ABSTRACT We conducted three flanker lexical decision experiments to test whether multi-letter and single-letter flankers to the left and right of a target word produce symmetrical facilitation relative to an unrelated control. We also simulated these experiments using the PONG model (Snell, J. (2025). PONG: A computational model of visual word recognition through bihemispheric activation. Psychological Review, 132(3), 505–527), a model that provides quantitative predictions for this task. In Experiment 1 we found symmetrical facilitation from left-consistent and right-consistent bigrams. In contrast, Experiments 2 and 3, using single-letter flankers, revealed leftward benefits, even when the consonant–vowel distribution of the flanker letters was balanced (Experiment 3). The PONG model quantitatively captured the pattern in Experiment 1 but failed to capture the leftward advantage in Experiments 2–3. This dissociation reveals that parafoveal information during visual word recognition is hemifield-symmetric for multi-letter chunks but left-weighted for single letters, suggesting that models of visual word recognition require initial-letter or hemifield weighting to account for single-letter flanker effects.

Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES) are paroxysmal spells which bear a semblance to an epileptic seizure. Neurobehavioral complications following lightning strikes are frequent and resemble the symptoms of patients with traumatic brain injury. We describe the case of a 9-year-old boy who was struck by lightning while playing by the door of his classroom during a thunderstorm. He fell and was unconscious for about 20 minutes, after which he woke up with no significant injuries. The immediate effect of the attack on the patient's organs was not identified, as he was not taken to a health facility for review immediately after the attack. However, four days later, he developed persistent myoclonic jerks of several episodes per day, with varying durations and intervals, which could be induced by touch, noise and light. It is sometimes associated with loss of consciousness. Physical examination of the patient did not reveal any neurologic deficit. A 24-hour Long-Term Video Electroencephalogram Monitoring (LTVEM) done showed a normal study with photic-induced non-epileptic generalised myoclonus. Therefore, the diagnosis of trauma-induced stimulus-sensitive Psychogenic Myoclonus, a type of PNES, was entertained. The child responded to oral Clonazepam and Levetiracetam and was sent for physiotherapy and child psychology review before he was lost to follow-up. In conclusion, exposure to lightning injuries requires a holistic approach to their management, and the resultant seizures may not always be of cranial origin.

Breakups often trigger psychological conflict ranging from stress, anxiety, depression, to risky behavior that have an impact on individual well-being and the social environment. This study explores the role of law in preventing, responding to, and recovering such psychological impacts through an interdisciplinary approach. The methodology used is a normative-juridical study combined with a literature review of clinical psychology and mental health policy. The findings show that the legal framework can function on three levels: (1) preventive, through the guarantee of the right to mental health, digital literacy, and platform governance to prevent post-breakup online harassment; (2) protective, through victim protection mechanisms against psychological violence, stalking, doxing, and the dissemination of non-consensual intimate content; and (3) curative, with a referral scheme for counseling services, the provision of legal aid, data confidentiality guarantees, and restorative justice instruments centered on victim recovery. However, there are implementation gaps, including the lack of standardization of psychological assessments in the legal process, limited access to services at the grassroots level, and coordination between institutions that are not optimal. This article recommends the integration of mental health protocols in the law enforcement process, evidentiary guidelines for psychological violence, as well as cross-sectoral collaboration with psychological service providers and digital platforms. The main contribution of this study is the mapping of a comprehensive legal intervention framework for post-breakup psychological conflicts.

The planning of sample size for research studies often focuses on obtaining a significant result given a specified level of power, significance, and an anticipated effect size. This planning requires prior knowledge of the study design and a statistical analysis to calculate the proposed sample size. However, there may not be one specific testable analysis from which to derive power (Silberzahn et al., Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 1(3), 337356, 2018) or a hypothesis to test for the project (e.g., creation of a stimuli database). Modern power and sample size planning suggestions include accuracy in parameter estimation (AIPE, Kelley, Behavior Research Methods, 39(4), 755–766, 2007; Maxell et al., Annual Review of Psychology, 59, 537–563, 2008) and simulation of proposed analyses (Chalmers & Adkins, The Quantitative Methods for Psychology, 16(4), 248–280, 2020). These toolkits offer flexibility in traditional power analyses that focus on the if-this, then-that approach. However, both AIPE and simulation require either a specific parameter (e.g., mean, effect size, etc.) or a statistical test for planning sample size. In this tutorial, we explore how AIPE and simulation approaches can be combined to accommodate studies that may not have a specific hypothesis test or wish to account for the potential of a multiverse of analyses. Specifically, we focus on studies that use multiple items and suggest that sample sizes can be planned to measure those items adequately and precisely, regardless of the statistical test. This tutorial also provides multiple code vignettes and package functionality that researchers can adapt and apply to their own measures.

Abstract Recently, multiple, speeded assessments (MSAs) have emerged as an attractive selection and assessment method that confronts candidates with a large set of job‐related behavioural simulations. This study draws on the theory of behavioural signatures (Mischel & Shoda, 1995, Psychological Review , 102 , 246) to argue that there is untapped potential in MSAs. Besides obtaining information on candidate's mean level, it also allows assessing their intraindividual patterns of behaviour variations (“behavioural signatures”) across these simulations. We predicted that an assessment of behavioural signatures represents substantive information and improves the prediction of future performance above and beyond mean scores. Data were obtained from a sample of 96 junior managers who were rated by assessors on four interpersonal dimensions in an MSA that contained 18 short interpersonal role‐plays. Results showed that participants can indeed be characterized by unique intraindividual patterns of behaviour variations across the role‐plays and that participants differ in terms of these behavioural signatures. Moreover, between‐person differences in behavioural signatures matter because, for submissiveness, affiliation and quarrelsomeness, they predict supervisory ratings of communication skills above and beyond participants' mean levels of submissiveness, affiliation and quarrelsomeness. The conceptual, research and practical implications of introducing the notion of behavioural signatures in assessment contexts are discussed.

The field of second language acquisition has witnessed a "positive turn," shifting focus from learner deficits to the factors that enable learners to thrive. This systematic review synthesizes and critically examines the nexus of positive psychology (PP) and motivation within diverse English language learning contexts—English as a Foreign Language (EFL), English as a Second Language (ESL), and native speaker (L1) literacy—from 2015 to 2024. Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive search of major academic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, PsycINFO), yielding 68 empirical studies that met our inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis of these studies revealed several key findings. First, research is dominated by a few cores PP constructs, namely grit, growth mindset, foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and resilience, with learner well-being emerging as a holistic and integrative concept. Second, these PP constructs demonstrate a strong, positive mediational or predictive relationship with key motivational frameworks, particularly Dörnyei's L2 Motivational Self System. Third, significant contextual disparities exist: the bulk of research is situated in EFL contexts, focusing on classroom-based emotions and academic achievement; ESL research highlights resilience and socio-cultural adaptation; and the L1 context remains critically under-explored, with a focus on academic mindset rather than language-specific motivation. Finally, a growing number of studies propose and test PP-informed pedagogical interventions, such as gratitude journaling and strengths-based feedback, demonstrating promising but nascent evidence of their efficacy. This review consolidates a decade of research, highlighting the crucial role of positive psychological attributes in sustaining motivation for language learning. It concludes by outlining critical gaps in the literature and proposing a research agenda that calls for more longitudinal, interventionist, and contextually diverse studies to build a more comprehensive understanding of how to foster flourishing English language learners.

People often hold incompatible stereotypes of gay and Black men, making it unlikely for someone to be seen as both simultaneously. Five studies with 1226 participants evidence that these stereotypes produce classic conjunction fallacy violations of extensional reasoning. Adapting Tversky and Kahneman's (1983, Psychological Review, 90(4), 293-315.) classic 'Linda problem', we found that a man with Black-stereotypic attributes was deemed more likely to be both Black and gay than to be gay (Studies 1 and 3), while a man with gay-stereotypic attributes was deemed more likely to be both gay and Black than to be Black (Studies 2 and 4). These effects were not equivalent, suggesting that Black-stereotypic traits preclude attributions of gayness more than gay-stereotypic preclude attributions of Blackness. Updating impressions of a gay-stereotypic man with Black-stereotypic attributes suppressed judgements of the likelihood he is gay. However, new information that a Black-stereotypic man has gay-stereotypic attributes did not suppress the likelihood he is Black (Study 5). New information that a Black-stereotypic man is gay did not 'deracialize' him as much as the inference that a gay-stereotypic man is Black 'degayed' him. These asymmetric conjunction fallacies triangulate with past findings to suggest 'Black' may be dominant over 'gay' in impression formation at this intersection.

Many adolescents experience peer victimization during this critical period for development. Emotion regulation strategies, including cognitive reappraisal and emotional suppression, can help adolescents cope with such experiences. Although unidirectional relations between peer victimization and emotion regulation strategies have been examined, few studies have explored the potential bidirectional relations of these variables (Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 24, 141). Using a cross-lagged panel model and data from the ABCD Study, we investigated the reciprocal relations between relational victimization, reputational victimization, overt victimization, cognitive reappraisal, and emotional suppression from 11 to 14 years. The sample consisted of 11,868 USA adolescents (6181 boys, 5664 girls, 17 other), and 6173 identified as White (1784 Black, 2410 Hispanic, 252 Asian, and 1247 Other). Results did not support a bidirectional relation of victimization and emotion regulation strategy. Instead, the type of victimization was associated with specific emotion regulation strategies, but emotional regulation strategies were not significantly associated with any type of peer victimization. Future research should consider the complex contextual and developmental aspects related to promoting emotion-focused coping strategies.

As generative artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots (e.g., Replika and Character.ai) have increasingly developed with more advanced technology, more individuals were forming virtual companionship with artificial agents. While virtual AI companions have helped reducing loneliness, improving well-being, and providing emotional support, discussions were also ongoing about the ethical risks of using AI as a companion such as data privacy, overdependence, and commodification of relationships. Generally, this review investigated AI companion phenomenon and demonstrated the effects with both positive and negative psychological implications, analysing current existing research gaps along with possible future directions. This review aimed to provide a psychological perspective for understanding companionship and relationships with AI systems, thereby helping to further improve the interdisciplinary studies of virtual companions, offering potential reference for social and ethical criteria when managing companion AI chatbots. It was found that AI companions could simultaneously fulfil emotional and social needs while introducing new forms of psychological vulnerability, which indicated the importance of responsible design and further regulation in future AI development.

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of behavioral finance, emphasizing how psychological and emotional factors shape investor decision-making and contribute to persistent deviations from market efficiency. It first outlines the theoretical foundations of behavioral finance, including Prospect Theory, bounded rationality, and heuristics, contrasting these concepts with the assumptions of the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH).The study then examines major investor biasessuch as overconfidence, loss aversion, herding behaviour, and confirmation biasand explores their impact on individual decision-making and collective market dynamics. These biases are linked to well-documented market anomalies, including the momentum effect, long-term reversals, the January effect, and post-earnings announcement drifts, offering behavioral explanations for their persistence across markets and time periods.The discussion highlights the strengths of behavioral finance in providing a more realistic and human-centered framework for understanding financial behaviour, while acknowledging its methodological challenges, including limited predictive consistency and the difficulty of quantifying psychological factors. Despite these challenges, behavioral finance has become an essential paradigm for explaining investor behaviour, guiding corporate strategy, and informing financial regulation. Its interdisciplinary integration of psychology and economics continues to enrich the study and practice of modern finance.

Emotion regulation (ER) involves processes by which individuals modulate the intensity, duration, and expression of emotional responses, and its dysregulation is associated with a broad spectrum of psychological disorders. While traditionally conceptualized within psychological frameworks, ER is increasingly recognized as biologically grounded, involving intricate interactions between neurochemical, hormonal, and metabolic systems. This narrative review aims to synthesize current evidence on biochemical substrates of ER, with a specific focus on integrating findings across neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, GABA, glutamate), classical regulatory hormones (cortisol, oxytocin), and metabolic hormones (leptin, ghrelin, insulin). We critically examine how these systems interact with both adaptive and maladaptive ER strategies, and how they are modulated by pharmacological treatments (e.g., antidepressants, mood stabilizers) and substances (e.g., alcohol, illicit drugs). A particular contribution of this review lies in its emphasis on metabolic hormones. This domain remains underrepresented in mainstream ER models despite emerging relevance in stress reactivity and emotion-linked behavior. Although evidence suggests compelling associations, much of the existing research remains correlational, and further longitudinal studies are warranted. Although structured to capture key developments, the narrative design may not encompass every relevant study, and variations in methodologies across research contexts suggest that comparisons should be interpreted with caution. Nevertheless, this work identifies conceptual gaps and outlines practical implications, including the potential to tailor interventions based on individual neurochemical and behavioral profiles.

Background In an era of scientific uncertainty and philosophical skepticism, the question of life’s meaning has renewed psychological and cultural importance. Although the cosmos lacks intrinsic purpose, humans continue to seek and sustain meaning amid existential ambiguity. This integrative review examines whether durable frameworks of meaning can be developed without cosmic teleology. Methods Using an integrative conceptual review, this study synthesizes insights from existential philosophy and meaning-centered psychology with recent developments in cosmology. Core sources include Sartre and Frankl, therapeutic models, such as Logotherapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and scientific perspectives from multiverse theory and contemporary cosmological narratives. This study proposes a four-phase model of existential meaning-making embedded in a recursive adaptive process. Results The model comprises four interrelated components: (1) value-driven goal setting, (2) reflective self-awareness, (3) purposeful engagement, and (4) responsible decision-making operating within cycles of disruption, integration, and renewal that cultivate resilience and existential growth. Discussion While the universe may be purposeless, reflective consciousness, ethical deliberation, and intentional action enable subjective meaning. Bridging existential philosophy with clinical practice and cosmology, the model highlights meaning-making across suffering, uncertainty, and scientific disenchantment. Conclusion Even in a purposeless cosmos, individuals can construct meaningful lives through value-oriented consciousness and ethical engagement. The model offers a transdisciplinary foundation for therapeutic work, philosophical reflection, and education, and invites empirical validation and implementation.

In this work, I develop a mathematical formalization of the Replaced Elements Model (Wagner. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology: Section B, 56(1), 7, 2003), within a general framework proposed by Ghirlanda (Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 64/65, 8-16, 2015, Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 85, 55-61, 2018), which provides a new way to apply and study the model. The result derived here has the novelty of explicitly stating how the model computes associative values without requiring either the application of complex algorithms or the use of special software. As a way of showing how to use this formalization, I apply it to the study of varied learning phenomena and several models, by either analytic means or simulations. In the process, I reproduce conclusions drawn previously for the Replaced Elements Model by other methods (Glautier. Behavior Research Methods, 39(4), 993-1000, 2007; Schultheis et al. Behavior Research Methods, 40, 435-441, 2008; Wagner. Experimental Psychology: Section B, 56(1), 7, 2003). As an interesting byproduct, I provide a general algorithm which may be applied to simulate the predictions of the replaced elements model, Rescorla-Wagner's model (Rescorla & Wagner. Classical conditioning, Current research and theory, 2, 64-69, 1972), and Pearce's configural model (Pearce. Psychological Review, 94(1), 61, 1994) among others. Concrete instances of the algorithm, coded in Python, are provided in the Appendix.

This study aims to analyze the influence of the sharia label on consumer decision-making using a neuromarketing approach through eye tracking and facial coding techniques. The research is motivated by the limited visual attention consumers give to Sharia labels in Islamic banking promotions, as well as increasing consumer skepticism regarding the authenticity of such labels. This study employs a theoretical qualitative method based on an in-depth literature review of eye tracking, facial coding, and Muslim consumer psychology. Findings indicate that sharia labels that are minimally designed and placed in non-strategic visual areas fail in capturing initial visual attention. Furthermore, theoretical facial coding analysis suggests that positive emotional responses only emerge when the label is perceived as an authentic representation of Islamic values. Conversely, when the label is viewed merely as a marketing strategy without substance, negative emotional expressions are more likely to occur. Thus, the effectiveness of sharia labels is highly dependent on both the strength of visual design and the perceived authenticity of values factors that operate at a subconscious level and significantly influence consumer decisions level and significantly influence consumer decisions.

This document presents a commentary on Lundh’'s (2025) review of Psychology's Misuse of Statistics and Persistent Dismissal of its Critics (Lamiell, 2019). While the article acknowledges the validity of several points made by Lundh, it also questions the soundness of his critiques in a variety of respects.

Response to Lars-Gunnar Lundh’s Review of Descriptive Psychology and the Person Concept.

IntroductionCardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Adherence to treatment is considered to be a key determinant of the effectiveness of therapy. Patient’s personality and other psychological characteristics play a regulating role in health behaviour but there is still no consistent evidence on their connection to the adherence to treatment.ObjectivesThe study aimed to determine the role of psychological factors regarding the adherence to treatment in patients with cardiovascular diseases.MethodsAdherence was measured using the Questionnaire for Comprehensive Assessment of Treatment Adherence (Nikolayev et al. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapy 2018, 1 74-78). To provide a complex assessment of psychological factors we used the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (Salkovskis et al. Psychological Medicine 2002, 32 843-853; Pervichko, Shishkova. National Psychological Journal 2022, 2), the HEXACO Personality Inventory (Ashton, Lee. Personality and Social Psychology Review 2007, 11 150-166; Egorova et al. Issues of Psychology 2019, 5 33-49), the Defense Mechanisms Rating Scales (DMRS-SR-30; Di Giuseppe et al. Front. Psychiatry 2020, 11:870), and the Picture Frustration Test (Rosenzweig. Journal of Personality 1945, 14 3-23). The study was conducted from January 2024 to April 2024. The sample consisted of 42 male patients hospitalised with multiple cardiac pathology, whose average age was 49.40±7.71.ResultsPatients with cardiovascular diseases mostly demonstrated middle level of the adherence to treatment (61.17±18.53%), twelve (30%) participants were defined as low-adherent, nine (22.5%) were high-adherent. The component of health anxiety known as vigilance to bodily sensations was found to be positively associated with the adherence to treatment (r=0.316, p=0.047). Conscientiousness was the only personality trait to demonstrate significant positive associations with the adherence (r=0.378, p=0.023). More interestingly, adherence to treatment appears to be positively associated with need-persistent and intropunitive frustration reactions (r=0.428, p=0.013; r=0.459, p=0.007) and negatively associated with extrapunitive frustration reactions (r=-0.409, p=0.004). Assessment of defense mechanisms reveals positive associations between overall defense maturity and adherence to treatment (r=0.388, p=0.021), indicating that low-adherent patients are more inclined to use less mature defenses.ConclusionsThus, adherence to treatment in patients with cardiovascular diseases is associated with greater vigilance to bodily sensations, conscientiousness, defense maturity, use of need-persistent and intropunitive frustration reactions and lesser use of extrapunitive frustration reactions.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Since the inception of scientific psychology in the 19th century, the lead in conceptualizing scientific phenomena has been taken by scholars in Western contexts (North America, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand), who comprise only 11% of the world’s population. Today, the science and practice of psychology continue to be dominated by Western theoretical perspectives. Recognizing the necessity for inclusive excellence in the field and the barriers that Majority World scholars face in joining the global knowledge economy, Personality and Social Psychology Review (PSPR) has taken several steps toward global inclusion. To further realize this goal, this Special Issue brings together nine contributions that reflect personality and social psychological theory rooted in diverse Majority World contexts, specifically stemming from African, Latin American, Middle Eastern, East and South Asian, and Indigenous American scholars. The contributions reflect several cross-cutting themes: the deeply historical contexts in which personality and social psychological phenomena play out in different geographies today; the important particularities of widely studied concepts in specific local contexts; and the dynamic interplay between individual people and the specificity of their social contexts. By curating indigenous concepts and theories, we aim to further catalyze dialogue across cultural distances in the field and to demonstrate how a decolonized editorial process can help promote inclusive science to improve the dominant perspectives in personality and social psychology.

Immigrant youth in the United States navigate a complex interplay of resilience, cultural assets, and systemic challenges that shape their educational and social-emotional experiences. While schools are uniquely positioned to support these students, migration-related trauma, acculturative stress, linguistic barriers, and policy constraints often limit equitable access to resources. This School Psychology Review special topic issue brings together empirical and conceptual contributions that examine how school climate, family engagement, community cultural wealth, and systemic structures influence immigrant youths’ well-being and academic adjustment. Featured articles address topics including the moderating role of family and school relationships in the bullying-distress link, newcomer students’ perspectives on fostering belonging, the perpetuation of raciolinguistic ideologies in teacher practice, the strengths and cultural capital immigrant youth draw upon to sustain engagement during educational disruptions, and the cultural mismatches that shape family-school partnerships. Collectively, these works move beyond deficit-based narratives to center cultural and linguistic strengths, confront systemic inequities, and identify actionable strategies for creating inclusive and responsive educational environments. The issue offers an integrated framework for school psychologists, educators, and policymakers to promote resilience, belonging, and social-emotional health among immigrant students. Impact Statement This special issue of School Psychology Review advances understanding of immigrant youths’ social-emotional well-being by emphasizing cultural assets and confronting systemic inequities. By moving beyond deficit-based narratives, the collection provides practical strategies for building inclusive school environments that foster resilience, belonging, and equitable access to support services.

In today’s globalized society, learning a second language (L2) has transcended its instrumental role to become a transformative competency crucial for both societal participation and personal development. While traditional second language acquisition (SLA) research has long operated within a pathology-focused paradigm—prioritizing learners’ errors, cognitive limitations, and affective barriers—this approach has overlooked the constructive interplay between psychological agency and learning outcomes. The emergence of positive psychology (PP) has catalyzed a paradigm shift toward a strengths-based approach in SLA, emphasizing learners’ psychological resources as catalysts for well-being and proficiency. This conceptual review systematically examines five key individual promoters of L2 learners’ well-being: positive emotions (i.e., enjoyment, pride), emotion regulation, resilience, mindfulness, and flow experience. The analysis further proposes pedagogical strategies for fostering these promoters in L2 classrooms. Finally, this review critically assesses limitations in the current literature and outlines future research directions. By bridging PP with SLA, this synthesis promotes the integration of linguistic competence with holistic learner well-being.