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Although large body of research has demonstrated the attention-grabbing nature of threat-related stimuli, threat could also facilitate attentional processes. Previous studies suggest a linear relationship between the facilitating effect of the arousal level conveyed by threat and performance on visual search tasks. Due to the temporal competition bias favouring stimuli with higher arousal level, this could be more pronounced for shorter onset times. Here, through two experiments we aimed to disentangle the two effects by using a visual search paradigm that allowed us to separate the emotional stimuli and the cognitive task. We manipulated stimulus onset time and threat intensity. Participants saw neutral and threatening pictures as priming stimuli, and then, they had to find numbers in ascending order in a matrix array. We measured the reaction time for finding the first number, and search time for finding all the numbers. Our results showed that when the priming stimulus is presented, longer threatening pictures produced longer reaction times compared to neutral ones, which was reversed with increase in arousal. We did not find any significant effects for the shorter onset time. Further theoretical and methodological implications are discussed. Relevance and background of the study The study of attentional biases for threat has been a major theme in the research on the aetiology and maintenance of anxiety disorders (McNally, 2018). A large body of this research area demonstrated that threatening stimuli have a highlighted role in visual processing (

Highlights Self-esteem and social anxiety only indirectly predicted problematic social networking site (SNS) use and problematic internet use (PIU). Fear of negative evaluation mediated associations between social anxiety and self-esteem and both PIU and problematic SNS use. These indirect pathways might also highlight relevant differences behind the motivation of PIU – anonymity – and problematic SNS use – control.

The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory has been widely used to measure state and trait components of anxiety. We sought to develop a short, yet reliable and valid form of these scales for use in circumstances where the full‐form is inappropriate. Using three large samples (total N = 3399, age-range = 16-90) we abbreviated the scales based on Item Response Theory analyses to retain the items that could discriminate the best among subjects. We calculated cut-off scores for the five-item short versions of state and trait scales using Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve analyses. The short forms have sound psychometric properties that are comparable to those obtained on the full-form. We report detailed descriptive statistics that could be used in further studies as standards. The short scales are reliable measures that could be used in clinical screening and in behavioural research; especially where practical considerations preclude the use of a longer questionnaire.

The Narcissistic Personality Inventory is a widely used measure of narcissism; however, several different conflicting factor structures have been proposed. The present study aimed to untangle those differences by offering a bifactor model of narcissism with an underlying general narcissism factor and several specific factors. Our objective was to estimate the variance explained by the general and the specific factors. Therefore, we applied a set of confirmatory factor analyses on three independent studies (N = 791; N = 319 and N = 237), and also tested the construct validity of these factors with other contemporary measures of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, big five personality traits, explicit self-esteem, gender and well-being. Our results suggest that the bifactor model with three specific factors yielded acceptable fit to our data in all of the different single-stimulus response formats and languages used in our studies and modelling three specific factors offered more insight into the adaptive and maladaptive characteristics of narcissism. The general narcissism factor alone explains only about half of the common variance, highlighting the importance of the specific factors as well.

In this study, we interpret codependency as a dysfunctional pattern of relating to others, and based on this approach, we hypothesized an association with negative forms of dyadic coping, relationship problems and life satisfaction. A total of 246 Hungarian participants (167 females, 79 males), aged 18–72 years (M = 35.3, SD = 11.6) completed our online survey including measures of codependency, dyadic coping, perceptions of relationship, and life satisfaction. In our cross-sectional research, the Spann-Fischer Codependency Scale (SF-CDS), the Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI), the Shortened Marital Stress Scale (MSS-R), and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) were used. Correlational and pathway analyzes were applied to confirm our hypotheses. Codependency was associated with negative dyadic coping, while we found no measurable influence on positive dyadic coping. Individuals with higher codependency rated both their own and their partner’s negative dyadic coping more pronounced, while at the same time they characterized their relationships as more problematic. Structural Equation Modelling proved that codependent attitudes, along with the emergence of negative dyadic coping forms and perception of relationship problems, reduce a person’s life satisfaction. Overall, it can be stated that the more codependent the participants were, the more negative their own and partner’s behaviour was perceived in stressful situations and the more problematic their intimate relationship was found to be. Our results support the idea that codependency is a specific, largely stable attitude that determines a person’s perception and behaviour relating to others.

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