Evidence of a Processing Advantage for Deservingness-Relevant Information

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-134
Author(s):  
Carolyn L. Hafer ◽  
Caroline E. Drolet ◽  
Emily E. Davis ◽  
Sidney J. Segalowitz ◽  
Elizabeth P. Shulman
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Reaction Time ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Irrelevant Information ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Just World

Abstract. We investigated processing speed for deservingness-relevant versus deservingness-irrelevant information. Female students read stories involving deserved, undeserved, or neutral outcomes. We recorded participants’ reaction time (RT) in processing the outcomes. We also measured individual differences in “belief in a just world” as a proxy for deservingness schematicity. RTs for deserved and undeserved outcomes were faster than for neutral outcomes, B = −8.45, p = .011, an effect that increased the stronger the belief in a just world (e.g., B = −3.18, p = .006). These findings provide novel evidence that the construct of deservingness is central in human social relations, and suggest both universal and particularistic schemas for deservingness.

Distinct profiles of stimulus specific cortical activity for ignoring distraction during working memory encoding and maintenance, and associations with performance

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Ashton ◽  
André Gouws ◽  
Marcus Glennon ◽  
THEODORE ZANTO ◽  
Steve Tipper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Cortical Activity ◽  
Irrelevant Information ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Memory Encoding ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Short Time

Abstract Our ability to hold information in mind for a short time (working memory) is separately predicted by our ability to ignore two types of distraction: distraction that occurs while we put information into working memory (encoding) and distraction that occurs while we maintain already encoded information within working memory. This suggests that ignoring these different types of distraction involves distinct mechanisms which separately limit performance. Here we used fMRI to measure category-sensitive cortical activity and probe these mechanisms. The results reveal specific neural mechanisms by which relevant information is remembered and irrelevant information is ignored, which contribute to intra-individual differences in WM performance.

scholarly journals Improving the robustness of infant lexical processing speed measures

2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 2188-2201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Egger ◽  
Caroline F. Rowland ◽  
Christina Bergmann
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Reaction Time ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Lexical Processing ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Target Object ◽  
The Other ◽  
The Gaze ◽  
Visual Reaction

Abstract Visual reaction times to target pictures after naming events are an informative measurement in language acquisition research, because gaze shifts measured in looking-while-listening paradigms are an indicator of infants’ lexical speed of processing. This measure is very useful, as it can be applied from a young age onwards and has been linked to later language development. However, to obtain valid reaction times, the infant is required to switch the fixation of their eyes from a distractor to a target object. This means that usually at least half the trials have to be discarded—those where the participant is already fixating the target at the onset of the target word—so that no reaction time can be measured. With few trials, reliability suffers, which is especially problematic when studying individual differences. In order to solve this problem, we developed a gaze-triggered looking-while-listening paradigm. The trials do not differ from the original paradigm apart from the fact that the target object is chosen depending on the infant’s eye fixation before naming. The object the infant is looking at becomes the distractor and the other object is used as the target, requiring a fixation switch, and thus providing a reaction time. We tested our paradigm with forty-three 18-month-old infants, comparing the results to those from the original paradigm. The Gaze-triggered paradigm yielded more valid reaction time trials, as anticipated. The results of a ranked correlation between the conditions confirmed that the manipulated paradigm measures the same concept as the original paradigm.

scholarly journals Individual differences in working memory capacity and filtering

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Kyle Robison ◽  
Ashley L. Miller ◽  
Nash Unsworth
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Irrelevant Information ◽  
Constant Number ◽  
Complex Span ◽  
Span Tasks ◽  
Trial Basis ◽  
The Relationship

In three experiments we examined individual differences in working memory (WM) and their relationship with filtering – the selective encoding and maintenance of relevant information in the presence of irrelevant information. While some accounts argue that filtering is an important element of individual differences in WM (McNab & Klingberg, 2008; Robison & Unsworth, 2017a; Unsworth & Robison, 2016; Vogel, McCollough, & Machizawa, 2005), recent investigations have challenged this view (Mall, Morey, Wolff, & Lehnert, 2014; Shipstead, Lindsey, Marshall, & Engle, 2014). In all three experiments, we measured WM span with three complex span tasks and then had participants complete a visual WM task with a filtering component. In Experiment 1, participants were instructed to remember the orientation of relevant items (red rectangles) and ignore irrelevant items (blue rectangles). In Experiment 2, the color of relevant items changed randomly on a trial-by-trial basis. In Experiment 3, we presented a constant number of items. On half of trials, participants were told which color item would be tested before each trial. On the other half of trials, participants received no such cue. In situations where filtering was especially required, WM span accounted for a significant portion of variance in filtering trials beyond shared variance between filtering and non-filtering trials. We argue that filtering is one of several control processes that gives rise to individual differences in WM, but that the relationship is constrained by the degree to which filtering is demanded by the task.

scholarly journals Just world beliefs, personal success and beliefs in conspiracy theories

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Furnham
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Composite Measure ◽  
Just World Beliefs ◽  
Just World ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
The World ◽  
Personal Ideology ◽  
Personal Success

AbstractDo those who believe in conspiracy theories feel less happy and healthy than others? Do they believe the world is simply unjust? This study was concerned with how demographic factors, personal ratings of success, personal ideology (political and religious beliefs) and Just World Beliefs are related to Conspiracy Theories. In total, 406 participants completed two questionnaires: Just World scale (Rubin & Peplau, 1975) and Conspiracy Theories Inventory (Swami et al., 2010) and provided various personal details. The Just World Scale yielded two scores: Just and Unjust beliefs. Participants also reported on their health, happiness and success and a reliable composite measure of well-being was computed. A regression showed younger males, with Unjust World beliefs and politically right-wing views, were more likely to endorse Conspiracy Theories. The discussion revolved around explaining individual differences in accepting these theories. Implications and limitations are discussed.

scholarly journals Less Illusion of a Just World in People with Formally Diagnosed Autism and Higher Autistic Traits

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Bertrams
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Locus Of Control ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Autism Diagnosis ◽  
Just World ◽  
External Locus ◽  
General Belief ◽  
Autistic People

AbstractPeople differ in how strongly they believe that, in general, one gets what (s)he deserves (i.e., individual differences in the general belief in a just world). In this study (N = 588; n = 60 with a formal autism diagnosis), whether or not autistic people and those with high autistic traits have a relatively low general belief in a just world is examined. The results revealed the expected relationship between autism/higher autistic traits and a lower general belief in a just world. In a subsample (n = 388), personal belief in a just world, external locus of control, and self-deception mediated this relationship. These findings are discussed in terms of autistic strengths (less biased information processing) and problems (lowered well-being).

scholarly journals Concurrent neuroimaging and neurostimulation reveals a causal role for dlPFC in coding of task-relevant information

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jade B. Jackson ◽  
Eva Feredoes ◽  
Anina N. Rich ◽  
Michael Lindner ◽  
Alexandra Woolgar
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Irrelevant Information ◽  
Visual Object ◽  
Information Coding ◽  
Frontoparietal Cortex ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
The Impact

AbstractDorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is proposed to drive brain-wide focus by biasing processing in favour of task-relevant information. A longstanding debate concerns whether this is achieved through enhancing processing of relevant information and/or by inhibiting irrelevant information. To address this, we applied transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) during fMRI, and tested for causal changes in information coding. Participants attended to one feature, whilst ignoring another feature, of a visual object. If dlPFC is necessary for facilitation, disruptive TMS should decrease coding of attended features. Conversely, if dlPFC is crucial for inhibition, TMS should increase coding of ignored features. Here, we show that TMS decreases coding of relevant information across frontoparietal cortex, and the impact is significantly stronger than any effect on irrelevant information, which is not statistically detectable. This provides causal evidence for a specific role of dlPFC in enhancing task-relevant representations and demonstrates the cognitive-neural insights possible with concurrent TMS-fMRI-MVPA.

scholarly journals Do Valenced Odors and Trait Body Odor Disgust Affect Evaluation of Emotion in Dynamic Faces?

Perception ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (12) ◽  
pp. 1412-1426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elmeri Syrjänen ◽  
Marco Tullio Liuzza ◽  
Håkan Fischer ◽  
Jonas K. Olofsson
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Body Odor ◽  
Disgust Sensitivity ◽  
Facial Perception ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Dynamic Faces ◽  
Unpleasant Odor

Disgust is a core emotion evolved to detect and avoid the ingestion of poisonous food as well as the contact with pathogens and other harmful agents. Previous research has shown that multisensory presentation of olfactory and visual information may strengthen the processing of disgust-relevant information. However, it is not known whether these findings extend to dynamic facial stimuli that changes from neutral to emotionally expressive, or if individual differences in trait body odor disgust may influence the processing of disgust-related information. In this preregistered study, we tested whether a classification of dynamic facial expressions as happy or disgusted, and an emotional evaluation of these facial expressions, would be affected by individual differences in body odor disgust sensitivity, and by exposure to a sweat-like, negatively valenced odor (valeric acid), as compared with a soap-like, positively valenced odor (lilac essence) or a no-odor control. Using Bayesian hypothesis testing, we found evidence that odors do not affect recognition of emotion in dynamic faces even when body odor disgust sensitivity was used as moderator. However, an exploratory analysis suggested that an unpleasant odor context may cause faster RTs for faces, independent of their emotional expression. Our results further our understanding of the scope and limits of odor effects on facial perception affect and suggest further studies should focus on reproducibility, specifying experimental circumstances where odor effects on facial expressions may be present versus absent.

scholarly journals Changing our thinking about changing their thinking in older adulthood

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 1405-1407
Author(s):  
Viviana M. Wuthrich
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Cognitive Deficits ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
New Learning

It is well-established that as people age, deterioration in cognitive abilities including processing speed, memory, and cognitive flexibility occurs, although vast individual differences occur in the rate and consequences of this decline (Christensen, 2001). Anxiety and depression in late life are also associated with specific cognitive deficits in memory and executive functioning that may impact on new learning (Yochim et al., 2013). Therefore, it is possible that cognitive changes make it more difficult for older adults to learn how to change their thinking particularly in the context of psychological therapy.

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