Numerical and verbal decision analysis: comparison on practical cases

Numerical decision analysis (NDA), derived from statistical decision theory, is very well known. Verbal decision analysis (VDA), oriented towards so‐called unstructured problems, where the qualitative and uncertain factors dominate, is a newer direction in decision theory and practice. Verbal and numerical decision analyses (DAs) have been compared in an experimental setting, with groups of students. This paper presents the results of a comparison in the context of live practical tasks. Both approaches were attempted on two comparable choices, facing both Russian and US government agencies, involving a choice between oil and gas transportation options. The resulting methodological insights are generalized into a systematic comparison of the strong and weak features of each approach. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Conspiracist beliefs,intuitive thinking,and schizotypal facets: A further evaluation

This study examined whether thinking style mediated relationships between belief in conspiracy and schizotypy facets. A UK-based sample of 421 respondents completed the Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale (GCBS), Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences Short (O-Life), and measures indexing preferential thinking style (proneness to reality testing deficits and Need for Cognition). Path analysis revealed direct and indirect relationships between Conspiracy Beliefs and schizotypy facets. Unusual Experiences had a direct effect on Conspiracy Beliefs and predicted Reality Testing and Need for Cognition. Preferential thinking style mediated the schizotypy-belief in conspiracy relationship. This pattern of results (higher experiential-based processing and lower Need for Cognition) was consistent with intuitive thinking. Introverted Anhedonia and Impulsive Nonconformity predicted Reality Testing and had indirect effects on Conspiracy Beliefs. Finally, Reality Testing predicted Conspiracy Beliefs, whereas Need for Cognition did not. These results confirm that cognitive processes related to thinking style mediate the schizotypy-conspiracist beliefs relationship.     

The Influence of Color on Brand Extension: Mediation Role of Processing Style

Color carries distinct psychological meanings and thus it may induce a different cognitive processing style. Adopting this conceptual framework, the current research investigated the influence of color on brand extension evaluation. For color manipulation, participants were given the picture of a brand extension product (e.g., notebook) on a blue versus red background on a sheet of paper. Then participants evaluated the brand extension product. The finding revealed that participants in the blue-background condition evaluated the extension product more favorably than those in the red-background condition. This research further demonstrated that processing style mediated the effect of color on the evaluation of the brand extension product by using a visual matching task. In addition, this research showed the moderating effect of brand slogan on brand extension evaluation. Participants in the blue-background condition evaluated the extension product (i.e., digital camera) more favorably when they were exposed to the abstract brand slogan, whereas participants in the red-background condition evaluated the extension product more favorably when they were exposed to the concrete brand slogan.     

父母冲突与中学生应对方式的关系:教养方式和情绪安全感的链式中介作用

为了探讨父母冲突、父母教养方式、情绪安全感和应对方式的关系,研究采用量表对北京市和河南省1322名初一到高二的学生进行调查。结果表明：父母冲突直接影响中学生的应对方式,且存在三条路径：通过父母教养方式的单独中介作用影响中学生的积极应对方式和父母消极教养方式的单独中介作用影响中学生的消极应对方式;通过情绪不安全感的单独中介作用影响中学生的应对方式;通过父母消极教养方式和情绪不安全感的链式中介作用影响中学生的应对方式。因此减少和避免父母冲突,提高中学生的情绪安全感,同时给予中学生积极教养方式,减少和避免消极教养方式,有利于中学生积极应对方式的发展。     

父母教养方式对中职生亲社会行为的影响:两类共情的中介作用

探讨父母教养方式对中职生亲社会行为的影响,分别采用问卷法和实验法检验特质共情与状态共情 在这个影响过程中的中介效应。 结果发现:(1)情感温暖、信任鼓励型的父母教养方式对中职生亲社会行为有正向预测作用; 专制、溺爱型父母教养方式对中职生亲社会行为起负向预测作用。(2)特质共情在情感温暖型、信任鼓励型父母教养方式与中职生亲社会行为之间起部分中介作用。(3)经试验操纵的状态共情的中介效应与特质共情的中介效应同样显著。结论:积极的父母教养方式通过影响中职生的共情进而影响其亲社会行为。     

自我污名与孤儿学生消极情绪的关系：解释风格及领悟社会支持的多重中介作用

为探讨孤儿学生自我污名、解释风格、领悟社会支持与消极情绪之间的关系,采用问卷测量法对某省立孤儿学校815名孤儿学生施测,结果发现：自我污名既可直接正向预测,也可经积极解释风格、领悟社会支持以及积极解释风格-领悟社会支持链的多重中介作用间接正向预测孤儿学生的消极情绪。研究结果可为孤儿学校开展降低孤儿学生消极情绪的心理健康教育干预提供理论依据。     

幼儿复述能力的发展及其与言语工作记忆的关系

采用语音呈现、无图片辅助的复述任务,探查5～6岁幼儿故事复述能力的发展特点及其与工作记忆的关系。结果发现,幼儿复述能力在学前期存在明显的发展变化,6岁幼儿宏观结构的得分及微观结构中的叙事总词汇数、复句占T单元比率、连词使用总数等均显著好于5岁幼儿;幼儿的复述能力表现出性别差异;工作记忆与复述的宏观结构和微观结构的不同指标之间均表现出显著相关,并对幼儿复述能力的发展具有独立贡献。结果表明,言语工作记忆是与幼儿复述能力相关的重要认知因素。     

家长投入对子女学业成绩的影响：有调节的中介模型

本研究测评了广州市1628名六年级学生的学习投入和学业成绩,并调查了其家长的家长投入和教养风格。结果发现：（1）家长投入能正向预测子女的学业成绩;（2）在家长投入与子女学业成绩的关系之间,子女的学习投入起完全中介作用;（3）家长教养风格对家长投入与子女学习投入的关系路径起调节作用,积极的教养风格有利于促进家长投入对子女学习投入的正向影响。结果表明：积极的家长教养风格能促进家长投入转化为子女的学习投入,进而促使子女学业成绩的提升。