Which kind of attention is captured by cues with the relative target colour?

Most theories of visual search maintain that attention is selectively tuned to the attributes of the search target (e.g., orange). Conversely, according to the relational account, attention is biased to the relative feature of the target (e.g., redder). However, previous studies that supported the relational account mainly measured mean response times. Hence, the results might not reflect early, perceptual mechanisms (e.g., signal enhancement) but later, decision-based mechanisms (channel selection). The current study tested the relational account against feature-specific theories in a spatial cueing task, in which the targets were backward-masked, and target identification accuracy was measured. The first experiment corroborated earlier results, demonstrating that relational effects are due to signal enhancement. In the second experiment, we chose highly discriminable colours along the blue–red continuum, and obtained results that were more consistent with broad feature-specific rather than relational tuning. The implications of these findings for current theories of attention are discussed.     

家庭社会经济地位、父母教养行为与大学生职业生涯探索的关系

该研究以676名大学生为被试,采用问卷法考察了家庭社会经济地位、父母教养行为与大学生职业生涯探索的关系。结果表明:(1)家庭社会经济地位与自我探索、环境探索、自我-环境匹配度探索、探索意向间显著正相关;(2)父母教养行为显著预测大学生的职业生涯探索。其中,父亲和母亲情感温暖和理解、母亲监控与保护、父亲监控维度为正向预测,而父亲惩罚严厉维度是负向预测;(3)家庭社会经济地位不仅对大学生的职业生涯探索有独立的预测作用,还通过母亲情感温暖和理解、母亲监控与保护的中介作用正向预测这一变量。     

Characteristics of Blood-Injection-Injury Fears in People Receiving Intravenous Chemotherapy

Blood-Injection-Injury (BII) phobia is associated with distress and avoidance in response to blood, injury, or receiving injections. BII phobia can therefore create problems for those receiving medical procedures such as chemotherapy. The prevalence rate of BII in the general population has been estimated to be less than 5% but as many as 19% of outpatients receiving chemotherapy surveyed by Carey and Harris (Behaviour Change 22:5–90, 2005) reported BII concerns. This study examined the extent and characteristics of BII concerns among outpatients receiving chemotherapy for the first time (n = 124). Almost 17% of the sample had scores on the Mutilation Questionnaire comparable to samples with clinical BII phobia. Those assigned to a high BII concern group based on Mutilation Questionnaire scores reported higher somatic and fainting responses to BII stimuli and elevated disgust sensitivity, compared to groups selected for low BII concerns. Females had significantly higher Mutilation Questionnaire scores than males. Thus, the BII concerns of outpatients receiving chemotherapy appear qualitatively similar to the concerns reported by clinical BII phobia samples and analogue student samples. We suggest that the standard inclusion of a brief, reliable screening measure of BII concerns for outpatients scheduled for chemotherapy, coupled with brief, effective interventions to reduce BII-related distress, may be warranted.     

内隐与外显倾向性道德敏感的关系及其预测源分析

以228名大学生为被试, 采用内隐联想测验(IAT)、倾向性道德敏感问卷(MDSQ)以及其它有关量表考察其内隐与外显倾向性道德敏感的关系及其预测变量。结果表明:男生比女生表现出在倾向性道德敏感上更高的内隐效应, 而女生则在外显倾向性道德敏感的移情内疚、移情烦扰等因子上得分高于男生, 在惩罚倾向因子上低于男生;大学生被试的外显、内隐倾向性道德敏感没有显著相关;自我监控、道德态度强度均能在不同程度上预测内隐与外显倾向性道德敏感的关系, 自我监控的预测作用相对较高。     

Body elimination attitude family resemblance in Kuwait

The purpose of the present study was to determine the family resemblance of attitude toward body elimination in Kuwaiti participants. This study was conceptualized in the context of the theories of moral development, importance of cleanliness in the Muslim religion, cross-cultural differences in personal hygiene practices, previous research reporting an association between family attitudes and body elimination attitude, and health implications. The 24-item Likert-type format Body Elimination Attitude Scale-Revised was administered to 277 Kuwaiti high school students and 437 of their parents. Females scored higher, indicating greater disgust, than the males. Moreover, sons' body elimination attitude correlated more strongly with fathers' attitude (r = .85) than with that of the mothers (r = .64). Daughters' attitude was similarly associated with the fathers' (r = .89) and the mothers' attitude (r = .86). The high correlations were discussed within the context of Kuwait having a collectivistic culture with authoritarian parenting style. The higher adolescent correlations, and in particular the boys' correlation with fathers than with mothers, was explained in terms of the more dominant role of the Muslim father in the family. Public health and future research implications were suggested. A theoretical formulation was advanced in which "ideal" body elimination attitude is relative rather than absolute, and is a function of one's life circumstances, one's occupation, one's culture and subculture, and the society that one lives in.     

Components of the Behavioral Activation System and Functional Impulsivity: A test of discriminant hypotheses

It has recently been suggested that the concept of Functional Impulsivity bears some similarity to the sensitivity of the Behavioral Activation System (BAS; Smillie & Jackson, 2006). In the present research we take a closer look at this idea, testing more specific hypotheses on the associations of different BAS-related components with Functional and Dysfunctional Impulsivity. Analyzing a sample of 719, we found that the Drive component was uniquely connected with Functional Impulsivity, and Fun Seeking was linked to both impulsivities, but more weakly so to Functional Impulsivity compared with Drive. Reward Responsiveness was unrelated to Impulsivity. Implications for the conceptualization of Functional Impulsivity and for a complex view of BAS-related functions are addressed.     

Justice‐sensitive interpretations of ambiguous situations

The accessibility of concepts related to justice and injustice is proposed as a basic cognitive mechanism underlying the personality trait of justice sensitivity. To provide evidence for this assertion, the manner in which justice sensitivity shapes the interpretation of an ambiguous situation was investigated. It was found that, without priming, and after injustice is primed, persons high in justice sensitivity tend to perceive greater injustice in an ambiguous situation than persons low in justice sensitivity. If the restoration of justice is primed, however, persons high in justice sensitivity tend to interpret the ambiguous situation as more just when compared to persons low in justice sensitivity. Results are discussed with regard to a process‐oriented explanation of emotional and behavioural effects of justice sensitivity.