Integrating the most unintuitive empirical observations of 2007 in the domain of personality and social psychology into a unified framework

Two obstacles impede the development of productive theories in personality, social, and organizational psychology. First, the distinct frameworks are seldom integrated; the various theories sometimes yield incompatible implications. Second, because many findings in these fields seem intuitive, these observations do not augment the validity of these theories. To override these issues, this paper integrates the 70 most unintuitive findings of 2007 into a unified framework, derived from personality systems interaction theory. Specifically, 10 participants extracted the most unintuitive observations from 17 scholarly journals. These findings were reconciled within a single framework that generates 41 testable propositions. The framework assumes that an associative self system, underpinned by a vast network of schemas, governs behavior as well as enhances intuition, engagement, creativity, and cooperation. When individuals experience a threat, this system is inhibited, unless the requisite defense mechanisms to accommodate potential hazards have been developed. Furthermore, individuals attempt to distance themselves from unassailable threats, which activate an analytical system that formulates plans that could accommodate future contingencies. These plans are retained in memory or executed if individuals have acquired sufficient confidence.     

细菌耐药性及其防控中的理性思考

细菌对抗菌药物产生耐药性是自然界的普遍规律。抗菌药物的应用和研发与细菌耐药机制的发展互为因果且相互促进,细菌对抗菌药物的耐药性已对感染性疾病的治疗构成严重威胁。理性认识细菌耐药性产生的机制,并在其防控中进行理性思考是提高感染性疾病治愈率的根本所在。     

On the psychodynamics of collecting1

The urge to collect is a ubiquitous phenomenon which has anthropological, sociobiological and individual psychodynamic roots, but occurs far more frequently among men than women. The author examines the reasons for this gender difference and defi nes systematic collecting to distinguish it from addictive, obsessive and messy collecting, and from related phenomena such as perversion. The mode of collecting and choice of object are important indicators as to the unconscious psychodynamics of a collector and offer opportunity to describe his structural level. Collecting ranges across a broad spectrum, from an ego‐syntonic integrated mode, i.e. sublimation, to a neurotic defence against pre‐oedipal or oedipal traumas and confl icts. Alongside this drive‐theoretical approach, object and Kleinian theory are also applied to the understanding of collecting. Collecting represents a specifi c form of object relating and way of handling primary loss trauma, which is different from addiction, compulsion, or perversion. Under certain circumstances collecting can also result in a successful Gestalt or way of life. The paper concludes with a case study showing how collecting develops from a pre‐oedipal to a more integrated oedipal mode during the course of the analysis, which is refl ected in changes in the transference.     

内隐序列学习的表征机制及年龄效应研究

该研究从年龄效应这一独特视角探讨了内隐序列学习的表征机制。结果表明:(1)内隐序列学习存在具体联结和抽象层级编码双重表征机制,且在该研究中以抽象编码为主;(2)老、青、幼三组被试的内隐序列学习无显著差异,间接支持了具体联结机制不起主要作用的结论。该研究的推论是:(1)内隐序列学习的表征是一个遵循“最优级编码”的动态过程;(2)该过程不涉及注意机制和短时记忆。     

Link between early maladaptive schemas and defense mechanisms

IntroductionDefense mechanism and early maladaptive schemas are two concepts distorting the perception of reality.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore the link between two reality-distorting concepts from two theoretical models: early maladaptive schemas from the cognitive and behavioral model and defense mechanisms based on the psychoanalytic model.MethodTwo hundred thirty-two non-clinical participants completed the Defense Style Questionnaire and the Young Schema Questionnaire (short version). Then a Bravais Pearson correlation analysis connecting these two concepts, and a multiple regressions analysis using early maladaptive schemas as predictors for defense style mechanisms levels were conducted.ResultsThe results indicate that 2 early maladaptive schema domains (i.e. other-directedness as well as over-vigilance and inhibition) predict the frequency of use of the neurotic defense mechanism, and 3 schema domains (i.e. disconnection and rejection, impaired autonomy and performances as well as impaired limits) predict the frequency of use of the immature defense mechanism.ConclusionTo conclude, two psychological concepts based on two different theoretical models (psychoanalytic and cognitive and behavioral therapy) seem to share an important link justifying the use of integrative therapies such as schema therapy.     

Changes in Decentering Across Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder

To further improve treatments, we need to better understand potential common treatment mechanisms, such as decentering, or the ability to observe thoughts and feelings as objective events in the mind rather than personally identifying with them (Safran & Segal, 1990). Therefore, this study examined whether 12 sessions of Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy (CBGT) for 63 clients (57.6% female, 50.8% White) diagnosed with social anxiety disorder led to increases in decentering and whether increased decentering was associated with improved outcome. Furthermore, this study examined whether decentering was associated with outcome over and above a competing mechanism—cognitive reappraisal. Overall, results indicated that CBGT in this study led to similar outcomes compared to previous studies and decentering increased over CBGT (d’s from 0.81 to 2.23). Change in decentering predicted improvement on most, but not all, measures of outcome and those who no longer met criteria for social anxiety disorder at posttreatment had significantly greater change in decentering across therapy and significantly higher decentering scores at post-treatment compared to those who retained a social anxiety disorder diagnosis at posttreatment. Finally, changes in decentering predicted outcome over and above changes in reappraisal on all outcome measures. These results largely support the role of decentering in CBGT for social anxiety; however, the implications of the inconsistencies in results based on which outcome measure was used are discussed.     

Effet Pygmalion en milieu organisationnel : une analyse de ses mécanismes explicatifs,effets principaux et conditions d’influence

The elusiveness of the Pygmalion effect is both fascinating and frustrating. It is probably why an important leadership phenomenon was for so long neglected by the research. Meta-analyzes identified on the Pygmalion effect in organizational environment show relatively robust effects, confirming the existence of this phenomenon. The aim of this article is to revisit the literature on the Pygmalion effect to better understand this phenomenon. Through research in the field of education and those of organizational sciences, it was possible to draw a portrait of the state of the research of the Pygmalion effect in the workplace. On the one hand, this article identifies leadership and self-efficacy as explanatory mechanisms of the Pygmalion effect. On the other hand, the text also discusses conditions that diminish or amplify this phenomenon by dividing them into three categories: (a) employee characteristics, (b) supervisor characteristics, and (c) work context.     

Increased skills usage statistically mediates symptom reduction in self-guided internet-delivered cognitive–behavioural therapy for depression and anxiety: a randomised controlled trial

Cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for clinical and subclinical symptoms of depression and general anxiety, and increases life satisfaction. Patients’ usage of CBT skills is a core aspect of treatment but there is insufficient empirical evidence suggesting that skills usage behaviours are a mechanism of clinical change. This study investigated if an internet-delivered CBT (iCBT) intervention increased the frequency of CBT skills usage behaviours and if this statistically mediated reductions in symptoms and increased life satisfaction. A two-group randomised controlled trial was conducted comparing internet-delivered CBT (n = 65) with a waitlist control group (n = 75). Participants were individuals experiencing clinically significant symptoms of depression or general anxiety. Mixed-linear models analyses revealed that the treatment group reported a significantly higher frequency of skills usage, lower symptoms, and higher life satisfaction by the end of treatment compared with the control group. Results from bootstrapping mediation analyses revealed that the increased skills usage behaviours statistically mediated symptom reductions and increased life satisfaction. Although skills usage and symptom outcomes were assessed concurrently, these findings support the notion that iCBT increases the frequency of skills usage behaviours and suggest that this may be an important mechanism of change.     

PLS model building: A multivariate approach to personality test data

The aim of this study was to demonstrate how personality test data can be plotted with a multivariate method known as Partial Least Squares of Latent Structures (PLS). The basic methodology behind PLS modeling is presented and the example demonstrates how a PLS model of personality test data can be used for diagnostic prediction. Principles for validating the models are also presented. The conclusion is that PLS modeling appears to be a powerful method for extracting clinically relevant information from complex personality test data matrixes. It could be used as a complement to more hard modeling methods in the process of examining a new area of interest.     

Young adult narcissism: A 20 year longitudinal study of the contribution of parenting styles, preschool precursors of narcissism, and denial

The role of parenting styles in the development of young adult narcissism is investigated with individuals from the Block and Block (1980) longitudinal study. At age 3, participants were assessed for the presence of narcissism precursors, and mothers and fathers provided information about their parenting styles. At age 23, the presence of both healthy and maladaptive narcissism was assessed, along with the use of denial. The results showed that parenting styles had a direct effect on the development of healthy narcissism, but the effect on the development of maladaptive narcissism depended on the child’s initial proclivity towards narcissism. Also, the use of denial was positively associated with the presence of maladaptive narcissism, but not with healthy narcissism.