Spatial-Distance Cues Influence Economic Decision-Making in a Social Context

Social distance (i.e., the degree of closeness to another person) affects the way humans perceive and respond to fairness during financial negotiations. Feeling close to someone enhances the acceptance of monetary offers. Here, we explored whether this effect also extends to the spatial domain. Specifically, using an iterated version of the Ultimatum Game in a within-subject design, we investigated whether different visual spatial distance-cues result in different rates of acceptance of otherwise identical monetary offers. Study 1 found that participants accepted significantly more offers when they were cued with spatial closeness than when they were cued with spatial distance. Study 2 replicated this effect using identical procedures but different spatial- distance cues in an independent sample. Importantly, our results could not be explained by feelings of social closeness. Our results demonstrate that mere perceptions of spatial closeness produce analogous–but independent–effects to those of social closeness

20 Rollberger Kiez-Ansichten

20 ROLLBERGER KIEZ-ANSICHTEN 20 Rollberger Kiez-Ansichten / Fatfouta-Hanka, Firdaous (Rights reserved) ( -

I am the chosen one: Narcissism in the backdrop of self-determination theory

© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Objective: This theoretical article discusses the relevance of self-determination theory (SDT) for narcissism, a classic topic in self-theory. Method and Results: The trait of narcissism reflects a self-aggrandizing, dominant, and manipulative interpersonal orientation that feeds on exaggerated perceptions of agency, but not communion. The article embeds narcissism in the five mini-theories of SDT (organismic integration, causality orientations, basic needs, cognitive evaluation, and goal contents) and considers research directions that can explore synergies between key constructs from SDT and narcissism. Conclusions: SDT can serve as a foundation for a deeper understanding of narcissism. From the other end, narcissism can enrich SDT by explaining variations in motivational processes

As cold as a fish? Relationships between the Dark Triad personality traits and affective experience during the day: A day reconstruction study

The Dark Triad of personality is a cluster of three socially aversive personality traits: Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychopathy. These traits are associated with a selfish, aggressive and exploitative interpersonal strategy. The objective of the current study was to establish relationships between the Dark Triad traits (and their dimensions) and momentary affect. Machiavellianism, grandiose narcissism, vulnerable narcissism and the dimensions of the Triarchic model of psychopathy (namely, boldness, meanness and disinhibition) were examined. We used the Day Reconstruction Method, which is based on reconstructing affective states experienced during the previous day. The final sample consisted of 270 university students providing affective ratings of 3047 diary episodes. Analyses using multilevel modelling showed that only boldness had a positive association with positive affective states and affect balance, and a negative association with negative affective states. Grandiose narcissism and its sub-dimensions had no relationship with momentary affect. The other dark traits were related to negative momentary affect and/or inversely related to positive momentary affect and affect balance. As a whole, our results empirically demonstrated distinctiveness of the Dark Triad traits in their relationship to everyday affective states. These findings are not congruent with the notion that people with the Dark Triad traits, who have a dispositional tendency to manipulate and exploit others, are generally cold and invulnerable to negative feelings. The associations between the Dark Triad and momentary affect were discussed in the contexts of evolutionary and positive psychology, in relation to the role and adaptive value of positive and negative emotions experienced by individuals higher in Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychopathy

Forgiving, fast and slow: validity of the implicit association test for predicting differential response latencies in a transgression-recall paradigm

This study examined the role of automaticity in forgiving a real-life offense. As an alternative to self-report, an Implicit Association Test (IAT) of forgiveness was developed. Implicit (IAT-measured) and explicit (self- reported) forgiveness predicted shorter response times of state forgiveness ratings. The forgiveness IAT was highly reliable, moderately stable over time, and demonstrated incremental validity. Results suggest that the newly introduced forgiveness IAT could advance personality research beyond what is known from self-report measures, further corroborating the notion of implicit forgiveness. Implications for personality assessment are discussed

psychologische und neurowissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zur Vergebung

Forgiveness is central to social life because how we deal with relational conflicts influences intra- and interpersonal functioning. Despite recent progresses in forgiveness research, many problems remain unresolved. One set of problems is methodological and involves the overreliance on forgivers’ self-reports. Another set of problems is conceptual and involves the neglect of important correlates of forgiveness, such as personality, psychopathology, and brain function. The six studies constituting this dissertation represent an attempt to address these issues and, via this, to advance a multifaceted understanding of forgiveness. Study 1 developed and examined the psychometric properties of an indirect (i.e., non- self-report) measure of forgiveness, the forgiveness Implicit Association Test (IAT). As an objective behavioral criterion of forgiving, Study 1 assessed the response time (RT) individuals need to rate their current thoughts and feelings toward a real-life transgressor (i.e., their state forgiveness). Study 2 extended Study 1 by examining the processes underlying the generation of individuals’ forgiveness- response decisions. Studies 3 and 4 examined how the personality trait of narcissism relates to forgiveness (in particular, lack thereof). Specifically, the mediating role of socio-cognitive variables (Study 3) and the moderating role of conciliatory gestures (e.g., apology) were probed (Study 4). Study 5 explored how intrusive thoughts and actions (i.e., obsessive-compulsive [OC] symptoms) relate to forgiveness’ conceptual foil, namely, revenge. Finally, Study 6 combined behavioral and neuroimaging techniques to identify a neural mechanism of forgiveness: the interplay between the medial prefrontal and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. In Study 1, I show that individuals high in implicit (IAT-measured) and explicit (self- reported) forgiveness are faster to rate their state forgiveness and that the forgiveness IAT has incremental validity regarding the prediction of RT. Study 1 suggests that forgiveness involves both implicit and explicit aspects, further accentuating the value of RTs for capturing forgiveness-related information processing. In Study 2, I demonstrate that the link between forgiveness and RT is mediated by differential rumination about the transgression; individuals who were more forgiving also tended to ruminate less about their transgression, which in turn, promoted quicker responses. Thus, the ability to inhibit transgression- related thoughts seems to speed information processing when rating one’s state forgiveness. Regarding personality correlates of forgiveness, in Study 3 I provide evidence that states associated with lack of forgiveness — anger, rumination, and diminished empathy — differentially mediate the link between two distinct dimensions of narcissism (i.e., admiration and rivalry). Whereas admiration was negatively related to lack of forgiveness via higher empathy, rivalry was positively related to lack of forgiveness via more anger and rumination and less empathy. By contrast, in Study 4 I show that the positive rivalry/lack of forgiveness link can be altered (i.e., is moderated) by a verbal expression of regret together with a costly apology. Whereas motivations to retaliate against the transgressor remained unchanged, motivations to avoid the transgressor could in fact be reduced. Together, Studies 3 and 4 suggest narcissism to be a multidimensional construct and underscore the distinct forgiveness-related consequences of its facets. In Study 5, I show that OC symptoms in general, and obsessing in particular, positively relate to a number of revenge-related phenomena (i.e., vengeful attitudes, dispositions, and motivations) and heightened perceptions of interpersonal transgressions in daily life. Similar to Studies 3 and 4, individuals high in OC symptoms seem to be characterized by pronounced unforgiveness. Finally, in Study 6 I show that forgiveness involves reduced connectivity between two brain regions: the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (DACC), which is involved in conflict detection, and the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), which is involved in mentalizing. MPFC/DACC connectivity was inversely related to implicit but not explicit forgiveness, again highlighting the utility of the forgiveness IAT even for the assessment of spontaneous brain activity. In sum, all six studies suggest that forgiveness is a complex phenomenon that is influenced by a multitude of situational as well as relational factors and can only be fully understood if we use a multi-method approach.Vergebung ist zentral für das Sozialleben, denn wie wir mit zwischenmenschlichen Konflikten umgehen hat sowohl intra- als auch interpersonale Konsequenzen. Trotz jüngster Fortschritte in der Vergebungsforschung bleiben viele Probleme ungelöst. Probleme methodischer Art betreffen die nahezu ausschließliche Verwendung von Selbstberichtsfragebögen für die Erfassung von Vergebung. Probleme konzeptueller Art betreffen die Vernachlässigung wichtiger Korrelate von Vergebung wie Persönlichkeit, Psychopathologie und Hirnfunktionen. Die sechs empirischen Beiträge, die den Kern dieser Dissertation bilden, stellen einen Versuch dar, diesen Problemen nachzugehen. Ziel ist es, ein differenzierteres Verständnis von Vergebung zu gewinnen. Studie 1 entwickelte und evaluierte die psychometrischen Eigenschaften eines indirekten (d.h. nicht auf Selbstbericht beruhenden) Vergebungsmaßes, nämlich den Impliziten Assoziationstest (IAT) für Vergebung. Als objektives Verhaltenskriterium für Vergebung diente die Reaktionszeit (RZ), mit der Personen ihre momentanen Gedanken und Gefühle im Hinblick auf eine real erlebte Verletzung einschätzen (d.h. ihre „Zustandsvergebung“). Studie 2 erweiterte Studie 1 um die Betrachtung von Prozessen, die der Generierung dieser RZ-Werte zugrunde liegen. Hinsichtlich der Persönlichkeitskorrelate von Vergebung untersuchten Studien 3 und 4 wie dispositionaler Narzissmus mit Vergebung (bzw. deren Mangel) zusammenhängt. Insbesondere wurden die vermittelnde Rolle sozio- kognitiver Variablen (Studie 3) sowie die moderierende Wirkung versöhnlicher Gesten (z.B. das Vorhandensein einer Entschuldigung) getestet (Studie 4). Studie 5 fokussierte darauf, wie Zwangsgedanken und damit einhergehende Zwangshandlungen (d.h. obsessiv- kompulsive Symptome) mit Rache zusammenhängen. Studie 6 kombinierte behaviorale und funktionelle Bildgebungsverfahren, um einen neuronalen Mechanismus von Vergebung zu identifizieren: das Zusammenspiel zwischen medial präfrontalem und dorsal anteriorem Kortex. Studie 1 zeigt, dass hoch vergebende Personen — sowohl implizit (IAT) als auch explizit (selbstberichtet) gemessen — schneller waren, wenn es um die Einschätzung ihrer Gedanken und Gefühle gegenüber dem Transgressor geht und dass der Vergebungs-IAT inkrementell valide für die RZ-Vorhersage ist. Studie 1 deutet darauf hin, dass Vergebung sowohl implizite als auch explizite Aspekte beinhaltet. Daneben scheinen RZen einen Mehrwert für die Erfassung vergebungsbezogener Informationen zu besitzen. Studie 2 demonstriert, dass der Zusammenhang zwischen Vergebung und RZ über interindividuelle Unterschiede in der Ruminationsneigung über die Transgression vermittelt wird: Personen,die vergebender waren, ruminierten weniger über die Transgression, was wiederum schnelleres Antwortverhalten begünstigt. Demnach scheint die Fähigkeit, transgressionsbezogene Gedanken zu inhibieren, die Informationsverarbeitung beim Einschätzen der „Zustandsvergebung“ zu beschleunigen. Studie 3 weist auf, dass der Zusammenhang zwischen zwei distinkten Narzissmusfacetten (d.h. Bewunderung und Rivalität) und dem Mangel an Vergebung differenziell über die sozio-kognitiven Variablen Zustandsärger, Zustandsrumination und Zustandsempathie vermittelt werden. Die Beziehung zwischen Bewunderung und Mangel an Vergebung war negativ und wurde über mehr Empathie für den Transgressor vermittelt; die Beziehung zwischen Rivalität und Mangel an Vergebung war positiv und wurde über mehr Ärger, mehr Rumination und weniger Empathie vermittelt. Studie 4 hingegen verdeutlicht, dass die positive Beziehung zwischen Rivalität und Mangel an Vergebung verändert (d.h. moderiert) werden kann, sofern eine verbale Entschuldigung mit Kosten für den Transgressor dargeboten wird. Allerdings wird nur die Vermeidungsmotivation gegenüber dem Transgressor reduziert, wohingegen die Rachemotivation nahezu unverändert bleibt. Zusammen deuten Studien 3 und 4 darauf hin, dass Narzissmus ein mehrdimensionales Konstrukt darstellt, dessen Facetten distinkte Konsequenzen für Vergebung besitzen. Studie 5 liefert einen Beleg dafür, dass obsessiv- kompulsive Symptome im Allgemeinen und Obsessionen im Besonderen positiv mit verschiedenen rachebezogenen Phänomenen (z.B. Einstellungen, Dispositionen und Motivationen) sowie einer erhöhten Wahrnehmung von interpersonalen Verletzungen zusammenhängen. Ähnlich zu Studien 3 und 4 scheinen Personen, die an obsessiv- kompulsiven Symptomen leiden, durch einen Mangel an Vergebung charakterisierbar zu sein. Schließlich zeigt Studie 6, dass Vergebung mit einer reduzierten funktionellen Konnektivität zwischen dem dorsalen anterioren cingulären Kortex (DACC) und dem medialen präfrontalen Kortex (MPFC) einhergeht. Die MPFC/DACC Konnektivität hing negativ mit impliziter aber nicht expliziter Vergebung zusammen, was erneut den inkrementellen Nutzen des Vergebungs-IATs sogar für die Erfassung spontaner Hirnaktivität verdeutlicht. Zusammengenommen deuten diese Befunde daraufhin, dass Vergebung ein komplexes Phänomen darstellt, das von einer Vielzahl situativer und relationaler Faktoren beeinflusst wird und nur unter Einsatz mehrerer Messmethoden besser verstanden werden kann

Vers un système de soutien à la conception assistée par la simulation dans la phase de développement de l'industrie automobile

This research aims to support the simulation-aided design process in the development phase of vehicles. The development phase is supported by modelling and simulation and consists of iteratively refining the design specifications, evaluating the vehicle's performance and solving design issues encountered. We are in a context of simulation-aided design since the decision about the vehicle design is mainly based on simulation. In this thesis research, our focus is mainly on the crash simulation analysis process. The simulation-aided design is knowledge-intensive; it depends heavily on the knowledge of analysts and experts.First, we identify the difficulties and challenges encountered in the design issue resolution process. Therefore, we conduct an empirical study to understand better the simulation-aided design process in use in the company. The industrial challenges have been identified based on a two-level analysis, the analysts' team level and the project level. The challenges include the access and share of knowledge, data consistency, and the formalisation of approaches and the process. The empirical study confirms that knowledge is a key factor for the improvement of the simulation-aided design process.Moreover, we propose an ontology to formalise crucial knowledge for car crash simulation. The ontology we have developed is called the Crash Simulation Post-Processing Ontology. This ontology formalises knowledge related to the post-processing phase of car crash simulation and the interpretation of simulation results. The aim is to formalise knowledge related to the resolution of design issues and the proposal of design changes.Furthermore, the multidisciplinary, highly collaborative and contextual nature of engineering design has raised the need to support integrated and collaborative product development. Successful collaborative engineering design depends on the ability to manage and share engineering knowledge. Therefore, nowadays, knowledge management plays a crucial role in business competitiveness, hence our proposal of an integrated and collaborative ontology-based approach to knowledge management. We develop an ontology-based knowledge management support system with a focus on knowledge retrieval. The architecture of the support system is proposed, and implementation for its evaluation is undertaken. The support-system proposed is proven effective for capturing engineering knowledge, facilitating design-issue resolution and saving analysts' time.Cette recherche vise à soutenir le processus de conception assistée par la simulation dans la phase de développement des véhicules. La phase de développement est soutenue par la modélisation et la simulation et consiste à affiner itérativement les spécifications de conception, à évaluer les performances du véhicule et à résoudre les problèmes de conception rencontrés. Nous sommes dans un contexte de conception assistée par la simulation puisque la décision concernant la conception du véhicule s’appuie principalement sur la simulation. Nous nous concentrons principalement sur le processus d'analyse de la simulation en crash. La conception assistée par la simulation est une activité à forte intensité de connaissances car elle dépend principalement des connaissances des analystes et des experts.Tout d'abord, nous identifions les difficultés et les défis rencontrés dans le processus de résolution des problèmes de conception. Nous menons une étude empirique pour mieux comprendre le processus de conception implémenté dans l'entreprise. Les défis industriels ont été identifiés sur la base d'une analyse à deux niveaux, celui de l'équipe d'analystes et celui du projet. Les défis comprennent l'accès et le partage des connaissances, la cohérence des données et la formalisation des approches et du processus. L'étude empirique confirme que la connaissance est un facteur clé pour l'amélioration du processus de conception assistée par la simulation.De plus, nous proposons une ontologie pour formaliser les connaissances cruciales pour la simulation en crash. Nous l’appelons ontologie de post-traitement de la simulation en crash. Cette ontologie formalise les connaissances relatives aux phases de post-traitement et d'interprétation des résultats de la simulation en crash automobile. L'objectif est de formaliser les connaissances relatives à la résolution des problèmes et à la proposition de modifications de conception du véhicule.Par ailleurs, la nature multidisciplinaire, hautement collaborative et contextuelle de la conception technique a soulevé le besoin de soutenir le développement de produits intégrés et collaboratifs. La réussite de la conception technique collaborative dépend de la capacité à gérer et à partager les connaissances techniques. Par conséquent, la gestion des connaissances joue un rôle crucial dans la compétitivité des entreprises, d'où notre proposition d'une approche, intégrée et collaborative, de la gestion des connaissances basée sur l'ontologie. Nous développons ainsi un système de management des connaissances basé sur l’ontologie, pour soutenir le processus de conception, en mettant l'accent sur l’extraction des connaissances. Nous proposons une architecture pour le système de soutien et une implémentation pour son évaluation. Nous avons démontré l’efficacité du système de soutien pour saisir les connaissances techniques, faciliter la résolution des problèmes de conception et faire gagner du temps aux analystes

Aide à l'analyse et diagnostic des résultats de simulation numérique

Aide à l'analyse et diagnostic des résultats de simulation numériqu