Cognitive Beliefs Across the Symptom Dimensions of Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Type of Symptom Matters

The cognitive model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) posits that dysfunctional cognitive beliefs are crucial to the onset and maintenance of OCD; however, the relationship between these cognitive beliefs and the heterogeneity of OCD symptoms in children and adolescents remains unknown. We examined how the major belief domains of the cognitive model (inflated responsibility/threat estimation, perfectionism/intolerance of uncertainty, importance/control of thoughts) and dysfunctional metacognitions were related to OCD symptoms across the following dimensions: doubting/checking, obsessing, hoarding, washing, ordering, and neutralization. Self-report ratings from 137 treatment-seeking youth with OCD were analyzed. When cognitive beliefs and symptom dimensions were analyzed in tandem, inflated responsibility/threat estimation and dysfunctional metacognitions were uniquely related to doubting/checking, obsessing, and hoarding and perfectionism/intolerance of uncertainty to ordering. Cognitive beliefs explained a large proportion of variation in doubting/checking (61%) and obsessing (46%), but much less so in ordering (15%), hoarding (14%), neutralization (8%), and washing (3%). Similar relations between cognitive beliefs and symptom dimensions were present in children and adolescents. Cognitive beliefs appear to be relevant for pediatric OCD related to harm, responsibility, and checking, but they do not map clearly onto contamination and symmetry-related symptoms. Implications for OCD etiology and treatment are discussed.     

Political ideology and American intergroup discrimination: A patriotism perspective

ABSTRACT

Individuals tend to rate themselves more positively than strangers or acquaintances—a self-enhancement effect. But such self-enhancement is potentially detrimental to one's intimate relationships. We hypothesized that higher relationship quality would predict (1) partner-enhancement (i.e., rating the partner more positively than the self) and (2) higher feelings of being understood and validated (FUV). In addition, (3) partner-enhancement would add to relationship quality's prediction of FUV. These hypotheses were tested among cross-sex friendships (N = 92) and dating relationships (N = 90) in University students and in a married, non-University sample (N = 94). All hypotheses were supported in romantic relationships. For cross-sex friendships, regardless of relationship quality, individuals partner-enhanced on the negative traits but neither self- nor partner-enhanced on the positive traits. Finally, relationship quality predicted partner-perceptions more strongly than self-perceptions.     

Relations between a ruminative thinking style and obsessive–compulsive symptoms in non-clinical samples

Abstract

There is tremendous interest in understanding the cognitive processes behind obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Whereas previous research on cognitive OCD models has focused on the dysfunctional content of obsessional thinking, processes and styles of thinking have not yet been investigated. The present study investigated the relationship between a ruminative response style and obsessive–compulsive (OC) symptomatology in two non-clinical samples. In Sample 1, 261 students completed the Ruminative Response Scale, the Padua-Inventory, Revised, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Tendency to ruminate was positively correlated with the severity of OC symptoms and particularly with obsessive rumination, even after controlling for depression. Results were replicated in Sample 2 (211 students). Data indicate that a ruminative response style and obsessive rumination share common processual features. Understanding the interaction between rumination and obsessional thinking might help to further elucidate the role of cognitive vulnerability factors in OCD and to expand cognitive and metacognitive models of OCD.     

Relationships of Cognitive and Metacognitive Learning Strategies to Mathematics Achievement in Four High-Performing East Asian Education Systems

The authors examined the relationships of cognitive (i.e., memorization and elaboration) and metacognitive learning strategies (i.e., control strategies) to mathematics achievement among 15-year-old students in 4 high-performing East Asian education systems: Shanghai-China, Hong Kong-China, Korea, and Singapore. In all 4 East Asian education systems, memorization strategies were negatively associated with mathematics achievement, whereas control strategies were positively associated with mathematics achievement. However, the association between elaboration strategies and mathematics achievement was a mixed bag. In Shanghai-China and Korea, elaboration strategies were not associated with mathematics achievement. In Hong Kong-China and Singapore, on the other hand, elaboration strategies were negatively associated with mathematics achievement. Implications of these findings are briefly discussed.     

Can Visual Illusions Be Used to Facilitate Sport Skill Learning?

Recently it has been reported that practicing putting with visual illusions that make the hole appear larger than it actually is leads to longer-lasting performance improvements. Interestingly, from a motor control and learning perspective, it may be possible to actually predict the opposite to occur, as facing a smaller appearing target should enforce performers to be more precise. To test this idea the authors invited participants to practice an aiming task (i.e., a marble-shooting task) with either a visual illusion that made the target appear larger or a visual illusion that made the target appear smaller. They applied a pre–post test design, included a control group training without any illusory effects and increased the amount of practice to 450 trials. In contrast to earlier reports, the results revealed that the group that trained with the visual illusion that made the target look smaller improved performance from pre- to posttest, whereas the group practicing with visual illusions that made the target appear larger did not show any improvements. Notably, also the control group improved from pre- to posttest. The authors conclude that more research is needed to improve our understanding of whether and how visual illusions may be useful training tools for sport skill learning.     

图形推理任务中儿童策略获得的发展机制

运用微观发生学设计对30名6岁儿童在矩阵填充任务中策略获得的发展机制进行了研究。结果发现：(1)从策略获得点前的错误类型分析,这个阶段主要是元认知机制起决定作用,图形推理的策略获得是一个渐进过程;(2)从反应时的变化趋势分析,元认知机制仍起决定作用,而在策略获得后期,联结机制代替元认知机制起决定性作用;(3)从自我解释中提到的维度分析,也表明元认知机制起着决定性作用,但联结机制在某些题目维度上已经逐渐“竞争”超过了元认知机制。     

The Visuomotor System Resists the Horizontal-Vertical Illusion

The effect of the horizontal-vertical illusion on the visual and visuomotor systems was investigated. Participants (N = 8) viewed horizontal and vertical lines in an inverted-T stimulus and judged whether the two line segments were the same or different lengths. Participants also reached out and grasped either the vertical or the horizontal line segment of the stimulus. Perceptually, participants succumbed to the illusion; that is, they judged Ts of equal horizontal and vertical line lengths to be different and Ts of unequal line lengths to be the same. When reaching toward the same stimuli, however, the size of their grip aperture was scaled appropriately for the various line lengths. Thus, whereas the perceptual system succumbed to the illusion, the visuomotor system did not. Those results support a model proposed by M. A. Goodale and A. D. Milner (1992), who posited separate cortical pathways for visual perception and visually guided action.     

算术策略运用能力的年龄差异：元认知监测与算术知识的作用

采用选择/无选法,以估算与精确心算为研究任务,考察了元认知监测与算术知识影响个体算术计算策略选择与执行的年龄相关差异。129名不同年龄儿童与成人被试参加实验。结果发现：（1）算术知识对儿童及成人的估算复杂策略有促进作用,并对提升他们心算策略运用的速度和减少错误有作用;（2）元认知监测显著影响儿童的估算策略选择,能够促进使用最佳策略;（3）算术知识在估算及心算策略执行的年龄差异方面起完全中介作用,元认知监测则在估算策略选择的年龄发展中起部分中介作用;（4）算术知识对元认知监测在估算及心算策略执行上的作用起完全中介作用,而对估算的策略选择则不存在中介作用,这表明元认知监测在估算策略选择上具有举足轻重的地位。     

The fate of being forgotten: Information that is initially forgotten is judged as less important

Is forgotten information deemed less important than remembered information? The present study examined potential biases regarding the importance of information that was initially forgotten. In Experiment 1 participants studied words paired with varying point values that denoted their importance and were encouraged to recall higher value words. Participants recalled more high-value words on an initial test. However, on a later cued recall test for the values, initially forgotten words were rated as less valuable than remembered words. Experiment 2 used a similar procedure with the exception that participants rated the importance of traits when evaluating a significant other (e.g., honest, intelligent). Participants were more likely to recall highly valued traits but regarded forgotten traits as less valuable than remembered traits. These results suggest that a forgetting bias exists: If information is initially forgotten, it is later deemed as less important.     

课堂成就目标定向、任务难度、学业水平与元认知监控策略运用

以217名高中生为被试,采用计算机监控的活动操作法,探讨课堂成就目标定向、任务难度对不同学业水平学生元认知监控策略运用的影响。结果表明：（1）课堂掌握目标定向下均比在课堂成绩目标定向下更多地运用元认知监控策略;（2）高学业学生在较难任务上比较易任务上更多地运用元认知监控策略;低学业学生,在课堂掌握目标定向下．在较难任务上比较易任务上更多地使用元认知监控策略;在课堂成绩目标定向下,与课堂掌握目标定向情形相反;（3）临场动机中的自我效能感、目标方向、努力程度在课堂成就目标定向、任务难度对元认知监控策略的影响中具有中介作用。