How does context affect assessments of facial emotion? The role of culture and age.

People from Asian cultures are more influenced by context in their visual processing than people from Western cultures. In this study, we examined how these cultural differences in context processing affect how people interpret facial emotions. We found that younger Koreans were more influenced than younger Americans by emotional background pictures when rating the emotion of a central face, especially those younger Koreans with low self-rated stress. In contrast, among older adults, neither Koreans nor Americans showed significant influences of context in their face emotion ratings. These findings suggest that cultural differences in reliance on context to interpret others' emotions depend on perceptual integration processes that decline with age, leading to fewer cultural differences in perception among older adults than among younger adults. Furthermore, when asked to recall the background pictures, younger participants recalled more negative pictures than positive pictures, whereas older participants recalled similar numbers of positive and negative pictures. These age differences in the valence of memory were consistent across culture. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perception of and psychological coping with medical technology. How does the patient perceive percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty?

BASIC REMARKS: Since, as a result of technological progress, ever more interventions are being carried out in the conscious patient without anesthesia or sedation, psychological coping is an important aspect. METHODS: Over a period of one year, all patients undergoing coronary artery dilatation at the University Hospital, Frankfurt, were admitted to the study in which the patients and their spouses, as well as the physicians involved were questioned (individual questioning, questionnaires, interviews). In addition, a catamnestic follow-up examination was performed. RESULTS: In addition to numerous other results, the following major points can be made: most patients coped with the stressful situation by adopting an optimistic attitude, which was combined with trust in the physician and the procedure employed. A very small group of patients can be considered to suffer from appreciable depressivity/anxiety and requires psychotherapeutic support. Days and weeks after the procedure there is a delayed phase of "late coping". In the patients with no major persisting symptoms, there is an increasing tendency in this period to play down the situation, with the result that there may be a lack of readiness to admit the need to change possibly dangerous habits and adopt a different life style.     

How does cognitive control reduce anger and aggression? The role of conflict monitoring and forgiveness processes.

It is well-established that superior cognitive control abilities are associated with lower levels of anger and aggression. However, the precise emotion regulation operations underlying this relationship have been underspecified and underexplored in previous research. Drawing on neuropsychological models of cognitive control, the authors propose that limited capacity resources can be recruited within a hostile situation to promote a process of forgiveness. The results of 2 studies supported this proposal. Across studies, individual differences in hostility-primed cognitive control were assessed implicitly. In Study 1, hostility-primed cognitive control predicted less aggressive behavior in response to a laboratory provocation. Moreover, forgiveness mediated these effects. In Study 2, hostility-primed cognitive control predicted forgiveness of provocations in participants' daily lives and subsequent reductions in anger. In sum, the results contribute to a systematic understanding of how cognitive control leads to lower levels of anger and aggression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

How does religiosity enhance well-being? The role of perceived control.

Religiousness and spirituality (R/S) are consistently linked with positive indicators of well-being, but the mechanisms behind these associations remain largely unknown. We hypothesize that an individual's level of perceived control (PC) acts as a mediator of this relationship and that this effect is stronger in older adults. Participants were 529 adults from the Notre Dame Study of Health and Well-Being (aged 31–88). Regression analyses tested both mediating and moderating functions of PC for three different R/S components (religious practices, daily spiritual experiences, and religious/spiritual coping); composite variables were used for PC and subjective well-being (SWB) in all analyses. These effects were tested using the full sample, as well as separately by age group (early midlife, aged 31–49; late midlife, aged 50–59; and later life, aged 60 and over), in order to discover any age differences that may exist. Results revealed differences by both R/S dimension and age group: PC partially mediated the religious practices-SWB relationship in the full sample and in the later life group; the effects of religious/spiritual coping and spiritual experiences on SWB were partially mediated by PC in the full sample, the late midlife group, and the later life group; and none of the R/S-SWB relationships were mediated in the early midlife group. Moderating effects were indicated by significant interactions between PC and spiritual experiences in the full sample, PC and religious coping in the full sample, and PC and religious practices in the later life group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The influence of facial masking and sex on older adults’ impressions of individuals with Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) involves facial masking, which may impair social interaction. Older adult observers who viewed segments of videotaped interviews of individuals with PD expressed less interest in relationships with women with higher masking and judged them as less supportive. Masking did not affect ratings of men in these domains, possibly because higher masking violates gender norms for expressivity in women but not in men. Observers formed less accurate ratings of the social supportiveness and social strain of women than men, and higher masking decreased accuracy for ratings of strain. Results suggest that some of the problems with social relationships in PD may be due to inaccurate impressions and reduced desire to interact with individuals with higher masking, especially women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-diffusion in α-iron: The influence of dislocations and the effect of the magnetic phase transition

Self-diffusion in dislocated α-iron single crystals has been studied with the radioactive tracer ⁵⁹Fe in the temperature range 754–1163 K. Serial sectioning was performed either by microtome cutting or by sputtering. Based on systematic studies of diffusion along dislocations in the same material by the present authors [in DIMETA 88—Diffusion in Metals and Alloys (edited by F. J. Kedves and D. L. Beke). Defect and Diffusion Forum 66–69, 591 (1989)] lattice diffusion coefficients have been selected by considering the influence of dislocations on the apparent diffusivities measured in dislocated crystals. The temperature dependence of the lattice self-diffusion coefficient shows a deviation from the Arrhenius behaviour due to the magnetic order-disorder transition. The general relations and several semi-empirical models which describe this magnetic diffusion anomaly are discussed. From fits of the respective models to a set of lattice diffusion coefficients activation parameters for self-diffusion in the ferromagnetic state (D_f⁰ and Q_f) and in the completely disordered paramagnetic state (D_p⁰ and Q_p) are obtained: D_f⁰ = 6.8–27.7 · 10⁻⁴ m² s⁻¹, Q_f = 2.95–3.10 eV, D_p⁰ = 6.8–12.3 · 10⁻⁴ m² s⁻¹, and Q_p = 2.57–2.68 eV. Independent of the details of these models the parameters fall within fairly narrow limits.     

When does self-esteem relate to deviant behavior? The role of contingencies of self-worth.

Researchers have assumed that low self-esteem predicts deviance, but empirical results have been mixed. This article draws upon recent theoretical developments regarding contingencies of self-worth to clarify the self-esteem/deviance relation. It was predicted that self-esteem level would relate to deviance only when self-esteem was not contingent on workplace performance. In this manner, contingent self-esteem is a boundary condition for self-consistency/behavioral plasticity theory predictions. Using multisource data collected from 123 employees over 6 months, the authors examined the interaction between level (high/low) and type (contingent/noncontingent) of self-esteem in predicting workplace deviance. Results support the hypothesized moderating effects of contingent self-esteem; implications for self-esteem theories are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Why talk about mental states? The significance of children's conversations with friends, siblings, and mothers

Natural language data from 38 47-month-olds recorded at home in unstructured observations were analyzed and comparisons made of characteristics of mental state term use in child-friend, child-sibling, and child-mother dyads. Significantly more references to mental states were made by the children in conversations with siblings and friends than with mothers. Frequent use of mental state terms by both partners was related to cooperative interaction in both child-friend and child-sibling dyads and several associations were found with measures of language fluency, gender, and maternal education, although these varied across the 2 dyads. Children's use of mental state terms in conversations with siblings and friends was correlated with their performance on two false belief measures. Results highlight the importance of extending investigations into the social implications of the development of children's "theories of mind."     

The influence of mother–child emotion regulation strategies on children's expression of anger and sadness.

In a sample of 153 children from preschool through second grade, relations between the use of emotion regulation strategy and children's expression of anger and sadness were coded during an observational task in which children were intentionally disappointed in the presence of the mother. Multilevel modeling was used to examine strategy use and current and subsequent expressions of anger and sadness. Results indicate that mothers' use of attention refocusing and joint mother–child cognitive reframing lead to lower intensity of expressed anger and sadness. Younger children expressed more sadness than older children, and maternal attention refocusing was less successful among older children than younger ones. Implications of these results for assessing the socialization of emotion regulation in preschool and school-age children are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Why did the sperm cross the cumulus? To get to the oocyte. Functions of the sperm surface proteins PH-20 and fertilin in arriving at, and fusing with, the egg

The sperm surface has an active role in the events of fertilization. The definition of the sperm surface in both its composition and domain organization begins during spermatogenesis and continues until the moment of sperm-egg fusion. Alterations of the surface proceed as a result of internal programming and environmental cues from both the male and female reproductive tracts, including interactions with the egg itself. We have investigated the sperm surface to understand its domain organization and the ongoing changes in this organization as well as the role of specific surface proteins in fertilization. Much of our research has concentrated on two surface proteins: PH-20 and fertilin. PH-20 is a single-chain protein, anchored in the membrane via a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. The N-terminal domain of the molecule has a hyaluronidase activity. The hyaluronidase activity of PH-20 on the sperm plasma membrane enables sperm to penetrate the layer of cumulus cells surrounding the oocyte. PH-20 has a second function, unrelated to its hyaluronidase activity, in the binding of acrosome-reacted sperm to the zona pellucida (secondary sperm-zona binding). The fertilin molecule is an alpha,beta heterodimer whose two subunits are closely related transmembrane proteins. Fertilin beta has a disintegrin domain that has high sequence homology with the snake disintegrins, a known class of soluble integrin ligands. The binding site of the beta disintegrin domain functions to bind sperm to the egg plasma membrane via a mechanism that leads to sperm-egg fusion. The precursor of fertilin alpha, made in the testis, has an active metalloprotease site that could function in spermatogenesis. This metalloprotease domain is removed by proteolytic processing in the testis. Mature fertilin alpha on sperm also has a hydrophobic, putative "fusion peptide" that may promote the process of lipid bilayer fusion between sperm and egg plasma membranes. Fertilin alpha and beta are the first identified members of a new gene family of transmembrane proteins, the ADAM family, so called because they contain A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease domain. Many distinct ADAMs have now been found in diverse tissues and species (Drosophila to human) and are proposed to have a variety of functions in development and the adult. In addition to fertilin, other ADAMs are also present on the sperm plasma membrane and may participate with fertilin in sperm-egg fusion.     

The influence of pressure on crystallisation of amorphous Zr70Cu30 alloy—I. Crystallisation temperature and the crystallisation phases

The pressure dependence of the crystallisation temperature of amorphous Zr₇₀Cu₃₀ alloy and the variation of its crystallisation phases under high pressure annealing were investigated by electrical resistivity measurement and X-ray diffraction method. The results show that pressurising generally raises the crystalisation temperature, but slightly decreases it at the early stage of compression. Evident changes in crystallisation phase in the alloy were also observed under high pressure annealing. At atmosphere pressure, the crystallisation products are CuZr₂ with a modicum of α-Zr, while at a pressure of 2 GPa, the alloy crystallises into a mixture consisting of CuZr₂, Cu₁₀Zr₇ and an appreciable amount of α-Zr. The origin of these observations is discussed.     

Temper embrittlement of low alloy NI-CR steels—I. The susceptibility to temper embrittlement and the influence of intermediate tempering treatments

A comprehensive study has been made of the temper embrittlement behaviour of Ni-Cr steels using a commercial low alloy steel (En30A) and a high purity Ni-Cr steel doped with 425 ppm Sn(BElO). The embrittlement was characterised as a function of intermediate tempering treatments at 650°C and subsequent ageing treatments within the temper embrittlement regime (350–575°C), with the ageing being studied up to long ageing times (10,000h). Complementary Auger Electron Spectroscopy studies identified the grain boundary segregation of Ni, Sn, P and Si, with the segregation being strongly dependent upon the bulk composition, intermediate tempering treatment and ageing time within the embrittling temperature regime.The results have important implications to the long term service behaviour of ferritic steel components in engineering plant operating at elevated temperatures.     

Why are some texts good and others not? Relationship between text quality and management of the writing processes.

Two experiments examined whether text quality is related to online management of the writing processes. Experiment 1 focused on the relationship between online management and text quality in narrative and argumentative texts. Experiment 2 investigated how this relationship might be affected by a goal emphasizing text quality. In both experiments, psychology students were instructed to think aloud while composing their texts. Reaction times to auditory probes were also collected to reflect writers' cognitive effort. Two sets of variables were measured: general temporal indicators (fluency, prewriting pause) and online management of writing processes (number, mean length of episodes). Finally, text quality was assessed. As expected, results confirmed that narrative and argumentative texts are composed using different strategies. Students also composed better texts when a quality-based goal had been set. The main reliable indicator of text quality was an increase of the prewriting pause and of planning processes. These findings indicate that writers tailor their writing behavior to match the type and quality of the text they are asked to produce. These results are discussed in the light of interventions and recommendations in the classroom. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The triumph of the segregationists? A historiographical inquiry into psychology and the Brown litigation.

Psychologists testified at the trials of Brown v. Board of Education and helped write briefs that were submitted to the Supreme Court on appeal. Psychologists were once proud of what they did in Brown but are now seen as liberal reformers who masked their political wishes in the guise of social science. The argument that psychologists involved with Brown were social reformers rather than objective scientists dates to the segregationist critique of Brown. The author traces the history of the critique of the Brown psychologists from its segregationist origins to its acceptance by mainstream social scientific and historical scholars. The author concludes that the critique is based on a misreading of what the Brown psychologists did during the litigation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of video game competition and violence on aggressive behavior: Which characteristic has the greatest influence?

Objective: This study is the first to our knowledge to isolate the effect of video game violence and competitiveness on aggressive behavior. Method: In Pilot Study 1, a violent and nonviolent video game were matched on competitiveness, difficulty, and pace of action, and the effect of each game on aggressive behavior was then compared using an unambiguous measure of aggressive behavior (i.e., the Hot Sauce Paradigm) in Experiment 1. In Pilot Study 2, competitiveness was isolated by matching games on difficulty and pace of action, and systematically controlling for violence. The effect of video game competition on aggressive behavior was then examined in Experiment 2. Results: We found that video game violence was not sufficient to elevate aggressive behavior compared with a nonviolent video game, and that more competitive games produced greater levels of aggressive behavior, irrespective of the amount of violence in the games. Conclusion: It appears that competition, not violence, may be the video game characteristic that has the greatest influence on aggressive behavior. Future research is needed to explore the mechanisms through which video game competitiveness influences aggressive behavior, as well as whether this relation holds in the long-term. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The slip character and low cycle fatigue behaviour: The influence of F.C.C. twinning and strain-induced F.C.C. → H.C.P. martensitic transformation

The influence of slip character on the low cycle fatigue behaviour was investigated in the CoNi system at room temperature. Three alloys of increasing stacking fault energy (SFE) were used: Co31Ni (SFE ∼- 12 mJm⁻²) which deforms by slip and f.c.c. → h.c.p. strain-induced martensitic transformation, Co33Ni (SFE = 15 mJm⁻²) which exhibits slip and twinning and Co45Ni (SFE = 45mJm⁻²) which deforms only by slip with easy cross-slip. Push-pull low cycle fatigue tests were conducted under plastic strain control up to a few 10⁴ cycles. The number of cycles to fracture was found to increase with decreasing SFE which promotes planar deformation mechanisms: the life obtained in Co31 Ni and Co33Ni alloys is respectively about 6 and 3 times higher than that of Co45Ni alloy.Measurements of striation spacings on the fracture surfaces have enabled to show that the influence of twinning on fatigue life is mainly due to a large increase of the initiation period before stage II crack propagation. This behaviour was associated with a difference in crack initiation sites along twin or h.c.p. platelets where there is a strain localization in low SFE alloys or along grain boundaries in the high SFE alloy. The increase of crack initiation period was explained on the basis of a reduced stage I crack propagation rate in the alloys exhibiting planar deformation mechanisms.     

Influence of crystallography upon critical nucleus shapes and kinetics of homogeneous f.c.c.-f.c.c. nucleation—III. The influence of elastic strain energy

The influence of crystallography upon critical nucleus shapes and kinetics of homogeneous f.c.c.-f.c.c. nucleation was studied by combining the discrete lattice point non-classical model utilized in paper II of this series with the microscopic theory of strain energy as applied by Cook and de Fontaine to compositional fluctuations in cubic lattices. This permits simultaneous consideration of the influence of anistropic interfacial energy and anisotropic strain energy upon nucleation. This is extremely difficult to do using other models of strain energy because of mathematical problems. The model is applied to f.c.c. nuclei in AlCu and CuCo alloys. Nuclei in AlCu are plates because coherency strain energy predominates in this system. In CuCo alloys, the misfit is smaller and the distortion tensor is cubic; thus the nuclei are essentially spherical. Despite this lesser effect, the influence of strain energy upon the nucleation kinetics of Co-rich precipitates in a Cu-rich CuCo alloy is found to be very important, reducing these kinetics by as much as five orders of magnitude.     

Contact Interaction of Zirconium Diboride with Nickel and its Alloys. I. The Features of Contact Interaction in the ZrB2–Ni System

Powder Metallurgy and Metal Ceramics - The interaction in the ZrB2–Ni system with change in the ZrB2 content from 3.5 to 75 wt.% has been studied. It is shown that the process occurs through...