The negative feedback dysregulation effect: losses of motor control in response to negative feedback

Negative feedback has paradoxical features to it. This form of feedback can have informational value under some circumstances, but it can also threaten the ego, potentially upsetting behaviour as a result. To investigate possible consequences of the latter type, two experiments (total N?=?159) presented positive or negative feedback within a sequence-prediction task that could not be solved. Following feedback, participants had to control their behaviours as effectively as possible in a motor control task. Relative to positive feedback, negative feedback undermined control in a manner suggesting emotional upset (Experiment 1). These reactions lasted for at least three seconds and were especially pronounced among people reporting that they typically lose control in the context of their negative emotions (Experiment 2). The findings document a novel form of behavioural dysregulation that occurs in response to negative feedback while also highlighting the utility of motor control perspectives on self-control.     

The polite wiggle‐room effect in charity donation decisions

We extend research on charity donations by exploring an everyday tactic for increasing compliance: asking politely. We consider three possible effects of politeness on charity donations: a positive effect, a negative effect, and a wiggle‐room effect where the perception of the request is adjusted to decline donating without feeling selfish. Results from six experiments systematically supported the polite wiggle‐room effect. In hypothetical donations contexts, indirect requests were judged more polite. In real donation contexts, though, indirect requests were not judged as more polite and had no consistent effect on donation decision. Rather, the decision to donate predicted the perceived politeness of the request, independently of its phrasing. Experiment 4 provided causal evidence that participants justified their donation decisions by adjusting their perception of the request. The polite wiggle‐room effect has important implications for organizations that seek to increase compliance while maintaining a positive image.     

Residential mobility reduces ingroup favouritism in prosocial behaviour

People sometimes prioritize helping ingroup members over outgroup members, but sometimes they do not. The current research investigated whether residential mobility, a socioecological factor, would reduce ingroup favouritism in prosocial behaviour. In three studies, we found evidence supporting the causal role of residential mobility in reducing ingroup favouritism in prosocial behaviour. First, we found that participants in the residentially stable condition had stronger intentions to help ingroups than outgroups whereas this tendency was eliminated in the residentially mobile condition (Study 1). We replicated these findings by examining participants' money allocation in a dictator game and their actual helping behaviour in an additional request (Study 2). Furthermore, we explored the underlying mechanisms of the effect of residential mobility on ingroup favouritism in prosocial behaviour (Study 3). We found that the differentiation component of individual identity (i.e., distinctiveness and uniqueness from other people) explained the relation between individuals' moving history and ingroup favouritism in prosocial behaviour (Study 3), in which frequent moves increased differentiation, which in turn reduced ingroup favouritism in prosocial behaviour. Taken together, these studies indicate that residential mobility is powerful in shaping people's behaviour toward ingroups and outgroups, which advances the understanding of intergroup processes from a socioecological approach.     

内疚与亲社会行为的关系：来自元分析的证据

内疚作为一种典型的道德情绪, 被认为具有亲社会作用, 但很多研究却发现内疚并不总能促进亲社会行为。为了明确内疚对亲社会行为的作用, 分析造成结论分歧的可能原因, 本研究采用元分析方法探讨了特质内疚与亲社会行为的关系以及状态内疚对亲社会行为的影响。共有46篇文献92个独立样本纳入元分析(N = 17248)。元分析结果表明：(1)特质内疚与亲社会行为之间存在中等程度的正相关, 二者之间的关系受到亲社会行为类型的调节, 相比较捐赠、助人、环保行为等, 特质内疚与补偿之间的相关更强; (2)启动内疚状态能显著提升个体的亲社会行为, 但两者之间的关联呈较小的效应量, 亲社会行为对象在其中起到调节作用, 感到内疚的个体更愿意对受害方做出亲社会行为; (3) p曲线(p-curve)分析发现, 两个元分析研究的p曲线均呈显著右偏态, 表明特质内疚与亲社会行为的关系以及状态内疚对亲社会行为的影响均存在真实的效应, 而不是出版偏倚或者p hacking导致。     

Can a before-school physical activity program decrease bullying victimization in disadvantaged children? The Active-Start Study

Background/ObjectiveTo test the effectiveness of an 8-week before-school physical activity program to reduce bullying victimization among a group of socially disadvantaged children in the Active-Start study.MethodA non-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted in three public schools classified as highly vulnerable and located in a deprived area of Santiago (Chile). A total of 5 classes participated, totaling 170 fourth grade children. The intervention was delivered before starting the first school-class (8:00–8:30 a.m.). The program lasted for 8 weeks. Primary outcome measurement on bullying victimization was assessed by the CUBE questionnaire at baseline and post-intervention.ResultsThere was a statistically significant reduction in the probability of suffering physical bullying (OR= 0.18, 95% CI, 0.04-0.82; p= .027) and verbal bullying (OR=0.13, 95% CI, 0.02-0.97; p= .046) after the 8-week program.ConclusionsParticipation in an 8-week before-school physical activity intervention implemented in schools located in a disadvantaged district in Santiago (Chile) resulted in lower levels of bullying victimization among study participants. The Active-Start program may be a feasible and potentially scalable intervention option to improve the climate and pro-sociality environment at schools.     

道德视野下的内疚

几十年来, 内疚备受国内外研究者的关注, 其研究多从儿童发展、心理健康等方面展开。而近些年, 研究者关注的焦点开始转向内疚的道德层面, 即关注人际交往或社会事件中情绪的道德价值。内疚作为一种道德情绪, 是伴随道德意识的发展而发展的, 在维持和修复社会关系以及情绪情感发展中起着重要作用。因此, 文章从道德视角对内疚的界定、产生机制、行为反应以及亲社会作用等方面进行了梳理和探讨, 以期为国内的同类研究提供一些新的线索。     

共情对亲社会行为的影响及神经基础

亲社会行为是指那些使他人获益的行为,这类行为具有重要的进化意义和现实意义。作为影响亲社会行为的重要因素,共情在认知神经科学领域得到了广泛研究。脑岛等脑区的激活与消极情绪体验有关,是情绪共情的神经基础,利于产生亲社会行为动机;颞顶联合区等脑区参与对他人意图的理解,是认知共情的神经基础,利于个体选择有效方式帮助别人。女性在共情时激活额下回等与情绪有关的脑区,而男性在共情时激活颞顶联合区等与认知有关的脑区,这为男女个体在亲社会行为表现上的差异提供了新证据。未来研究应完善与亲社会行为有关的脑区功能的解释,综合多种影响因素,结合病理学研究考察共情对亲社会行为的影响及神经基础。     

社会阶层与亲社会行为：回报预期的调节作用

近年来关于社会阶层和亲社会行为关系的研究不少,但结论不一致。基于此,本研究假设亲社会行为的社会阶层差异可能与对回报水平的预期有关。实验改编自“独裁者”游戏,通过网络模拟情境进行,采用2（社会阶层：高、低）×2（回报预期：高、低）的混合设计（其中社会阶层为被试间变量）,考察了不同社会阶层被试在两种不同回报预期条件下,亲社会行为的差异。实验结果表明：回报预期和社会阶层之间存在交互作用,进一步的简单效应分析表明,当预期目标有较高的回报水平时,高低社会阶层的亲社会行为差异不显著。当预期目标有较低的回报水平时,与高社会阶层相比,低社会阶层的亲社会行为明显减少。说明回报预期对不同社会阶层的亲社会行为起显著的调节作用。