Development and initial validation of a self-report measure to assess eating disorderspecific interoceptive perception

in Psychological Assessment (in press)

Interoceptive deficits – particularly with respect to the perception of emotions, hunger, and satiety – constitute important targets for intervention in eating disorders (EDs). Suitable self4 report ... [more ▼]

Interoceptive deficits – particularly with respect to the perception of emotions, hunger, and satiety – constitute important targets for intervention in eating disorders (EDs). Suitable self4 report measures to identify these deficits, however, are lacking. We, therefore, developed and validated a multidimensional questionnaire to assess eating disorder-specific interoceptive perception (EDIP) in terms of the ability to perceive and discriminate between emotions, hunger, and satiety. In two independent samples with a total of 2058 individuals (22.74% with self8 reported EDs), exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a four-factor solution of the EDIP Questionnaire (EDIP-Q) with the subscales Emotions, Hunger, Satiety, and Discrimination. The EDIP-Q has sound psychometric properties and was related to convergent questionnaires but unrelated to divergent self-report measures, supporting its construct validity. Participants with self-reported EDs had significantly lower EDIP-Q scores compared to participants without self-reported ED diagnosis. While individuals with self-reported anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge-eating disorder (BED) report similar difficulties in perceiving emotions, participants with BN and BED report greater difficulties in perceiving satiety and differentiating between hunger and emotional states compared to participants with AN. In contrast, individuals with AN report higher sensibility to satiety, but lower sensibility to hunger compared to individuals with BN and BED. The EDIP-Q is a valuable clinical tool to establish profiles of deficits in EDIP that provides the basis for developing more targeted treatment approaches for EDs. [less ▲]

Trick with Treat – Reciprocity increases the willingness to communicate personal data.

Scientific Conference (2016, June)

Information security is a significant challenge for information and communication technologies (ICT). This includes withstanding attempts of social engineering aimed at manipulating people into divulging ... [more ▼]

Information security is a significant challenge for information and communication technologies (ICT). This includes withstanding attempts of social engineering aimed at manipulating people into divulging confidential information. However, many users are lacking awareness of the risks involved with, for example, password security. In a field survey that tested reciprocal behavior in social interactions, 1,208 participants were asked to reveal their personal password. More than one third of the participants shared their password with an unknown interviewer. In line with the social norm of reciprocity, people were more willing to do so when they received a small incentive (i.e., a piece of chocolate) before they were asked to reveal personal information. Elicitation was even more successful when the incentive was given right before asking for the password. The results, including moderating factors (e.g., age, gender), are discussed in the light of security awareness of ICT users and the mechanisms of psychological persuasion. [less ▲]

Trick with treat – Reciprocity increases the willingness to communicate personal data

in Computers in Human Behavior (2016)

Information security is a significant challenge for information and communication technologies (ICT). This includes withstanding attempts of social engineering aimed at manipulating people into divulging ... [more ▼]

Information security is a significant challenge for information and communication technologies (ICT). This includes withstanding attempts of social engineering aimed at manipulating people into divulging confidential information. However, many users are lacking awareness of the risks involved. In a field survey that tested reciprocal behavior in social interactions, 1208 participants were asked to reveal their personal password. In line with the social norm of reciprocity, more than one third of the participants were willing to do so when they received a small incentive. Elicitation was even more successful when the incentive was given right before asking for the password. The results, including moderating factors (e.g., age, gender), are discussed in the light of security awareness of ICT users and the mechanisms of psychological persuasion. [less ▲]

Quality of Work: Validation of a New Instrument in Three Languages

in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2015), 12(12), 1498815006

Introduction and objective: A new instrument to measure quality of work was developed in three languages (German, French and Luxembourgish) and validated in a study of employees working in Luxembourg ... [more ▼]

Introduction and objective: A new instrument to measure quality of work was developed in three languages (German, French and Luxembourgish) and validated in a study of employees working in Luxembourg. Methods and results: A representative sample (n = 1529) was taken and exploratory factor analysis revealed a six-factor solution for the 21-item instrument (satisfaction and respect, mobbing, mental strain at work, cooperation, communication and feedback, and appraisal). Reliability analysis showed satisfying reliability for all six factors and the total questionnaire. In order to examine the construct validity of the new instrument, regression analyses were conducted to test whether the instrument predicted work characteristics’ influence on three components of well-being—burnout, psychological stress and maladaptive coping behaviors. Conclusion: The present validation offers a trilingual inventory for measuring quality of work that may be used, for example, as an assessment tool or for testing the effectiveness of interventions. [less ▲]

Empathy and Violent Video Games: Aggression and Prosocial Behavior

Book published by Palgrave Pivot - Palgrave Studies in Cyberpsychology (2014)

The high levels of violence in video games have often been linked to an apparent decrease in empathy and increase in selfishness in Western society, yet surprisingly little research has been conducted on ... [more ▼]

The high levels of violence in video games have often been linked to an apparent decrease in empathy and increase in selfishness in Western society, yet surprisingly little research has been conducted on the role of empathy in the context of media. Through three empirical studies, this book explores the mechanisms behind moderating functions of empathy. The chapters discuss factors such as character played and players' interpretation of the character, as well as the effects of inducing empathy before playing a video game upon emotion, cognition and behaviour. The book reveals new insights that will inform the ongoing debates about the effects of violent media content. [less ▲]

Moral disengagement as a predictor of violent video game preference

Scientific Conference (2014, May)