Previous studies have documented the emotional enhancement effect in working memory. However, few studies have explored the impact of negative emotion on working memory from the perspective of cues, and the attentional mechanisms underlying cues’ regulation of the emotional enhancement effect in working memory remain unclear. The present study employed a delayed matching paradigm and introduced retrospective cues to investigate the influence of negative emotion on working memory and the regulatory mechanism of cues therein. Results showed that under high cognitive load conditions, participants responded more slowly to negative images; however, after cue regulation, the difference in response times to images of different valences became non-significant. Further experiments revealed that participants’ response times to both target-relevant and target-irrelevant items were significantly shorter than those of the control group. These findings indicate that negative emotion disrupts working memory, and attentional cues can mitigate such disruption by enhancing the representation of task-relevant items.

Meaning in life is pivotal to overall well-being. Nevertheless, trends in the meaning in life among Chinese people remain unclear. To address this, the present study analyzed a large-scale representative sample dataset drawn from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS, 2010, 2012, 2017, and 2021 waves) and the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS, 2010 and 2014 waves). A hierarchical age-period-cohort (HAPC) model was employed to examine how meaning in life varies across age, period, and birth cohort dimensions. Our analyses reveal three key trends: First, meaning in life follows a U-shaped pattern with age, dipping to its lowest point in middle age (inflection point: 58.6 years). Second, period effects exhibit an N-shaped trajectory, characterized by an initial rise (2010—2012), a subsequent decline (2012—2017), and a final rebound (2017—2021). Third, birth cohort effects display significant oscillations, with the highest levels of meaning found in the 1937-1949 cohort and the lowest in the 1978—1984 cohort. By mapping the dynamic trajectory of meaning in life in three time dimensions (age, period, and birth cohort), this study provides a foundational understanding of how Chinese people’s existential perceptions have evolved, thereby offering a nuanced perspective on the complex interplay between macro-level societal transformation and micro-level shift in personal meaning.

To explore the mechanism of stress perception in the relationship between money scarcity mindset and money environment compound intertemporal decision-making, this study conducted pre experiments and formal experiments. A preliminary experiment was conducted on 110 college students to verify the effectiveness of manipulating the money scarcity mindset; 250 college students were selected for the formal experiment, using a two factor intergroup design of 2 (money scarcity mentality: scarcity/non scarcity)×2 (stress perception: high/low), combined with money environment compound intertemporal decision-making tasks and scale measurement for research. The results showed that under high pressure, the group with scarce money tended to have immediate economic benefits; Under low pressure, both the money scarce and non scarce groups prefer long-term environmental benefits; And this effect is consistent in both short-term (1 year) and long-term (3 years) tasks. This study suggests that stress perception plays an important role in the impact of money scarcity mindset on money environment compound intertemporal decision-making, providing important references for understanding individual decision-making behavior in environmental governance.

This study explored the relationship between harsh parental discipline and bullying victimization among adolescents, as well as the mediating mechanisms involving self-esteem and externalizing problem behaviors. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect and analyze data from 755 junior high school students. The findings indicate the following: (1) Harsh parental discipline significantly predicted increased bullying victimization among adolescents; (2) Self-esteem did not play a significant independent mediating role between harsh parental discipline and bullying victimization; (3) Externalizing problem behaviors served as a significant independent mediator in the relationship between harsh parental discipline and bullying victimization; (4) Self esteem and externalizing problem behaviors together formed a significant chain mediation path between harsh parental discipline and bullying victimization. In conclusion, harsh parental discipline not only directly increases the risk of bullying victimization but also indirectly contributes to it through the chain effect of lowered self esteem and increased externalizing problem behaviors.

This study investigated the effects of full life-cycle horticultural therapy practice on meaning in life and psychological suzhi in university students. Using a quasi-experimental design, 101 students from a university in Chongqing were assigned to the experimental group, while 48 students served as the control group. A three month full life-cycle horticultural therapy intervention was implemented. The Chinese Revision of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire and the Simplified Version of the Psychological Suzhi Scale for University Students were administered to both groups before and after the intervention, with subsequent data analysis. The results indicated that the experimental group showed significantly higher post-test scores in meaning in life, total psychological suzhi, and all its sub-dimensions compared to the control group. The study demonstrates that full life-cycle horticultural therapy practice effectively enhances university students' sense of meaning in life and psychological suzhi. It offers a feasible and efficient practical paradigm for shifting university mental health education from problem intervention to proactive prevention. Additionally, it provides mechanistic evidence for Attention Restoration Theory by highlighting how interaction with nature promotes the development of deep psychological resources.

This study investigated the longitudinal relationship between perceived discrimination and aggression among rural middle school students, as well as the mediating role of loneliness. A three-wave tracking survey was conducted at six-month intervals with 804 students from five rural schools in Sichuan Province, using the perceived discrimination scale, aggression scale, and loneliness scale. Cross-lagged panel analysis demonstrated stable positive correlations among perceived discrimination, aggression, and loneliness across all three measurements, along with a bidirectional predictive relationship between perceived discrimination and aggression. Moreover, loneliness was identified as a significant longitudinal mediator in this reciprocal relationship. These findings clarify the longitudinal mechanisms linking perceived discrimination with aggression, providing a theoretical basis for the prevention of aggressive behaviors in junior high school students.