Alcohol and cannabis use are prevalent among young adults in Canada. Additionally, heavier substance use is associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing negative consequences resulting from use. Given the potential for harmful consequences resulting from alcohol and cannabis use, it is important to understand why people use these substances. Childhood maltreatment has been identified as an important predictor of alcohol and cannabis use. However, less is known about the mechanisms underlying this relationship, though it seems emotion regulation may play an important role. This study explores the relationship between maltreatment and emotion dysregulation, in addition to the relationship between maltreatment and affective motives for using alcohol and marijuana. Results indicate that drinking to cope mediates the relationship between all measured forms of maltreatment and alcohol consequences. However, none of the motives individually significantly mediated the relationship between maltreatment and marijuana use consequences. Results, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Research on counteractive control theory suggests that exposure to food cues should bolster the dieting goal in restrained individuals. However, other research has found food cues to increase eating. The present study investigates whether cue specificity influences whether counteractive control or hyper-responsiveness to food cues takes precedence in dieters’ food selection and eating behavior. Restrained eaters were assigned to view a cookie, cake, or flower cue, then they selected a snack to take (apple or cookie). Participants also had an opportunity to eat cookies. Results showed that restrained participants exposed to the cake cue chose the apple more often than those receiving any other cue; exposure to a tempting cue not specific to the snack offered elicited counteractive control. However, participants exposed to either food cue ate more cookies than those exposed to the neutral cue. The role of food cue specificity in counteractive control and its limits are examined.

Implicit theories play an important role in the structure and maintenance of people’s sense of meaning, and violations to one’s theory can create significant distress. Using electroencephalography (EEG), this study examined the neural correlates of implicit theory violation. Participants were primed with one of two implicit theories of success attainment and were then shown a series of words that either confirmed or violated that theory. Analyses revealed that compared to implicit theory confirmations, implicit theory violations produced greater N400 amplitudes, which is a brain wave associated with “semantic violations,” or violations of meaning. Current literature on the N400 has been limited to language-specific semantic violations. Therefore, these results represent a novel extension of the N400 to include violations of complex lay theories of human behavior. Furthermore, these data suggest that implicit theories represent a fundamental type of semantic knowledge that helps perceivers to generate predictions about the social world.

In the present research, I examined individuals' evaluative responses toward traditional representations of environmentalists (e.g., tree-huggers and radical activists) as well as less typical but more mainstream environmentalists. Undergraduate students read about one of three types of environmentalists (i.e., radical activist, tree-hugger, or mainstream environmentalist). Participants then rated the extent to which they liked the individual they read about. Results revealed that participants evaluated the tree-hugger and radical activist less favourably than a typical student. In contrast, participants responded as favourably toward the mainstream environmentalist as they did toward a typical student. These findings indicate that individuals have distinct impressions of different types of environmentalists: Whereas mainstream environmentalists may receive favourable evaluations from individuals, stereotypical environmentalists may elicit negative reactions and even alienate members of the public.

Alcohol and cannabis use are prevalent among young adults in Canada. Additionally, heavier substance use is associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing negative consequences resulting from use. Given the potential for harmful consequences resulting from alcohol and cannabis use, it is important to understand why people use these substances. Childhood maltreatment has been identified as an important predictor of alcohol and cannabis use. However, less is known about the mechanisms underlying this relationship, though it seems emotion regulation may play an important role. This study explores the relationship between maltreatment and emotion dysregulation, in addition to the relationship between maltreatment and affective motives for using alcohol and marijuana. Results indicate that drinking to cope mediates the relationship between all measured forms of maltreatment and alcohol consequences. However, none of the motives individually significantly mediated the relationship between maltreatment and marijuana use consequences. Results, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Research on counteractive control theory suggests that exposure to food cues should bolster the dieting goal in restrained individuals. However, other research has found food cues to increase eating. The present study investigates whether cue specificity influences whether counteractive control or hyper-responsiveness to food cues takes precedence in dieters’ food selection and eating behavior. Restrained eaters were assigned to view a cookie, cake, or flower cue, then they selected a snack to take (apple or cookie). Participants also had an opportunity to eat cookies. Results showed that restrained participants exposed to the cake cue chose the apple more often than those receiving any other cue; exposure to a tempting cue not specific to the snack offered elicited counteractive control. However, participants exposed to either food cue ate more cookies than those exposed to the neutral cue. The role of food cue specificity in counteractive control and its limits are examined.

Implicit theories play an important role in the structure and maintenance of people’s sense of meaning, and violations to one’s theory can create significant distress. Using electroencephalography (EEG), this study examined the neural correlates of implicit theory violation. Participants were primed with one of two implicit theories of success attainment and were then shown a series of words that either confirmed or violated that theory. Analyses revealed that compared to implicit theory confirmations, implicit theory violations produced greater N400 amplitudes, which is a brain wave associated with “semantic violations,” or violations of meaning. Current literature on the N400 has been limited to language-specific semantic violations. Therefore, these results represent a novel extension of the N400 to include violations of complex lay theories of human behavior. Furthermore, these data suggest that implicit theories represent a fundamental type of semantic knowledge that helps perceivers to generate predictions about the social world.

“Homeostatic beliefs” (HBs) denote a sense that one’s life path will remain stable in the long-term despite short-term disruptions. Two studies have been undertaken to explore whether HBs exist independent of other constructs, and to develop a scale with which to measure them. In Study 1, 158 undergraduate students completed a draft HB scale and theoretically related scales. Convergent and divergent validity were assessed with correlational and regression analyses: HBs are most strongly related to, but not redundant with, optimism, trait extraversion, and satisfaction with life. Using exploratory factor analysis, a six-item HB scale was derived. Study 2 is in progress, and will assess the construct validity of the HB scale by attempting to manipulate HBs to possibly influence individuals’ reactions to a mortality salience manipulation. We hypothesize that high HBs may buffer individuals from transient disrupting stimuli such as a mortality salience cue.

Observers’ attributions of culpability in sexual assault cases have been studied in the context of psycholegal variables to explain how they come to their conclusions. Most research has revealed that there are differences between stranger and acquaintance rape, where victims of the latter are more likely to be blamed (Allgeier & Allgeier, 1995; Bridges & McGrail, 1989; Littleton, 2001; Mynatt & Allgeier, 1990; Scronce & Corcoran, 1995; Schuller & Klippenstine, 2004; Tetreault & Barnett, 1987). However, the work has been largely limited to examining rape myth acceptance and gender differences of observers. The present study addressed these limitations. The goals of this study were: (1) to examine judgments of perpetrator responsibility, (2) to examine the relationship between benevolent sexism and victim blame in an acquaintance rape, (3) to examine as to how benevolent sexism influences assailant blame, and (4) to examine differences between males and females on a sexism measure in relation to attribution of blame. This research utilized a community sample. Several groups of measures were utilized, including sexual assault vignettes with a questionnaire that assessed perceptions of sexual assault. Also administered were measures that assessed for social desirability, benevolent sexism, the preference for unequal relationships, and demographics. Two studies were conducted. The first one was a pilot study, which gathered qualitative and descriptive data for a measure designed specifically for this research. Participants (n= 20) reported that the measure was simple to read, understand and complete. The second study (200 participants) focused on the goals outlined and obtained reliability and principal components analysis information. Findings from study 2 revealed no significant differences between men and women in attribution of responsibility. However, assailant-victim relationship, and the presence of alcohol were statistically significant for blame. Although men scored higher on benevolent sexism in general, women obtained high scores when assailant-victim relationship and the presence of alcohol in the scenarios were taken into account. Similar to previous research (Abrams, Viki, Masser, & Bohner, 2003; Viki & Abrams, 2002; Viki, Masser, & Abrams, 2004), benevolent sexism was found to act as a moderator. Implications from results from this study were also discussed.

A two-part study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between fiction writing and social cognition: the ability to make inferences about the mental states of others. First, an online survey was administered that assessed beliefs held by the general public about the social cognition of fiction writers compared to a variety of other professions. The findings revealed that the general public believes fiction writers demonstrate above average sociocognitive abilities. Next, the possibility of an empirical relationship between social cognition and fiction writing was explored by comparing two groups of fiction writers (established/published and intermediate writers) and a control group on measures directly assessing different facets of social cognition (e.g., social perception, interpreting body language, and making inferences about interpersonal interactions on video and in written vignettes). Participants were also asked to self-report their own sociocognitive abilities via a questionnaire assessing perspective taking. Related variables to social cognition were also tested, including self-reported interpersonal/social reactivity and cognitive complexity/differentiation. Potential confounding variables, including age, level of depression, verbal IQ, and tendency to read fiction were also measured and accounted for. All participants provided a short story writing sample which was scored by three experts for quality, as well as potential textual determinants of social cognition: character transparency and point of view. The results of the study consistently revealed a lack of between-group differences on measures of social cognition as well as the related measure of cognitive complexity/differentiation. Fiction writing quality and character transparency correlated only with cognitive complexity/differentiation, but not with any variables directly assessing social cognition. Taken together, the results of the study suggest that, contrary to public perceptions, and contrary to the hypotheses of many theorists in the literature, fiction writers do not demonstrate superior sociocognitive abilities.