Language is a complex faculty made up of different components, many of which are based on sensorimotor processes. In this study, we focused on syntax, which is known for its role in sentence construction, but also in goal-directed actions like toolmaking or tool-use. It has been shown that syntactic processes in language and tool-use share common neural resources, therefore benefiting one from the other. Here, we investigated behaviorally the relationship between manual action and language comprehension. We varied the complexity of manual action along two independent dimensions: the length of the action sequence and whether participants used their hand or a tool. A cohort of 80 adult participants underwent a learning transfer protocol consisting of a syntactic comprehension test before and after being trained in the motor task. Our results showed that the use of a tool is crucial for allowing a learning transfer to occur from the motor to the language domains: regardless of the complexity of action sequences, participants performed significantly better in the syntactic comprehension task after tool-use training, but not after bare hand training. Our results also suggested that complex actions combined with tool-use might enhance this effect and that inter-individual tool-use dexterity is a good predictor of syntactic performance in language.
{"title":"A tool to probe domain-general syntax: Simple and complex actions with a tool improve syntactic comprehension in language","authors":"Raphaël Py , Marie-Hélène Grosbras , Claudio Brozzoli , Marie Montant","doi":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100190","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100190","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Language is a complex faculty made up of different components, many of which are based on sensorimotor processes. In this study, we focused on syntax, which is known for its role in sentence construction, but also in goal-directed actions like toolmaking or tool-use. It has been shown that syntactic processes in language and tool-use share common neural resources, therefore benefiting one from the other. Here, we investigated behaviorally the relationship between manual action and language comprehension. We varied the complexity of manual action along two independent dimensions: the length of the action sequence and whether participants used their hand or a tool. A cohort of 80 adult participants underwent a learning transfer protocol consisting of a syntactic comprehension test before and after being trained in the motor task. Our results showed that the use of a tool is crucial for allowing a learning transfer to occur from the motor to the language domains: regardless of the complexity of action sequences, participants performed significantly better in the syntactic comprehension task after tool-use training, but not after bare hand training. Our results also suggested that complex actions combined with tool-use might enhance this effect and that inter-individual tool-use dexterity is a good predictor of syntactic performance in language.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72746,"journal":{"name":"Current research in behavioral sciences","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100190"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265409","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.crbeha.2024.100165
Christienne G. Damatac , Marleen J. ter Avest , Tom F. Wilderjans , Véronique De Gucht , Dion H.A. Woestenburg , Laurens Landeweerd , Tessel E. Galesloot , Linda Geerligs , Judith R. Homberg , Corina U. Greven
Environment may play a role in how the evolutionarily conserved personality trait sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) relates to health. Nevertheless, there has been no comprehensive investigation of the relationships between SPS and mental and somatic health outcomes in a large sample, while accounting for neuroticism and environmental variables. To better understand susceptibility to positive and negative environments, we systematically investigated associations between SPS and several health-related outcomes: stress-related traits, neurodevelopmental (ADHD and autistic) traits, well-being, and somatic health in 252 adults (ages 30–39 years) from a population-based sample. We then evaluated how environmental factors modify those relationships by testing SPS interactions with lifetime or current measures of positive or negative environments. Finally, we formally tested whether SPS is a factor for differential susceptibility. Notably, we found that higher SPS related to more burnout, anxiety, depression, stress, health complaints, and nonprescription medication use but not to total neurodevelopmental traits. Even after controlling for neuroticism, burnout, anxiety, and health complaints associations with SPS remained significant. We also found small to modest associations between SPS subscales and neurodevelopmental trait subscales. Of note, in unfavorable environments (threatening life events), higher SPS related to more autistic traits. In favorable environments (social support), SPS related to more life satisfaction, supporting the theory of SPS as a factor for differential susceptibility to environments. This study illustrates that SPS may be a risk factor for stress-related and somatic symptoms, independent of neuroticism. We conclude that SPS may moderate sensitivity to environments, possibly as an adaptation factor, enabling highly sensitive individuals to be more malleable to environmental influences.
{"title":"Exploring sensory processing sensitivity: Relationships with mental and somatic health, interactions with positive and negative environments, and evidence for differential susceptibility","authors":"Christienne G. Damatac , Marleen J. ter Avest , Tom F. Wilderjans , Véronique De Gucht , Dion H.A. Woestenburg , Laurens Landeweerd , Tessel E. Galesloot , Linda Geerligs , Judith R. Homberg , Corina U. Greven","doi":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2024.100165","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2024.100165","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environment may play a role in how the evolutionarily conserved personality trait sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) relates to health. Nevertheless, there has been no comprehensive investigation of the relationships between SPS and mental and somatic health outcomes in a large sample, while accounting for neuroticism and environmental variables. To better understand susceptibility to positive and negative environments, we systematically investigated associations between SPS and several health-related outcomes: stress-related traits, neurodevelopmental (ADHD and autistic) traits, well-being, and somatic health in 252 adults (ages 30–39 years) from a population-based sample. We then evaluated how environmental factors modify those relationships by testing SPS interactions with lifetime or current measures of positive or negative environments. Finally, we formally tested whether SPS is a factor for differential susceptibility. Notably, we found that higher SPS related to more burnout, anxiety, depression, stress, health complaints, and nonprescription medication use but not to total neurodevelopmental traits. Even after controlling for neuroticism, burnout, anxiety, and health complaints associations with SPS remained significant. We also found small to modest associations between SPS subscales and neurodevelopmental trait subscales. Of note, in unfavorable environments (threatening life events), higher SPS related to more autistic traits. In favorable environments (social support), SPS related to more life satisfaction, supporting the theory of SPS as a factor for differential susceptibility to environments. This study illustrates that SPS may be a risk factor for stress-related and somatic symptoms, independent of neuroticism. We conclude that SPS may moderate sensitivity to environments, possibly as an adaptation factor, enabling highly sensitive individuals to be more malleable to environmental influences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72746,"journal":{"name":"Current research in behavioral sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100165"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143173187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100170
Ruth Brookman, Eman Shatnawi, Kristian Lukic, Sasha Sirota, Celia B. Harris
Background
Dementia-related (DR) stigma diminishes the wellbeing of people with dementia and their families. However, information about how DR-stigma differs across the lifespan is scarce. We aimed to understand similarities and difference in public stigma (stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination) across age groups and perspectives, including factors associated with its expression.
Method
We conducted a mixed-method study with a community sample of Australians (N = 278), to examine public DR-stigma in younger (n = 163) and older (n = 115) adults. In part 1, free responses were thematically analysed and coded inductively for content and deductively for valence to compare dementia stereotypes across age groups (younger vs. older), and perspectives (own vs. other). In part 2, a standardised stigma measure enabled comparison of prejudice and discrimination. Separate age group correlational analyses examined relationships between stigma, dementia knowledge, mental wellbeing, family knowledge, and subjective memory concerns.
Results
In part 1, free responses of older adults included significantly more negative and derogatory stereotypes than younger adults. Both age groups considered others to have more negative stereotypes than themselves, but this perception was higher in older adults. Part 2 yielded no age group difference from one's own perspective for DR-prejudice and DR-discrimination. However, for perceived DR-discrimination by others, older adults rated higher levels of social distancing than younger adults. Younger and older adults perceived others to be more discriminating than themselves. Dementia knowledge was associated with less stigma but only for younger adults.
Conclusions
Age-related variability in the factors associated with DR-stigma indicates the need for stigma reduction interventions that are targeted to specific age groups and associated risk factors.
{"title":"Dementia-related stigma across age groups and perspectives: Similarities and differences suggest the need for tailored anti-stigma interventions","authors":"Ruth Brookman, Eman Shatnawi, Kristian Lukic, Sasha Sirota, Celia B. Harris","doi":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100170","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100170","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Dementia-related (DR) <strong>s</strong>tigma diminishes the wellbeing of people with dementia and their families. However, information about how DR-stigma differs across the lifespan is scarce. We aimed to understand similarities and difference in public stigma (stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination) across age groups and perspectives, including factors associated with its expression.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>We conducted a mixed-method study with a community sample of Australians (N = 278), to examine public DR-stigma in younger (<em>n</em> = 163) and older (<em>n</em> = 115) adults. In part 1, free responses were thematically analysed and coded inductively for content and deductively for valence to compare dementia stereotypes across age groups (younger vs. older), and perspectives (own vs. other). In part 2, a standardised stigma measure enabled comparison of prejudice and discrimination. Separate age group correlational analyses examined relationships between stigma, dementia knowledge, mental wellbeing, family knowledge, and subjective memory concerns.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In part 1, free responses of older adults included significantly more negative and derogatory stereotypes than younger adults. Both age groups considered others to have more negative stereotypes than themselves, but this perception was higher in older adults. Part 2 yielded no age group difference from one's own perspective for DR-prejudice and DR-discrimination. However, for perceived DR-discrimination by others, older adults rated higher levels of social distancing than younger adults. Younger and older adults perceived others to be more discriminating than themselves. Dementia knowledge was associated with less stigma but only for younger adults.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Age-related variability in the factors associated with DR-stigma indicates the need for stigma reduction interventions that are targeted to specific age groups and associated risk factors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72746,"journal":{"name":"Current research in behavioral sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100170"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143421678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100169
Monica Gori , Maria Bianca Amadeo , Andrea Escelsior , Davide Esposito , Alberto Inuggi , Riccardo Guglielmo , Luis Polena , Juxhin Bode , Beatriz Pereira da Silva , Mario Amore , Gianluca Serafini
Our perception of the world and sense of self are deeply influenced by our perception of time. Research in psychiatric disorders has shown altered temporal perception across a variety of tasks, though the mechanisms behind these changes remain unclear. This study aims to explore temporal processing in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ) by examining auditory, visual, and audio-visual temporal perception. The results revealed impaired temporal performance across all sensory modalities and the absence of auditory dominance in both patient groups. Specifically, in SZ patients, multisensory processing was associated with visual precision, while in BD patients, there was no such relationship with either visual or auditory precision. Notably, in SZ, visual precision was significantly linked to negative symptoms. Moreover, despite the lack of auditory dominance and similar deficits in unisensory performance, neither patient group benefited from redundant multisensory information in the temporal task. These findings highlight distinct patterns of temporal processing in BD and SZ compared to healthy controls, suggesting potential pathways for targeted interventions, such as integrating sensory training into clinical rehabilitative frameworks.
{"title":"Insights into audio-visual temporal perception in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia","authors":"Monica Gori , Maria Bianca Amadeo , Andrea Escelsior , Davide Esposito , Alberto Inuggi , Riccardo Guglielmo , Luis Polena , Juxhin Bode , Beatriz Pereira da Silva , Mario Amore , Gianluca Serafini","doi":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100169","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100169","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Our perception of the world and sense of self are deeply influenced by our perception of time. Research in psychiatric disorders has shown altered temporal perception across a variety of tasks, though the mechanisms behind these changes remain unclear. This study aims to explore temporal processing in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ) by examining auditory, visual, and audio-visual temporal perception. The results revealed impaired temporal performance across all sensory modalities and the absence of auditory dominance in both patient groups. Specifically, in SZ patients, multisensory processing was associated with visual precision, while in BD patients, there was no such relationship with either visual or auditory precision. Notably, in SZ, visual precision was significantly linked to negative symptoms. Moreover, despite the lack of auditory dominance and similar deficits in unisensory performance, neither patient group benefited from redundant multisensory information in the temporal task. These findings highlight distinct patterns of temporal processing in BD and SZ compared to healthy controls, suggesting potential pathways for targeted interventions, such as integrating sensory training into clinical rehabilitative frameworks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72746,"journal":{"name":"Current research in behavioral sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100169"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143311102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100188
Rohan Kapitany , Kathryn Francis , Matti Wilks , Christopher Kavanagh , Harvey Whitehouse
Children are told that Santa Claus is a real agent who can observe them, judge them, and reward them. Famously, He's making a list, he's checking it twice; He's going to find out who's naughty or nice. Our goal was to determine which factors, if any, influence whether belief in Santa or other traditions associated with the Christmas Festival influence a child’s moral behavior. We conducted a pilot in 2019, then replicated and extended our findings in 2021 and 2022. Overall, we collected analyzable data from 440 UK-based parents who reported on their child’s (ages 4 to 9) behavior at two timepoints: During mid/late November, and the week preceding Christmas Day (December 25). We constructed and refined a tool for parental report of everyday behaviors of children that broadly covers positive/prosocial behavior and negative/antisocial behaviors. We find that a child’s belief alone is insufficient to predict positive behaviors, but that the presence and intensity of Christmas rituals influence positive behavior, and specifically influence unprompted behaviors. Further, a parent’s intention to model Christmas relevant behaviors indirectly affects the child’s behavior. Other potential predictors of behavioral improvements were ruled out, including parents’ mood, whether parents’ explicitly reminded their children of Santa, the amount of free-time and family-time a child had during the Christmas period, and various aspects of religiosity (though our sample was highly secular). We report, for the first time, that a child’s behavior actually improves as Christmas Day approaches, and though the effect is small, it is primarily attributable to participation and exposure to Christmas rituals. These results have practical and theoretical implications for the evolution of moralizing religions in our species.
{"title":"Children’s belief in Santa Claus and Moral behavior: A two-wave longitudinal study of children’s prosocial behavior during Christmas","authors":"Rohan Kapitany , Kathryn Francis , Matti Wilks , Christopher Kavanagh , Harvey Whitehouse","doi":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100188","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100188","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Children are told that Santa Claus is a real agent who can observe them, judge them, and reward them. Famously, <em>He's making a list, he's checking it twice; He's going to find out who's naughty or nice</em>. Our goal was to determine which factors, if any, influence whether belief in Santa or other traditions associated with the Christmas Festival influence a child’s moral behavior. We conducted a pilot in 2019, then replicated and extended our findings in 2021 and 2022. Overall, we collected analyzable data from 440 UK-based parents who reported on their child’s (ages 4 to 9) behavior at two timepoints: During mid/late November, and the week preceding Christmas Day (December 25). We constructed and refined a tool for parental report of everyday behaviors of children that broadly covers positive/prosocial behavior and negative/antisocial behaviors. We find that a child’s belief alone is insufficient to predict positive behaviors, but that the presence and intensity of Christmas rituals influence positive behavior, and specifically influence unprompted behaviors. Further, a parent’s intention to model Christmas relevant behaviors indirectly affects the child’s behavior. Other potential predictors of behavioral improvements were ruled out, including parents’ mood, whether parents’ explicitly reminded their children of Santa, the amount of free-time and family-time a child had during the Christmas period, and various aspects of religiosity (though our sample was highly secular). We report, for the first time, that a child’s behavior actually improves as Christmas Day approaches, and though the effect is small, it is primarily attributable to participation and exposure to Christmas rituals. These results have practical and theoretical implications for the evolution of moralizing religions in our species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72746,"journal":{"name":"Current research in behavioral sciences","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100188"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145473675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100185
Rekha Kumar , Hong Kan , Ryan Honomichl , Scott Kahan , Kimberly Gudzune , Tracy J. Sims , Jamy Ard , Lee M. Kaplan , Kristen King-Concialdi , Sheila Drakeley , Kathleen Beusterien
Anti-obesity medications (AOMs) improve weight loss and weight-related outcomes, compared with behavioral approaches alone. Despite this, few patients are prescribed AOMs. The aim of the present study was to explore potential psychological factors related to willingness to take AOMs. Adult persons with obesity (PwO) completed an online survey focused on attitudes, perceptions, and motivations around obesity care. Seven predictor factors were identified via exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. A multivariable analysis showed the following to influence willingness to take AOMs: having a doctor involved in their weight loss journey, having experienced social or emotional problems with weight, being motivated to lose weight for social or health reasons, and experiencing weight-related stigma; perceiving that lifestyle intervention is sufficient for maintaining weight loss is a deterrent. Mediation analyses showed that having social or emotional problems because of excess weight and social/health motivations for weight loss were both significant predictors of willingness to take AOMs, with desire for health care provider (HCP) involvement and weight-related stigma positively, and belief in the sufficiency of lifestyle changes negatively, mediating these effects. These findings highlight the complexity of psychological and behavioral factors related to obesity care and how PwO perceive that AOMs may be able to help them.
{"title":"Attitudinal factors influencing willingness to use anti-obesity medication in adults with obesity","authors":"Rekha Kumar , Hong Kan , Ryan Honomichl , Scott Kahan , Kimberly Gudzune , Tracy J. Sims , Jamy Ard , Lee M. Kaplan , Kristen King-Concialdi , Sheila Drakeley , Kathleen Beusterien","doi":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100185","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100185","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Anti-obesity medications (AOMs) improve weight loss and weight-related outcomes, compared with behavioral approaches alone. Despite this, few patients are prescribed AOMs. The aim of the present study was to explore potential psychological factors related to willingness to take AOMs. Adult persons with obesity (PwO) completed an online survey focused on attitudes, perceptions, and motivations around obesity care. Seven predictor factors were identified via exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. A multivariable analysis showed the following to influence willingness to take AOMs: having a doctor involved in their weight loss journey, having experienced social or emotional problems with weight, being motivated to lose weight for social or health reasons, and experiencing weight-related stigma; perceiving that lifestyle intervention is sufficient for maintaining weight loss is a deterrent. Mediation analyses showed that having social or emotional problems because of excess weight and social/health motivations for weight loss were both significant predictors of willingness to take AOMs, with desire for health care provider (HCP) involvement and weight-related stigma positively, and belief in the sufficiency of lifestyle changes negatively, mediating these effects. These findings highlight the complexity of psychological and behavioral factors related to obesity care and how PwO perceive that AOMs may be able to help them.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72746,"journal":{"name":"Current research in behavioral sciences","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100185"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.crbeha.2024.100167
Maria Wirth, M. Clara de Paula Couto, Paula Molina Sander, Klaus Rothermund
Older adults are faced with societal normative expectations that set standards for age-appropriate behavior. They supposedly align their behavior with what is socially expected of them to avoid backlash and disapproval. However, a link between societal norms and older adults’ behavior has not been established in previous studies. In a pre-registered daily diary study, we tested the link between the societal norm that older adults should contribute to the common good (i.e., social activation) and volunteering in everyday life in a sample of older adults (N = 78, 60 –85 years). We presented (fictitious) social consensus feedback indicating that a majority of society either agrees or disagrees with social activation and tested the effect of this consensus feedback on endorsing social activation and engaging in daily volunteering. Replicating previous studies, participants who were told that a majority agrees with social activation reported higher endorsement of social activation than those being told that a majority disagrees. Daily volunteering did not differ between social consensus groups. However, we found a significant relation between endorsement of social activation and daily volunteering for the agreement but not the disagreement group. This finding indicates that strongly endorsing social activation may be a prerequisite for societal appeals regarding older adults’ volunteering to become effective. Given the relatively low level of daily volunteering in our sample, these results warrant further investigation. Our findings offer important insights for initiatives promoting social participation among older adults.
{"title":"Social normative beliefs and older adults’ volunteering – A daily diary study","authors":"Maria Wirth, M. Clara de Paula Couto, Paula Molina Sander, Klaus Rothermund","doi":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2024.100167","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2024.100167","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Older adults are faced with societal normative expectations that set standards for age-appropriate behavior. They supposedly align their behavior with what is socially expected of them to avoid backlash and disapproval. However, a link between societal norms and older adults’ behavior has not been established in previous studies. In a pre-registered daily diary study, we tested the link between the societal norm that older adults should contribute to the common good (i.e., social activation) and volunteering in everyday life in a sample of older adults (N = 78, 60 –85 years). We presented (fictitious) social consensus feedback indicating that a majority of society either agrees or disagrees with social activation and tested the effect of this consensus feedback on endorsing social activation and engaging in daily volunteering. Replicating previous studies, participants who were told that a majority agrees with social activation reported higher endorsement of social activation than those being told that a majority disagrees. Daily volunteering did not differ between social consensus groups. However, we found a significant relation between endorsement of social activation and daily volunteering for the agreement but not the disagreement group. This finding indicates that strongly endorsing social activation may be a prerequisite for societal appeals regarding older adults’ volunteering to become effective. Given the relatively low level of daily volunteering in our sample, these results warrant further investigation. Our findings offer important insights for initiatives promoting social participation among older adults.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72746,"journal":{"name":"Current research in behavioral sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100167"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143173188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100173
Mary C. McGrath
Collaboration with others—even a minimal instance—increases willingness to bear costs on their behalf. What is the mechanism underlying this effect? This prosocial behavior could be driven by an egoistic motivation or an altruistic motivation—and altruistic motivations could reflect either unbounded altruism or bounded altruism. I hypothesize that the collaboration effect operates by creating a sense of obligation or indebtedness to one's partner, thereby increasing willingness to sacrifice via a bounded form of altruism. I test this hypothesis in a randomized experiment and replication (Experiments 1 and 2), finding evidence that people behave as if collaboration creates an obligation of debt owed to the collaborator. Then, I rule out that the mechanism at work is simply increased inequality aversion, demonstrating that collaboration can decrease inequality aversion within a context of baseline equality (Experiment 3) and within a context of disadvantageous inequality (Experiment 4).
{"title":"Collaboration induces debt-motivated altruism","authors":"Mary C. McGrath","doi":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100173","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100173","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Collaboration with others—even a minimal instance—increases willingness to bear costs on their behalf. What is the mechanism underlying this effect? This prosocial behavior could be driven by an egoistic motivation or an altruistic motivation—and altruistic motivations could reflect either unbounded altruism or bounded altruism. I hypothesize that the collaboration effect operates by creating a sense of obligation or indebtedness to one's partner, thereby increasing willingness to sacrifice via a bounded form of altruism. I test this hypothesis in a randomized experiment and replication (Experiments 1 and 2), finding evidence that people behave as if collaboration creates an obligation of debt owed to the collaborator. Then, I rule out that the mechanism at work is simply increased inequality aversion, demonstrating that collaboration can decrease inequality aversion within a context of baseline equality (Experiment 3) and within a context of disadvantageous inequality (Experiment 4).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72746,"journal":{"name":"Current research in behavioral sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100173"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143609490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100193
L.M. Schippers , M. Hoogman , C.U. Greven
Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a normally distributed personality trait reflecting sensitivity to stimuli. It is unclear how SPS relates to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to strengths. Here we aimed to 1) explore the relation between SPS and ADHD traits, and their respective subdimensions, 2) compare people with and without an ADHD diagnosis on SPS subdimensions, 3) assess relations between SPS and several ADHD-related strengths. 496 adults were recruited from the general population via the online platform Prolific. Participants filled in questionnaires on SPS (subdimensions: ease of excitation, low sensory threshold, aesthetic sensitivity), ADHD traits (subdimensions: inattentiveness, hyperactivity-impulsivity), and nine questionnaires on ADHD-related strengths. We performed correlation and case-control analysis. SPS and its subdimensions correlated positively with ADHD traits and its subdimensions. Furthermore, people with an ADHD diagnosis scored higher on SPS than those without. SPS correlated positively with the ADHD-related strengths of hyperfocus and cognitive flexibility, and aesthetic sensitivity correlated positively with curiosity, humour, and empathy; these associations remained significant correcting for ADHD traits. Concluding, SPS and ADHD were positively associated, using continuous and case-control analyses. These results help us better understand the SPS trait to help people high on SPS thrive and improve their well-being.
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Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100186
Victoria Geraldi Menegon , Natalia Máximo Alves Rocha , Leonardo Dutra Henriques , Marcelo Fernandes Costa
This study introduces an innovative approach to measuring coherent motion thresholds under conditions that separately evaluate global and local visual contributions to sustained selective attention. By manipulating spatial and temporal frequencies, we biased visual inputs toward the Magnocellular (low spatial, high temporal frequency) and Parvocellular (high spatial, low temporal frequency) pathways. Our findings reveal distinct behaviors between global and local visual processing conditions, underscoring their differential contributions to attentional performance. Coherence thresholds were significantly altered under sustained attention demands, with a notably smaller threshold increase in the low spatial frequency/high-speed (10°/s) condition, supporting a predominant involvement of global processing and the dorsal stream. Additionally, threshold variations aligned with expected physiological properties: lower thresholds at higher speeds in low spatial frequency conditions and at lower speeds in high spatial frequency conditions. These patterns validate our method’s robustness in assessing attentional modulation of perceptual functions.
{"title":"Local and global contribution to selective and sustained attention","authors":"Victoria Geraldi Menegon , Natalia Máximo Alves Rocha , Leonardo Dutra Henriques , Marcelo Fernandes Costa","doi":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100186","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbeha.2025.100186","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study introduces an innovative approach to measuring coherent motion thresholds under conditions that separately evaluate global and local visual contributions to sustained selective attention. By manipulating spatial and temporal frequencies, we biased visual inputs toward the Magnocellular (low spatial, high temporal frequency) and Parvocellular (high spatial, low temporal frequency) pathways. Our findings reveal distinct behaviors between global and local visual processing conditions, underscoring their differential contributions to attentional performance. Coherence thresholds were significantly altered under sustained attention demands, with a notably smaller threshold increase in the low spatial frequency/high-speed (10°/s) condition, supporting a predominant involvement of global processing and the dorsal stream. Additionally, threshold variations aligned with expected physiological properties: lower thresholds at higher speeds in low spatial frequency conditions and at lower speeds in high spatial frequency conditions. These patterns validate our method’s robustness in assessing attentional modulation of perceptual functions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72746,"journal":{"name":"Current research in behavioral sciences","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100186"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145048404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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