Subjects: Psychology >> Cognitive Psychology submitted time 2025-05-21
Abstract： Cognitive control capacity (CCC) has been proposed as a compact index of how effectively individuals guide thought and behaviour when contingencies shift. To examine its validity, 198 adults completed a multi-component battery encompassing working-memory (N-back, AX-CPT), response inhibition (Go/No-Go, Stop-Signal), cognitive flexibility (task switching), and three attentional functions (altering, orienting and conflict). CCC was computed from entropy-time functions derived across majority function task. Higher CCC predicted greater N-back accuracy, fewer commission errors on inhibition trials, and reduced switch costs, but showed negligible ties to alerting and orienting scores. Network analysis situated the 3-back node at the graph centre with strong connections to inhibition and switching indices, whereas attentional nodes occupied peripheral positions. A least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) regression prioritized 3-back accuracy as the significant predictor of CCC, with other subcomponent metrics (e.g., Go/No-Go errors, switching cost, and AX-CPT sensitivity) eliminated through regularization. Together, these results indicate that CCC consolidates the shared variance of updating, restraint, and flexibility without capturing stimulus-driven orienting. While the composite score proves useful for rapid screening and longitudinal tracking, the modest unique variance of each subcomponent cautions against replacing detailed process measures with a single metric. The study fills a methodological gap by integrating network topology with sparsity-based modelling and offers a framework for targeted interventions that bolster executive performance through the channels most relevant to CCC.
Peer Review Status:
Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology >> Experimental Psychology submitted time 2025-05-21
Abstract： Interpersonal emotion regulation refers to the process by which individuals help others control their emotions during social interaction. Social situations are complex and changeable, and it has been suggested that it is of great importance to choose between different strategies in different contexts. Based on the theory of emotion motivation, the current study explores the influence of motivational intensity and direction on interpersonal emotion regulation choice through one behavioral experiment. Then, based on the main findings of Experiment 1, the Experiment 2 further explored the neural mechanism underlying the effect.
The present study used the Emotion Regulation Choice Task (ERCT) to explore the effect of emotional motivation, including the motivational intensity and direction, on interpersonal emotion regulation choice (Experiment 1), and to explore the neural mechanism underlying the regulator’s strategy choice behavior using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning technique (Experiment 2). Experiment 1 used a within-subjects design with 2 (motivational direction: withdrawal-motivated emotion vs. approach-motivated emotion ) × 2 (motivational intensity: high vs. low) × 2 (task type: intrapersonal ERCT vs. interpersonal ERCT) format. A total of 40 participants were required to choose one of emotion regulation strategies including distraction, reappraisal or watch in the Emotion Regulation Choice Task (ERCT). In the final analysis, the data of 33 valid subjects (4 male and 29 female) were included. Based on the main findings of Experiment 1, Experiment 2 focused on the intensity of withdrawal-motivated emotion and used a 2 (intensity of withdrawal-motivated emotion: high vs. low) × 2 (task type: intrapersonal ERCT vs. interpersonal ERCT) format. 44 female friend dyads participated in Experiment 2.
In experiment 1, we found that in withdrawal-motivated emotion, the regulatory strategies including cognitive reappraisal and distraction were chosen more often over watch in the intrapersonal ERCT and interpersonal ERCT. However, participants did not show preference for the three strategies under the condition of approach-motivated emotion. Moreover, the results showed that participants’ preference for reappraisal decreased with the increase of motivational intensity when regulating emotion of themselves. During the process of regulating another personal’s emotion, participants tended to choose cognitive reappraisal whereas showed no preference for different strategies in the condition of approach-motivated emotion. In Experiment 2, the behavioral results show that reappraisal was chosen more often over distraction in low-intensity withdrawal-motivated emotion, while no difference between these two strategies in high-intensity withdrawal-motivated emotion. The brain imaging results showed that, in the context of low-intensity withdrawal-motivated emotion, the activation of right prefrontal cortex (PFC) could positively predicted the regulator’s preference for regulatory strategies when regulating target’s emotion. And the higher activation in left temporoparietal junction (TPJ) was associated with less choice of reappraisal, while the significant activation in regulator’s right TPJ could prompt more choice of observation. Besides, the higher brain-to-brain synchrony between regulator and target in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) was associated with regulator’s lower preference for reappraisal while higher level of interbrain synchrony in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and TPJ could predict more frequently choice of reappraisal.
The results of this study provided insights into people’s choice of strategies when regulating others’ emotion in different motivational context and its neural mechanism. Our findings expand the current understanding of the influencing factors of interpersonal emotion regulation strategy choice.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology >> Developmental Psychology submitted time 2025-05-20
Abstract： Multimodal sensory mechanisms are critical for language acquisition in infancy. Audiovisual integration, in particular, plays a pivotal role in developing linguistic skills among typically developing infants. In contrast, infants at high risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often encounter significant challenges in this integration process. Typical developmental trajectories of speech perception emphasize the importance of processing facial features. Specifically, attention to the eye and mouth regions facilitates language learning. Empirical evidence shows infants as young as 4.5 months demonstrate audiovisual integration abilities. These early abilities reliably predict later language development outcomes. In contrast, infants at high risk for ASD show reduced social attention and impaired audiovisual integration. Such deficits may disrupt typical language acquisition pathways. Therefore, early intervention strategies should prioritize biologically-informed, sensory-guided approaches. These approaches should focus on enhancing multisensory integration rather than exclusively targeting attentional behaviors. Understanding these mechanisms advances our knowledge of typical language development. Moreover, it provides empirical foundations for creating targeted early interventions to support language acquisition in high-risk ASD populations
Subjects: Psychology >> Personality Psychology submitted time 2025-05-19
Abstract： Background: The effect of names on psychology and behavior has been widely studied, but most studies do not distinguish between the effects of name pronunciation and semantics.
Aims: This study focuses on the pronunciation of Chinese names, addressing two questions. First, does the pronunciation of name endings affect individual personality and behavior? Second, what is the underlying mechanism?
Methods: Study 1 used peer assessments to examine personality traits in two college classes, and explored the relationship between name pronunciation and personality. Study 2 investigated whether name pronunciation correlated with the social behaviors of criminals and heroes. Study 3 tested our proposed mechanism by filming three male models pronouncing 50 names and then asked college students to rate the emotional valence of the videos.
Results: Studies 1 and 2 revealed that name pronunciation is related to personality and behavior. We propose a novel mechanism: the degree of others’ mouth opening during name pronunciation influences judgments of others’ emotional valence, shaping an individual’s emotional ecosystem. Study 3 supported this hypothesis, showing that names with open-mouth vowel endings were rated more positively than those with close-mouth vowel endings.
Conclusions: The pronunciation of name endings has an effect on personality and behavior. This study provides evidence for “the model of the pronunciation of name endings and the establishment of individual emotional ecosystems” and reveals a pronunciation mechanism by which names influence the formation of personality and social behavior in Chinese culture.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology >> Social Psychology submitted time 2025-05-19
Abstract： Poverty is a global challenge, and encouraging public participation in poverty alleviation is crucial for reducing income inequality and achieving common prosperity. This research examines how the framing of poverty background information—specifically, whether poverty is presented as regional (“poor regions”) or individual (“poor people”)—affects individuals’ willingness to help and their actual poverty alleviation behaviors. We hypothesize that framing poverty regionally will lead to a greater tendency for external attribution of poverty, which in turn will result in greater intentions and behaviors toward poverty alleviation. Four experiments were conducted to test these hypotheses.
In Experiment 1, regional poverty information was manipulated by presenting participants with either a regional poverty map or a political-administrative map of China (as a control group). The results showed that individuals exposed to regional poverty information were more willing to engage in poverty alleviation compared to those in the control group. Experiment 2 extended these findings by manipulating regional poverty information in an anonymous area. Participants were also asked to report their tendencies for external attribution and their willingness to engage in poverty alleviation. The findings indicated that regional poverty information increased participants’ external attribution of poverty, which, in turn, enhanced their willingness to engage in poverty alleviation.
Experiment 3 further tested the robustness of the findings by manipulating poverty information for regions of similar size and population and including measures of willingness to donate to poverty alleviation. The results showed that regional poverty information increased individuals’ willingness to engage in poverty alleviation, and this effect was mediated by external attribution of poverty. Finally, Experiment 4 used a between-subjects design to manipulate external attribution of poverty, examining whether this external attribution is the mechanism that leads people exposed to regional poverty information to engage in poverty alleviation. The findings of Experiment 4 showed that the differences in poverty alleviation behavior were eliminated when external attribution of poverty was manipulated, thus revealing the mechanism of external attribution of poverty.
In summary, our research shows that: (1) regional poverty information leads to greater willingness to engage in poverty alleviation and more actual poverty alleviation behaviors, and (2) external attribution of poverty mediates the effect of regional poverty information on poverty alleviation. Specifically, regional poverty information increases external attribution of poverty, which in turn leads to greater willingness and behaviors related to poverty alleviation. The results contribute to the literature on poverty attribution and poverty alleviation by highlighting how regional framing of poverty influences public willingness to engage in poverty alleviation.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology >> Clinical and Counseling Psychology submitted time 2025-05-14
Abstract： Depression is a common mental disorder characterized by low mood, decreased interest, and loss of energy. Its pathogenesis is complex, involving genetic, environmental, biochemical, and psychological factors. Patients with depression often exhibit a low-energy state, which is not only reflected in the core symptoms such as low mood, decreased interest, and loss of energy but may also be associated with abnormal overall energy metabolism in the body. In recent years, the "gut-brain axis" theory has shown that the gut microbiota influences mood through mechanisms such as metabolic products, neuroinflammation, and neurotransmitter regulation, and is closely related to depression. Dietary structure has a significant impact on the composition of gut microbiota, and a high-fat diet may induce depressive symptoms through various mechanisms.
For patients with depression who have a preference for meat, directly switching to a diet primarily composed of low-fat fruits and vegetables may be difficult to implement. Therefore, this study attempts to explore the potential role of different types of meat in alleviating depressive symptoms and to identify which type of meat is more suitable for patients with depression, thereby providing a scientific basis for dietary intervention. Based on the characteristics of chicken being low in fat, having moderate energy content, and being rich in fast-twitch muscle fibers, this study investigates its potential role in dietary interventions for depression. Through dietary adjustment experiments with two patients with depression, allowing only chicken consumption, the results showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms, with mood stabilization and enhanced cognitive function, gastrointestinal function, and skin condition. It is analyzed that chicken may alleviate depressive symptoms and related somatic manifestations by optimizing gut microbiota balance, reducing inflammatory responses, and improving the regulation of the brain-gut-skin axis.
Despite the positive results obtained, this study still has limitations, such as a small sample size and lack of strict control over other dietary components. Future research should expand the sample size, adopt a randomized controlled trial design, and combine biomarker analysis to further explore the mechanisms of chicken’s role in dietary interventions for depression, providing a scientific basis for optimizing the diet of patients with depression.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology >> Other Disciplines of Psychology Subjects: Computer Science >> Other Disciplines of Computer Science submitted time 2025-05-11
Abstract： Evidence accumulation models (EAMs) have made significant progress in explaining the cognitive mechanisms of decision-making but have yet to clarify how stimuli are encoded into decision evidence. By integrating artificial neural networks (ANNs), these models can extract stimulus features and embed them into the evidence accumulation process, enabling comprehensive modeling from stimulus encoding and cognitive processing to decision responses. Based on this, we propose a cognitive decision neural network framework consisting of three modules: stimulus processing, evidence accumulation, and decision judgment. We further explore the potential applications of its variants in multi-alternative decision-making, temporally evolving stimuli, and neural activation simulations. However, current models still face limitations in simulating rapid decision-making in complex contexts. Future research should focus on developing more generalized models and constructing large-scale standardized datasets to advance the integration of AI in cognitive studies.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology >> Social Psychology submitted time 2025-05-10
Abstract： Implicit social cognition has attracted a large number of studies. Early research primarily focused on the measurement and impact of implicit social cognition. Extensive studies have demonstrated that negative implicit social cognition, such as implicit bias, implicit stereotypes, and low implicit self-esteem, have various negative effects on individuals and society. In recent years, research has focused on in the interventions for implicit social cognition. Research has suggested nine effective intervention methods, including evaluative conditioning, approach-avoidance training, intergroup contact, exposure to counter-stereotypical exemplars, unconscious bias training, implementation intentions, targeted memory reactivation, emotion inducing, and mindfulness meditation. The current paper systematically reviews these intervention methods. The results indicate that these interventions have small to medium effect sizes, and that most intervention are effective in the short term but not in long term. Future research could combine multiple methods to enhance the long term effects. In addition, future interventions on implicit social cognition can be more efficient and convenient with the application of artificial intelligence technology.
Subjects: Psychology >> Applied Psychology Subjects: Computer Science >> Integration Theory of Computer Science submitted time 2025-05-10
Abstract： The imminent arrival of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) compels a reevaluation of AI-human interactions, particularly through affective communication. This research synthesizes insights from evolutionary biology, comparative psychology, and AI development, advocating for a paradigm shift beyond conventional human-like cognitive processes. It emphasizes the universal nature of affective pathways, as evidenced across various species. We introduce three foundational models — the Affective Threshold Model, the Dynamic Set-Point Model, and the Affective Schema Model — all of which stem from an in-depth analysis of interspecies communications. These models present a roadmap to craft AI interfaces attuned to human affective experiences, elucidating avenues of trust, intuition, and reciprocal recognition between machines and their human counterparts. By further crystallizing the concept of the "Large Affect Model", we project a horizon where AI not only deciphers but also empathizes with human partners, paving the way for a revolutionary cooperative paradigm between AI and humanity.
Subjects: Psychology >> Applied Psychology submitted time 2025-05-09
Abstract： The appropriateness of referees’ decision-making in sports not only concerns the procedural fairness of the game process but also significantly affects the outcome of the match. Therefore, enhancing the quality and efficiency of referees’ decision-making on the field is an urgent practical issue that needs to be addressed. This study attempts to provide insights from basic research into the resolution of this question by clarifying the behavioral manifestations and neural mechanisms of high-level football referees’ decision-making. Considering the special requirements of football match rules, which is that the final decision-making is manifested as a comprehensive decision of "degree of infringement + tactical impact," this study comprehensively considers three types of decisions in the experimental tasks: "degree of infringement," "tactical impact," and the comprehensive "final decision (degree of infringement + tactical impact)."
A total of 129 football referees at the national level and above, as well as first and third-level referees. They were recruited to perform decision-making tasks with 114 trials of 8s foul videos (4s vista +4s close-up). A mixed experimental design was adopted in this study with three factors: 3 (referee level: national and above, first level, third level) × 3 (decision type: degree of infringement, tactical impact, final decision) × 4 (degree of foul: none, mild, moderate, severe). In this design, referee level is a between-subjects variable, while decision type and degree of foul are within-subjects variables. Decision-making behavior indicators were recorded, and functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to synchronously collect Hemoglobin Oxygen (HbO) during the decision-making tasks.
After conducting the experiment with the designed tasks and data collection methods, the following differences and relationships in referees’ decision - making processes were discovered. 1) The reaction time for decision-making regarding tactical impact was longer than that for the severity of the infringement and the final decision for referees of all levels. National-level and above football referees had higher decision-making accuracy for "none" and "light" foul severity across all decision types compared to first and third-level referees, which corresponds to the activation of the left precuneus. 2) National-level and above referees showed different brain activation patterns compared to referees of other levels during decision-making: under the condition of tactical impact, there was stronger activation in the left superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, and right middle occipital gyrus; under the condition of infringement severity, there was stronger activation in the superior frontal gyrus and right middle occipital gyrus. 3) National-level and above referees had a greater association between correct decision-making in tactical impact and final decision-making and the prefrontal and occipital brain regions.
Based on the above - mentioned research findings, we can draw the following inferences about the characteristics and mechanisms of high - level football referees’ decision - making. 1) Decision-making for "none" and "light" foul severity is a primary advantage for high-level football referees. 2) High-level football referees exhibit stronger activation in corresponding brain regions when making decisions on infringement severity and tactical impact, confirming the role of the referee’s experience level and the three-stage decision-making model in football refereeing decisions. 3) High-level referees have a close relationship with the prefrontal and occipital cortices during tactical impact and final decision-making, leading to a cautious and efficient decision-making process.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology >> Management Psychology submitted time 2025-05-08
Abstract： In the current VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) era, employees must proactively seek feedback to facilitate personal development and enhance their workplace competitiveness. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers new opportunities for proactive feedback-seeking, with a survey by Oracle Corporation indicating that over 50% of employees prefer seeking feedback from AI systems. However, traditional research on feedback-seeking behavior has yet to incorporate AI as a feedback source, leaving the mechanisms and consequences of employee feedback-seeking from AI largely underexplored. Moreover, emerging studies on AI feedback primarily position employees as passive feedback recipients, paying limited attention to their proactive feedback-seeking behaviors. To bridge this gap, this research integrates insights from traditional feedback-seeking literature and emerging studies on AI feedback, expanding the concept of feedback-seeking to include AI as a legitimate source. Specifically, this research explores the driving mechanisms of AI system characteristics, such as transparency and anthropomorphism, on feedback-seeking from AI, and examines the impact of feedback-seeking from AI on employee performance improvement. By doing so, it contributes to the growing literature on emerging technologies and employee psychology and behavior, and offers actionable insights for management practices.
Subjects: Psychology >> Physiological Psychology submitted time 2025-05-07
Abstract： This study systematically examines the current landscape, typical applications, and future prospects of open-access high-density resting-state electroencephalography (EEG). Resting-state EEG is widely utilized due to its experimental simplicity, cost-effectiveness, noninvasiveness, and high temporal resolution. Currently, most internationally shared datasets originate from Europe and North America, primarily comprising healthy young and middle-aged populations. These datasets have significantly contributed to both fundamental research and clinical applications, with notable achievements in biomarker discovery for mental illnesses. However, existing databases exhibit limitations in geographic diversity, population coverage, acquisition protocols, and longitudinal cohort design. Future efforts should focus on expanding sample diversity, conducting longitudinal studies with multimodal psychophysiological assessments, developing multicenter large-scale data processing tools, integrating artificial intelligence techniques, and adhering to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data-sharing principles. Open-access high-density resting-state EEG will provide robust data support for precise brain function evaluation.
Subjects: Psychology >> Social Psychology submitted time 2025-05-05
Abstract： Existing literature has extensively examined the relationship between gender role conceptions and fertility intentions, reaching a relatively stable conclusion that more traditional gender role conceptions are associated with stronger fertility intentions. A notable limitation in this body of research, however, is its predominant focus on individuals’ own gender role conceptions, while largely neglecting the influence of their spouses’ beliefs and attitudes. Overlooking this relational aspect may lead to incomplete conclusions. Diverging from previous studies, this paper investigates the relationship between spouses’ gender role conceptions and individuals’ fertility intentions, with particular emphasis on the influence of husbands’ gender role conceptions on wives’ fertility intentions, given that women are primarily engaged in fertility behaviors. The central question of this study is whether fertility dependency exists among married women in China. Specifically, it examines whether husbands’ gender role conceptions exert a stronger influence on their wives’ fertility intentions than the wives’ own conceptions. If this is the case, the study further explores the factors contributing to this dependency and seeks to provide a theoretical explanation for these dynamics.
This study utilized data from the 2014 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). After data cleaning, a total of 7,089 valid participants remained. Core variables were constructed as follows: the outcome variable, representing the wife’s fertility intention, was measured by the desired family size (an integer between 0 and 10). The primary predictor variable, representing the couple’s gender role conceptions, was assessed through four items, such as “Men are career-oriented, and women are family-oriented.” The mean score of these four items served as an indicator of gender role conceptions, with higher scores reflecting more traditional perspectives. Results indicate that fertility dependency is significant, and this finding remains consistent regardless of the different measurement approaches and regression models we employed. Specifically, husbands’ gender role conceptions exert a stronger influence on their wives’ fertility intentions than the wives’ own conceptions; notably, this effect does not occur in the opposite direction. Using data from the CFPS 2022 (N = 555), we further investigated the relationship between husbands’ and wives’ gender role conceptions in 2014 and wives’ near-term fertility plan in 2022. The findings indicate that fertility dependency persists; specifically, husbands’ gender role conceptions in 2014 exhibit a stronger correlation with their wives’ fertility plan in 2022 than the wives’ own gender role conceptions.
Furthermore, we examined fertility dependency across different distributions of household decision-making power. The results indicate that fertility dependency is more pronounced among married women whose husbands hold greater authority in five key domains: household expenditures, savings and investments, real estate purchases, child discipline, and major acquisitions. In contrast, when wives have greater decision-making power, fertility dependency diminishes or shifts toward fertility autonomy, highlighting the critical role of household decision-making power in shaping fertility outcomes. Moreover, fertility dependency is not uniformly distributed across time and space. It is particularly evident among women from earlier generations, those with lower educational attainment, rural hukou holders, and residents of central and western China. By contrast, women from later generations, with higher education, non-rural hukou, and living in eastern China exhibit weaker fertility dependency or even fertility autonomy.
The findings of this study carry significant theoretical and practical implications. First, the results indicate that a substantial number of married women in China are influenced by their husbands’ gender role conceptions in fertility decision-making. Neglecting the role of husbands’ beliefs may lead to an incomplete understanding of wives’ fertility decisions. Second, this study offers a psychological perspective on gender equality based on gender role conceptions. It suggests that gender inequality is not only reflected in the unequal distribution of economic resources but also in the asymmetric psychological dependence between spouses. Enhancing women’s decision-making power in household affairs can mitigate fertility dependency and promote fertility autonomy. This, in turn, may contribute to broader social progress and support the development of a more harmonious and sustainable society.
Subjects: Psychology >> Experimental Psychology submitted time 2025-05-05
Abstract： Performance monitoring of aggressive behavior is a dynamic, procedural cognitive control involving both threat detection and response inhibition. Previous studies have shown that threat induces aggressive behavior in impulsive individuals, but whether impulsive individuals impair performance monitoring by enhancing sensitivity to threatening stimuli, or acting on response inhibition processes to weaken performance monitoring, and the moderating role of cognitive load remains to be seen. important questions for research.
In this study, we designed two experiments to investigate this question. Experiment 1 uses the flanker-stop-signal joint task to verify whether impulsivity can affect threat detection and response inhibition in performance monitoring; Experiment 2 Based on Experiment 1, by increasing the cognitive load sum and expanding the threat types, the threat Go/No go task was used to investigate the effect of cognitive load on the performance monitoring of impulsive people. The results of experiment 1 showed that there was no significant difference in threat sensitivity and response inhibition ability between high and low impulsivity. Aggressive threats impair the impulsive person’s ability to inhibit responses. The results of experiment 2 showed that the weakening effect of cognitive load on impulsive person’s response inhibition was different with different types of threats, and the weakening effect of cognitive load on symbolic threats was greater than that of realistic threats. The ability of low-impulsive people to delete irrelevant information is enhanced, and cognitive load modulates the processing of symbolic and realistic threats in high- and low-impulsive individuals. ability to defend against reputation.
In summary, this study shows through a series of experiments that in the process of performance monitoring of aggressive behavior, impulsivity mainly weakens the ability of response inhibition to weaken the performance monitoring of aggressive behavior, and its key mechanism is to weaken the performance monitoring of aggressive behavior by paying attention to resource depletion.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Computer Science >> Computer Application Technology Subjects: Psychology >> Applied Psychology submitted time 2025-05-01
Abstract： This paper provides a systematic review and reflection on the major achievements and shortcomings of contemporary emotion theory and affective computing from a teleological perspective and proposes a novel framework of "teleology-driven affective computing". First, the paper re-examines mainstream theories such as basic emotions, appraisal theory, and constructivism from the evolutionary functional perspective, emphasizing that the core of affect is to help organisms adapt to their environment and achieve their goals. Although existing research on affective computing has made significant progress in areas like multimodal emotion recognition and emotion generation driven by appraisal theory, it primarily focuses on pattern recognition of external features and lacks a systematic response framework that addresses the emotional dynamics and multi-level needs at both individual and group levels. To address this, the paper advocates for aligning individual and group welfare as the central goal, and proposes two key steps at the algorithmic level to achieve this: First, causal modeling based on real affective event data from individuals to generate virtual environments that accurately simulate individual emotional and behavioral dynamics; second, utilizing meta-reinforcement learning to conduct continuous training in this environment, enabling affective agents to learn to balance short-term and long-term needs and quickly adapt to personalized concerns in different contexts. The specific approach includes constructing a large-scale "personal affective event dataverse" to support causal structure learning, and during the training phase, designing reasonable reward functions that internalize the goal of "helping users achieve sustained and broader positive experiences" as the primary objective of the agent, while balancing different emotional needs across spatial and temporal dimensions and group scales. The paper also highlights that achieving coordination between diverse needs and social equity remains a critical challenge that requires further integration of psychology and sociology theories. Overall, the teleology-driven affective computing framework lays the foundation for intelligent agents’ emotional cognition and deep empathy based on individual and group needs, demonstrating the potential value in advancing the integration of human-computer interaction and societal well-being.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology >> Management Psychology submitted time 2025-04-30
Abstract： Most prior research conceptualizes career shocks as events with either positive valence (e.g., receiving an unexpected promotion) or negative valence (e.g., sudden job loss). However, due to individual differences in the cognitive appraisal, this categorization cannot explain why negative career shocks have positive effects (and vice versa). To address this limitation, Zhang et al. (2023) proposed a reconceptualization of career shocks by incorporating individuals’ cognitive evaluation processes through the lens of the transactional model of stress and coping, introducing the theoretical constructs of challenge-type and hindrance-type career shocks. While this approach advances theory, empirical evidence is still lacking to validate its applicability. Guided by this framework, the present study aims to conduct the following research: First, we aim to develop the measurement of career shocks under new classifications; Second, we aim to use latent growth modeling approach to explore the longitudinal influence and the mechanism underlying the impacts of career shocks on employees’ sustainable careers based on transactional model of stress and coping; Finally, the present study aims to explore the supports context and employees’ career resilience as strategies to promote the classification of the career shocks, so as to help organizations cope with career shock effectively.
Subjects: Psychology >> Social Psychology submitted time 2025-04-27
Abstract： Economic inequality is a significant barrier to social development and the achievement of “common prosperity”. While it is also known to drive individuals’ aspirations for wealth and status, there is limited empirical research exploring this relationship. The current research aimed to investigate how economic inequality influences the desire for wealth and status, as well as its underlying mechanisms. Meanwhile, the growing phenomenon of “lying flat”—a lifestyle choice of minimal effort and rejection of societal pressures to overwork or overachieve—challenges these aspirations. Could “lying flat” be a response to economic inequality? If so, it may suggest that the motivational effects of inequality on wealth and status are subjective and do not always translate into actual behavior. We also examined how economic inequality shapes tendencies toward “lying flat”, exploring the mechanisms and boundary conditions that influence the dual psychological outcomes of desire for wealth and status versus the tendency to subscribe to the “lying flat” lifestyle.
To address these issues, we conducted two correlational studies (Studies 1 and 2) and four experimental studies (Studies 3, 4a, 4b, and 5). Studies 1 and 2 explored the relationships between economic inequality, desire for wealth and status, and the “lying flat” lifestyle through cross-sectional surveys of student and general population samples. Study 3 examined the mediating role of status anxiety in the relationship between economic inequality and the desire for wealth and status using manipulations of the perceived inequality. Studies 4a and 4b investigated the mediating role of perceived control between economic inequality and the “lying flat” lifestyle with two different manipulations—one based on the decription of real-world inequality and the other on a virtual context. Study 5 tested the moderating effect of perceived social mobility in the “economic inequality→perceived control→lying flat” path. All studies were conducted with mainland Chinese samples.
Studies 1 and 2 found that economic inequality had a positive correlation with both the desire for wealth and status and the “lying flat” lifestyle. Study 2 showed that status anxiety mediated the relationship between economic inequality and the desire for wealth and status, while perceived control mediated the relationship between economic inequality and “lying flat”. Study 3 further verified the “economic inequality→status anxiety→desire for wealth and status” path and once again proved that status anxiety plays a mediating role between economic inequality and the desire for wealth and status based on experimental design. Similarly, Study 4 (including Studies 4a and 4b) verified the “economic inequality→perceived control→lying flat” path and experimentally reaffirmed the mediating role of perceived control between economic inequality and “lying flat”. Study 5 revealed that perceived social mobility moderated the relationship between economic inequality and perceived control, as well as the mediating model of “economic inequality→perceived control→lying flat”. Specifically, participants with a higher perception of social mobility showed higher perceived control even at higher levels of economic inequality.
This research replicated the positive effect of economic inequality on the desire for wealth and status, identifying status anxiety as a mediator. It deepens our understanding of the societal consequences of economic inequality. Additionally, we explored how perceived control mediates the relationship between economic inequality and the “lying flat” lifestyle, analyzing the mechanisms behind this contradiction. Finally, we examined the potential of perceived social mobility to mitigate this psychological state. This research provides new insights into the effects of economic inequality and explores practical measures to address the “lying flat” lifestyle, supporting the goal of “common prosperity”.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology >> Developmental Psychology submitted time 2025-04-27
Abstract： As a crucial component of phonological awareness in Chinese, lexical tone awareness refers to the ability to perceive and manipulate tonal units. It plays an important role in the development of children’s reading skills. Empirical studies have demonstrated significant associations—and even longitudinal predictive effects—between perception of lexical tone contrasts, categorical perception of lexical tones, and lexical tone manipulation and children’s reading abilities in both Chinese and English. These findings suggest a potential causal relationship. Future research should further investigate the specific components of Chinese lexical tone awareness and examine how lexical tone awareness—across different Chinese dialects, reading language, reading development stages, and reader profiles (e.g., children with or without reading difficulties)—may differentially relate to children’s reading abilities, and continue to explore the causal relationship between the two.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology >> Other Disciplines of Psychology submitted time 2025-04-27
Abstract： Abstract：Children often exhibit unrealistic optimistic expectations when confronted with specific events or tasks, a phenomenon distinct from dispositional optimism and optimistic explanatory style. Research indicates that such optimistic bias diminishes with age, influencing risk decision-making, social preferences, and mental health. The underlying mechanisms may stem from the interplay of metacognitive limitations, wishful thinking, probability learning, and motivational factors. Future studies should integrate neuroscience and genetics to elucidate the physiological basis of event/task-specific optimistic thinking in children, while investigations into adversity-exposed populations could reveal its neurocognitive plasticity. These findings hold potential to advance cognitive development theories and provide empirical foundations for targeted educational interventions.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology submitted time 2025-04-24
Abstract： The capacity to precisely estimate the arrival time of a moving object at a designated point plays a crucial role in numerous daily activities, including catching a thrown ball or avoiding obstacles during driving. This process, referred to as a prediction motion (PM) task, requires estimating the moment at which a moving stimulus reaches a specific target. The present research explores the influence of time structure on performance within the interruption paradigm of PM tasks, focusing on the effect of timing patterns on the accuracy of motion prediction.
Experiment 1 employed a continuous test to explore the influence of time structure on performance in PM tasks. 25 university students participated in a task where a blue square moved from an initial location toward a target, became temporarily hidden at an interception point, and then reappeared at the designated target. Participants were instructed to determine whether the square arrived earlier or later than expected. Findings indicated that task accuracy significantly improved under a uniform time structure (T = 1.0) compared to variable structures (T ≠ 1.0). These results imply that a stable time structure provides a reliable reference, enhancing the precision of motion prediction.
Experiment 2 was designed to separate the effect of visual speed on PM task performance by incorporating a flicker condition, wherein the moving stimulus became occluded before reaching the interception point. This setup eliminated access to visual speed cues, allowing for an examination of the predictive role of time structure alone. Results were consistent with those of Experiment 1, demonstrating that a stable time structure enhanced task accuracy even when visual speed data was unavailable. These outcomes indicate the significant influence of time structure on PM task performance, regardless of the availability of visual speed information.
Experiment 3 extended the investigation into the stability of the time structure effect by implementing random interference conditions. In this setup, the moving stimulus flickered unpredictably between the starting point and the interception point, thereby interrupting the formation of a stable time structure. Despite these disruptions, findings revealed that performance remained superior under a consistent time structure (T = 1.0), demonstrating the stability of this effect. These results indicate that, even in the presence of distractions or irregularities, the regularity of time structure continues to play a critical role in enhancing predictive accuracy.
In summary, the three experiments presented in this study consistently revealed that maintaining a uniform time structure enhances performance in prediction motion tasks. This improvement is robust across varying experimental conditions, demonstrating a notable level of stability. The results provide empirical evidence for the influence of cognitive processes in such tasks, indicating that individuals may rely on temporal rhythm to form expectations and improve accuracy. Further neuroimaging investigations may help uncover the neural processes involved, exploring how the brain incorporates temporal cues to anticipate motion and regulate behavior.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
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