bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Equivalence Tests: A Practical Primer for t-Tests, Correlations, and Meta-Analyses
Authors: Lakens Daniel
Published: July 2018

Scientists should be able to provide support for the absence of a meaningful effect. Currently researchers often incorrectly conclude an effect is absent based a non-significant result. A widely recommended approach within a Frequentist framework is to test for equivalence. In equivalence tests, such as the Two One-Sided Tests (TOST) procedure discussed in this article, an upper and lower equivalence bound is specified based on the smallest effect size of interest. The TOST procedure can be used to statistically reject the presence of effects large enough to be considered worthwhile. This practical primer with accompanying spreadsheet and R package enables psychologists to easily perform equivalence tests (and power analyses) by setting equivalence bounds based on standardized effect sizes, and provides recommendations to pre-specify equivalence bounds. Extending your statistical toolkit with equivalence tests might very well be the easiest way for psychologists to improve their statistical and theoretical inferences.
Preprint: Human Understanding of Robot Motion: The Role of Velocity and Orientation
Authors: Papenmeier Frank , Uhrig Meike , Kirsch Alexandra
Published: July 2018

A general problem in human-robot interaction is how to test the quality of single robot behavior, in order to develop robust and human-acceptable skills. The most typical approach are user tests with subjective measures (questionnaires). We propose a new experimental paradigm that combines subjective measures with an objective behavioral measure, namely viewing times of images viewed as self-paced slide show. We applied this paradigm to human-aware robot navigation. With three experiments, we studied the influence of two aspects of humans' understanding of robot motion: velocity profiles and the robot's orientation. A decreasing velocity profile impaired observers' comprehension of observed motion, and robot orientations diverting from the robot's motion vector caused reduced perceived autonomy ratings. We conclude that the viewing time paradigm is a promising tool for studying human-aware robot behavior and that the design of human-aware robot navigation needs to consider both the velocity and the orientation of robots.
Moderators of the Relationship between Implicit and Explicit Evaluation
Authors: Nosek Brian A.
Published: July 2018

Automatic and controlled modes of evaluation sometimes provide conflicting reports of the quality of social objects. This paper presents evidence for four moderators of the relationship between automatic (implicit) and controlled (explicit) preferences. Implicit and explicit preferences were measured for a variety of object pairs (O=57) using a large sample. Results of multilevel modeling analyses suggested that: (a) implicit and explicit preferences are related, (b) the relationship varies as a function of the objects assessed, and (c) at least four variables moderate the relationship – self presentation, evaluative strength, dimensionality, and distinctiveness. The variables moderated implicit-explicit correspondence across individuals and accounted for much of the observed variation across content domains. The resulting model of the relationship between automatic and controlled evaluative processes is grounded in personal experience with the targets of evaluation.
The Morphed Photographic Figure Scale: Creation and validation of a novel set of realistic female body stimuli
Authors: Skinner Andy , Bould Helen , Andy  , Etchells Peter James , Penton-Voak Ian , Clark Andrew , harmer catherine , park rebecca , Broome Matthew , Munafo Marcus Robert
Published: July 2018

Research exploring how people with eating disorders or obesity perceive their bodies, and interventions targeting this rely on high quality figural rating scales. We present data on a new figural scale, the Morphed Photographic Figure Scale (MPFS). It comprises eight sequences of photographic quality images of female bodies varying from underweight to overweight. Each sequence is centred on a veridical photographic image of a female body, and we used image morphing techniques to produce a number of increasingly overweight and increasingly underweight versions of the same body. Morphing provides body images with highly realistic representations of changes in adiposity and muscle tone, and enables manipulation of body weight without introducing idiosyncratic variations in anthropomorphic features, which could impact judgments of physical appearance in unpredictable ways. All images were rated in an online study (n = 377) as underweight, overweight or neither. Within each sequence, rating data showed a clear rank ordering from underweight to overweight. Overweight participants were more likely to rate images as underweight, and less likely to rate them as overweight. Participants with a high level of concern about their own weight (measured using the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire) were more likely to rate images as overweight. We anticipate the MPFS will have application in a range of research domains, including assessment of body image disturbances, and the design of new interventions targeting body image.
Lexical prediction in language comprehension: a replication study of grammatical gender effects in Dutch
Authors: Kochari Arnold , Flecken Monique
Published: July 2018

[This is a postprint/accepted version of the manuscript. It is now published: https://doi.org/10.1080/23273798.2018.1524500 . Please cite the published version.] An important question in predictive language processing is the extent to which prediction effects can reliably be measured on pre-nominal material (e.g., articles before nouns). Here, we present a large sample (N=58) close replication of a study by Otten and van Berkum [2009, Does working memory capacity affect the ability to predict upcoming words in discourse? Brain Research, 1291, 92–101. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.07.042]. They report ERP modulations in relation to the predictability of nouns in sentences, measured on gender-marked Dutch articles. We used nearly identical materials, procedures, and data analysis steps. We fail to replicate the original effect, but do observe a pattern consistent with the original data. Methodological differences between our replication and the original study that could potentially have contribute to the diverging results are discussed. In addition, we discuss the suitability of Dutch gender-marked determiners as a test-case for future studies of pre-activation of lexical items.
Justify Your Alpha
Authors: Lakens Daniel , Adolfi Federico G , Albers Casper J , Anvari Farid , Apps Matthew A J , Argamon Shlomo Engelson , van Assen Marcel A. L. M. , Baguley Thom , Becker Raymond B , Benning Stephen D , Bradford Daniel E. , Buchanan Erin Michelle , Caldwell Aaron R , van Calster Ben , Carlsson Rickard , Chen Sau-Chin , Chung Bryan , Colling Lincoln J , Collins Gary , Crook Zander , Cross Emily S. , Daniels Sameera , Danielsson Henrik , DeBruine Lisa Marie , Dunleavy Daniel J. , Earp Brian D. , feist michele , Ferrell Jason D. , Field James G. , Fox Nicholas William , Friesen Amanda , Gomes Caio , Grange James A. , Grieve Andrew , Guggenberger Robert , Van Harmelen Anne-Laura , Hasselman Fred , Hochard Kevin Dionisio , Hoffarth Mark Romeo , Holmes Nicholas Paul , Ingre Michael , Isager Peder Mortvedt , Isotalus Hanna , Johansson Christer , Juszczyk Konrad , Kenny David A. , Khalil Ahmed , Konat Barbara , Lao Junpeng , Larsen Erik Gahner , Lodder Gerine M. A. , Lukavsky Jiri , Madan Christopher R , Manheim David , Gonzalez-Marquez Monica , Martin Stephen Ross , Martin Andrea E. , Mayo Deborah , McCarthy Randy J. , McConway Kevin James , McFarland Colin , Nilsonne Gustav , Nio Amanda Q X , Lino de Oliveira Cilene , Parsons Sam , Pfuhl Gerit , Quinn Kimberly A , Sakon John , Saribay Selahattin Adil , Schneider Iris K. , Selvaraju Manojkumar , Sjoerds Zsuzsika , Smith Samuel , Smits Tim , Spies Jeffrey Robert , Sreekumar Vishnu , Steltenpohl Crystal Nicole , Stenhouse Neil , Świątkowski Wojciech , Vadillo Miguel A. , Williams Matt N , Williams Samantha Erin , Williams Donald Ray , Orban de Xivry Jean-Jacques , Yarkoni Tal , Ziano Ignazio , Zwaan Rolf Antonius
Published: July 2018

In response to recommendations to redefine statistical significance to p ≤ .005, we propose that researchers should transparently report and justify all choices they make when designing a study, including the alpha level.
Why distractors with need-supportive content can mitigate ironic effects of thought suppression
Authors: Wang Deming , Hagger Martin S , Chatzisarantis Nikos
Published: July 2018

Thought suppression is a self-regulatory strategy commonly used to avoid unwanted thoughts although it can ironically make unwanted thoughts more intrusive and accessible. To reduce these ironic effects, it is important to explore mechanisms underlying effective suppression. The present study recruited 126 undergraduate students and examined the influence of distractor content on suppression outcomes by examining perceived satisfaction and immersion of distractors as mechanisms of effective suppression. Based on self-determination theory, we proposed that distractors associated with the satisfaction of the psychological need for autonomy would mitigate ironic effects of thought suppression because they would be perceived as satisfying and immersive. Results showed that need-supportive distractors reduced intrusion frequency because they were indeed perceived as more satisfying. Our findings also point towards the unique satisfying properties of distractors involving psychological need satisfaction because effects of single, pleasant and personally relevant distractors have been controlled for. Findings are discussed using Wegner’s (1994) theories of thought suppression and principles of self-determination theory.
The promise of two-person neuroscience for developmental psychiatry: Using interaction-based sociometrics to identify disorders of social interaction
Authors: Leong Victoria , Schilbach Leonhard
Published: July 2018

Social interactions are fundamental for human development, and disordered social interactions are pervasive in many psychiatric disorders. Recent advances in “two-person neuroscience” have provided new tools for characterising social interactions. Accordingly, interaction-based ‘sociometrics’ hold great promise for developmental psychology and psychiatry, particularly in the early identification of social disorders.
The dark side of Eureka: Artificially induced Aha moments make facts feel true
Authors: Laukkonen Ruben , Kaveladze Benjamin , Tangen Jason Marcus , Schooler Jonathan
Published: July 2018

Some ideas that we have feel mundane, but others are imbued with a sense of profundity. We propose that Aha! moments make an idea feel more true or valuable in order to aid quick and efficient decision-making, akin to a heuristic. To demonstrate where the heuristic may incur errors, we hypothesized that facts would appear more true if they were artificially accompanied by an Aha! moment elicited using an anagram task. In a preregistered experiment, we found that participants (n = 300) provided higher truth ratings for statements accompanied by solved anagrams even if the facts were false, and the effect was particularly pronounced when participants reported an Aha! experience (d = .629). Recent work suggests that feelings of insight usually accompany correct ideas. However, here we show that feelings of insight can be overgeneralized and bias how true an idea or fact appears, simply if it occurs in the temporal ‘neighbourhood’ of an Aha! moment. We raise the possibility that feelings of insight, epiphanies, and Aha! moments have a dark side, and discuss some circumstances where they may even inspire false beliefs and delusions, with potential clinical importance.
Deep analogical inference as the origin of hypotheses
Authors: Blokpoel Mark , Wareham Todd , Haselager Pim , Toni Ivan , van Rooij Iris
Published: July 2018

The ability to generate novel hypotheses is an important problem solving capacity of humans. This ability is vital for making sense of the complex and unfamiliar world we live in. Often, this capacity is characterized as an inference to the best explanation—selecting the ‘best’ explanation from a given set of candidate hypotheses. However, it remains unclear where these candidate hypotheses originate from. In this paper we contribute to computationally explaining these origins by providing the contours of the computational problem solved when humans generate hypotheses. The origin of hypotheses, otherwise known as abduction proper, is hallmarked by seven properties: (1) isotropy, (2) open-endedness, (3) novelty, (4) groundedness, (5) sensibility, (6) psychological realism and (7) computational tractability. In this paper we provide a computational-level model of abduction proper that unifies the first six of these properties and lays the ground work for the seventh property computational tractability. We conjecture that abduction proper is best seen as a process of deep analogical inference.
A Bayesian Model-Averaged Meta-Analysis of the Power Pose Effect with Informed and Default Priors: The Case of Felt Power
Authors: Gronau Quentin Frederik , van Erp Sara , Heck Daniel W. , Cesario Joseph , Jonas Kai , Wagenmakers Eric-Jan
Published: July 2018

Carney, Cuddy, and Yap (2010) found that --compared to participants who adopted constrictive body postures-- participants who adopted expansive body postures reported feeling more powerful, showed an increase in testosterone and a decrease in cortisol, and displayed an increased tolerance for risk. However, these power pose effects have recently come under considerable scrutiny. Here we present a Bayesian meta-analysis of six preregistered studies from this special issue, focusing on the effect of power posing on felt power. Our analysis improves on standard classical meta-analyses in several ways. First and foremost, we considered only preregistered studies, eliminating concerns about publication bias. Second, the Bayesian approach enables us to quantify evidence for both the alternative and the null hypothesis. Third, we use Bayesian model-averaging to account for the uncertainty with respect to the choice for a fixed-effect model or a random-effect model. Fourth, based on a literature review we obtained an empirically informed prior distribution for the between-study heterogeneity of effect sizes. This empirically informed prior can serve as a default choice not only for the investigation of the power pose effect, but for effects in the field of psychology more generally. For effect size, we considered a default and an informed prior. Our meta-analysis yields very strong evidence for an effect of power posing on felt power. However, when the analysis is restricted to participants unfamiliar with the effect, the meta-analysis yields evidence that is only moderate.
Structure in talker variability: How much is there and how much can it help?
Authors: Kleinschmidt Dave F
Published: July 2018

One of the persistent puzzles in understanding human speech perception is how listeners cope with talker variability. One thing that might help listeners is structure in talker variability: rather than varying randomly, talkers of the same gender, dialect, age, etc. tend to produce language in similar ways. Sociolinguistic research has shown that listeners are sensitive to this covariation between linguistic variation and socio-indexical variables. In this paper I present new techniques based on ideal observer models to quantify 1) the amount and type of structure in talker variation, and 2) how useful such structure can be for robust speech recognition in the face of talker variability. I demonstrate these techniques in two phonetic domains---word-initial stop voicing and vowel identity---and show that these domains have different amounts and types of talker variability, consistent with previous, impressionistic findings. An `R` package accompanies this paper, enabling researchers to apply these techniques to their own data.
Measurement and Research Using the Big Five, HEXACO, and Narrow Traits: A Primer for Researchers and Practitioners
Authors: Anglim Jeromy , O'Connor Peter
Published: July 2018

Objective. Personality traits influence human behaviour across a broad range of situations and are consequently relevant to many theoretical and applied disciplines. In this perspective piece, we provide an overview of the logic underpinning personality measurement and review major personality taxonomies. We provide an extensive set of recommendations for researchers and practitioners on when and how to use measures of personality traits. Method. We overview a range of taxonomic representations of personality structure focusing particularly on hierarchical representations and five and six factor models such as the Big Five and HEXACO models. We review the various strengths and weaknesses of each approach. Results. The review outlines the major reasons for the dominance of the Big Five model, and suggests it is a good descriptive framework for studying personality in general. However we suggest that researchers and practitioners also consider alternative taxonomic personality representations such as the HEXACO. We provide a range of scenarios whereby alternative frameworks will be more appropriate than the Big Five and offer recommendations both for choosing measures in general and for implementing studies examining personality facets. Conclusions. Whilst the Big Five represents an excellent general personality framework that is appropriate across multiple situations, researchers and practitioners should be aware of alternative measures and utilise them where appropriate.
Selective attention and recognition: Effects of congruency on episodic learning
Authors: Rosner Tamara M , D'Angelo Maria C. , MacLellan Ellen , Milliken Bruce
Published: July 2018

AbstractRecent research on cognitive control has focused on the learning consequences of high selective attention demands in selective attention tasks (e.g., Botvinick, 2007; Verguts & Notebaert, 2008). The current study extends these ideas by examining the influence of selective attention demands on remembering. In Experiment 1, participants read aloud the red word in a pair of red and green spatially interleaved words. Half of the items were congruent (the interleaved words had the same identity), and the other half were incongruent (the interleaved words had different identities). Following the naming phase, participants completed a surprise recognition memory test. In this test phase, recognition memory was better for incongruent than for congruent items. In Experiment 2, context was only partially reinstated at test, and again recognition memory was better for incongruent than for congruent items. In Experiment 3, all of the items contained two different words, but in one condition the words were presented close together and interleaved, while in the other condition the two words were spatially separated. Recognition memory was better for the interleaved than for the separated items. This result rules out an interpretation of the congruency effects on recognition in Experiments 1 and 2 that hinges on stronger relational encoding for items that have two different words. Together, the results support the view that selective attention demands for incongruent items lead to encoding that improves recognition.
Do Emotions Play an Essential Role in Moral Judgments?
Authors: McAuliffe William H.B.
Published: July 2018

The past few decades of moral psychology research have yielded empirical anomalies forrationalist theories of moral judgments. An increasing number of psychologists and philosophersargue that these anomalies are explained well by sentimentalism, the thesis that the presence ofan emotion is necessary for the formation of a sincere moral judgment. The present reviewreveals that while emotions and moral judgments indeed often co-occur, there is scant evidencethat emotions directly cause or constitute moral judgments. Research on disgust, anger,sympathy, and guilt indicates that people only reliably experience emotions when judgingconduct that is relevant to the welfare of the self and valued others. Moreover, many recentstudies have either failed to replicate or exposed crucial confounds in the most cited evidence insupport of sentimentalism. Moral psychologists should jettison sentimentalism, and focus insteadon how considerations of harm and welfare—the core concepts of rationalist theories— interactwith empirical beliefs to shape moral judgments.
Improving Social and Behavioral Science By Making Replication Mainstream: A Response to Commentaries
Authors: Zwaan Rolf Antonius , Etz Alexander , Lucas Richard E. , Donnellan Brent
Published: July 2018

The commentaries on our target article are insightful and constructive. There were some critical notes, but many commentaries agreed with, or even amplified our message. The first section of our response addresses comments pertaining to specific parts of the target article. The second section provides a response to the commentaries' suggestions to make replication mainstream. The final section contains concluding remarks.
Toward a Radically Embodied Neuroscience of Attachment and Relationships?
Authors: Beckes Lane , IJzerman Hans
Published: July 2018

Attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969/1982) posits the existence of internal working models as a foundational feature of human bonds. Radical embodied approaches instead suggest that cognition requires no computation or representation, favoring a cognition situated in a body in an environmental context with affordances for action (Barrett, 2011; Chemero, 2009; Wilson & Golonka, 2013). We explore whether embodied approaches to social soothing, interpersonal warmth, separation distress, and support seeking could replace representational constructs such as internal working models with a view of relationship cognition anchored in the resources afforded to the individual by their brain, body, and environment in interaction.We review the neurobiological bases for social attachments and relationships and attempt to delineate how these systems overlap or don’t with more basic physiological systems in ways that support or contradict a radical embodied explanation. We suggest that many effects might be the result of the fact that relationship cognition depends on and emerges out of the action of neural systems that regulate several clearly physically grounded systems. For example, the neuropeptide oxytocin appears to be central to attachment and pair-bond behavior (Carter & Keverne, 2002) and is implicated in social thermoregulation more broadly, being necessary for maintaining a warm body temperature as has been discovered in rats (Kasahara et al., 2007) and humans (Beck et al., 1979).Finally, we discuss the most challenging issues around taking a radically embodied perspective on social relationships. We find the most crucial challenge in individual differences in support seeking and responses to social contact, which have long been thought to be a function of representational structures in the mind (e.g., Baldwin, 1995). Together we entertain the thought to explain such individual differences without mediating representations or computations.This paper was published in Frontiers:Beckes, L., IJzerman, H., & Tops, M. (2015). Toward a radically embodied neuroscience of attachment and relationships. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 9.
No evidence for morphometric associations of the amygdala and hippocampus with the five-factor model personality traits
Authors: Gray Joshua , Owens Max Michael , Hyatt Courtland , Miller Josh
Published: July 2018

Despite the important functional role of the amygdala and hippocampus in socioemotional functioning, there have been limited adequately powered studies testing how the structure of these regions relates to putatively relevant personality traits such as neuroticism. Additionally, recent advances in MRI analysis methods provide unprecedented accuracy in measuring these structures and enable segmentation into their substructures. Using the new FreeSurfer amygdala and hippocampus segmentation pipelines with the full Human Connectome Project sample (N = 1105), the current study investigated whether the morphometry of these structures is associated with the five-factor model (FFM) personality traits in a sample of relatively healthy young adults. Drawing from prior findings, the following hypotheses were tested: 1) amygdala and hippocampus gray matter volume would be associated with neuroticism, 2) CA2/3 and dentate gyrus would account for the relationship of the hippocampus with neuroticism, and 3) amygdala gray matter volume would be inversely associated with extraversion. Exploratory analyses were conducted investigating potential associations between all of the FFM traits and the structure of the hippocampus and amygdala and their subregions. Despite some previous positive findings of whole amygdala and hippocampus with personality traits and related psychopathology (e.g., depression), the current results indicated no relationships between the any of the brain regions and the FFM personality traits. Given the large sample and utilization of sophisticated analytic methodology, the current study suggests no association of amygdala and hippocampus morphometry with major domains of personality.
Speed Considerations Can Be of Little Concern When Outsourcing Thought to External Devices
Authors: Weis Patrick P. , Wiese Eva
Published: July 2018

Most research on human cognition has focused on processes “inside the box”. Recently, researchers questioned this monopoly, promoting the relevance of cognitive processing “outside the box”, for in-stance, when using a GPS to navigate. For processing that is distributed between internal and external resources to work efficiently, humans need good heuristics that help them decide when to use which resource. A novel human-computer-interaction paradigm was employed to explore whether people follow the “minimal memory” heuristic and offload cognitive processing onto external resources whenever possible or the “soft constraint” heuristic and offload cognitive processing only if it is associated with an overall higher speed than internal processing. Participants, despite lower speed, nearly exclusively cognized outside the box, which contradicts the soft constraint heuristic and mostly supports the minimal memory heuristic. Implications for human-technology interaction as well as alternative heuristics relevant for cognitive offloading are discussed.
A Tutorial on Bayes Factor Design Analysis Using an Informed Prior
Authors: Stefan Angelika Marlene , Gronau Quentin Frederik , Schönbrodt Felix D. , Wagenmakers Eric-Jan
Published: July 2018

Well-designed experiments are likely to yield compelling evidence with efficient sample sizes. Bayes Factor Design Analysis (BFDA) is a recently developed methodology that allows researchers to balance the informativeness and eﬃciency of their experiment (Schönbrodt & Wagenmakers, 2017). With BFDA, researchers can control the rate of misleading evidence but, in addition, they can plan for a target strength of evidence. BFDA can be applied to ﬁxed-N and sequential designs. In this tutorial paper, we provide a tutorial-style introduction to BFDA and generalize the method to informed prior distributions. We also present a user-friendly web-based BFDA application that allows researchers to conduct BFDAs with ease. Two practical examples highlight how researchers can use a BFDA to plan for informative and eﬃcient research designs.
The effects of winning and losing on perceived group variability.
Authors: Rubin Mark
Published: July 2018

Previous research has shown that the people in low status, negatively-valued groups are perceived to be more homogeneous than the people in high status, positively-valued groups. The present research investigated the possibility of an opposite effect in which people perceive positive groups to be more homogeneous than negative groups. The researchers hypothesized that winning groups would be perceived to be more homogenous than losing groups because group homogeneity is associated with group cohesiveness, and group cohesiveness has a positive value in the context of an intergroup competition. In a first experiment (N = 175), target groups varied according to their objective group variability and whether they won or lost a competition. As predicted, winning groups were perceived to be significantly more homogenous than losing groups regardless of their objective variability. In a second experiment (N = 186), these effects were replicated using different social groups, and the effect of group performance on homogeneity judgements was mediated by perceptions of group cohesiveness.
Self-Regulated Studying Behavior, and the Social Norms that Influence It
Authors: Eyink Julie Rose , Motz Benjamin , Heltzel Gordon , Liddell Torrin
Published: July 2018

Teachers use injunctive norms when telling students what they should be doing. But researchers find that sometimes descriptive norms, information about what others are doing, more powerfully influence behavior. Currently, we examine which norm is more effective at increasing self-regulated studying and performance in an online college course. We found injunctive norms increased study behaviors aimed at fulfilling course requirements (completion of assigned activities), but did not improve learning outcomes. Descriptive norms increased behaviors aimed at improving knowledge (ungraded practice with activities after they were due), and improved performance. These results imply norms have a stronger influence over behavior when there is a match between the goal of the behavior (fulfilling course requirements vs. learning goals) and the pull of a stated norm (social approval vs. efficacy). Because the goal of education is learning, this suggests descriptive norms have a greater value for motivating self-regulated study in authentic learning environments.
A Theory of Social Thermoregulation in Human Primates
Authors: IJzerman Hans , Coan James Arthur , Wagemans Fieke Maria Antoinet , Missler Marjolein , van Beest Ilja , Lindenberg Siegwart
Published: July 2018

Beyond breathing, the regulation of body temperature—thermoregulation—is one of the most pressing concerns for many animals. A dysregulated body temperature has dire consequences for survival and development. Despite the high frequency of social thermoregulation occurring across many species, little is known about the role of social thermoregulation in human (social) psychological functioning. We outline a theory of social thermoregulation and reconsider earlier research on people’s expectations of their social world (i.e., attachment) and their prediction of the social world. We provide support and outline a research agenda that includes consequences for individual variation in self-regulatory strategies and capabilities. In our paper, we discuss physiological, neural, and social processes surrounding thermoregulation. Emphasizing social thermoregulation in particular, we appeal to the economy of action principle and the hierarchical organization of human thermoregulatory systems. We close with future directions of a crucial aspect of human functioning: The social regulation of body temperature.This paper was published in Frontiers:IJzerman, H., Coan, J. A., Wagemans, F. M., Missler, M. A., van Beest, I., Lindenberg, S., & Tops, M. (2015). A theory of social thermoregulation in human primates. Frontiers in psychology, 6.
Neuroanatomical correlates of forgiving unintentional harms
Authors: Patil Indrajeet , Calo Marta , fFornasier Federico , Young Liane , Silani Giorgia
Published: July 2018

Mature moral judgments rely on the consideration of the perpetrator’s mental state as well as the harmfulness of the outcomes produced. Prior work has focused primarily on the functional correlates of how intent information is neurally represented for moral judgments, but few studies have investigated whether individual differences in neuroanatomy can also explain variation in moral judgments. In the current study, we conducted voxel-based morphometry analyses combined with functional magnetic resonance imaging to address this question. We found that local grey matter volume in left anterior superior temporal sulcus, a region in the functionally defined theory of mind or mentalizing network, was associated with the degree to which participants relied on information about innocent intentions to forgive accidental harms. Our findings provide further support for the key role of mentalizing in the forgiveness of accidental harms and contribute preliminary evidence for the neuroanatomical basis of individual differences in moral judgments.
A Multi-Method Multi-Trait Test of the Dual-Attitude Perspective
Authors: Bar-Anan Yoav , Vianello Michelangelo
Published: July 2018

The dual-attitude perspective posits that it is useful for research and theory to assume two distinct constructs: explicit and implicit attitudes (or automatic and deliberate evaluation). Much evidence supports this perspective but some important tests are missing, casting doubts on studies that relied on the perspective for inference. We used a multi-method multi-trait design to extensively test the validity of the dual perspective. The dataset (N = 24,015) included measurements of attitudes in three domains (race, politics, the self) with seven indirect measures, and at least three self-report measures for each attitude domain. The dual-attitude model fit the data better than a single-attitude model. Six of the seven indirect measures were related to the implicit construct more than to the explicit construct. The evidence supports the dual-attitude perspective, bolsters the validation of six indirect measures, and clears doubts from countless previous studies that used only one indirect measure to draw conclusions about implicit attitudes.
Validity of the Salience Asymmetry Interpretation of the IAT: Comment on Rothermund and Wentura (2004)
Authors: Greenwald Anthony G. , Nosek Brian A. , Banaji Mahzarin R. , Klauer Karl Christoph
Published: July 2018

The Implicit Association Test (IAT) requires responding to category contrasts such as young vs. old, male vs. female, and pleasant vs. unpleasant. In introducing the IAT, A. G. Greenwald, D. E. McGhee, and J. L. K. Schwartz (1998) proposed that IAT measures reflect mental structures involving the nominal features of the IAT’s categories (e.g., age features for young vs. old; gender features for male vs. female; valence features for pleasant vs. unpleasant). In contrast, K. Rothermund and D. Wentura (2004) proposed that IAT performance is dominated by salience asymmetries of the IAT’s pairs of contrasted categories. To assess relative contributions of nominal feature contrasts vs. salience asymmetries we (a) briefly summarize the extensive evidence now available to support construct validity of the IAT as a measure based on nominal category features and (b) present two new experiments that yielded results problematic for the salience asymmetry interpretation.
Symbolic numerical distance effect does not follow the values of the numbers
Authors: Krajcsi Attila , Kojouharova Petia
Published: July 2018

In a comparison task, the larger the distance between the two numbers to be compared, the better the performance, a phenomenon termed the numerical distance effect. According to the dominant explanation, the distance effect is rooted in a noisy representation, and performance is proportional to the size of the overlap between the noisy representations of the two values. According to alternative explanations, the distance effect may be rooted in the association between the numbers and the small-large categories, and performance is better when the numbers show relatively high differences in their strength of association with the small-large properties. In everyday number use the value of the numbers and the association between the numbers and the small-large categories strongly correlate, thus, the two explanations have the same predictions for the distance effect. To dissociate the two potential sources of the distance effect, in the present study participants learned new artificial number digits between 1 and 3, and between 7 and 9, thus, leaving out the numbers between 4 and 6. It was found that the omitted number range (the distance between 3 and 7) was considered in the distance effect as 1, and not as 4, suggesting that the distance effect does not follow the values of the numbers predicted by the dominant explanation, but it follows the small-large property association predicted by the alternative explanations.
Predicting Ideological Prejudice: A Pre-Registered Replication of Brandt (2017)
Authors: Brandt Mark John
Published: July 2018

Brandt (2017) demonstrated that a simple model using the perceived ideology of a target group can predict the size and direction of the association between political ideology and prejudice. A meta-analysis of four studies showed that this simple ideology only model performs better than a null model and models using the perceived conventionalism, status, and choice of being a member of the target groups. This report describes a preregistered replication which uses data from the American National Election Study’s 2016 Time Series (N = 2616), archival data that was only made available after the study was preregistered. The findings of Brandt (2017) were replicated and the meta-analysis reported in Brandt (2017) is updated with these new data.
Addressing evidential and theoretical inconsistencies in system justification theory with a social identity model of system attitudes
Authors: Owuamalam Chuma Kevin , Rubin Mark , Spears Russell
Published: July 2018

System justification theory (SJT; Jost & Banaji, 1994) proposes that people have an inherent motive to support societal systems, even at the expense of their personal and group interests. However, the evidence for this system justification motive is mixed, and a close examination of the relevant propositions yields some important theoretical inconsistencies. To address this mixed evidence and theoretical inconsistency, we introduce a social identity model of system attitudes (SIMSA). SIMSA integrates a cluster of different social identity processes and proposes that system justification can occur among members of low-status groups (a) due to a passive reflection of social reality, (b) as a form of ingroup bias (at the superordinate level), and (c) in the hope that ingroup advancement is possible in the future within the prevailing system. It is concluded that SIMSA provides a more comprehensive and theoretically-consistent explanation of system justification than SJT.
Reputational and cooperative benefits of third-party compensation
Authors: Patil Indrajeet , Dhaliwal Nathan , Cushman Fiery Andrews
Published: July 2018

Sometimes people intervene in others’ conflicts—so called “third-party responding”. In some cases, third parties punish perpetrators; in others, they aid victims. Across 22 studies (N > 20,000), we provide a comprehensive examination of the consequences of this choice between punishment and compensation. What do people infer from, and how do they respond to, the choice of punishment versus compensation? We find that compensating victims leads to greater reputational and cooperative benefits than punishing perpetrators. In fact, even people who themselves prefer to punish still prefer social partners who compensate. We also find that the signal that is sent via third-party compensating may be an honest signal of trustworthiness. Furthermore, we find that people accurately anticipate that observers would prefer them to compensate victims than to punish perpetrators and that participants personal decisions about whether to compensate or punish is based in part on the belief that the social norm is to compensate. These findings provide an extensive analysis of the causes and consequences of third-party responding to moral violations.
Positive experiences of high arousal martial arts rituals are linked to identity fusion bonds and costly progroup actions.
Authors: Kavanagh Christopher Michael , Jong Jonathan , McKay Ryan , Whitehouse Harvey
Published: July 2018

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 605 practitioners of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) to test hypothesis that high arousal rituals promote social cohesion, primarily through identity fusion bonds. BJJ promotion rituals are rare, highly emotional ritual events that often feature gruelling belt whipping gauntlets. We used the variation in such experiences to examine whether more gruelling rituals were associated with more social cohesion and progroup behaviour. We found no differences between those who had undergone belt-whipping and those who had not and no evidence of a correlation between pain and social cohesion. However, across the full sample we found that positive, but not negative, experiences of promotional rituals were associated with identity fusion bonds and that this mediated progroup action. These findings provide new evidence concerning the social functions of collective rituals and demonstrate the importance of addressing the potentially diverging subjective experiences of painful rituals.
Conference report: 9th Annual NeuroMusic Conference, Modeling the Musical Experience
Authors: Kragness Haley Elisabeth
Published: July 2018

The 9th Annual NeuroMusic Conference brought over 130 researchers and students to Hamilton, Ontario to discuss the theme “Modeling the Musical Experience.” The conference, which took place on November 30, 2013 at McMaster University, included three speakers, Dr. Edward Large (University of Connecticut), Dr. Stephen McAdams (McGill University), and Dr. Peter Keller (University of Western Sydney). The day also included a poster session, a tour of the new Large Interactive Virtual Environment (LIVE) Lab, and an integrative keynote lecture and concert. Dr. Peter Pfordresher (University at Buffalo) gave the keynote lecture accompanied by performers Leslie Fagan, Dr. Andrea Halpern, and the McMaster University Chamber Choir. Among the topics discussed were the neurodynamics of tonality perception, theory of orchestration, interpersonal synchrony, and poor-pitch singing. This report provides a brief summary of each talk and the LIVE Lab tour, as well as the evening’s performances.
A Systematic Study of Microdosing Psychedelics
Authors: Polito Vince , stevenson Dick
Published: July 2018

The phenomenon of ‘microdosing’, that is, regular ingestion of very small quantities of psychedelic substances, has seen a rapid explosion of popularity in recent years. Individuals who microdose report minimal acute effects from these substances yet claim a range of long-term general health and wellbeing benefits. There have been no published empirical studies of microdosing and the current legal and bureaucratic climate makes direct empirical investigation of the effects of psychedelics difficult. In Study One we conducted a systematic, observational investigation of individuals who microdose. We tracked the experiences of 98 microdosing participants, who provided daily ratings of psychological functioning over a six week period. 63 of these additionally completed a battery of psychometric measures tapping mood, attention, wellbeing, mystical experiences, personality, creativity, and sense of agency, at baseline and at completion of the study. Analyses of daily ratings revealed a general increase in reported psychological functioning across all measures on dosing days but limited evidence of residual effects on following days. Analyses of pre and post study measures revealed reductions in reported levels of depression and stress; lower levels of distractibility; increased absorption; and increased neuroticism. To better understand these findings, in Study Two we investigated pre-existing beliefs and expectations about the effects of microdosing in a sample of 263 naïve and experienced microdosers, so as to gauge expectancy bias. All participants believed that microdosing would have large and wide-ranging benefits in contrast to the limited outcomes reported by actual microdosers. Notably, the effects believed most likely to change were unrelated to the observed pattern of reported outcomes. The current results suggest that dose controlled empirical research on the impacts of microdosing on mental health and attentional capabilities are needed.
Brief Report: Making Experience Personal: Internal States Language in the Memory Narratives of Children with and Without Asperger’s Disorder
Authors: Brown Benjamin T. , Morris Gwynn , Nida Robert E. , Baker-Ward Lynne
Published: July 2018

The development of the personal past is complex, requiring the operation of multiple components of cognitive and social functioning. Because many of these components are affected by autism spectrum disorders, it is likely that autobiographical memory in children with Asperger’s Disorder (AD) will be impaired. We predicted that the memory narratives of children with AD, in comparison to typically-developing peers, would reflect less personal interpretation as evidenced by internal states language. Thirty children with AD and 20 typically-developing children aged 6–14 reported their earliest memories and two emotional experiences (one positive and one negative). Consistent with our predictions, children with AD included fewer emotional, cognitive, and perceptual terms than the comparison sample.
Political psychology of Indonesian political figure: A case study of a political entrepreneur who is not hesitant in paving a new way
Authors: Abraham Juneman , Prayoga Tommy , Takwin Bagus
Published: July 2018

An understanding of the personal history of political figures and a disclosure of the social motives behind the public action of a political figure are essential to improve the quality of the citizen’s political vote. A comprehensive and balanced analysis is required in this context, and political psychology could play a pivotal role. However, in Indonesia, such efforts are still relatively rare. This study contributes by conducting a case study on a political figure (n = 1), Surya Paloh. The method of personality measurement at a distance was used to compose profile of Surya Paloh with the following arrangements: (1) General psychobiography, (2) Beliefs and reasoning patterns, (3) Cognitive aspects, (4) Social motives, (5) Personality traits, and (6) Leadership Competency, each with its strengths and risks. This research concludes that Surya Paloh is a political entrepreneur, with high neuroticism, high excitement seeking, low compliance, and high achievement striving.
Computational modeling of person-situation transactions: How accumulation of situational experiences can shape the distributions of trait scores
Authors: Mõttus René , Allerhand Mike , Johnson Wendy
Published: July 2018

The chapter argues that individuals are dynamic systems that continually transact with their situational experiences. Computational modeling may provide a useful set of tools for generating and refining hypotheses regarding general principles of such person-situation transactions. Building computational models encourages conceptual rigor and allows proof-of-principle testing of hypotheses, even though the models do not provide empirical evidence. It has been previously hypothesized that person-environment transactions (systematic situational influences on personality) tend to increase, whereas random influences may decrease the magnitude of individual differences. The chapter introduces a framework (personality space framework; PSF) for building computational models that play through such scenarios. The models suggested that any kind of accumulating situational experiences may tend to make people more alike until variance reaches a plateau, regardless of whether the experiences are random or systematically tied to pre-existing trait levels. The simulations also suggested that person-environment transactions may contribute to the emergence of personality “factor(s)”.