Biological Psychology

Are Species Intelligent?

by Jon Schull

The Adaptive Evolution Point of View in Evolutionary Psychology

by Jon Schull

Cold-blooded loneliness: Social exclusion leads to lower skin temperatures

by Hans IJzerman

Co-authored with Marcello Gallucci, Wim Pouw, Sophia Weiβgerber, Niels van Doesum, & Kip Williams. This paper has been accepted in Acta Psychologica. This paper not yet been published; this copy may thus not reflect the final published copy of the article.

Being ostracized or excluded, even briefly and by strangers, is painful and threatens fundamental needs. Recent work... more Being ostracized or excluded, even briefly and by strangers, is painful and threatens fundamental needs. Recent work by Zhong and Leonardelli (2008) found that excluded individuals perceive the room as cooler and that they desire warmer drinks. A perspective that many rely on in embodiment is the theoretical idea that people use metaphorical associations to understand social exclusion (see Landau, Meier, & Keefer, 2010). We suggest that people feel colder because they are colder. The results strongly support the idea that more complex metaphorical understandings of social relations are scaffolded onto literal changes in bodily temperature: Being excluded in an online ball tossing game leads to lower finger temperatures (Study 1), while negative affect typically experienced after such social exclusion is alleviated after holding a cup of warm tea (Study 2). The authors discuss further implications for the interaction between body and social relations specifically, and for basic and cognitive systems in general.

'It's not a choice, it's the way we're built': symbolic beliefs about sexual orientation in the US and Britain

by Peter Hegarty

Notes that heterosexual-identified Americans who believe that sexual orientation is immutable typically express more... more Notes that heterosexual-identified Americans who believe that sexual orientation is immutable typically express more tolerant attitudes towards lesbians and gay men. Attribution theorists argue that this is because immutability beliefs reduce stigmatization. This study explored these issues in 2 studies. 97 American and 72 British heterosexual-identified students (aged 18-41 yrs) completed questionnaires reporting their beliefs about the immutability and fundamentality of sexual orientation, their attitudes towards lesbians and gay men, and their judgments about the values that those beliefs expressed. In both samples, tolerant attitudes and immutability beliefs were correlated only among Ss who consistently judged that immutability beliefs would be expressed by more tolerant heterosexual persons. More condemning Ss judged lesbian and gay people and heterosexual people to be more fundamentally different in both samples. The author argues that links between immutability and tolerance depend more on social constructions of immutability beliefs as expressions of tolerance and less on the attributional content of such beliefs than previous theorists have acknowledged.

Materializing the Hypothalamus: A Performative Account of theGay Brain'

by Peter Hegarty

Simon LeVay's research on neuroscience and sexuality has been reiterated in popular media, scientific communities and... more Simon LeVay's research on neuroscience and sexuality has been reiterated in popular media, scientific communities and legal debates. A close reading of his work, drawing on performativity theory (Butler, 1990, 1993), reveals that this popular success is the result of citing and reiterating a number of heterosexist, sexist, and culturally imperialist norms. LeVay's work excludes women and ethnic minorities and denies the political, cultural and historical nature of sexuality. Performativity theory suggests the limits of empiricism for feminists, and the importance of postmodern readings of the subject of psychology and neuroscience.

Pointing to a crisis? What finger-length ratios tell us about the construction of sexuality

by Peter Hegarty

Opening the black box: A reply to Rahman

by Peter Hegarty

Baby cries and nurturance affect testosterone in men

by Sari van Anders

in press

Testosterone (T) is generally theorized within a trade-off framework that contrasts parenting and low T with... more Testosterone (T) is generally theorized within a trade-off framework that contrasts parenting and low T with competitive challenges and high T. Paradoxically, baby cues increase T, prompting questions of whether T or its behavioral expression has been mischaracterized. We tested 55 men using a novel interactive infant doll paradigm, and results supported our hypotheses: We showed for the first time that baby cries do decrease T in men, but only when coupled with nurturant responses. In contrast, baby cries uncoupled from nurturant responses increased T. These findings highlight the need to partition infant cues and interactions into nurturant versus
competitive-related contexts to more accurately conceptualize T, as per the Steroid/Peptide Theory of Social Bonds. This experiment also supports the utility of this paradigmfor studying effects of infant interactions on hormonal responses, which may provide critical insights into ameliorating the darker sides of caregiving (e.g. anger, frustration, violence) and enhancing the positive sides (e.g. intimacy, nurturance, reward).

Love is in the Air: The Effects of Intranasally Administered Oxytocin on the Formation of Romantic Relationships

by Jean Liu (Jean Loo)

Doctoral thesis completed under the supervision of Prof Mark Dadds (UNSW).

A large body of animal research suggests that oxytocin is crucial in the formation of male-female sexual... more A large body of animal research suggests that oxytocin is crucial in the formation of male-female sexual relationships. In humans, several experimental studies have suggested that oxytocin has a role in everyday interactions; however, it is not clear whether oxytocin also plays a role in the formation of human romantic relationships. Thus, Experiments 1 and 2 explored whether oxytocin can promote romantic relationships between two human strangers. Experiment 1 looked at whether oxytocin may do so by: (i) positively biasing evaluation, (ii) improving memory, or (iii) creating a preference for an opposite-gendered stranger. This was assessed by introducing seventy-six undergraduate students to the stranger via video-clip, with participants having taken either oxytocin or placebo. There was no strong evidence that oxytocin could assist in evaluation, memory, or partner preference: if any effects were found at all, they were stranger-specific, participant-specific, or were limited to just one type of setting. Experiment 2 examined whether oxytocin could increase approach behaviours towards an opposite-gendered stranger. One hundred and four undergraduate students were paired up with another participant of the opposite gender, and introduced to each other in a face-to-face conversation. Again, there was no evidence that oxytocin could facilitate social approach, defined as the simultaneous increase in conversational intimacy, eye-contact, and physical proximity. Further, across both Experiments 1 and 2, there was some suggestion that oxytocin could even cause participants to view a stranger negatively. These data suggest that oxytocin has at best a modest influence on human relationship formation. Such a conclusion has implications for the clinical utility of oxytocin, as well as for translational research comparing animal and human relationships.

Quantifying collective effervescence: Heart-rate dynamics at a fire-walking ritual

by Dimitris Xygalatas

Collective rituals are ubiquitous and resilient features of all known human cultures. They are also functionally... more Collective rituals are ubiquitous and resilient features of all known human cultures. They are also functionally opaque, costly, and sometimes dangerous. Social scientists have speculated that collective rituals generate benefits in excess of their costs by reinforcing social bonding and group solidarity, yet quantitative evidence for these conjectures is scarce. Our recent study measured the physiological effects of a highly arousing Spanish fire-walking ritual, revealing shared patterns in heart-rate dynamics between participants and related spectators. We briefly describe our results, and consider their implications.

Agentic extraversion as a predictor of effort-related cardiovascular response

by Christoph J. Kemper

Kemper, C. J., Leue, A., Wacker, J., Chavanon, M.-L., Hennighausen, E., & Stemmler, G. (2008). Agentic extraversion as a predictor of effort-related cardiovascular response. Biological Psychology 78(2), 191-199.

The present study examined an extraversion-based extension of the integrative model of cardiovascular effort... more The present study examined an extraversion-based extension of the integrative model of cardiovascular effort regulation by Wright and Kirby [Wright, R.A., Kirby, L.D., 2001. Effort determination of cardiovascular response: an integrative analysis with applications in social psychology. In: Zanna, M.P. (Ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Academic Press, San Diego, CA, pp. 255–307.]. This model explains cardiovascular effort reactivity in terms of task difficulty, ability appraisal, and success importance. Aggregate measures of cardiovascular variables (alpha-adrenergic, beta-adrenergic, and cholinergic activation components) were used to measure extraversion-based differences in effort. Subjects performed a sequential letter task (n-back verbal working memory task) with four levels of difficulty. Agentic extraverts (n = 10) appraised their ability and happiness as significantly higher than introverts (n = 10). Introverts showed the expected shark-fin shaped pattern of effort-related cardiovascular reactivity for the alpha-adrenergic and cholinergic activation components. Effort decreased after the moderately difficult 2-back task. Results provide first evidence for an extraversion-based extension of the model and are discussed with regard to mood and resource allocation as possible mechanisms.

Real-Time Adaptive Automation System Based on Identification of Operator Functional State in Simulated Process Control Operations

by Michael Roberts

Sensitivity of candidate markers of psychophysiological strain to cyclical changes in manual control load during simulated process control

by Michael Roberts

Published in applied ergonomics

Complex systems are vulnerable to unpredictable breakdowns in operator performance. Although primary task goals are... more Complex systems are vulnerable to unpredictable breakdowns in operator performance. Although primary task goals are typically protected by compensatory effort, such protection may break down under fatigue and high strain. Detection of strain states would enable prediction of increased operational risk through adaptive automation, triggering a switch of control from human to computer. A simulated process control task was used to identify markers of strain under a cyclic loading procedure, which forced
performance breakdown through stepwise changes in control load. Four trained participants provided data on control performance and a range of candidate psychophysiological markers of strain (two EEG power ratios and HRV). Within-individual analyses showed the strongest sensitivity for ‘task load index’(TLI), an EEG measure based on executive control activity in frontal brain areas, though all measures were
sensitive for some participants. The implications of such findings for the development of a closed loop system for adaptive automation are discussed.

Awareness is necessary for differential trace and delay eyeblink conditioning in humans

by Jean Liu (Jean Loo)

This paper was based on my Honours thesis, and reviews the claim that individuals can learn things unconsciously.

Squire and colleagues have proposed that trace and delay eyeblink conditioning tasks engage separate learning systems:... more Squire and colleagues have proposed that trace and delay eyeblink conditioning tasks engage separate learning systems: a declarative hippocampal/cortical system associated with conscious contingency awareness, and a reflexive sub-cortical system independent of awareness, respectively (Clark & Squire, 1998; Smith, Clark, Manns & Squire, 2005).

In two experiments using the same procedure as Clark and Squire’s group, we observed differential conditioning only in participants who showed contingency awareness in a postexperimental questionnaire, regardless of whether a trace or delay procedure was used.

The results suggest that, although there may be multiple component processes involved in learning and memory, with diverse neural substrates, these processes are organized in a
coordinated system rather than as separate competing systems.

Cognitive vulnerability and frontal brain asymmetry: Common predictors of first prospective depressive episode

by Alexander Shackman

Nusslock, R., Shackman, A. J., Coan, J. A., Harmon-Jones, E., Alloy, L. B. & Abramson, L. Y. (2011). Relations between cognitive and neurophysiological vulnerability to depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 120, 497-503.

The hopelessness theory of depression proposes that individuals with a depressogenic cognitive style are more likely... more The hopelessness theory of depression proposes that individuals with a depressogenic cognitive style are more likely to become hopeless and experience depression following negative life events. Although the neurophysiological underpinnings of cognitive style remain speculative, research indicates that decreased relative left frontal brain electrical activity holds promise as a trait-like marker of depression. This begs the question: Do measures of depressogenic cognitive style and resting frontal brain asymmetry index a common vulnerability? The present study provides preliminary support for this hypothesis. At baseline assessment, increased cognitive vulnerability to depression was associated with decreased relative left frontal brain activity at rest in individuals with no prior history of, or current, depression. Following baseline assessment, participants were followed prospectively an average of 3 years with structured diagnostic interviews at 4-month intervals. Both cognitive vulnerability and asymmetric frontal cortical activity prospectively predicted onset of first depressive episode in separate univariate analyses. Furthermore, multivariate analyses indicated that cognitive vulnerability and frontal asymmetry represented shared, rather than independent, predictors of first depression onset.

Empathy and Collective Action

by Jorge Barraza

Neurobiology and phenotypic expression in early onset schizophrenia.

by Nora S Vyas

Vyas NS, Patel NH, Puri BK.

Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 2011 Feb;5(1):3-14.

Email author (nora.vyas@nih.gov) to request article

Aim: Early-onset schizophrenia (onset before adulthood) is a rare and severe form of the disorder that shows... more Aim: Early-onset schizophrenia (onset before adulthood) is a rare and severe form of the disorder that shows phenotypic and neurobiological continuity with adult-onset schizophrenia. Here, we provide a synthesis of keynote findings in this enriched population to understand better the neurobiology and pathophysiology of early-onset schizophrenia. Methods: A synthetic and integrative approach is applied to review studies stemming from epidemiology, phenomenology, cognition, genetics and neuroimaging data. We provide conclusions and future directions of research on early-onset schizophrenia. Results: Childhood and adolescent-onset schizophrenia is associated with severe clinical course, greater rates of premorbid abnormalities, poor psychosocial functioning and increased severity of brain abnormalities. Early-onset cases show similar neurobiological correlates and phenotypic deficits to adult-onset schizophrenia, but show worse long-term psychopathological outcome. Emerging technological advances have provided important insights into the genomic architecture of early-onset schizophrenia, suggesting that some genetic variations may occur more frequently and at a higher rate in young-onset than adult-onset cases. Conclusions: Clinical, cognitive, genetic and imaging data suggest increased severity in early-onset schizophrenia. Studying younger-onset cases can provide useful insights into the neurobiological mechanisms of schizophrenia and the complexity of gene-environment interactions leading to the emergence of this debilitating disorder.

The use of PET imaging in studying cognition, genetics and pharmacotherapeutic interventions in schizophrenia

by Nora S Vyas

Themed Article: Schizophrenia
January 2011, Vol. 11, No. 1

Positron emission tomography (PET) offers a strategic imaging platform to provide a map of functional neural... more Positron emission tomography (PET) offers a strategic imaging platform to provide a map of functional neural correlates associated with the underlying cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. It enables regional cerebral glucose metabolism and dopaminergic and serotonergic receptor function to be studied. PET neuroimaging can therefore be used in drug development and to study putative treatments. Recent PET studies of the first-generation antipsychotics flupentixol and haloperidol, and of the second-generation antipsychotics risperidone, aripiprazole, quetiapine, sertindole, ziprasidone, paliperidone and olanzapine, have been carried out; modulation of limbic circuitry has been found to be a predictor of treatment response. PET can also be used to predict and monitor likely extrapyramidal side effects from antipsychotic treatment. PET and neuropsychological testing can together also allow the study of putative molecular genetic changes associated with schizophrenia. Advances in the imaging, cognition and molecular genetics are likely to lead to the development of future diagnostics, treatments and novel pharmacological agents.

Rattus Psychologicus: Construction of Preferences by Self-Stimulating Rats

by Yannick Breton

What insights can we gain from studying early-onset schizophrenia? The neurodevelopmental pathway and beyond

by Nora S Vyas

Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, August 2010