Current Psychology

Song, Fei; Shou, Yiyun; Olney, Joel; Yeung, Felix S. H.

doi: 10.1007/s12144-023-05050-wpmid: N/A

Previous research on moral dilemmas has mainly focused on decisions made under conditions of probabilistic certainty. We investigated the impact of uncertainty on the preference for action (killing one individual to save five people) and inaction (saving one but allowing five people to die) in moral dilemmas. We reported two experimental studies that varied the framing (gain vs loss), levels of risk (probability of gain and loss) and levels of ambiguity (imprecise probability information) in the choice to save five individuals by sacrificing one. We found that participants preferred actions with uncertainty (risk/ambiguity) over inaction. Specifically, we found that participants preferred actions with precise probability information (risk) over inaction, and they preferred actions with modest or high levels of ambiguity over actions with precise probabilities, especially when moral dilemmas had a loss frame. We also observed commission bias in Study 2. We discussed the implications for research in moral decision-making.

Lee, Kanghyeon; Gim, Wan-Suk; Park, Seung Won

doi: 10.1007/s12144-023-05154-3pmid: N/A

Previous research and theory suggest that chronic low back pain is closely related to sleep, anxiety, and mindfulness levels. This study investigated the relationship between cognitive and somatic pre-sleep arousal and pain-related anxiety in women with chronic low back pain and the moderation effect of mindfulness on this relationship. We collected quantitative data from 181 female patients with chronic back pain who visited university hospitals and used self-reporting questions to measure pain-related anxiety, cognitive and somatic pre-sleeping arousal, sleep quality, and mindfulness. SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 22.0 were used to analyze the data. We employed a structural equation model to examine the relationship between pain-related anxiety, cognitive and somatic pre-sleep arousal, and sleep quality. Then, we used a PROCESS macro no. 7 to examine the moderation effect of mindfulness on the relationship between these variables. Cognitive and somatic pre-sleep arousal completely mediated pain-related anxiety and sleep quality (p < .01), and the direct effect of pain-related anxiety on sleep quality was non-significant. Mindfulness had a moderation effect on the relationship between pain-related anxiety and cognitive pre-sleep arousal (p < .05). However, there was no significant moderation effect of mindfulness on the relationship between pain-related anxiety and somatic pre-sleep arousal and pain-related anxiety and sleep quality. Mindfulness plays an important role in women with chronic low back pain, especially related to sleep quality and pain-related anxiety. Study limitations and suggestions for future research are also presented.

Jose, Paul E.; Geiserman, Anna

doi: 10.1007/s12144-023-04999-ypmid: N/A

Although cross-sectional and daily diary studies have noted associations among trait mindfulness and positive and negative affect, lacking are studies that longitudinally examine these relationships over a period of months. We tested whether trait mindfulness (assessed with the Five Facet Mindfulness Measure) predicted an increase in positive affect and a decrease in negative affect across 3 months. A sample of 319 community adults completed self-report measures of mindfulness, positive affect, and negative affect at three times of measurement separated by three months each. As hypothesised, overall mindfulness, tested with a random intercepts cross-lag path model, predicted over three months a decrease in negative affect, but, contrary to predictions, did not predict an increase in positive affect. In the reverse direction, within-subject negative affect predicted decreases of overall within-subject mindfulness, which suggests that this relationship may be reciprocal over time. When examined at the facet level of mindfulness, all five within-subject facets of the FFMQ predicted reductions in within-subject negative affect over time. In return, within-subject negative affect predicted reductions in three within-subject mindfulness facets: non-reacting, acting with awareness, and describing. On balance, the results of this study suggest that trait mindfulness, as assessed with the FFMQ, was much more successful in predicting diminished negative affect than in predicting a boost in positive affect. Further, the presence of negative affect seems to exert an inhibiting influence over time on the implementation of several mindfulness facets.

Ma, Xuejun; Khattak, Afraseyab; Ghani, Bilqees; Huo, Mongda

doi: 10.1007/s12144-023-05139-2pmid: N/A

This study examines the relationship between perceived overqualification (POQ) and employee innovative behavior in higher education institutions in China. Further, this study examined the mediating role of creative self-confidence and moderating role of harmonious workplace climate. The data were collected from 340 employees (330 employees and 10 supervisors) in higher education institutions in China using a multi-time lag method based on convenience sampling. The findings of this study asserted a positive relationship between POQ and employee innovative behavior. This implies that employees who perceive themselves as overqualified for their current roles are more likely to display innovative behavior in their work. Furthermore, the study identifies creative self-confidence as a mediating factor in the link between POQ and employee innovative behavior. In other words, when employees feel overqualified and possess creative self-confidence, they are more inclined to exhibit innovative behaviors. Moreover, the research showed that a harmonious workplace climate plays a moderating role in the relationship between POQ and employee innovative behavior, as well as in the connection between creative self-confidence and employee innovative behavior. A harmonious workplace climate fosters an environment of support, cooperation, and encouragement among employees, which positively influences the outcomes of POQ and creative self-confidence on innovative behavior.

Stiff, Chris; Cutts, Megan

doi: 10.1007/s12144-023-05060-8pmid: N/A

Instagram is a hugely popular social media website; however, research has suggested that continued use of the site may lead to increased body dissatisfaction and lower body esteem. Materials intended to reduce these effects are available, but these often focus more on thinness and are intended for use by females. Male users tend to focus more on muscularity and leanness, and so these materials may not fully address male body image issues. In this paper, we created and tested materials intended to address this gap. These materials used two principles; media literacy, which educates users about the veracity of the images they see, and cognitive restructuring, which trains user to recognise unfavourable social comparisons they may make about themselves. Across two experimental studies (study 1 N = 192; study 2 N = 301), we found these materials were effective. Participants reported greater body image esteem, and lower body dissatisfaction after viewing materials. Moreover, they seemed to operate on increasing scepticism regarding the realism of images on social media. Narcissism as an individual difference moderated these effects, showing that high narcissism precluded the need for intervention because such individuals were unaffected by Instagram exposure. Ideas for future studies, including a forthcoming longitudinal examination of these effects are then discussed.

Flujas-Contreras, Juan M.; García-Palacios, Azucena; Castilla, Diana; Gómez, Inmaculada

doi: 10.1007/s12144-023-05052-8pmid: N/A

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Internet vs. in-person Acceptance and Commitment Therapy intervention. The intervention aims to promote parental psychological flexibility and parental emotional regulation strategies in a 6-week/session program. Format efficacy was analyzed independently and comparatively in a non-randomized controlled clinical trial. The intervention protocol is the same, but the internet intervention was applied through a self-applied platform, and the in-person intervention was applied in a group setting. The sample consisted of 82 participants with a mean age of 42.79 (SD = 5.75), 62.2% of whom were women. The mean age of children was 8.41 (SD = 3.9). There were 41 parents each in online and in-person experimental groups. Parental psychological flexibility, experiential avoidance, emotion regulation skills, parental stress, satisfaction with life, and the effects of the intervention on their children’s psychological adjustment were measured at baseline, six-week postintervention, and follow-up at 91 days. The results showed no differences between groups were found in post-treatment. In the follow-up, the results showed that the workshop group reported significantly better scores in goal-oriented emotional regulation skills (F = 4.978; p < .05; η2 = .119) and children’s difficulties (F = 4.679; p < .05; η2 = .112) with a large effect size. The online group reported significant differences with a large effect size in satisfaction with life (F = 10.896; p < .005; η2 = .182) The subgroup analysis found that in-person intervention is more powerful with larger effect size than online intervention. The results of this study provide useful evidence for the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy strategies in a parenting intervention.

Yılmaz, Hacı Ömer; Arslan, Mahir

doi: 10.1007/s12144-023-05152-5pmid: N/A

Depression is a psychological disorder that can be seen frequently in different age groups, especially in young adults, and its prevalence is increasing. Sleep disorders, one of the common symptoms of depression, are also seen at high prevalence among young adults. The aim of this study was to examine the association between dietary total antioxidant capacity (dTAC) with depressive symptoms and poor sleep quality. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 498 university students (84 males and 414 females). Research data were obtained through questionnaire surveys. The questionnaire included demographic information, dietary habits, Beck Depression Inventory and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Additionally, dTAC was calculated from a 24-h dietary record and divided into tertiles. According to the results, 32.5% of the participants were depressed and 72.3% had poor sleep quality. After controlling for potential factors, we found that participants in the highest of dTAC were 71% less at risk of having depression than those in the lowest (odds ratio: 0.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.17–0.49). Regarding poor sleep quality, we found an inverse significant association between dTAC and poor sleep quality when comparing the highest vs lowest tertiles (odds ratio: 0.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.05–0.19; p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate a significant inverse association between dTAC and the risk of depression and poor sleep quality in young adults. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Hou, Yong; Ge, Xiaojun; Wang, Peng

doi: 10.1007/s12144-023-05161-4pmid: N/A

Innovation is an important driver for organizational development. Stimulating innovative behavior among employees becomes an important way to improve the competitive advantage of a company. The main purpose of this study is to explore the mechanisms of influence of superior-subordinate guanxi (SSG) on employees’ innovative behavior and to test the mediating role of psychological ownership and the moderating role of emotional uncertainty. We collected data from 88 China Mobile’s service centers in Shandong Province. The research participants comprised 88 supervisors and 321 subordinates. The results indicated that SSG enhanced employees’ psychological ownership and innovative behavior. Moreover, the mediation effect of psychological ownership on the relationship between SSG and subordinates’ innovative behavior was significant only for employees with high emotional uncertainty and not for employees with low emotional uncertainty.

Ko, Hyeyun; Lee, Taerim; Hong, Soeun; Lee, Sang Min

doi: 10.1007/s12144-023-05120-zpmid: N/A

This study identified school-to-work transition student profiles based on emotional clarity and acceptance levels and examined how these profiles differed according to depression and life satisfaction levels. A latent profile analysis of 375 Korean college students identified four groups: (a) medium clarity and low acceptance (MCLA), (b) low clarity and low acceptance (LCLA), (c) high clarity and high acceptance (HCHA), and (d) medium clarity and medium acceptance (MCMA). Of these, the HCHA group had significantly lower levels of depression and higher levels of life satisfaction than the MCLA, LCLA, and MCMA groups. These results indicate that students not only require a clear understanding of their emotions but must also accept those emotions to prevent depression and experience life satisfaction in transition periods. The paper ends by discussing the study’s limitations and implications.

Chen, Yanling; Wang, Siyao; Jiao, Lan; Zhang, Lin

doi: 10.1007/s12144-023-05125-8pmid: N/A

Previous studies have primarily concentrated on the factors influencing bullying at the individual level; few studies have explored it at the collective level. To fill this research gap, this research explored the relationship between classroom norms of bullying and group school bullying, the moderating role of group identity, and the mediating role of collective moral disengagement and collective guilt at the class level. This is a cross-sectional study, a total of 1025 middle school students in 29 classes in China were surveyed in the fall semester of 2020 (Mage = 14.82 years; 49% female). The results confirmed that: (1) classroom norms of bullying were positively correlated with group school bullying; (2) group identity moderated the relationship between classroom norms of bullying and group school bullying; (3) this moderating effect is owing to the mediating effect of collective moral disengagement and collective guilt. Hence, the role of classroom norms, as well as students’ moral cognition and emotion, should be considered in the prevention and intervention of group school bullying.