Effect of conspecific sex on aggression during pregnancy and lactation in golden hamsters

The effect of conspecific sex on maternal aggression in hamsters was determined by comparing the frequency of aggressive responses by dams continuously housed with either a virgin male or female cagemate during pregnancy and lactation. Dams easily established aggressive dominance over male cagemates soon after pairing, and their aggression was low thereafter for the duration of pregnancy and lactation. The aggression of dams with females, on the other hand, tended to fluctuate with highs during mid pregnancy and mid lactation and lows around birth. When dam aggression was low around birth, female cagemates frequently became aggressively dominant, and several dams lost their litters. The higher aggression of dams toward females than males is probably a reflection of greater intrasexual competition for environmental resources that includes pups.     

基于父母知觉的儿童人格结构及其发展的研究

该研究在家庭访谈的基础上编制了３,６,９,１２岁年龄组的人格问卷,并对北京和福州的７７７名３至１２岁儿童人格特点进行了调查。结果表明,这四份问卷均具有较好的信度和效度,对四份问卷在四个年龄组儿童的测查结果分析进行因素分析（主成分分析,ＰＣＡ）后发现,３至１２岁年龄组儿童的主要人格维度为：“智力”,“认真性”,“宜人性”,“外倾性”,“情绪”和“认真性”,“情绪稳定性”在我国儿童人格维度中不是一个比     

Maternal aggression in mice and rats towards male and female conspecifics

Although postpartum aggression is primarily studied in laboratory mice and rats, it is unclear how the two species compare in terms of the factors associated with peak levels of aggressive behavior. Using the same experimental protocol, we assessed the relative effect of intruder sex and time since parturition on the frequency of maternal aggression in Long-Evans rats and CFW mice. Females were studied for 2 consecutive cycles of pregnancy and lactation. During the first lactation, aggression was tested 2 times per week for 3 weeks in order to select animals that attacked at least once. During the second lactation, both pup care and aggressive behavior were assessed in detail. Testing occurred twice in each lactation week, with postpartum days 1–7, 8–14, and 15–21 considered weeks 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Maternal behavior towards 3 pups was observed for 5 minutes, followed by a confrontation with an intruder. Lactating females encountered female intruders once per week, and male intruders in the alternate weekly test. The same behaviors were measured in the 2 species, except for the tail rattle exhibited by mice and the aggressive posture shown by rats. Lactating rats and mice show similar decreases in pup care behavior as lactation progresses in time; yet the factors associated with peak levels of aggression differ between species. In Long-Evans rats, female intruders receive more attacks, threats, and aggressive postures than males. Frequency of attack bite and sideways threat declines in each passing week of lactation. Lactating mice are more aggressive toward male intruders throughout the lactation period. Mice still attack and threaten during the third week of lactation, but less often in comparison to the first week. Therefore, peak levels of aggression vary in mice and rats both as a function of intruder sex and lactation week.     

Creativity and Affective Temperament in Artistic and Non-artistic Students: Different Temperaments are Related to Different Aspects of Creativity

The relationship between creativity and temperament has been well documented in studies with professional artists. This also pertains to affective temperaments which constitute the vulnerability to affective disorders. However, less is known about the contribution of particular temperaments to specific components of creativity, for example, ideational fluency, or originality of thinking. The aim of the present study was to assess affective temperaments and creativity in artistic and non-artistic students. Ninety (39 artistic and 51 non-artistic) students were enrolled in the study. Affective temperaments were evaluated by means of TEMPS-A questionnaire. Creativity was measured with BWAS test assessing the originality of thinking and a sample of tasks derived from BIS battery, assessing ideational fluency. Artistic students showed higher rates of cyclothymic temperament. They also outperformed non-artistic students in both domains of creativity. The originality of thinking correlated positively with the level of cyclothymic temperament, whereas ideational fluency was positively related to hyperthymic temperament. Ideational fluency also correlated with the level of parental education. Results indicate that creativity is related to temperaments underlying predisposition to bipolar affective disorder; however, different temperaments are related to different aspects of creativity.     

Development and initial reliability and validity of a new measure of distorted maternal representations: The Mother–Infant Relationship Scale

Distorted maternal representations (DMRs)—mother's ideas, understanding, and feelings about the infant—shape early interaction and the emerging relationship. Distorted interactions reportedly affect infant attachment and socioemotional development and may be associated with maternal early adversity and trauma. Limited measures are available that could be used as screening tools of DMRs. The aims of this study were to (a) describe the development of the Mother–Infant Relationship Scale (MIRS) and (b) to evaluate its psychometric properties. The development and validation of the MIRS closely followed standard guidelines for the development of psychometric tests. Psychometric properties were examined across two samples: 78 adult psychiatric patients with features of borderline personality and 86 individuals from a nonclinical sample (N = 164). The scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .91) for the clinical sample and adequate internal consistency (.78) for the nonclinical sample, excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = .81), and good concurrent validity with an observational (Pearson's correlation coefficients = −.35 to −.54) and a representational measure (.53). Factor analysis revealed three components: DMRs specific to (a) maternal hostility/rejection of the infant, (b) issues about parenting/attachment, and (c) anxiety/helplessness about infant care. Findings suggest that the MIRS is a reliable and valid screening tool of DMRs. Potential uses in clinical and research settings are discussed.     

The My Emotions Questionnaire: A self-report of mothers’ emotional responses to infant crying

The purpose of this article was to examine the psychometrics of the My Emotions Questionnaire, a self-report designed to assess mothers’ emotional reactions when their infants cry. Participants were 240 first-time mothers. When infants were 6 months and 1 year old, mothers completed the new questionnaire and measures assessing beliefs and behavioral responses to infant crying, and interview-based measures of mothers’ emotional reactions and causal attributions about crying were administered. Maternal sensitivity and negative behaviors were observed when infants were 6 months and 1 and 2 years old. Mothers reported on their discipline practices when children were 2 years old. Five emotion factors emerged based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the 6-month data: Amusement, Anxiety, Frustration, Sympathy, and Protective. The five-factor structure was supported via a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the 1-year data. All scales demonstrated adequate internal consistency reliability and significant stability from 6 months to 1 year. Amusement, Frustration, and Protectiveness demonstrated the best convergent validity with cry cognitions and predictive validity to parenting measures, followed by Anxiety, although effects tended to be small to moderate. Evidence for the validity of Sympathy was less compelling. The potential utility of the questionnaire for basic and applied research is discussed.     

幼儿外倾性与攻击行为的关系:自我控制和母亲温暖教养的调节作用

本研究以上海市某幼儿园的237名3~6岁幼儿为被试,请母亲填写幼儿气质及教养方式问卷,幼儿园教师评定幼儿的攻击行为,探讨幼儿外倾性与攻击行为的关系,以及自我控制和母亲温暖教养方式在其中的保护作用。结果表明,自我控制和母亲温暖可以调节幼儿外倾性与攻击行为的关系。与较低的自我控制和母亲温暖的幼儿相比,幼儿较高的自我控制和母亲温暖,可以弱化外倾性与攻击行为的正向关联。结果揭示了自我控制和母亲温暖对幼儿外倾性具有保护作用,有助于减弱这些个体的攻击行为。     

Modeling development of frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry: Sex differences and links with temperament

Asymmetric patterns of frontal brain electrical activity reflect approach and avoidance tendencies, with stability of relative right activation associated with withdrawal emotions/motivation and left hemisphere activation linked with approach and positive affect. However, considerable shifts in approach/avoidance‐related lateralization have been reported for children not targeted because of extreme temperament. In this study, dynamic effects of frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) power within and across hemispheres were examined throughout early childhood. Specifically, EEG indicators at 5, 10, 24, 36, 48, and 72 months‐of‐age (n = 410) were analyzed via a hybrid of difference score and panel design models, with baseline measures and subsequent time‐to‐time differences modeled as potentially influencing all subsequent amounts of time‐to‐time change (i.e., predictively saturated). Infant sex was considered as a moderator of dynamic developmental effects, with temperament attributes measured at 5 months examined as predictors of EEG hemisphere development. Overall, change in left and right frontal EEG power predicted declining subsequent change in the same hemisphere, with effects on the opposing neurobehavioral system enhancing later growth. Infant sex moderated the pattern of within and across‐hemisphere effects, wherein for girls more prominent left hemisphere influences on the right hemisphere EEG changes were noted and right hemisphere effects were more salient for boys. Largely similar patterns of temperament prediction were observed for the left and the right EEG power changes, with limited sex differences in links between temperament and growth parameters. Results were interpreted in the context of comparable analyses using parietal power values, which provided evidence for unique frontal effects.     

3~4岁幼儿创造性人格与气质的交叉滞后分析

以幼儿创造性人格倾向教师评定问卷、儿童气质教师评定问卷作为研究工具,对287名3岁和4岁组幼儿进行为期一年的追踪研究,考察幼儿气质与创造性人格的发展变化情况,以及幼儿气质与其创造性人格之间的关系。结果发现：随着时间的发展,幼儿气质对其创造性人格有显著影响。幼儿的情绪性、活动性、反应性及专注性均能够显著正向预测其创造性人格,而幼儿的社会抑制性则能够显著负向预测其创造性人格。     

学前儿童问题行为对父母抚养压力的影响及夫妻亲密的调节作用

研究旨在探讨学前儿童问题行为对父亲、母亲抚养压力的影响及夫妻亲密在其中的作用机制。采用儿童问题行为问卷、抚养压力量表和夫妻亲密量表对3164名学前儿童的父母进行测查。研究发现：（1）母亲抚养压力在学前儿童问题行为与父亲抚养压力之间起部分中介作用;（2）夫妻亲密调节母亲抚养压力对父亲抚养压力的作用,夫妻亲密越高,母亲抚养压力对父亲抚养压力的预测作用越强,学前儿童问题行为通过母亲抚养压力对父亲抚养压力的间接作用也越大。