Current research in behavioral sciences最新文献

The subjective importance of olfaction varies greatly across individuals, yet the cause of this variation – such as its relationship to general olfactory function – remains poorly understood. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to examine if any relationship exists between subjectively reported significance of olfactory experience and more objective, psychophysical olfactory testing. Specifically, we related the Importance of Olfaction questionnaire (IO-Q), the threshold-discrimination-identification test (TDI) and both their subscales in Bayesian correlation analyses using R and JASP in a sample of 227 neurotypical, young participants from Denmark. The mean age was 27.71 (∼57% females). 176 participants fully completed all tests. We found that the total IO-Q score was weakly positively correlated to the total TDI score (r = 0.141, 95% CI = [-0.007;0.281]). The total TDI score was also weakly positively correlated to the aggravation subscale of the IO-Q (r = 0.117, 95% CI = [0.021; 0.210]), but less so to other subscales. This indicates that greater subjective olfactory importance is only weakly associated with greater measured olfactory function. As such, olfactory test scores may not provide the full picture of olfactory function.

Differences in mating preferences, strategies, and goals can lead to romantic relationship conflict. One method of addressing conflict is exploitation, which occurs when deception, manipulation, coercion, or force is used to obtain a resource that the exploited is reluctant to provide. Here we create and provide initial assessment of the Partner Exploitation Inventory, which measures the use of tactics to exploit a romantic partner. Participants (n=172) used an act nomination procedure to generate 62 exploitative acts that may be used against a romantic partner. Next, using a new group of participants (n=516), we grouped the acts into three components that represent different forms of partner exploitation: Harm-Inducing, Ego-Boosting, and Emotional Manipulation. Men reported greater use of Ego-Boosting and Harm-Inducing exploitation, and women reported greater use of Emotional Manipulation exploitation. Evidence for the validity of the Partner Exploitation Inventory was also found through positive associations with questionnaires measuring similar constructs. This study expands our knowledge of men's use of exploitation strategies and is the first study to directly investigate women's use of exploitation strategies. We also created a tool that can be used to examine exploitation in the future.

Countries worldwide have implemented measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, and it is vital to understand which factors influence compliance to these measures. This study investigated whether psychopathic traits predict adherence to containment measures imposed by the UK government. 156 university students (M_age=21 years) completed an online survey measuring psychopathic traits (the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure), demographic variables, and participants’ living situations, underlying health risks, contact with vulnerable people and fear of COVID-19. Hierarchical multiple regression indicated that higher psychopathic traits (particularly disinhibition) predicted lower adherence to containment measures when controlling for other variables. A mixed-model ANOVA analysing longitudinal data, collected during the second (n=156) and third (n=118) lockdowns, showed that this relationship was stable over time. Additionally, fear of COVID-19 predicted adherence and mediated the relationship between psychopathic traits and adherence. These findings highlight the relevance of psychopathic traits for understanding COVID-19-related behaviours, with implications for public health communication.

Background

Forming a habit - i.e., a cue-behaviour association learned through repeated performance - has been proposed to promote behaviour maintenance, but some commentators have questioned whether simple cue-behaviour associations can direct complex actions. This paper addresses this issue by drawing on a proposed distinction between 'habitual instigation', whereby habit automatically prompts the impulse to initiate an action episode, and 'habitual execution', whereby habit automates performance of sub-actions involved in that episode. Theory predicts that frequency should be determined by habitual instigation, but not habitual execution, irrespective of complexity. This study examined the influence of habitual instigation and execution on the frequency of four behaviours ranging in complexity.

Method

A sample of 173 participants, recruited via an online platform, completed questionnaire measures of perceived complexity, and instigation and execution habit, for four behaviours expected to vary in complexity (checking one's phone, drinking sugary drinks, using social media, using public transport). Of these, 118 participants self-reported behaviour frequency one week later. ANOVAs compared complexity perceptions across behaviours, and multivariate regressions modelled effects of instigation and execution habit on behaviour.

Results

Drinking sugary drinks was rated the simplest behaviour, followed by phone-checking, and using social media. Using public transport was rated most complex. Across behaviours, instigation-behaviour correlations tended to be stronger than execution-behaviour correlations, and instigation habit predicted behaviour but execution did not.

Conclusion

Instigation habit regulated performance frequency of simple and complex behaviours alike. While complexity may be an important consideration when developing new habits, it is less relevant to the relationship between established habits and behaviour. Interventions should promote instigation habits to maintain even complex behaviours.

This study examined sex differences in domain and facet scores on a new dark-side personality test (Hogan Development Survey: Form 5) measuring sub-clinical personality disorders. Over 50,000 adults completed the new HDS which assesses eleven dark-side traits and three facets of each. Comparing males and females on the 11 domains and 33 facets using t-tests and binary regressions we found that there were many significant differences on these scores, which replicated other studies. However, the Cohen's d statistic showed very few (5 out of 44) differences >0.20. The biggest difference was on Reserved (Schizoid) and few differences on Excitable (Borderline). Implications for researchers interested in assessment and selection are discussed along with limitations of the study.

Social threat requires fast adaptive reactions. One prominent threat-coping behavior present in both humans and other species is freezing, of which heart rate deceleration and reduced postural mobility are two key components. Previous studies mostly focused on freezing reactions in rodents, but now virtual reality offers unique possibilities for controlled and ecologically valid lab-based experiments in humans. This immersive virtual reality study examined how several understudied aspects of social threat, i.e., emotional body expressions, group affiliation, and physical distance from the potential threat, affect freezing behavior in humans. We hypothesized that freezing would be observed for approaching aggressive-looking virtual characters and for virtual characters situated in close proximity. Furthermore, we predicted an enhanced freezing response for approaching, aggressive outgroup members. As expected, reduced heart rate and postural mobility were observed in participants when they faced aggressive-looking and proximal virtual characters. Freezing was also observed for ingroup aggression, specifically when participants were embodied in a black-skinned virtual body and faced black-skinned aggressive and proximal virtual characters. Our results provide novel evidence on the social factors that elicit freezing behavior in humans. Importantly, this evidence is based on a highly ecological virtual reality paradigm that enables people to experience a threatening scenario “as if” it was actually happening to them.

The prediction that neuroticism (or emotional instability) will change the definition of an intelligence factor, or g, was tested in a large sample (N = 2,716) of British managers who completed both personality and intelligence measures. Specifically, we examine if the structure of mental abilities changes across levels of personality (with a focus on the neuroticism/adjustment dimension). The results demonstrate that, similar to a recent report, there is some evidence supporting the suggestion that intelligence scales inter-correlate higher for less adjusted individuals, but that the effect is not strong enough to impact intelligence and personality research.

An e-learning model is helpful to enhance online connectivity and learning. This study aims to propose and develop an efficient e-learning framework to strengthen the online learning environment. The single consumer has to play a part in an e-learning system. There is a user-friendly interface for the proposed model. Architecture classifies into various categories. The work shows different parts of a successive model of e-learning and even each section's working process. This model and the structure can take all types of students into account. Since it is possible, there is a solution to this if the system grows using this method. Therefore, for teachers, it would be helpful too. The e-learning model facilitates self-learning for learners. Via this method, teachers can also do any operation. Using this form of system, they can also learn computer abilities and upgrade interactive skills.

Objective

Previous findings suggest that exposure to social stress in the form of abusive supervision may increase the risk of anxiety disorders. In the present study, we examined the link between abusive supervision, the CRHR1 genotype and anxiety.

Methods

The data was collected through a national survey drawn from the National Central Employee Register by Statistics Norway. A total of 1225 individuals returned both the questionnaire and the saliva kit. Abusive supervision was assessed with 5 items from the Tepper's “Abusive Supervision Scale”. Anxiety was measured by 5 items of the “Hopkins Symptom checklist”. Genotyping with regard to CRHR1 rs7209436 C/T, rs110402 G/A and rs242924 G/T was carried out using Taqman assay, and Phase v.2.1.1 was used to define the CRHR1 haplotype TAT versus CGG.

Results

The analyses revealed that abusive supervision was associated with anxiety. In particular, we observed a strong effect of abusive supervision on anxiety in female TAT/TAT carriers (p = 0.000). Moreover, using TAT/TAT as a reference, TAT/CGG and CGG/CGG both showed protective effects (p = 0.015, p = 0.001, respectively). Thus, the association between abusive supervision and anxiety was strong among female TAT/TAT carriers was stronger than among female TAT/CGG and female CGG/CGG carriers. No such gene-environment interaction was seen in men.

Conclusion

Our data demonstrated that the CRHR1 TAT haplotype may exacerbate, whereas the CRHR1 CGG haplotype may reduce, the effect of abusive supervision on anxiety in female employees. Hence, the present study supports the theory that both gender and the CRHR1 genotype, moderate the responses to social stressors.