Second-guessing of Spinoza: Psychophysiological and behavioral evidence that believing is default during proposition comprehension

The belief-default model contends that believing is inexorable during comprehension, and falsification is a subsequent, secondary process. By contrast, the Cartesian belief-fixation model argues that naïve propositions may be mentally represented without a truth or falsity stance. In the present research, data from four studies help adjudicate belief-fixation models, favoring the belief-default model: Studies 1-3 show that newly represented propositions are initially believed as the consequences of the truth from a naïve represented proposition will automatically activate contradictory mental information even when this processing impairs task performance (a “false” false alarm belief bias). Naïve propositions cannot be “merely” represented (without a truth stance) during comprehension. Studies 3 and 4 reveal unique electrodermal activity signals corresponding to propositions considered to be either true or false. We argue that the observed autonomic reactivity constitutes the source of two different epistemic emotions associated with the perceived outcomes of a memory search (i.e., “aha” and wrongness, respectively). To account for the psychophysiological results, we hypothesize that the epistemic emotion of familiarity is substantiated by an “aha” emotion which signals the recovery of represented propositions considered true during mnemonic processing. In addition, we show that anti-belief-default conclusions from recent investigations using multinomial processing tree modeling are tenuous as they depend on the type of false information paradigm employed. In sum, the data support the belief-default model and indicate a novel psychophysiological method to distinguish “believed” memory retrieval products from “guessed” responses derived via metacognitive strategies during veridical identification

The development and pilot testing of a behavioral activation-based treatment for depressed mood and multiple health behavior change in patients with recent acute coronary syndrome.

BackgroundPatients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with depressed mood demonstrate poor cardiovascular behavioral risk profiles and elevated risk for recurrent ACS and mortality. Behavioral Activation (BA) offers an intervention framework for an integrated treatment targeting both depression and critical health behaviors post-ACS. Behavioral Activation for Health and Depression (BA-HD) was developed and pilot tested in a multiphase iterative process.MethodsFirst, an initial treatment manual was conceptualized based on the team's prior work, as well as the extant literature. Second, qualitative interviews were conducted with target patients and target providers on the proposed BA-HD treatment rationale, content, and structure. Framework matrix analyses were used to summarize and aggregate responses. Third, an expert panel was convened to elicit additional manual refinements. Finally, patients with post-ACS depression and health behavior non-adherence were recruited to complete an open pilot trial to evaluate acceptability (Client Satisfaction Questionnaire [CSQ], exit interview) and treatment engagement (number of sessions attended; treatment completion was considered completion of 8 out of 10 possible sessions).ResultsThe initial BA-HD treatment manual expanded an existing treatment manual for post-ACS BA-based mood management and smoking cessation to target four health behaviors relevant to post-ACS patients (e.g., smoking cessation, medication adherence, physical activity, and diet). After the initial conceptualization, ten post-ACS patients and eight cardiac rehabilitation professionals completed qualitative interviews. Patients endorsed bi-directional interactions between mood and health behaviors post-ACS. Both patients and providers expressed general support of the proposed treatment rationale and values-guided, collaborative goal-setting approach. Patients, providers, and experts provided feedback that shaped the iterative manual development. After the BA-HD manual was finalized, eight participants were enrolled in a single-arm pilot trial. The mean CSQ score was 30.57 ± 2.23, indicating high satisfaction. Seven out of eight (88%) completed treatment. Pre- to post treatment improvements in depressed mood and health behaviors were promising.ConclusionsBA-HD treatment is an acceptable approach to target both mood and health behaviors in post-ACS patients with depression. A future larger, controlled trial is needed to evaluate the efficacy of the BA-HD treatment.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04158219