Suchergebnisse

Abstract
Autobiographical memories play a vital role in shaping personal identity. Therefore, individuals often use various methods like diaries and photographs to preserve precious memories. Tattoos also serve as a means of remembering, yet their role in autobiographical memory has received limited attention in research. To address this gap, we surveyed 161 adults (68.9 per cent female, M = 26.93, SD = 6.57) to explore the life events that motivated their tattoos and to examine their most significant memories. We then compared these findings with significant memories of 185 individuals without tattoos (80.0 per cent female, M = 31.26, SD = 15.34). The results showed that the majority of tattoos were inspired by unique life events, including specific events about personal growth, relationships, leisure activities, losses, or diseases. Even when not directly tied to specific events in life, tattoos still reflect autobiographical content, such as mottos, beliefs, and values. Furthermore, the most significant memories of younger tattooed individuals (20–24 years) tended to be more normative and less stressful compared to those of their non-tattooed counterparts in the same age group, though the nature of these memories varied. This difference was not found among older participants (30–54 years). Additionally, those without tattoos indicated to use specific objects and methods for preserving important events, suggesting tattoos are only one of several ways to reminisce. However, tattoos uniquely allow for the physical embodiment of autobiographical memories, indicating that engraving significant life events in the skin aids in reflecting on one's life story.

Abstract. Our unit investigates the relationship of emotional processes (experience, expression, and coping), their physiological correlates and possible health outcomes. We study domain specific anger expression behavior and associated cardio-vascular loads and found e.g. that particularly an open anger expression at work is associated with greater blood pressure. Furthermore, we demonstrated that women may be predisposed for the development of certain mental disorders because of their higher disgust sensitivity. We also pointed out that the suppression of negative emotions leads to increased physiological stress responses which results in a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases. We could show that relaxation as well as music activity like singing in a choir causes increases in the local immune parameter immunoglobuline A. Finally, we are investigating connections between migrants' strategy of acculturation and health and found e.g. elevated cardiovascular stress responses in migrants when they where highly adapted to the German culture.

Abstract. The purpose of the present study was to develop a short form of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2) based on the German STAXI-2. Item selection was performed based on exploratory factor analyses (EFA) using descriptive statistical parameters and content-related considerations on calibration samples ( N1 = 215, N2 = 310). The factorial structure of the final extracted scales was validated via confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) ( N3 = 216, N4 = 310). Overall, results present an economic and reliable questionnaire with a total length of 24 items: State Anger short scales Feeling Angry, Verbal Anger Impulse, and Physical Anger Impulse (3 items each), that can be aggregated to a total State Anger score, as well as Trait Anger short scales Angry Reaction (3 items), Anger Expression-In, Anger Expression-Out, and Anger Control (4 items each). The structure of State Anger is identical to the German long version with improved internal consistency in the short form. Regarding the Trait scales, critique on the STAXI-2 has been taken into account resulting in the elimination of the subscale Trait Temperament due to redundancy with Trait Anger Expression-Out and for economic reasons. Other than that, the structure has remained the same. In addition, strict measurement invariance was established based on multi-group CFA for both the State and the Trait scales across gender and age groups, which has not been investigated for STAXI-2 versions to date.