Distinct Behavioral Profiles Research Articles

Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat substrains show differences in model traits for addiction risk and cocaine self-administration: Implications for a novel rat reduced complexity cross

Forward genetic mapping of F2 crosses between closely related substrains of inbred rodents - referred to as a reduced complexity cross (RCC) - is a relatively new strategy for accelerating the pace of gene discovery for complex traits, such as drug addiction. RCCs to date were generated in mice, but rats are thought to be optimal for addiction genetic studies. Based on past literature, one inbred Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat substrain, SHR/NCrl, is predicted to exhibit a distinct behavioral profile as it relates to cocaine self-administration traits relative to another substrain, SHR/NHsd. Direct substrain comparisons are a necessary first step before implementing an RCC. We evaluated model traits for cocaine addiction risk and cocaine self-administration behaviors using a longitudinal within-subjects design. Impulsive-like and compulsive-like traits were greater in SHR/NCrl than SHR/NHsd, as were reactivity to sucrose reward, sensitivity to acute psychostimulant effects of cocaine, and cocaine use studied under fixed-ratio and tandem schedules of cocaine self-administration. Compulsive-like behavior correlated with the acute psychostimulant effects of cocaine, which in turn correlated with cocaine taking under the tandem schedule. Compulsive-like behavior also was the best predictor of cocaine seeking responses. Heritability estimates indicated that 22 %–40 % of the variances for the above phenotypes can be explained by additive genetic factors, providing sufficient genetic variance to conduct genetic mapping in F2 crosses of SHR/NCrl and SHR/NHsd. These results provide compelling support for using an RCC approach in SHR substrains to uncover candidate genes and variants that are of relevance to cocaine use disorders.

Clinical–morphological profiles of esophageal carcinoma’s main types

Aim: The purpose of the study was to define and then to compare particularly the morphological profiles of the main morphological types of esophageal carcinoma (EC). Patients, Materials and Methods: The studied group included 46 operated EC patients. Few parameters were clinical (gender and age). The rest of them described both gross and histological features of the entire group and of the two main histological types of carcinoma (lesion’ site, lateral extension, lesion dimensions, gross aspect, and histological type, and tumor grade, and stage). Stratification scales of cases were defined according to each parameter in order to compare the data and a statistical apparatus [Student’s t-test and χ2 (chi-squared) test] was used. Results: The studied tumors were encountered mostly in mature adult and elderly men, usually in the lower segments of the esophagus. Many of them had between five and ten cm in the long diameter and produced stenosis. Most of them had infiltrating appearance combined often with protruding or/and ulcerated aspects. Usually, the tumors were poorly differentiated and in stage III. The two main histological types of EC showed different morphological profiles. Data from the literature revealed sometimes wide ranges of variation for the studied morphological parameters. Our results were within these ranges of variation. Conclusions: ECs proved to be aggressive and late diagnosed tumors in general, with distinct morphological and behavioral profiles for the two main histological types. Comparisons with literature data confirmed many of our observations regarding the clinical and morphological aspects of both ECs as a whole and its histological types.

The structure and subtypes of gambling activities: Genetic, psychiatric and behavioral etiologies of gambling frequency

The multitude of gambling activities has given rise to heterogeneous ways of analyzing these behaviors and may partially underlie the lack of replication in gambling research. The current study used complementary analyses to investigate the structure, typology and etiology of gambling behaviors in a discovery sample of 2,116 twins (54.86% female; Mage = 24.90) and a replication sample of 619 siblings (30.37% female; Mage = 28.00). Our approach was twofold. First, we used confirmatory factor analyses to investigate the structure across the frequency of eight gambling activities. Second, we used factor mixture models to identify gambling frequency subtypes. We assessed associations with gambling frequency as well as conducted genetically informed analyses to estimate the role of genetic and environmental influences. Across samples, a two-factor model fit the data best, with a Common Gambling factor influencing all activities and a separate factor for Skill Gambling. Our study identified four gambling frequency subtypes, which resembled the typology from the Pathways Model. We found distinct demographic, psychiatric, behavioral and genetic risk profiles for the different gambling factors and subtypes with robust associations observed for male sex, risk-taking, sensation seeking, alcohol dependence and problem gambling. Controlling for shared genetic and environmental influences (via co-twin control modeling), we found that sensation seeking directly increased Common Gambling frequency. In sum, we illustrated the utility of multi-dimensional statistical techniques for disentangling the structure and typology from complex multivariate gambling data.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling corresponds with distinct behavioural profiles in a rat model of maternal immune activation

Dysfunction within the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade has been recognised as a pathological feature of schizophrenia, however the possible mechanistic connection to the disease phenotype remains unexplored. Using the maternal immune activation (MIA) rat model of schizophrenia, the present study investigated the involvement of prefrontal cortex (PFC) MAPK in sensorimotor gating and adaptive learning deficits via western blot, pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) testing, and a contingency degradation operant task, respectively. Principle findings identified a negative relationship between basal MAPK expression and PPI exclusively in MIA rats, suggesting a modulatory role for MAPK in sensorimotor gating pathology. In addition, the correlation between MAPK and adaptive learning capacity observed in control rats was absent for rats exposed to MIA. Findings are considered with respect to the glutamatergic NMDA hypofunction theory of schizophrenia, as well as the critical role of PFC in contingency learning.

Patterns of physical activity, sitting time, and sleep in Australian adults: A latent class analysis

ObjectiveTo identify the patterns of activity, sitting and sleep that adults engage in, the demographic and biological correlates of activity-sleep patterns and the relationship between identified patterns and self-rated health. Design and SettingOnline panel of randomly selected Australian adults (n = 2034) completing a cross-sectional survey in October-November 2013. ParticipantsPanel members who provided complete data on all variables were included (n = 1532). MeasurementsParticipants self-reported their demographic characteristics, height, weight, self-rated health, duration of physical activity, frequency of resistance training, sitting time, sleep duration, sleep quality, and variability in bed and wake times. Activity-sleep patterns were determined using latent class analysis. Latent class regression was used to examine the relationships between identified patterns, demographic and biological characteristics, and self-rated health. ResultsA 4-class model fit the data best, characterized by very active good sleepers, inactive good sleepers, inactive poor sleepers, moderately active good sleepers, representing 38.2%, 22.2%, 21.2%, and 18.4% of the sample, respectively. Relative to the very active good sleepers, the inactive poor sleepers, and inactive good sleepers were more likely to report being female, lower education, higher body mass index, and lower self-rated health, the moderately active good sleepers were more likely to be older, report lower education, higher body mass index and lower self-rated health. Associations between activity-sleep pattern and self-rated health were the largest in the inactive poor sleepers. ConclusionsThe 4 activity-sleep patterns identified had distinct behavioral profiles, sociodemographic correlates, and relationships with self-rated health. Many adults could benefit from behavioral interventions targeting improvements in physical activity and sleep.

Do Koreans like being nudged? Survey evidence for the contextuality of behavioral public policy

This study explores the nuances of South Koreans’ approval for nudge policies by replicating a survey conducted in global nudge research, and then extending the analysis and discussion with greater detail about the context. The traditions, culture, and development of Korea have contributed to a distinct behavioral bias profile that must be integrated into approaches for nudge policy design and implementation. This article proposes the qualities of such a profile from the survey results, as well as the prospect that Koreans are more receptive to information nudges that engage analytic reflection. The findings show significantly lower nudge policy approval rates for Koreans in contrast to Americans and other Western countries. This serves to support previous calls for further research about the generalizability of nudge approaches by contributing evidence to the importance of context for identifying and leveraging behavioral biases in the application of policy. The research offers insights into the Korean context that may be used for nudge policies in Korea and other Eastern contexts.

Food waste tendencies: Behavioral response to cosmetic deterioration of food.

American households discard a significant amount of food that represent a sizable portion of their food expenditures. This study adds to our understanding of product attributes associated with food waste, with a focus on cosmetic deterioration during home storage. Specifically, we profile a sample of U.S. individuals by patterns of common food-related behaviors and determine the effects of product attributes on food waste tendencies at the point of consumption by distinct behavioral profiles. An interactive survey at the Minnesota State Fair (N = 333) was used to obtain measurements on food-related behavior and sociodemographic factors. The survey included a conjoint task to elicit food discard tendencies to construct the food waste proxy. The study considered cosmetic deterioration, date labels, implied shelf life, package size, and prices paid, in fresh, packaged spinach and ground beef products. Factor analysis and latent class modeling categorized the sample into two classes, revealing distinct food-related behavioral patterns. Planners, who constituted a slight majority in our sample, were likely to have established pre-shopping and in-store behavior and food management and cooking skills. Extemporaneous Consumers had inferior food handling routines and were less knowledgeable and skilled in the kitchen. Regression analysis using a random-effects tobit model showed Extemporaneous Consumers were prone to waste a greater portion of the spinach product than Planners. Otherwise, both classes showed similar increases in likelihood to discard the products, as their appearance deteriorated. Their tendency to waste increased with shorter remaining shelf life for spinach but not for ground beef, and was not affected by the date label type. Results suggest an intervention that targets a general audience designed to enhance people’s skills to discern edibility of food in home storage by manipulating sensory expectations from cosmetic deterioration could be impactful in efforts to curtail food waste.

Rapastinel, an NMDAR positive modulator, produces distinct behavioral, sleep, and EEG profiles compared with ketamine

Rapastinel, a positive NMDAR modulator, produces rapid-acting and long-lasting antidepressant-like effects; however, unlike ketamine, the abuse potential for rapastinel is minimal. Ketamine has also been shown to induce psychotomimetic/dissociative side effects, aberrant gamma oscillations, and effects similar to sleep deprivation, which may potentially limit its clinical use. In this study, we compared the side effect profile and potential sleep-altering properties of rapastinel (3, 10, and 30 mg/kg) to ketamine (30 mg/kg) in rodents. In addition, we investigated corresponding changes in transcriptomics and proteomics. Rapastinel exhibited no effect on locomotor activity and prepulse inhibition in mice, while ketamine induced a significant increase in locomotor activity and a significant decrease in prepulse inhibition, which are indications of a psychosis-like state. The effects of rapastinel on sleep architecture were minimal, and rapastinel did not alter gamma frequency oscillations. In contrast, ketamine administration resulted in a greater latency to slow wave and REM sleep, disrupted duration of sleep, and affected duration of wakefulness during sleep. Further, ketamine increased cortical oscillations in the gamma frequency range, which is a property associated with psychosis. Rapastinel induced similar plasticity-related changes in transcriptomics to ketamine in rats but differed in several gene ontology classes, some of which may be involved in the regulation of sleep. In conclusion, rapastinel demonstrated a lower propensity than ketamine to induce CNS-related adverse side effects and sleep disturbances.

Raised visual contrast thresholds with intact attention and metacognition in functional motor disorder

Functional motor disorders (FMDs) are distinguished by signs that lack congruence with recognised patterns of organic disease and show inconsistency over time. Their pathophysiology is poorly understood, but there is evidence that irregularities in perceptual and cognitive processing lie at the heart of these conditions.Here, we draw on a predictive coding account of functional neurological disorders to study perceptual decision-making in three groups: 20 patients with FMDs (14 with functional movements and 6 with functional weakness), 20 with phenotypically-matched organic motor disorders, and 20 age-matched healthy controls. We examine four cognitive domains with putative roles in FMD pathogenesis: attention, expectations, sensory processing (perceptual sensitivity), and metacognition (introspective evaluation of performance). We augmented a dual-task paradigm, manipulating the visual contrast required for target detection to examine these domains in one design.With sensory input (stimulus contrast) psychometrically adjusted to staircase target detection at a fixed level for all groups, the FMD group exhibited statistically equivalent attentional, expectational and metacognitive processing to healthy controls. However, we demonstrate Bayesian evidence and a frequentist trend that FMD patients require higher visual contrast than controls to maintain the same detection sensitivity (BF10 = 8.1, pholm = .066). This was statistically equivalent to the visual contrast required by the organic group, and unlikely to be accounted for by medication use or comorbid psychopathology. The organic group showed differences in processing of attention and expectations for target detection that were not observed in either healthy controls or the functional group.The distinctive behavioural profile of FMDs may arise from abnormalities in basic sensory processing, while higher attentional, expectational and metacognitive mechanisms remain intact. Conceptualising functional neurological disorders under a predictive coding account may consolidate and refine existing pathophysiological theories about them.

Distinct biomarker and behavioral profiles of human papillomavirus-related oropharynx cancer patients by age.

HPV-positive oropharynx squamous cell cancer (HPV-OPC) patients were initially described as younger, however incidence has increased among older age-groups. It is unknown why some patients present at a younger age and others at a later age. Multi-institutional prospective study of HPV-OPC cases (n=163) and matched controls (n=345) with detailed behavioral survey, and serum tested for HPV antibodies by fluorescent bead-based technology. Age at diagnosis was used to stratify patients into younger (≤50years), middle-age (51-65), and older (>65). By age, demographic characteristics were largely similar, but HPV biomarkers and sexual acts differed. Younger cases were more likely to be HPV16-positive than older cases (100% vs 77%, p=0.009). Similarly, younger cases were more likely to be HPV16 E6 or E7 seropositive (100% vs 82%, p=0.03). Younger cases had a higher number of oral sex partners per year, a marker of sexual intensity (sex-years, p=0.003), but a similar number of lifetime oral sex partners (measure of cumulative sexual exposure), compared to older cases. While sex-years were higher for younger cases and controls, cases had significantly higher sex-years than matched controls in each age-group (p<0.001). Younger patients were also more likely to perform oral sex at sexual debut, and were younger at sexual debut (each p<0.03). Younger, middle-age and older HPV-OPC have distinct biomarker and behavioral profiles. Younger HPV-OPC cases have higher intensity of sexual exposure than older cases and controls, which may in part explain earlier disease onset. The distribution of HPV16-positive tumors among HPV-OPC differs by age group.

Genes Positively Selected in Domesticated Mammals Are Significantly Dysregulated in the Blood of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Human self-domestication (i.e., the presence of traits in our species that are commonly found in domesticated animals) has been hypothesized to have contributed to the emergence of many human-specific features, including aspects of our cognition and behavior. Signs of self-domestication have been claimed to be attenuated in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), this conceivably accounting for facets of their distinctive cognitive and behavioral profile, although this possibility needs to be properly tested. In this study, we have found that candidate genes for mammal domestication, but not for neural crest development and function, are significantly dysregulated in the blood of subjects with ASD. The set of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) is enriched in biological and molecular processes, as well as in pathological phenotypes, of relevance for the etiology of ASD, like lipid metabolism, cell apoptosis, the activity of the insulin-like growth factor, gene expression regulation, skin/hair anomalies, musculoskeletal abnormalities, and hearing impairment. Moreover, among the DEGs, there are known candidates for ASD and/or genes involved in biological processes known to be affected in ASD. Our findings give support to the view that one important aspect of the etiopathogenesis of ASD is the abnormal manifestation of features of human self-domestication.

Assessing the Similarity of Injunctive Norm Profiles Across Different Social Roles: The Effect of Closeness and Status in the United States and China

Do social roles affect injunctive norms for behavior and more so in Chinese than American cultural contexts? We use mixed methods to analyze open-ended data describing appropriate behavior within social roles that differ in interpersonal closeness and relative status. American ( N = 401) and Chinese ( N = 392) participants provided descriptions of ideal behavior of two actors in one of 16 role dyads. The 2,219 (American) and 1,466 (Chinese) behavior descriptions were coded into 71 content categories, forming profiles of appropriate behavior for six social roles (Close/Distant × Low/Equal/High status). First, we adapt a method for assessing profile similarity in personality psychology to quantitatively evaluate how closeness and status affect similarity between the six social roles. By separating profiles into normative (average behavior) and distinctive (behavior specific to a particular social role) components, we find that distinctive behavioral profiles for specific social roles vary systematically by closeness/status in both American and Chinese data; we also find a larger effect of closeness in Chinese data. Second, we qualitatively analyze the content of the distinctive behavioral profiles through the lens of the rapport management model, showing how rights and obligations associated with each role vary, and finding cultural differences in which behaviors appropriately manage these expectations. Quantitative findings emphasize the cross-cultural importance of interpersonal situations for determining appropriate behavior, with some evidence for a greater effect in Chinese culture; qualitative results reveal the culturally specific ways in which relational situations direct expectations for behavior.

Patterns of physical activity, sitting time and sleep in Australian adults: a latent class analysis

Abstract Objective To identify the patterns of activity, sitting and sleep that adults engage in, the demographic and biological correlates of activity-sleep patterns and the relationship between identified patterns and self-rated health. Design and Setting Online panel of randomly selected Australian adults (n = 2034) completing a cross-sectional survey in October-November 2013. Participants Panel members who provided complete data on all variables were included (n = 1532). Measurements Participants self-reported their demographic characteristics, height, weight, self-rated health, duration of physical activity, frequency of resistance training, sitting time, sleep duration, sleep quality, and variability in bed and wake times. Activity-sleep patterns were determined using latent class analysis. Latent class regression was used to examine the relationships between identified patterns, demographic and biological characteristics, and self-rated health. Results A 4-class model fit the data best, characterized by very active good sleepers, inactive good sleepers, inactive poor sleepers, moderately active good sleepers, representing 38.2%, 22.2%, 21.2%, and 18.4% of the sample, respectively. Relative to the very active good sleepers, the inactive poor sleepers, and inactive good sleepers were more likely to report being female, lower education, higher body mass index, and lower self-rated health, the moderately active good sleepers were more likely to be older, report lower education, higher body mass index and lower self-rated health. Associations between activity-sleep pattern and self-rated health were the largest in the inactive poor sleepers. Conclusions The 4 activity-sleep patterns identified had distinct behavioral profiles, sociodemographic correlates, and relationships with self-rated health. Many adults could benefit from behavioral interventions targeting improvements in physical activity and sleep.

Data-driven identification of subtypes of executive function across typical development, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorders.

Impairment of executive function (EF), the goal-directed regulation of thoughts, actions, and emotions, drives negative outcomes and is common across neurodevelopmental disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A primary challenge to its amelioration is heterogeneity in symptom expression within and across disorders. Parsing this heterogeneity is necessary to attain diagnostic precision, a goal of the NIMH Research Domain Criteria Initiative. We aimed to identify transdiagnostic subtypes of EF that span the normal to impaired spectrum and establish their predictive and neurobiological validity. Community detection was applied to clinical parent-report measures in 8-14-year-old children with and without ADHD and ASD from two independent cohorts (discovery N=320; replication N=692) to identify subgroups with distinct behavioral profiles. Support vector machine (SVM) classification was used to predict subgroup membership of unseen cases. Preliminary neurobiological validation was obtained with existing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data on a subsample (N=84) by testing hypotheses about sensitivity of EF subgroups versus DSM categories. We observed three transdiagnostic EF subtypes characterized by behavioral profiles that were defined by relative weakness in: (a) flexibility and emotion regulation; (b) inhibition; and (c) working memory, organization, and planning. The same tripartite structure was also present in the typically developing children. SVM trained on the discovery sample and tested on the replication sample classified subgroup membership with 77.0% accuracy. Split-half SVM classification on the combined sample (N=1,012) yielded 88.9% accuracy (this SVM is available for public use). As hypothesized, frontal-parietal engagement was better distinguished by EF subtype than DSM diagnosis and the subgroup characterized with inflexibility failed to modulate right IPL activation in response to increased executive demands. The observed transdiagnostic subtypes refine current diagnostic nosology and augment clinical decision-making for personalizing treatment of executive dysfunction in children.

Panayiotopoulos syndrome and Gastaut syndrome are distinct entities in terms of neuropsychological findings

BackgroundAlthough the courses of self-limited focal epilepsies of childhood are considered as benign, a handful of studies suggested that these children may suffer from cognitive problems. Implementing tailor-made educational strategies would aid these children to reach their full potentials. Therefore, it is crucial to understand and differentiate the complete neuropsychological and behavioral profiles of these rather common syndromes. We aimed to examine the distinct cognitive and behavioral profiles of the Panayiotopoulos syndrome (PS) and the Gastaut syndrome (GS), comparatively. MethodTwenty patients with PS, 20 patients with GS, and 20 healthy controls have been recruited. The testing protocol included Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, Conner's Continuous Performance Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Stroop Color and Word Test, Color Trails Test, Tower of London Test, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version, Rey Complex Figure Test, Benton Face Recognition Test, Benton Judgment of Line Orientation, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Reading and Writing Test, Child Behavior Checklist, Conner's Parent Rating Scale-48, and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. Demographical, clinical, electrophysiological data, and imaging findings have also been evaluated. ResultsWith regard to intelligence, the patients with PS scored less in all scales compared to the healthy controls. However, only the performance IQ (intelligence quotient) scores differed significantly between the patient groups, with the patients with PS scoring lower than the patients with GS. Verbal memory problems were eminent in both of the patient groups; whereas, visual memory was impaired only in the group with PS. Psychomotor speed was affected in both groups. Reading problems were prominent only in the patients with PS. Writing and arithmetic skills were defective in both patient groups. There were no noteworthy behavioral problems in comparison to healthy subjects. ConclusionUsing neuropsychological profiles, this study demonstrated that the GS and the PS are two distinct entities. Cognitive dysfunction is a more prominent and widespread feature of the patients with PS; whereas, the patients with GS suffer only from milder and isolated cognitive problems.

Williams Syndrome, Human Self-Domestication, and Language Evolution.

Language evolution resulted from changes in our biology, behavior, and culture. One source of these changes might be human self-domestication. Williams syndrome (WS) is a clinical condition with a clearly defined genetic basis which results in a distinctive behavioral and cognitive profile, including enhanced sociability. In this paper we show evidence that the WS phenotype can be satisfactorily construed as a hyper-domesticated human phenotype, plausibly resulting from the effect of the WS hemideletion on selected candidates for domestication and neural crest (NC) function. Specifically, we show that genes involved in animal domestication and NC development and function are significantly dysregulated in the blood of subjects with WS. We also discuss the consequences of this link between domestication and WS for our current understanding of language evolution.

Consumption attributes and preferences on medicinal and aromatic plants: a consumer segmentation analysis

ABSTRACT: In recent years, increasing interest in natural and traditional plants, which are an integral part of rural life, has been observed because of health concerns and new social trends. In this regard, medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are becoming more popular among consumers. The purpose of this research is to investigate consumers’ attitudes and behaviors toward MAPs in order to identify possible distinct consumer group and examine its potential linkage to the characteristics of the consumers’ demographic and socio-economic status. To detect the perceived differences among consumers, the principal component and k-means cluster analysis were performed using the data from a face-to-face survey (n=420) conducted in five major cities in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. The analysis allows segmenting the market into three homogenous clusters that have distinctive behavioral, attitudinal, and socio-demographic profiles. This segmentation is particularly effective for the dynamics and further expansion of the MAP sector as an important source for rural life.

The Role of Behavioral Phenotypes on Impaired Driving Recidivism Risk and Treatment Response to Brief Intervention: A Preliminary Study.

Heterogeneity in the driving while impaired (DWI) offender population and modest outcomes from remedial programs are fueling interest in clarifying clinically significant DWI subtypes to better assess recidivism risk and target interventions. Our previous research identified 2 putative behavior phenotypes of DWI offenders with distinct behavioral, personality, cognitive, and neurobiological profiles: (i) offenders primarily engaging in DWI (pDWI); and (ii) offenders engaging in DWI and other traffic violations (MIXED). Here, we evaluate these phenotypes' clinical significance for prediction of recidivism and intervention targeting. DWI recidivists participating in a previous randomized controlled trial (N=184 comparing brief motivational interviewing (BMI) and an information and advice control condition (IA) were retrospectively classified as either pDWI (n=97) or MIXED (n=87). Secondary analyses then evaluated the effect of this phenotypic classification on self-reported 6- and 12-month alcohol misuse outcomes and documented 5-year DWI recidivism violations, and in response to either BMI or IA (i.e., pDWI-BMI, n=46; MIXED-BMI, n=45; pDWI-IA, n=51; MIXED-IA, n=42). Two hypotheses were tested: (i) MIXED classification is associated with poorer alcohol misuse outcomes and recidivism outcomes than pDWI classification; and (ii) pDWI paired with BMI is associated with better outcomes compared to MIXED paired with BMI. MIXED classification was associated with significantly greater risk of recidivism over the 5-year follow-up compared to pDWI classification. Moreover, the pDWI-BMI pairing was associated with significantly decreased recidivism risk compared to the MIXED-BMI pairing. Analyses of 6- and 12-month alcohol use outcomes produced null findings. The clinical significance of phenotypic classification for risk assessment and targeting intervention was partially supported with respect to recidivism risk. Prospective investigation of this and other behavioral phenotypes is indicated.

From Co-Actionality to Extended Intersubjectivity: Drawing on Language Change and Ontogenetic Development

Abstract This article combines research results centred on theory of mind (ToM) from cognitive and developmental psychology (Goldman 2006; Apperly 2010; Wilkinson and Ball 2012) with the notion of intersubjectivity in usage-based linguistics (i.a. Verhagen 2005; Nuyts 2012; Traugott 2012). It identifies some of the controversies in the literature from both domains and suggests the desiderata for a hybrid approach to intersubjectivity, which is distinctively designed to tackle applied research in social and cognitive sciences. This model is based on a mismatch between interaction as mere ‘co-action’ vs. interaction as spontaneously communicated awareness of an(other) mind(s). It provides a case study centred on the first language acquisition of pre-nominal usage of this/that and such. From, respectively, a distinctive collexeme (Gries and Stefanowitsch 2004) and behavioural profile analysis (Gries 2010) will emerge that beyond expressions of joint attention, children’s ToM ability progressively underpins ‘ad-hoc’ generalized instantiations based on extended intersubjectivity, viz. the socio-cognitive skill to problematize what a general persona would act, feel, or think in a specific context.

Human behaviour and economic growth: A psychocultural perspective on local and regional development

A renewed emphasis on behavioural traits has emerged as a means of explaining regional and local differences in economic performance and development. Given this, the aim of this study is to identify distinct local psychocultural behavioural profiles, and to examine the extent to which these are associated with economic growth. Combining theories of community culture and personality psychology into a holistic spatially oriented perspective, the paper argues that the types of human behaviour found across local places emerges from the co-evolution of cultural and personality factors. An empirical analysis of localities in Great Britain identifies and explores three underlying psychocultural profiles: Diverse Extraversion; Inclusive Amenability and Individual Commitment. It is found that inclusive amenable and individually committed psychocultural behaviour generally appear to hold back local economic growth, with the exception of recessionary periods. The reverse relationship is somewhat the case for diverse extravert behaviour. It is concluded that a better understanding of the holistic relationship and co-evolution of the cultural and psychological behavioural make-up of localities and regions has the potential to provide new insights into expected development outcomes as well as the forms of policy intervention that are required within regions and localities, each of which has its own individual psychocultural character.