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25 July 2026, Volume 58 Issue 7 Previous Issue   
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Academic Papers of the 28^th Annual Meeting of the China Association for Science and Technology
Reports of Empirical Studies


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Academic Papers of the 28^th Annual Meeting of the China Association for Science and Technology

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Personalized alignment of large language models and its impact on moral judgment LI Chang-Jin, JIAO Liying, CHEN Zhen, XU Hengbin, WU Michael Shengtao, XU Yan 2026, 58 (7):  1237-1253.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1237 Abstract ( 3 )   With the advent of the human-machine symbiosis era, the ethical dilemmas and algorithmic biases of large language models (LLMs) have triggered widespread societal concerns. Guiding artificial intelligence (AI) toward beneficial development has thus become an urgent and challenging imperative. This research explores the impact of personalized alignment based on the HEXACO personality model on the moral judgment of LLMs. Specifically, the study aims to verify whether LLMs can effectively achieve personalized alignment through prompting and to systematically evaluate how such alignment influences utilitarian tendencies in LLMs compared to humans across various moral dilemmas. By leveraging established psychological frameworks, this research seeks to provide a scientific basis for constructing controllable and ethical AI alignment strategies. Study 1 tested GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and ERNIE 3.5 using HEXACO-based personality prompts across six domains at high, low, and baseline levels, integrated with different gender roles. Manipulation checks were conducted using two distinct methods: a quantitative personality assessment using the HEXACO-60 scale and a qualitative personality story-writing task rated by independent human evaluators. Study 2 utilized a set of standardized moral dilemmas to assess utilitarian versus deontological choices in both LLMs and human participants. Human data were categorized into high and low personality groups for comparison, while the LLMs performed the same moral judgment tasks under various personality settings to identify shifts in decision-making patterns. The results of Study 1 confirmed the feasibility of personalized alignment, demonstrating that LLMs can dynamically represent HEXACO personality traits through prompts. Among the LLMs tested, GPT-4 exhibited superior instruction-following capabilities and more distinct trait differentiation than GPT-3.5 and ERNIE 3.5. Findings from Study 2 revealed that personalized alignment significantly alters the moral judgment of LLMs, though the impact varies across different models and personality domains. Specifically, traits such as Honesty-Humility, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness were found to reduce utilitarian tendencies, leading to a preference for deontological responses. While some traits, particularly Honesty-Humility, showed stable and consistent effects between humans and AI, others displayed divergent or even opposite patterns, highlighting fundamental differences in their respective moral reasoning mechanisms. The study reached three primary conclusions. First, LLMs are capable of exhibiting stable and distinguishable personality tendencies that can be activated through prompt-based alignment. Second, the influence of Honesty-Humility on moral judgment exhibits a consistent effect across humans and different LLMs, whereas other personality domains show inconsistencies. This suggests that while LLMs' moral decision-making shares partial cognitive logic with humans, fundamental differences remain. Third, the personality metatrait of “Stability”—and particularly the Honesty-Humility domain—demonstrates a significant moral salience effect within the personalized alignment process. Based on these insights, this research proposes a personalized alignment framework utilizing the HEXACO model and personality metatrait theory to systematically shape the moral responses of AI, providing a psychological foundation for the development of safety, controllable and ethical AI systems. This framework emphasizes integrating psychological theories to mitigate ethical risks and ensure that AI behavior remains consistent with human values. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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The impact of anthropomorphism on perceived warmth-competence of AI and human-AI cooperation intention CUI Xunxuan, QIAO Ziteng, LIU Ning 2026, 58 (7):  1254-1278.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1254 Abstract ( 1 )   The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has shifted human-AI interactions from instrumental to collaborative partnerships, yet public distrust and resistance remain major obstacles. Meanwhile, anthropomorphism (attributing human characteristics to non-human entities) is widely used to enhance human-AI collaboration, but existing findings are contradictory: anthropomorphism may trigger negative reactions. This study integrated the Stereotype Content Model and Intergroup Threat Theory to explore how and when anthropomorphism influences collaboration intentions. This research comprised four sequential studies (incorporating six sub-experiments; N = 1128), recruiting working adults from the credamo platform to systematically investigate the impact, mediating mechanisms, and boundary conditions of AI anthropomorphism on human-AI collaboration intention. Diverse anthropomorphism manipulation methods were employed: Studies 1a and 1b used passive textual descriptions (anthropomorphic vs. non-anthropomorphic AI); Study 2 utilized an active guided imagination task (high vs. low anthropomorphism); Studies 3a and 3b introduced realistic threat scenarios (high vs. low) based on the imagination manipulation; Study 4 employed ecologically valid robotic images (high vs. low anthropomorphism) and measured the moderating role of uniqueness threat. Results from Studies 1a and 1b indicated that passive textual anthropomorphism successfully enhanced perceived warmth, which in turn mediated collaboration intention, though the direct effect on intention was non-significant. Study 2, employing active imagination, strengthened the manipulation effect. It demonstrated that high anthropomorphism significantly boosted both perceived warmth and competence, which in turn fully mediated its positive effect on collaboration intention. Studies 3a and 3b replicated the findings of Study 2 under both high and low realistic threat conditions, revealing that realistic threat was not an effective boundary condition; the positive effect of anthropomorphism and its social cognitive mediating pathway remained stable regardless of realistic threat level. Study 4 revealed that objective visual anthropomorphism (based on ABOT database ratings) not only failed to promote collaboration but significantly reduced intention under high uniqueness threat. However, when using subjective perceived anthropomorphism as the indicator, the mediating pathway through perceived warmth and competence was confirmed again. This study represents the first systematic investigation into social cognitive mechanisms underlying how anthropomorphism influences human-AI collaboration. By extending the applicability of the Stereotype Content Model and Intergroup Threat Theory to human-AI interaction contexts, the study provides an integrated theoretical framework for understanding the complex operational mechanisms and boundary conditions of AI anthropomorphism in human-AI collaboration—specifically within the context of in-group and out-group dynamics—and further deepens reflections on the question of how and when to use anthropomorphism in the context of human-AI collaboration. Furthermore, drawing on the perceptual pathways of warmth and competence, as well as the boundary defined by uniqueness threat, the study offers practical implications for optimizing the anthropomorphic design of AI and facilitating human-AI collaboration. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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The impact of privacy risk perception on initial trust in autonomous vehicle: Differential responses of professionals and non-professionals SUN Yifei, LI Xiulan, DU Feng, QI Yue 2026, 58 (7):  1279-1296.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1279 Abstract ( 2 )   This study investigates the role of professional background in shaping initial trust in autonomous vehicles (AVs), with a particular focus on how privacy risk perception influences trust differences between professionals and non-professionals. Previous research has primarily concentrated on the issue of insufficient trust in AVs and sought to enhance trust through improved design and communication. However, excessive trust among ordinary consumers may equally lead to greater risks and hazards. Therefore, how to calibrate consumers' trust to be closer to that of industry professionals—who are also the system designers—has become a pressing issue. Although existing studies have examined various perceptual factors affecting trust in AVs, there remains a lack of systematic evidence on how prior experiential differences, represented by professional background, shape initial trust. Drawing on three empirical studies with a total of 1, 027 participants, this research systematically examines the mechanisms through which privacy risk perception influences trust formation. Study 1 employed an online survey to compare professionals and non-professionals. Results showed that non-professionals reported significantly higher initial trust in AVs, were more likely to overestimate system performance, underestimate potential risks, and be more susceptible to social influence. Regression analyses further revealed an interaction effect between privacy risk perception and professional background: privacy risk perception significantly predicted professionals' trust levels but had no significant effect on non-professionals. In addition, social influence, perceived usefulness, and safety risk perception jointly predicted initial trust, indicating that trust formation is a complex process shaped by multiple interacting factors. Study 2 experimentally manipulated privacy risk levels to further explore the interaction between privacy risk perception and professional background. Results demonstrated that increased privacy risk significantly reduced professionals' trust, whereas non-professionals' trust fluctuated more dramatically. A moderated mediation analysis showed that privacy risk level predicted non-professionals' trust through privacy risk perception, but the effect was nonsignificant for professionals. This suggests that professionals' trust is relatively stable, while non-professionals—lacking accurate recognition of privacy risks—are more sensitive to contextual changes. Study 3 examined the impact of enhancing privacy risk perception. Results indicated that increasing non-professionals' privacy risk awareness heightened their sensitivity to risks, thereby significantly reducing their initial trust. This finding suggests that enhancing privacy risk perception among non-professionals can effectively mitigate excessive trust and narrow the trust gap with professionals. Taken together, this research reveals that professionals and non-professionals rely on different cognitive pathways in forming initial trust in AVs, and clarifies the interactive mechanism between privacy risk perception and professional background. The findings provide important implications for strategies to strengthen consumer trust in AVs. Specifically, enhancing non-professionals' privacy risk perception helps calibrate excessive trust and narrow the trust gap, while social influence and perceived usefulness also play critical roles in shaping trust. Leveraging social influence and emphasizing the usefulness of AVs may be effective approaches to promoting rational trust. Overall, this research deepens the understanding of trust formation mechanisms in human-machine interaction and offers practical insights for fostering more rational and well-calibrated public trust in autonomous vehicles. References | Related Articles | Metrics

Reports of Empirical Studies

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The estimation of biological motion direction is an efficient-encoding constrained Bayesian inference process SUN Mengying, RAN Ping, SUN Qi 2026, 58 (7):  1297-1311.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1297 Abstract ( 0 )   Previous studies have found that the perceptual processing of various visual stimuli (e.g., orientation, speed, self-motion direction) is jointly influenced by prior knowledge and sensory noise, with these effects conforming to a Bayesian inference mechanism constrained by efficient coding. However, these findings have not been thoroughly investigated in the context of biological motion (e.g., point-light walker) direction perception. To address this gap, the present study designed two experiments in which participants were asked to report the point-light walker (PLW) direction utilizing a mouse-controlled probe on a circle. In Experiment 1, the presentation duration of PLW stimuli was manipulated (250 ms vs. 800 ms) to modulate sensory/internal noise magnitude. Additionally, the PLW directions closer to the oblique directions (± 45°) appeared less frequently, following a hypothesized quad-modal distribution with peaks at 0°, ± 90°, and 180°. This quad-modal distribution was proposed to be consistent with the distribution of PLW directions in the natural world. The results revealed that the estimated direction of PLWs exhibited a repulsive bias away from a reference direction (e.g., 0°), and the magnitude of this reference-repulsive bias increased with increasing internal noise. In Experiment 2, the distribution of PLW directions (i.e., short-term prior) was manipulated by increasing the proportion of PLW directions closer to the oblique directions (± 45°), creating a conflict with the assumed long-term experience (the above quad-modal distribution). The findings showed that the reference-repulsive bias trend was decreased. The above behavioral results indicates that the internal noise and prior together affect the PLW direction estimation. To uncover the computational mechanisms underlying these effects, we developed several Bayesian observer models constrained by efficient coding in which the prior used to encoding and decoding PLW directions were either single long-term or short-term, or the weighted-integration of the two priors. In addition, the perceptual estimation decoded by the model could be either proportionally scaled by an extra perception-action mapping process or not. The results showed that the efficient-coding constrained Bayesian observer model incorporating the perception-action mapping well capture the behavioral data, and the long-term prior with four peaks at 0°, ±90°, and 180° was used to encode and decode PLW directions. In conclusion, this study combines behavioral experiments and computational modeling to elucidate how internal noise and prior knowledge shape the fine estimation of biological motion direction and its computational mechanism. The process involves three stages—efficient encoding, Bayesian decoding, and perception-action mapping—with a long-term four-peak prior critically shaping both encoding and decoding. These results establish an empirical and theoretical framework for future neurophysiological studies while highlighting open questions that warrant further exploration. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Serial dependence for same-category and cross-category stimuli in social attention WANG Da, YANG Zhihao, MEI Gaoxing 2026, 58 (7):  1312-1324.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1312 Abstract ( 3 )   Serial dependence refers to a phenomenon in which current perceptual judgments are biased toward the recent past. This effect plays an elemental role in maintaining perceptual continuity in changing and noisy visual environments. Serial dependence is widely found not only for low-level stimulus features (e.g., grating direction), but also operates within high-level social cues (e.g., eye gaze direction) in social attention. Social attention refers to the ability to detect others' focus of attention and infer their intentions through social cues such as eye gaze. Although different social cues (e.g., eye gaze direction and biological motion direction) vary in their perceptual features, they can convey the same information about others' intentions and effectively recruit social attention. However, whether the serial dependence effect could occur between different categories of social cues remains largely unknown. To this end, the present study used an inducer paradigm in four experiments to investigate whether the same-category and cross-category serial dependence could exist in social attention. Experiment 1a (27 participants) examined whether the serial dependence effect could exist between social cues of the same category (i.e., eye gaze direction). In each trial, an inducer stimulus (extremely leftward or rightward gaze direction), a reference stimulus (straight gaze), and a probe stimulus (randomly selected from seven levels of eye gaze directions ranging from -40% to +40% with a 13.3% step) were sequentially presented. Participants were then asked to judge which stimulus, the reference or probe, was perceived more leftward or rightward. Using the same task as Experiment 1a, Experiment 1b (24 participants) investigated whether an emotional valence (happy/angry) could modulate the same-category serial dependence in social attention. In this experiment, the inducer, reference, and probe stimuli could each be either happy or angry. Crucially, within a given trial, the emotional valence was held constant across all three stimuli. Experiment 2a (27 participants) investigated whether a serial dependence effect between different categories of social cues could exist. The same task as that in Experiment 1a was used except that the inducer stimulus was replaced with a biological motion stimulus (leftward or rightward). Experiment 2b (27 participants) used a non-social cue (i.e., arrow) as the inducer stimulus to further examine whether the cross-category serial dependence effect could exist between social and non-social cues. The results of Experiment 1a revealed a significant attractive serial dependence between eye gaze directions. Specifically, individuals' judgments of the current reference stimulus were biased toward the gaze direction of the previously perceived inducer stimulus. Consistent with previous studies, this finding thereby supported the existence of a serial dependence effect in the perception of eye gaze direction. Moreover, the serial dependence effect was modulated by facial emotional valence of eye gaze (Experiment 1b), with stronger serial dependence observed under the angry condition compared to the happy condition. Notably, the results of Experiment 2a showed that the direction of biological motion also induced an attractive serial dependence in judgments of gaze direction, indicating that serial dependence occurred across different categories of social cues. This experiment provided the first evidence for the cross-category serial dependence in social attention. However, although arrow direction (a non-social cue) shares similar directional properties with eye gaze, the serial dependence effect did not emerge when the arrow was used as the inducer stimulus (Experiment 2b). Taken together, our current findings suggested that serial dependence effects in social attention existed not only between same-category social cues, but also between different- category social cues. However, the effect did not appear between social and non-social cues. These results indicate that the serial dependence effect in social attention arises from higher-order social information rather than low-level directional cues. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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The effect of social value orientation on source memory in reciprocal cooperation YANG Jingtong, JIANG Yingjie, LONG Yiting 2026, 58 (7):  1325-1342.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1325 Abstract ( 1 )   Adaptive decision-making in reciprocal cooperation relies on individuals' memory for prior interactions, as people tend to approach previous cooperators and avoid previous cheaters. Source memory, defined as the ability to remember who performed which behavior, enables individuals to distinguish between cooperative and cheating partners and to adjust subsequent decisions accordingly. However, prior studies have reported inconsistent findings regarding whether source memory is preferentially enhanced for cooperative or cheating partners. One plausible explanation for these inconsistencies lies in individual differences in Social Value Orientation (SVO), a dispositional trait that classifies individuals as prosocial or proself and influences how they evaluate and remember social information. Against this backdrop, the present study examined whether SVO differentially modulates source memory for cooperative and cheating partners in reciprocal cooperation and whether such differences are reflected in distinct electrophysiological responses during feedback processing. Two experiments were conducted using a sequential Prisoner's Dilemma paradigm. In Experiment 1, forty participants were included in the final analysis and classified as either prosocial (n = 20) or proself (n = 20) based on the Social Value Orientation Slider Measure. Participants engaged in repeated interactions with partners who either cooperated or cheated. A 2 (SVO: prosocial vs. proself) × 2 (partner behavior: cooperation vs. cheating) mixed design was employed, with source memory accuracy and subsequent decision behavior as dependent variables. Experiment 2 recruited 46 participants, including 23 prosocial and 23 proself individuals. During the feedback phase of each interaction, electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was recorded. The independent variables were identical to those in Experiment 1, and the dependent measures indexed early-stage feedback-related negativity (FRN), late-stage late positive potential (LPP), and theta power. Experiment 1 revealed a significant interaction between SVO and partner behavior on source memory. Prosocial individuals demonstrated superior source memory accuracy for cooperators relative to cheaters, whereas proself individuals showed better source memory accuracy for cheaters than for cooperators. In Experiment 2, SVO significantly modulated neural responses during feedback processing. During the early stage of outcome evaluation, prosocial individuals exhibited more negative FRN amplitudes in response to cooperative feedback, whereas proself individuals showed more negative FRN amplitudes following cheating feedback. In the later stage, enhanced LPP amplitudes in response to cheating feedback were observed only among proself individuals. Time-frequency analyses further indicated that SVO modulated theta power elicited by cheating feedback, with greater theta power observed exclusively in proself individuals. Correlation analyses revealed that FRN amplitude was negatively associated with source memory accuracy, whereas theta power was positively associated with source memory accuracy. Overall, the findings demonstrate that Social Value Orientation shapes source memory in reciprocal cooperation by modulating neural processes of outcome evaluation. Divergent patterns of FRN indicate that prosocial and proself individuals differ in early evaluative sensitivity to cooperative and cheating feedback, whereas variations in LPP and theta power reflect differences in sustained attentional and motivational engagement. These differential neural processes were associated with subsequent memory performance, resulting in preferential encoding of cooperation among prosocial individuals and of cheating among proself individuals. By integrating behavioral and electrophysiological evidence, the present study clarifies how value-based motivational orientations bias memory encoding in cooperative contexts and advances understanding of personality influences on social decision-making. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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fNIRS-guided TMS technique reveals a critical role of the left inferior parietal lobule in Chinese tone perception LIU Shujuan, TAN Lirou, QI Yun, HU Shuai, WANG Xiaojuan, YANG Jianfeng 2026, 58 (7):  1343-1356.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1343 Abstract ( 2 )   The left inferior parietal lobe (IPL) is a critical brain region for categorical perception of speech, and some studies have shown that it is involved in the categorical perception of Chinese tones. However, its specific role in tone perception remains unclear. The current study manipulated both tonal categories (intercategory vs. intracategory) and acoustic features (large vs. small acoustic intervals) in successively presented stimulus pairs to examine whether the IPL is sensitive to acoustic features or to the abstract representation of tonal categories during Chinese tone perception. Experiment 1 used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to localize functional activation in the IPL during tone perception. Experiment 2 used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to virtually impair the IPL and establish a causal neural link between the IPL and tonal categorical perception. Experiment 1 showed that the dorsal IPL channel was sensitive to tonal categories, exhibiting more robust IPL activation induced by intercategory stimulation than intracategory stimulation. This region was also sensitive to acoustic intervals, with stronger activation induced by small acoustic intervals than by large ones. In Experiment 2, the dorsal and ventral IPL channels were virtually disrupted separately using TMS. When the dorsal IPL channel was inhibited, its sensitivity to tonal categories disappeared. In contrast, the ventral IPL channel and the left premotor cortex (PMC) channel were sensitive to acoustic intervals, with stronger activation induced by large acoustic intervals than by small ones. However, when TMS inhibited the ventral IPL channel, only functional compensation in the left inferior frontal gyrus channels showed sensitivity to tonal categories and induced greater intracategory activation than intercategory stimulation did. In summary, these findings demonstrate a critical role of the left dorsal IPL in the categorical perception of Chinese tone. In contrast, the ventral IPL plays an essential gating role in the dorsal stream of speech perception. The results enrich the neurophysiological model of speech perception from a tonal language perspective, elucidating the collaborative mechanism between dorsal and ventral speech streams in categorical perception. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Gradient modulation of spatial metaphors for abstract concepts in L2 by embodied experience: ERP evidence YAO Zhao, LI Tiantian, ZHU Xiangru 2026, 58 (7):  1357-1369.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1357 Abstract ( 2 )   The embodied cognitive perspective on language suggests that the representation of abstract concepts is grounded in the human sensorimotor system, which involves perceptual, motor, and affective information. As a key representative of this theoretical framework, Conceptual Metaphor Theory provides a systematic explanation for the metaphorical nature of abstract concepts. It posits that individuals understand and represent abstract concepts by drawing on concrete spatial perceptual experiences. While the spatial metaphor effects of abstract concepts have been extensively validated in the first language (L1) domain, it remains controversial whether similar spatial metaphorical associations exist in the processing of second language (L2) abstract concepts. Therefore, this study hypothesizes that simulated embodied experience can provide sensorimotor grounding for L2 abstract concepts, thereby enhancing the stability of their metaphorical mapping onto spatial information and producing more reliable spatial metaphor effects. To this end, the present study employs ERP technology in combination with valence judgment and vertical Stroop tasks to investigate the following questions: (1) To what extent do simulated embodied experiences strengthen the metaphorical association between L2 abstract concepts and vertical spatial information? (2) What is the neural time course of this enhancement effect? (3) Do different modalities of embodied experience differentially facilitate metaphorical associations? Two ERP experiments were designed to investigate how two types of embodied experience—visual simulation and hand movement simulation—affect the spatial metaphorical association of L2 abstract concepts and their neural time courses. Experiment 1 used a valence judgment task that incorporated a spatially oriented fixation point (upward/downward movement) to evaluate the effect of visual simulation. In contrast, Experiment 2 employed a vertical Stroop task combined with mouse-tracking technology, in which the direction of the participant's hand movement (upward/downward) was manipulated to assess the role of hand movement simulation. The results show that both modalities of embodied simulation effectively strengthened the metaphorical association between L2 abstract concepts and vertical space, with hand movement simulation showing a significantly stronger facilitative effect than visual simulation. Specifically, visual simulation only induced a unidirectional “positive-up” metaphorical association, as reflected in shorter reaction times for positive words presented in the upper versus lower visual field, along with a reduced N400 amplitude. In contrast, hand movement simulation elicited a bidirectional “positive-up/negative-down” association. This was evidenced by shorter reaction times, a reduced N400 amplitude, and an enhanced LPC amplitude under metaphor-congruent conditions. These results suggest that L2 abstract concepts are represented through spatial metaphors, and that embodied experiences, particularly those involving visual and motor simulation, can effectively enhance metaphorical mappings from spatial information to L2 abstract concepts. Furthermore, the types of simulation modality differentially influence the behavioral and neural correlates of L2 metaphor processing, modulating both early semantic integration (N400) and/or later cognitive resource regulation (LPC). This study makes several significant contributions. First, it proposes and provides evidence that embodied experience can modulate the strength of spatial metaphor mappings in L2 abstract concepts, thereby expanding the explanatory scope of Conceptual Metaphor Theory in second language processing. Second, through real-time tracking of neural time courses using ERP technology, the study provides direct neuroelectrophysiological evidence supporting the view that hand movement simulation induces stronger embodied effects than visual simulation. By systematically comparing the differentiated effects of distinct embodied modalities on L2 abstract concepts, the findings also affirm the cross-linguistic universality of spatial metaphorical associations. Moreover, this work suggests that embodied simulations can offer a viable approach to enhancing the acquisition and understanding of L2 abstract concepts by compensating for the lack of direct perceptual-motor experiences in L2 learners. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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The cognitive and neural mechanism by which situational pressure increases the efficiency of creative discovery behavior ZHENG Yilin, ZHANG Ling, HUANG Furong 2026, 58 (7):  1370-1386.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1370 Abstract ( 1 )   Identifying novel associations between seemingly unrelated things is the core characteristic of creative discovery behavior, while monitoring and resolving cognitive conflicts are essential cognitive processes that facilitate this form of creativity. However, the human brain tends to operate according to the principle of least effort, which can result in cognitive conflicts that are induced by novel ideas not being fully resolved. Consequently, several opportunities for identifying creative and useful ideas may be overlooked. To increase the likelihood of accurately identifying novel ideas, it is necessary to strengthen executive control in resolving cognitive conflicts. Given the situational adaptability in psychological and behavioral activities, participants may experience pressure to generate or discover novel ideas in situations where ordinary ideas are insufficient to solve problems, compared with situations where ordinary ideas are suitable for problem solving. This type of situational pressure may enhance executive control during conflict resolution and subsequently increase the probability of successfully identifying novel ideas. To test the feasibility of enhancing executive control during conflict resolution and improving the efficiency of identifying novel ideas, this study manipulated situational pressure in creative discovery. Following daily life problem scenario, participants were presented with two or three products consecutively so that they could discover and identify useful ideas. A commonly used product was introduced first, followed by a novel product. When a commonly used product is useful for solving a problem, participants are likely to experience no pressure to discover novel products. Conversely, when a commonly used product is not useful for solving a problem, participants experience pressure to discover novel products. If two consecutive commonly used products are not sufficient to solve the problem, participants experience high pressure to discover novel products. In addition to a no-pressure condition, experiment 1 included a pressure condition, while experiment 2 included a high-pressure condition. Experiment 1 revealed that novel but less useful products elicited smaller N400 and larger LSP amplitudes under pressure conditions than under no-pressure conditions. In contrast, there were no differences in N400 or LSP amplitudes elicited by novel and highly useful products between the two conditions. Experiment 2 revealed that compared with no-pressure conditions, both novel and highly useful products, as well as novel but less useful products, elicited smaller N400 and larger LSP amplitudes under high-pressure conditions. Furthermore, for correctly identified novel products, the positive correlation between N400 and LSP amplitudes was significantly greater under high-pressure conditions than under no-pressure conditions. These findings indicate that situational pressure enhances executive control during creative discovery behavior, particularly by improving the resolution of the cognitive conflicts induced by novel products and increasing the efficiency of distinguishing novel and useful products from novel but less useful products. This study demonstrates the impact of situational pressure on creative discovery, enriches the understanding of monitoring and resolving cognitive conflicts in creative discovery behavior, and reveals a cognitive pathway for creative behavior training. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Processing mechanism of negative discounting behavior: Explanation based on query theory LIU Lei, LIU Wenxia, CHENG Yang, GE Chunlei, LIU Hongting, LI Yu 2026, 58 (7):  1387-1404.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1387 Abstract ( 0 )   Negative discounting behavior in intertemporal decision-making, which refers to individuals' preference for immediate aversive events over delayed ones, poses a notable challenge to traditional temporal discounting models based on positive discounting assumptions. Previous interpretations have predominantly centered on emotional factors, such as dread, yet they have generally neglected the cognitive processes involved, particularly the crucial role of information retrieval content and sequence during decision-making. This study, grounded in query theory, which postulates that decision preferences are constructed through the sequential retrieval of internal information, proposed that individuals who more frequently and prioritally retrieve “value-increasing” information—encompassing the positive and negative attributes of immediate and delayed losses, respectively—are more inclined to display negative discounting behavior. Conversely, those who predominantly access “value-decreasing” information, including the negative and positive attributes of immediate and delayed losses, respectively, tend to exhibit positive discounting tendencies. To provide a cognitive framework complementing existing emotion-focused explanations, the current study hypothesized that loss magnitude moderates negative discounting behavior by shaping the content and order of queries. Four systematic studies were conducted with adult participants recruited via online platforms. Study 1 (n = 208) and Study 2 (n = 202) adopted the aspect listing method under the “Pre-Decisional Querying” and “Reasoning First” procedures, respectively, combined with a binary choice paradigm and 7-point scales. Participants were exposed to four negative scenarios (i.e., losing 100 yuan, being stung by hornet, receiving a poor grade, and taking an exam) and were required to list their decision-making reasons either before or after indicating their temporal preferences. Study 3 (n = 223) directly manipulated the query order by instructing participants to generate reasons for immediate or delayed loss first to verify the causal relationship between query order and negative discounting behavior. Study 4 (n = 386) varied the magnitude of loss across four levels (i.e., ¥10, ¥100, ¥1, 000, ¥10, 000) to explore how loss magnitude impacts decision preferences. Across all studies, participants' open-ended reasons were coded into value-increasing and value-decreasing categories, and weight analysis was performed on these reasons. Results of Studies 1 and 2 indicate that negative discounting behavior was prevalent across the four negative scenarios, with the most prominent tendency observed in the “taking an exam” context. Consistent with the initial hypotheses, individuals with negative discounting tendencies retrieved significantly more value-increasing information, whereas those leaning toward positive discounting accessed more value-decreasing information; the two types of information jointly predicted decision preferences. In addition, individuals with negative discounting showed distinct characteristics in the sequential order of information retrieval, which was closely correlated with their choice tendencies. Note that across all scenarios, the reasons retrieved first were assigned greater weight in decision-making compared with those generated later. Study 3 demonstrated that manipulating query order exerts an impact on decision preferences. In most scenarios, participants instructed to prioritize reasons for immediate loss were more likely to opt for immediate aversive events. The exception was the “being stung by hornet” scenario, in which the manipulation had no significant effect. Study 4 revealed that loss magnitude moderated negative discounting behavior, because increases in loss magnitude led to a corresponding shift in individuals' tendency toward delayed loss. Moreover, information retrieval played a mediating role in the relationship between loss magnitude and decision-making, bridging the two factors through cognitive processing pathways. This research identifies the content and sequential order of information retrieval as the core cognitive mechanism underlying negative discounting behavior, supplementing the traditional emotion-based explanatory frameworks. It enriches intertemporal choice theory by integrating the query-based cognitive process into the existing theoretical system and provides empirical evidence that decision preferences can be altered by manipulating the query order. From a practical perspective, findings offer actionable insights for behavioral interventions in such domains as financial debt repayment, health management, and preventive medical care. By structuring the sequence of queries, individuals could be guided toward making adaptive intertemporal choices, thereby highlighting the theoretical and practical significance of this study. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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The personality structure and cultural conceptualization of humility in Chinese culture WANG Xin, WU Yanhong 2026, 58 (7):  1405-1427.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1405 Abstract ( 0 )   Humility is a quality and virtue valued by both Eastern and Western cultures, playing a positive role for individuals, organizations, and society. Moreover, some researchers suggest that humility serves as the foundation for the development of other moral virtues. In recent years, several studies have examined the conceptualization of humility within the Chinese cultural context, identifying differences from Western perspectives primarily in its value-based and instrumental attributes. Given the conceptual complexity of humility and its cultural influences, this study aimed to explore the personality structure and cultural conceptualization of humility in Chinese culture and to develop a culturally appropriate measure of humility. Study 1 employed qualitative methods, interviewing 20 participants to obtain first-hand data on the concept of humility. Based on Study 1, Study 2 integrated analysis of humility-related linguistic materials and existing scales to propose a preliminary structural model of humility in Chinese culture and generate an initial item pool. Subsequently, an exploratory factor analysis (N = 394) was conducted to identify the preliminary dimensions and items of the CHS. Study 3 further conducted confirmatory factor analysis (N = 291) and reliability analysis (N1 = 291, N2 = 200 and an offline sample of N3 = 112), followed by validity analysis (N = 271), to finalize the scale. To further explore the characteristics and cultural specificity of humility, Study 4 employed latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify different humility types and compared the humility structure between Chinese (N = 981) and Western (N = 273) samples. Results from Studies 1-3 established the 19-item CHS, comprising five dimensions: Accurate Self-Perception, Other-Enhancement, Dialectical Thinking, Self-Effacement, and Self-Improvement. The validity analyses in Study 3 further showed that the CHS was moderately positively correlated with existing Western measures of humility. Furthermore, the CHS demonstrated significant correlations with dimensions of HEXACO personality, dialectical self, Zhongyong thinking, narcissism, and self-esteem. In Study 4, LPA revealed five latent profiles of humility within the Chinese context: “Humble”, “Moderately Humble”, “Overly Humble”, “Unhumble”, and “Strategically Humble”. Notably, Western participants scored significantly lower than their Chinese counterparts on Dialectical Thinking and Self-Effacement, and the “Overly Humble” profile was absent in the Western sample. Overall, across four studies, this research systematically investigated the personality structure and conceptualization of humility in Chinese culture and developed the Chinese Humility Scale. The findings advance theoretical understanding of humility as a culturally embedded virtue and offer a new measurement tool for future research. Furthermore, the application of latent profile analysis to identify distinct humility profiles illuminates the cultural specificity of this construct and offers a new perspective for cross-cultural research. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Fast = Sincere: The effect of interactive partner decision time in social dilemmas LIU Yongfang, SUN Yue, LIAN Jinjing 2026, 58 (7):  1428-1443.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1428 Abstract ( 0 )   Prior research has shown that the time interaction partners take to make decisions can shape interpersonal perceptions and influence cooperative behavior in social dilemmas. Yet, it remains uncertain whether faster or slower decisions are more likely to foster positive impressions and promote cooperation. This study examined how decision time, as a single cue provided by interaction partners, influenced cooperative behavior in social dilemmas while controlling for other interpersonal cues. From the perspective of interpersonal perception, this study aimed to clarify the effect of decision time on cooperation and to uncover the psychological mechanisms and boundary conditions underlying this effect, thereby offering a more nuanced understanding of this important social cue. This study employed a public goods game paradigm to measure cooperative behavior and included one pilot experiment and five formal experiments. The pilot experiment was conducted to determine appropriate time thresholds for fast and slow decision-making. Experiment 1 manipulated the decision time of an interaction partner by combining direct perception with an indirect cue, in order to assess its impact on perceived sincerity. Experiment 2a manipulated decision time in the same way to examine whether it influenced cooperative behavior through the mediating roles of perceived sincerity and cooperation expectations. Experiments 2b and 2c used either direct perception or an indirect cue alone, respectively, to examine the robustness of the findings from Experiment 2a under weaker manipulation conditions and to rule out perceived competence as an alternative explanation. Experiment 3 investigated whether and how individuals' social value orientation moderated the effect of decision time on perceived sincerity, cooperation expectations, and cooperative behavior. The main results can be summarized as follows: (1) Individuals perceived partners who made fast decisions as more sincere than those who made slow decisions. (2) Fast decision-making promoted cooperative behavior through enhanced perceived sincerity, as well as through the chain-mediating effects of perceived sincerity and cooperation expectations. (3) The influence of decision time on cooperative behavior was moderated by social value orientation. Pro-social individuals perceived fast-deciding partners as more sincere than slow-deciding ones, which led to higher cooperation expectations and thus more cooperative behavior. In contrast, decision time did not affect pro-self individuals' perceptions of their partners' sincerity, and therefore did not influence their cooperative behavior. These findings not only demonstrate the independent social-signaling value of partner decision time, but also reveal its dual-pathway mechanism and boundary conditions in shaping cooperative behavior in social dilemmas. The results provide new evidence that helps resolve theoretical debates concerning the interpersonal effects of decision time, and offer practical implications for optimizing cooperative strategies in real-world social dilemmas by highlighting the role of faster responses in conveying sincerity. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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You only live once: The influence of temporal perspective on individual consumption tendency LI Yaoqi, CHEN Zhengren, JIANG Qiumin, LIN Meizhen 2026, 58 (7):  1444-1458.  doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.1444 Abstract ( 0 )   In the context of China prioritizing consumption expansion, this research addresses a critical gap: understanding how psychological mechanisms, specifically temporal perspective, influence consumer behavior. We investigate whether and how linear versus cyclical temporal perspectives serve as effective “nudges” to boost consumer consumption tendency, particularly experiential consumption, and explores the underlying mediating pathways and boundary conditions governing this relationship. The goal is to provide actionable psychological insights for policymakers seeking effective demand-side interventions. To ensure robust and generalizable findings, a multi-method research design was employed. Study 1 established the relationship between temporal perspective and consumption tendencies using cross-national secondary data. Building on this, Study 2 employed a controlled laboratory experiment with high internal validity to examine the causal mechanism through which temporal perspective influences consumption patterns. Study 3 further investigates the mediating mechanisms and boundary conditions of this relationship through a large-scale national survey, thereby enhancing the external validity of the findings. Finally, Study 4 validates the ecological validity of the conclusions by conducting a one-month field experiment to re-examine the impact of temporal perspective on consumption tendency. The findings consistently demonstrate that exposure to a linear temporal perspective significantly enhances consumer consumption tendency compared to a cyclical time perspective. This effect operates primarily through a key psychological mechanism: the linear temporal perspective increases consumers' need for experiential consumption. Furthermore, the perceived time extension acts as a critical moderator. When individuals perceive time extension as limited, the positive impact of a linear temporal perspective on need for experiential consumption, and consequently on consumption tendency, is significantly amplified. Conversely, perceiving time extension as opened weakens these effects. This research makes significant theoretical contributions. First, we break through the paradigm of how temporal perspective influences specific types of consumption, and for the first time systematically demonstrate the implicit nudging effect of temporal perspective on general consumption tendency, offering a new perspective for understanding how temporal perspective shapes the dynamism of the consumer economy. Second, we uncover the core mechanism, revealing that linear temporal perspectives boost consumption tendency primarily by heightening the need for experiential consumption, moving beyond explanations based solely on time or risk perception. Third, we resolve prior theoretical inconsistencies by identifying perceived time extension as a pivotal boundary condition, demonstrating its role in strengthening the consumption-nudging effect of linear temporal perspective under limited extension. Collectively, these insights advance temporal perspective theory and provide a robust psychological foundation for designing effective consumption-stimulating strategies. References | Related Articles | Metrics