School of Psychologyhttps://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/147652024-03-29T12:18:02Z2024-03-29T12:18:02ZPeer inclusion and school equality norm associations with intergroup contact, and academic self‐efficacy amongst ethnic majority and ethnic minority youthMcKeown, SDi Bernardo, GACharlesford, JVezzali, LSagherian‐Dickey, Thttps://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/222262024-03-28T10:25:46ZPeer inclusion and school equality norm associations with intergroup contact, and academic self‐efficacy amongst ethnic majority and ethnic minority youth
McKeown, S; Di Bernardo, GA; Charlesford, J; Vezzali, L; Sagherian‐Dickey, T
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Social norms are important predictors of youth attitudes and behaviours. There is substantial evidence that positive and meaningful intergroup contact supported by inclusive norms can have a range of benefits beyond prejudice reduction. The present research explores whether perceived peer inclusion norms and perceived norms of equality in school are associated with better quality and more frequent intergroup contact and in turn, whether these are associated with better academic self‐efficacy. To test these assertions, we conducted a cross‐sectional survey with ethnic majority and ethnic minority youth aged 11–12 (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 629, 48% female, 43% minority ethnic) attending one of four ethnically diverse secondary schools in England. In support of our hypotheses, we found that both perceived inclusive peer norms and perceived school equality norms were associated with higher quantity and quality of contact for both ethnic majority and minority group youth. An indirect effect was observed whereby perceived peer norms of inclusion and school norms of equality were associated with higher academic self‐efficacy through higher quality outgroup contact for both groups. No indirect effect was observed for contact quantity. Findings evidence the importance of perceived peer and school equality norms as well as intergroup contact effects for outcomes that go beyond prejudice reduction, in this case academic self‐efficacy.</jats:p>
Working memory gating in obesity: Insights from a case-control fMRI studyHerzog, NHartmann, HJanssen, LKWaltmann, MFallon, SJDeserno, LHorstmann, Ahttps://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/222162024-03-22T02:11:22Z2024-04-01T00:00:00ZWorking memory gating in obesity: Insights from a case-control fMRI study
Herzog, N; Hartmann, H; Janssen, LK; Waltmann, M; Fallon, SJ; Deserno, L; Horstmann, A
Computational models and neurophysiological data propose that a 'gating mechanism' coordinates distractor-resistant maintenance and flexible updating of working memory contents: While maintenance of information is mainly implemented in the prefrontal cortex, updating of information is signaled by phasic increases in dopamine in the striatum. Previous literature demonstrates structural and functional alterations in these brain areas, as well as differential dopamine transmission among individuals with obesity, suggesting potential impairments in these processes. To test this hypothesis, we conducted an observational case-control fMRI study, dividing participants into groups with and without obesity based on their BMI. We probed maintenance and updating of working memory contents using a modified delayed match to sample task and investigated the effects of SNPs related to the dopaminergic system. While the task elicited the anticipated brain responses, our findings revealed no evidence for group differences in these two processes, neither at the neural level nor behaviorally. However, depending on Taq1A genotype, which affects dopamine receptor density in the striatum, participants with obesity performed worse on the task. In conclusion, this study does not support the existence of overall obesity-related differences in working memory gating. Instead, we propose that potentially subtle alterations may manifest specifically in individuals with a 'vulnerable' genotype.
2024-04-01T00:00:00ZAssessing immediate emotions in the Theory of Planned Behavior can substantially contribute to increases in pro-environmental behaviorHo, VBerman, AHAndrade, JKavanagh, DJBranche, SLMay, JPhilson, CSBlumstein, DThttps://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/221132024-03-08T12:28:40Z2024-02-29T00:00:00ZAssessing immediate emotions in the Theory of Planned Behavior can substantially contribute to increases in pro-environmental behavior
Ho, V; Berman, AH; Andrade, J; Kavanagh, DJ; Branche, SL; May, J; Philson, CS; Blumstein, DT
The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is a highly influential and powerful behavior change model that offers promising guidance on promoting urgently needed, pro-environmental action. Recent pro-environmental research has successfully augmented TPB using anticipated emotions—the emotions an individual consciously predicts they will experience in relation to possible outcomes of their decision. However, immediate emotions—the emotions an individual actually experiences during decision-making—have received far less attention. Given that immediate emotions are relevant to pro-environmental decision-making and can address the theoretical and empirical limitations of TPB, we contend that pro-environmental studies should explicitly examine immediate emotions within the TPB framework. This article aims to stimulate rigorous research that enhances pro-environmental communication and policymaking by providing integrative insights into immediate emotions along with recommendations for evaluating immediate emotions in a pro-environmental TPB context.
2024-02-29T00:00:00ZNeural Implementation of computational mechanisms underlying the continuous trade-off between cooperation and competitionPisauro, MAFouragnan, EArabadzhiyska, DApps, MAJPhiliastides, MGhttps://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/220842024-02-28T02:01:15Z2021-01-01T00:00:00ZNeural Implementation of computational mechanisms underlying the continuous trade-off between cooperation and competition
Pisauro, MA; Fouragnan, E; Arabadzhiyska, D; Apps, MAJ; Philiastides, MG
2021-01-01T00:00:00Z