Knowing Who You Are: Neural Correlates of Self-concept Clarity and Happiness

The resting-state brain activity and connectivity mediates the effect of overt narcissism on negative physical self

Overt narcissism is a stable personality trait in which individuals maintain a relatively positive self-image through self-improvement. Previous studies have suggested that examining the neurobiological processes behind personality could help to understand the mechanism by which the personality acts as a risk or protective factor. However, there is a lack of research investigating the neural mechanisms underlying the influence of overt narcissism on negative physical self (NPS). This study evaluated the resting state brain activity (fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations, fALFF) and connectivity (functional connectivity, FC) of 1647 college students. Whole brain correlation analysis showed that overt narcissism was positively correlated with fALFF in the left insula, left precentral gyrus (PreCG) and bilateral superior temporal gyrus (STG). Moreover, overt narcissism exhibited a significant positive correlation with the right STG-PreCG connectivity, and also was significantly positively correlated with FC between the left STG and posterior cingulate gyrus, the left orbitofrontal cortex, the right inferior frontal gyrus and the right thalamus. The results of mediating analysis showed that fALFF in the left PreCG and the right STG-PreCG connectivity partially mediated the effects of overt narcissism on general and facial appearance of NPS, respectively. This study constructed a model (i.e., overt narcissism→brain regions/FC→NPS), providing neurobiological evidence for the relationship between overt narcissism and NPS.

Low Self-Concept Clarity Induces Scarcity Perceptions: The Subsequent Effects on Prosocial Behavior

We explore the relationship between self-concept clarity (SCC), scarcity perceptions, and the associated behavioral consequences. While scarcity perceptions are often linked to experiences and considerations of resource constraints, our research suggests that low SCC can induce such perceptions and decrease prosocial behavior. With six studies, we demonstrated that low SCC triggers scarcity perceptions (Studies 1A to 4B), which is mediated by increased social comparison orientation (Studies 2 to 4B). Furthermore, we found that the scarcity perceptions increased by low SCC further predict individuals' low inclination to engage in prosocial behaviors (Studies 3 to 4B). By establishing a link between SCC and scarcity perceptions, our research departs from the traditional focus on resource constraints, broadens the factors that induce scarcity perceptions, and extends our understanding of the societal implications of low SCC.

Well-being is associated with cortical thickness network topology of human brain

BACKGROUND

Living a happy and meaningful life is an eternal topic in positive psychology, which is crucial for individuals' physical and mental health as well as social functioning. Well-being can be subdivided into pleasure attainment related hedonic well-being or emotional well-being, and self-actualization related eudaimonic well-being or psychological well-being plus social well-being. Previous studies have mostly focused on human brain morphological and functional mechanisms underlying different dimensions of well-being, but no study explored brain network mechanisms of well-being, especially in terms of topological properties of human brain morphological similarity network.

METHODS

Therefore, in the study, we collected 65 datasets including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and well-being data, and constructed human brain morphological network based on morphological distribution similarity of cortical thickness to explore the correlations between topological properties including network efficiency and centrality and different dimensions of well-being.

RESULTS

We found emotional well-being was negatively correlated with betweenness centrality in the visual network but positively correlated with eigenvector centrality in the precentral sulcus, while the total score of well-being was positively correlated with local efficiency in the posterior cingulate cortex of cortical thickness network.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrated that different dimensions of well-being corresponded to different cortical hierarchies: hedonic well-being was involved in more preliminary cognitive processing stages including perceptual and attentional information processing, while hedonic and eudaimonic well-being might share common morphological similarity network mechanisms in the subsequent advanced cognitive processing stages.

A neurocognitive model of early onset persistent and desistant antisocial behavior in early adulthood

It remains unclear which functional and neurobiological mechanisms are associated with persistent and desistant antisocial behavior in early adulthood. We reviewed the empirical literature and propose a neurocognitive social information processing model for early onset persistent and desistant antisocial behavior in early adulthood, focusing on how young adults evaluate, act upon, monitor, and learn about their goals and self traits. Based on the reviewed literature, we propose that persistent antisocial behavior is characterized by domain-general impairments in self-relevant and goal-related information processing, regulation, and learning, which is accompanied by altered activity in fronto-limbic brain areas. We propose that desistant antisocial development is associated with more effortful information processing, regulation and learning, that possibly balances self-relevant goals and specific situational characteristics. The proposed framework advances insights by considering individual differences such as psychopathic personality traits, and specific emotional characteristics (e.g., valence of social cues), to further illuminate functional and neural mechanisms underlying heterogenous developmental pathways. Finally, we address important open questions and offer suggestions for future research to improve scientific knowledge on general and context-specific expression and development of antisocial behavior in early adulthood.

Neural correlates of Type A personality: Type A personality mediates the association of resting-state brain activity and connectivity with eating disorder symptoms

BACKGROUND

Type A personality (TAP) was characterized by impatience, competitiveness, aggressiveness, and hostility. Higher TAP was proved to be associated with more eating disorder symptoms (EDS). While little is known about the underlying neural substrates of TAP and how TAP is linked to EDS at the neural level.

METHODS

To investigate the neural basis of TAP, we adopted fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) via resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) (N = 1620). Mediation models were examined to explore the relationship between TAP, EDS, and brain activity.

RESULTS

TAP was associated with decreased fALFF in the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and increased fALFF in the left precentral gyrus (PreCG). Furthermore, TAP was positively correlated to RSFC between the left MFG and left inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) and between the left PreCG and right middle temporal gyrus (MTG). Mediation analysis showed TAP fully mediated the association of the left MFG activity, MFG-ITG connectivity, and PreCG-MTG connectivity with EDS.

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional design of this study precludes us from specifying the causal relationship in the associations we observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested spontaneous activity in the left MFG and PreCG is associated with TAP, and even in general sample, people with higher TAP showed more EDS. The present study is the first to investigate the neurobiological underpinnings of TAP in a large sample and further offered new insights into the relation between TAP and EDS from a neural basis perspective.

Mediation of self-concept clarity and self-control between negative emotional states and emotional eating in Chinese adolescents

Recent studies have consistently lent support for the significant relationship between negative emotional states (e.g., anxiety, stress, and depression) and emotional eating; however, only a handful of studies focused on examining the potential mediator in this association. The present study aimed to contribute to the literature surrounding the link between negative emotional states and emotional eating and to examine the mediating role of self-concept clarity and self-control in this association among a sample of Chinese adolescents (N = 1347, 62.44% girls). Results indicated that adolescents perceived higher levels of negative emotional states were linked to higher emotional eating. Additionally, the structural equation model suggested that symptoms of stress and depression could be associated with emotional eating through self-control. Moreover, the serial mediation effect of self-concept clarity and self-control could account for the association of negative emotional states (e.g., symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression) and emotional eating. Overall, this study advances our understanding of the underlying mechanisms through which negative emotional states predict emotional eating in adolescence. If future studies reveal converging findings, this knowledge points to the need for programs preventing the development of emotional eating in adolescence through increasing the level of self-control and self-concept clarity.

Self-concept Clarity and Subjective Well-Being: Disentangling Within- and Between-Person Associations

Previous research has suggested that, among adolescents, clarity about one's self-concept is closely related to subjective well-being. However, longitudinal studies are scarce, and whether a clear self-concept is the cause or effect of subjective well-being remains unclear. This study examined the dynamic longitudinal associations between self-concept clarity and subjective well-being at the between- and within-person levels over a one-year time span among adolescents (baseline Mage = 16.01 years; 57.0% girls) from China. The data were collected in three waves (each at a six-month interval), in which adolescents reported their self-concept clarity and well-being (i.e., positive and negative affect and personal satisfaction with life). Both Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models (RI-CLPMs) and Cross-Lagged Panel Models (CLPMs) were applied to examine the stability, cross-sectional relationships, and cross-lagged effects between adolescents' self-concept clarity and subjective well-being over time. The CLPMs provided unique support for a reciprocal relations model of self-concept clarity and subjective well-being (including both cognitive and emotional well-being) across three time points, although the results of traditional CLPM might represent an unknown blend of between- and within-person effects. However, the RI-CLPM analyses provided tentative support only for cross-sectional correlations between self-concept clarity and well-being outcomes. Our findings advance the literature by elucidating longitudinal relationships between self-concept clarity and subjective well-being in collectivist cultural contexts using CLPM and RI-CLPM.

The relationship between brain neural correlates, self-objectification, and interoceptive sensibility

Interoceptive sensibility refers to the tendency to focus on internal bodily states and the capacity to detect them. As the subjective dimension of interoception, interoceptive sensibility plays a key role in individuals' health. Self-objectification, a process by which individuals tend to adopt a third-person's perspective of their physical self, leads to decreased interoceptive sensibility. However, few studies regarding the neural basis of interoceptive sensibility and the underlying mechanism of the relationship between self-objectification and interoceptive sensibility have been conducted. In this study, we assessed the resting-state brain activity (fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation, fALFF) and connectivity (resting-state functional connectivity, RSFC) of 442 college students. Whole-brain correlation analyses revealed that a higher level of interoceptive sensibility was linked to higher fALFF in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and left cerebellum and to lower fALFF in the left paracentral lobule and left superior/middle temporal gyrus. Interoceptive sensibility also was negatively associated with the RSFC between the right IFG and the right secondary somatosensory cortex (S2) and the right IFG and the ventral premotor cortex (VPC). These brain regions and connections are mainly responsible for switching attention to internal/external information and processing body-related somatosensory as well as sensory information. Mediation analyses suggested that the fALFF of the right IFG and the RSFC of IFG-S2 and IFG-VPC mediated the relationship between self-objectification and interoceptive sensibility. Overall, these results suggest that the IFG may be the neural marker of interoceptive sensibility and reveal several potential mediation models of the relationship between brain neural correlates and self-objectification and interoceptive sensibility.

The effects of coloring therapy on patients with generalized anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has harmful effects on physical and mental health and quality of life. Coloring therapy has been reported to have a positive effect on improving patient anxiety and depression. But there are no reported clinical trials examining their effectiveness as a treatment for GAD. This study was planned to evaluate the effectiveness of coloring therapy combined with conventional therapy in improving anxiety, depression, and positive and negative emotions with GAD. This randomized controlled study comprising 88 GAD patients was selected for intervention in different wards. The control group (n = 45) was given conventional antianxiety medication and physical therapy, and the experimental group (n = 43) received coloring therapy combined with conventional therapy. The Self-Rating Depression Scale, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Hamilton Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), and Positive and Negative Affect Scale were assessed in both groups before and 3 weeks after the intervention. After the intervention, there were statistical differences in intra- and inter-group comparisons of anxiety, depression, and positive and negative mood scales in the experimental and control groups (p < .05). The minus in anxiety/positive emotions pre- and postintervention in the experimental group was statistically significant compared to that in anxiety/positive emotions pre- and postintervention in the control group (HAMA: d = 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] (0.34, 2.57), p = .011; SAS: d = 3.87, 95% CI (1.73,6.00), p = .001; positive: d = 1.76, 95% CI (0.17, 3.34), p = .030). The minus in depressive/negative emotions pre- and postintervention in the experimental group was not statistically significant compared with that in depressive/negative emotions pre- and postintervention in the control group (p > .05). For GAD patients, adding coloring therapy based on conventional drug therapy and physical therapy can not only reduce depression and negative emotions but also have better effects on reducing anxiety and improving positive emotions than conventional therapy.