Speed of Information Processing Across the Ages: the Structure of Cognitive Abilities in Children, Adults, and the Elderly. Does speed information processing determine intelligence? The study addresses this question by examining the structure of cognitive abilities and speed of processing in children, adults, and the elderly. The project will advance theory by testing whether speed of processing mediates developmental cognitive change during childhood and old age. Outcomes include contributing t ....Speed of Information Processing Across the Ages: the Structure of Cognitive Abilities in Children, Adults, and the Elderly. Does speed information processing determine intelligence? The study addresses this question by examining the structure of cognitive abilities and speed of processing in children, adults, and the elderly. The project will advance theory by testing whether speed of processing mediates developmental cognitive change during childhood and old age. Outcomes include contributing to a complete model of cognition, laying the foundations for a future major longitudinal study which will provide evidence on the direction of causality between speed of processing measures and cognitive abilities, and provide norms for a computerised, commercial test battery.Read moreRead less
From fluid intelligence to crystallised expertise: an integrative Bayesian approach. Intelligence is correlated with learning but uncorrelated with most aspects of expertise. Why is this so? Why does the role of intelligence diminish as one becomes more expert at a task? This project examines a broad range of cognitive tasks to provide a concise mathematical description of how intelligence relates to expertise.
Individual Differences in Orientations to Risk and Uncertainty. The main goal of this research project is to extend and integrate three individual-differences approaches to predicting and explaining human judgement and decision making (JDM) and risk-taking behaviours (RTB) under uncertainty: Cognitive-capacity, preferences and dispositions, and dual cognitive process approaches. It will achieve this by studying the joint impact of cognitive style, capacities, and RTB/JDM dispositions on performa ....Individual Differences in Orientations to Risk and Uncertainty. The main goal of this research project is to extend and integrate three individual-differences approaches to predicting and explaining human judgement and decision making (JDM) and risk-taking behaviours (RTB) under uncertainty: Cognitive-capacity, preferences and dispositions, and dual cognitive process approaches. It will achieve this by studying the joint impact of cognitive style, capacities, and RTB/JDM dispositions on performance in appropriate JDM tasks. JDM and RTB are at the root of managing uncertainty, human adaptiveness and rationality. This project will also extend our knowledge of gender differences in JDM and RTB, and lay foundations for systematic cross-cultural studies on this topic.Read moreRead less
Dehumanization: Understanding the attribution of lesser humanness to others. The proposed research will contribute to an improved understanding of the subtle ways in which humanness is denied to members of some social groups. These processes contribute to intergroup antagonism and intolerance, and to a failure to take adequate moral account of other people's suffering. Understanding dehumanization can enhance our ability to recognize and overcome its manifestations in public life and the communi ....Dehumanization: Understanding the attribution of lesser humanness to others. The proposed research will contribute to an improved understanding of the subtle ways in which humanness is denied to members of some social groups. These processes contribute to intergroup antagonism and intolerance, and to a failure to take adequate moral account of other people's suffering. Understanding dehumanization can enhance our ability to recognize and overcome its manifestations in public life and the community. Scientifically, the proposed work will contribute to the nation's reputation as a world leader in the psychological study of intergroup relations.Read moreRead less
Can Some Positive Emotions Increase Anger? The project will test the idea that high approach-motivated positive emotions (desire, determination) will intensify anger, whereas low approach-motivated positive emotions (satisfaction, amusement) will reduce anger. Anger and high approach-motivated emotions are similar in that they impel the person to move toward, or to approach. Thus, high approach-motivated positive emotions may blend with anger and make it more intense. The project is significant ....Can Some Positive Emotions Increase Anger? The project will test the idea that high approach-motivated positive emotions (desire, determination) will intensify anger, whereas low approach-motivated positive emotions (satisfaction, amusement) will reduce anger. Anger and high approach-motivated emotions are similar in that they impel the person to move toward, or to approach. Thus, high approach-motivated positive emotions may blend with anger and make it more intense. The project is significant because it aims to suggest, contrary to past ideas, that some positive emotions may increase anger. The project is innovative conceptually and methodologically as it aims to reveal that some positive emotions may increase anger-related responses.Read moreRead less
Developing a process model of emotion management using experience sampling. Little is known about the underlying processes of emotional intelligence, as existing research uses descriptive structural models rather than explanatory process models. This project aims to produce a within-person process model of emotion management, the cornerstone skill of emotional intelligence. The project aims to: test the model with experience sampling; test the causal direction of the model with experimental mani ....Developing a process model of emotion management using experience sampling. Little is known about the underlying processes of emotional intelligence, as existing research uses descriptive structural models rather than explanatory process models. This project aims to produce a within-person process model of emotion management, the cornerstone skill of emotional intelligence. The project aims to: test the model with experience sampling; test the causal direction of the model with experimental manipulations; and, develop a training program to test whether the causal processes can be manipulated. This process model is expected to represent a major theoretical breakthrough for emotional intelligence research and to pave the way for evidence-based training programs.Read moreRead less
Integrating between-person and within-person approaches to personality in the workplace. Personality tests are used to predict well being and productivity at work and are often used for personnel decisions within organisations in developed countries, including Australia. The treatment of personality as a fixed set of traits that produce similar responses across situations ignores human variability across situations which is needed for design of interventions to make humans happier and more effec ....Integrating between-person and within-person approaches to personality in the workplace. Personality tests are used to predict well being and productivity at work and are often used for personnel decisions within organisations in developed countries, including Australia. The treatment of personality as a fixed set of traits that produce similar responses across situations ignores human variability across situations which is needed for design of interventions to make humans happier and more effective at work. The results of tests of the integrated model of personality will be used to design interventions for the development of responses that lead to greater well being and effectiveness of managers in work settings.Read moreRead less
Emotion regulation in daily life: Capturing context and flexibility. This project aims to understand the role of contextual and individual factors in effective emotion regulation in daily life. The ability to manage emotions is central to virtually every aspect of psychosocial functioning and wellbeing. However, because research in this domain has relied heavily on laboratory methods, very little is known about emotion regulation as it naturally occurs in daily life. Using cutting-edge mobile te ....Emotion regulation in daily life: Capturing context and flexibility. This project aims to understand the role of contextual and individual factors in effective emotion regulation in daily life. The ability to manage emotions is central to virtually every aspect of psychosocial functioning and wellbeing. However, because research in this domain has relied heavily on laboratory methods, very little is known about emotion regulation as it naturally occurs in daily life. Using cutting-edge mobile technologies, this project aims to uncover when, and for whom, various forms of emotion regulation are most effective in daily life. Besides a significantly improved scientific understanding of emotion regulation, this project is expected to inform the development of novel person - and situation-specific interventions in the many applied domains involving emotion regulation.Read moreRead less
Predicting health, well-being, and educational success in emerging adults: An 8 year longitudinal study. This project will inform the community about factors that affect the psychological, physical, academic, and employment outcomes of emerging adults. It will improve our knowledge of why some young people do not reach their full potential. The project will provide a comprehensive assessment of factors associated with well-being across several domains. It will better equip and assist professiona ....Predicting health, well-being, and educational success in emerging adults: An 8 year longitudinal study. This project will inform the community about factors that affect the psychological, physical, academic, and employment outcomes of emerging adults. It will improve our knowledge of why some young people do not reach their full potential. The project will provide a comprehensive assessment of factors associated with well-being across several domains. It will better equip and assist professionals to identify early those youth at risk of having poor psychological, health, and employment prospects post-school. The project will inform the development of intervention programs for young people and maximise their overall adjustment and well-being several years later.Read moreRead less
Fake News and Post-Truth Impacts: Responses to Conflictive Uncertainty. Attributions of fake news and post-truth are symptoms of uncertainty arising from conflicting information. Little is known about human responses to conflictive uncertainty other than that people find it aversive. This project aims to identify the determinants of human attitudes towards conflictive uncertainty. The aims will be achieved via the development of measures of attitudes toward conflictive uncertainty, and studies i ....Fake News and Post-Truth Impacts: Responses to Conflictive Uncertainty. Attributions of fake news and post-truth are symptoms of uncertainty arising from conflicting information. Little is known about human responses to conflictive uncertainty other than that people find it aversive. This project aims to identify the determinants of human attitudes towards conflictive uncertainty. The aims will be achieved via the development of measures of attitudes toward conflictive uncertainty, and studies identifying the major influences thereof. Expected outcomes include advances in knowledge of how conflictive uncertainty attitudes relate to risk orientations, personality, and situational factors. Anticipated benefits include improved strategies for decision makers and communicators faced with conflictive uncertainty.Read moreRead less