Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Cultivating kindness across cultures: The development and enhancement of prosocial behaviour
No full textMapping the neural mechanism that distinguishes between holistic thinking and analytic thinking
No full textHolistic and analytic thinking are two distinct modes of thinking used to interpret the world with relative preferences varying across cultures. While most research on these thinking styles has focused on behavioral and cognitive aspects, a few studies have utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the correlations between brain metrics and self-reported scale scores. Other fMRI studies used single holistic and analytic thinking tasks. As a single task may involve processing in spurious low-level regions, we used two different holistic and analytic thinking tasks, namely the frame-line task and the triad task, to seek convergent brain regions to distinguish holistic and analytic thinking using multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA). Results showed that brain regions fundamental to distinguish holistic and analytic thinking include the bilateral frontal lobes, bilateral parietal lobes, bilateral precentral and postcentral gyrus, bilateral supplementary motor areas, bilateral fusiform, bilateral insula, bilateral angular gyrus, left cuneus, and precuneus, left olfactory cortex, cingulate gyrus, right caudate and putamen. Our study maps brain regions that distinguish between holistic and analytic thinking and provides a new approach to explore the neural representation of cultural constructs. We provide initial evidence connecting culture-related brain regions with language function to explain the origins of cultural differences in cognitive styles.</p
Effects of Feedback Type on Touchscreen Navigation for Younger and Older Users
No full textThis study investigates how feedback from different modalities affect window navigation tasks performed on a touchscreen by younger and older users. Thirty-two younger and 32 older users moved a window toward one of four or eight target areas with no feedback or visual, tactile or visual-tactile feedback. Visual feedback produced significantly higher accuracy and shorter task completion times than tactile feedback. Generally, visual-tactile feedback did not produce statistically higher accuracy or shorter task completion time than visual feedback. However, visual-tactile feedback prevented both younger and older users from overshooting the windows. Additionally, when users attempted to move the window to one of the eight target areas, the visual-tactile feedback helped younger users perform better. According to theories about human processing, the reason for the subtle advantage of visual-tactile feedback is that the unintuitive tactile force induces a higher cognitive load than straightforward visual information during window navigation. Nevertheless, visual-tactile feedback elicited the best user experience, as measured by questionnaires on emotion and fatigue, gesture usability and preference. Furthermore, more older users prefer visual-tactile feedback than younger users. Therefore, visual-tactile feedback should be considered, and the tactile feedback should be modified to be more intuitive in window navigation tasks.Research Highlights Visual feedback improved task performance more than tactile feedback in window navigation task. Visual-tactile feedback did not improve task performance compared to visual feedback. Visual-tactile feedback prevented users from overshooting the window. More older users than younger users prefer visual-tactile feedback.</p
Comparison of trait and state mind wandering among schizotypal, subclinically depressed, and control individuals
No full textBackground Mind wandering is a common phenomenon in daily life. However, the manifestations and cognitive correlates of mind wandering in different subclinical populations remain unclear. In this study, these aspects were examined in individuals with schizotypal traits and individuals with depressive symptoms, i.e., subclinical populations of patients with schizophrenia and depression.Methods Forty-two individuals with schizotypal traits, 42 individuals with subclinical depression, and 42 controls were recruited to complete a mind wandering thought sampling task (state level) and a mind wandering questionnaire (trait level). Measures of rumination and cognitive functions (attention, inhibition, and working memory) were also completed by participants.Results Both subclinical groups exhibited more state and trait mind wandering than did the control group. Furthermore, individuals with schizotypal traits demonstrated more trait mind wandering than individuals with subclinical depression. Rumination, sustained attention, and working memory were associated with mind wandering. In addition, mind wandering in individuals with subclinical depression can be accounted for by rumination or attention, while mind wandering in individuals with high schizotypal traits cannot be accounted for by rumination, attention, or working memory.Conclusions The results suggest that individuals with high schizotypal traits and subclinical depression have different patterns of mind wandering and mechanisms. These findings have implications for understanding the unique profile of mind wandering in subclinical individuals.</p
Genetic evidence for the causal relationships between migraine, dementia, and longitudinal brain atrophy
No full textBackground Migraine is a neurological disease with a significant genetic component and is characterized by recurrent and prolonged episodes of headache. Previous epidemiological studies have reported a higher risk of dementia in migraine patients. Neuroimaging studies have also shown structural brain atrophy in regions that are common to migraine and dementia. However, these studies are observational and cannot establish causality. The present study aims to explore the genetic causal relationship between migraine and dementia, as well as the mediation roles of brain structural changes in this association using Mendelian randomization (MR).Methods We collected the genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics of migraine and its two subtypes, as well as four common types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and Lewy body dementia. In addition, we collected the GWAS summary statistics of seven longitudinal brain measures that characterize brain structural alterations with age. Using these GWAS, we performed Two-sample MR analyses to investigate the causal effects of migraine and its two subtypes on dementia and brain structural changes. To explore the possible mediation of brain structural changes between migraine and dementia, we conducted a two-step MR mediation analysis.Results The MR analysis demonstrated a significant association between genetically predicted migraine and an increased risk of AD (OR = 1.097, 95% CI = [1.040, 1.158], p = 7.03 x 10- 4). Moreover, migraine significantly accelerated annual atrophy of the total cortical surface area (-65.588 cm2 per year, 95% CI = [-103.112, -28.064], p = 6.13 x 10- 4) and thalamic volume (-9.507 cm3 per year, 95% CI = [-15.512, -3.502], p = 1.91 x 10- 3). The migraine without aura (MO) subtype increased the risk of AD (OR = 1.091, 95% CI = [1.059, 1.123], p = 6.95 x 10- 9) and accelerated annual atrophy of the total cortical surface area (-31.401 cm2 per year, 95% CI = [-43.990, -18.811], p = 1.02 x 10- 6). The two-step MR mediation analysis revealed that thalamic atrophy partly mediated the causal effect of migraine on AD, accounting for 28.2% of the total effect.Discussion This comprehensive MR study provided genetic evidence for the causal effect of migraine on AD and identified longitudinal thalamic atrophy as a potential mediator in this association. These findings may inform brain intervention targets to prevent AD risk in migraine patients.</p
Declining Chinese attitudes toward the United States amid COVID-19
No full textIn this paper, we present findings from four separate studies using different data sources and methods to examine Chinese attitudes toward the United States amid the COVID - 19 pandemic. The empirical results consistently indicate a marked and significant decline in Chinese attitudes toward the US between late 2019 and the end of 2022. Using a quasi - experimental design and granular survey data that exploit daily variations in public opinion, we offer additional evidence that the decline in Chinese attitudes toward the United States followed a distinct pattern not true for Chinese attitudes toward other countries. Specifically, the rise in Chinese unfavorability toward the United States closely corresponded to the heightened Chinese attention to the pandemic's progression in the United States. These results collectively suggest a causal effect of COVID - 19, shedding light on how public health crises, international relations, and media jointly shape the increasing enmity between the two great powers.</p
Perceptual Expertise of Forensic Examiners and Reviewers on Tests of Cross-Race and Disguised Face Identification and Face Memory
No full textForensic facial professionals have been shown in previous studies to identify people from frontal face images more accurately than untrained participants when given 30 s per face pair. We tested whether this superiority holds in more challenging conditions. Two groups of forensic facial professionals (examiners, reviewers) and untrained participants were tested in three lab-based tasks: other-race face identification, disguised face identification, and face memory. For other-race face identification, on same-race faces, examiners were superior to controls; on different-race identification, examiners and controls performed comparably. Examiners were superior to controls for impersonation disguise, but not consistently superior for evasion disguise. Examiners' performance on the Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT+) was marginally better than reviewers and controls. We conclude that under laboratory-style conditions, professional examiners' identification superiority does not generalize completely to other-race and disguised faces. Future work should administer other-race and disguise face identification tests that allow forensic professionals to follow methods and procedures they typically use in casework.</p
Association between autistic features and empathy in Chinese patients with chronic schizophrenia
No full textObjectivesIt is common for patients with schizophrenia to exhibit symptoms of autism. Both autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia share similar patterns of empathy deficits. This study purposed to explore the association between autistic features and empathy in Chinese patients with chronic schizophrenia.MethodsWe enrolled 857 patients with chronic schizophrenia. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological 7 Status (RBANS), and Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) were employed to assess the participants' clinical symptoms, neurocognition, and empathy, respectively. The severity of autistic symptoms was assessed with the PANSS Autism Severity Scale (PAUSS), with PAUSS scores >= 30 were considered to have significant autistic features.Results114 schizophrenia patients (13.3%) had autistic features. Compared to schizophrenia patients without autistic features, those with autistic features had more severe clinical symptoms, and poorer neurocognition and empathic abilities. Female sex and empathic concerns were independently associated with autistic features in patients with chronic schizophrenia.ConclusionsOur results suggest that autistic features tend to manifest quite commonly among patients with chronic schizophrenia. Empathy deficits are strongly associated with autistic features in patients with chronic schizophrenia, strengthening the view that autistic features may characterize a subgroup of schizophrenia patients.</p
Body size estimation is influenced by actual-ideal body size discrepancy: a series of studies among Chinese adolescent girls
No full textMany adolescent girls desire to have a thinner body, including those of normal weight. However, it is not fully known if this reflects solely a preference for a particular body type/size, or also is influenced by holding a distorted perception of one's body size. The current series of studies aimed to examine the (in)accuracy of body size perception among adolescent girls, as well as the extent to which distorted perceptions of body size extended to perceptions of other girls' bodies. In Study 1, 48 pairs of girls who desired to be thinner were asked to estimate the circumferences of three parts (arm, waist and thigh) of their own body and that of a study partner. Participants generally overestimated the circumferences of both their own and their partner's bodies, with this overestimation stable over a four-month follow-up. In contrast, in Study 2, no body size overestimation was observed for self or partners among 44 pairs of girls who were satisfied with their body size. Study 3 further revealed significant correlations between body size overestimation and disordered eating symptomology among 43 pairs of girls who desired to be thinner. As a whole, findings demonstrated that body size overestimation was limited to adolescent girls who were dissatisfied with their body size, and that body size overestimation was associated with disordered eating symptomology. Thus, perceptual distortions in body size may play a role in both body size dissatisfaction and disordered eating among adolescents.</p
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