A comparison of impulsivity and sensation seeking in pathological gamblers and skydivers

The aim of this study was to compare pathological gamblers and skydivers in relation to measures of impulsivity and sensation seeking. The Eysenck Impulsivity Scale - Narrow Impulsiveness Subscale and the Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking were administered to pathological gamblers (n = 29), skydivers (n = 93), and a control group (n = 43). A two-way multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to explore differences in impulsivity and sensation seeking between the groups and possible group by gender and group by age interaction effects. The significant effects were further investigated using follow-up univariate analysis of variance. The results showed significant main effects of Group, Gender and Age, and a significant Group by Gender interaction effect. The results showed no statistically significant differences in impulsivity between pathological gamblers and skydivers; however, both groups scored higher than the controls. The skydivers scored higher compared to the pathological gamblers and controls on both sensation seeking subscales. Pathological gamblers scored higher than the controls on the subscale Need for Stimulus Intensity, although lower than the controls on the subscale Need for Novelty. We conclude that skydivers and pathological gamblers do not seem to differ in terms of impulsivity, but that the two groups differ in terms of sensation seeking. Skydivers are hence characterized by more sensation seeking compared to pathological gamblers. Skydiving, as opposed to pathological gambling, is not considered a psychiatric disorder, and skydiving may represent a more non-pathological way to fulfill the need for stimulus intensity.     

Ego depletion increases risk-taking

We investigated how the availability of self-control resources affects risk-taking inclinations and behaviors. We proposed that risk-taking often occurs from suboptimal decision processes and heuristic information processing (e.g., when a smoker suppresses or neglects information about the health risks of smoking). Research revealed that depleted self-regulation resources are associated with reduced intellectual performance and reduced abilities to regulate spontaneous and automatic responses (e.g., control aggressive responses in the face of frustration). The present studies transferred these ideas to the area of risk-taking. We propose that risk-taking is increased when individuals find themselves in a state of reduced cognitive self-control resources (ego-depletion). Four studies supported these ideas. In Study 1, ego-depleted participants reported higher levels of sensation seeking than non-depleted participants. In Study 2, ego-depleted participants showed higher levels of risk-tolerance in critical road traffic situations than non-depleted participants. In Study 3, we ruled out two alternative explanations for these results: neither cognitive load nor feelings of anger mediated the effect of ego-depletion on risk-taking. Finally, Study 4 clarified the underlying psychological process: ego-depleted participants feel more cognitively exhausted than non-depleted participants and thus are more willing to take risks. Discussion focuses on the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.     

The Influence of Personality on the Decision to Cheat

Seventeen transgressive behaviors were studied in the context of six personality variables using survey methods. The personality variables were impulsivity, sensation seeking, empathetic perspective taking, guilt, and shame, with social desirability used as a control. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a five-factor model as having the best fit. Those five factors are competitive cheating, self-cheating, school cheating, relationship cheating, and breaking a social contract. A structural equation model indicated that only impulsivity, sensation seeking, and empathetic perspective taking were related to frequency of transgressive behaviors, thus supporting the hypothesis that moral decision making has a critical automatic component.     

Disinhibition as a Mechanism in Sexual Victimization: A Prospective Study

Disinhibition was examined as a mechanism in revictimization using a prospective research design. Of the sample of 211 young adult women, 43.1% reported prior sexual victimization (birth to the time of our initial assessment) and 32.2% reported sexual assault during the 6-month follow-up. The findings suggest that disinhibition was a partial mediator. Prior sexual victimization was associated with increased disinhibition as well as increased future sexual assault. Greater disinhibition was associated with increased future sexual assault. Once disinhibition was accounted for, the original relationship between prior and future sexual assault was reduced. Disinhibition partially explained revictimization and these behaviors might serve as possible targets of change in sexual victimization prevention work.     

Affectivity and movement: The sense of sensing in Erwin Straus

This paper explores the notion of sensing (Empfinden) as developed by Erwin Straus. It argues that the notion of sensing is at the center of Strauss's thought about animal and human experience. Straus's originality consists in approaching sensory experience from an existential point of view. Sensing is not a mode of knowing. Sensing is distinguished from perceiving but is still a mode of relation to exteriority, and is situated on the side of what is usually called affectivity. At the same time Strauss redefines the field of that which is commonly characterized as affectivity. Sensing designates a stratum that lies deeper than the division between perceiving and feeling (s'éprouver), a self-affection that is not an alternative to the opening upon exteriority. It corresponds to a mode of immediate communication, to a sympathy with the world that does not entail any thematic dimension, but does not fall back into a blind fusion. Rather, sensing is something in the living being's mode of moving that is irreducible, and that includes a tending toward something. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

青少年感觉寻求与烟酒使用的关系:一个有中介的调节模型

在生态系统理论和社会学习理论基础上提出一个有中介的调节模型,探讨青少年感觉寻求与烟酒使用的关系,以及压力性生活事件的调节效应和结交不良同伴的中介效应。被试为660名青少年,研究工具包括青少年感觉寻求量表、压力性生活事件量表、不良同伴问卷和烟酒使用问卷。结果显示:(1)青少年感觉寻求是烟酒使用的风险因素。(2)压力性生活事件对感觉寻求与烟酒使用之间的关系具有风险增强的调节效应。(3)这种调节效应以结交不良同伴为中介变量。因此,青少年感觉寻求与烟酒使用之间既存在调节效应又存在中介效应。     

Head and Trunk Movements During Turning Gait in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Thirty children with cerebral palsy (CP) and 22 typical developing (TD) were tested with 3D-gait analysis. At turning, trunk rotation was larger in CP2 (GMFCS II) than in TD and CP1 (GMFCS I), and head flexion was larger in CP3 (GMFCS III) than TD. Maximum head and trunk flexion values during the entire trial were larger in CP3 than in the other groups, and trunk flexion was larger in CP2 than in TD. Trial time increased with GMFCS-level. Less trunk rotation than TD and CP1 reflects spatial insecurity in CP2, which in CP3 is compensated by the walker. The flexed head and trunk in CP3 and trunk in CP2 may reflect deficits in proprioception and sensation requiring visual control of the lower limbs.     

面孔情绪识别过程中的多通道效应

摘 要 面孔情绪识别过程中的多感觉通道效应指参与刺激加工的各个通道对面孔表情认知的综合影响。研究者们通过行为实验、事件相关电位以及脑成像技术等对该过程中的多个获取信息的通道进行研究,肢体表情、情绪性声音、特定气味能系统地影响面孔表情的情绪识别。一系列的研究对多通道效应的作用时间、潜在作用机制、相关激活脑区进行了探索。未来的研究可以整合脑网络的技术,并结合其他学科的新技术以更细致具体地考察这些通道下信息的物理属性所起的作用。 关键词 面孔表情 多通道效应 面孔情绪识别 肢体表情 情绪性声音 嗅觉信号     

心理韧性对汉区少数民族预科生手机依赖的影响:有调节的中介效应

本研究提出一个有调节的中介模型,考察了社交焦虑在心理韧性与汉区少数民族预科生手机依赖间的中介作用,及该过程是否受感觉寻求的调节。采用心理韧性问卷、社交焦虑问卷、感觉寻求问卷和手机依赖问卷对622名汉区少数民族预科生进行调查。结果显示：（1）心理韧性对汉区少数民族预科生手机依赖有负向影响;（2）社交焦虑对心理韧性与汉区少数民族预科生手机依赖的关系具有部分中介效应;（3）汉区少数民族预科生感觉寻求对社交焦虑的中介作用具有调节作用,调节了中介过程的后半路径。因此,心理韧性对汉区少数民族预科生手机依赖的影响是有调节的中介效应。