Making the Case for a Preferences in Information Processing Model of Suicide

Introduction: In recent years, practice friendly models of suicidal behavior have emerged in the form of “ideation-to-action” frameworks. These frameworks focus on processes influencing both the formation of suicidal ideation and the translation of that ideation to suicide attempt and death. In this paper, we proffer an emerging model of suicide, Preferences in Information Processing (PIP), to augment contemporary suicide theories. First, we provide a primer on dual-process models of information processing theory and research as the foundation for the PIP. Next, drawing on a number of initial cross-sectional studies, we outline a rationale and examples of how preferences in motivated affect (i.e., Need for Affect) and cognition (i.e., Need for Cognition) may be integrated into existing ideation-to-action frameworks. Methods: We conducted secondary analysis of our pooled community sample PIP data. Results: We present new findings suggesting Need for Affect avoidance and Need for Cognition may be clinically relevant for persons at escalated risk for suicide. Discussion: The PIP offers new testable propositions within ideation-to-action suicide frameworks. We end with recommendations for a research agenda to further investigate the potential validation and utility of a PIP approach to suicidology.

Are need for affect and cognition culture dependent? Implications for global public health campaigns: a cross-sectional study

Background Cultural differences in affective and cognitive intrinsic motivation could pose challenges for global public health campaigns, which use cognitive or affective goals to evoke desired attitudes and proactive health-promoting actions. This study aimed to identify cross-cultural differences in affective and cognitive intrinsic motivation and discuss the potential value of this information for public health promotion. Methods A cross-sectional survey using cross-culturally validated need for affect (NFA) and need for cognition (NFC) scales was carried out among 1166 Chinese participants, and the results were compared with published data from 980 American participants. Additionally, we assessed a highly prevalent symbolic geriatric health condition, hearing loss, in 500 Chinese community-dwelling seniors. The Chinese NFA scale was developed following the translation-back translation procedure, and the psychometric evaluation was performed by applying confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), correlation analysis and multigroup invariance test. MANOVA and Hedge’s g statistic were employed to compare the NFA and NFC levels between individuals from different countries and between Chinese seniors with and without hearing loss. The relation of early hearing intervention intention to NFA and NFC was also explored in the Chinese sample. Results A basic two-factor model of NFA adequately fit the sample data from Chinese and American cultures. The questionnaire demonstrated reasonable invariance of the factor structure and factor loadings across the groups. Those in the primary Chinese sample had lower NFA and NFC than their American peers. This difference held in the senior sample. Moreover, Chinese seniors with hearing loss had even lower NFA and NFC than those without hearing loss. Their early hearing intervention intention was low but was associated with intrinsic motivation. Conclusions The Need for Affect (NFA) construct may be generalized beyond its Western origins. There was a general lack of affective and cognitive intrinsic motivation in Chinese individuals, particularly in seniors with hearing loss, compared with their American peers. These differences point to a potential challenge in framing effective messages for some cultures in the geriatric public health domain. Ideally, recognizing and understanding this challenge will inspire the consideration of novel persuasive strategies for these audiences.

Transcending Eudaimonic Entertainment

Research thus far has generally conceptualized eudaimonic entertainment as media content that can provide viewers with meaningful, moving, and contemplative experiences. This chapter first outlines the traditional conceptualization of eudaimonic entertainment and the different affective and cognitive processes involved, followed by an expansion on extant definitions. Self-transcendent experiences as another form of eudaimonic entertainment experiences that orient the consumer toward others more so than the self are introduced, followed by an elaboration of the depictions of transcendent portrayals and their effects across different media platforms (film, television, social media and online videos, digital games and virtual reality), theories of self-transcendence, outcomes of eudaimonic entertainment (e.g., altruism, connectedness, wisdom, recovery) and personality differences that impact the selection of and experience with eudaimonic media (e.g., need for affect, empathy). Implications of the expanded conceptualization of eudaimonic entertainment for media scholars and future research directions are discussed.

The evolutionary benefit of less-credible affective musical signals for emotion induction during storytelling

The credible signaling theory underexplains the evolutionary added value of less-credible affective musical signals compared to vocal signals. The theory might be extended to account for the motivation for, and consequences of, culturally decontextualizing a biologically contextualized signal. Musical signals are twofold, communicating “emotional fiction” alongside biological meaning, and could have filled an adaptive need for affect induction during storytelling.

Remote or close? Notes on working psychoanalytically by videoconference

In a time of forced physical distancing due to the Covid-19 virus, psychotherapy has moved online, disrupting what some feel is essential to the process. For the individual therapy couple the author describes in this article, the teletherapy platform provided a frame in which deeper, earlier feelings came to light, not only in the new, initially unwanted therapy space, but between the patient and his wife outside it. One session, especially, made it apparent that one person's need for affect-attunement conflicted with the other's need for recognition of difference or separateness — arousing feelings of mutual betrayal of basic trust and rage between husband and wife. These were witnessed by the therapist who was able to work with what was taking place as an enactment of old trauma, unconsciously contributed to, but eventually reparative for both parties. Several sessions are presented before and after that pivotal one in which technical problems were collaboratively overcome by the therapeutic couple, providing useful metaphors for familiar, but previously insurmountable obstacles between the marital couple, as well as freeing up verbal and non-verbal affective expression and reflection in the virtual, but increasingly intimate consulting room.

Are Need for Affect and Cognition Culture-Dependent? Implications for Global Public health Campaigns: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Cultural differences in affective and cognitive intrinsic motivations could introduce challenges to global public health campaigns, which use cognitive or affective goals to evoke desired attitudes and proactive health-promoting actions. This study aimed to demonstrate cross-cultural differences in affective and cognitive intrinsic motivations, and discuss the potential value of this information in public health promotion.Methods: A cross-sectional survey, using cross-culturally validated need for affect (NFA) and need for cognition (NFC) scales, was carried out among 1166 Chinese participants and compared to published data from 980 American participants. Additionally, we assessed a highly prevalent symbolic geriatric health condition, hearing loss, in 500 community-dwelling seniors. MANOVA test and Hedge’s g statistic were employed to compare the NFA and NFC levels between individuals from different countries and between seniors with and without hearing loss. The relation of early healthcare seeking intention to NFA and NFC was also explored.Results: The primary Chinese sample demonstrated decreased NFA and NFC in contrast to their American peers. This difference was preserved in the senior sample. Moreover, seniors with hearing loss had even lower NFA and NFC than those without hearing loss. Intention for early healthcare seeking was low but was associated with intrinsic motivation.Conclusions: There was a general lack of affective and cognitive intrinsic motivation in Chinese individuals, particularly in seniors with hearing loss, compared with their American peers. These differences, point to a potential challenge in framing effective messages for some cultures in the geriatric public health domain. Ideally, recognizing and understanding this challenge will inspire consideration of novel persuasive strategies for these audiences.

DOES THE NEED FOR COGNITION, NEED FOR AFFECT AND PERCEIVED HUMOUR INFLUENCE CONSUMERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE ADVERTISED BRANDS?

Cognition has long been known as a mechanism to process message besides forming desirable attitude. However, the engagement of emotions that has been limited in its discussions to the message processing theory such as the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) could also function as influencer to message processing and contributor to attitude formation. Hence, the purpose of this research is to examine the effects of need for cognition (NFC), need for affect (NFA) and perceived humour on consumers’ attitude towards the brands advertised. The research engaged three main studies and has adopted a quantitative basic experimental design with a random selection and distribution of participants into treatment groups. Result of study 1 showed that advertising attitude mediates between NFC and brand attitude. Study 2 found that NFA moderates between NFC and brand attitude. Study 3 revealed that NFA moderates between perceived humour and brand attitude. Finally, the results also determined that NFC, NFA, and perceived humour influence the processing of advertising message in the low and high involvement conditions of message elaborations. The findings encourage future researchers to further assess consumers’ attitude towards brand in various advertising contexts in more detail. The study contributes to the advertising guidelines for advertising firms and policy makers. In addition, the study contributes to the theoretical establishment of the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) that can be used for future research extension. Keywords: Brand attitude, involvement, need for cognition, need for affect, perceived humour.