Politics and Parenting

2021 ◽  
pp. 134-154
Author(s):  
Nicholas Kerry ◽  
Damian R. Murray
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Functional Relationship ◽  
Political Attitudes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Life Event ◽  
Initial Work ◽  
Increased Sensitivity ◽  
Social Conservatism

This chapter assesses how parenthood may functionally influence political attitudes. Becoming a parent is a keystone life event that has numerous psychological and physiological implications. There are several theoretical reasons to predict a functional relationship between parenthood (as well as individual differences in parenting motivation) and socially conservative attitudes, primarily related to an increased sensitivity to threat and a reduced interest in short-term mating. Moreover, initial work has found correlational, mediational, and experimental support for a functional and causal relationship between parenting and increased social conservatism and out-group prejudice. However, many unanswered questions remain, as do multiple fruitful avenues for future research.

scholarly journals Individual differences in cognitive offloading: A comparison of intention offloading, pattern copy, and short-term memory capacity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hauke S. Meyerhoff ◽  
Sandra Grinschgl ◽  
Frank Papenmeier ◽  
Sam Gilbert
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
Common Factor ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Memory ◽  
Cognitive Offloading

The cognitive load of many everyday life tasks exceeds known limitations of short-term memory. One strategy to compensate for information overload is cognitive offloading which refers to the externalization of cognitive processes such as reminder setting instead of memorizing. There appears to be remarkable variance in offloading behavior between participants which poses the question whether there is a common factor influencing offloading behavior across different tasks tackling short-term memory processes. To pursue this question, we studied individual differences in offloading behavior between two well-established offloading ¬¬paradigms: the intention offloading task which tackles memory for intentions and the pattern copy task which tackles continuous short-term memory load. Our study also included an unrelated task measuring short-term memory capacity. Each participant completed all tasks twice on two consecutive days in order to obtain reliability scores. Despite high reliability scores, individual differences in offloading behavior were uncorrelated between the two offloading tasks. In both tasks, however, individual differences in offloading behavior were correlated with the individual differences in an unrelated short-term memory task. Our results therefore show that offloading behavior cannot simply be explained in terms of a single common factor driving offloading behavior across tasks. We discuss the implications of this finding for future research investigating the interrelations of offloading behavior across different tasks.

scholarly journals The Development of Executive Function in Autism

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Pellicano
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Adaptive Behavior ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Outcome Relationship ◽  
Behavioral Features

Autism is a common and often highly debilitating neurodevelopmental condition, whose core behavioral features are believed to be rooted in disrupted neurocognitive processes, including especially “executive function.” Researchers have predominantly focused upon understanding the putative causal relationship between difficulties in EF and autistic symptomatology. This paper suggests, however, that the effects of individual differences in EF should be more far-reaching, playing a significant part in the real-life outcomes of individuals with autism, including their social competence, everyday adaptive behavior, and academic achievement. It further considers the nature of the EF-outcome relationship, including the possible determinants of individual differences in EF, and makes several recommendations for future research.

scholarly journals Individual differences in cognitive offloading: a comparison of intention offloading, pattern copy, and short-term memory capacity

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hauke S. Meyerhoff ◽  
Sandra Grinschgl ◽  
Frank Papenmeier ◽  
Sam J. Gilbert
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
Common Factor ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Memory ◽  
Cognitive Offloading

AbstractThe cognitive load of many everyday life tasks exceeds known limitations of short-term memory. One strategy to compensate for information overload is cognitive offloading which refers to the externalization of cognitive processes such as reminder setting instead of memorizing. There appears to be remarkable variance in offloading behavior between participants which poses the question whether there is a common factor influencing offloading behavior across different tasks tackling short-term memory processes. To pursue this question, we studied individual differences in offloading behavior between two well-established offloading paradigms: the intention offloading task which tackles memory for intentions and the pattern copy task which tackles continuous short-term memory load. Our study also included an unrelated task measuring short-term memory capacity. Each participant completed all tasks twice on two consecutive days in order to obtain reliability scores. Despite high reliability scores, individual differences in offloading behavior were uncorrelated between the two offloading tasks. In both tasks, however, individual differences in offloading behavior were correlated with the individual differences in an unrelated short-term memory task. Our results therefore show that offloading behavior cannot simply be explained in terms of a single common factor driving offloading behavior across tasks. We discuss the implications of this finding for future research investigating the interrelations of offloading behavior across different tasks.

Generating Probable Consequences

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 639-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Cooper ◽  
Lori J. Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Prior Experience ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Mental Processes ◽  
Life Event ◽  
Functional Loss ◽  
Inclusion Relations

A study was conducted to examine some of the factors that influence peoples' generation of likely consequences associated with a major hypothetical life event, involving the loss of the function of one of one's own limbs. The design included four limbs involving two inclusion relations, thumb-hand and foot-leg, and two viewpoints involving consequences for oneself or for others. The results indicated that subjects generate more numerous consequences for primary than for secondary consequences, more for short-term consequences than for medium- or long-term ones, mote for an inclusive limb than for an included limb (e.g., hand vs thumb), and more pertaining to oneself than to others. Individual differences in the generation of consequences were not associated with prior experience involving functional loss of the limbs tested or with general differences in academic performance. The results permit inference about some of the mental processes that accompany consequence generation.

Individual differences in multiple cues guiding flexible resource allocation in visual short-term memory.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly Lockhart ◽  
Blaire Dube ◽  
Kevin John MacDonald ◽  
Naseem Al-Aidroos ◽  
Stephen Emrich
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Spatial Cues ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Memory ◽  
Visual Short Term Memory ◽  
Presentation Time ◽  
Flexible Resource ◽  
Priority Levels ◽  
Level Analysis

Although recent evidence suggests that visual short-term memory (VSTM) is a continuous resource, little is known about how flexibly this resource can be allocated. Previous studies using probabilistic cues to indicate two different levels of probe probability have found that response precision can be predicted according to a continuous allocation of resources that depends on attentional priority. The current study used a continuous report procedure and attentional prioritization via simultaneous probabilistic spatial cues to address whether participants can use up to three levels of attentional priority to allocate VSTM resources. Three experiments were performed with differing priority levels, different cues, and cue presentation time. Although group level analysis demonstrated flexible allocation, there was limited evidence that participants were using three priority levels. An individual differences approach revealed that a minority of participants were using three levels of attentional priority, demonstrating that, while possible, it is not the predominant pattern of behavior.

scholarly journals Personality dynamics at work: The effects of form, time, and context of variability

2021 ◽  
pp. 089020702110173
Author(s):  
Nadin Beckmann ◽  
Damian P Birney ◽  
Amirali Minbashian ◽  
Jens F Beckmann
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Temporal Stability ◽  
Limited Evidence ◽  
Short Term ◽  
State Data ◽  
The Status ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Trait Variability

The study aimed to investigate the status of within-person state variability in neuroticism and conscientiousness as individual differences constructs by exploring their (a) temporal stability, (b) cross-context consistency, (c) empirical links to selected antecedents, and (d) empirical links to longer term trait variability. Employing a sample of professionals ( N = 346) from Australian organisations, personality state data together with situation appraisals were collected using experience sampling methodology in field and repeatedly in lab-like settings. Data on personality traits, cognitive ability, and motivational mindsets were collected at baseline and after two years. Contingent (situation contingencies) and non-contingent (relative SD) state variability indices were relatively stable over time and across contexts. Only a small number of predictive effects of state variability were observed, and these differed across contexts. Cognitive ability appeared to be associated with state variability under lab-like conditions. There was limited evidence of links between short-term state and long-term trait variability, except for a small effect for neuroticism. Some evidence of positive manifold was found for non-contingent variability. Systematic efforts are required to further elucidate the complex pattern of results regarding the antecedents, correlates and outcomes of individual differences in state variability.

scholarly journals Staying Home, Staying Alive: Campus Food Pantry Student Clients’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 193672442110356
Author(s):  
Elmira Jangjou
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Postsecondary Students ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Income Loss ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Seeking Help

In response to students’ food insecurity, a number of colleges and universities have taken action and established campus food pantries as part of their intervention plans. However, many of these pantries ceased operation due to COVID-19 campus shutdowns. The purpose of this study is to illustrate the short-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on postsecondary students, who use a university-provided food pantry. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with 12 participants, the thematic analysis explored the initial coping strategies these students used to endure the pandemic. Findings revealed that many students experienced the immediate effects of the pandemic in the form of income loss, self-isolation, anxiety, and appetite change. Although the pandemic interrupted these students’ journeys to continue their studies and become independent in various ways, the affected students implemented various coping strategies, including seeking help from family or friends, using available resources, cooking at home, and even trying to save money. However, considering that the targeted population in this study was already at risk because of their basic needs insecurity, these postsecondary students require extra attention from their higher education institutions in the case of emergencies, such as a global pandemic. In addition to its timely and relevant findings, this study provides important avenues for future research and intervention efforts.

scholarly journals Catchment water quality in the year preceding and immediately following restoration of a drained afforested blanket bog

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul P. J. Gaffney ◽  
Mark H. Hancock ◽  
Mark A. Taggart ◽  
Roxane Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Nutrient Release ◽  
Pass Rate ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Peatland Restoration ◽  
Blanket Bog ◽  
Quality Threshold ◽  
Policy Incentives

AbstractThe restoration of drained afforested peatlands, through drain blocking and tree removal, is increasing in response to peatland restoration targets and policy incentives. In the short term, these intensive restoration operations may affect receiving watercourses and the biota that depend upon them. This study assessed the immediate effect of ‘forest-to-bog’ restoration by measuring stream and river water quality for a 15 month period pre- and post-restoration, in the Flow Country peatlands of northern Scotland. We found that the chemistry of streams draining restoration areas differed from that of control streams following restoration, with phosphate concentrations significantly higher (1.7–6.2 fold, mean 4.4) in restoration streams compared to the pre-restoration period. This led to a decrease in the pass rate (from 100 to 75%) for the target “good” quality threshold (based on EU Water Framework Directive guidelines) in rivers in this immediate post-restoration period, when compared to unaffected river baseline sites (which fell from 100 to 90% post-restoration). While overall increases in turbidity, dissolved organic carbon, iron, potassium and manganese were not significant post-restoration, they exhibited an exaggerated seasonal cycle, peaking in summer months in restoration streams. We attribute these relatively limited, minor short-term impacts to the fact that relatively small percentages of the catchment area (3–23%), in our study catchments were felled, and that drain blocking and silt traps, put in place as part of restoration management, were likely effective in mitigating negative effects. Looking ahead, we suggest that future research should investigate longer term water quality effects and compare different ways of potentially controlling nutrient release.

scholarly journals Politics, Personality, and Impulsivity Can Color People’s Perceptions of—and Responses to—Hurricane Threats of Varying Severity

2020 ◽  
pp. 014616722096902
Author(s):  
Joy E. Losee ◽  
Colin Tucker Smith ◽  
Gregory D. Webster
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Threat Perception ◽  
Aggregated Data ◽  
Individual Traits ◽  
Threatening Situation ◽  
Social Conservatism ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
People’S Perceptions

Theory and research suggest that objective features of a threatening situation and individual differences influence threat responses. We examine three ways individual traits may relate to a threat response: (a) directly and independent of objective threat features, (b) indirectly through relationships with threat perception, or (c) as moderators of the relationship between objective threat features and responses. Using integrative data analysis (IDA), we aggregated data across three studies examining hurricane preparation intentions. Analysis supported two of the potential pathways. Supporting the first path, both openness and extraversion had direct, positive relationships with preparation likelihood. Supporting the second path, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and social conservatism positively related to preparation likelihood through a positive relationship with threat perception, whereas impulsivity and sensation-seeking negatively related to preparation likelihood through a negative relationship with threat perception. This work shows the pivotal role individual differences play regarding responses to uncertain threats.

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