Reducing self‐control depletion effects through enhanced sensitivity to implementation: Evidence from fMRI and behavioral studies

Research suggests self-control relies on a limited set of resources that can be diminished by use. Recent theories posit that there are two stages of self-control: recognizing the need for control and implementing controlled responses. We conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment and an intervention experiment to investigate whether one or both stages were affected by the prior exercise of self-control. Results from both experiments indicated that only the implementation stage was affected. Further, we demonstrate that self-control can be increased by an intervention designed to boost implementation, as opposed to the recognition of the need to control one's responses.     

Understanding the richness of brand relationships: Research dialogue on brands as intentional agents

This essay offers some perspectives on Kervyn et al.'s insightful research on brand relationships and the role of perceived intentions and ability. After briefly discussing the importance of brand knowledge and functionality in understanding the diversity of brand relationships, some other antecedents and consequences of brand relationships are reviewed. Three antecedents of corporate credibility — expertise, trust, and likability — are suggested as another means to differentiate how consumers view different brands. Brand resonance — an intense, active loyalty relationship — is also suggested as an important outcome of brand relationships. The essay concludes by noting that any concept as complex as brand relationships lends itself to multiple concepts, perspectives, and analysis.     

Improving the efficacy of appearance-based sun exposure interventions with the terror management health model

The terror management health model (TMHM) suggests that when thoughts of death are accessible people become increasingly motivated to bolster their self-esteem relative to their health, because doing so offers psychological protection against mortality concerns. Two studies examined sun protection intentions as a function of mortality reminders and an appearance-based intervention. In Study 1, participants given a sun protection message that primed mortality and shown a UV-filtered photo of their face reported greater intentions to use sun protection on their face, and took more sunscreen samples than participants shown a regular photo of their face. In Study 2, reminders of mortality increased participants’ intentions to use facial sun protection when the UV photo was specifically framed as revealing appearance consequences of tanning, compared to when the photo was framed as revealing health consequences or when no photo was shown. These findings extend the TMHM, and provide preliminary evidence that appearance-based tanning interventions have a greater influence on sun protection intentions under conditions that prime thoughts of death. We discuss implications of the findings, and highlight the need for additional research examining the applicability to long-term tanning behaviour.     

Microstructure and superconductivity of bulk BPSCCO/LPMO composite

Bulk superconducting (SC) ceramics containing BPSCCO and LPMO (Lanthanum/Lead – manganite phase) have been produced. The initial components were prepared by a low-temperature Pechini method. The submicron powders in weight ratio 90/10 Bi_1.6Pb_0.4Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_z/La_0.6Pb_0.4MnO₃ (nominal composition) were heat treated at 840°C. The duration of the heat treatment effect (60 and 100?h) of the composite on the transformation of the microstructure was studied. The obtained composites were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and by the method of energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). They contain several phases. It was established that the SC 2212 phase is predominate in the composite. The phase La_0.6Pb_0.4MnO₃ transforms in solid solution with preliminary composition La_0.5(Sr?+?Ca)_0.5Mn_{1? z} Cu _z O₃, which after full replacement of the La and Mn ions leads to the appearance of phases with nominal composition Sr_{1? x} Ca _x CuO _y . AC and DC magnetization measurements were used to study the SC and magnetic properties of the samples. Both samples are SC with critical temperatures 75 and 77?K, respectively. It was concluded that the SC and magnetic phases stably coexist in the composite sintered at 60?h heat treatment at 840°C.     

Microwave-dielectric and magnetic properties of Ta-doped BiFeO3 nanopowders

BiFe_{1? x} Ta _x O₃ (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1) nanopowders have been fabricated by a simple sol–gel method. Dielectric measurements at microwave frequencies (2–18 GHz) were made using a vector network analyser. Without tantalum, the BiFeO₃ nanopowder presents a relaxation-like response with a characteristic frequency of 15 GHz, which can be associated with an overdamped process. The Ta-doped nanopowders, however, show resonant behaviour with resonant frequencies of 12.5 and 14.6 GHz. The intensity of the resonant peak near 14.6 GHz decreases with increasing Ta addition. This behaviour is associated with a damped resonance process. Room-temperature magnetic measurements indicate that the addition of Ta influences the magnetic properties of the BiFeO₃ nanopowders, with BiFe_0.95Ta_0.05O₃ having the strongest ferromagnetism with a saturation magnetisation M _s of about 0.05 µ_B/Fe. The origin of the enhanced ferromagnetism is possibly associated with the distortion of the oxygen octahedral by the Ta substitution or/and the statistical distribution of Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺.     

Electric transport properties of Pt/Permalloy bilayers in the presence of an external magnetic field

A recent experimental study of the electric properties of Pt/Permalloy bilayers based on a simultaneous application of an in-plane microfrequency current and an external magnetic field is simulated on a fully relativistic ab initio level by considering the resistivity as an implicit function of the free energy. It is found that the oscillations detected experimentally are caused by the different behavior of out-of-plane and in-plane resistivities in the vicinity of that value of the free energy that corresponds to the resonant field induced by the applied current. A necessary precondition for such oscillations is a sizeable perpendicular anisotropy, which is not the case in systems consisting only of Permalloy. It is shown that the observed phenomenon is essentially an interface effect.     

Corticospinal excitability during the observation of social behavior

Evidence suggests that the observation of an action induces in the observers an enhancement of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) recorded by the observer’s muscles corresponding to those involved in the observed action. Although this is a well-studied phenomenon, it remains still unclear how the viewer’s motor facilitation is influenced by the social content characterizing the observed scene. In the present study we investigated the facilitation of the corticospinal system during the observation of either an action that does not imply a social interaction (i.e., an actor throwing a ball against a wall), or an action which implies a social interaction (i.e., an actor passing a ball to a partner). Results indicate that MEPs amplitude is enhanced during the observation of a social rather than an individual action. We contend that the increase in MEPs activation might reflect an enhancement of the simulative activity stemming from the mirror system during the observation of social interactions. Altogether these findings show that the human corticospinal system is sensitive to social interactions and may support the role of the mirror neurons system in social cognition.     

White-matter microstructure and language lateralization in left-handers: A whole-brain MRI analysis

Most people are left-hemisphere dominant for language. However the neuroanatomy of language lateralization is not fully understood. By combining functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), we studied whether language lateralization is associated with cerebral white-matter (WM) microstructure. Sixteen healthy, left-handed women aged 20–25 were included in the study. Left-handers were targeted in order to increase the chances of involving subjects with atypical language lateralization. Language lateralization was determined by fMRI using a verbal fluency paradigm. Tract-based spatial statistics analysis of DTI data was applied to test for WM microstructural correlates of language lateralization across the whole brain. Fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were used as indicators of WM microstructural organization. Right-hemispheric language dominance was associated with reduced microstructural integrity of the left superior longitudinal fasciculus and left-sided parietal lobe WM. In left-handed women, reduced integrity of the left-sided language related tracts may be closely linked to the development of right hemispheric language dominance. Our results may offer new insights into language lateralization and structure–function relationships in human language system.