Previous studies have indicated that rumination is related to the difficulties in controlling interference during updating working memory. The current study examined the relationships between interferences during working memory updating, depressive rumination, and depressive symptoms by using the 2-back paradigm. The 2-back paradigm included two forms of interferences, n+1 lure in which a 3-back item corresponded to the currently presented item instead of the 2-back item and a n-1 lure in which a 1-back item corresponded to the currently presented item instead of the 2-back item. The result indicated that the high brooding group with high scores on the brooding subscale of the Ruminative Responses Scale showed greater interference scores in response to the n+1 lure than low brooders, which was not the case in response to the n-1 lure. These findings indicate that high brooders have difficulties in removing relevant representations that are no longer needed from working memory. This finding expands those of previous studies and also extends our understanding of the mechanisms of ruminations.

抄録全体を表示

This study assessed the instructions for the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) for an analog study. AMT is a representative task that measures autobiographical memory specificity. Many studies have suggested reduced autobiographical memory specificity in clinical depression patients with traditional instructions for AMT (Williams & Broadbent, 1986), which request that a patient precisely recall a particular event and place, but by this instruction, fewer studies have reported the reduced specificity for non-clinical dysphoria. Therefore, this study specified that a “specific episode is better, but in case of difficulty in recall, an ambiguous memory is permissible” (optional instructions) to assess overgeneral memory retrieval in a non-clinical sample. The results indicated that the dysphoric group displayed more reduced autobiographical memory specificity than the control group. Furthermore, rumination significantly negatively correlated with specific memory, but when depression partial out, the correlation was not significant. These findings suggest the effectiveness of optional instructions for AMT in detecting an overgeneral retrieval style, which is due to depressive mood rather than trait rumination, in a non-clinical sample.

抄録全体を表示

In everyday life, we communicate not only alone with another person but in front of others as well. Present study examined the effect of personal relationships between observer and dyad on facial behaviors during emotional communication. Pairs of friends viewed film clips that elicited positive affect and had a conversation in one of three conditions (a) observer absent, (b) stranger–observer, or (c) friend–observer. I video-recorded facial behavior of each participants and coded duration of smile, gaze and utterance. Participants filled out the questionnaire of emotion, public self-consciousness, internal other-consciousness, and satisfaction with conversation. Results showed that duration of utterance was longer in the friend–observer condition than the stranger–observer condition, but smiles and gazes did not differ among conditions. Observing by a friend seemed to facilitate emotional expressions on the intentional behavioral channel. Results of correlations between expressive behaviors and subjective indices suggest that friends made strategic use of nonverbal behavior in front of a stranger.

抄録全体を表示

This article was retracted.

抄録全体を表示

The purpose of this study is to develop the Two-Item Self-Esteem scale (TISE) and to investigate its reliability and validity. The TISE consists of two aspects of self-esteem concept: one is a self-evaluation, and the other is a self-acceptance. Concurrent validity was demonstrated by positive high correlations between the TISE and pre-existing self-esteem scales (i.e., Rosenberg's self-esteem scale). Construct validity was established by correlations between the TISE and criterion scales, including competence (i.e., narcissistic competence scale), subjective well-being (satisfaction with life scale), and positive/negative emotions (i.e., positive and negative affect schedule scales). The TISE and the Rosenberg's self-esteem scale had nearly identical correlations with these criterion scales. Test–retest reliability was confirmed at a both three-week and four-month interval. This study showed that the TISE is a reliable and valid scale to measure self-esteem with two aspects.

抄録全体を表示