Online Study Reveals the Multimodal Effects of Discrete Auditory Cues in Moving Target Estimation Task

Abstract. Neurocognitive deficits in patients with mental disorders are partially due to secondary influences. “Stereotype threat” denotes the phenomenon that performance is compromised when a participant is confronted with a devaluing stereotype. The present study examined the impact of stereotype threat on neuropsychological performance in schizophrenia. Seventy-seven participants with a self-reported diagnosis of schizophrenia were randomly assigned to either an experimental condition involving stereotype threat activation or a control condition in an online study. Participants completed memory and attention tests as well as questionnaires on motivation, self-efficacy expectations, cognitive complaints, and self-stigmatization. Contrary to our prediction, the two groups showed no significant differences regarding neuropsychological performance and self-report measures. Limitations, such as a possibly too weak threat cue, are discussed and recommendations for future studies are outlined.

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Subclinical Sadism and the Dark Triad

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001/a000284 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (3) ◽

pp. 127-133 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Laura K. Johnson ◽

Rachel A. Plouffe ◽

Donald H. Saklofske

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

University Students ◽

Personality Traits ◽

Exploratory Factor Analysis ◽

Convergent Validity ◽

Dark Triad ◽

Antisocial Personality ◽

Factor Solution ◽

Online Study ◽

Antisocial Personality Traits

Abstract. The Dark Triad is a constellation of three antisocial personality traits: Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. Recently, researchers have introduced a “Dark Tetrad” that includes subclinical sadism, although others suggest considerable overlap between psychopathy and sadism. To clarify the position of sadism within the Dark Triad, an online study was conducted with 615 university students. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that a six-factor solution fit the data best, representing Machiavellianism, psychopathy, physical sadism, verbal sadism, narcissism, and vicarious sadism. Furthermore, convergent validity was supported through sadism’s correlations with the HEXACO personality traits. The results support sadism’s inclusion within the Dark Tetrad as a unique construct but with some conceptual overlap with psychopathy.

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The Vocabulary and Overclaiming Test (VOC-T)

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001/a000093 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 32-40 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Matthias Ziegler ◽

Christoph Kemper ◽

Beatrice Rammstedt

Keyword(s):

Construct Validity ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Signal Detection Theory ◽

Online Survey ◽

Vocabulary Knowledge ◽

Online Study ◽

Accuracy Index ◽

Bias Index ◽

Reliability Estimates ◽

Verbal Knowledge

The present research aimed at constructing a questionnaire measuring overclaiming tendencies (VOC-T-bias) as an indicator of self-enhancement. An approach was used which also allows estimation of a score for vocabulary knowledge, the accuracy index (VOC-T-accuracy), using signal detection theory. For construction purposes, an online study was conducted with N = 1,176 participants. The resulting questionnaire, named Vocabulary and Overclaiming – Test (VOC-T) was investigated with regard to its psychometric properties in two further studies. Study 2 used data from a population representative sample (N = 527), and Study 3 was another online survey (N = 933). Results show that reliability estimates were satisfactory for the VOC-T-bias index and the VOC-T-accuracy index. Overclaiming did not correlate with knowledge, but it was sensitive to self-enhancement supporting the construct validity of the test scores. The VOC-T-accuracy index in turn covaried with general knowledge and even more so with verbal knowledge, which also supports construct validity. Moreover, the VOC-T-accuracy index had a meaningful correlation with age in both validation studies. All in all, the psychometric properties can be regarded as sufficient to recommend the VOC-T for research purposes.

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Under- and Over-Estimation

Experimental Psychology (formerly Zeitschrift für Experimentelle Psychologie) ◽

10.1027/1618-3169/a000064 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 58 (1) ◽

pp. 39-49 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Virginie Crollen ◽

Julie Castronovo ◽

Xavier Seron

Keyword(s):

Empirical Data ◽

Accurate Estimation ◽

Numerical Estimation ◽

Production Task ◽

Estimation Task ◽

Reproduction Task ◽

Perception Task ◽

Adult Participants ◽

Mapping Hypothesis ◽

Task Perception

Over the last 30 years, numerical estimation has been largely studied. Recently, Castronovo and Seron (2007) proposed the bi-directional mapping hypothesis in order to account for the finding that dependent on the type of estimation task (perception vs. production of numerosities), reverse patterns of performance are found (i.e., under- and over-estimation, respectively). Here, we further investigated this hypothesis by submitting adult participants to three types of numerical estimation task: (1) a perception task, in which participants had to estimate the numerosity of a non-symbolic collection; (2) a production task, in which participants had to approximately produce the numerosity of a symbolic numerical input; and (3) a reproduction task, in which participants had to reproduce the numerosity of a non-symbolic numerical input. Our results gave further support to the finding that different patterns of performance are found according to the type of estimation task: (1) under-estimation in the perception task; (2) over-estimation in the production task; and (3) accurate estimation in the reproduction task. Moreover, correlation analyses revealed that the more a participant under-estimated in the perception task, the more he/she over-estimated in the production task. We discussed these empirical data by showing how they can be accounted by the bi-directional mapping hypothesis ( Castronovo & Seron, 2007 ).

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