Despite a consensus that psychosocial adversity plays a role in the onset of psychosis, the nature of this role and the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study examined the complex relationship between perceived ethnic discrimination (PED) and paranoid ideation and its mediating factors, in individuals with Attenuated Psychotic Syndrome (APS) using a virtual reality paradigm to objectively quantify paranoia. Secondly, a sensory gating deficit, indexed by P50 Event Related Potential (ERP) abnormalities was examined, and the combined effect of electrophysiological sensory gating deficits and psycho-social adversity on the development of psychosis was explored. Results showed that perceived maternal neglect and antipathy in childhood, PED and perceived social support were key factors in young adults with APS. Also PED was positively correlated with persecutory paranoia. Furthermore, individuals with APS displayed sensory gating impairments. Therefore, perceived exposure to adverse experiences and sensory gating deficits observed in individuals with APS are present before the first episode and are consistent with current biopsychosocial models in which early psychosocial stress, later psychosocial adversity and neurocognitive functioning plays a key role in the development of psychosis.

The law of small numbers bias is a representativeness heuristic that often leads individuals to draw extensive conclusions from small samples while underestimating the generalizability in larger ones. This study investigated whether individuals overestimate perceived discrimination in small employment samples and underestimate it in large ones. A pre-registered scenario-based experiment was conducted, where participants (N = 874) estimated probability of discrimination versus chance in skewed hiring distributions. We manipulated employment sample size (filling four vs. 100 positions) and ethnic majority (hiring more immigrants or Swedes) using a 2x2 between-subject design. A tendency for people to overestimate perceived discrimination by underestimating the impact of chance in small employment samples was revealed. Conversely, in large employment samples, people tended to underestimate perceived discrimination by overestimating the impact of chance. Hence, results aligned with the law of small numbers. Furthermore, participants were more inclined to attribute an event as discriminatory when organizations hired more Swedes than immigrants, reflecting (accurate) prototypes of discrimination. This study's implications are discussed concerning the repercussions of underestimating and overestimating perceived discrimination in hiring situations. Future research suggestions are also provided.

Studies have identified perceived racism as one type of social stress that is believed to contribute to hypertension, though no studies to date have examined the relationship between perceived racism and blood pressure among foreign-born Mexicans living in the United States (U.S.). In addition, studies have shown that acculturation may increase levels of perceived discrimination among foreign-born Mexicans living in the U.S. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived racism and ambulatory blood pressure among a convenience sample of 332 foreign-born Mexicans living in Utah County, Utah controlling for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and acculturation. This was done through the use of several multiple regression analyses using archival data collected at Brigham Young University. The Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire—Community Version (Brief PEDQ—CV) was used to measure perceived racism. The Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans (ARSMA-II) was used to measure both language and general acculturation. Four blood pressure variables, including waking systolic blood pressure (WSBP), waking diastolic blood pressure (WDBP), sleeping systolic blood pressure (SSBP), and sleeping diastolic blood pressure (SDBP) were used as outcome variables in the regression analyses. A relationship between perceived racism and any of the ambulatory blood pressure variables used in this study was not found. In addition, English-language acculturation was not found to moderate the relationship between perceived racism and blood pressure in the sample of first generation Mexicans participating in this study. A moderating effect of general acculturation on the relationship between perceived racism and blood pressure was found when controlling for age, BMI, and gender, though this moderating effect disappeared when WDBP was included in the regression model. Implications of findings, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.