An Enhanced Default Approach Bias Following Amygdala Lesions in Humans
Approach and avoidance constitute a basic dimension of all animal behavior. Although a large number of studies have investigated approach and avoidance elicited by specific sensory stimuli, comparatively little is known about default approach biases when stimulus information is absent or reduced. The amygdala is well known to contribute to approach and avoidance behaviors in response to specific sensory stimuli; we tested whether the amygdala’s role might extend to situations in which stimulus information is reduced. In a novel task, 3 patients with rare bilateral amygdala lesions (and control subjects) made approach...
Source: Psychological Science - October 13, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Harrison, L. A., Hurlemann, R., Adolphs, R. Tags: Research Articles Source Type: research
Tweeting From Left to Right: Is Online Political Communication More Than an Echo Chamber?
Discussion of the Newtown shootings in 2012 reflected a dynamic process, beginning as a national conversation before transforming into a polarized exchange. With respect to both political and nonpolitical issues, liberals were more likely than conservatives to engage in cross-ideological dissemination; this is an important asymmetry with respect to the structure of communication that is consistent with psychological theory and research bearing on ideological differences in epistemic, existential, and relational motivation. Overall, we conclude that previous work may have overestimated the degree of ideological segregation ...
Source: Psychological Science - October 13, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Barbera, P., Jost, J. T., Nagler, J., Tucker, J. A., Bonneau, R. Tags: General Article Source Type: research
