bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Searching for the Cat: Effects of variable spatial associations on search in scenes
Authors: Krzys Karolina , Mistry Mubeena , Yan Tyler Quincy , Castelhano Monica S.
Published: February 2022

Some objects have a specific place where you can expect them to be found (e.g., toothbrush), while others vary wildly in the places that they can appear (e.g., cat). While previous studies have pointed to the importance of the spatial associations in search in scenes, in the current study we investigated the effects of the variability of expected spatial locations of target objects on search performance. On each trial, participants’ eye movements were tracked while they searched for either a Fixed Target, which was associated with a specific scene surface (e.g., boots) or a Variable Target, which was not associated with a specific region (cat). Results showed not only a slower search performance for variable than fixed targets, but also a longer latency and many more fixations to locate Variable than Fixed targets. We also explored the effect of placement within the scene and found that the effects differed depending on the surface location. Findings demonstrates that the variability of targets’ spatial associations affected search efficiency as well as provided new insights into how search strategies are implemented in the face of uncertainty.
Legal Restrictions and Mitigation Strategies Amongst People with Disabilities During COVID-19
Authors: Kang Tarandeep Singh , Goodwin Robin
Published: February 2022

The impact of physical disability on protective behaviors during COVID-19 has been little studied. This retrospective study compared the 699 the self-declared behaviors of 699 people with disabilities before and after the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions in England. We found that people with disabilities in England showed high compliance with protective behaviors and mitigation strategies during a period of legal restrictions. Following the lifting of restrictions, respondents engaged in less social mixing, fewer distancing and hygiene behaviors and were less likely to use face coverings. Hierarchical regressions revealed that socio-economic status, age, and gender moderated protective behaviors: while those with higher socio-economic status were more relaxed with regard to hygiene and distancing behaviors they were more cautious about mixing with others after the end of restrictions. Age, (male) gender, and being unvaccinated were positively associated with relaxation in the use of facemasks in public places, not needing a carer with fewer out-of-home visits. Taken together these findings suggest that the removal of restrictions had an unequal impact on the population of England, placing a disproportionate burden on some people with disabilities.
Spontaneous instrumental avoidance learning in social contexts
Authors: Mennella Rocco , Bavard Sophie , Mentec Inès , Grèzes Julie
Published: February 2022

Adaptation to our social environment requires learning how to avoid potentially harmful situations, such as encounters with aggressive individuals. Threatening facial expressions can evoke automatic stimulus-driven reactions, but whether their aversive motivational value suffices to drive instrumental active avoidance remains unclear. When asked to freely choose between different action alternatives, participants spontaneously - without instruction or monetary reward - developed a preference for choices that maximized the probability of avoiding angry individuals (sitting away from them in a waiting room). Most participants showed clear behavioral signs of instrumental learning, even in the absence of an explicit avoidance strategy. Inter-individual variability in learning depended on participants’ subjective evaluations and sensitivity to threat approach feedback. Counterfactual learning best accounted for avoidance behaviors, especially in participants who developed an explicit avoidance strategy. Our results demonstrate that implicit defensive behaviours in social contexts are likely the product of several learning processes, including instrumental learning.
Toward nonprobabilistic explanations of learning and decision-making
Authors: Szollosi Aba , Donkin Chris , Newell Ben R
Published: February 2022

Referring to probabilistic concepts (such as randomness, sampling, and probability distributions among others) is commonplace in contemporary explanations of how people learn and make decisions in the face of environmental unknowns. Here, we critically evaluate this practice and argue that such concepts should only play a relatively minor part in psychological explanations. To make this point, we provide a theoretical analysis of what people need to do in order to deal with unknown aspects of a typical decision-making task (a repeated-choice gamble). This analysis reveals that the use of probabilistic concepts in psychological explanations may and often does conceal essential, nonprobabilistic steps that people need to take to attempt to solve the problems that environmental unknowns present. To give these steps a central role, we recast how people solve these problems as a type of hypothesis generation and evaluation, of which using probabilistic concepts to deal with unknowns is one of many possibilities. We also demonstrate some immediate practical consequences of our proposed approach in two experiments. This perspective implies a shift in focus toward nonprobabilistic aspects of psychological explanations.
Belonging in STEM: Growth mindset as a filter of contextual cues
Authors: Williams Lee , Hirschi Quinn Alessandra , Hulleman Chris S. , Roksa Josipa
Published: February 2022

Undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs face unique challenges to their psychological well-being, including their sense of belonging. Recent evidence suggests that beliefs about the malleability of intelligence (growth mindsets) support STEM students’ belongingness, though the mechanisms of this relationship are unclear. We propose and test a model in which students’ personal growth mindset beliefs relate to their sense of belonging by operating as a filter of environmental cues, especially those signaling instructors’ mindsets, peers’ mindsets, and the overall trustworthiness of the school. Across more than 3,000 students in two diverse STEM contexts, we found general support for this model (mean RMSEA = 0.041; mean R2 = 39%). Perceived environmental cues explained 100% (Study 1) and 35% (Study 2) of the total effect of personal growth mindset on belonging. In addition to model generalizability, there was meaningful heterogeneity in the results observed across contexts. These results suggest a novel filtering function of growth mindsets in addition to the importance of perceptions of instructors’ growth mindsets and school trust for belonging. Discussion centers on the factors that may account for model variability, as well as theoretical and practical implications of the findings.
Too Great to be Guilty? Individuals High in Collective Narcissism Demand Closure Regarding the Past to Attenuate Collective Guilt
Authors: Kazarovytska Fiona , Imhoff Roland
Published: February 2022

While the Holocaust is widely regarded by Germans as one of the worst human atrocities, they differ in their readiness to express guilt or, in contrast, in their demand to close this chapter of history. We propose that such demand for historical closure (HC) is particularly pronounced among individuals high in collective narcissism and is systematically related to reduced collective guilt. Across three studies (N = 1383), collective narcissism was significantly related to demand for HC, even when controlling for national identification andnational pride. Moreover, collective narcissism was associated with reduced guilt only via demanding HC, but not via the defensive strategies generalization or moral delegitimization of the victims. Yet, collective narcissism was associated via all three defensive strategies withactual donations to support Holocaust survivors. We discuss how demanding HC helps group members to shield their ingroup from its negative past, thus alleviating aversive feelings of collective guilt.
Of Tinfoil Hats and Thinking Caps: Reasoning is More Strongly Related to Implausible than Plausible Conspiracy Beliefs
Authors: Hattersley Michael , Brown Gordon , Michael John , Ludvig Elliot Andrew
Published: February 2022

People who strongly endorse conspiracy theories typically exhibit biases in domain-general reasoning. We describe an overfitting hypothesis, according to which (a) such theories overfit conspiracy-related data at the expense of wider generalisability, and (b) reasoning biases reflect, at least in part, the need to reduce the resulting dissonance between the conspiracy theory and wider data. This hypothesis implies that reasoning biases should be more closely associated with belief in implausible conspiracy theories (e.g., the moon landing was faked) than with more plausible ones (e.g., the Russian Federation orchestrated the attack on Sergei Skripal). In two pre-registered studies, we found that endorsement of implausible conspiracy theories, but not plausible ones, was associated with reduced information sampling in an information-foraging task and with less reflective reasoning. Thus, the relationship between belief in conspiracy theories and reasoning is not homogeneous, and reasoning is not linked specifically to the “conspiracy” aspect of conspiracy theories. Instead, it may reflect an adaptive response to the tension between implausible theories and other beliefs and data.
Studying Personality Pathology with Ecological Momentary Assessment: Harmonizing Theory and Method
Authors: Kaurin Aleksandra , King Kevin Michael , Wright Aidan G.C.
Published: February 2022

Over the past 20 years, ecological momentary assessment (EMA) has become a vital part of the methods repertoire used to study personality pathology. This is because EMA facilitates modeling (dys)function consistent with clinical theory as an ensemble of contextualized dynamic within-person processes, such as when and how relevant socio-affective responses may become disrupted in daily life. Despite its popularity, there is little systematic work on the conceptual adequacy and cross-study consistency in the design choices and reporting standards of EMA studies on personality disorders. EMA protocol design choices impact the reliability and validity of conclusions, and variability in choices affect replicability and thus credibility of the conclusions drawn. We provide an overview of the core decisions researchers face in designing an EMA study organized around the “three D’s”: density (frequency of surveys), depth (length of surveys), and duration (number of days in a protocol). To identify the typical and range of employed study designs, including what PD researchers view as important and where there are gaps in our knowledge, we reviewed relevant studies published over the years 2000-2021. Of 66 identified unique EMA protocols, studies scheduled ~6.5 assessments per day with an average of ~21 items, lasted for ~13 days, and obtained a compliance of ~75%. Generally, denser studies had less depth and shorter duration days, whereas protocols with longer duration tended to be deeper. We offer recommendations on how valid research on PDs can be organized around these considerations with the goal of reliably uncovering temporal-dynamics in personality (dys)functioning.
Using Solutions of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The Failing Efforts of Behavior Analysis to Uphold Scientific, Professional, and Ethical Standards
Authors: Donovan Arin , Lancaster Kristen , Farris Victoria
Published: February 2022

White supremacy ideology permeates all sectors of society, including scientific spaces such as behavior analysis. It is apparent that the field of behavior analysis is interested in addressing structural oppression, specifically racism and police brutality. Current solutions such as committees, policies, and scholarship initiatives in the field of behavior analysis can be described as additive solutions and the data we have regarding outcomes of those programs have not indicated effectiveness. With this paper, we highlight the shortcomings of the current interventions and propose solutions that are grounded in critical theory and organizational theory.
The Paradox of Delusions: Are Deluded Individuals Resistant to Evidence?
Authors: Furl Nicholas , McKay Ryan , Coltheart Max
Published: February 2022

Delusions are pathological beliefs, often with bizarre content. They feature in neurological disorders and in psychoses associated with psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia). In this chapter we review two apparently opposing ways that the research literature characterizes delusions. While delusions are often defined as beliefs that are rigid and unaffected by evidence, they are also frequently conceptualized as beliefs that are unduly swayed by minimal, insufficient evidence. We review empirical studies and theory from psychology, neuroscience and computational psychiatry which embody this contrast. Prevailing perspectives, we show, frame belief formation as a process of integrating new evidence into existing beliefs. This view tends to sculpt hypotheses about delusions (and other psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations) into two types. First, relevant evidence fails to affect prior beliefs, which are too entrenched. Second, evidence overly dominates prior beliefs, which have too weak an influence. This paradox, we argue, calls for a profound rethinking of these perplexing and distressing symptoms.
Personality Approaches to Political Behavior
Authors: Bakker Bert N.
Published: February 2022

Whether personality is relevant for political behavior is a question that has a long tradition in political psychology. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the state-the-art evidence on the association between personality and political behavior of citizens and politicians. In particular, this chapter focuses on the association between personality and political ideology, voting behavior, political loyalties, political participation, political engagement, and news consumption. The chapter concludes by outlining a research agenda for the next generation of research with attention to the assumed causal effects of personality on political ``outcomes''. Future research is also encouraged to adopt open science practices that will increase transparency, replicability, and ultimately the field's credibility.
Affirming the Importance of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race in Child Development: Three Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Causadias José M. , Coll Cynthia García
Published: February 2022

Culture, ethnicity, and race (CER) processes are critical in shaping human development across the lifespan. However, they continue to be conceptualized and measured in ways that limit our understanding of its role in the development of children, youth, and families. To address this issue, we propose three lessons from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: 1) culture and biology are in constant dynamic interplay, 2) development should be contextualized within historical events and power dynamics, and 3) we should consider competences and strengths, not only risks. We illustrate these lessons with examples, and discuss implications for developmental theory, methods, policy, and interventions.
Neurocognitive Mechanisms of the Flow State
Authors: Harris David , Vine Samuel James , Wilson Mark
Published: February 2022

While the experience of flow is often described in attentional terms - focused concentration or task absorption - specific cognitive mechanisms have received limited interest. We propose that an attentional explanation provides the best way to advance theoretical models and produce practical applications, as well as providing potential solutions to core issues such as how an objectively difficult task can be subjectively effortless. Recent research has begun to utilise brain-imaging techniques to investigate neurocognitive changes during flow, which enables attentional mechanisms to be understood in greater detail. Some tensions within flow research are discussed; including the dissociation between psychophysiological and experiential measures, and the equivocal neuroimaging findings supporting prominent accounts of hypofrontality. While flow has received only preliminary investigation from a neuroscientific perspective, findings already provide important insights into the crucial role played by higher order attentional networks, and clear indications of reduced activity in brain regions linked to self-referential processing. The manner in which these processes may benefit sporting performance are discussed.
The benefits of memory control processes in working memory: comparing effects of self-reported and instructed strategy use
Authors: Bartsch Lea Maria , Souza Alessandra S. , Oberauer Klaus
Published: February 2022

Working memory performance is often assumed to benefit from different maintenance control strategies such as rehearsal, refreshing, elaboration, and grouping. In studies assessing strategy self-reports, some strategies were indeed associated with better recall. Nevertheless, experimental studies assessing the effect of instructing maintenance strategies compared to a no-instruction baseline lend no evidence for the effectiveness of these strategies for working memory. Explanations for this contradiction could be that instruction implementation engenders dual-task costs, or that strategy instructions reduce adaptive strategy switching. Across two experiments, we investigated the frequency and variability of strategy use with trial-wise self-reports in serial recall of word lists. Further, we examined potential instruction costs by comparing performance in trials with self-reported vs. instructed use of the same strategies. Self-reported strategy use varied from trial to trial, with elaboration and rehearsal being the most frequent. Self-reported elaboration was correlated with better performance than reading and rehearsal. For the most prevalent strategies – elaboration and rehearsal – there were no costs of instructed strategy-implementation. Our results speak against dual-task costs, and for an advantage of adaptively choosing one’s own strategy from trial to trial.
Assessing the replication landscape in experimental linguistics
Authors: Kobrock Kristina , Roettger Timo Benjamin
Published: February 2022

Replications are an integral part of cumulative experimental science. Yet many scientific disciplines do not replicate enough because novel confirmatory findings are valued over direct replications. To provide a systematic assessment of the replication landscape in experimental linguistics, the present study estimated replication rates for over 50.000 articles across 98 journals. We used automatic string matching using the Web of Science combined with in-depth manual inspections of 210 papers. The median rate of mentioning the search string "replicat*" was as low as 1.6%. Subsequent manual analyses revealed that only eight of these were direct replications, i.e. studies that arrive at the same scientific conclusions as an initial study by using exactly the same methodology. Moreover, only 1 in 1600 experimental linguistic studies reports a direct replication performed by independent researchers. We conclude that, similar to neighboring disciplines, experimental linguistics does not replicate enough.
Interventions to Reduce Partisan Animosity
Authors: Hartman Rachel , Blakey Will , Womick Jake , Bail Christopher A. , Finkel Eli , Han Hahrie , Sarrouf John , Schroeder Juliana , Sheeran Paschal , Van Bavel Jay Joseph , Willer Robb , Gray Kurt
Published: February 2022

Rising partisan animosity is linked to less support for democracy and more support for political violence. Here we provide a multi-level review of interventions designed to improve partisan animosity, which we define as negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors towards a political outgroup. We introduce the TRI framework for the three levels of interventions—Thoughts (correcting misconceptions, highlighting commonalities), Relationships (building dialogue skills, fostering positive contact), and Institutions (changing public discourse, transforming political structures)—and connect these levels by highlighting the importance of motivation and mobilization. Our review encompasses both interventions conducted as part of academic research projects, as well as real-world interventions led by practitioners in nonprofit organizations. We also explore the challenges of durability and scalability, examine self-fulfilling polarization and interventions that backfire, and discuss future directions for reducing partisan animosity.
Accuracy and Social Motivations Shape Judgements of (Mis)Information
Authors: Rathje Steve , Roozenbeek Jon , Van Bavel Jay Joseph , Linden Sander van der
Published: February 2022

The extent to which belief in (mis)information reflects lack of knowledge versus a lack of motivation to be accurate is unclear. Across four experiments (n = 3,364), we motivated US participants to be accurate by providing financial incentives for correct responses about the veracity of true and false political news headlines. This incentive improved accuracy and reduced partisan bias in judgements of headlines by about 30%, primarily by increasing the perceived accuracy of true news from the opposing party (d = 0.47). Incentivizing people to identify news that would be liked by their political allies, however, decreased accuracy. Replicating prior work, conservatives were less accurate at discerning true from false headlines than liberals, yet incentives closed the gap in accuracy between conservatives and liberals by 52%. A non-financial accuracy motivation intervention was also effective, suggesting that motivation-based interventions are scalable. Altogether, these results suggest that judgments of (mis)information in part reflect motivational factors.
Attentional fluctuations and the temporal organization of memory
Authors: Jayakumar Manasi , Balusu Chinmayi , Aly Mariam
Published: February 2022

Event boundaries and temporal context shape the organization of episodic memories. We hypothesized that attentional fluctuations during encoding serve as “events” that affect temporal context representations and recall organization. Individuals encoded trial-unique objects during a modified sustained attention task. Memory was tested with free recall. Response time variability during the encoding tasks was used to characterize “in the zone” and "out of the zone" attentional states. We predicted that: 1) “in the zone”, vs. “out of the zone”, attentional states should be more conducive to maintaining temporal context representations that can cue temporally organized recall; and 2) temporally distant “in the zone” states may enable more recall “leaps” across intervening items. We replicated several important findings in the sustained attention and memory fields, including more online errors during “out of the zone” vs. “in the zone” attentional states and recall that was temporally structured. Yet, across four studies, we found no evidence for either of our main hypotheses. Recall was robustly temporally organized, and there was no difference in recall organization for items encoded “in the zone” vs. “out of the zone”. We conclude that temporal context serves as a strong scaffold for episodic memory, one that can support organized recall even for items encoded during relatively poor attentional states. We also highlight the numerous challenges in striking a balance between sustained attention tasks (long blocks of a repetitive task) and memory recall tasks (short lists of unique items) and describe strategies for researchers interested in uniting these two fields.
The who and how of attentional bias in cannabis users: associations with severity, craving, and interference control
Authors: Kroon Emese , Kuhns Lauren , Dunkerbeck Annette , Cousijn Janna
Published: February 2022

Background and Aim. Cognitive and motivational processes are thought to underlie cannabis use disorder (CUD), but research assessing how cognitive processes (e.g. interference control (IC)) interact with implicit motivational processes (e.g. attentional bias (AB)) and explicit motivation (i.e. craving) is lacking. We assessed the presence of AB in cannabis users with varying use severity and tested models of moderation, mediation, and moderated mediation to assess how AB, craving, and IC interact in their association with measures of cannabis use. Design. Cross-sectional. Setting and Participants. Eight studies performed in the Netherlands including never-sporadic, occasional (≤ 1/month), and regular cannabis users (≥ 2/week), and individuals in treatment for CUD were combined (N = 560; 71% male). Measurements. All studies included a Classic Stroop task to assess IC, a Cannabis Stroop task to assess AB, and a pre- and post-session measure of craving. Both heaviness of cannabis use (grams per week) and severity of use related problems (CUDIT-R scores) were included. Findings. Only those in treatment for CUD showed an AB and group differences in AB were only observed when comparing those in treatment with never to sporadic users. Looking at occasional-regular users, IC was negatively associated with heaviness, but not severity of use. There was no direct association between AB and measures of cannabis use. However, average craving during the session, but not session induced craving, mediated this association between AB and heaviness as well as severity of use; higher AB was associated to heavier use and more severe problems through increased craving. Conclusions. AB was only present in cannabis users with the most severe problems and craving mediated the association between AB and both heaviness and severity of use in occasional to regular users. Furthermore, the association of IC with heaviness but not severity of use may point to sub-acute effects.
Spillover Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Attitudes to Influenza and Childhood Vaccines
Authors: Soveri Anna , Karlsson Linda C. , Antfolk Jan , Mäki Karl Otto , Karlsson Linnea , Karlsson Hasse , Nolvi Saara , Karukivi Max , Lindfelt Mikael , Lewandowsky Stephan
Published: February 2022

The aim of the current study was to explore whether the COVID-19 pandemic has affected people’s perceptions of other vaccines and diseases than COVID-19. In two samples of Finnish adults (N = 205 in Study 1 and N = 197 in Study 2), we longitudinally investigated whether there has been a change from before the COVID-19 pandemic to during the pandemic in: 1) influenza vaccination behavior and intentions, 2) the perceived benefit of childhood vaccines and influenza vaccines, 3) the perceived safety of childhood vaccines and influenza vaccines, 4) the perceived severity of measles and influenza, and 5) trust in health care professionals and health authorities in vaccine-related matters. The results indicated that more people had taken or had wanted to take the influenza vaccine during the pandemic than before. The respondents also considered influenza as more severe, and influenza vaccines as more beneficial and safe during the pandemic. For childhood vaccines, by contrast, there was only an increase in the perceived safety of the vaccines. Finally, in one of the studies, trust in health care professionals was higher during the pandemic than before. Taken together, these results suggest a spillover of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s perceptions of other vaccines and diseases.
On social health: Conceptualization, Correlates and Patterning
Authors: Doyle David Matthew , Link Bruce G.
Published: February 2022

Drawing upon extensive literature on the importance of social relationships from across social science and health disciplines, we propose a strong conceptualization of social health as a dynamic and multifaceted construct with the ability to expand and focus theory, research and practice. We define social health as the perceived and actual availability and quality of one’s various social relationships. Using this conceptualization, we demonstrate how a tripartite model of health, situated within the human body (and mind), best explains well-documented interrelationships between physical, psychological and social aspects of health. In order to describe the utility and importance of social health, we discuss its significance to understanding and addressing population health concerns, especially health inequalities, as well as recent major global events, including the rise of “deaths of despair” and the COVID-19 pandemic. By renewing research on social health under the framework presented herein, scholars can unify disparate lines of work on constructs ranging from loneliness and social integration to close relationship quality and social capital. Moreover, we argue that adoption of the concept of social health is critical to the success of nations, states and health systems across societies in guaranteeing an optimal state of health for all.
Cultural invariance in musical communication (for CogSci 2022 Proceedings)
Authors: Yurdum Lidya , Singh Manvir , Glowacki Luke , Vardy Tom , Atkinson Quentin , Hilton Courtney B. , Sauter Disa , Krasnow Max , Mehr Samuel A
Published: February 2022

Despite the variability of music worldwide, some types of human songs share basic acoustic characteristics. For example, dance songs tend to be loud and rhythmic, whereas lullabies tend to be quiet and melodious. Prior studies with western English-speaking participants have shown that this enables listeners to infer aspects of a singer’s behaviour, despite being unfamiliar with the singer’s culture and language. Here, we test whether these intuitions are shared across a diversity of languages and human societies, with 5,524 people from 49 industrialised countries comprising 28 languages, and 116 people in 3 small-scale societies with limited access to global media. Each made inferences about the behavioural contexts of 118 songs from 86 societies. Both groups reliably identified the behavioural functions of dance songs, lullabies, and healing songs. Linguistic and geographical proximity between listeners and singers was minimally predictive of accuracy, demonstrating a degree of cultural invariance in music perception.
Collective Program Social Justice Identity and Perceived Norms on Promoting Student Advocacy
Authors: Keum Brian , Kase Colleen , Sharma Rajni , Yee Stephanie E. , O'Connor1 Seini , Bansal Priya , Yang NaYeon
Published: February 2022

A growing body of research suggests that graduate psychology training programs with a stronger collective social justice identity are likely to provide more support for students’ advocacy engagements than those with discrepant views among members. We conducted response surface analyses (N = 178 Ph.D. students; across 16 counseling psychology programs) to examine whether the degree of congruence and discrepancy on social justice attitudes and perception of training program norms (perceived social justice norms among students and faculty) between an individual student and other students in their program would be associated with students’ social justice advocacy intentions and behaviors. Higher congruences on attitudes and perceived norms (among students and faculty) were significantly associated with advocacy intentions. For advocacy behaviors, only congruently higher perception of faculty was significantly associated. Discrepant attitudes and perceived norms were not significantly related to students' advocacy intentions and behaviors. Recommendations for training and research are discussed.
Discriminatory Attitudes Against the Unvaccinated During a Global Pandemic
Authors: Bor Alexander , Jørgensen Frederik Juhl , Petersen Michael Bang
Published: February 2022

Despite early hope that vaccines may end the COVID-19 pandemic, large unvaccinated minorities persist even in countries with high vaccine access. Consequently, public debates and protests have been intensifying over the issue of vaccination. Here, we ask whether people's status as either vaccinated or unvaccinated has come to reflect a socio-political cleavage that spills over even to interactions between people in everyday life. Using a standard measure of exclusionary reactions in family relationships, we quantify the antipathy between vaccinated and unvaccinated citizens in 21 countries (10,740 respondents), representative of 58\% of the world's population. Using conjoint experimental data, we demonstrate that vaccinated people have high antipathy towards the unvaccinated, 2.5 times more than towards a traditional target: immigrants from the Middle East. This antipathy reflects, in part, stereotypic inferences that unvaccinated individuals are untrustworthy and unintelligent, making the antipathy resemble prejudice towards other deviant groups. Antipathy towards the unvaccinated is larger in countries that suffered fewer COVID-19 deaths and that have higher social trust. In contrast, we find no evidence that unvaccinated respondents display antipathy towards vaccinated people, although they are equally prejudiced against immigrants. While previous research recommends framing vaccination as a moral obligation in order to increase uptake, our research documents the costs of this strategy. Whether understandable or not, the antipathy faced by the unvaccinated may exacerbate marginalization and mistrust, which are core causes of their initial vaccine hesitancy, and further entrench the conflict. The novel socio-political cleavage we document may thus be an indication that societies worldwide will leave the pandemic more divided than they entered it.
Exploring the Foundational Origins of Public Service Motivation through the Lens of Behavioral Genetics
Authors: Florczak Christoffer , Rasmussen Stig Hebbelstrup Rye , Jensen Ulrich , Stritch Justin , Christensen Kaare , Nørgaard Asbjørn S. , Klemmensen Robert
Published: February 2022

Despite the proliferation of research on public service motivation (PSM), fundamental questions about its origins continue to evade scholars: Is PSM driven by genetics, socialized through experiences, or both? If PSM is socialized, when does socialization occur? Answering these questions is critical for reconciling the state vs trait debate, and for assessing the validity of practical implications prescribed by PSM studies. Utilizing “nature’s own experiment”, we adopt a classical twin-design with 1,035 twin pairs to identify how genetic heritability, a common environment, or unique environment and experiences can explain variation in PSM. Results show that PSM is heavily influenced by individuals’ unique environments and experiences; not by genetics. This lends strong evidence to PSM’s uniqueness as a motivational construct as related “other-regarding” concepts show sizeable genetic components. Finally, our results corroborate that PSM is a human resource with dynamic properties organizations can cultivate to enhance productivity in public service workforces.
Social Science is key to effective climate change mitigation: A reply to Nature editorial
Authors: Creutzig Felix , Nielsen Kristian Steensen , Dietz Thomas , Stern Paul , Shwom Rachael , Vandenbergh Michael
Published: February 2022

In your editorial „How researchers can help fight climate change in 2022 and beyond” you rightly emphasize the value of emerging energy supply and end-use technologies for achieving much needed though highly ambitious GHG emission reductions. However, meeting this goal at the necessary speed is not solely a technical problem. There is a long history of promised technological solutions that never materialized. The same is true of public policy interventions. We can do better by integrating social science knowledge of why such technologies and interventions fall short and how to design implementable and scalable interventions that deliver GHG emission reductions. An integrated approach will enable better informed choices about technical and policy priorities and more effective implementation.
Predicting author profiles from online abuse directed at public figures
Authors: van der Vegt Isabelle W. J. , Kleinberg Bennett , Gill Paul
Published: February 2022

The problem of online threats and abuse directed at public figures could potentially be mitigated with a computational approach, where sources of abusive language are better understood or identified through author profiling. However, abusive language constitutes a specific domain of language that is untested on whether differences emerge based on personality, age, or gender of text authors. The current study presents a unique dataset of 789 abusive messages directed at politicians. It examines statistical relationships between author demographics of text authors and (abusive) language, then uses a machine learning approach to predict personality, age, and gender based on language in the texts. Results showed that 1) personality traits could be determined within 10% of their actual value, 2) age was determined with an error margin of 10 years, and 3) gender was classified correctly in 70% of the cases. Even though we found statistically significant relationships between language use and demographics, prediction performance was poor when compared to previous research on author profiling. Therefore, we suggest that further research is needed before author profiling systems can be of significant value within the context of abusive language and threat assessment.
The daily association between affect and alcohol use: A meta-analysis of individual participant data
Authors: Dora Jonas , Piccirillo Marilyn , Foster Katherine T. , Arbeau Kelly , Armeli Stephen , Auriacombe Marc , Bartholow Bruce D , Beltz Adriene M. , Blumenstock Shari M. , Bold Krysten , Bonar Erin , Braitman Abby , Carpenter Ryan William , Creswell Kasey , DeHart Tracy , Dvorak Robert , Emery Noah N , Enkema Matthew , Fairbairn Catharine , Fairlie Anne M , Ferguson Stuart G , Freire Teresa , Goodman Fallon Rachael , Gottfredson Nisha , Halvorson Max Andrew , Haroon Maleeha , Howard Andrea , Hussong Andrea , Jackson Kristina M. , Jenzer Tiffany , Kelly Dominic , Kuczynski Adam M. , Kuerbis Alexis , Lee Christine , Lewis Melissa , Linden-Carmichael Ashley , Littlefield Andrew K. , Lydon-Staley David M. , Merrill Jennifer , Miranda Robert , Mohr Cynthia , Read Jennifer , Richardson Clarissa , O'Connor Roisin , O'Malley stephanie , Papp Lauren , Piasecki Thomas M. , Sacco Paul , Scaglione Nichole , Serre Fuschia , Shadur Julia , Sher Kenneth J. , Shoda Yuichi , Simpson Tracy L. , Stevens Angela K. , Stevenson Brittany , Tennen Howard , Todd Michael , Treloar Padovano Hayley , Trull Timothy J , Waddell Jack T. , Walukevich-Dienst Katherine , Witkiewitz Katie , Wray Tyler B , Wright Aidan G.C. , Wycoff Andrea M , King Kevin Michael
Published: February 2022

Influential psychological theories hypothesize that people consume alcohol in response to the experience of both negative and positive emotions. Despite two decades of daily diary and ecological momentary assessment research, it remains unclear whether people consume more alcohol on days they experience higher negative and positive affect in everyday life. In this preregistered meta-analysis, we synthesized the evidence for these daily associations between affect and alcohol use. We included individual participant data from 69 studies (N = 12,394), which used daily and momentary surveys to assess affect and the number of alcoholic drinks consumed. Results indicate that people are not more likely to drink on days they experience high negative affect, but are more likely to drink and drink heavily on days high in positive affect. People self-reporting a motivational tendency to drink-to-cope and drink-to-enhance consumed more alcohol, but not on days they experienced higher negative and positive affect. Results were robust across different operationalizations of affect, study designs, study populations, and individual characteristics. These findings challenge the long-held belief that people drink more alcohol following increases in negative affect. Integrating these findings under different theoretical models and limitations of this field of research, we collectively propose an agenda for future research to explore open questions surrounding affect and alcohol use.
Changes in adolescent mental and somatic health complaints throughout the COVID-19 pandemic: A three-wave prospective longitudinal study
Authors: Hafstad Gertrud Sofie , Sætren Sjur Skjørshammer , Wentzel-Larsen Tore , Augusti Else-Marie
Published: February 2022

Purpose: Measures taken to limit the spread of the COVID-19 may have had unintended consequences for the mental and somatic health of children and adolescents. Methods: A nationwide three-wave survey in a representative sample of 12 to 16 years olds in Norway, with baseline data collected in February 2019 (n=9240, 49% girls) and follow-ups in June 2020 (n=3564, 49% girls) and June 2021 (n=2540, 47% girls). Linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate change and identify predictors thereof in mental and somatic health complaints. Results: Following an initial stable trend from before the pandemic to the early phase, both mental health problems (predicted value at T1 0.56 [CI 0.55, 0.58], T1-T2 change -0.04 [ CI -0.07, -0.02], T2-T3 change 0.12 [ CI 0.09, 0.14] and somatic health complaints (predicted value at T1 0.59 [95% CI 0.58, 0.61], T1-T2 difference -0.09 [95% CI -0.11, -0.65], T2-T3 difference 0.18 [95% CI 0.15, 0.21]) increased significantly 15 months into the pandemic, when controlling for age in the models. When compared to boys, girls had a significantly more pronounced increase in mental health problems and somatic health; loneliness in the early stages of the pandemic significantly predicted health complaints one year later, both mental and somatic complaints.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the prolonged situation of recurrent lockdowns has had an impact on adolescent health in general, and on the health of girls in particular. Much of the rise in mental and somatic health complaints can be attributed to an increase in loneliness.
A Smartphone Serious Game for Adolescents (Grow It! App): Development, Feasibility, and Acceptance Study
Authors: Dietvorst Evelien , Aukes Michelle Ashley , Legerstee Jeroen , Vreeker Annabel , Hrehovcsik Micah , Keijsers Loes , Hillegers Manon H.J.
Published: February 2022

Background: Anxiety and mood problems in adolescents often go unnoticed and may therefore remain untreated. Identifying and preventing the development of emotional problems requires monitoring and effective tools to strengthen adolescents' resilience, for example, by enhancing coping skills. Objective: The current study describes the developmental process, feasibility and acceptance of Grow It!, a multiplayer serious game app for adolescents aged 12-25. The app consists of (1) Experience Sampling Method (ESM) to monitor thoughts, behaviours, and emotions in daily life to enhance self-insights, and (2) daily cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) based challenges to promote adaptive coping. Methods: Our approach entails an iterative game design process combined with an agile method to develop the smartphone app. The incorporated game features (ie, challenges, chat functionality, and visual representation) in the Grow It! app were co-designed with adolescent end-users to increase participant engagement and adherence. Results: The Grow It! app was delivered for Android and iOS in May 2020. Grow It! was offered to adolescents during the COVID-19 crisis between May and December 2020. Participants of the Grow It! COVID-19 study (sample 1: N=685, mean age 16.19, SD=3.11, 28.2% boys and sample 2: N=1035, mean age 18.78, SD=3.51, 18.7% boys) completed 32%-50% challenges. Compliance of ESM was suboptimal (17%-31%). Follow-up questionnaires indicated an overall score of the app of 7.1 out of 10. 73-76% wouldrecommend the app to friends. Conclusions: To our knowledge, Grow It! is the first gamified ESM application measuring both individual differences in emotional dynamics and offering an integrated CBT-based intervention. Our findings support the feasibility and acceptance, and therefore applicability, of the Grow It! app in adolescents. Further iterations of this serious-game app will focus on the increase of compliance and on providing participants feedback through their personal mood profiles.
A CONFIRMATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS OF A COGNITIVE MODEL OF COVID-19 RELATED DISTRESS
Authors: Delz Louise Aurora Katharina , Gaynor Keith , Somers Ellen , O'Connor Rachael , Schmieder Luisa
Published: February 2022

The mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been significant, with many regions across the globe reporting significant increases in anxiety, depression, trauma, and insomnia This study aims to validate a potential cognitive model of maintenance factors of COVID-19 related distress by examining psychological predictors of distress, and their goodness-of-fit as a coherent model. Participants from the general population (n=555) were recruited using a cross-sectional on-line survey design, assessing Demographic factors, Anxiety, Depression, Loneliness, COVID-19 related distress, Trauma Cognitions related to COVID-19, Rumination, Safety Behaviours, Personality Factors, and Mental Effort related to COVID-19. A series of stepwise linear regressions found that components of the model were significant and accounted for a large percentage of variance when examining Covid-19 related distress (R2=0.447 Covid Stress Scale), Anxiety (R2=0.536 DASS-Anxiety Subscale) and Depression (R2=0.596 Depression DASS-subscale). In a confirmatory factor analysis, Loneliness, Post-Traumatic Cognitions about Self, Post-Traumatic Cognitions about the World, Emotional Stability, and Mental Effort related to COVID-19 loaded onto a single factor. The final model showed adequate fit (CFI=0.990, TLI=0.983, RMSEA=0.053(.027-.080), GFI=0.986, SRMR=0.0216), χ2=23.087, p=0.006). The results highlight the importance of cognitive factors, such as post-traumatic cognitions, rumination, and mental effort in maintaining COVID-19 related distress.
Changing social attitudes towards LGBT in Vietnam
Authors: Pham Quan Thuong
Published: February 2022

This paper attempts to characterize the transformation of social attitudes towards the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in Vietnam over the past decade since the establishment of civil society organizations in the late 2000s. With substantial rise in LGBT representation in media, I take advantage of media sources to point out the origins of social attitudes change towards the LGBT community in Vietnam over the past decade, characterized by the interplay of social activism, political change and media effect. This paper finds that social attitudes on LGBT issues in the last decade have been changing in a more positive and open direction to this community, manifesting the normalization of homosexuality. However, heteronormativity still exists in parallel with the normalization of homosexuality in Vietnam.