1,065 research outputs found
Examining Entitlement and Antagonism as Distinguishing Features of Narcissism
Objective: In this study, I worked to examine possible core features in narcissism. Researchers largely accept that there are at least two main dimensions of narcissism, grandiosity and vulnerability. However, these two dimensions have very different presentations in individuals, with very different personality factors, interpersonal traits, and relationships to other psychopathology. This raises the question of whether grandiosity and vulnerability are two versions of the same disorder, or if they would be better understood as different pathologies. This study examines whether the features of entitlement and antagonism can be used to distinguish grandiosity and vulnerability as both unique versions of narcissism separate from other similar disorders. Method: A sample of undergraduate students completed measures of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, antagonism, entitlement, borderline features, and psychopathy. Two separate linear regression models were run for grandiose and vulnerable narcissism to measure what variables best accounted for the variance within those domains. Results: Psychopathy and antagonism were significant predictors of grandiose narcissism, and entitlement appeared to be nearing significance as a predictor. Borderline features and entitlement were significant predictors of vulnerable narcissism, and antagonism failed predict any additional variance in the model. Conclusions: These results reinforce a dimensional understanding of personality disorders. Further, this study contradicted prior research in the sense that antagonism failed to add meaningful predictive value to models of both grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. However, entitlement came close to being a significant predictive factor for both dimensions of narcissism, suggesting it may be the core factor that should be used to distinguish narcissism from other disorders
Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy of sodium-chloride overlayers on the stepped Cu(311) surface: Experimental and theoretical study
The physical properties of ultrathin NaCl overlayers on the stepped Cu(311)
surface have been characterized using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and
spectroscopy, and density functional calculations. Simulations of STM images
and differential conductance spectrum were based on the Tersoff-Hamann
approximation for tunneling with corrections for the modified tunneling barrier
at larger voltages and calculated Kohn-Sham states. Characteristic features
observed in the STM images can be directly related to calculated electronic and
geometric properties of the overlayers. The measured apparent barrier heights
for the mono-, bi-, and trilayers of NaCl and the corresponding
adsorption-induced changes in the work function, as obtained from the distance
dependence of the tunneling current, are well reproduced by and understood from
the calculated results. The measurements revealed a large reduction of the
tunneling conductance in a wide voltage region, resembling a band gap. However,
the simulated spectrum showed that only the onset at positive sample voltages
may be viewed as a valence band edge, whereas the onset at negative voltages is
caused by the drastic effect of the electric field from the tip on the
tunneling barrier
Influence of a Feshbach resonance on the photoassociation of LiCs
We analyse the formation of ultracold 7Li133Cs molecules in the rovibrational
ground state through photoassociation into the B1Pi state, which has recently
been reported [J. Deiglmayr et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 133004 (2008)].
Absolute rate constants for photoassociation at large detunings from the atomic
asymptote are determined and are found to be surprisingly large. The
photoassociation process is modeled using a full coupled-channel calculation
for the continuum state, taking all relevant hyperfine states into account. The
enhancement of the photoassociation rate is found to be caused by an `echo' of
the triplet component in the singlet component of the scattering wave function
at the inner turning point of the lowest triplet a3Sigma+ potential. This
perturbation can be ascribed to the existence of a broad Feshbach resonance at
low scattering energies. Our results elucidate the important role of couplings
in the scattering wave function for the formation of deeply bound ground state
molecules via photoassociation.Comment: Added Erratum, 20 pages, 9 figure
Synchronization to a bouncing ball with a realistic motion trajectory
Daily music experience involves synchronizing movements in time with a perceived periodic beat. It has been established for over a century that beat synchronization is less stable for the visual than for the auditory modality. This auditory advantage of beat synchronization gives rise to the hypotheses that the neural and evolutionary mechanisms underlying beat synchronization are modality-specific. Here, however, we found that synchronization to a periodically bouncing ball with a realistic motion trajectory was not less stable than synchronization to an auditory metronome. This finding challenges the auditory advantage of beat synchronization, and has important implications for the understanding of the biological substrates of beat synchronization
Site determination and thermally assisted tunneling in homogenous nucleation
A combined low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and density
functional theory study on the binding and diffusion of copper monomers,
dimers, and trimers adsorbed on Cu(111) is presented. Whereas atoms in trimers
are found in fcc sites only, monomers as well as atoms in dimers can occupy the
stable fcc as well as the metastable hcp site. In fact the dimer fcc-hcp
configuration was found to be only 1.3 meV less favorable with respect to the
fcc-fcc configuration. This enables a confined intra-cell dimer motion, which
at temperatures below 5 K is dominated by thermally assisted tunneling.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Exploring agency and self-other processing: an FMRI study of dynamic cooperation using an adaptively paced finger tapping task with variable auditory feedback
Ensemble musicians must be flexible and learn to adapt their performance to that of their partners and do so appropriately based on available sensory information streams. To further describe this type of dynamic joint action, we present a functional MRI study of sensorimotor synchronization with an adaptive âvirtual partnerâ (VP). In particular, we investigate the behavioural and neural effects of variable auditory feedback (off, different to or same as pacing tones) associated with finger tapping performance across varying degrees of VP adaptivity (α). We predict that auditory feedback will bias the system to either i) integrate or ii) segregate information regarding âselfâ or the VP (âotherâ). We acquired subjective ratings of sense of oneness (self-other merging) and influence (self-other distinction) which we expected to vary with the availability and reliability (ambiguous-same vs. distinct-different) of pertinent auditory information. Behavioural data show a significant interaction effect of auditory feedback on α and synchronization such that distinctive self-other auditory information results in improvements in synchronization, especially at higher levels of α. Furthermore, auditory feedback was seen to have a significant effect on perceived oneness. Specifically, improved synchronization correlates with both ratings of oneness and activation of the precuneus and posterior cingulate, areas thought to integrate external and self generated information. By contrast, a comparison of neural activation in different and same auditory conditions reveals SMA and cerebellum activity. Identification of these structures may be related to greater sensitivity to prediction error as well as self-other distinction necessary for agency processing
A filled duration illusion in music: Effects of metrical subdivision on the perception and production of beat tempo.
This study replicates and extends previous findings suggesting that metrical
subdivision slows the perceived beat tempo (Repp, 2008). Here, musically trained participants produced the
subdivisions themselves and were found to speed up, thus compensating for the
perceived slowing. This was shown in a synchronization-continuation paradigm
(Experiment 1) and in a reproduction task (Experiment 2a). Participants also
judged the tempo of a subdivided sequence as being slower than that of a
preceding simple beat sequence (Experiment 2b). Experiment 2 also included
nonmusician participants, with similar results. Tempo measurements of famous
pianistsâ recordings of two variation movements from Beethoven sonatas revealed
a strong tendency to play the first variation (subdivided beats) faster than the
theme (mostly simple beats). A similar tendency was found in musiciansâ
laboratory performances of a simple theme and variations, despite instruc-tions
to keep the tempo constant (Experiment 3a). When playing melodic sequences in
which only one of three beats per measure was subdivided, musicians tended to
play these beats faster and to perceive them as longer than adjacent beats, and
they played the whole sequence faster than a sequence without any subdivisions
(Experiments 3b and 3c). The results amply demonstrate a filled duration
illusion in rhythm perception and music performance: Intervals
containing events seem longer than empty intervals and thus must be shortened to
be perceived as equal in duration
Cognitive loading affects motor awareness and movement kinematics but not locomotor trajectories during goal-directed walking in a virtual reality environment.
The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cognitive loading on movement kinematics and trajectory formation during goal-directed walking in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The secondary objective was to measure how participants corrected their trajectories for perturbed feedback and how participants' awareness of such perturbations changed under cognitive loading. We asked 14 healthy young adults to walk towards four different target locations in a VR environment while their movements were tracked and played back in real-time on a large projection screen. In 75% of all trials we introduced angular deviations of ±5° to ±30° between the veridical walking trajectory and the visual feedback. Participants performed a second experimental block under cognitive load (serial-7 subtraction, counter-balanced across participants). We measured walking kinematics (joint-angles, velocity profiles) and motor performance (end-point-compensation, trajectory-deviations). Motor awareness was determined by asking participants to rate the veracity of the feedback after every trial. In-line with previous findings in natural settings, participants displayed stereotypical walking trajectories in a VR environment. Our results extend these findings as they demonstrate that taxing cognitive resources did not affect trajectory formation and deviations although it interfered with the participants' movement kinematics, in particular walking velocity. Additionally, we report that motor awareness was selectively impaired by the secondary task in trials with high perceptual uncertainty. Compared with data on eye and arm movements our findings lend support to the hypothesis that the central nervous system (CNS) uses common mechanisms to govern goal-directed movements, including locomotion. We discuss our results with respect to the use of VR methods in gait control and rehabilitation
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