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“Neijuan” in China: The psychological concept and its characteristic dimensions ZHANG Wen, PAN Chao, YAO Shiming, ZHU Jiajia, LING Dong, YANG Hanchun, XU Jingsha, MU Yan Acta Psychologica Sinica    2024, 56 (1): 107-123.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2024.00107 Abstract （7200）   HTML （760）    PDF（pc） （745KB）（10990）       Knowledge map    Save With the deepening and spread of reform and opening-up, China has undergone rapid and unprecedented economic growth and societal transformations over the past few decades. Accumulating evidence has revealed the impacts of sociocultural changes on Chinese mental health. Since 2020, a popular buzzword, “Neijuan” (involution), has garnered significant attention and discussion in daily life. Neijuan could be traced back to agricultural involution, which refers to a process of inward over-elaboration in agricultural development. This concept was first identified by the anthropologist Geertz (1963), who observed that population growth failed to enhance productivity growth and economic development. Despite Neijuan's growing attention, it is still unclear about the connotation and characteristic dimensions of this social phenomenon. Cultural psychology provides a solid theoretical and empirical basis for exploring how social and cultural changes affect individuals’ psychological states and behaviors. In this context, we propose that Neijuan is a multidimensional psychological concept of great significance in this new era, closely connected to cultural changes in China’s rapid development and growth. To explore the psychological concept of Neijuan, Study 1 employed a grounded theory approach through in-depth interviews to clarify the intricate psychological components of Neijuan. Based on the results of Study 1, Studies 2 and 3 developed a measurement tool to validate the multiple characteristic dimensions of Neijuan in Chinese culture, utilizing exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The findings suggested that Neijuan comprises four dimensions: resource scarcity, social norm, psychological pressure, and competition. Subsequently, Study 4 used Neijuan scenario-based task in the university and workplace environments to assess participants’ behavioral tendencies related to Neijuan and examined the relationship between individuals’ perceptions of Neijuan and their actual behaviors. Results revealed that individuals with higher levels of perceived Nejuan exhibited a greater tendency to engage in behaviors associated with Neijuan. In summary, the series of studies sought to explore the psychological concept and multiple characteristic dimensions of Neijuan, which provides a theoretical and empirical basis for understanding this significant phenomenon in the contemporary era. The current research also offers an effective measurement tool to assess individuals’ perception of Neijuan and enlightens future research on the effect of Neijuan on psychological maladjustment and non-benign competition behaviors related to Neijuan. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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The cognitive mechanism of reducing procrastination by emotion regulation: The mediation role of task aversiveness TONG Tingting, BAI Youling, FENG Tingyong Acta Psychologica Sinica    2024, 56 (4): 458-468.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2024.00458 Abstract （5956）   HTML （638）    PDF（pc） （554KB）（9850）       Knowledge map    Save Previous research has shown that using adaptive emotion-regulation strategies, particularly cognitive reappraisal, can help reduce procrastination. However, the precise cognitive mechanisms underlying the impact of emotion regulation on procrastination remain unclear. The temporal decision model of procrastination posits that procrastination is primarily influenced by the tradeoff between task aversiveness and outcome utility. When task aversiveness surpasses outcome utility, individuals are more likely to procrastinate, whereas when outcome utility outweighs task aversiveness, immediate action is more probable. Consequently, emotion regulation could reduce procrastination by diminishing task aversiveness or by improving outcome utility. To investigate this issue, based on Gross’s emotion regulation theory and the temporal decision model of procrastination, this research focuses on individuals exhibiting high levels of procrastination (as measured by the General Procrastination Scale, with scores above 67.5). These participants were divided into two groups: the positive reappraisal group (consisting of 34 individuals) and the ineffective strategy group (also consisting of 34 individuals). Over a period of 7 days, the two groups were longitudinally tracked through empirical sampling, resulting in a total of 14 data collection points. The results showed that: (1) There was no notable disparity between the two groups in task executive willingness during the pre-test, while the positive reappraisal group demonstrated a significantly higher task executive willingness compared to the ineffective strategy group in the post-test, indicating that positive reappraisal significantly enhanced individuals’ task executive willingness. (2) No significant difference was observed in task aversiveness between the two groups during the pre-test, while the positive reappraisal group exhibited noticeably lower levels of task aversiveness compared to the ineffective strategy group in the post-test. Additionally, initial outcome utility levels did not differ significantly between the two groups, while the positive reappraisal group demonstrated significantly higher outcome utility compared to the ineffective strategy group in the post-test. (3) Mediation analysis indicated that the reduction of task aversiveness mediated the influence of emotion regulation on the degree of improvement in procrastination (that is, the increase in task executive willingness), whereas the increase of outcome utility did not mediate the impact of emotion regulation on the degree of improvement in procrastination (that is, the increase in task executive willingness). These findings suggest that emotion regulation mainly enhance individuals’ task executive willingness by diminishing task aversiveness, thereby reducing procrastination behavior. This offers a strong theoretical foundation for interventions targeting procrastination through the lens of emotional regulation. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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The effect of cumulative risk related to family adversity on social adjustment among left-behind children in China: The mediating role of stress and the moderating role of psychosocial resources FAN Xing-hua, FANG Xiao-yi, ZHAO Xian, CHEN Feng-ju Acta Psychologica Sinica    2023, 55 (8): 1270-1284.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01270 Abstract （5826）   HTML （623）    PDF（pc） （838KB）（8213）       Knowledge map    Save In China, left-behind children (LBC) refer to children (under the age of 16) who remain at rural regions while both of their parents migrate to urban area for work, or one of their parents migrates for work and the other has limited capacity to care for their children. Relative to non-left-behind children (NLBC), LBC are exposed to various risk factors related to family, such as lack of parental care and insufficient family support, which could increase their vulnerability to psychological and behavioral problems. Based on Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory and the cumulative risk (CR) model, this study used two-wave data (T1 and T2) and examined the association between cumulative risk related to family adversity (T1) and social adjustment outcomes (T1/T2), in which stress (T1/T2) is a mediator, and examined the moderating role of psychosocial resources (T1) in this association. A two-wave longitudinal household surveys were conducted among six hundred fifty-one families of rural children. A total of 285 children whose both parents migrated for work throughout the study waves were categorized as the LBC group, while 366 children who reported living with their parents at least one of waves were categorized as the control group. All measures in the surveys showed good reliability, including family adversity, stress, psychosocial resources (i.e., psychological capital and social support) and social adjustment (i.e., subjective well-being, depression, positive behaviors and problem behaviors). Data analyses were performed using SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 22.0. Results showed that: (1) LBC’s T1 cumulative risk related to family adversity was linearly associated with their T1/T2 social adjustment; (2) After controlling for gender and age, LBC’s T1 cumulative risk related to family adversity was negatively associated with T1 social adjustment (β = −0.42, p < 0.001), and T1 stress mediated this association. The association between stress and social adjustment was moderated by psychosocial resources, with a higher level of psychosocial resources associated with a smaller mediating effect of stress. (3) After controlling for gender and age, T1 stress and T1 social adjustment, T1 cumulative risk related to family adversity were negatively associated with T2 social adjustment (β = −0.23, p < 0.001), and T2 stress mediated this relationship. T1 psychosocial resources moderated the association of T1 cumulative risk related to family adversity on both T2 social adjustment and T2 stress. This showed that with the level of T1 psychosocial resources increasing, the main effect of T1 cumulative risk related to family adversity on T2 social adjustment and the mediation effect of T2 stress decreased and became statistically non-significant. The findings of this study demonstrate the detrimental impact of cumulative risk related to family adversity on social adjustment among LBC, as well as the mediating role of stress and the moderating role of psychosocial resources. Overall, these findings suggest that family risk factors are proximal factors for LBC’s social maladjustment, and future intervention should attend to psychosocial resource promotion. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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Social inclusion regulates the effect of social exclusion on adaptation to emotional conflict MENG Xianxin, LUO Yi, HAN Chenyuan, WU Guowei, CHANG Jiao, YUAN Jiajing, QIAN Kun, FU Xiaolan Acta Psychologica Sinica    2024, 56 (5): 577-593.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2024.00577 Abstract （5106）   HTML （561）    PDF（pc） （533KB）（6822）       Knowledge map    Save Social exclusion is a very painful experience that threatens people’s physical and mental health, potentially increasing their risk of developing emotional problems. However, the psychological mechanism by which social exclusion affects emotional problems remains unclear. Studies have found that an impaired adaptability to emotional conflict plays an important role in emotional problems. Therefore, the first objective of the present study is to explore whether and how social exclusion affects adaptation to emotional conflict. After a person experiences social exclusion, social inclusion can promote positive emotions and lessen negative emotions. Therefore, the second objective of the present study is to explore whether and how social inclusion has the potential to regulate the effect of social exclusion on adaptation to emotional conflict. The present study used the Cyberball game and face−word Stroop paradigm to explore the effect of social exclusion on adaptation to emotional conflict (Experiment 1), and whether social inclusion had the potential to regulate the effect of social exclusion on adaptation to emotional conflict (Experiment 2). Experiment 1 used a mixed experimental design with 2 (social situation: exclusion, inclusion) × 2 (previous trial consistency: consistent, inconsistent) × 2 (current trial consistency: consistent, inconsistent) format. The consistency of the previous trial and the consistency of the current trial were the within-subject factors, while the social situation was the between-subject factor. In Experiment 1, participants were randomly assigned to either the inclusion group or the exclusion group. Experiment 2 used a mixed experimental design with 2 (Game 1: exclusion vs. inclusion) × 2 (Game 2: exclusion vs. inclusion) × 2 (previous trial consistency: consistent, inconsistent) × 2 (current trial consistency: consistent, inconsistent) format. The consistency of both the previous trial and the current trial were the within-subject factors, while Game 1 and Game 2 were the between-subject factors. In Experiment 2, participants were randomly assigned to the inclusion−exclusion, exclusion−exclusion, exclusion− inclusion, or inclusion−inclusion groups. In Experiment 1, the emotional conflict adaptation effect in reaction times of the exclusion group was lower than that of the inclusion group. In Experiment 2, the inclusion−exclusion group showed a greater emotional conflict adaptation effect in its reaction times than the exclusion−exclusion group. There was no significant difference in the emotional conflict adaptation effect in reaction times between the exclusion−inclusion group and the inclusion−inclusion group. In conclusion, social exclusion has the potential to reduce the individual’s adaptation to emotional conflict, while social inclusion has the potential to regulate the excluded individual’s adaptation to emotional conflict. These findings contribute to understanding the relationship between social exclusion and emotional problems and provide a feasible program to mitigate the risk of emotional problems caused by social exclusion. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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Is positivity always beneficial? The effect of positive meta-stereotypes on working memory and their mechanism DONG Tiantian, XU Lulu, HE Wen Acta Psychologica Sinica    2023, 55 (8): 1344-1357.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01344 Abstract （4752）   HTML （542）    PDF（pc） （749KB）（6250）       Knowledge map    Save Meta-stereotypes are ingroup beliefs regarding the stereotypes that outgroup members hold about the ingroup members. Studies on meta-stereotypes have been conducted with a focus from the negative perspective of it. In comparison, positive meta-stereotypes can have either a boost effect or a choking effect. However, there is a lack of discussion on them, especially in cognitive processing. As the core of cognitive processing, working memory influences many aspects of information processing. Based on the positive meta-stereotypes effect, this study investigates the relationship between positive meta-stereotypes and working memory, as well as their underlying mechanisms. Approach motivation may be closely related to positive meta-stereotypes and working memory. When positive meta-stereotypes are activated, individuals tend to increase approach motivation to prove that they have reached the expectations of others. In addition, approach motivation is an essential factor affecting working memory. The stronger the approach motivation is, the worse the working memory performance will be. However, approach motivation’s role in the relationship between positive meta-stereotypes and working memory remains unknown. Therefore, this study clarifies the relationship between positive meta-stereotypes and working memory and reveals approach motivation’s mediating role in the association between positive meta-stereotypes and working memory. Core self-evaluations refers to the essential evaluation of an individual’s ability and value, which may be a potential moderating variable of the meta-stereotypes effect. According to the Theory of Resource Conservation, core self-evaluations alleviates the harmful influence of external pressure on individuals. Individuals with high core self-evaluations have more resources to combat the adverse impact of pressure after positive meta-stereotypes are activated. To be more specific, when positive meta-stereotypes are activated, low core self-evaluators will experience stress, reducing working memory performance. The current study comprised three experiments. Experiment 1 aimed to explore the relationship between meta-stereotypes and working memory in college students from rural areas. All participants were randomly assigned to positive meta-stereotypes activation or control conditions. They then completed meta-stereotypes manipulation examination and N-back task. Compared with the control group, the positive meta-stereotypes activation group had a lower working memory accuracy under difficult task conditions. Experiment 2 examined the mediating effect of approach motivation. All participants were randomly assigned to positive meta-stereotypes activation or control conditions. Subsequently, they completed meta-stereotypes manipulation examination, approach motivation measurement and N-back task. The results of Experiment 1 were replicated as approach motivation played a mediating role. Finally, Experiment 3 explored the moderating effect of core self- evaluations. The participants completed core self-evaluations measures and the same measurement as Experiment 2. The results replicated the findings of Experiment 2 and found that core self-evaluations played a moderator. The working memory accuracy of the participants with high core self-evaluations decreased in the difficult task (2-back). The research results support the “stress vulnerability hypothesis”. This study enriches the previous research on meta-stereotypes and its mechanisms on working memory. These findings have theoretical value concerning meta-stereotypes effect and practical value in alleviating the harmful effects of positive meta-stereotypes. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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The effect of social value orientation on third-party altruistic behaviors in children aged 10-12 years: The role of emotion CHEN Peiqi, ZHANG Yinling, HU Xinmu, WANG Jing, MAI Xiaoqin Acta Psychologica Sinica    2023, 55 (8): 1255-1269.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01255 Abstract （4661）   HTML （374）    PDF（pc） （873KB）（6130）       Knowledge map    Save Fairness plays a critical role in maintaining the social order. To understand fairness development, numerous studies have examined children's upholding fairness behaviors, such as resource allocation. In particular, the emergence of third-party altruism in Chinese children at the age of 8−10 is an important turning point in fairness development. Third-party altruism refers to the behavior of individuals voluntarily paying costs to punish violators, which is a form of prosocial behavior. Most previous studies have confirmed that social value orientation (SVO) affects prosocial behaviors, and some cognitive neuroscience studies have found that SVO and emotion together affect prosocial behaviors. However, we do not know the specific mechanisms by which children's SVO and emotions affect their third-party altruistic behaviors. Additionally, because third-party altruism can adopt punishment and compensation, the mechanisms may be different. Therefore, through two experiments, this study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of children's SVO and emotion on third-party altruism and the difference between children's third-party punishment and compensation behaviors in three offer conditions (i.e., high inequality, moderate inequality, and equality). Experiment 1 was based on the third-party punishment task and aimed to investigate the effect of children’s SVO on their emotion and punitive behaviors and to verify the mediating role of emotion. We recruited 233 children aged 10−12 years. After completing the demographic information, they were instructed to complete three third-party punishment tasks revised from the dictator game. The proposer in the dictator game offered one, three, and five coins from 10 coins to the recipient successively. As the third party, children reported the level of pleasure and decided whether to spend any integer of their endowed five coins to punish the proposer in each task. For every coin spent, two coins were deducted from the proposer’s endowment. The results revealed that prosocial children (vs. the pro-self) were more unpleased and spent more coins to punish the proposer, and emotion played a mediating role in the relationship between SVO and third-party punitive behaviors in the high inequality condition but not in the moderate inequality or equality conditions. To deeply understand children’s third-party altruistic behaviors and compare the two kinds of behaviors, we conducted Experiment 2 based on the third-party compensation task. We recruited 238 children aged 10−12 years. The experimental procedure was similar to that of Experiment 1, except that children in Experiment 2 spent coins to compensate the recipient rather than punish the proposer. The results revealed that prosocial children (vs. the pro-self) spent more coins to compensate the recipient in the high and moderate inequality conditions; emotion played a mediating role in the relationship between SVO and third-party compensation behaviors only in the high inequality condition. As for the difference between the two kinds of third-party altruistic behaviors, children in the third-party compensation (vs. punishment) task had less emotional fluctuation when confronted with three offers and spent more coins to maintain a fair order in the moderate unequal condition. These findings suggest that SVO had a stable effect on third-party punishment and compensation in 10- to 12-year-old children under all three offer conditions, and that emotion mediated the relationship between SVO and each kind of third-party altruistic behavior when children were confronted with an extremely unfair offer. Additionally, the children showed different levels of pleasure and behavior in the two third-party altruistic tasks. Our study contributes to revealing the mechanisms of SVO and emotion on two kinds of third-party altruistic behaviors and suggests that prosocial orientation is a critical factor in fostering children’s third-party altruism. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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The influence of cultural differences between China and the West on moral responsibility judgments of virtual humans YAN Xiao, MO Tiantian, ZHOU Xinyue Acta Psychologica Sinica    2024, 56 (2): 161-178.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2024.00161 Abstract （4636）   HTML （308）    PDF（pc） （2994KB）（6590）       Knowledge map    Save Virtual humans are digital characters created in computer graphics software that take a first-person view of the world and have a social media presence. Compared with real humans, however, are people likely to attribute moral responsibility differently to virtual humans when they do something morally wrong? This important empirical question remains unanswered. Therefore, we addressed this query using Mental Perception Theory. We did so through exploring the influence and mechanism of cultural differences between China and the West on individuals’ moral responsibility judgments of virtual humans versus real humans. Findings revealed that, when virtual humans engaged in immoral behaviors—irrespective of whether real humans or artificial intelligence (AI) controlled them—people in China (vs. the West) attributed more moral responsibility to virtual humans but equal moral responsibility to real humans. Perceived mental capacity, especially perceived experience, mediated the interaction effect of culture. Furthermore, compared to Westerners, Chinese people were more likely to punish virtual (vs. real) humans, such as by no longer following their social accounts. Five experiments revealed the foregoing findings. Study 1a and 1b used a 2 (blogger: human vs. virtual) × 2 (culture: Chinese vs. Western) between-subjects design. Two hundred Chinese and 200 American Caucasian participants were recruited in Study 1a. They first read the profile of a virtual/human blogger, Rico, on Weibo (i.e., China)/Twitter (i.e., America). Next, they were told that Rico had exposed the private behavior of a netizen, which made that individual suffer from cyber violence. After that, participants rated the moral responsibility of Rico with two items. Consistent with our prediction, there was a significant interaction effect between the Chinese/Western culture and the virtual/human blogger on moral responsibility judgments. Specifically, Chinese (vs. Western) people attributed more moral responsibility to the virtual blogger, but there was no significant difference in moral responsibility judgments toward the human blogger. In Study 1b, we recruited 200 Chinese and 199 British Caucasian participants online. We utilized a similar study design and manipulations to those employed in Study 1a. Study 1b replicated the results of Study 1 with a new scenario (i.e., tax evasion) and new methods of measuring moral responsibility judgments. Study 1c used a 3 (blogger: human s. virtual-human vs. virtual-AI) × 2 (culture: Chinese vs. Western) between-subjects design. Three hundred Chinese and 300 British Caucasian participants were recruited online. The results showed that Chinese (vs. British) people attributed greater human-like moral responsibility to a virtual human controlled by real humans as well as by artificial intelligence. Study 2 used the same study design as employed in 1b. Two hundred Chinese and 199 American Caucasian participants were recruited online. They read the same profile of the virtual/human blogger Rico and his immoral behavior (i.e., tax evasion). Then, participants rated moral responsibility judgments and mental capacity of Rico. Results revealed the mediating role of perceived mental capacity (i.e., experience, not agency) on the cultural difference of moral responsibility judgments and ruled out two possible alternative explanations. Study 3 used a 2 (culture: Chinese vs. Western) between-subjects design. One hundred Chinese participants and 101 American Caucasian participants were recruited online. This study utilized another scenario (i.e., plagiarism) and replicated the results of the four previous studies. Furthermore, we showed the downstream effect that Chinese (vs. American) people believed that the virtual human should be punished more (i.e., fining, suspending the account, and no longer following the account). In summary, based on Mental Perception Theory, this paper provided evidence for the cultural differences between Chinese people and Westerners on moral responsibility judgments of virtual humans. Perceived mental capacity (i.e., experience, not agency) mediated this interaction effect. In addition, we revealed the downstream results of moral punishment and contributed to literature on cultural differences and the theory about moral judgments on non-human entities. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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Self-compassion writing facilitates fear extinction MEI Ying, LIU Juntong, LIU Honghong, FU Yang, LUO Xi, LEI Yi Acta Psychologica Sinica    2023, 55 (8): 1317-1329.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01317 Abstract （4608）   HTML （476）    PDF（pc） （878KB）（6009）       Knowledge map    Save Self-compassion is the tendency to care for and understand oneself, and cultivating this behavior is considered a promising cognitive treatment for anxiety disorders. However, the underlying mechanism of how self-compassion reduces anxiety remains unknown. Given the central role of fear extinction-based exposure therapy for the treatment of anxiety, studying how self-compassion affects fear extinction may help elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Previous studies have found that writing can be an effective way to promote self-compassion and emotional regulation. Thus, this study aimed to test the impact of self-compassion writing on fear extinction. This study contained 56 healthy effective participants, who were randomly assigned into self-compassion and control writing groups. The experimental process included five phases: pre-conditioning, negative event writing, fear conditioning, self-compassion writing, and fear extinction. All the participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before and after the experiment. The PANAS was also assessed immediately after the negative event writing phase to assess the effectiveness of manipulation. Participants were asked to write about an adverse event that made them feel bad about themselves during the negative writing phase. The self-compassion group was guided to respond to three prompts that focus on self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. The control group was asked to write about their daily routines in a factual and unemotional manner. The shock expectancy ratings and skin conductance response (SCR) were recorded as the index of extinction learning. Three-way repeated measure ANOVA was conducted to examine the between-group differences in ratings and SCR across time extinction learning, with writing condition as the between-subject variable (self-compassion, control), and stimuli type (conditioned danger stimuli [CS+], conditioned safe stimuli [CS−]) and extinction phase (early, late) as within-subject variables. The results showed that the writing of negative events successfully reduced the positive affect (PA) of participants. There was no group difference during the fear conditioning phase and all participants successfully acquired fear. After writing intervention, the negative affect (NA) was significantly reduced in both groups. However, compared to the control group, the self-compassion group showed lower shock expectancy ratings in response to danger (CS+) and safety (CS−) cues during both early and late extinction. The SCR results showed that early extinction induced lower response than late extinction in the self-compassion group. Overall, the results demonstrate that self-compassion may promote fear extinction by regulating the response to both danger and safety cues. To our knowledge, this is the first study that uses the fear extinction model to test how self-compassion intervention can influence fear processing. Our results expand our understanding into the psychological and physiological mechanism of how self-compassion can reduce anxiety-related symptoms. These findings have several implications. First, self-compassion writing intervention is independent of control writing as a method to cope with threats. Second, compared to PANAS, shock expectancy ratings might be a sensitive indicator to characterize the effect of self-compassion intervention on anxiety-related symptoms. Finally, self-compassion might could be a reasonable strategy to counter enhanced response to danger cues and inhibited fear response to safety cues. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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Give a man a fish or teach him to fish? Differences in donor behavior between high and low social classes SUN Qingzhou, HUANG Jingru, YU Xiaofen, GAO Qingde Acta Psychologica Sinica    2023, 55 (10): 1677-1695.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01677 Abstract （4477）   HTML （625）    PDF（pc） （2534KB）（6385）       Knowledge map    Save Who donates more generously between high and low social classes? Existing studies have provided different answers. One potential reason is that prior research fails to distinguish between categories of survival and developmental donation. We conducted five studies to examine the differences in donor behaviour between high and low social classes in terms of preference for survival or developmental categories of donation and the underlying mechanisms involved in this decision. In Study 1, we manipulated participants’ relative sense of social class by comparing them with the highest or lowest class and measured their preference for survival and developmental donations. Results found that participants with a sense of high social class were more likely to choose developmental donations, whereas those with a sense of low social class were more likely to choose survival donations. In Study 2, we measured the participant’s’ true social class, their tendency to regulatory focus, and their preference between survival and development donations. Results found that those of high social class chose more developmental donations, whereas those of low social class chose more survival donations. Additionally, those of a higher social class had a higher promotion focus and lower prevention focus; thus, they preferred developmental donations, which supports the regulatory focus explanation. In Study 3, we adopted a between-subject design and measured participants’ true social class and their own survival or development demand, as well as their preference for survival or development donations. Results revealed that only the index of subjective social class and not objective social class showed a consistent tendency with Studies 1 and 2. The survival or development demand of high/low social class did not predict the participants’ own survival and development donations, which did not support the demand migration explanation. In Study 4, we set up survival and development items with prevention/promotion focus representation to separate the regulatory focus and demand migration explanations. We observed that subjective social classes’ choice preferences changed with representations of regulatory focus, rather than such individuals consistently choosing survival or developmental items owing to the migration of requirements. In Study 5, we set up different representations (regulatory focus × intertemporal orientation) of survival and developmental items to test whether participants’ preferences changed with representations of regulatory focus motivation or intertemporal orientation. The results showed that when developmental items were characterized as a long-term-promoted focus, high subjective social class individuals preferred developmental donations, whereas low subjective social class individuals preferred survival donations when survival items were characterized as a short-term-preventive focus. When developmental items were characterized as a long-term-preventive focus, low subjective social class individuals preferred developmental donations, whereas high social class individuals preferred survival donations when survival items were characterized as a short-term-promoted focus. These results suggest that subjective social classes’ preference for survival/developmental donation changes with the representation of regulatory focus motivation but is not consistent with the representation of intertemporal orientation; this supports the regulatory focus explanation and rejects the demand migration explanation and intertemporal preference explanation. These findings provide new insights into donation contradictions, variable mechanisms for donation between high and low social classes, and the precise motivations for providing survival and developmental donations. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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Can Cinderella become Snow White? The influence of perceived trustworthiness on the mental representation of faces LI Qinggong, FANG Wei, HU Chao, SHI Dejun, HU Xiaoqing, FU Genyue, WANG Qiandong Acta Psychologica Sinica    2023, 55 (9): 1518-1528.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01518 Abstract （4453）   HTML （696）    PDF（pc） （5622KB）（5511）       Knowledge map    Save People often infer others’ social traits, such as trustworthiness, from a glance at their face. Whereas previous studies have focused on how different facial cues influence social perception, the present study examined whether perception of a person’s trustworthiness could influence mental representations of that person’s face, as well as the mechanisms underlying this process. Two experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 was designed to test whether a target person described as trustworthy would be represented in the perceiver’s mind as more attractive than the same person described as untrustworthy. Participants were instructed to form an impression about a target person’s trustworthiness by viewing the person’s face paired with a description labeling them as trustworthy or untrustworthy. The reverse correlation image classification (RCIC) technique was then used to visualize the participants’ mental representations of the target person’s face. A separate group of participants was recruited to evaluate the attractiveness and other traits of the generated mental representation images. Experiment 2 aimed to determine a possible underlying mechanism by exploring whether the mental representations of the trustworthy (or untrustworthy) target persons’ faces in Experiment 1 shared more similarities with those of the trustworthy (or untrustworthy) faces at a group level (i.e., prototypes of trustworthy or untrustworthy faces). To achieve this goal, we recruited participants to complete an alternate RCIC task in which they selected which of two faces appeared more trustworthy, producing mental representation images for trustworthy and untrustworthy faces at a group level. The features of these prototypical trustworthy and untrustworthy faces were then compared with those of the target person from Experiment 1. In Experiment 1, mental representations of a face described as trustworthy were found to be more attractive than those of the same face described as untrustworthy. Furthermore, raters attributed additional desirable traits, such as friendly, intelligent, and positive, to the representation of the trustworthy person. In Experiment 2, we found that the mental representation of the face labeled as trustworthy in Experiment 1 shared more similarities with the prototypical trustworthy face produced in Experiment 2 than with the prototypical untrustworthy face. In sum, our findings suggest that the perception of a person’s trustworthiness can influence mental representations of that person’s face. When people perceive an individual as trustworthy (or untrustworthy), they may superimpose the corresponding schema features in their minds onto the physical characteristics of the perceived individual’s face, leading to a reconfiguration of the face representation. Our study underscores the importance of top-down factors in shaping face representations. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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Traditional pettism: The influence of pet ownership status, pet type, and pet properties on pet moral standing XU Kepeng, OU Qianqian, XUE Hong, LUO Dongli, ZHANG Shuyue, XU Yan Acta Psychologica Sinica    2023, 55 (10): 1662-1676.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01662 Abstract （4379）   HTML （439）    PDF（pc） （577KB）（5922）       Knowledge map    Save An increasing number of people treat pets as their family members. Although there is no specific indication, that people first think of traditional pets such as dogs or cats when referring to pets. In this study, traditional pets are defined as widely popular pets that are accompanied by human beings; Non-traditional pets are defined as unique and novel pets that are different from traditional cognition. The factors that lead to the difference in perception of pet moral standing are not only pet properties but also pet ownership status. Recently, psychologists have sought to explore the relationship between people and pets. Such research dilemmas are focused on traditional pet owners and their traditional pets, and few studies pay attention to the relationship between non-traditional pet owners and their non-traditional pets. Here, we aim to investigate whether pet properties, pet ownership status, and pet type can affect the perception of pet moral standing and its mechanism. To define the traditional pets and non-traditional pets in our study, we first conducted a pre-study (N = 29). For three studies, we used the snowball sampling technique to recruit participants voluntarily online via Qualtrics in Baidu Post Bar through a questionnaire. Study 1 explored the impact of pet ownership status, pet type, and pet properties on the perception of pet moral standing, N = 146 (traditional pet owners: 41, non-traditional pet owners: 53; women: 77). In Study 2, based on controlling the basic moral orientation, the influence of pet ownership status and pet type on the perception of pet moral standing was reverified, N = 148 (traditional pet owners: 72; women: 74). Study 3 further explored the mechanism of this effect, the purpose is to investigate the empathy for animals in the relationship between pet attachment and the perception of traditional pet moral standing, N = 202 (women: 108). The results showed that: (1) The perception of traditional pet moral standing is higher than that of non-traditional pets, agency, experience and harmfulness played a mediating role; (2) Compared to non-pet owners, pet owners perceived a higher pet moral standing; Compared to non-traditional pet owners, traditional pet owners perceived a higher traditional pet moral standing; There was no significant difference in the perception of non-traditional pets moral standing; (3) The empathy for animals played a mediating role between the traditional pet owners pet attachment and the perception of traditional pet moral standing. Pet speciesism also exists in pets, traditional pets are higher in the hierarchy than non-traditional pets. Pet owners regard pets as psychological-kin and in-group members. The positive attitude towards pets in communication and interaction can be extended to all pets. When further subdividing the pet owners, this positive attitude is more obvious in the traditional pet owners. This may be because traditional pet owners are more idealistic, and the two-way emotional attachment between traditional pet owners and pets leads to stronger empathy for animals, which ultimately manifests as a more positive moral attitude towards traditional pets. There is no preference for non-traditional pets in non-traditional pet owners, it may be to gain social approval or a strong attachment with pets isn’t formed. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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How semantic prosody is acquired in novel word learning: Evidence from the “Double-Jujube Tree” effect WU Shiyu, LI Zan Acta Psychologica Sinica    2024, 56 (5): 531-541.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2024.00531 Abstract （4326）   HTML （521）    PDF（pc） （747KB）（5538）       Knowledge map    Save Generally, a word’s meaning consists of at least two components. The first is denotative meaning, representing the definitional meaning found in dictionaries and serving as the word’s fundamental meaning. The second component involves semantics that a word “absorbs” from its linguistic context, not constrained by definitions; this is known as semantic prosody, described as a consistent aura of meaning with which a form is imbued by its collocates. While theories and empirical studies have shed light on mechanisms supporting the acquisition of the first word meaning component, the acquisition of the connotative meaning engendered by semantic prosody has been overlooked. It remains unclear whether readers can unconsciously acquire the semantic prosody (or emotional connotations) of a novel word after encountering it consistently in a context with a strong emotional polarity. Against this backdrop, we conducted a word learning experiment, manipulating context emotionality (negative vs. neutral vs. positive) and context variability (same-repeated vs. varied contexts) as crucial contextual variables. This aimed to address two understudied questions in vocabulary acquisition: (1) Does transfer of affect to a word from its linguistic context take place through reading exposures, facilitating the acquisition of semantic prosody for the word? If so, is such transfer influenced by context variability? (2) Does the emotionality of context affect the acquisition of word forms and meanings, and is this acquisition modulated by context variability? This experiment involved two sessions: a reading-and-learning phase and a testing phase. During the reading-and-learning session, participants read emotionally charged passages, simultaneously learning embedded target words. The testing session included an immediate posttest, incorporating four vocabulary tests—valence rating, orthographic choice, definition matching, and definition generation. A total of 196 Chinese speakers participated in the experiment. Mixed-effects models were utilized to analyze data from the valence rating task and the other three vocabulary knowledge tests. The findings revealed that, within the same-repeated context, manipulating context emotionality (positive vs. neutral vs. negative) significantly influenced valence ratings, showing significantly higher ratings in the positive condition compared to neutral and negative conditions. Conversely, in the varied context, no significant differences in valence ratings were observed. This result supports the hypothesis of the “Double-Jujube Tree” effect, emphasizing the effect of repetitive texts compared to multiple texts. However, in the varied context, valence ratings played a role in influencing participants’ performances in the vocabulary tests, leading to better outcomes as valence ratings increased. In the same-repeated context, valence ratings had minimal effect on accuracy in the orthographic choice test and the definition prompting test. We posit that the effective mechanism for learning the semantic-prosody-engendered connotations of words involves the transfer of affect from their collocations. However, this transfer seems to be contingent on context variability, occurring only in the same-repeated context and not in the varied context. Furthermore, we illustrate that the emotionality of context influences the quality of both orthographic and semantic word learning, with words being better learned in positive contexts as opposed to negative or neutral ones. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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The effects of emotional salience on emotion-induced blindness QIU Huiyan, LYU Yong Acta Psychologica Sinica    2023, 55 (11): 1806-1814.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01806 Abstract （4023）   HTML （357）    PDF（pc） （4215KB）（5633）       Knowledge map    Save In most visual scenes, the visual system cannot process all the information simultaneously; instead, it processes certain information first. Emotional stimuli are more likely to attract the attention of the visual system than non-emotional stimuli. However, it may be challenging to suppress the attention gained by emotional stimuli (though such a stimulus is irrelevant), and it may result in Emotion-induced Blindness (EiB), whereby the presence of an emotional stimulus fails to correlate with a task that attracts an individual’s attention. Therefore, individuals become “blinded” to a rapidly presented target stimulus. The present study investigated the effects of physical and emotional salience of emotional distractors on EiB under different background conditions using the rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) paradigm. This study used a three-factor design in which background conditions (similar vs. dissimilar), disturbance types (negative vs. neutral vs. baseline), and Lag (Lag 2 vs. Lag 8) were all within-participant variables. The dependent variable was the accuracy of the target judgment. This study consisted of three main phases. First, we applied a 2.5 cm × 2.5 cm (500 ms) black “+” fixation point with 0.39× 0.39 degrees a visual angle (DVA) that appeared in the center of the screen followed by an RSVP stimulus stream consisting of 15 images (100 ms each). Key disturbance images appeared randomly at several positions, ranging from four to six, in the stimulus stream. The baseline disturbances were selected from the same set of background images. The target stimulus appeared at either position 2 (Lag 2) or position 8 (Lag 8) following the presentation of the disturbance stimulus. At the end of each sequence, participants were instructed to answer whether the target stimulus was rotated to the left or right by pressing the “F” or “J” keys. The study utilized a repeated-measures ANOVA to analyze the impact of background conditions (similar vs. dissimilar), Lag (Lag 2 vs. Lag 8), and type of distractor (negative vs. neutral vs. baseline) on the correct rate of target identification by the study participants. Experiment 1 showed that EiB occurred under different background conditions but disappeared under similar background conditions. Experiment 2 compared the differences in EiB between the two groups under background conditions after adding a red rectangular border to the key distractor pictures. In Experiment 2, EiB occurred under dissimilar background conditions for both negative and neutral conditions, which is consistent with the findings of Experiment 1. However, the magnitude of the EiB was much greater in Experiment 2 (25%) than in Experiment 1 (17%). Additionally, under similar background conditions, the EiB produced by negative pictures was significantly larger than in Experiment 1 (10% vs. 3%). We also noted that individual notice of the emotional salience of the distractors had a significant effect on EiB, which was restored once cued to negative distractors under similar background conditions. In summary, the EiB phenomenon is driven by the physical salience of emotional distractors, rather than emotional salience. Additionally, the current findings showed that EiB was related to the attentional resources associated with distractor stimuli; in other words, the more attentional resources attracted by distractor stimuli, the more likely the occurrence of EiB. The number of attentional resources attracted by distractor stimuli was related to the difference in stimulus attributes and the number of attentional resources initially invested. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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Autistic traits influence pain empathy: The mediation role of pain-related negative emotion and cognition ZHANG Wenyun, ZHUO Shiwei, ZHENG Qianqian, GUAN Yinglin, PENG Weiwei Acta Psychologica Sinica    2023, 55 (9): 1501-1517.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01501 Abstract （3970）   HTML （661）    PDF（pc） （1584KB）（4879）       Knowledge map    Save Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are typically characterized by impaired social interactions that are thought to be related to deficits in empathy. While cognitive empathy deficit in ASD is widely recognized, it remains controversial whether individuals with ASD have a deficiency in emotional empathy. According to the shared representation theory, psychological and neuronal mechanisms involved in the personal experience of an emotional or somatosensory state are also engaged while empathizing with other individuals in those states. It suggests that the deficits of empathy seen in the ASD population could arise from the atypical experience of first-hand pain. Mild, subclinical forms of the characteristics associated with ASD are referred to as autistic traits. Individuals with high autistic traits exhibit sensory, emotional, and social behaviors similar to those with ASD. Given the relationship between pain empathy and first-hand pain as well as the similarity between autistic traits and ASD, the present study tested the hypothesis that autistic traits in the general population would influence pain empathic responses, which could be contributed by first-hand pain-related profiles. In Experiment 1, we adopted an ecological pain empathy paradigm and compared behavioral and neural activity between individuals with high scores on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient Test (HAQ, with high autistic traits) and those with low scores (LAQ, with low autistic traits). During the pain empathy paradigm, the participants either perceived the painful electrical stimuli themselves or witnessed the delivery of painful electrical stimuli to their partners in certain and uncertain contexts. When perceiving pain themselves, behavioral and brain responses were comparable between HAQ and LAQ groups. When witnessing others in pain, participants in the HAQ group had greater amplitudes of the P2 component on the event-related potentials and reported higher ratings of unpleasantness than those in the LAQ group. The between-group differences in the behavioral and neural responses related to pain empathy were not moderated by certainty of the context (certain or uncertain). Mediation analysis further revealed that the between-group differences in the unpleasantness elicited by witnessing others’ pain could be contributed by the greater fear of pain while anticipating the upcoming painful stimuli. In Experiment 2, the relationship among autistic traits, pain-related profiles, and trait empathy was assessed in randomly recruited participants. We found that autistic trait levels were negatively correlated with scores on the perspective-taking subscale of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and positively correlated with the personal distress subscale. Importantly, pain-related fear and pain catastrophizing mediated the link between autistic traits and personal distress. Data from Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrated that autistic traits heighten emotional empathy, which can be explained by the negative emotion and cognition toward pain. Given the similarities between individuals with high autistic traits and ASD, this finding may help to expand the biological mechanisms underlying ASD, such as explaining empathy deficits or other social difficulties seen in the ASD from the perspective of atypical pain-related profiles. Future studies should combine multiple modalities of painful stimulations and multidimensional pain assessments to comprehensively characterize pain-related profiles among individuals with high autistic traits or ASD, and establish linkage between pain-related profiles and empathy or social deficits. This understanding has the potential to provide targets for clinical interventions and treatments of ASD. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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Influence of group information on facial expression recognition WANG Weihan, CAO Feizhen, YU Linwei, ZENG Ke, YANG Xinchao, XU Qiang Acta Psychologica Sinica    2024, 56 (3): 268-280.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2024.00268 Abstract （3941）   HTML （375）    PDF（pc） （727KB）（5634）       Knowledge map    Save Emotions surface during interaction between individuals. Thus, an accurate recognition of facial expressions is essential in the realm of social interactions. In recent years, numerous studies have revealed that individuals not only depend on facial configuration information for identifying facial expressions but also place considerable emphasis on contextual information extracted from external cues beyond the face. People’s behavior frequently unfolds within intricate social group dynamics, wherein individuals often perceive and interpret the facial expressions of their fellow group members during interaction. However, the impact of group information on facial expression recognition, being an essential social contextual factor, remains somewhat unclear. Hence, three experiments were conducted to investigate the influence exerted by group information on the recognition of facial expressions. The stimuli used in the study were happy, fearful, and neutral face images selected from the NimStim set, including 15 pictures (seven females) of each of the aforementioned emotions. Group information was manipulated following the presentation of a fixation cross through perceptual cues. Subsequently, during the facial expression recognition phase, participants were instructed to recognize the facial expressions exhibited by target individuals. In the first experiment, participants were instructed to rate the intensity of target facial expressions on a six- emotion scale, and the surrounding facial expressions were always congruent with the target facial expressions. A total of 29 college students (16 females, mean age 20.00 ± 1.80 years) were recruited to participate in this experiment. In Experiments 2 and 3, we manipulated the emotional congruency between the surrounding faces and the target faces during the facial expression recognition phase. Additionally, we controlled for variations in physical characteristics across different experimental conditions. The task requirement of Experiment 2 was the same as that of Experiment 1. However, in Experiment 3, participants were instructed to judge the target facial expressions by pressing corresponding keys on the keyboard as quickly and accurately as possible. A total of 26 college students (14 females, mean age 21.15 ± 1.99 years) participated in Experiment 2, and 32 college students (15 females, mean age 21.20 ± 1.60 years) participated in Experiment 3. Results revealed the following: (1) Compared with emotion-incongruent conditions, emotional congruency between target faces and surrounding faces resulted in shorter RTs and higher accuracy. (2) Group information regulated the influence of surrounding facial expressions on target facial expression recognition. Specifically, under group conditions, participants tended to recognize target facial expressions according to the emotional state of the surrounding faces. When the target facial expressions in line with the expectations established by the participants that group members have congruent emotional state, the recognition of target facial expressions was faster and more accurate than incongruent conditions. However, under nongroup conditions, participants recognized target facial expressions without reference to the emotional states of the surrounding faces. (3) Participants exhibited a faster and more accurate recognition of happy faces, indicating the recognition advantage effect for happy facial expressions. Results revealed that group information influenced facial expression recognition, individuals recognized facial expressions based on the social relationship between the interactions, and understanding social interaction plays an important role in the process of emotion perception. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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“Buddha-like” mentality in workplace: The building of fundamental theory and the empirical test of its validity in Chinese context YAN Yu, FENG Ming, ZHANG Yong Acta Psychologica Sinica    2024, 56 (5): 594-611.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2024.00594 Abstract （3923）   HTML （234）    PDF（pc） （660KB）（5826）       Knowledge map    Save As a combination of traditional Buddha culture and modern network culture, Buddha-like mentality has been a popular work attitude in the workplace, yet limited scholarly attentions have been paid to investigate this concept, which is partly due to a lack of established scale. This lack, in turn, lead to incomplete understandings of the facets as well as the consequences of employees’ Buddha-like mentality. To construct the framework of Buddha-like mentality and examine its consequences, we used qualitative research and quantitative research in this study. We firstly collected participants’ views on Buddha-like mentality through interviews and questionnaires, and searched the contents related to Buddha-like mentality through the Internet. Secondly, the classical grounded theory was adopted to encode the descriptions derived from open survey, so as to conduct an exploration study on the concept and structural dimensions of the Buddha- like mentality in the working context. Based on this qualitative study and the exploratory factor analysis (EFA), an 18-item questionnaire was compiled according to the structural dimension of Buddha-like mentality. Then we conducted a correlation analysis with a sample of 290 participants to examine the discriminant validities between the Buddha-like mentality and existing concepts. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is conducted to test the construct validity with 478 samples. Finally, a time-lagged study is used to test the predictive validity of Buddha-like mentality with 402 valid matching questionnaires collected from 29 enterprises. The results of grounded theory show that the Buddha-like mentality in the work situation can be divided into four dimensions: unconcerned, satisfied with the status quo, friendly and not argumentative, and letting nature take its course. EFA and CFA of the Buddha-like mentality questionnaire show good reliability and validity, and there is no redundancy of questions. In addition, in the second-order four-factor model, the correlation coefficients of these factors are significant, and all of the standardized loadings of the first-order factor and the second-order factor are significant, which further confirms that the Buddha-like mentality in the workplace is a second-order structure composed of four first-order factors. Correlation analyses show (1) Buddha-like mentality correlates negatively with extraversion, (2) Buddha-like mentality has no significant correlation with agreeableness. The prediction validity study shows (1) Buddha-like mentality has a significant negative impact on creativity, (2) Buddha-like mentality has a significant positive impact on workplace well-being, (3) The impact of Buddha-like mentality on job performance is not significant. These findings enrich the scholarly understandings of Buddha-like mentality and offer a reliable instrument for the assessment of Buddha-like mentality, which may benefit much for future studies on this concept. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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Changes in the network association of Internet addiction among heterogeneous high-risk adolescents CHEN Shiyun, QU Diyang, BU He, LIANG Kaixin, ZHANG Peichao, CHI Xinli Acta Psychologica Sinica    2023, 55 (9): 1465-1476.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01465 Abstract （3870）   HTML （427）    PDF（pc） （1037KB）（5321）       Knowledge map    Save The China Internet Information Center reported that the internet addiction rate among Chinese adolescents has reached as high as 10%, indicating that this problem has become a major social health concern among adolescents in China. Previous studies have identified one or more subgroups of adolescents whose trajectory of internet use behaviors puts them at a high risk of addiction, but further research is needed to determine and understand these high-risk groups and fill research gaps. Furthermore, most previous studies have approached the problem from the perspective of the variables of internet addiction, but its symptomatology remains poorly understood. The current study combines a growth mixture model (GMM) with network analysis to identify heterogeneous groups of adolescents at a high risk of internet addiction and to explore the changes in symptomatology in these groups. A three-year longitudinal study followed students from the time they entered junior high school. Three assessments were conducted yearly at identical intervals (T1: October 2016 to November 2016, T2: October 2017 to November 2017, and T3: October to November 2018). Ultimately, 1, 279 adolescents (662 boys and 617 girls) completed the assessments at each time point. Internet addiction was assessed using the 10-item Internet Addiction Test. Mplus 8.0 was used for the descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and the GMM to estimate the development trajectories of various heterogeneous groups. An R package was used to estimate the network structure and core symptoms of internet addiction of each high-risk group at each time point. The GMM showed a normal group and a high-risk group, which consisted of adolescents who were heterogeneous in terms of the development trajectory of internet addiction. Network analysis revealed that the core symptoms of Internet addiction among the adolescents in the high-risk group differed at each time point. In the first year of junior high school, “Compulsive Internet Use”, “Lack of Satisfaction”, “Emotional Outbursts”, and “Withdrawal Symptoms” were the core symptoms. In the second year, “Lack of Satisfaction” was the core symptom, and in the third year, “Withdrawal Symptoms” became the core symptom. This study enhances the understanding of the symptomatology of Internet addiction among high-risk adolescents, indicating that targeted interventions must be developed based on the various stages of adolescence. From the first year of junior high school, strategies should be implemented to prevent the development of Internet addiction in high-risk groups. In the second year, adolescents in the high-risk group should be identified by focusing on their satisfaction deficits. In the last year of junior high school, interventions should target adolescents’ withdrawal symptoms of Internet addiction. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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Psychological richness increases behavioral intention to protect the environment WEI Xinni, YU Feng, PENG Kaiping, ZHONG Nian Acta Psychologica Sinica    2023, 55 (8): 1330-1343.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01330 Abstract （3865）   HTML （404）    PDF（pc） （905KB）（4888）       Knowledge map    Save Pro-environmental behavior, such as saving energy and taking public transportation, is beneficial to protecting the environment. Previous studies suggested that personality traits, environmental-related values, beliefs, affection, and norms are antecedents of pro-environmental behavior. However, protecting the environment is also rooted in motives for happiness and well-being. Generally speaking, there are three different types of well-being in positive psychology, namely hedonia, eudaimonia, and psychological richness. Based on different conceptions of well-being, research has shown that hedonic values were negatively related to pro-environmental behavior. Eudaimonic values were related to environmental values but it cannot directly predict pro-environmental behavior. Given it’s a new conception, the relationship between psychological richness and pro-environmental behavior is still absent. Thus, the present study aimed at exploring how psychological richness would influence pro-environmental behavior as well as its underlying mechanism and boundary conditions. To reach the goals, we conducted ten studies with different experimental manipulations of psychological richness, multi-source participants, and various assessments of pro-environmental behavior. In correlational Study 1.1, we tested the link between psychological richness and pro-environmental behavior. In experimental Study 1.2~1.4, we manipulated psychological richness by recalling past memory and making the perspective change to explore its potential influence on pro-environmental behavior. In Study 2.1~2.4, the measurement-of-mediation design and experimental-causal-chain design were used to examine the mediating role of self-expansion. Based on the cross-sectional Study 2.1, in Study 2.2 we randomly assigned participants to the psychological richness condition and control condition to complete the task, and investigated whether psychological richness affected personal self-expansion. In Study 2.3, self-expansion was manipulated to explore its effect on pro-environmental behavior. To support our model, Study 2.4 was conducted to test whether psychological richness facilitates pro-environmental behavior through self-expansion. To investigate the moderating effect of nature-self size, we manipulated psychological richness in Study 3.1 and conducted a cross-sectional survey in Study 3.2. As predicted, the present study found that both psychologically rich life and state psychological richness were positively related to pro-environmental behavior. Results indicated that psychological richness motivates people to engage in pro-environmental activities. The increased self-expansion was the reason why people experiencing psychological richness were more willing to protect the environment. Lastly, the results also demonstrated the moderating effect of nature-self size on the association of self-expansion and pro-environmental behavior. Overall, the results extend the research on the effects of psychological richness on personal growth and sustainable social development. First, it suggested that pursuing well-being and behaving pro-environmentally were not in conflict. Namely, living a psychologically rich life motivates people to protect the environment. Second, message framing that promotes psychological richness could encourage individuals to engage in environmentally friendly activities. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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Relationship between adolescents’ smartphone stress and mental health: Based on the multiverse-style analysis and intensive longitudinal method HUANG Shunsen, LAI Xiaoxiong, ZHANG Cai, ZHAO Xinmei, DAI Xinran, QI Mengdi, WANG Huanlei, WANG Wenrong, WANG Yun Acta Psychologica Sinica    2024, 56 (6): 745-758.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2024.00745 Abstract （3820）   HTML （267）    PDF（pc） （1194KB）（5211）       Knowledge map    Save Adolescents frequently encounter elevated levels of digital stress by exposure to digital media (e.g., smartphone stress). Their ongoing brain development increases adolescents’ susceptibility to digital stress, making them more vulnerable to its adverse effects. Among digital devices, smartphones are the most widely used ones by adolescents and a primary source of digital stress. The current study aims to investigate the robust association between digital stress, specifically smartphone stress, and adolescent mental health. The study also aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms of this association. In Study 1, a multiverse-style analysis was employed to investigate the robust relationship between smartphone stress and mental health (depression and well-being) in a large sample of adolescents (N= 74 182, male = 39 192). This method was chosen for its robustness of various data manipulations to test the effect of interest, and median β and NSRPD (number of significant results in predominant direction) were used as statistical inference indicators of the effect. In Study 2, we conducted an intensive longitudinal design to examine the mechanism of how smartphone stress affects mental health among adolescents (N= 477, female = 214, Mage= 12.67 ± 0.31). Before intensive longitudinal design, we assessed smartphone stress, well-being, and depression (T1). Subsequently, daily rumination (consecutive 17 days, T2) and daily negative mood (consecutive 18 days, T3) were assessed over a 35-day period. Upon intensive longitudinal design, we once again measured well-being and depression (T4). We found that rumination, negative emotion (NE), and rumination-NE (serial mediation) mediate the link between smartphone stress and mental health (smartphone stress-depression model, smartphone stress-well-being model). Study 1 indicated that over half of adolescents (52.6% of grade 4 students and 78.2% of grade 8 students) experienced smartphone stress. Furthermore, smartphone stress strongly and robustly predicted depression (Median β = 0.37, p < 0.001, NSRPD = 160/160, p< 0.001, partial r2 = 0.172) and well-being (Median β = −0.14, p < 0.001, NSRPD = 160/160, p < 0.001, partial r2 = 0.011). Effect sizes from both outcomes (partial r2 > 0.010) are capable to inform policy and the public sphere. Study 2 revealed that rumination intensity, negative emotion intensity, and rumination-negative emotion intensity mediate the relationship between smartphone stress and depression. However, no mediation was found for rumination or negative emotion fluctuation. In smartphone stress-well-being model, negative emotion intensity and rumination-negative emotion intensity, but not rumination intensity, mediated the association between smartphone stress and well-being. Moreover, negative emotion and rumination-negative emotion fluctuation, but not rumination fluctuation, mediated the association between smartphone stress and well-being. Therefore, the intensity and fluctuation of rumination and negative emotion are common mediators in the relationship between smartphone stress and depression/well-being, while the effects of mechanisms are outcome-dependent. The findings pinpoint the significant and robust effect of smartphone stress on depression and well-being among adolescents. The mediation of rumination and negative emotion in the relationship between smartphone stress and mental health probes into the mechanism of this relationship. These results support classic theories (e.g., the Emotional Cascade Model) and confirm and enrich the recent Media use-Digital stress-Mental health model. These findings could also inform future interventions for mental health problems related to smartphone stress. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

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“Attraction of the like”: The influence of peer’s donation choice on prosocial behavior of adolescents and the role of the belief in a just world ZHANG Weiwei, CHEN Yiqun, ZHU Liqi Acta Psychologica Sinica    2023, 55 (9): 1453-1464.   DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01453 Abstract （3777）   HTML （579）    PDF（pc） （2112KB）（4933）       Knowledge map    Save Social influence refers to the process by which the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of individuals are directly or indirectly influenced by others. Adolescents’ social behavior is easily influenced by peers. However, most of the previous studies on peer effects have focused on the negative aspect of peer influence, such as peer influence on adolescent aggressive behavior, antisocial behavior, and risk-taking behavior, whereas the positive effects of peers have received relatively less attention. Existing work has not reached consensus on whether adolescents' prosocial behavior is more likely to be influenced by altruistic peers or egoistic peers, and the underlying mechanism is also unclear. The present study focuses on the positive effects of peers. Furthermore, the impact of different information providers is also an issue examined in this study. Given that children in Chinese culture are more subordinate to authority, Chinese adolescents may be more influenced by adults than peers. The belief in a just world may also play a moderating role in the peer influence, which would be explored in this study. The present study used the adaptive behavioral experimental paradigm and the conflicting source paradigm in developmental research on selective trust to investigate the effects of social information (prosocial, selfish, conflict) provided by peers or adults on adolescents’ donation behavior at real cost, and the role of the belief in a just world in it. The sample included 77 adolescents aged 12-15 years (Mage = 14.06 ± 0.74 years, 32 girls). The specific setting of the adaptive paradigm was as follows: under the condition of prosocial influence, the decision of the peer observed by the participants was always more altruistic than their initial decision; similarly, under the condition of selfish influence, the decision of the peer was more selfish than their initial decision. In other words, the amount of donation that participants observed was determined by their initial donation. The results showed that the secondary donation after viewing the peer’s decision was more altruistic than the initial donation in both the prosocial and the conflict conditions, while the difference between the two rounds of donation was not significant in the selfish condition, which indicates that the prosocial behavior of adolescents was more susceptible to prosocial influence. In addition, compared with the conflict condition and the selfish condition, the second donation of the participants in the prosocial information condition changed the most, which again confirmed the reliability and stability of the results. Moreover, adolescents were more likely to be influenced by information provided by peers than that provided by adults: adolescents changed their donation amount more in the peer influence condition than in the adult influence condition. We further focused on the performance of participants in the conflict condition: when adolescents observed both prosocial information and selfish information, their secondary donations were more likely to change in the direction of altruism, and this transition was more likely to occur in the peer influence condition, which indicates that adolescents are more likely to be influenced by peer role models than by adult role models. The belief in a just world moderated the prosocial influence of adolescents: individuals with high belief in the just world were more likely to be affected by positive social influence. The results indicate that adolescents are more likely to be positively influenced by peers. This study expands the theory of social learning theory, reveals the benefit of peer moral models on adolescents' prosocial behavior, and provides reference for improving the educational practice of adolescents' prosocial behavior. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics