Electrophysiological correlates of interference control in the modified emotional Stroop task with emotional stimuli differing in valence, arousal, and subjective significance

The role of emotional factors in maintaining cognitive control is one of the most intriguing issues in understanding emotion-cognition interactions. In the current experiment, we assessed the role of emotional factors (valence, arousal, and subjective significance) in perceptual and conceptual inhibition processes. We operationalised both processes with the classical cognitive paradigms, i.e., the flanker task and the emotional Stroop task merged into a single experimental procedure. The procedure was based on the presentation of emotional words displayed in four different font colours flanked by the same emotional word printed with the same or different font colour. We expected to find distinct effects of both types of interference: earlier for perceptual and later for emotional interference. We also predicted an increased arousal level to disturb inhibitory control effectiveness, while increasing the subjective significance level should improve this process. As we used orthogonal manipulations of emotional factors, our study allowed us for the first time to assess interactions within emotional factors and between types of interference. We found on the behavioural level the main effects of flanker congruency as well as effects of emotionality. On the electrophysiological level, we found effects for EPN, P2, and N450 components of ERPs. The exploratory analysis revealed that effects due to perceptual interference appeared earlier than the effects of emotional interference, but they lasted for an extended period of processing, causing perceptual and emotional interference to partially overlap. Finally, in terms of emotional interference, we showed the effect of subjective significance: the reduction of interference cost in N450 for highly subjective significant stimuli. This study is the first one allowing for the investigation of two different types of interference in a single experiment, and provides insight into the role of emotion in cognitive control.

The Role of the Valence, Arousing Properties and Subjective Significance of Subliminally Presented Words in Affective Priming

In the verbal affective priming paradigm, the properties of a subliminally presented stimulus alter the interpretation of neutral target stimulus. In the experiment reported here, we tested the role of four factors (valence, origin, arousing properties and subjective significance) that determine the emotional reactions to words in affective priming. Subliminal masked presentation of words preceded the explicit task, which was assessment of neutral Quick Response code (QR code) stimuli. The QRs were codes for words representing personality traits. The results showed the effect of assimilation (negative words caused a negative interpretation, positive caused a positive interpretation) for words’ emotional valence and no effects for origin. Concerning arousal, we found a weak negative trend. In the case of subjective significance, a moderate positive trend was found. These results suggest that affective priming effects are susceptible not only to the valence of priming stimuli but also to activation factors.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF COMMUNICATION MOTIVES OF PRESCHOOLERS’ WITH VARIOUS DEGREES OF EMOTIONAL ADMIRATION OF JOINT ACTIVITY

The article presents the results of theoretical and empirical research of psychological peculiarities of communication motivation of preschoolers who have different degrees of emotional admiration of joint activity. As a result of theoretical analysis, it was found that the most common reason for children to choose a communication partner is the attractiveness of another person as a personality due to the moral, business or physical qualities, a manifestation of sympathy, love to this person, i.e. emotional attitude. At the same time, the need for a more detailed practical study of the problem was confirmed, because the issue of communication motivation in preschool age, in particular, the influence of the degree of emotional admiration of joint activity on this process, remains insufficiently resolved. The data of an empirical study of the peculiarities of communication motives of preschool children with different degrees of emotional admiration of joint activity showed that the higher the degree of emotional interest of preschoolers for joint activity is, the higher the degree of development of communication motives they have. Parameters such as the subjective significance of a peer for a child, which is manifested in the general admiration of others; peer orientation, i.e. the ability to concede, to help; ability to empathy, as well as the child’s choice (to help or not to help to his or her peers), the degree of emotional admiration of the activity and an indication of its expression (positive or negative); the nature of the child’s behavior, its emotional expression, speech, were used as the main indicators of interpersonal relationships. It was proved that the degree of preschoolers’ emotional admiration of joint activity is largely correlated with the level of development of their ability to concede and the willingness to help. Thus, the motives of communication of the preschooler with other children differ depending on the degree of his or her emotional admiration of joint activity, because it was found that the higher the degree of emotional admiration of preschoolers is, the higher the level of development of the ability to concede and the willingness to help they have.

Some Moral and Ethical Problems of Conducting Investigative Actions Involving Representatives of Ethnic Minorities in Criminal Proceedings

The article focuses on ethical problems of ordering and conducting investigation search activities that, due to the dominant type of activity, include a forensic examination of a dead body and exhumation, and involve representatives of some ethnicities and ethnic groups. It is stated that although these investigative actions are in some cases obligatory, the investigation does not always have an opportunity to carry them out due to active counteraction of the deceased person’s relatives connected with the necessity of observing ethnic-religious rites and traditions on preserving and burying the body. The authors analyze the subjective significance of observing moral and ethical norms for the victims and other representatives of the diaspora, explain the position taken by the relatives, outline the consequences of ignoring these ethnic-religious norms. Based on the necessity of resolving a conflict situation, they offer recommendations on overcoming it though specially developed tactical steps.

The aesthetic experience of critical art: The effects of the context of an art gallery and the way of providing curatorial information

The aim of our research was to investigate the influence of the situational context of presenting contemporary critical artworks (in an art gallery vs in a laboratory setting) and the way in which one is acquainted with contextual information, i.e. a curatorial description (reading it on one’s own vs listening to it vs a lack of curatorial information), on the reception of critical art. All experimental stimuli were exemplars of contemporary art which raise current controversial social and political issues. Non-experts in the field of art were asked to rate their emotional reactions on non-verbal scales and estimate their liking and understanding of the artworks. As predicted, the art gallery context increased both the experience of aesthetic emotions–in terms of valence, arousal, subjective significance, and dominance and aesthetic judgements–in terms of liking. Thus, for critical art (i.e. current artworks which critically address serious, up-to-date issues) the situational context of the gallery increased the aesthetic experience–which is in line with previous studies on the gallery (or museum) effect. Curatorial information increased understanding, so non-experts seem to need interpretative guidance in the reception of critical art. Subjective significance was higher in the reading of curatorial information condition than the listening to curatorial information condition or the control condition (a lack of curatorial information). It seems, therefore, that art non-experts have a better understanding of critical art after being exposed to the curatorial description, but this does not result in an increase in liking and aesthetic emotions. Probably this is because the curatorial description allows one to grasp the difficult, often unpleasant issue addressed by critical art.

Event-Related Potential Correlates of Valence, Arousal, and Subjective Significance in Processing of an Emotional Stroop Task

The present study is the first to measure event-related potentials associated with the processing of the emotional Stroop task (EST) with the use of an orthogonal factorial manipulation for emotional valence, arousal, and subjective significance (the importance of the current experience for goals and plans for the future). The current study aimed to investigate concurrently the role of the three dimensions describing the emotion-laden words for interference control measured in the classical version of the EST paradigm. The results showed that reaction times were affected by the emotional valence of presented words and the interactive effect of valence and arousal. The expected emotional arousal effect was only found in behavioral results for neutrally valenced words. Electrophysiological results showed valence and subjective significance correlated with the amplitude differences in the P2 component. Moreover, the amplitude of the N450 component varied with the level of subjective significance. This study also demonstrated that exploratory event-related potential analysis provides additional information beyond the classical component-based analysis. The obtained results show that cognitive control effects in the EST may be altered by manipulation in the subjective significance dimension.

Prevalence of post-intensive care syndrome among Japanese intensive care unit patients: a prospective, multicenter, observational J-PICS study

Background Many studies have compared quality of life of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) patients with age-matched population-based controls. Many studies on PICS used the 36-item Short Form (SF-36) health survey questionnaire version 2, but lack the data for SF-36 values before and after intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Thus, clinically important changes in the parameters of SF-36 are unknown. Therefore, we determined the frequency of co-occurrence of PICS impairments at 6 months after ICU admission. We also evaluated the changes in SF-36 subscales and interpreted the patients’ subjective significance of impairment. Methods A prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study was conducted in 16 ICUs across 14 hospitals in Japan. Adult ICU patients expected to receive mechanical ventilation for > 48 h were enrolled, and their 6-month outcome was assessed using the questionnaires. PICS definition was based on the physical status, indicated by the change in SF-36 physical component score (PCS) ≥ 10 points; mental status, indicated by the change in SF-36 mental component score (MCS) ≥ 10 points; and cognitive function, indicated by the worsening of Short-Memory Questionnaire (SMQ) score and SMQ score at 6 months < 40. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with PICS occurrence. The patients’ subjective significance of physical and mental symptoms was assessed using the 7-scale Global Assessment Rating to evaluate minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Results Among 192 patients, 48 (25%) died at 6 months. Among the survivors at 6 months, 96 patients responded to the questionnaire; ≥ 1 PICS impairment occurred in 61 (63.5%) patients, and ≥ 2 occurred in 17 (17.8%) patients. Physical, mental, and cognitive impairments occurred in 32.3%, 14.6% and 37.5% patients, respectively. Population with only mandatory education was associated with PICS occurrence (odds ratio: 4.0, 95% CI 1.1–18.8, P = 0.029). The MCID of PCS and MCS scores was 6.5 and 8.0, respectively. Conclusions Among the survivors who received mechanical ventilation, 64% had PICS at 6 months; co-occurrence of PICS impairments occurred in 20%. PICS was associated with population with only mandatory education. Future studies elucidating the MCID of SF-36 scores among ICU patients and standardizing the PICS definition are required. Trial registration UMIN000034072.

Prevalence of post intensive care syndrome among Japanese intensive care unit patients: A prospective, multicenter, observational J-PICS study

Background Many studies have compared quality of life of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) patients with age-matched population-based controls. Many studies on PICS used the 36-item Short Form (SF-36) health survey questionnaire version 2 but lack the data for SF-36 values before and after intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Thus, clinically important changes in the parameters of SF-36 are unknown. Therefore, we determined the frequency of co-occurrence of PICS impairments at 6 months after ICU admission. We also evaluated the changes in SF-36 subscales and interpreted the patients’ subjective significance of impairment.Methods A prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study was conducted in 16 ICUs across 14 hospitals in Japan. Adult ICU patients expected to receive mechanical ventilation for >48 hours were enrolled, and their 6-month outcome was assessed using the questionnaires. PICS definition was based on the physical status, indicated by the change in SF-36 physical component score (PCS) ≥10 points; mental status, indicated by the change in SF-36 mental component score (MCS) ≥10 points; and cognitive function, indicated by the worsening of Short-Memory Questionnaire (SMQ) score and SMQ score at 6 months <40. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with PICS occurrence. The patients’ subjective significance of physical and mental symptoms was assessed using the 7-scale Global Assessment Rating to evaluate minimal clinically important difference (MCID).Results Among 192 patients, 48 (25%) died at 6 months. Among the survivors at 6 months, 96 patients responded to the questionnaire; ≥1 PICS impairment occurred in 61 (63.5%) patients, and ≥2 occurred in 17 (17.8%) patients. Physical, mental, and cognitive impairments occurred in 32.3%, 14.6%, and 37.5% patients, respectively. Population with only mandatory education was associated with PICS occurrence (odds ratio: 4.0, 95% confidence interval: 1.1–18.8, P=0.029). The MCID of PCS and MCS scores was 6.5 and 8.0, respectively.Conclusions Among the survivors who received mechanical ventilation, 64% had PICS at 6 months; co-occurrence of PICS impairments occurred in 20%. PICS was associated with population with only mandatory education. Future studies elucidating the MCID of SF-36 scores among ICU patients and standardizing the PICS definition are required. Trial registration UMIN000034072

A Pilot Study of Experience of Gender-Based Violence by Girls with Mental Disorders

Being highly subjective and hard to diagnose, the phenomenon of experiencing of gender-based violence remains insufficiently understood. Finding the nature of such experience in victims with mental disorders appears to be of particular relevance and was chosen as the subject of this research work. It was hypothesized that experience of gender-based violence reflects the negative subjective significance of what happened and is more dramatic in girls with mental health problems than in girls who are mentally healthy. 15 girls with non-psychotic disorders (G.Ye. Sukhareva Center of Mental Health) and 8 mentally healthy girls aged 15-17 have been examined. The following methodologies were used: the Line of Life; Identifying Situations of Gender-Related Violence; Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. It has been established that experiencing gender-based violence by girls with mental disorders is distinguished by increased subjective actuality, acuteness, attainability of spontaneous verbalization and other characteristics. The practical relevance of the data obtained is determined by their applicability in the psychological rehabilitation of mentally diseased girls who have faced gender-based violence.

The Relationship of Students’ Mental Development with Moral Regulators of Social Interaction

Objective. The most important source of stabilization and further development of society is the social activity of citizens. Young people have the greatest potential for this activity. In this regard, it is interesting to study the factors and conditions of social activity of students. Background. For Russia, which experienced a socio-political cataclysm at the end of the last century and is in the stage of “recovery”, the social activity of young people is a source of stabilization and further development. In this regard, it is interesting to study the factors and conditions of social activity of students. Study design. The interrelationships of the level of students’ mental development were investigated, firstly, with the level of acceptance of such moral standards as trust and honesty, and, secondly, with such parameters of social interaction as its significance for the subject and the choice of the method of reaction in a particular situation. Participants. 268 students of three universities wich differ by the level of urbanization of the locality (megapolis, regional centre, district city). The average age of subjects is 19-20 years. Measurements. Test of mental development of adults, questionnaire of trusting relationships, questionnaire of legitimization of dishonesty, method of diagnostics of social interaction (M.K. Akimova, etc.). Results. It is revealed that the level of formation of such mental operations as the ability to generalize, classify, think by analogy and inductively, operate with numbers, is statistically significantly interrelated with the level of trust in oneself and in public institutions, the degree of anxiety in social interaction, as well as with the degree of prevention of such manifestations of dishonesty as theft. The erudition of the subject is interrelated with trust in the state and public institutions. The assessment of the subjective significance of the situation of social interaction and the level of activity in it are also interrelated with certain characteristics of the mental development. Conclusions. There is a cognitive component in the form of the formation of certain mental operations, erudition and the level of general mental development of the subject in the forming of trust and honesty, as well as in assessing the subjective significance of the situation of social interaction and determining the level of activity in it.