Control strategy under pressure situations: performance pressure conditionally enhances proactive control

Previous research and theories have demonstrated that attentional control plays a crucial role in explaining the choking phenomenon (i.e., the performance decrements) under pressure situations. Attentional control is thought to function through two distinct control strategies: proactive control (i.e., a sustained and anticipatory strategy of control) and reactive control (i.e., a transient strategy of control). However, little is known about how performance pressure affects these control strategies. The present study was designed to address this issue. Participants were instructed to complete a continuous performance task (AX-CPT40) under pressure situations. The results showed that individuals under high-pressure situations tended to use proactive control rather than reactive control. Moreover, performance pressure resulted in a more liberal response bias following an A-cue, consistent with an increased use of proactive control. Importantly, the proactive behavioral index calculated on RTs showed that the increased proactive control mainly occurred in the short interval between the cue and probe, but not in the long interval. This suggests that individuals under high-pressure situations are unlikely to employ a proactive control strategy in a situation that requires more attentional resources. In summary, our results provide initial evidence that performance pressure conditionally enhances proactive control, which contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamic adjustment of control strategies under pressure situations.

A network analysis of interoception, self-awareness, empathy, alexithymia, and autistic traits

Altered interoception has been consistently found in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and this impairment may contribute to social cognitive dysfunctions. However, little is known regarding the intercorrelations between interoceptive sensibility, autistic, alexithymic, empathic, and self-related traits. We recruited 1360 non-clinical college students and adults to investigate the complex inter-relationship between these variables using network analysis. The resultant network revealed patterns connecting autistic traits to interoceptive sensibility, empathy, alexithymia, and self-awareness, with reasonable stability and test-retest consistency. The node of alexithymia exhibited the highest centrality and expected influence. As revealed by the network comparison test, networks constructed in high- and low-autistic subgroups were comparable in global strength and structure. Our findings suggested that alexithymia serves as an important node, bridging interoceptive deficits, self-awareness, and empathic impairments of autism spectrum disorder. The co-morbidity of alexithymia should be considered carefully in future studies of interoceptive impairments and social deficits in ASD.

Coping style predicts sense of security and mediates the relationship between autistic traits and social anxiety: Moderation by a polymorphism of the FKBP5 gene

The mechanism underlying the relationship between autistic traits and social anxiety still remains unknown. It is therefore necessary to investigate potential psychological and biological mechanisms. A total of 2695 college students were samples for this research during 2017-2018. The assessed variables included demographic characteristics and measures of autistic traits, sense of security, coping styles, and social anxiety. Blood samples were collected from which DNA was extracted. Regression analysis indicated that autistic traits and negative coping were positively associated with social anxiety; furthermore, positive coping, interpersonal security, and sense of control were negatively associated with social anxiety. Further analyses demonstrated that the relationship between autistic traits and social anxiety was mediated by coping styles (both positive coping and negative coping) and sense of security (both interpersonal security and sense of control), and coping style predicted the sense of security. The FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) gene rs3800373 moderated the association between autistic traits and social anxiety. The present study is the first to demonstrate that both coping style and sense of security play an intermediate role between autistic traits and social anxiety in a sample of Chinese college students; moreover, the FKBP5 gene moderates this association between autistic traits and social anxiety.

TESTING COMPETING FACTOR MODELS UNDERLYING THE PRIVATE SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS SCALE WITH HONG KONG CHINESE ADOLESCENTS

This study evaluated competing factor models underlying the Private Self-Consciousness scale (Fenigstein, Scheier, & Buss, 1975) with a large sample of Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. Reliability analysis and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis did not lend empirical support to the three split-factor models proposed in previous research (Anderson, Bohon, & Berrigan, 1996; Burnkrant & Page, 1984; Martin & Debus, 1999). It was recommended that the original unitary model proposed by Fenigstein et al. should be retained in interpreting scores made on this scale, at least for Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. Possible influences of age and culture on the factor structure of the scale were also discussed.

Factorial Structure and Invariance Across Gender of the Swedish Self-Consciousness Scale

In this study, I tested different factor models and the factorial invariance across gender for the Self-Consciousness Scale (Fenigstein, Scheier, & Buss (1975) using confirmatory factor analyses. University students (251 women and 259 men) completed the Swedish version of the scale. A respecified (Item 15 loading on the factor Internal State Awareness [ISA] instead of on the factor Self-Reflection [SR]) 17-item, 4-factor model of Burnkrant and Page (1984) including the factors SR, ISA, Public Self-Consciousness, and Social Anxiety demonstrated the best fit for both men and women. Factor intercorrelations were overall stronger for women. The respecified model demonstrated factorial invariance across gender. I discuss the strengthening of scale reliability through the expansion of subscale items and invariance testing across groups.

THE REVISED SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS SCALE: AN ASSESSMENT OF FACTOR STRUCTURE, RELIABILITY, AND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SAUDI ARABIA

The study investigated psychometric properties and gender differences in the responses of 1185 Saudi high school and university students to an Arabic version of the Revised Self-Consciousness Scale (Scheier & Carver, 1985). Findings replicated the three-factor structure. The original three subscales (private, public, and social anxiety) were factorially reproduced, and were found to have acceptable levels of reliability. Strong gender differences were found. High school females scored significantly and consistently higher than males on all three subscales. University female students scored significantly and consistently higher than males on private self-consciousness only. Results are discussed in relation to previous studies and in relation to the Saudi Arabian culture.