Tokyo Seitoku University

The present study aimed to examine the effects of basic psychological need support behavior from teachers on learning behavior with an emphasis on regulatory focus. Junior High School Students (N=341) completed the questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that autonomy support behavior from teachers predicted behavior engagement and persistence in learning of the promotion focus. The results suggest that autonomy support behavior from teachers plays an important role in supporting learning behaviors for junior high school students with high promotion focus.

Odor stimuli are widely reported to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety in humans and rodents. However, it remains unclear if this anxiolytic efficacy can be further enhanced by association with positive experiences. Therefore, we compared the effects of a novel odor to a familiar odor previously paired with a positive experience on anxiety-like behaviors in rats. One group of Wistar-Imamichi female and male pups was exposed to an odor stimulus with their dams during postnatal days (PNDs) 8-12, whereas another control group was exposed to perfused air during the same period. Starting on PND 42, all animals were examined in the open field test (OFT) and elevated plus maze (EPM) test during exposure to scent-free air (vehicle), a novel odor, or the positive-familiar odor from postnatal exposure. In the EPM, female rats entered open arms with all 4 paws (complete entry) more frequently and spent more time on open arms during exposure to the positive-familiar odor than during exposure to air or a novel odor, whereas partial open arm entries with forepaws only were increased during exposure to both novel and positive-familiar odors compared to air. In contrast, male rats demonstrated no significant increase in open arm activity during positive-familiar odor exposure, but did show equally reduced grooming frequency during novel and familiar-positive odor exposure in the OFT. Exposure to positive-familiar odors may be an effective and safe method for anxiety reduction, especially in females.

The successful development of Transformational Leadership (TFL) theory has influenced research in organizational psychology since the 1980s. Research shows that TFL has been effective not only in the domain of business but also in the military, education, parenting, and public sectors. Sport psychology researchers became interested in TFL in the early 2000s. The TFL behaviors in sport include individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, fostering teamwork, high performance expectation, and appropriate role modeling. The focus of the current review paper is to examine and organize research on TFL in the sport coaching literature. More specifically, the effects of coaches’ TFL behavior on the psychological and behavioral aspects of athletes are reviewed. The previous literature was organized into 7 themes: performance, training attitude, motivation, self-efficacy, cohesion, satisfaction, and psychological development. It is recommended that future research should examine the effect of TFL on desired psychological and behavioral outcomes of athletes and include it in sport coaching education.

In spite of practical importance in the pyro-metallurgy process, thermal conductivity of molten oxide system has not been sufficiently studied due to its notorious convection and radiation effects. By an aid of appropriate modification of measurement technique and evaluations for systematic errors, thermal conductivity measurement at high temperature becomes feasible. In this chapter, thermal conductivity measurement technique for high-temperature molten oxide system was discussed along with related experimental errors. In addition, thermal conduction mechanism by phonon was briefly introduced. The laser flash method and hot-wire method, which are representative measurement methods for high-temperature system, were compared. During the measurement by using hot-wire method, the convection and radiation effects on measurement results were evaluated. In the hot-wire method, both convection and radiation effects were found to be negligible within short measurement time. Finally, the effect of network structure of molten oxide system on thermal conductivity was discussed. The positive relationship between thermal conductivity and polymerization in the silicate and/or borate system was presented. In addition, the effect of cation expressed by function of ionization potential on thermal conductivity was also briefly introduced. This chapter is partially based on a dissertation submitted by Youngjae Kim in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Tokyo, September 2015.

In this study, observing football players under simulated playing conditions to measure event-related potentials (ERPs, i.e. P300), electromyography reaction time (EMG-RT), and reaction time (RT), we investigated neural correlates of information processing during selective reaction challenges. A high performance group included 13 collegiate football players who had previously won the All Japan University Championships. A low performance group included 13 collegiate football players who never competed at the national level or played in prefectural or regional competitions. We conducted a 4 vs. 2 ball possession task (i.e. a Go/NoGo task) under simulated playing conditions that required situational assessment. Our results showed that the high-performance group had a significantly higher correct response rate than did the low-performance group in 4 vs. 2 ball possession tasks. Moreover, the EMG-RT and RT of the high-performance group were significantly shorter than that of the low-performance group. Furthermore, the P100 and P300 latencies of the high-performance group was significantly shorter than those of the low-performance group. These findings indicated that high-performance football players could perform the task-relevant stages of information processing (such as visual information processing, stimulus evaluation, and motor response output) in a short time. There was no correlation between EMG-RT and P100 (Go, NoGo stimulation), indicating that initial visual information processing did not contribute to the execution of the final motor response. There was no correlation between EMG-RT and Go P300 latency, whereas a significant correlation with NoGo P300 latency was shown. This suggested that the stimulus evaluation system by NoGo stimuli (response inhibition) is strongly involved in the final motor output reaction.

SummaryPeople with high levels of depressive symptoms experience overgeneralized autobiographical memory (OGM) in voluntary recall and intrusive images in involuntary recall. The present study examined the relationship between OGM and intrusive images and the influence of depressive symptoms on this relationship over 1 week. Fifty‐three students completed self‐report questionnaires, autobiographical memory test, and the trauma film paradigm. Subsequently, they reported intrusive images from the trauma film in a diary for 1 week. Hierarchical multiple regression showed that individuals with higher levels of depressive symptoms experienced more intrusive images than did individuals with low depressive symptoms. An interaction effect between negative memory specificity and depressive symptoms revealed that number of intrusive images was related to high negative memory specificity (i.e. low OGM) in individuals with higher levels of depressive symptoms. These results support the functional avoidance strategy of OGM in analogue trauma stimuli, especially in individuals with higher depressive symptoms.Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.