1,811 research outputs found
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Behavioural inhibition and valuation of gain/loss are neurally distinct from approach/withdrawal
Gain or omission/termination of loss produces approach; while loss or omission/termination of gain produces withdrawal. Control of approach/withdrawal motivation is distinct from valuation of gain/loss and does not entail learning â making ârewardâ and âpunishmentâ ambiguous. Approach-withdrawal goal conflict engages a neurally distinct Behavioural Inhibition System, which controls âanxietyâ (conflict/passive avoidance) but not âfearâ (withdrawal/active avoidance)
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Survival circuits and risk assessment
Risk assessment (RA) behaviour is unusual in the context of survival circuits. An external object elicits eating, mating or fleeing; but conflict between internal approach and withdrawal tendencies elicits RA-specific behaviour that scans the environment for new information to bring closure. Recently rodent and human threat responses have been compared using âpredatorsâ that can be real (e.g. a tarantula), robot, virtual, or symbolic (with the last three rendered predatory by the use of shock). âQuick and dirtyâ survival circuits in the periaqueductal grey, hypothalamus, and amygdala control external RA behaviour. These subcortical circuits activate, and are partially inhibited by, higher-order internal RA processes (anxiety, memory scanning, evaluation and sometimes â maladaptive rumination) in the ventral hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United Kingdom: A personality-based perspective on concerns and intention to self-isolate
Objectives
Public behaviour change is necessary to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVIDâ19). Based on the reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) framework, this study presents an examination of individual differences in some relevant psychological factors.
Design
Crossâsectional psychometric.
Methods
UK respondents (N = 202) completed a personality questionnaire (RSTâPQ), measures of illness attitudes, concerns about the impact of coronavirus on health services and socioâeconomic infrastructures, personal safety, and likelihood of voluntary selfâisolation.
Results
Respondents most concerned were older, had negative illness attitudes, and scored higher on reward reactivity (RR), indicating the motivation to take positive approach action despite prevailing worry/anxiety. Personal safety concerns were highest in those with negative illness attitudes and higher fightâflightâfreeze system (FFFS, reflecting fear/avoidance) scores. Results suggest people are experiencing psychological conflict: between the urge to stay safe (FFFFârelated) and the desire to maintain a normal, pleasurable (RRârelated) life. Ways of ameliorating conflict may include maladaptive behaviours (panic buying), reflecting rewardârelated displacement activity. Intended selfâisolation related to FFFS, but also low behavioural inhibition system (related to anxiety) scores. Older people reported themselves less likely to selfâisolate.
Conclusions
Interventions need to consider individual differences in psychological factors in behaviour change, and we discuss relevant literature to inform policy makers and communicators
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You is not just your brain silly. The Biological Mind: How Brain, Body, and Environment Collaborate to Make Us Who We Are
Avatars and empathy: The use of video games to affect prejudicial evaluations of African Americans
This research sought to test the relation between video game avatars (online representations of the self), empathy, social dominance orientation, and prejudice. By having participants imagine playing in a game as an avatar I sought to test three hypotheses. Th first hypothesis proposed that that participants would be more inclined to support policies regarding a specific racial group when imagining play as an avatar representing that group. The second hypothesis proposed that empathy would influence the connection between the avatar and participant race variables. The third, which was split into three parts, tested for a negative correlation between prejudice and empathy, whether high levels of social dominance would suppress the beneficial effects of the counter-race avatar (specifically for White participants), and whether prejudicial judgments would be higher for participants high in social dominance orientation regardless of the race of participant or avatar condition. Participant prejudice and empathy were assessed with an empathy test from DeWall and Baumeister (2006) and the Social Dominance Orientation Scale. The hypothesis that high levels of social dominance would suppress the effect of the counter-race avatar was partially supported for positive assessments of race when controlling for social dominance orientation. Additionally, it was expected that White participants high in empathy would have stronger effects than White participants low in empathy or compared to participants of color and that social dominance orientation (SDO) would be negatively correlated with empathy. Results for empathy were not supported, however, the results for the association of SDO and prejudice were
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