Snus and Alcohol: Mutually Rewarding Effects in the Brain? A Matched Controlled Population Study

The use of moist smokeless tobacco (snus) is increasing in the U.S. and other Western countries, and especially among young people. Snus is associated with several health problems, but the relationship between use of snus and alcohol is scarcely explored. Neuro-cognitive and psychological research suggest an association due to possible mutually rewarding effects in the limbic brain. We investigated this issue in a matched controlled population study. Matched control group design where drinking habits and alcohol consumption in a group of users of snus (n=1043, mean age=35.20; n men=749, n women=294) were compared to a control group of non-users matched on age and gender (n=1043, mean age=35.65; n men=749, n women=294). In addition, we registered background variables such as level of education, income, self-perceived general, dental health, mental health, current depressive symptoms, and BMI. In estimation of alcohol consumption, the background variables were used as covariates in factorial analyses of variance (ANCOVA). Users of snus had lower level of education, lower income, poorer general, dental, and mental health status than non-users, but there were no differences in BMI. Differences in mental health status were related to drinking habits. Users of snus had a higher frequency of drinking, higher frequency of intoxication, and showed more excess drinking. Controlled for background variables users of snus had a 25.2% higher estimated yearly consumption of alcohol in terms of standard units of alcohol on the weekdays, 26.4% higher on weekends and a 60.2% higher yearly excess consumption. Users of snus had an elevated alcohol consumption and another drinking style than non-users. The findings are discussed according to neuro-cognitive and psychopharmacological mechanisms, reward learning and conditioning. The results have implications for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of alcohol and nicotine dependence.publishedVersio

Perseptuelle illusjoner i norske kommunevåpen

Alle 356 kommuner i Norge har eget kommunevåpen, et visuelt kjennetegn for utøvelse av kommunal myndighet og som regel basert på heraldisk design. Kommunevåpen måtte tidligere godkjennes av Kongen i statsråd, men etter 1. januar 2018 kan alle kommuner godkjenne disse selv. Utformingen kan gjøre våpnene sårbare for perseptuelle illusjoner, og disse illusjonene kan påvirke fortolkningen av våpnene. Det er tre hovedkategorier illusjoner som er særlig aktuelle på dette området: Ansikts-illusjoner, form-illusjoner og Herrmann-gitre. Alle landets kommunevåpen er undersøkt med psykofysisk metodikk, og det ble registrert 47 våpen med illusjoner (13.2%). Det var flest ansikts-illusjoner, noen færre form-illusjoner og få Herrmann-gitre. Artikkelen påpeker nytten av perseptuell kompetanse både for kommuner, fylkeskommuner og formgivere. Framtidige kommunevåpen bør utformes slik at man unngår ulike former for perseptuelle illusjoner. 

Put your feet up: The impact of personality traits, job pressure, and social support on the need for recovery after work

The need for recovery after work (NFR) is an important warning of work-related fatigue. NFR is linked to prolonged work-related efforts and depletion of resources, creating a need for temporary respite from work demands. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationships between NFR and the five-factor model (FFM), comprising the personality traits of emotional stability (ES), extraversion (E), agreeableness (A), conscientiousness (C), and openness to experience (O). Per-ceived job pressure and perceived social support were included as mediators. The study was conducted using structural equa-tion modelling (SEM) on cross-sectional data from a sample of 681 participants from several work sectors (N females = 376, N males = 305; M age = 46.9 years; SD= 11.1). The results showed that NFR was affected both directly and indirectly by FFM traits. High ES and high O contributed directly to reduced and increased NFR, respectively. High perceived social support contributed to reduced NFR, while high perceived job pressure contributed to increased NFR. High ES contributed indirectly to reduced NFR through perceived job pressure and social support, high O contributed indirectly to increased NFR through perceived social support, and high E contributed indirectly to increased NFR through perceived job pressure. A and C were not related to NFR. The findings demonstrate that personality traits, especially ES, are firmly related to NFR and highlight the importance of incorporating personality factors into studies of work environmental factors on NFR.publishedVersio

High Sensitivity: Factor structure of the highly sensitive person scale and personality traits in a high and low sensitivity group. Two gender—matched studies

Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) is a heritable personality related trait which includes sensitivity to a variety of stimuli, emotional, cognitive, and behavioural reactions such as strong positive and negative emotional responses, deep cognitive processing of stimuli, and empathic behaviour. Two studies are reported. Study 1 investigated the factor structure of the Highly Sensitive Person scale (HSP) and gender differences in HSP. Study 2 described differences in Big Five personality traits between two HSP groups. Study 1 comprised a sample of adults, mostly university students, matched on gender (N men = 548, N women = 548; total N = 1096). Study 2 was based on a sample consisting of a High (N = 164) and Low (N = 164) HSP group also matched on gender (N men = 82 and N women = 82 in both groups; total N = 328). There were no age differences between men and women in the two samples. Results from Study 1 showed a correlated three-factor solution: The first factor reflected excitability, easily aroused, negative emotional reactivity, frustration, avoidance of upsetting situations and childhood shyness. Factor 2 comprised low sensory threshold and sensory discomfort. Factor 3 captured intensity of aesthetic reactions, preoccupation with details in the environment, and socio-emotional sensitivity. Gender differences were found, women had elevated HSP scores on all scales, also when controlled for personality traits. Study 2 showed that the highly sensitive individuals had a unique personality trait profile compared to low sensitives. They had higher scores on neuroticism, agreeableness, openness, and lower scores on conscientiousness. There were no differences in extraversion i.e., there was no tendency towards introversion among the high sensitives.publishedVersio

Time course of contrast adaptation to VDU-displayed text

VDU text-editing induces contrast adaptation at the predominant spatial frequencies (periodicity) of the text page. Visual contrast sensitivity was tested after 10 and 60 min reading of VDU-displayed text of positive and negative contrast polarity. Contrast sensitivity impairments in-the order of 0-4 to 0-7 log unit change in contrast thresholds were observed. This contrast threshold elevation after-effect decays as a power function of time, with time required to recover from adaptation approximately corresponding to the reading times. At low spatial frequencies (horizontal periodicity of rows), displays of negative polarity induce stronger contrast adaptation than displays of positive polarity, at medium spatial frequencies (vertical periodicity of characters) no effect of contrast polarity was observed. The results are discussed in relation to VDU-induced visual fatique

Personality traits in musicians

background Performing music is a complex creative activity which in addition to professional skills requires phantasy, a sense of aesthetics, cognitive involvement, intellectual curiosity, perceptual sensitivity, mental flexibility, but also discipline, motor precision and speed, attention endurance, emotional expression and communication. Many of these characteristics are also reflected in personality traits such as Openness, Extraversion, Conscientiousness and to some degree Neuroticism. Previous research has investigated the differences between personality traits amongst musicians, but there are few studies that compare personality characteristics between musicians and non-musicians.publishedVersio

Extraversion and focus of attention on facial emotions: an experimental eye-tracking study

background Emotions and personality traits seem to be important factors affecting social attention. In the present study, we used eye-tracking equipment to investigate the differences between extraverts and introverts in visual attention to positive and negative emotions shown in human faces. We want to describe more detailed types of eye movements in this visual attention, and especially patterns of spatial and temporal fixations. Based on previous research we would expect that extraverts would be more attentive to faces showing positive emotions compared to introverts. participants and procedure Emotions and personality traits seem to be important factors affecting social attention. The current study investigated differences between extraverts’ and introverts’ visual attentional focus on positive and negative emotions expressed in human faces. results Compared to the introverts group, extraverts showed significantly longer average fixation duration (AFD) for whole faces perceived to express positive emotions. There were no significant differences between the groups for dwelling time (DT), entry time (ET), and first fixation (FF). However, the extraversion group showed significantly longer DT, FF and AFD attention towards the mouth area compared to the introverts. conclusions Extraverts seem to show a selective visual attentional bias towards positive emotions in human faces, particularly towards the mouth area of smiling faces compared to introverts. The study showed that the visual mechanisms behind this selective attention were differences in temporal fixation patterns such as average fixation duration, dwelling time and first fixation time.publishedVersio

Musicians: Larks, Owls or Hummingbirds?

Previous studies have shown an association between morning and evening types and creative thinking. Musicians are creative individuals and the purpose of the current research was to examine whether musicians are significantly more evening types than non-musicians. The total sample included 835 participants (n women = 353; n men = 482), with a mean age of 28.0 years (SD = 10.4). The group of musicians consisted of 600 participants (n women = 168; n men = 432) with a mean age of 29.1 years (SD = 11.2). The group of non-musicians consisted of 233 participants (n women = 184; n men = 49) with a mean age of 25.3 years (SD = 7.4). Participants were recruited via an online forum, and chronotypes were assessed using the self-report Horne & Ostberg’s Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). We found that performance musicians had significantly lower MEQ scores compared to non-performance musicians, and musicians who composed had the lowest MEQ scores across the whole sample. This indicates that musicians, particularly composing musicians had a tendency towards eveningness. These findings are discussed in relation to theories on chronobiology, creativity, and cognitive psychology.publishedVersio

Perseptuelle illusjoner i norske kommunevåpen

All 356 Norwegian municipalities have a unique municipal coat of arms, a visual symbol for municipal authority normally based on Heraldry. Municipal coats of arms were previously approved by the King in cabinet, but after 2018 all Norwegian municipalities could approve their own coats of arms. The design of the coats of arms can induce visual perceptual illusions which, again, could lead to misinterpretation of the visual symbols. Three categories of illusions could arise: Face-illusions, form-illusions, and Herrman grids. All Norwegian municipal coats of arms were analyzed and perceptual illusions were registered in 47 of them (13.2%). Most of the illusions were face-illusions, some were form-illusions and quite a few showed Herrman grids. The article emphasizes the importance of knowledge of visual perception for municipalites and designers. Norwegian municipal coats of arms should be designed to avoid perceptual illusions.Alle 356 kommuner i Norge har eget kommunevåpen, et visuelt kjennetegn for utøvelse av kommunal myndighet og som regel basert på heraldisk design. Kommunevåpen måtte tidligere godkjennes av Kongen i statsråd, men etter 1. januar 2018 kan alle kommuner godkjenne disse selv. Utformingen kan gjøre våpnene sårbare for perseptuelle illusjoner, og disse illusjonene kan påvirke fortolkningen av våpnene. Det er tre hovedkategorier illusjoner som er særlig aktuelle på dette området: Ansikts-illusjoner, form-illusjoner og Herrmann-gitre. Alle landets kommunevåpen er undersøkt med psykofysisk metodikk, og det ble registrert 47 våpen med illusjoner (13.2%). Det var flest ansikts-illusjoner, noen færre form-illusjoner og få Herrmann-gitre. Artikkelen påpeker nytten av perseptuell kompetanse både for kommuner, fylkeskommuner og formgivere. Framtidige kommunevåpen bør utformes slik at man unngår ulike former for perseptuelle illusjoner. 

Academic achievements among adolescent school children. Effects of gender and season of birth

We have investigated gender differences in academic achievements in two age cohorts of students from the Lower Secondary School in Norway (2000, 2005; 15-16 year olds). In the 2000 and 2005 cohorts the female students outperformed male students in twelve out of thirteen academic disciplines, including mathematics and nature-science. Physical education was the only discipline where the male students had higher grade points than the female students. In both cohorts the results showed a significant effect of season of birth: Students who were born in the Nordic winter-spring season had slightly higher grade points than students born in the summer-autumn season. There was no significant interaction between gender and season of birth