Putting positive psychology into play.Steger, Michael F.
PsycCRITIQUES. Vol 54(18), 2009, No Pagination Specified.
Reviews the four-volume set of books that comprise Positive psychology: Exploring the best in people, edited by Shane Lopez (2008).
Volume 1, Discovering Human Strengths (see record2008-13953-000 ), covers topics such as positive traits, wisdom, courage, optimism, and personal agency.
Volume 2, Capitalizing on Emotional Experiences (see record2008-13954-000 ), covers the Nun study (Danner, Snowden, & Friesen’s famous 2001 article showing that nuns who expressed more positive emotions as initiates lived longer 50-plus years later), gratitude, emotional intelligence, and positive emotions.
Volume 3, Growing in the Face of Adversity (see record2008-13955-000 ), covers forgiveness and provides some much-needed links between positive psychology and negative experiences.
Volume 4, Pursuing Human Flourishing (see record2008-13956-000 ), covers some familiar topics such as durable happiness, money and happiness, and positive therapy, and also provides some welcome surprises.
For the most part, the selections included in this series represent a reasonable balance between pointing out the familiar and expected landmarks and drawing attention to some surprising new avenues. Does this series make a new, important, science-based contribution to our study of human excellence? The reviewer believes it does. The compilation of chapters by big names and new names, ably assembled by the editor, provides some new perspectives for seasoned scholars of human excellence, as well as an excellent entry point for people new to positive psychology and for those looking for applications to help put positive psychology into play. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
Volume 1, Discovering Human Strengths (see record
Volume 2, Capitalizing on Emotional Experiences (see record
Volume 3, Growing in the Face of Adversity (see record
Volume 4, Pursuing Human Flourishing (see record
For the most part, the selections included in this series represent a reasonable balance between pointing out the familiar and expected landmarks and drawing attention to some surprising new avenues. Does this series make a new, important, science-based contribution to our study of human excellence? The reviewer believes it does. The compilation of chapters by big names and new names, ably assembled by the editor, provides some new perspectives for seasoned scholars of human excellence, as well as an excellent entry point for people new to positive psychology and for those looking for applications to help put positive psychology into play. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
When psychology meets Buddhism.Nocita, Andrew
PsycCRITIQUES. Vol 54(18), 2009, No Pagination Specified.
Reviews the book, Emotional awareness: Overcoming the obstacles to psychological balance and compassion: A conversation between the Dalai Lama and Paul Ekman, Ph.D by Paul Ekman (see record 2008-05333-000 ).
In this book, a series of dialogues between the Dalai Lama, one of the world's most revered spiritual leaders, and Paul Ekman, a psychologist who has made the study of emotion his life's work, we witness a sometimes fascinating dialectic on the topic of emotions. The discussions are based on meetings beginning in 2000 and continuing on through 2007. The format of the text is a two-way dialogue, with occasional "lecture" pieces to highlight various points of discussion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
In this book, a series of dialogues between the Dalai Lama, one of the world's most revered spiritual leaders, and Paul Ekman, a psychologist who has made the study of emotion his life's work, we witness a sometimes fascinating dialectic on the topic of emotions. The discussions are based on meetings beginning in 2000 and continuing on through 2007. The format of the text is a two-way dialogue, with occasional "lecture" pieces to highlight various points of discussion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
The organization of autobiographical and nonautobiographical memory in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Jelinek, Lena; Randjbar, Sarah; Seifert, Dragana; Kellner, Michael; Moritz, Steffen
Journal of Abnormal Psychology. Vol 118(2), May 2009, 288-298.
Disorganized trauma memory seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, it is unclear whether memory organization of nonautobiographical material (i.e., sequence memory) is also impaired in PTSD.
A novel task designed to assess nonautobiographical memory for content and order information was administered to trauma survivors with (n = 26) and without PTSD (n = 55) as well as to nontraumatized healthy adults (n = 30). In addition, traumatized participants were asked to give a detailed narrative of the traumatic event and an unpleasant autobiographical event. Transcripts of both types of narratives were analyzed with regard to disorganization.
Results indicated that trauma memories were more disorganized than memories of an unpleasant event in the PTSD group in comparison with the non-PTSD group. However, no differences were found for memory organization of nonautobiographical material among trauma survivors with and without PTSD and nontraumatized controls. With regard to memory accuracy of nonautobiographical material, group differences were more strongly associated with trauma exposure than with PTSD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
A novel task designed to assess nonautobiographical memory for content and order information was administered to trauma survivors with (n = 26) and without PTSD (n = 55) as well as to nontraumatized healthy adults (n = 30). In addition, traumatized participants were asked to give a detailed narrative of the traumatic event and an unpleasant autobiographical event. Transcripts of both types of narratives were analyzed with regard to disorganization.
Results indicated that trauma memories were more disorganized than memories of an unpleasant event in the PTSD group in comparison with the non-PTSD group. However, no differences were found for memory organization of nonautobiographical material among trauma survivors with and without PTSD and nontraumatized controls. With regard to memory accuracy of nonautobiographical material, group differences were more strongly associated with trauma exposure than with PTSD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
Differential relations of depression and social anxiety symptoms to the facets of extraversion/positive emotionality.Naragon-Gainey, Kristin; Watson, David; Markon, Kristian E.
Journal of Abnormal Psychology. Vol 118(2), May 2009, 299-310.
Previous research has shown that both depression and social anxiety—2 facets of internalizing psychopathology—are characterized by low levels of extraversion/positive emotionality (E/PE). However, little is known about the relations of the facets of E/PE with the symptoms of depression and social anxiety.
This study utilized multiple measures of each facet of E/PE, as well as depression and social anxiety symptoms. Self-report data were collected from large samples of college students and psychiatric outpatients. Separate factor analyses in each sample revealed a 4-factor structure of E/PE consisting of Sociability, Positive Emotionality, Ascendance, and Fun-Seeking. Structural equation modeling revealed that, after controlling for the higher order internalizing factor and the overlap among the E/PE facets, social anxiety was broadly related to all 4 facets of E/PE, whereas depression was strongly related to only low positive emotionality.
Implications for hierarchical models of personality and psychopathology, assessment and treatment, and etiological models are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
This study utilized multiple measures of each facet of E/PE, as well as depression and social anxiety symptoms. Self-report data were collected from large samples of college students and psychiatric outpatients. Separate factor analyses in each sample revealed a 4-factor structure of E/PE consisting of Sociability, Positive Emotionality, Ascendance, and Fun-Seeking. Structural equation modeling revealed that, after controlling for the higher order internalizing factor and the overlap among the E/PE facets, social anxiety was broadly related to all 4 facets of E/PE, whereas depression was strongly related to only low positive emotionality.
Implications for hierarchical models of personality and psychopathology, assessment and treatment, and etiological models are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
False memory propensity in people reporting recovered memories of past lives. Meyersburg, Cynthia A.; Bogdan, Ryan; Gallo, David A.; McNally, Richard J.
Journal of Abnormal Psychology. Vol 118(2), May 2009, 399-404.
Are elevated rates of false recall and recognition in the Deese–Roediger–McDermott (DRM) paradigm associated with false autobiographical memories in everyday life?
To investigate this issue, the authors recruited participants who reported improbable memories of past lives and compared their DRM performance with that of control participants who reported having lived only one life (i.e., their current one).
Relative to control participants, those reporting memories of past lives exhibited significantly higher false recall and recognition rates in the DRM paradigm, and they scored higher on measures of magical ideation and absorption as well. The groups did not differ on correct recall, recognition, or intelligence.
False memory propensity in the DRM paradigm may tap proneness for developing false memories outside the laboratory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
To investigate this issue, the authors recruited participants who reported improbable memories of past lives and compared their DRM performance with that of control participants who reported having lived only one life (i.e., their current one).
Relative to control participants, those reporting memories of past lives exhibited significantly higher false recall and recognition rates in the DRM paradigm, and they scored higher on measures of magical ideation and absorption as well. The groups did not differ on correct recall, recognition, or intelligence.
False memory propensity in the DRM paradigm may tap proneness for developing false memories outside the laboratory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
Predicting longitudinal patterns of functional deficits in children with traumatic brain injury.
Fay, Taryn B.; Yeates, Keith Owen; Wade, Shari L.; Drotar, Dennis; Stancin, Terry; Taylor, H. Gerry
Neuropsychology. Vol 23(3), May 2009, 271-282.
Longitudinal patterns of functional deficits were investigated in 37 children with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), 40 children with moderate TBI, and 44 children with orthopedic injuries. They were from 6 to 12 years of age when injured. Their neuropsychological, behavioral, adaptive, and academic functioning were assessed at 6 months, 12 months, and 3–5 years postinjury.
Functional deficits (<10th percentile for age) were identified within each outcome domain at each occasion. Children were classified into 4 a priori longitudinal patterns of outcomes within domains (i.e., no deficits, improvement, deterioration, persistent deficits). In multinomial logistic regression analyses, severe TBI predicted an increased likelihood of persistent deficits in all outcome domains, as well as deterioration in behavioral functioning and improvement in neuropsychological, adaptive, and academic functioning.
Severe TBI also predicted a greater total number of functional deficits across domains at each occasion. However, many children with severe TBI showed no deficits from 6 months to 4 years postinjury in 1 or more outcome domains. The findings help clarify the course of recovery for individual children following TBI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
Functional deficits (<10th percentile for age) were identified within each outcome domain at each occasion. Children were classified into 4 a priori longitudinal patterns of outcomes within domains (i.e., no deficits, improvement, deterioration, persistent deficits). In multinomial logistic regression analyses, severe TBI predicted an increased likelihood of persistent deficits in all outcome domains, as well as deterioration in behavioral functioning and improvement in neuropsychological, adaptive, and academic functioning.
Severe TBI also predicted a greater total number of functional deficits across domains at each occasion. However, many children with severe TBI showed no deficits from 6 months to 4 years postinjury in 1 or more outcome domains. The findings help clarify the course of recovery for individual children following TBI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
Activity inhibition: A predictor of lateralized brain function during stress?.
Schultheiss, Oliver C.; Riebel, Kathrin; Jones, Nicolette M.
Neuropsychology. Vol 23(3), May 2009, 392-404.
The authors tested the hypothesis that activity inhibition (AI), a measure of the frequency of the word “not” in written material, marks a propensity to engage functions of the right hemisphere (RH) and disengage functions of the left hemisphere (LH), particularly during stress. Study 1 and Study 2 showed that high AI predicts faster detection of stimuli presented to the RH, relative to the LH.
Study 2 provided evidence that the AI-laterality effect is specific to perceptual, but not motor, laterality and that it is particularly strong in individuals with low mood, but absent in individuals in a positive mood state.
Study 3 showed that negative affective stimuli prime the AI-laterality effect more strongly than positive affective stimuli. Findings from Study 4 suggest that situationally induced frustration (losing a contest), in conjunction with high AI, leads to increased attentional laterality.
The present findings substantially bolster the construct validity of AI and contribute to a better understanding of earlier findings linking AI to physiological stress responses, immune system functioning, alcohol abuse, and nonverbal behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
Study 2 provided evidence that the AI-laterality effect is specific to perceptual, but not motor, laterality and that it is particularly strong in individuals with low mood, but absent in individuals in a positive mood state.
Study 3 showed that negative affective stimuli prime the AI-laterality effect more strongly than positive affective stimuli. Findings from Study 4 suggest that situationally induced frustration (losing a contest), in conjunction with high AI, leads to increased attentional laterality.
The present findings substantially bolster the construct validity of AI and contribute to a better understanding of earlier findings linking AI to physiological stress responses, immune system functioning, alcohol abuse, and nonverbal behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)
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