Linguistic analysis in public speaking: evidence from a Gavel Club for people with aphasia.

Public speaking has been described as one of the most daunting tasks one can engage in, even more so for people with aphasia (PWA). Gavel Clubs (affiliated with Toastmasters International) were established over 20 years ago for those who want to engage in public speaking but do not meet the eligibility criteria for Toastmasters membership. This study is the first of its kind to systematically evaluate changes in the speeches of PWA attending a weekly Gavel Club. The aims were to compare Table Topics (TT) and Prepared Speeches (PS) which are two different tasks regularly performed in a Gavel Club; to measure linguistic change over time in the two speech types; and to determine the feasibility of a discourse measure for analysing public speeches. Thirty-six speeches (four each from nine PWA) were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using the Linguistic Communication Measure (LCM). The nine participants represented a wide range of aphasia severity. Analysis revealed that engaging in weekly speaking activities in the GC was associated with an improvement in conveying content and in grammaticality through an increase in total number of words and number of correct words produced. The LCM is a comprehensive analysis tool but proved to be challenging in its speed and utility when measuring linguistic change in public speeches of PWA. Regular GC participation appears to facilitate improved language abilities, but we have yet to find the best tool to demonstrate this.

Early experience alters developmental trajectory of central oxytocin systems involved in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation in Long-Evans rats.

Oxytocin is important for postnatal developmental experiences for mothers, infants, and transactions between them. Oxytocin is also implicated in adult affiliative behaviors, including social buffering of stress. There is evidence for connections between early life experience and adult oxytocin system functioning, but effects of early experience on behavioral, endocrine, and neurophysiological outcomes related to adult social buffering are not well explored. We use a limited bedding and nesting (LBN) material paradigm as an environmental disruption of early experiences and assessed central oxytocin systems in brain regions related to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulation (paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus). We also assessed developmentally-appropriate social behaviors and HPA reactivity during social buffering testing in adulthood. LBN litters had larger huddles and more pups visible compared to control litters during the first two weeks of life. LBN also altered the developmental trajectory of oxytocin-expressing cells and oxytocin receptor cells, with increases in oxytocin receptor cells at P15 in LBN pups. By adulthood, LBN females had more and LBN males had fewer oxytocin and oxytocin receptor cells in these areas compared to sex-matched controls. Adult LBN females, but not LBN males, had behavioral changes during social interaction and social buffering testing. The sex-specific effects of early experience on central oxytocin systems and social behavior may contribute to female resilience to early life adversity.

Uncovering sources of maternal variability: Inherited and environmental contributions to maternal phenotype.

Intergenerational patterns of parental behavior, especially maternal behavior, have been observed across mammalian species including humans, non-human primates, and rodents. These patterns are largely experience-dependent as opposed to genetically induced, with experiences in early-life serving an essential role in directing maternal behavior expressed later in life. Environmental conditions can also alter maternal behavior with consequences for offspring neurodevelopment and interactions with the next generation. Here, we describe effects of lineage during developmental environmental disruption using a limited bedding and nesting material manipulation during the first 2 weeks of life. Dams from three lineages were placed in environments containing either abundant nesting material or reduced nesting material. Environmental condition affected eight measures of maternal behavior and dam lineage affected 12 measures of maternal behavior during the first two postnatal weeks. Lineage, condition, and pup sex predicted pup body weight immediately following the manipulation, with lineage accounting for the largest portion of variance in body weight. Although from a limited sample, these data are the first to examine effects of lineage and environment simultaneously and suggest dam lineage may be a better predictor of maternal behavior than current environmental conditions with important implications for pup outcomes.

Defective monocyte oxidative burst predicts infection in alcoholic hepatitis and is associated with reduced expression of NADPH oxidase.

OBJECTIVE: In order to explain the increased susceptibility to serious infection in alcoholic hepatitis, we evaluated monocyte phagocytosis, aberrations of associated signalling pathways and their reversibility, and whether phagocytic defects could predict subsequent infection. DESIGN: Monocytes were identified from blood samples of 42 patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis using monoclonal antibody to CD14. Phagocytosis and monocyte oxidative burst (MOB) were measured ex vivo using flow cytometry, luminometry and bacterial killing assays. Defects were related to the subsequent development of infection. Intracellular signalling pathways were investigated using western blotting and PCR. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) was evaluated for its therapeutic potential in reversing phagocytic defects. Paired longitudinal samples were used to evaluate the effect of in vivo prednisolone therapy. RESULTS: MOB, production of superoxide and bacterial killing in response to Escherichia coli were markedly impaired in patients with alcoholic hepatitis. Pretreatment MOB predicted development of infection within two weeks with sensitivity and specificity that were superior to available clinical markers. Accordingly, defective MOB was associated with death at 28 and 90 days. Expression of the gp91 phox subunit of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase was reduced in patients with alcoholic hepatitis demonstrating defective MOB. Monocytes were refractory to IFN-γ stimulation and showed high levels of a negative regulator of cytokine signalling, suppressor of cytokine signalling-1. MOB was unaffected by 7 days in vivo prednisolone therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Monocyte oxidative burst and bacterial killing is impaired in alcoholic hepatitis while bacterial uptake by phagocytosis is preserved. Defective MOB is associated with reduced expression of NADPH oxidase in these patients and predicts the development of infection and death.

Limited bedding and nesting material changes indices of cellular metabolism and behavioral thermal regulation in Long-Evans rats during the first two weeks of life.

A quality nest can buffer pups from the cold climate in typical laboratory housing by insulating them from cool ambient air and facilitating pup huddling during early life when many thermal regulation strategies are not yet developed. The limited nesting material (LBN) manipulation prevents the dam from constructing a quality nest. In the present study, we investigate whether LBN presents a thermal challenge to pups across the first two postnatal weeks. Behavioral thermal regulation (huddling), physiological thermogenesis (activation of brown adipose tissue; BAT), changes in cellular metabolism (mitochondrial biogenesis) in peripheral and central tissues, and maternal behavior were measured in environments with LBN or abundant bedding on postnatal day (P) 2, P6, P10, and P14. The huddle of LBN litters had greater area, greater perimeter, and reduced circularity, and more pups visible. Control male pups were visible longer than control female pups during home cage recordings and LBN pups were visible longer than control pups. Heart weight relative to body weight was higher in LBN pups after P2. LBN affected BAT, but not white adipose tissue (WAT), activation in a sex and age-specific manner, with reductions in UCP1 expression after P2. Pups appear especially affected by LBN on P6, when mitochondrial DNA copy number was reduced in WAT. Mitochondrial DNA copy number was reduced in LBN pups in the hippocampus but not the brainstem. Our data provide evidence of changes in indices of thermal regulation and cellular metabolism in LBN pups which may be indicative of changes in energy allocation during development.

Head above the parapet: How minority subordinates influence group outcomes and the consequences they face for doing so.

Research on power often treats the recipients of powerholders' decisions (i.e., subordinates) as an undifferentiated group, overlooking how their responses to powerholders' decisions might vary and how those responses might affect powerholders' later decisions. In this article, we examine the role of lone dissenting subordinates (individuals whose feedback differs from that expressed by other group members) in shaping powerholders' allocation decisions, and explore the consequences those subordinates face for their dissent. In 3 experimental studies, we show that even as a lone voice, the feedback of a dissenting subordinate influences powerholders' decisions. Powerholders make more self-interested allocations when a lone subordinate provides consistently positive feedback, even when others provide mostly negative feedback. However, powerholders regulate their allocations when a lone subordinate provides candid feedback that points out the self-interested nature of their allocations, even when others provide consistently positive feedback. We further show that lone dissenting subordinates' influence is stronger when they share a salient group membership with the powerholder (e.g., their school or political affiliation). Finally, we find that powerholders reward lone subordinates who provide them with positive feedback, but only punish lone candid subordinates if they do not share a salient group membership with them. Overall, our results suggest that subordinates who risk putting their head above the parapet can improve outcomes for their group members, and can avoid being punished for doing so, as long as they share a salient group membership with the powerholder. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Toxic stress history and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in a social stress task: Genetic and epigenetic factors.

Histories of early life stress (ELS) or social discrimination can reach levels of severity characterized as toxic to mental and physical health. Such toxic social stress during development has been linked to altered acute hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) response to social stress in adulthood. However, there are important individual differences in the size and direction of these effects. We explored developmental, genetic, epigenetic, and contextual sources of individual differences in the relationship between ELS, discrimination, and adult responses to acute social stress in a standard laboratory test. Additional measures included perceived status, social support, background activity of HPA axis, and genetic variants in aspects of the stress response system. Participants (n = 90) answered questions about historical and ongoing stress, provided a DNA sample to examine genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic marks, and underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) during which three saliva samples were collected to assess HPA function. Individuals who reported high levels of childhood adversity had a blunted salivary cortisol response to the TSST. Childhood adversity, discrimination experiences, and FKBP5 genotype were found to predict pretest cortisol levels. Following up on recent observations that the glucocorticoid receptor directly interacts with the mitochondrial genome, particularly the NADH dehydrogenase 6 (MT-ND6) gene, individuals who reported high childhood adversity were also found to have higher percent methylation across six CpG sites upstream of MT-ND6. These findings suggest multiple contributions across psychological, genetic, epigenetic, and social domains to vulnerability and resilience in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation. Further study to examine how these multiple contributors affect developmental endpoints through integrated or independent pathways will be of use.

Leaders matter morally: The role of ethical leadership in shaping employee moral cognition and misconduct.

There has long been interest in how leaders influence the unethical behavior of those who they lead. However, research in this area has tended to focus on leaders' direct influence over subordinate behavior, such as through role modeling or eliciting positive social exchange. We extend this research by examining how ethical leaders affect how employees construe morally problematic decisions, ultimately influencing their behavior. Across four studies, diverse in methods (lab and field) and national context (the United States and China), we find that ethical leadership decreases employees' propensity to morally disengage, with ultimate effects on employees' unethical decisions and deviant behavior. Further, employee moral identity moderates this mediated effect. However, the form of this moderation is not consistent. In Studies 2 and 4, we find that ethical leaders have the largest positive influence over individuals with a weak moral identity (providing a "saving grace"), whereas in Study 3, we find that ethical leaders have the largest positive influence over individuals with a strong moral identity (catalyzing a "virtuous synergy"). We use these findings to speculate about when ethical leaders might function as a "saving grace" versus a "virtuous synergy." Together, our results suggest that employee misconduct stems from a complex interaction between employees, their leaders, and the context in which this relationship takes place, specifically via leaders' influence over employees' moral cognition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

When the tables are turned: The effects of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election on in-group favoritism and out-group hostility.

The outcome of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election was a big surprise to many, as the majority of polls had predicted the opposite outcome. In this two-stage cross-sectional study, we focus on how Democrats and Republicans reacted to this electoral surprise and how these reactions might have influenced the way they allocated resources to each other in small groups. We find that, before the election, Republicans showed greater in-group favoritism than Democrats, who treated others equally, regardless of their political affiliation. We then show that Democrats experienced the election outcome as an ego shock and, in the week following the election, reported significantly higher levels of negative emotions and lower levels of self-esteem than Republicans. These reactions then predicted how individuals' decided to allocate resources to others: after the election, Republicans no longer showed in-group favoritism, while Democrats showed out-group derogation. We find these decisions when the tables were turned can be partially explained by differences in participants' state self-esteem.

Hair cortisol and lifetime discrimination: Moderation by subjective social status.

Discrimination has been associated with elevated cortisol as measured in saliva, blood, and urine. This study investigated the association between lifetime discrimination and hair cortisol concentrations, considered a measure of chronic stress. We recruited 180 young adults from diverse backgrounds. Participant responses to lifetime discrimination, home stress, and subjective status measures were recorded. Lifetime discrimination significantly predicted hair cortisol concentrations, supporting past research that discrimination experiences impact neuroendocrine systems. To our knowledge, these are the first findings associating hair cortisol concentrations with discrimination and supports prior evidence positing discrimination as a chronic stressor that serves as a risk factor for chronic disease.

The advantage of being oneself: The role of applicant self-verification in organizational hiring decisions.

In this paper, we explore whether individuals who strive to self-verify flourish or flounder on the job market. Using placement data from 2 very different field samples, we found that individuals rated by the organization as being in the top 10% of candidates were significantly more likely to receive a job offer if they have a stronger drive to self-verify. A third study, using a quasi-experimental design, explored the mechanism behind this effect and tested whether individuals who are high and low on this disposition communicate differently in a structured mock job interview. Text analysis (LIWC) of interview transcripts revealed systematic differences in candidates' language use as a function of their self-verification drives. These differences led an expert rater to perceive candidates with a strong drive to self-verify as less inauthentic and less misrepresentative than their low self-verifying peers, making her more likely to recommend these candidates for a job. Taken together, our results suggest that authentic self-presentation is an unidentified route to success on the job market, amplifying the chances that high-quality candidates can convert organizations' positive evaluations into tangible job offers. We discuss implications for job applicants, organizations, and the labor market. (PsycINFO Database Record

Workplace harassment: double jeopardy for minority women.

To date there have been no studies of how both sex and ethnicity might affect the incidence of both sexual and ethnic harassment at work. This article represents an effort to fill this gap. Data from employees at 5 organizations were used to test whether minority women are subject to double jeopardy at work, experiencing the most harassment because they are both women and members of a minority group. The results supported this prediction. Women experienced more sexual harassment than men, minorities experienced more ethnic harassment than Whites, and minority women experienced more harassment overall than majority men, minority men, and majority women.

Reactance to Transgressors: Why Authorities Deliver Harsher Penalties When the Social Context Elicits Expectations of Leniency.

This paper combines experimental and field data to examine how authorities with discretion over how rules are enforced penalize transgressors when the social context of the transgression elicits expectations of leniency. Specifically, we test how transgressors are punished when it is their birthday: a day that triggers expectations of lenient treatment. First, in three scenario studies we explore individuals' intuitions about how they would behave and expect to be treated if they transgressed on their birthdays, as well as how they would imagine penalizing a birthday transgressor. Second, using more than 134,000 arrest records for drunk driving in Washington State, we establish that police officers penalize drivers more harshly when it is their birthday. Then, in a lab experiment in which we grant participants discretion over enforcing the rules of an essay-writing contest, we test psychological reactance toward transgressors who make their birthday salient, even subtly, as the mechanism behind this increased stringency. We rule out several alternative explanations for this effect, including public safety concerns, negative affect and overcompensation for bias. We conclude with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of our findings for the literatures on punishment, rule-breaking, and legal transgressions.

Aphasia and Auditory Processing after Stroke through an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Lens.

Aphasia is an acquired language impairment affecting speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Aphasia occurs in about a third of patients who have ischemic stroke and significantly affects functional recovery and return to work. Stroke is more common in older individuals but also occurs in young adults and children. Because people experiencing a stroke are typically aged between 65 and 84 years, hearing loss is common and can potentially interfere with rehabilitation. There is some evidence for increased risk and greater severity of sensorineural hearing loss in the stroke population and hence it has been recommended that all people surviving a stroke should have a hearing test. Auditory processing difficulties have also been reported poststroke. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) can be used as a basis for describing the effect of aphasia, hearing loss, and auditory processing difficulties on activities and participation. Effects include reduced participation in activities outside the home such as work and recreation and difficulty engaging in social interaction and communicating needs. A case example of a young man (M) in his 30s who experienced a left-hemisphere ischemic stroke is presented. M has normal hearing sensitivity but has aphasia and auditory processing difficulties based on behavioral and cortical evoked potential measures. His principal goal is to return to work. Although auditory processing difficulties (and hearing loss) are acknowledged in the literature, clinical protocols typically do not specify routine assessment. The literature and the case example presented here suggest a need for further research in this area and a possible change in practice toward more routine assessment of auditory function post-stroke.

Speaking truth to power: the effect of candid feedback on how individuals with power allocate resources.

Subordinates are often seen as impotent, able to react to but not affect how powerholders treat them. Instead, we conceptualize subordinate feedback as an important trigger of powerholders' behavioral self-regulation and explore subordinates' reciprocal influence on how powerholders allocate resources to them over time. In 2 experiments using a multiparty, multiround dictator game paradigm, we found that when subordinates provided candid feedback about whether they found prior allocations to be fair or unfair, powerholders regulated how self-interested their allocations were over time. However, when subordinates provided compliant feedback about powerholders' prior allocation decisions (offered consistently positive feedback, regardless of the powerholders' prior allocation), those powerholders made increasingly self-interested allocations over time. In addition, we showed that guilt partially mediates this relationship: powerholders feel more guilty after receiving negative feedback about an allocation, subsequently leading to a less self-interested allocation, whereas they feel less guilty after receiving positive feedback about an allocation, subsequently taking more for themselves. Our findings integrate the literature on upward feedback with theory about moral self-regulation to support the idea that subordinates are an important source of influence over those who hold power over them.

The cheater's high: the unexpected affective benefits of unethical behavior.

Many theories of moral behavior assume that unethical behavior triggers negative affect. In this article, we challenge this assumption and demonstrate that unethical behavior can trigger positive affect, which we term a "cheater's high." Across 6 studies, we find that even though individuals predict they will feel guilty and have increased levels of negative affect after engaging in unethical behavior (Studies 1a and 1b), individuals who cheat on different problem-solving tasks consistently experience more positive affect than those who do not (Studies 2-5). We find that this heightened positive affect does not depend on self-selection (Studies 3 and 4), and it is not due to the accrual of undeserved financial rewards (Study 4). Cheating is associated with feelings of self-satisfaction, and the boost in positive affect from cheating persists even when prospects for self-deception about unethical behavior are reduced (Study 5). Our results have important implications for models of ethical decision making, moral behavior, and self-regulatory theory.

Maternal behavior, infant development, and the question of developmental resources.

The natural development of maternal and infant behavior occurs in a dyad characterized by synchrony and reciprocal interactions. Major concepts used to describe and analyze this synchrony were reviewed. It was concluded that the dyad undergoes a developmental progression in which each part of the dyad is both a developing organism and a reliably changing milieu forming part of the extended inheritance of the other. The reliability of inherited resources is rooted in interactions essential to life, such as those used to transfer metabolic needs to dependent offspring; to stimulation (incidentally but necessarily) associated with life-supporting mechanisms; and to perceptual, motor, or learning mechanisms used to extract specific resources from the available milieu. The diverse resources in extended inheritance contribute to the construction of new traits through opportunistic shaping or regulating interactions among them that are unrestricted by their function at earlier stages.

Can behavioral evolution be measured on a staircase? A commentary.

The serious, comparative study of behavioral complexity that Greenberg et al. advocate is a progressive direction for the field, but their proposal to separate comparative psychology from its roots in evolutionary biology seems regressive. Modern evolutionary theory has been broadened within biology to include development and paleontology alongside natural selection, making closer integration with that discipline particularly timely. Such an integrated evolutionary approach in psychology would offer a useful alternative to the adaptationism popularized by evolutionary psychology. Although the differences between comparative psychologists and biologists may be blurred in the process, the behavioral sciences will be better served by a rich biological approach to evolution than by a uniquely psychological approach.