跳反射作为动物及人类在应对意外刺激或遇到险情时的一种避险保护反应,具有重要的生物学意义。以往的研究较多关注听觉惊跳反射,在反应指标上多采用眼部及面部表情肌的反应,如眨眼反射。惊跳反射的生理机制为突发性强刺激直接传向杏仁核的直接通路所致。惊跳反射增强的心理机制可能为致敏作用或恐惧性条件作用,而惊跳反射衰减的心理机制可能是适应、前脉冲抑制或愉快衰减。未来的研究应关注视觉惊跳反射,观察全身躯体姿势维持肌肉群的反应模式,并以先进设备对惊跳反射的信息加工脑机制进行深入的研究     

成功老龄化的SOC模型研究综述

本文简单回顾了关于成功老龄化研究的历史,综合阐释其定义及指标,并引入Baltes经典成功老龄化的SOC模型,详细介绍它的原理及其组成部分——选择、优化和补偿,并概述它对老龄化满意度的积极影响,最后总结了该领域研究中尚存的问题。     

结构方程模型检验：拟合指数与卡方准则

讨论了Hu和Bentler（1998,1999）推荐的检验结构方程模型的7个拟合指数准则,对这7个指数的历史、特点和表现做了比较详细的述评。指出了他们基于这7个指数的单指数准则和2-指数准则的不足之处。提出了超低显著性水平下的卡方准则,并部分重复他们的模拟例子,将卡方准则与这7个指数准则比较,结果说明新的卡方准则优于其中的6个,与另一个相当。最后简要说明了应当如何检视拟合指数进行模型检验和模型比较。     

品牌延伸中母品牌的作用机制

品牌延伸研究近年来受到了国外营销学界的普遍关注,母品牌在延伸行为中的作用机制是其中的一个热点问题。文章在查阅有关文献的基础上,对该领域影响比较大的两个延伸评价模型,情感迁移模型和联想需求模型,进行了较为深入的介绍、评述和比较。两个模型都从消费者认知的角度来理解延伸评价的形成,其中涉及到刺激泛化、类化和精细计算加工等认知过程。     

电视节目质量研究述评

电视节目质量研究始于20世纪40年代,不同的国家设计了不同的指标来评价节目的质量,如欣赏指数、电视指数、享受指数、值得收看指数、兴趣指数、观众满意度等。文章概述了电视节目质量研究的历史、主要成果及研究动态,并系统介绍了最具影响力的欣赏指数调查,以及欣赏指数与电视收视率、节目类型、观众人口特征等因素之间的关系,最后对目前电视节目质量研究中的局限和不足做出分析和总结     

基于胜任特征的人才测评

该文总结了国内外有关胜任特征与测评方面的文献,阐述了胜任特征作为人才测评的标准的内涵,进而总结了胜任特征应用于人才测评的作用与意义,最后简要介绍了基于胜任特征的人才测评的技术方法。本文有助于胜任特征与人才测评课题的进一步研究,对于人才测评的实践具有很强的指导意义。