“We want the world and we want it now”: Materialism,time perspectives and problem spending tendency of Chinese

Chinese consumers' spending has been expanding rapidly in the past decade, and along with it household and credit card debt. The present research collected evidence to triangulate the contention that materialism is positively related with Chinese's problem spending tendency (PST), and that present‐time‐perspective (PTP) and future‐time perspectives (FTP) interact systematically with materialism to affect PST. A survey of the general population in Macao, China (Study 1; N = 239) confirmed that materialism was positively correlated with PST. An interaction between materialism and PTP intensified the relationship, whereas an interaction with FTP weakened the relationship. Another survey with a sample of university students (Study 2; N = 223) again found positive relationships among PST, materialism, and PTP, as measured by temporal discount rate. But further exploration showed that PST was only related with temporal discounting among high materialists, but not among low materialists. Study 3 experimentally examined the causal effects of materialism and FTP on PST. When being primed of an orientation towards materialism (n = 33), the participants' planned consumption doubled that of the control group (n = 31). A FTP prime interacted with materialism prime and put a “damper” on participants' planned spending (n = 29), compared to their counterparts who were not primed of such a time perspective.     

Predictors of stress generation in Turkish young adults: The role of rumination and excessive reassurance seeking

The stress generation model posits that not only stressful life-events predict depressive symptoms, but also depressive-prone individuals think and behave in ways that make them more vulnerable to experience life-stress. Evidence has supported the bi-directional relationship between stress and depressive symptoms, and there has been an attempt in identifying vulnerability factors for stress generation. Yet, there is a need for studies focusing on multiple risk factors and a replication of findings in non-Western samples. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of rumination and excessive reassurance seeking (ERS) in stress generation in a sample of Turkish young adults. A sample of 318 Turkish college students reported on their rumination, ERS, intensity of stressful life-events and depressive symptoms. A subsample of 162 participants also completed a measure of life-events 5 months later. Cross-sectional results showed that rumination and ERS contribute to life-stress over and above depressive symptoms and gender. Mediational analyses indicated that ERS does not mediate the relationship between rumination and life-stress at 5 months. Rather, rumination fully mediated the relationship between ERS and future life-stress. Results provide evidence for stress generation, and highlight the interconnection between rumination and ERS.     

Validation d’une version française de la Dutch Work Addiction Scale (DUWAS)

The main purpose of this study was to validate a questionnaire in French to assess the two dimensions of workaholism, namely excessive and compulsive work (see Schaufeli, Taris, & van Rhenen, 2008), in samples of French-speaking workers. We first translated the short version of the DUWAS (Schaufeli, Shimazu, & Taris, 2009) and then examined the factorial structure of this French version using confirmatory factor analyses. We also tested the convergent validity of the French version of the DUWAS by examining the relationships between workaholism and perceived stress. Data were collected in two samples of French workers from different sectors (n = 411 and n = 254). Theoretical and practical implications of this work are discussed.     

Elucidating the relation between childhood emotional abuse and depressive symptoms in adulthood: The mediating role of maladaptive interpersonal processes

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to assess the potential unique and relative mediating effects of three interpersonal risk factors (i.e., excessive reassurance-seeking [ERS], negative feedback seeking [NFS], and rejection sensitivity [RS]) in the relationship between childhood emotional abuse (CEA) and depressive symptoms.MethodOne hundred eighty-five undergraduates were followed over a four-month interval. Participants completed assessments of childhood abuse history, ERS, NFS, and RS, and depressive symptoms at baseline, as well as depressive symptoms at four-month followup.ResultsFindings from single-mediator analyses indicated that RS and NFS, but not ERS, mediated the relationship between CEA and prospective depressive symptoms, after accounting for childhood sexual and physical abuse, as well as baseline depressive symptoms. In our multi-mediator model, only RS remained a significant mediator of the relationship between CEA and prospective depressive symptoms.ConclusionsThe current study provides preliminary evidence that negative behavioral styles may function as a mechanism linking prior experiences of CEA to subsequent depressive symptoms. Clinical implications of these findings suggest that targeting maladaptive behavioral tendencies, particularly RS, may be an effective adjunct in behavioral modification treatments of CEA victims at risk for depression.     

Five-Factor Model personality traits,materialism, and excessive buying: A mediational analysis

Previous research has shown consistent relationships between the Five-Factor Model personality traits, materialism and excessive buying. However, little is known about the channels of influence through personality traits and materialism leading to excessive buying. Therefore, the main objective of this current study is to examine whether materialism is a mediating variable in the relationship between the Five-Factor Model and excessive buying. The results of the path analysis using a sample of 667 women generally confirm the suitability of materialism as a vehicle for the effects of Big-Five personality traits on excessive buying. Specifically, neuroticism exerts both positive direct and indirect influences on excessive buying. Moreover, materialism mediates the influence of extraversion, openness, and agreeableness on excessive buying. Whereas extraversion shows a positive association with materialism, openness and agreeableness present negative relations with materialism which, in turn, is associated with higher excessive buying propensity. Conscientiousness is the only exception to the mediating model, and presents a direct and negative relation with excessive buying. Generally speaking, the finding that five factors effects are mediated by materialism increases the probability that preventive and interventive efforts aimed at reducing materialistic values effectively influence the associated risk for excessive buying originating from certain personality traits.     

Sudden onset of excessive repetitions in the speech of a patient with multiple sclerosis: A case report

This report provides a detailed analysis of excessive part- and whole-word repetitions in the speech of a 36-year-old male patient hospitalized for treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) who also exhibited concurrent language and prosodic disturbances. Shortly following his hospitalization, a magnetic resonance imaging examination revealed plaques in the white matter of the medulla, cerebellum, basal ganglion, and periventricular white matter. His speech strongly resembled apractic speech patterns, chiefly syllable segregation. The source of data collected for this study was seven tape-recorded speech samples containing 2536 words spoken in 32.75 min, diagnostic reports, and clinical notes of 27 biweekly speech therapy sessions across a 5-month period. This report focused on an analysis of variables associated with the patient's part- and whole-word repetitions, and it was concluded that they were used as a compensatory device to procure additional time to articulate complex syllables. A brief critique of the therapeutic procedures used for treating his speech problem is also presented.

Educational objectives: The reader will learn about and be able to describe (1) the effects of MS on speech and language; (2) the kinds of data that were gathered to account for this patient's sudden onset of speech and language disorders; and (3) the findings that led them to conclude that his excessive repetitions were compensatory behaviors.     

论中--兼评程、朱对"中"的严重曲解

中道即指天道。之所以称“中”,是因为天道运行具有精准守信、不过不忒的品性。人能精准如实地、恰如其分地把握和实行天道,就是合于“中”,就是奉行中道。这两层意思都可以用“无过无不及”之“中”来表述。所谓“调和、折中、平衡”,都不是“中”的本义。程、朱用“不偏不倚”释“中”,是对中庸之德的极大歪曲。