Negative Events Research Articles

Orally retrieved negative autobiographical events are associated with increased heart rate as compared with fabricated ones

Orally retrieved negative autobiographical events are associated with increased heart rate as compared with fabricated ones

Truthmaker Semantics and Natural Language Semantics

ABSTRACTTruthmaker semantics is a non‐classical logical framework that has recently garnered significant interest in philosophy, logic, and natural language semantics. It redefines the propositional connectives and gives rise to more fine‐grained entailment relations than classical logic. In its model theory, truth is not determined with respect to possible worlds, but with respect to truthmakers, such as states or events. Unlike possible worlds, these truthmakers may be partial; they may be either coherent or incoherent; and they are understood to be exactly or wholly relevant to the truth of the sentences they verify. Truthmaker semantics generalises collective, fusion‐based theories of conjunction; alternative‐based theories of disjunction; and nonstandard negation semantics. This article provides a gentle introduction to truthmaker semantics aimed at linguists; describes applications to various natural language phenomena such as imperatives, ignorance implicatures, and negative events; and discusses its similarities and differences to related frameworks such as event semantics, situation semantics, alternative semantics, and inquisitive semantics.

Be kind, don't rewind: trait rumination may hinder the effects of self-compassion on health behavioral intentions after a body image threat.

Many individuals encounter situations that may elicit body-related concerns and impact how they think and feel about their weight, daily habits, and physical attractiveness. Research shows body image threats can predict poor health behaviors, but approaching those difficult moments with self-compassion-being kind, forgiving, and nonjudgmental-may reduce the impact of that threat and promote engagement in positive health behaviors. However, trait rumination, or tending to perseverate on negative events, may both dampen the benefits of a self-compassionate state and predict poor health behaviors. The present study examined whether a brief self-compassion writing exercise, after recalling a negative body-related event, predicted intent to perform health-promoting behaviors, and whether trait rumination attenuated this relationship. Participants (N = 217) completed a measure of trait rumination, underwent a body image threat, and were randomly assigned to cope with self-compassion or a distraction. Subsequently, participants completed a measure of health behavioral intentions. Analyses revealed participants in the self-compassion condition reported greater health-promoting behavioral intentions compared to control, with no significant main effect of trait rumination. However, a condition-by-rumination interaction emerged, suggesting the self-compassion condition was associated with higher health behavioral intentions, but only for participants with low trait rumination levels. These effects washed out when controlling for participants' self-rated health. The findings suggest that a self-compassion practice can help mitigate the adverse effects of a body image threat and facilitate health-promoting behavioral intentions, although its efficacy may depend on individual levels of trait rumination and perceived health.

A behavioural test of depression-related probability bias

ABSTRACT Individuals high in depressive symptom severity show probability bias: they believe negative events are relatively probable, and positive events relatively improbable, compared to those with less severe symptoms. However, this has only ever been demonstrated using self-report measures, in which participants explicitly estimate events’ probabilities: this leaves open the risk that “probability bias” is merely an artefact of response bias. We tested the veracity of probability bias using an indirect behavioural measure, based on a sentence-reading task. Study 1 tested 112 Turkish students; Study 2 tested 117 international users of online groups for people with depressive and anxiety disorders. As predicted, participants with higher depressive symptom scores responded relatively quickly to sentences stating negative events might occur, and relatively slowly to sentences stating positive events might occur, compared to those with lower scores. This effect was only marginal in Study 1, but reached significance in Study 2. However, contrary to predictions, this effect was not moderated by the probability level stated in the sentence. This makes our findings difficult to interpret, and we must present these studies as a failure to convincingly demonstrate depression-related probability bias. We hope this stimulates more work on the nature and veracity of probability bias.

Mandatory Disclosure of Negative Events and Auditor Behavior: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Using the staggered adoption of data breach disclosure (DBD) laws, this paper studies the impact of mandatory disclosure of adverse corporate events on audit fees. DBD laws increase the frequency of disclosed cyber incidents, which adversely impacts firms’ financial condition and operations; this could result in a higher risk of misstatement and reputation loss for auditors. Consistent with this hypothesis, we find that auditors charge higher fees after the adoption of DBD laws. We also find that the increase in audit fees is more pronounced in firms with higher cyber risk and greater auditor reputational concerns. Furthermore, governance mechanisms and resources that are available to auditors can mitigate the rise in audit fees. Robustness tests suggest that the effect is not driven by realized cyber incidents and other contemporaneous events. Overall, our study provides evidence that the mandated disclosure regulation significantly affects audit pricing.

The diminishing halo effect: Celebrities and negative events in marketing

Celebrities have long been utilized by brands to enhance their products and services, with the underlying assumption that the celebrity’s positive attributes and public image would transfer a halo effect to the endorsed products. However, recent years have witnessed a paradigm shift in this phenomenon, marked by a growing number of negative marketing events involving celebrities. We identify several key themes, including consumer attributions, psychological processes, social media amplification, consumer empowerment, and cultural shifts. Each contributes to a holistic understanding of why and how negative events involving celebrities can lead to a diminishing halo effect. Depending on whether consumers attribute the event internally or externally, their response can vary and, subsequently, affect the celebrity’s halo effect. Overlaying attribution theory provides deeper insights into the dynamics of consumer perception and response in the context of negative events in marketing. Understanding how consumers attribute causality to negative events and the psychological mechanisms that underpin their responses provides valuable insights for celebrities, brands, and marketers navigating the challenges of the digital age.

Preparing for the inevitable: Strategically navigating negative publicity in the contemporary business landscape

In the contemporary business landscape, the effective management of negative publicity stands as a critical challenge for organizations seeking sustained success. This prompts a crucial inquiry: How should firms handle different instances of negative publicity? This article presents a strategic and comprehensive review of existing approaches to navigating the complexities of negative publicity. While not rooted in an empirical study, this work contributes to the literature through a systematic literature review encompassing 63 peer-reviewed journal publications spanning from 2008 to 2022. We find that effective management of negative publicity depends on a dual-focused strategy: On the one hand, firms must deploy proactive measures to prevent the effects of a negative event; on the other hand, they need to enact strategies to promptly respond to a negative event once it transpires. Therefore, we propose a framework capturing the pre- and post-negative-publicity strategies that firms can adopt in situation-specific contexts. Within this framework, we establish connections between these strategies and two types of negative publicity (value-based and performance-based), along with the sources of negative publicity situations, identifying customers, employees, and the company itself as critical triggers.

Observed Associations between Fire Danger and Climate Modes and Their Representation in ACCESS-S2

Abstract The increasing frequency and severity of wildfires in Australia, driven by climate change, pose a significant threat to ecosystems, lives, and property. This study examines the impact of climate drivers, specifically El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Indian Ocean dipole (IOD), Southern Annular Mode (SAM), Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), and two modes of persistent high pressure in the Australia–Pacific region, on extreme fire danger. By analyzing observed and simulated fire danger in relation to these climate drivers, we aim to enhance our understanding of climate–fire mechanisms and contribute to Australia’s bushfire preparedness. Our findings indicate that all assessed drivers influence extreme fire danger, with key influences related to the drivers’ established relationships with rainfall and temperature. El Niño, positive IOD, and negative SAM events generally increase extreme fire danger across most of Australia and in most seasons. The two modes of Australian blocking exhibit similar effects, varying spatially. Specific phases of the MJO have significant seasonal relationships with fire danger. In some instances, increased fire danger is not directly linked to temperature or precipitation changes but rather driven by remote teleconnections, airflow, or pressure anomalies. Evaluating the accuracy of weather and climate forecasting systems in representing these relationships is crucial for the effective prediction and mitigation of fire hazards. The leading Australian climate simulation model effectively reproduces observed relationships but reveals biases in capturing certain aspects of climate variability. Advancements in this field would enhance fire weather forecasts, including those by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology with lead times of up to 4 months. Significance Statement This assessment of climate–fire relationships and modeling accuracy is pivotal in understanding the factors behind severe fire events and improving future predictions and mitigation. Prior research has already established links between elevated fire weather conditions and these climate drivers, highlighting their potential for predicting severe fire events. This study aims to deepen our comprehension of the factors driving severe fire events and facilitate improved bushfire risk management in Australia.

Reduced Indian Ocean Dipole Asymmetry and Increased Extreme Negative Events under Future Greenhouse Warming

Abstract The Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) is a prominent interannual phenomenon in the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO), influencing weather and climate globally, particularly during extreme IOD events. The IOD shows notable amplitude asymmetry in both observations and historical simulations from the phase 6 of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), with positive events having a greater magnitude than negative events, mainly due to the negative nonlinear dynamical heating. However, simulations under the shared socioeconomic pathway 5-8.5 (SSP5-8.5) scenario indicate a notable reduction in IOD asymmetry. It shows that this reduction points to an increased frequency of extreme negative IOD events under global warming. The primary cause of this reduced IOD asymmetry is less negative nonlinear dynamical heating in future simulations, especially the nonlinear zonal advection. Under global warming, the increased atmospheric static stability weakens the large-scale atmospheric response to sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies forcing. This leads to reduced strength of nonlinear zonal advection, resulting in a decreased IOD asymmetry. Nevertheless, nonlinear vertical advection, another key factor in IOD asymmetry, remains comparable due to the increased upper-ocean stratification in the eastern TIO. The reduced inhibition of negative nonlinear zonal advection and the increased SST response to deepening thermocline contribute to the increased frequency of extreme negative IOD events. These changes underscore the potential risks associated with negative IOD events in a warming world, emphasizing the importance of understanding IOD dynamics for improved climate impact prediction and future preparedness.

Projected Increasing Negative Impact of Extreme Events on Gross Primary Productivity During the 21st Century in CMIP6 Models

AbstractIn the context of increasingly frequent and severe climate extremes, an understanding of the impacts of these events on gross primary production (GPP) and thus on land carbon uptake is crucial. However, research utilizing new model outputs to assess the future trends, characteristics, and driving factors of GPP reduction associated with extreme events remains limited. Here, we use model outputs from Phase Six of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) to investigate the spatiotemporal patterns of negative GPP extreme events during the 21st century. We find a notable increase in negative GPP extremes globally under the SSP5‐8.5 scenario. They are characterized by longer durations and larger sizes, despite the smaller number of events. Under the SSP1‐2.6 scenario, while the total negative GPP extremes remain relatively stable, hotspots, including tropical forests, southern China, and boreal forest zones, still experience increases in negative extremes. By attributing these GPP extremes to climate conditions, we identified compound hot and dry conditions, which contributed to over 40% of the negative GPP extremes under both scenarios, as the dominant driver, followed by single‐driver dry conditions. Under SSP5‐8.5, the increasing contribution of compound hot and dry conditions leads to greater GPP reductions through prolonged and intensified negative extreme events. Compared with CMIP5 models, CMIP6 models project an asymmetry of negative and positive GPP extreme events that favors more negative extremes across most regions. Our findings highlight the escalating damage from climate extremes on future ecosystem productivity, emphasizing the urgent need for effective mitigation and adaptation actions.

Discretionary dissemination on Twitter

AbstractThe study provides large‐scale descriptive evidence on the timing and nature of corporate financial tweeting. Using an unsupervised machine learning approach to analyze 24 million tweets posted by S&P 1500 firms from 2012 to 2020, we find that firms are more likely to tweet financial information around significantly negative or positive news events, such as earnings announcements and the filing of financial statements. This convex U‐shaped relation between the likelihood of posting financial tweets and the materiality of accounting events becomes stronger over time. Whereas research based on early samples concludes that firms are less likely to disseminate financial information on Twitter when the news is bad and material, the symmetric dissemination behavior we find suggests that these conclusions should be revised. We also show that a machine learning algorithm (Twitter‐Latent Dirichlet Allocation) is superior to a dictionary approach in classifying short messages like tweets.

Prognostic impact of composite lipid indices in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Abstract Background Composite lipid indices have been reported to have associations with several cardiovascular diseases and their negative adverse events. Among these, there are four novel indices that can be easily calculated, namely, triglyceride-glucose index (TyG, calculated from fasting plasma glucose [FPG] and triglyceride [TG]), lipid accumulation product (LAP, calculated from waist circumference [WC] and TG), visceral adiposity index (VAI, calculated from WC, TG, body mass index [BMI], and high-density lipoprotein [HDL]), and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP, calculated from TG and HDL). Herein, we aimed to investigate the impact of these indices on the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods All the patients with ACS who underwent PCI at our institution during the 2015-2022 period were included in the analyses. Patients were divided based on each of the TyG, VAI, LAP, and AIP indices quartiles (Q). The median follow-up was 378 days and the outcome assessed was MACCE composed of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, target vessel revascularization, target lesion revascularization, and coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Results There was a total of 13,682 patients with ACS undergoing PCI with a mean age of 62.67 ± 11 years and 72.61% male predominance. Regarding the TyG index, patients in Q4 had a higher incidence of MACCE, compared to those in Q1 (adjusted HR [aHR] 1.271, 95% CI 1.067 – 1.513], p-value < 0.01). While in the crude model, patients in Q2, Q3, and Q4 of LAP had significantly higher rates of MACCE, compared to Q1, this association was not observed in the age- and sex-adjusted model and fully-adjusted model. Similarly, there was no difference among the quartiles of VAI and AIP regarding the incidence of MACCE. Kaplan-Meier curves also show that there were significant differences among TyG and LAP quartiles (p-value = 0.0049 and p-value = 0.035, respectively). Conclusion As our findings suggest, patients with higher TyG levels, as a surrogate marker of insulin resistance, had a higher incidence of MACCE. LAP could also play an important role in the incidence of adverse events after PCI. These novel lipid indices could help clinicians in determining the risks of patients with ACS undergoing PCI in order to provide better care to them.Risk of MACCE in different quartilesKaplan Meier Curves for risk of MACCE

Exploring distinct and joint contributions of the locus coeruleus and the substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area complex to reward and valence processing using high-resolution fMRI

Abstract Dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental area (SN/VTA) are classically viewed as key mediators in reward processing, while noradrenergic cells in the locus coeruleus (LC) are thought to modulate (negative) saliency processing. However, this conventional distinction is being revised by more recent research in animals. To explore the respective contributions of both the LC and SN/VTA in reward and valence processing in humans, we assessed fMRI data during stimulus encoding and response phase of a rewarded emotion-discrimination task (n = 38). Participants responded significantly faster to reward predicting and negative valence stimuli compared with their non-salient counterparts. LC activity was overall higher during trials involving reward prospect, and in particular for reward trials featuring positive valence, demonstrating an additive effect of reward and positive valence in LC. Moreover, LC activity was differentially increased for negative compared with positive valence in the response phase, indexing its role in invigorating responses to negative events. The SN/VTA showed increased activity in the response phase of reward trials (neutral valence) and negative valence trials (no reward), which aligns with coding relative saliency of these events in their respective contexts. LC modulations were accompanied by covariations in occipital cortex, suggesting noradrenergic contributions to visual prioritization of salient events. The findings underscore the sensitivity of both LC and SN/VTA to reward prospects and negative valence, challenging the dominant view of SN/VTA’s involvement in merely positive events and emphasizing their essential role in action invigoration above and beyond mere stimulus encoding. The intricate roles of the DA and NA system in reward and emotional valence processing in humans warrant further exploration and validation, given the limitations inherent to neuroimaging of deep brain structures.

Place conditioning as evaluation of affective valence in piglets

The emotional valence of animals is challenging to assess, despite being a key component of welfare. In this study, we attempted to assess emotional valence through memory in 1- and 3-week-old piglets. It was hypothesized that piglets would spend less time in a pen where they experienced a negative event (castration) and more time in a pen where they experienced a positive event (enrichment). A testing apparatus was designed with three equally sized pens: two outer sections serving as treatment pens containing unique visual and tactile cues and a center section remaining neutral. Piglets received either negative or positive condition in one outer treatment pen and a sham treatment in the opposite. Various methods were tested (age of piglets, number and length of conditioning sessions, passive vs. active conditioning). Contrary to expectations, piglets did not decrease their time in the pen associated with the negative condition or increase their time in the pen associated with the positive condition. However, when exposed to the positive condition, results indicate older piglets developed an aversion towards the sham treatment. This study provides methodological groundwork for the application of place conditioning in piglets and highlights the nuances important for the use of cognitive tests to assess animal welfare.

Xanthogranulomatous orchitis combined with contralateral acute pyogenic orchitis: a rare case report

Xanthogranulomatous orchitis is a chronic, non-neoplastic inflammation that is quite rare. In this paper, we discuss the case of a 79-year-old male patient who presented with bilateral scrotum swelling and dysuria that persisted for two weeks. Despite two weeks of anti-infection treatment, the patient's symptoms persisted, leading to a decision to perform transurethral prostate resection and bilateral orchiectomy after careful consideration. After the surgery, the postoperative pathology indicated that the patient had xanthogranulomatous orchitis on the left side and acute positive orchitis with hemorrhage on the right side. Fortunately, three months after the procedure, the patient experienced no negative events and was pleased with the postoperative results.

RELAX (REducing Levels of AnXiety): a study protocol for a parallel two-arm randomised controlled trial evaluating a web-based early intervention for pregnant women with high levels of repetitive negative thinking to prevent escalating anxiety during pregnancy and after birth

BackgroundPerinatal anxiety is common: up to 40% of pregnant women and new mothers experience high levels of anxiety. Given its prevalence, interventions that are low-intensity, highly accessible and cost-efficient, and target modifiable risk factors for anxiety are needed. Repetitive negative thinking (RNT)—such as worrying about ways things will go wrong in the future or ruminating about past negative events—is a risk factor for the development of anxiety. RNT is maintained by the tendency to generate negative interpretations of ambiguous situations.MethodsA parallel two-arm randomised controlled trial will assess the efficacy of adding interpretation training (RELAX) to usual maternity care. Participants (N = 268) will be randomised to (i) 12 sessions of online interpretation training (RELAX) plus usual care, or (ii) usual care alone. We will assess anxiety, depression, RNT, and work and social adjustment at baseline, plus 4, 8 and 36 weeks later.DiscussionShould the intervention result in lower levels of anxiety than usual care, it could be an accessible, cost-effective way to help women who are vulnerable to experiencing anxiety in the perinatal period.Trial registrationISRCTN 12754931. Registered 25th May 2023, prior to recruitment.

Government green procurement and corporate ESG performance

This study utilizes data from China's A-share listed companies from 2009 to 2022 and manually collects government green procurement lists published on the Chinese government procurement website. By matching this data with listed companies, we employ a multi-period Difference-in-Differences (DID) model to examine the impact of a firm's inclusion in government green procurement lists on its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance. We find that government green procurement significantly improves firms' ESG performance. In the mechanism analysis, we find that executive green perceptions and media and analyst attention amplify the positive impact of government green procurement on firms' ESG performance. Through the heterogeneity analysis, we find that government green procurement promotes ESG performance more significantly when the listed company is a state-owned enterprise, and this promotion is more obvious in central state-owned enterprises. In addition, we find that government green procurement enhances ESG performance more significantly when the company is located in a region with higher levels of market integration. Further research find that government green procurement effectively inhibit “greenwashing” behavior and reduce the probability of negative events. Our findings provide important micro-empirical evidence for understanding the effects of market-based policy instruments on corporate ESG performance and contribute positively to the practice of improving corporate governance capabilities.

An Examination of Episodic Future Thinking and Episodic Memory Among Suicidal and Nonsuicidal Adolescents

ABSTRACT Objective Suicidal individuals experience ambivalent states where they simultaneously consider death and the continuation of their lives. But we have little understanding of how suicidal individuals, particularly youth, mentally construct their future lives. To address this knowledge gap, we aimed to examine episodic future thinking and the related cognitive process of episodic memory among suicidal and nonsuicidal adolescents. Method We administered a performance-based measure of episodic future thinking to community-based adolescents (N = 176, 15–19 years; 69.3% female at birth, 57.1% identifying with a racial minoritized group) and examined the concurrent and predictive validity of details generated within an imagined future event in relation to suicidal ideation (SI; ranging from passive desire of wanting to be dead to active desire to kill oneself). Results Greater difficulty imagining discrete actions within an imagined positive future event was associated with past and subsequent SI, although these associations were largely accounted for by depressive symptoms. In contrast, greater difficulty imagining action-related details tied to either positive or negative future events predicted SI 6 months later controlling for symptoms of both anxiety and depression, SI history, and narrative style. Conclusions Findings from this study offer an initial glimpse into how suicidal adolescents imagine their future and may inform the design of interventions intended to promote a stronger desire for life than death.

Prospective Relations Between Inferential Styles and Depressive Symptoms Among Children of Mothers with Major Depression

ABSTRACT Objective Current models of depression risk in children include both family history and cognitive models of risk; however, these models are rarely integrated. This study aimed to address this gap by examining how cognitive vulnerabilities featured in the hopelessness theory of depression – negative inferential styles for the causes, consequences, and self-characteristic implications of negative events – may increase risk for the intergenerational transmission of depression. Specifically, we examined whether children of mothers with a history of major depressive disorder (MDD), compared to children of never-depressed mothers, exhibit more negative inferential styles and whether maternal history of MDD moderates prospective relations between children’s inferential styles and depressive symptoms. Method Participants were 251 children (ages 8–14 at baseline; 51% girls; 81% Non-Hispanic White) of mothers with (n = 129) or without (n = 122) a history of MDD. Children’s inferential styles and depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and then every 6 months for 2 years. Results Using random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs), we found that children of mothers with a history of MDD, compared to children of never-depressed mothers, had more negative inferential styles for the causes and consequences of negative events, but not for self-characteristics, and higher depressive symptom levels, across the follow-up. In addition, there were reciprocal, transactional relations between children’s inferential styles for causes and their depressive symptoms across the follow-up, with no evidence for moderation by maternal MDD. Conclusions Children’s inferential styles for the causes of negative events may be a useful marker of risk for the intergenerational transmission of depression, which could be targeted to reduce risk for depression.

Эмоциональные коммуникации в детско-родительских отношениях и жизнеспособность будущей взрослой семьи

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective</strong>. To analyze the contribution of the most immediate contextual influences (child-parent emotional communications) to the resilience of the adult family (using the samples from Belarus and Russia). <strong>Background. </strong>Understanding the role of emotional dysfunctions in parent-child relationships in the context of Russian and Belarusian cultures helps to identify the conditions for the resilience of a future adult family, which can become the basis for social family policy at the state level and improvement of the practice of psychological assistance to families. <br><strong>Study design. </strong>The study was conducted online using the snowball method. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the impact of dysfunction in parental families, intensity of the negative events, age of respondents and number of children on family resilience. Children's experiences of adults are illustrated by the results of projective technique. <br><strong>Participants. </strong>The study involved 853 respondents (595 people from the Russian Federation, 258 from the Republic of Belarus) aged from 18 to 77 years (average age 36 ± 12 years, median = 36 years), 90,5% female. <br><strong>Measurements. </strong>Family resilience was assessed using Gusarova’s et al. “Family Resilience Assessment Scale” (FRAS-RII). Dysfunctions in parental families were determined according to Kholmogorova’s et al. “Family Emotional Communications” and the projective technique of Odintsova et al. “Space of Trees and Light.” The intensity of negative events in families was assessed on a scale from 1 to 10. <br><strong>Results. </strong>Dysfunctions in parental families make a significant contribution to the resilience of the future adult family (up to 20% of explained variance). Family perfectionism has a positive effect, and the elimination of emotions has a negative impact on the resilience of adult families in the context of two cultures. In Russian families of origin there is over-involvement, and in Belarusian families criticism negatively affects the resilience of respondent’s families. <br><strong>Conclusions. </strong>The critical atmosphere in parental families, the high intensity of adverse events in Belarusian families, and overprotection in the parental families of Russians contribute to a decrease in families’ resilience. The presence and number of children in a family contributes to the family resilience in both countries. Culture and traditions are a solid basis for the majority of Russians and Belarusians.</p>