Traits and Adaptations: A Theoretical Examination and New Empirical Evidence

We investigated the distinction between traits (also labelled basic tendencies or dispositions) and (characteristic) adaptations, two related features of the personality system postulated to influence how personality manifests throughout the lifespan. Traits are alleged to be universal, causal, and enduring entities that exist across cultures and through evolutionary time, whereas learned adaptations are acquired through sustained interaction with cultural, physical, and social environments. Although this distinction is central to several personality theories, they provide few measurable criteria to distinguish between traits and adaptations. Moreover, little research has endeavoured to operationalize it, let alone test it empirically. Drawing on insights from four frameworks—the Five-Factor Theory, Cybernetic Big Five Theory, Disposition–Adaptation–Environment Model, and New Big Five—we attempted to investigate the distinction both theoretically and empirically. Using various experimental rating conditions, we first scored 240 questionnaire items in their degrees of definitionally reflecting traits and/or adaptations. Next, we correlated these definitional ratings with the items' estimates of rank-order stability, consensual validity, and heritability—criteria often associated with personality traits. We found some evidence that items rated as more trait-like and less adaptation-like correspond to higher cross-rater agreement and stability but not heritability. These associations survived controlling for items' retest reliability, social desirability, and variance. The theoretical and empirical implications of these findings are discussed. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology     

初中生学生投入的发展特点及其与同伴欺负的关系:一项三年追踪研究

采用问卷法和追踪研究设计,对北京市294名初一学生进行了连续三年的追踪测查,来考察初中生学生投入的发展特点,以及同伴欺负与学生投入发展变化的关系。运用多层线性模型进行数据分析,结果表明：（1）从初一（T1）到初三（T3）,学生的行为投入呈下降趋势（主要集中在参与学校活动的投入度上）,情感投入和认知投入呈上升趋势;（2）在控制性别和父母学历后,初中生受言语欺负会负向预测T1时的行为和情感投入;受关系欺负会负向预测T1时的行为、情感及认知投入;受身体欺负会负向预测行为投入的下降速度。     

表面相似性对数量关系和相对大小关系理解的影响

研究采用数量关系匹配任务和相对大小关系匹配任务,通过高表面相似性、低表面相似性和交叉映射三种实验条件,探讨表面相似性对儿童和成人数量与相对大小关系理解的影响。研究一对37名4岁儿童进行三次每次间隔半年的追踪测查,结果表明4~5岁间儿童理解数量关系和相对大小关系的水平有显著提高;4岁儿童对数量关系的理解受到表面相似性的影响,4~5岁儿童对相对大小关系的理解受到表面相似性的影响。研究二探究44名成人数量和相对大小关系理解的特点,结果发现,成人完成两种关系匹配任务时也受到表面相似性的影响。     

Do you understand what I want to tell you? Early sensitivity in bilinguals' iconic gesture perception and production

Previous research has shown differences in monolingual and bilingual communication. We explored whether monolingual and bilingual pre‐schoolers (N = 80) differ in their ability to understand others' iconic gestures (gesture perception) and produce intelligible iconic gestures themselves (gesture production) and how these two abilities are related to differences in parental iconic gesture frequency. In a gesture perception task, the experimenter replaced the last word of every sentence with an iconic gesture. The child was then asked to choose one of four pictures that matched the gesture as well as the sentence. In a gesture production task, children were asked to indicate ‘with their hands’ to a deaf puppet which objects to select. Finally, parental gesture frequency was measured while parents answered three different questions. In the iconic gesture perception task, monolingual and bilingual children did not differ. In contrast, bilinguals produced more intelligible gestures than their monolingual peers. Finally, bilingual children's parents gestured more while they spoke than monolingual children's parents. We suggest that bilinguals' heightened sensitivity to their interaction partner supports their ability to produce intelligible gestures and results in a bilingual advantage in iconic gesture production.     

Social context,interpersonal network,and identity dynamics: A social psychological case study of terrorist recidivism

The existing literature on jihadist terrorism has extensively documented the importance of networks, yet the interpersonal element of the networks and how this links to the social identity dynamics of a mujahid have been scarcely explored. It also is still unclear how specific social contexts such as prison, neighbourhood, and home may play a role in the link between interpersonal networks and social identity dynamics. Drawing insights from the social identity perspective, this article examines the relationships between social context, interpersonal networks, and identity dynamics of a mujahid based on a single case of terrorist recidivism in Indonesia. Our analyses showed how transitions across social contexts were related to the subject's opportunities and constraints for the participation in different interpersonal networks that influenced the process of identity negotiation as a mujahid versus alternative identities of family member and belonging to a neighbourhood. It is argued that analysis of the dynamics of a mujahid's identity in local social contexts are an important part of assessing risks of their recidivism.     

Characteristics of unsafe events involving a motor vehicle for group riders in Western Australia: A naturalistic study

Little is known about the safety issues affecting non-professional group riders. This study aimed to identify the most common unsafe events involving a motor vehicle that occurred while group riding, describe their characteristics and suggest potential preventative measures. A naturalistic study collected video footage from cameras attached to the bicycles of group riders who rode on-road for training, fitness or recreation in Perth, Western Australia. Fifty-two riders from 40 different riding groups, recorded footage of 126 group riding trips, resulting in 135 h of video. A total of 108 unsafe events (‘near-crashes/ crash relevant events’ and ‘close passing only events’) involving the group riders and a motor vehicle were observed. The most common type of unsafe event involved a motor vehicle attempting to pass/ overtake the group (65.7%). For 39.4% of the passing events, the presence of road infrastructure ahead (e.g. roundabout, traffic island) prevented safe passing and led to an unsafe event. Motorists were at fault for 83.3% of all unsafe events and reckless behaviour by the motorist was observed for 13.3% of these at-fault events. Aggressive communication on the part of the motorist or rider/s was observed for 15% of all unsafe events. This study highlighted that motorists were at fault for the majority of unsafe events involving group riders but only a small proportion involved reckless behaviour. Further research should examine the effectiveness of motorist education as well as infrastructure modifications on popular group riding routes, for reducing unsafe events involving group riders.     

Humor as a protective factor against anxiety and depression

Background/ObjectivesEven though humor its part of everyday life, only in the last 40 years has Psychology begun to discern its impact on mental health. The aim of this paper is to explore the role that humor styles may have as protectors against anxiety and depression and their relationship with optimism.MethodA sample of 804 participants (M = 39.28; SD = 14.71) was used to analyze the uses of humor, optimism and clinical symptoms of anxiety and depression. In addition, the influence of sociodemographic variables such as sex, geographic location, age and educational level on different uses of humor was studied. Through an analysis of structural equations, the variables that had a protective or facilitating role in depression and anxiety were analyzed.ResultsMen and women differ in the use of a more aggressive humor style, and the use of affiliative humor styles decreases with age. The structural equation model indicated a good fit to the proposed theoretical model.ConclusionsHumor is a tool of everyday life and it can act for or against an individual’s mental health.     

Spanish adaptation of the Personal Meaning Profile-Brief: Meaning in life,psychological well-being,and distress

Background/ObjectiveThis study aimed to adapt the Personal Meaning Profile-Brief (PMP-B) to the Spanish-speaking population and investigate its psychometric properties. The PMP-B is a 21-item instrument that assesses meaning in life through seven sources: relationship, intimacy, achievement, self-acceptance, self-transcendence, fair treatment, and religion.MethodParticipants were 546 Spanish adults comprised of a community sample (n = 171) and university students (n = 375). The PMP-B, the Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale were administrated.ResultsThe PMP-B showed a bifactor structure with one general factor and seven subfactors. Measurement invariance was found across age, gender, and samples. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were generally good. Older people showed higher PMP-B scores than younger people. The PMP-B scores, especially relational sources of meaning, were positively associated with psychological well-being and negatively related to psychological distress, mainly to depression.ConclusionsThe validity evidence gathered in this study supports the reliable use of the PMP-B to measure meaning in life. The PMP-B can be a noteworthy contribution to the meaning-centered research.     

Physical activity,screen time and subjective well-being among children

Background/ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to explore the differences between physical activity and/or screen time levels on cognitive (Life satisfaction LS) and affective (Positive affect, PA and Negative affect NA) components of subjective well-being (SWB) in children.MethodThis cross-sectional study enrolled 1,540 children (1,040 boys, 8–12 years old). LS, PA, NA, physical activity and screen time were assessed with validated questionnaires.ResultsChildren who reported 3 days per week of physical activity or less had lower LS and PA than counterparts with ≥6 days of physical activity per week (p < .05). Participants who reported 2 hours per day or less of screen time had lower NA than counterparts with 4 hours per day or more of screen time (p < .05). Also, children who meet physical activity guidelines have higher LS and PA compared to inactive peers, even with high screen time. In contrast, excessive screen time was also related with NA independent of the level of physical activity.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that physical activity is related with positive feelings and LS, but does not eliminate the effect of screen time on negative feelings among Chilean children.     

Spanish validation of the Parental Acceptance Questionnaire (6-PAQ)

Background/ObjectivePsychological flexibility is an ability with positive effects in health, also in the field parenting. The aim of this study is to validate the Parental Acceptance Questionnaire (6-PAQ) in Spanish sample.MethodA total of 426 parents (96.3% female), with an average age of 38.25 years (SD = 5.76) and with at least one child between 3 and 16 years old participated. Participants completed the 6PAQ and other instruments assessing experiential avoidance, thought suppression, satisfaction with life and symptoms of anxiety and depression.ResultsIn comparison with the original model, the three-factor structural solution with 16 items obtained a better adjustment (CFI = .996; GFI = .998; TLI = .995; RMSE = .016) that refer to response styles related to psychological flexibility (open, aware and active). The 6-PAQ adaptation has shown good internal consistency, with a Cronbach alpha of .81 and a McDonald's omega of .86 for the scale, and evidence of convergent validity with significant correlations with measure of avoidance, thought suppression, satisfaction with life and anxiety.ConclusionsThe Spanish version of the 6-PAQ with the three-factor structure presents psychometric property to be considered a reliable measure and a valid instrument for the evaluation of parental psychological flexibility.