Task switching occurs frequently in daily life. The objective costs of task switching, typically demonstrated as performance deficit, are well-established. However, the subjective evaluation of task switching remains less well understood. The study delves into the negative evaluation of task switching and the moderating role of Need for Cognition (NFC). Previous studies have focused on the repetition bias phenomenon in task switching but have not sufficiently explored the affective evaluation of it and individual differences. Two experiments (Experiment 1: N = 86; Experiment 2: N = 82) were conducted employing a Cued Task Switching paradigm and an Affective Misattribution Paradigm, where neutral stimuli were associated with switching or repetition behaviors via explicit (Experiment 1) and implicit (Experiment 2) procedures, respectively. As hypothesized, linear mixed-effects models revealed a negative evaluative bias toward switch responses (only significant in Experiment 2, p < .001). However, this bias was not predicted by objective switch costs. Crucially, a significant interaction between NFC and trial transition (ps < 0.001) confirmed that higher NFC scores predicted a weaker negative evaluation bias. These findings suggest that the aversion to task switching is not solely an output of objective switch costs but might be shaped by subjective appraisals and be modulated by individual differences. This insight sheds light on why individuals differ in their tolerance for multitasking and highlights NFC as a key factor in determining affective experiences during cognitive control, with implications for designing adaptive work and learning environments.

Grounded in attribution theory, this study examines how robotic empathy influences customers’ motive attributions and continued usage intention. We conducted a scenario-based experiment (N = 347) and a field survey of hotel guests (N = 216). Across studies, high-empathy responses enhance service enhancement attributions and reduce cost reduction attributions, thereby strengthening continued usage intention. Neuroticism further moderated these attribution processes, such that high-neuroticism consumers were more likely to infer cost reduction motives under low empathy, whereas this tendency weakened when empathy was high. This study answers prior calls for research and provides important practical implications.

Drawing on relative deprivation theory, this study examines how illegitimate tasks relate to quiet quitting, defined as employees' deliberate restriction of effort to the minimum requirements of their formal roles, from a personality-based perspective. Using two-wave survey data from 346 full-time employees in China, we found that illegitimate tasks were associated with greater quiet quitting through relative deprivation. Crucially, this effect was moderated by neuroticism, such that the association between illegitimate tasks and relative deprivation was stronger among employees high in neuroticism, and this heightened relative deprivation was in turn associated with greater quiet quitting. By highlighting neuroticism as a key source of individual differences in emotional vulnerability, this study helps explain why employees differ in their quiet quitting responses to illegitimate tasks.

OBJECTIVE:Equanimity, a trait reflecting one's ability or tendency to maintain even-minded and unbiased reactions towards all stimuli, regardless of their affective valence, is a protective factor for adolescents and young adults' mental health. Yet, how equanimity is associated with negative emotional experience, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, lacks in-depth research. Therefore, to resolve this gap, the study conducted a network analysis at the symptom level, revealing the potential relationships between trait equanimity and 21 negative affective symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression (7 for stress, 7 for anxiety, 7 for depression). By revealing fine-grained trait-symptom relationships, this study differs from previous dimension-level studies and can deepen the understanding of the mechanisms through which equanimity operates and provide insights for clinical practice. METHOD:Data were collected from 3140 Chinese adolescents and young adults (Mage = 19.49 years, 2371 females) via an online questionnaire containing three main measurements, namely the 16-Item Equanimity Scale, Two Factor Equanimity Scale, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Specifically, the 21 items of the DASS-21 were treated as 21 distinct negative affective symptoms. Network analysis was then employed to examine the relationships between the sub-dimensions of equanimity and these 21 negative affective symptoms. RESULTS:The Even-Minded State of Mind (EMSM) dimension of equanimity was identified as the most critical bridge node, significantly inhibiting connections between equanimity and negative affective symptoms. Within the negative affective cluster, symptoms like Worried and Worthless Person showed strong associations with equanimity. EMSM exhibited differential correlations with symptoms across stress, anxiety, and depression clusters, with the strongest negative associations observed with No Initiative (symptom of depression) and Touchy (symptom of stress). CONCLUSIONS:This study revealed the micro-symptom relationships between equanimity and stress, anxiety, and depression. Targeted interventions focusing on EMSM may effectively reduce stress, anxiety, and depression for adolescents and young adults.

BACKGROUND:Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs), including suicidal ideation (SI), suicide attempts (SA), and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), pose a significant global public health challenge. This meta-analysis examines the relationship between self-concept, self-concept clarity, and SITBs. Although prior research suggests associations between self-concept, self-concept clarity, and SITBs, the strength and direction of these relationships remain inconsistent. METHODS:This meta-analysis synthesized effect sizes from studies in PubMed, PsycInfo, and Web of Science, using a three-level meta-analytic model to examine associations between self-concept, self-concept clarity, and SITBs. RESULTS:A total of 33 studies with 113 effect sizes (N = 23,772) were analyzed. Significant negative correlations were found between self-concept and suicidal ideation (r = -0.234), and suicide attempts (r = -0.194). The correlation with NSSI (r = -0.258) was not stable. Significant heterogeneity was present, but no significant moderators were found. No publication bias was identified. Self-concept clarity was negatively associated with suicidal ideation (r = -0.295) and NSSI (r = -0.257). The association with suicide attempts (r = -0.244) was inconclusive. The results for self-concept clarity should be considered exploratory, and no publication bias, sensitivity, or moderator tests were conducted due to the limited number of effect sizes. CONCLUSION:This meta-analysis highlights some significant, albeit small, negative associations between self-concept, self-concept clarity, and SITBs. However, due to the limited number of studies and effect sizes, some results should be considered exploratory. Future research should explore potential mediating and moderating factors and examine longitudinal relationships to better understand the causal pathways.

Background Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs), including suicidal ideation (SI), suicide attempts (SA), and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), pose a significant global public health challenge. This meta-analysis examines the relationship between self-concept, self-concept clarity, and SITBs. Although prior research suggests associations between self-concept, self-concept clarity, and SITBs, the strength and direction of these relationships remain inconsistent. Methods This meta-analysis synthesized effect sizes from studies in PubMed, PsycInfo, and Web of Science, using a three-level meta-analytic model to examine associations between self-concept, self-concept clarity, and SITBs. Results A total of 33 studies with 113 effect sizes (N = 23,772) were analyzed. Significant negative correlations were found between self-concept and suicidal ideation (r = -0.234), and suicide attempts (r = -0.194).The correlation with NSSI (r = -0.258) was not stable. Significant heterogeneity was present, but no significant moderators were found. No publication bias was identified. Self-concept clarity was negatively associated with suicidal ideation (r = -0.295) and NSSI (r = -0.257). The association with suicide attempts (r = -0.244) was not significant. The results for self-concept clarity should be considered exploratory, and no publication bias, sensitivity, or moderator tests were conducted due to the limited number of effect sizes. Conclusion This meta-analysis highlights some significant, albeit small, negative associations between self-concept, self-concept clarity, and SITBs. However, due to the limited number of studies and effect sizes, some results should be considered exploratory. Future research should explore potential mediating and moderating factors and examine longitudinal relationships to better understand the causal pathways.

Parental phubbing, defined as parents’ phone use during parent–child interactions that leaves children or adolescents feeling ignored, has been linked to internalizing and externalizing problems in children and adolescents. However, existing meta-analyses have focused on single outcome domains and have not modeled dependent effect sizes within studies. This study used a three-level meta-analysis to synthesize this association. A search of seven databases through August 1, 2024, identified 47 studies, 80 effect sizes, and 56,143 participants (mean age = 13.24 years; 51.0

Depression and anxiety often co-occur in schools, but few studies have compared their symptom networks in students and teachers. We analysed the same PHQ-9 and GAD-7 symptoms in 52,093 Chinese secondary-school students and 7222 teachers. Ordinal Gaussian graphical models were estimated from polychoric correlations, and 5000 group-label permutations directly tested group differences. Network structure differed (maximum edge difference = 0.142, p < 0.001), but global strength did not (teachers = 7.736, students = 7.634, p = 0.543). Nine of 120 edges remained significant after Holm correction. Across 16 expected-influence comparisons, sleep problems had a higher value in students; trouble concentrating and psychomotor symptoms had higher values in teachers. Across 16 bridge expected-influence comparisons, worthlessness, excessive worry, trouble relaxing and irritability had higher values in students. The observed network estimates were unchanged at γ values of 0.50, 0.25 and 0, and the same inferential pattern was reproduced in 20 matched-size analyses, each based on 7222 participants per group and the full 5000-permutation procedure. In conclusion, this study revealed selective student-teacher differences in how depressive and anxiety symptoms are interconnected and positioned within symptom networks, underscoring the value of considering population context when examining depression-anxiety symptom organisation across educational groups.

This study gathered data from 661 authentic organizational contexts in China to explore the sense of power and structural power as distinct constructs within a moderated mediation framework, examining their impact on trait anxiety and empathy. Key findings reveal: (1) a robust positive correlation between the sense of power and both trait anxiety and empathy; (2) the intermediary role of trait anxiety in bridging the sense of power with empathy; (3) the moderating influence of administrative level on the predictive relationship between the sense of power and trait anxiety, with a marked effect among non-division-level officials as opposed to division-level counterparts; (4) gender-based disparities within the moderated mediation model, with men displaying a stronger predictive association between the sense of power and trait anxiety compared to women.

Early adolescents' body image disturbances are closely linked to eating disorder risk, with body talk being a key social correlate of body image. This study addressed two gaps: (1) validating the Body Talk Scale (BTS) in Chinese early adolescents, and (2) clarifying the dynamic directionality between body talk and body appreciation (BA). Study 1 enrolled 553 early adolescents (Mage = 12.85, SD = 0.45, 38.70 % females). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, reliability test, convergent validity test and measurement invariance test all supported the BTS's three-factor structure (negative fat talk [NFT], negative muscle talk [NMT], positive body talk [PBT]) with good reliability and validity. Study 2 conducted a 4-wave diary study on 265 adolescents (Mage = 12.91, SD = 0.47, 42.64 % females). Dynamic structural equation modeling revealed a bidirectional positive cycle between PBT and BA, unidirectional and negative prediction of NFT by BA, and no directional association between NMT and BA. Males had higher NMT baselines than females. Our work addresses the identified gaps by validating the BTS in Chinese early adolescents and revealing dimension-specific body talk-body appreciation interactions. The PBT-BA virtuous cycle and BA→NFT unidirectional link further offer practical implications for body image interventions.

INTRODUCTION:Femininity discrepancy and discrepancy stress are crucial factors affecting body talk. However, how the patterns of femininity discrepancy and discrepancy stress are associated with female adolescents and young adults' body talk, and whether such associations differ by sexual orientation, are lacking research. METHODS:A total of 2371 Chinese female adolescents and young adults (Mage = 19.64, SD = 0.88) were recruited to finish an online questionnaire assessing body talk, femininity discrepancy and femininity discrepancy stress. Latent Profile Analysis was applied to explore how patterns of femininity discrepancy and discrepancy stress relate to body talk in heterosexual and sexual minority female adolescents and young adults. RESULTS:For both samples, 4-profile solution demonstrated best fit. In heterosexual sample, a unique low discrepancy/high stress profile was identified, in contrast, a high discrepancy/low stress profile was identified in sexual minority sample. Moreover, heterosexual females with high discrepancy/high stress showed the strongest link to negative fat talk. Among sexual minority females, the moderate discrepancy/moderate stress profile exhibited the highest levels of negative fat talk. For negative muscle talk, femininity discrepancy was positively associated in heterosexual females, but no such association was found in sexual minority females. As for positive body talk, femininity discrepancy was negatively associated in heterosexual females, while discrepancy stress was negatively associated in sexual minority females. CONCLUSIONS:These findings highlight the moderating role of sexual orientation between body talk and patterns of femininity discrepancy and discrepancy stress, suggesting interventions tailored to each group's unique characteristics.

Equanimity, a contemplative outcome of mindfulness-based interventions, is crucial for the mental health and well-being of adolescents. However, there is a lack of direct measurement tools for assessing equanimity levels among Chinese adolescents. The Equanimity Scale-16 (ES-16), which includes Experiential Acceptance and Non-reactivity as two sub-scales, has shown good psychometric properties in previous studies. This paper aimed to adapt and validate a Chinese version of the ES-16 for adolescents. A total of 4206 (2823 valid) Chinese adolescents were recruited online. After forward and backward translations, the Chinese version of the ES-16 was then tested for internal consistency, factor structure, criterion-related validity, and test–retest reliability. Analyses of reliability, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis indicated that removing 2 items (NR1 and NR2) from the original Non-reactivity sub-scale would enhance the psychometric integrity. After removal, the modified scale, namely the ES-14(C), exhibited good internal consistency, reliability, and validity among Chinese adolescents (CFI = 0.986, TLI = 0.983, RMSEA = 0.044 [90

This study explores the effectiveness of hypnosis in real-world criminal investigations involving amnesic homicide suspects, particularly when all investigative leads have been exhausted. It documents the application of hypnosis on a murderer who had successfully evaded capture for 20years. Due to the significant passage of time, the suspect was unable to recall the physical appearances of his two accomplices at the time of the crime, leading investigators to employ hypnosis as a tool to enhance his memory. With the suspect's consent, hypnotic age regression was conducted in a relaxed and focused state to facilitate the retrieval of specific memory details. By employing hypnosis, which allowed the suspect to revisit his memories in a calm, eyes-closed state while avoiding suggestive or judgmental language, he was able to recall additional details that had been forgotten over the years. When criminal investigations reach a deadlock, hypnosis can serve as a practical method to help suspects recover forgotten details of a crime caused by the passage of time. However, it is essential to recognize the inherent limitations of this approach.

Previous studies have demonstrated that poverty negatively affects cognitive performance and is associated with deficits in cortical areas or grey volumes. This study aimed to investigate the impact of poverty stereotype threat (PST) on attention bias. We hypothesized that PST would have different effects on attention bias in individuals with varying household incomes, and that these effects would be influenced by the characteristics of the stimuli being processed (such as expression and material types), which are highly relevant to attention bias and the threatened condition. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a dot-probe task with event-related potential (ERP) measures. Participants were instructed to identify the position of a dot after poverty- or affluence-related paired stimuli disappeared. The study found that lower household income participants allocated more attentional resources to the affluence-related stimuli under PST, while higher household income participants allocated more attentional resources to the poverty-related stimuli. These findings demonstrate the contrasting effects of PST, which depend on the characteristics of the stimuli and the individuals themselves. Specifically, the study found a positive effect of PST on attention bias in lower-income individuals and a negative effect on attention bias in higher-income individuals.

The psychological construct of equanimity, referring to the ability to maintain neutral and unbiased reactions to stimuli regardless of affective valence, currently lacks a validated and comprehensive measurement in the Chinese context. Although the Two-Factor Equanimity Scale (EQUA-S) has been extensively utilized in non-Chinese populations to assess equanimity, its applicability among Chinese individuals remains unexamined. This study, therefore, aimed to translate the EQUA-S into Chinese and evaluate its psychometric properties among Chinese. In total, 3581 Chinese participants (Mage = 19.50, 568 males) were recruited to finish an online questionnaire containing scales including the translated Chinese version of EQUA-S and criterion-related variables. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA), exploratory graph analysis (EGA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed. The internal consistency, criterion-related validity, test–retest reliability, and gender differences were assessed. According to the results of EFA, EGA, and CFA tests, four problematic items (E-MSM3, 4, 6, 7) have been removed from the original scale. After removal, the adapted Chinese version of EQUA-S exhibited sound psychometric properties (CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.95, and RMSEA = 0.077 (90

BackgroundIndividuals with subclinical depression are prone to major depression and experience emotional responses and attentional biases to negative stimuli.MethodIn a randomized controlled study (N = 42) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined the neurocognitive mechanisms behind mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) combining loving-kindness meditation (LKM) on a group with subclinical depression compared with the relaxation group across emotional face n-back (EFNBACK) tasks and resting state. We also collected behavioral and self-reported data to confirm neurocognitive results.ResultsDuring EFNBACK, the MBCT+LKM group showed greater activation in the left lingual gyrus and right inferior lateral occipital cortex. During rest, the MBCT+LKM group demonstrated increased connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex and right inferior lateral occipital cortex, right anterior insula and left precentral gyrus. From amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) data, activity in brain regions associated with cognitive control decreased and activity in brain regions associated with sensorimotor increased.ConclusionThese results suggest that MBCT+LKM alleviate depression for subclinical individuals through improving executive function when they face negative stimuli.

This study utilized a sample of 2052 participants from government and enterprise sectors to explore the distinct effects of power and sense of power on cognitive flexibility. It also delves into how the three dimensions of reward sensitivity and the comprehensive measure of punishment sensitivity mediate this relationship. The key findings are as follows: (1) There is no significant direct correlation between power and sense of power. (2) Both power and sense of power are substantial positive predictors of cognitive flexibility, with middle- and upper-level employees demonstrating significantly greater cognitive flexibility than their lower-level counterparts, and sense of power having a more pronounced positive influence than objective power. (3) Drive and fun-seeking mediate the relationship between sense of power and cognitive flexibility, yet only when sense of power is the independent variable. (4) No mediating effects are observed for the dimensions of reward sensitivity or punishment sensitivity when power is the independent variable. Exploring reward and punishment sensitivity in the context of power’s influence on cognitive flexibility in real organizational settings is of paramount importance. This enhances our understanding of the intricate ways in which power dynamics shape individual behaviors and cognition across diverse cultural landscapes and provides actionable insights for refining organizational management and leadership strategies.

Background: Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the severity of college student's mental health has increased, with depression being the most prominent. This study's primary purpose was to explore (1) whether the perceived stress of COVID-19 was associated with depression through sequential mediation of mindfulness and dysexecutive function and also (2) the temporal association among mindfulness, dysexecutive function and depression. Methods: We performed two studies to evaluate dysexecutive function as a mechanism through which mindfulness impacts depression under the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Study 1 used a sequential mediation model to test the mediating role of mindfulness and dysexecutive function between the perceived stress of COVID-19 and depression based on 1,665 emerging adults. Study 2 used a random-effect, cross-lagged panel model (RE-CLPM) to test the directionality among mindfulness, dysexecutive function, and depression based on 370 emerging adults. Results: The cross-sectional study showed that perceived stress of COVID-19 was positively associated with depression through the sequential mediation of mindfulness and dysexecutive function (effect: 0.08, 95%CI = [0.07, 0.10]), also through the mediation of mindfulness (effect: 0.05, 95%CI = [0.03, 0.06]) and dysexecutive function (effect: 0.08, 95%CI = [0.06, 0.10]) separately. The RE-CLPM study indicated that dysexecutive function mediates the reciprocal relation between mindfulness and depression at the within-person level. Conclusion: These results suggest that dysexecutive function is an intermediate psychological mechanism that exacerbates depression under pandemic-related stress. Mindfulness can predict dysexecutive function and subsequently improve depression. As depression under pandemic-related stress can weaken the mindful state, long-term mindfulness practices are needed to maintain mental health during COVID-19.

To date, there has been no agreement on the conclusions regarding the differences in burnout between married and unmarried groups. Based on the job demands-resources model and the self-determination theory, work motivation may be a significant influencing factor. This study aimed to examine whether work motivation differed significantly between unmarried and married groups and used network analysis to test the marital status difference in the association of work motivation with burnout. The participants were 5,025 Chinese manufacturing employees (2556 married, 2469 unmarried). We used the Network Comparison Test to compare the connection between work motivation and burnout in married and unmarried networks on three aspects: global strength, network structure, and specific edge strength. The results showed that the married scored significantly higher in work motivation (p < 0.001) and lower in burnout (p < 0.01). There were no marital status differences in global strength (S = 0.019, p = 0.931). However, the network structure (M = 0.158, p = 0.01) differed between two networks. Specifically, the analysis of specific edge strength indicated that the negative association of work motivation with burnout was more pronounced in the married network. Notably, the fact that 98% of our study participants were male may limit the results' application to female. Hence, these results demonstrated that at least for male workers, work motivation may contribute to the difference in burnout between unmarried and married groups, and being married and work motivation may be considered protective factors against burnout. Further studies should investigate whether the findings also translate to the female samples.

The promoter of prosocial behavior in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic needs to be examined. Here, we examined the effect of experienced awe through cross-sectional (Study 1), a 3-wave longitudinal (Study 2) and experimental (Study 3-4) approaches. Study 1 showed that dispositional awe positively predicted one's prosocial behavior in the pandemic (N = 1281). Study 2 (N = 332) observed that experienced awe predicted higher prosociality, and this relationship was serially mediated by connectedness and empathy. Study 3 (N = 153) and 4 (N = 156) confirmed that elicited awe, compared to that of amusement and neutrality, promoted multiple types of prosociality (Study 3) and willingness of blood donation (Study 4) via serial mediation of connectedness and empathy. These findings suggest that the experience of awe increases one's connectedness to the world, which in turn enhances empathic concern and prosociality in pandemic fighting.