Political ideology as motivated social cognition: Behavioral and neuroscientific evidence John T. Jost • David M. Amodio Ideology is a potent motivational force; human beings are capable of committing atrocities (as well as acts of generosity and courage) and sacrificing even their own lives for the sake of abstract belief systems. In this article, we […]
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STUDY ALERT: Lesion mapping of cognitive control and value-based decision making in the prefrontal cortex
Lesion mapping of cognitive control and value-based decision making in the prefrontal cortex Jan Gläscher, Ralph Adolphsa, Hanna Damasiod, Antoine Becharad, David Rudraufg, Matthew Calamiah, Lynn K. Paula, and Daniel Tranel A considerable body of previous research on the prefrontal cortex (PFC) has helped characterize the regional specificity of various cognitive functions, such as cognitive […]
STUDY ALERT: Preservation of musical memory in an amnesic professional cellist
Preservation of musical memory in an amnesic professional cellist Carsten Finke, Nazli E. Esfahani, and Christoph J. Ploner Learning and memory of music involves a multitude of perceptual, motor, affective, and autobiographical memory processes [1]. Patient and imaging studies suggest that musical memory may involve distinct neural substrates [2,3]. However, the degree of independence of […]
STUDY ALERT: Self-Directed Learning: A Cognitive and Computational Perspective
Self-Directed Learning: A Cognitive and Computational Perspective Todd M. Gureckis and Douglas B. Markant A widely advocated idea in education is that people learn better when the flow of experience is under their control (i.e., learning is self-directed). However, the reasons why volitional control might result in superior acquisition and the limits to such advantages […]
STUDY ALERT: Are there geniuses among the apes?
We are often asked whether some apes are smarter than others. Here we used two individual-based datasets on cognitive abilities to answer this question and to elucidate the structure of individual differences. We identified some individuals who consistently scored well across multiple tasks, and even one individual who could be classified as exceptional when compared […]
STUDY ALERT: The Impact of Pretend Play on Children’s Development: A Review of the Evidence
Pretend play has been claimed to be crucial to children’s healthy development. Here we examine evidence for this position versus 2 alternatives: Pretend play is 1 of many routes to positive developments (equifinality), and pretend play is an epiphenomenon of other factors that drive development. Evidence from several domains is considered. For language, narrative, and […]
STUDY ALERT: Multiculturalism and Creativity
Multiculturalism and Creativity: Effects of Cultural Context, Bicultural Identity, and Ideational Fluency Carmel S. Saad, Rodica Ioana Damian, Veronica Benet-Martınez, Wesley G. Moons, and Richard W. Robins Today’s diverse society often includes culturally rich environments that contain cues pertaining to more than one culture. These cultural cues can shape cognitive processes, such as creativity. Recent […]
STUDY ALERT: Pick me up: Ego depletion and receptivity to relationship initiation
Pick me up: Ego depletion and receptivity to relationship initiation Gary W. Lewandowski Jr, Natalie J. Ciarocco, Michelle Pettenato, and Jessica Stephan The success of a relationship initiation strategy, such as a pick-up line or opening gambit, may depend on the target’s state receptivity. Self-control is a limited resource that, when depleted, can potentially influence […]
STUDY ALERT: Ten theses of the joy of learning at primary schools
Ten theses of the joy of learning at primary schools Taina Rantalaa and Kaarina Määttäb The aim of this paper is to decipher the essence of the joy of learning and the ways to enhance it at school. In the field of educational psychology, research on feelings is lacking, and the little that does exist […]
STUDY ALERT: Psychophysical and Neural Evidence for Emotion-Enhanced Perceptual Vividness
Psychophysical and Neural Evidence for Emotion-Enhanced Perceptual Vividness Rebecca M. Todd, Deborah Talmi, Taylor W. Schmitz, Josh Susskind, and Adam K. Anderson Highly emotional events are associated with vivid “flashbulb” memories. Here we examine whether the flashbulb metaphor characterizes a previously unknown emotion-enhanced vividness (EEV) during initial perceptual experience. Using a magnitude estimation proce- dure, […]
STUDY ALERT: Emotion Regulation in Asperger’s Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism
Emotion Regulation in Asperger’s Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism Andrea C. Samson, Oswald Huber, and James J. Gross It is generally thought that individuals with Asperger’s syndrome and high-functioning autism (AS/HFA) have deficits in Theory of Mind. These deficits have been previously linked to problems with social cognition. However, we reasoned that AS/HFA individuals’ Theory […]
STUDY ALERT: Mind-Sets Matter: A Meta-Analytic Review of Implicit Theories and Self-Regulation
Mind-Sets Matter: A Meta-Analytic Review of Implicit Theories and Self-Regulation Jeni L. Burnette, Eric M. VanEpps, Ernest H. O’Boyle, Jeffrey M. Pollack, and Eli J. Finkel This review builds on self-control theory (Carver & Scheier, 1998) to develop a theoretical framework for investigating associations of implicit theories with self-regulation. This framework conceptualizes self-regulation in terms of 3 crucial processes: […]