ACP2023 Virtual Poster Presentations

General Psychology

67207 | Biopsychosocial Factors in Alcohol-related Cancers in East Asian Populations

Hoang Le, New York University, United States

One of the most common causes of human cancer is alcohol consumption. There has been evidence that shows drinking increases the risk of cancer in the mouth and throat, larynx, colon, liver, female breast, and especially the esophagus. However, much of the existing data is collected from Western countries. This literature review aims to evaluate the interaction between genetic influences, behaviors, and environments for the development of cancer through the consumption of alcohol in East Asian individuals. The targeted population was selected specifically for their unique facial flushing reaction after consuming alcohol. Alcohol flushing is an allergic response triggered mainly by the inactive aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) genotype. Study participants range from adults in East Asian countries (China, Japan, and Korea) to college students with East Asian ethnicities in the United States. While previous research has suggested the association between ALDH2 inactive gene flushing response and alcohol-associated cancers, Asian flushers are more at risk due to social, psychological, and cultural influences on drinking behavior.

68698 | Women’s Interpersonal Attitudes Depend on Conception Risk

Ryoko Takikawa, Waseda University, Japan

Yasuyuki Fukukawa, Waseda University, Japan

Although several research with between-subjects design explores the effect of the conception risk across the menstrual cycle on women's interpersonal attitudes, there has not been enough relevant research considering within-subjects design. The purpose of this study was to examine whether altruistic behavior changes over time depending on conception risks. An online survey was conducted on a total of 94 Japanese female university students twice at a two-week interval. Conception risk was assessed based on self-reported information regarding days since the first day of their last menstrual period. Altruistic behavior towards three domains of personal relationships (family members, friends and acquaintances, and strangers) was measured from participants' answers to a questionnaire. A variable related to perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD) was also measured from a questionnaire. ANOVA indicated that altruistic behavior score toward family members increased when women were at the time of high risk of conception. ANOVA also indicated that altruistic behavior score toward strangers decreased when women with low PVD were at the time of low risk of conception. The results remained significant even after controlling for menstrual regularity and low-dose oral contraceptive use. The findings of the study highlight biological factors affecting women's interpersonal attitudes.

68711 | The Storage Mechanism of Ensemble Representation in Visual Working Memory

Chaoer Xu, Zhejiang

University, China

Jifan Zhou, Zhejiang University, China

The ability to extract and store ensemble representation helps us to efficiently process and remember complex visual information, despite the limited capacity of our visual working memory. Previous studies on visual working memory have focused mostly on objects, rather than on ensembles. The current study investigated the storage limitations and storage format of ensemble representation using a change detection paradigm. In a series of experiments, participants viewed multiple sets of circles grouped by spatial proximity and memorized the mean size of each set. Each set contained six circles, but with different sizes. Participants reported whether the mean size of memorized set was identical to the mean size of the probe set. Results showed that visual working memory could stably maintain mean sizes of approximately two sets for at least four seconds. The working memory performance of ensembles was not affected by the number of individuals in the ensemble, indicating that individuals were not stored in working memory. In addition, the memory of ensemble representations did not depend on the precise memory of the individual objects. Taken together, these results suggest that ensembles are not stored as a simple composition of their individual elements, but as more abstract statistical information.

68893 | A Psychometric Review of Three Measures of Social Isolation Among Japanese Adults

Emi Ichimura, Seattle Pacific University, United

States

Joel Jin, Seattle Pacific University, United States

The Japanese Ministry of Health maintains that the term “hikikomori” refers to prolonged, voluntary isolation or confinement to one’s living space for at least 6 months. However, the conceptualization of hikikomori as a disorder and the development of its measures within the context of the pandemic are still novel. As such, the purpose of this study is to compare the psychometric properties of three separate measures for hikikomori that have been previously tested with Japanese adult samples. Criteria included favorable reliability (e.g., stability, internal consistency, and equivalence) and validity (e.g., content, criterion, and construct), cultural applicability, and theoretical relevance. The three measures under investigation were: The Adaptive Behaviors Scale for Hikikomori Self Report version (ABS-H-SR; Nonaka & Sakai, 2022), Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6; Kurimoto et al., 2011), and The Hikikomori Questionnaire (HQ-25; Teo et al., 2018). All measures presented sound psychometric properties; however, the ABS-H-SR demonstrated especially high interpretability, excellent CFA model fit, and relevance within the context of the pandemic. The LSNS-6 was critiqued for its brevity, and the HQ-25 was not prioritized due to its lack of psychometric review, though this scale is still considered for further evaluation. This systematic review provides recommendations for cross-cultural and contextual adaptations on how to measure social isolative tendencies in future research.

68894 | Psychological Experiences of Hikikomori During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review

Emi Ichimura, Seattle Pacific University, United States

Koji Tohmon, Seattle Pacific University, United States

Michelle Pei, Seattle Pacific University, United States

Keyne Law, Seattle Pacific University, United States

Joel Jin, Seattle Pacific University, United States acp.iafor.org/acp2023-virtual-presentations

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns have raised concerns about hikikomori, a phenomenon characterized by prolonged confinement to one's living space. This literature review aims to highlight differences in understanding the psychological experience of hikikomori after being in a pandemic where physical isolation was warranted. We searched APA PsycINFO (March 2020-Current) for articles in English on the relationship between mental health outcomes (e.g., psychological distress, depression, and anxiety) and isolative tendencies. After screening 67 articles, we retrieved 21 articles for review. The studies revealed that subjective perceptions of social isolation and social support significantly affect mental well-being, while objective measures of social isolation were not associated with ratings of mental health. As such, interventions aimed at reducing loneliness and increasing social support may be particularly beneficial for those who are at risk of experiencing hikikomori-like symptoms. Furthermore, vulnerable individuals with pre-existing psychosocial adversities were more likely to display increased anxiety levels when facing pandemic-related stressors. The study highlights the need for clinicians to consider broader sociocultural contexts, such as institutional and illness-triggered factors, stigma, and discrimination. Future research can explore the longterm effects of isolation during and after the pandemic, including its impact on social and cognitive functioning, physical health, and the development of new coping mechanisms. The review also suggests that the previous understanding of hikikomori may no longer apply to those who have adapted to functioning remotely during the pandemic. Clinicians should consider this shift and evaluate their patients' well-being across various domains to ensure appropriate care.