Our current findings add to the literature into the effects of childhood scarcity and current scarcity on cognitive performance. We show that participants who experienced childhood scarcity...Show moreOur current findings add to the literature into the effects of childhood scarcity and current scarcity on cognitive performance. We show that participants who experienced childhood scarcity generally perform worse on executive functioning, as measured by the Hearts and Flowers task. This is in line with the general trend that childhood scarcity seems to impede cognitive functioning (Cermakova et al., 2018; Everson-Rose, 2003). For current scarcity we found no significant main effect of on cognitive performance. However, a interaction effect between childhood scarcity and current scarcity on cognitive performance was present. While childhood scarcity generally impedes cognitive functioning; our research shows that under conditions of high current scarcity people who experienced high levels of childhood scarcity show heightened performance on the HF-task compared to those who experienced lower levels of childhood scarcity. These findings imply that cognitive performance in people who experienced childhood scarcity might not simply be impeded, but rather adopted to specific environments of uncertainty.Show less
Childhood scarcity has long lasting effects that remain visible during adulthood. Much of the literature suggests that these effects are mostly negative, but some theories such as the Life History...Show moreChildhood scarcity has long lasting effects that remain visible during adulthood. Much of the literature suggests that these effects are mostly negative, but some theories such as the Life History Theory have inspired studies that show positive effects of childhood scarcity. The current work aims to highlight the effects of experiencing childhood scarcity on adult cognitive performance in a current financial scarcity situation. We hypothesized that people who experienced childhood scarcity performed better, on a memory and attention task during a situation of current financial scarcity, then people who had not experienced such scarcity. To test their memory we used a restaurant menu containing dishes with prices and calories that participants had to recall; further, to measure attentional shifting, the menu contained a discount code that participant could copy and paste in order to save money. In the experiment 190 participants were randomly assigned to two groups – respectively low budget and high budget condition. The hypotheses were not confirmed, however a significant effect of childhood scarcity on the memory of dishes’ prices and calories was found.Show less
In this study, we hypothesized that the financial scarcity mindset would lead to a lower working memory performance. Additionally, we also hypothesized that a sudden loss of money would lead to...Show moreIn this study, we hypothesized that the financial scarcity mindset would lead to a lower working memory performance. Additionally, we also hypothesized that a sudden loss of money would lead to lower working memory performance than it would a longer period of financial scarcity. We experimentally induced financial scarcity by a financial task - the Household task and we operationalized working memory performance as participants’ scores on the backwards Corsi task. In an online experiment, 187 adult British participants were randomly assigned to four groups, which varied both in the amount of income they received and whether they received or did not receive a wealth shock. Although none of our hypotheses were confirmed, significant experimental manipulation results proved this study design is valid to use when experimentally inducing financial scarcity. We discussed the results and proposed that incentivizing people should be taken into consideration in future research and practice, as an important factor that might diminish the negative effects of financial scarcity on working memory performance.Show less
People are less likely to show prosocial behavior upon being ostracized, unless bystanders are present and they have the opportunity to find social (re)inclusion. The current study tests if these...Show morePeople are less likely to show prosocial behavior upon being ostracized, unless bystanders are present and they have the opportunity to find social (re)inclusion. The current study tests if these assertions are also true for a specific type of prosocial behavior: green consumption. Based on former research we expected 1) ostracism and 2) the social identity of bystanders (pro- or anti-environmental) to influence green consumption. Furthermore, we expected an interaction effect between the two variables. After participation in a Cyberball experiment that induced ostracism, participants were to shop for three products – all in green and conventional form – in a simulated store. No effect of ostracism and bystander’s social identity on green consumption was found. Nor did an interaction effect occur.Show less
This work aims to research whether social inclusion levels and the presence of bystanders at a store affect “green” consumption - more accurately, whether participants choose sustainable over...Show moreThis work aims to research whether social inclusion levels and the presence of bystanders at a store affect “green” consumption - more accurately, whether participants choose sustainable over conventional versions of products. We expected ostracism, induced by a game of Cyberball, to negatively affect the choice of sustainable products. Furthermore, we predicted that the presence of bystanders influenced product choice depending on the bystanders' attitude towards “green” behaviour. In addition, an interaction between the two variables was anticipated. We expected that the effect of the social identity of bystanders on green consumption depends on the level of social inclusion. Hypotheses were not confirmed, however a significant interaction between the level of social inclusion and social identity of bystanders was found for male participants.Show less
About fifteen million children in the United States are living below the poverty threshold (NCCP, n.d.) and consequently cannot meet the basic needs. The effects of growing up in poverty are...Show moreAbout fifteen million children in the United States are living below the poverty threshold (NCCP, n.d.) and consequently cannot meet the basic needs. The effects of growing up in poverty are tremendous, since it is not only influencing current quality of life, but also has an effect on later cognitive performance. Previous research suggests that people growing up in poverty perform better on attentional shifting and visuospatial memory later in life. The current study continues on this and hypothesizes that early financial hardship will lead to better performance on shifting and visuospatial memory tasks under conditions of difficult monetary scenarios, compared to easy monetary scenarios. Results show marginally significant results indicating that people growing up in poverty are better at a combined visuospatial memory and attentional shifting task than people not growing up in poverty, but only when they were confronted with a difficult monetary scenario. Future research could focus on enhancing statistical power to get more significant results.Show less
Life History Theory is an evolutionary theory claiming that early life circumstances help us develop abilities and behaviors beneficial to those specific conditions. This study aimed to investigate...Show moreLife History Theory is an evolutionary theory claiming that early life circumstances help us develop abilities and behaviors beneficial to those specific conditions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of childhood poverty on cognitive abilities such as switching and visuospatial memory in current financially difficult situations. We hypothesized that people who grew up poor would score better on a task measuring switching and visuospatial memory, but only in current financially difficult situations. Conversely, their counterparts in the low financial difficulty situations would underperform due to the dissimilarity of the circumstances the cognitive abilities adapted to in childhood. Our results provided support for the hypothesis as participants who grew up poor performed better at switching and visuospatial memory in current financially difficult situations compared to their peers in the low difficulty situation. These findings indicate that difficult circumstances in childhood could improve cognitive abilities needed to persist in those circumstances.Show less
