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The effects of positive emotions on executive functions: how these two constructs interrelate with behavioral social outcomes in Chinese adolescents.

執行功能指代一系列高水平的認知加工過程。情緒狀態被證明對執行功能具有重要影響。然而,以往研究大多關注消極情緒的影響效應。本研究則借助實驗操作(研究1)和行為問卷(研究2),以國內青少年為被試,考察並比較了不同動機強度的積極情緒如何作用執行功能。此外,執行功能、積極情緒作為獨立的兩個變量,均被證明能夠有效預測青少年的問題行為與社交技能,但是以往鮮有研究探討它們對於這些結果變量的共同預測效力,據此,研究2還對這一問題作了分析。 / 研究1包括兩個實驗,分別考察有/無動機傾向(實驗1)與高/低動機強度的積極情緒(實驗2)對執行功能的影響效應。兩個實驗均為隨機對照設計,並用數字字母任務、Go/No-go任務、Flanker任務、線索回憶任務、N-back任務來測量基本的執行功能,包括定勢轉換、抑制能力、工作記憶刷新。實驗1隨機向每個被試呈現具有不同情感色彩的視頻短片,以此誘發:中性狀態、有動機傾向的積極情緒(興趣)、無動機傾向的積極情緒(逗樂、寧靜)以及動機強度不同的兩種消極情緒(緊張、厭惡)。實驗2則誘發中性狀態以及高/低動機強度的興趣。兩個實驗均測量了情緒誘發前後被試的生理喚醒作為控制變量。研究2用問卷評估了執行功能、不同動機強度的積極情緒、外向/內向的問題行為、五種基本的社交技能,並用回歸模型分析變量間的關係。 / 研究1結果顯示在控制了生理喚醒的效應后:(1)興趣仍顯著損害了所有執行任務表現,興趣動機強度越高,損害越傾向於嚴重;(2)相比中性狀態,逗樂與寧靜均未對執行任務表現造成顯著影響;(3)厭惡較之緊張,前者傾向於更嚴重地損害執行任務表現。研究2的重要結果有,在控制了性別、年齡與大五人格特質的效應后:(1)不論動機強度如何,積極情緒越多就傾向於導致執行功能越差;(2)執行功能在積極情緒與結果變量之間發揮中介作用。可見,動機強度調節著情緒對執行功能的影響效應。研究結果的理論及實踐啓發將在論文中作討論。 / Executive functions (EFs),an umbrella term encompassing various high-level cognitive processes, play an important role in child and adolescent development. Extensive evidence indicates that emotions exert great impact on EFs. However, previous studies mostly concerned the effects of negative emotions on EFs. The primary purpose of this study was to add to the literature by examininghow EFs were influenced by positive emotions that varied in motivational intensity among Chinese adolescents, using an experiment (Study 1) and through behavioral means (Study 2). Given that EFs and positive emotions have been separately proven as strong predictors to problem behaviors and social skills, Study 2 also explored their joint effect in predicting these outcome variables. / Study 1 comprised two experiments, which respectively compared the effects of motivating versus non-motivating positive emotions (Experiment 1 ) and of high-versus low-motivating positive emotions (Experiment 2). Both experiments employed the randomized controlled design and utilized the Number-Letter task, the Go/No-go task, the Flanker task, the Cued Recall task, and the N-back task to assess the fundamental EFs, i.e., set shifting, inhibition-related functioning, and working memory updating. Experiment 1 used film clips to induce hilarity, serenity, interest, anxiety, disgust, and neutral state. Whereas hilarity and serenity are non-motivating positive emotions, interest is the typical motivating positive emotion. Disgust has higher motivational intensity than anxiety. In Experiment 2, three emotional states were induced: low-motivating interest, high-motivating interest, and neutral state. Participants’ physiological arousal (i.e., blood pressure and pulse rate) were measured both before and after the emotion induction in two experiments, in order to control the potential influence of physiological arousal on executive performance. / In Study 2, behavioral measures were used to assess motivating/non-motivating positive emotions, EFs, externalizing/internalizing behaviors, and five basic social skills (i.e., social adaptability, social perception, social confidence, social expressiveness, and impression management). Regression analyses were conducted to explore the interrelationship between these constructs. / Results of Study 1 revealed that after controlling for physiological arousal: (1) interest impaired performance in all five executive tasks, with higher motivational intensity tending to aggravate the impairment; (2) hilarity and serenity, as compared with neutral state, did not cause significantly discrepant performance across all five executive tasks; (3) disgust, as compared with anxiety, tended to cause more severely impaired EFs. Results of Study 2 included that after controlling for demographic and personality variables: (1) high degree of motivating/non-motivating positive emotions tended to predict poor EFs; (2) EFs mediated the relationship between motivating/non-motivating positive emotions and behavioral social outcomes. These results confirmed that motivational intensity modulated the influences of emotions on EFs.Emotions high in motivational tendency were more likely to impair EFs. Possible explanation is that such emotions are linked with specific action urges to acquire desired objects, which could impel the individual to focus cognitive resources on the goal-pursuit and thus narrow down the flexibility and complexity of cognitive processing. Practical implications in simultaneously intervening emotionality and EFs to enhance children and adolescents’ behavioral social functioning will be discussed. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Zhou, Ya. / Thesis (Ph.D.) Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-113). / Abstracts also in Chinese; appendixes includes Chinese.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:cuhk.edu.hk/oai:cuhk-dr:cuhk_1202913
Date January 2014
ContributorsZhou, Ya (author.), Siu, Fung Ying (thesis advisor.), Chinese University of Hong Kong Graduate School. Division of Education. (degree granting institution.)
Source SetsThe Chinese University of Hong Kong
LanguageEnglish, Chinese, Chinese
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeText, bibliography, text
Formatelectronic resource, electronic resource, remote, 1 online resource (xv, 130 leaves) : illustrations, computer, online resource
CoverageChina
RightsUse of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons “Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International” License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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