Digit ratios,but not facial width-to-height ratios,are associated with the priority placed on attending to faces versus bodies

Testosterone has been linked to a sexual preference for bodies rather than faces. Low digit ratio (2D:4D) and high facial width-to-height ratio (WHR) are associated with high prenatal testosterone. We tested whether low 2D:4D and high facial WHR were correlated with a preference for bodies over faces. Our sample consisted of 109 college students (64 males). A two-way analysis of variance demonstrated a significant main effect of digit ratio on the priority placed on paying attention to faces or bodies such that low 2D:4D was linked to a preference for bodies, but the effect of sex was not significant. There were no significant interaction effects. Another two-way analysis of variance revealed no significant effects for facial WHR and attentional priority but significant associations between sex and attentional priority. There were no significant interaction effects. Our findings indicate that individuals with low digit ratios tended to pay more attention to bodies than to faces compared with individuals with higher digit ratios, independently of sex. We also found that males tended to pay more attention to bodies than to faces compared with females, independently of facial WHR.     

Modeling Interactions Between Latent Variables in Research on Type D Personality: A Monte Carlo Simulation and Clinical Study of Depression and Anxiety

Several approaches exist to model interactions between latent variables. However, it is unclear how these perform when item scores are skewed and ordinal. Research on Type D personality serves as a good case study for that matter. In Study 1, we fitted a multivariate interaction model to predict depression and anxiety with Type D personality, operationalized as an interaction between its two subcomponents negative affectivity (NA) and social inhibition (SI). We constructed this interaction according to four approaches: (1) sum score product; (2) single product indicator; (3) matched product indicators; and (4) latent moderated structural equations (LMS). In Study 2, we compared these interaction models in a simulation study by assessing for each method the bias and precision of the estimated interaction effect under varying conditions. In Study 1, all methods showed a significant Type D effect on both depression and anxiety, although this effect diminished after including the NA and SI quadratic effects. Study 2 showed that the LMS approach performed best with respect to minimizing bias and maximizing power, even when item scores were ordinal and skewed. However, when latent traits were skewed LMS resulted in more false-positive conclusions, while the Matched PI approach adequately controlled the false-positive rate.     

不同特质焦虑水平的选择性注意偏向

高特质焦虑个体常表现出对威胁性刺激的选择性注意偏向的特点。然而其潜在的神经机制目前仍不清楚。通过记录高、低特质焦虑者各17名进行情绪加工时的ERP,比较了两组个体在选择性注意偏向发生的时间进程和相关的神经反应的差异。结果发现,高特质焦虑者诱发出更大的N1,进一步发现恐惧图片比中性图片诱发更大的N1;而低特质焦虑者诱发了更大的N2,特质焦虑得分越低, N2波幅越大。结果初步说明高特质焦虑者加工早期对恐惧图片分配了较多的注意资源,并且其抑制执行功能可能受损;而低特质焦虑者较晚开始区分恐惧图片和中性图片。这些结果提供了支持认知-动机模型的新证据。     

不同线索下特质焦虑个体的返回抑制

焦虑与注意偏向的研究是近年来情绪与认知领域的热点。为探讨特质焦虑个体的注意偏向特点及其返回抑制能力是否受不同线索的调节, 采用特质焦虑量表筛选高特质焦虑大学生29名, 低特质焦虑大学生28名完成线索-靶子任务。要求被试在提示线索消失后, 对位置进行快而准地辨别反应, 分别探索中性和情绪性提示线索下被试的返回抑制。结果发现：(1)在中性线索条件下, 高焦虑个体平均反应时慢于低焦虑个体。(2) 在情绪线索条件下, 高焦虑个体在负性线索下的反应时小于在正性线索下的反应时; 高、低焦虑个体在各种SOA条件下均出现了返回抑制, 但各组返回抑制量受到情绪线索的调节：在正性情绪线索条件下, 两组返回抑制量没有显著差异; 在负性情绪线索下, 高焦虑个体返回抑制量显著小于低焦虑个体。这表明, (1)焦虑个体的注意偏向受到刺激信息的影响：只对负性情绪线索出现注意警觉; (2)只有在涉及负性情绪信息时高、低焦虑个体返回抑制能力才有差异, 高焦虑个体存在对负性情绪线索的抑制困难。     

Anxiety reactivity and anxiety perseveration represent dissociable dimensions of anxiety vulnerability: A replication and extension

Trait anxiety is a unitary construct reflecting individual differences in the tendency to experience anxious symptomatology, typically measured with questionnaires such as the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI‐T). Recent research by Rudaizky, Page, and MacLeod has found evidence that two different dimensions of trait anxiety account for independent variance in trait anxiety scores. These dimensions are anxiety reactivity (AR), reflecting the probability of experiencing an anxious reaction, and anxiety perseveration (AP), reflecting the persistence of anxious symptoms once elicited. There are two key issues addressed in this study: first, the replicability of Rudaizky et al.'s findings and second, the ability of the measures of AR and AP developed by Rudaizky et al. to predict independent variance in STAI‐T scores after statistically controlling for variance shared with a measure of depression. Regression analysis determined that AR and AP do account for independent variance in STAI‐T trait anxiety scores even after statistically controlling for depression. The implications of these findings for the understanding of anxiety vulnerability are discussed.     

智慧:结构、类型、测量及与相关变量的关系

智慧是个体在其智力与知识的基础上,经由经验与练习习得的一种德才兼备的综合心理素质,包括聪明才智与良好品德两大成份.智慧可分为常规智慧与应变智慧、群体智慧与组织智慧、个人智慧与一般智慧、德慧与物慧等,可用三维智慧量表、自我评估智慧量表以及智慧发展量表等进行测量,并与年龄、性别、文化、教育、人格、思维方式、智力等存在重要关联.今后应该深入探究智慧的概念与结构,拓展其研究方法、测量工具与教育策略以及开展中国化研究.     

An analysis of coping profiles and adjustment in persons with rheumatoid arthritis

This study examined dispositional and situative antecedents of vigilant and avoidant coping behavior. Seventy-two subjects were classified in coping style on the basis of their responses to the vigilance and cognitive avoidance scales of the Mainz Coping Inventory (MCI, Krohne, 1989), and alternatively, on their trait anxiety and defensiveness scores (cf. Weinberger, Schwartz, & Davidson, 1979). In a subsequent laboratory task, subjects were exposed to various conditions of predictability of an aversive event. In anticipation of an aversive loud tone, coping behavior was operationally defined as choosing to listen either to a warning channel (i.e., vigilance) or instead to music (i.e., avoidance). Probability of occurrence of a warning signal while listening to the warning channel varied across trials, being either 0%, 33%, 66%, or 100%. Subjects were exposed to each level and were informed about the respective probability in advance. In general, listening to the warning channel increased with an increase in the probability of the warning signal. However, four groups of subjects who differed in their pattern of coping behavior across trials were observed: rigid-avoidant copers (always listening to music), rigid-vigilant copers (always monitoring the warning channel), flexible copers (switching from music to warning channel with increasing probability of warning), and inconsistent copers (vacillating between music and warning channel regardless of probability of warning). Coping style classifications did not show substantial associations with coping behavior. However, subjects demonstrating the inconsistent coping pattern scored high on trait anxiety.     

Measuring anxiety by ordered categorical items in data with subgroup structure: the case of the Hungarian version of the trait anxiety scale of the state-trait anxiety inventory for children (staic-h)

The present study suggests a modelling methodology for examining measurement invariance of ordered categorical item indicators of latent constructs such as anxiety, coping, motives etc., in research settings with few subgroups and a large sample of individuals. The Hungarian version of the Anxiety Trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC-H) was administered to 605 boys and 975 girls of age 10–15 in 12 schools. A MIMIC model was suggested for examining measurement invariance across subgroups of schools and ages, while a multi-group analysis was recommended for investigating invariance across gender. High degree of invariance across groups was obtained for the Anxiety Trait scale in terms of item factor loadings, item thresholds and item homogeneity with respect to group contrast variables. Based on the diagnostic information obtained by the present methodology, the few item indicators showing non-invariance were discussed with reference to methodological and conceptual considerations.     

Dissimilar effects of task‐relevant and interpersonal threat on independent–interdependent self‐construal in individuals with high self‐esteem

Previous research has indicated that individuals with high trait self‐esteem (HSEs) become more independent and less interdependent after experiencing a task‐relevant threat. However, these studies have not investigated other sources of ego threats, such as interpersonal threats. Therefore, the moderating effects of the degree of trait self‐esteem on task‐relevant and interpersonal ego threats were investigated in relation to independent, or interdependent self‐construal. It was predicted that in HSEs, the level of task‐relevant stress would be positively–negatively related to their independence–interdependence, whereas the level of interpersonal stress would be negatively–positively related to their independence–interdependence. In individuals with low trait self‐esteem (LSEs), the two types of stresses and independent–interdependent self‐construal may not have a significant relationship. We conducted a questionnaire survey with undergraduates. Correlational analysis of the results indicated that in HSEs, greater task‐relevant stress was related to heightened independence, whereas greater interpersonal stress had the opposite effect, indicating lower independence and heightened interdependence. However, these stresses were not related to the self‐construal of LSEs. These findings suggest that task‐relevant and interpersonal threat could have differential effects on independent and interdependent self‐construal for HSEs, but not in LSEs.