Search

The didactic class is a pedagogical tool meant to increase classroom interactivity by encouraging student discussion of real-life cases in connection with theory. This paper evaluates the pedagogical impact of using a one-off didactic class where an external expert is brought in to discuss how to relate a cognitive psychology course's content to real-life problems. Using a mixed-methods approach, we measure the undergraduate students' sense of conceptual understanding, their perspective on applying cognitive sciences, their sense of belonging to the department, and their motivation to work. Students' sense of understanding and their perspective in applying cognitive sciences to real-world problems significantly increased after this class. However, we found no significant differences in their sense of belonging to the department or their motivation to study. This suggests didactic classes may further course-specific content but do not change broader aspects of motivation or belonging. The qualitative interviews support the quantitative results. Students reported that the didactic class made them think laterally about content from other modules and how they could apply theoretical insights to real-world problems, which boosted confidence. Students reported great satisfaction with the didactic class. Of course, the speaker must be relevant to the course content, and students should feel empowered and able to speak in class. However, these are practical concerns that should not discourage lecturers from exploring didactic classes as a fun and instructive tool that has significant pedagogical benefits.

This document is an editorial from the Counselling Psychology Review, written by Miltos Hadjiosif and May Lene Karlsen. The authors discuss their anthology of seven stories that aim to provoke and inspire therapists to reflect on their own journeys. They challenge the dominant narrative of the "wounded healer" and seek to highlight the diverse experiences and perspectives within the profession. The authors also emphasize the importance of storytelling and narrative in the field of counselling psychology, calling for a balance between skills-based knowledge and the rich, non-linear life-histories of therapists. [Extracted from the article]

Conventional statistics methods in most psychological research, such as null-hypothesis significance tests (NHSTs), use aggregated values (i.e., the sample means) of group behaviours to make inferences about individuals. Such inferences are possibly erroneous because groups of humans rarely, if ever, constitute an ergodic system. To assume ergodicity without checking is to commit the 'ergodic fallacy'. The aim of the current study was to examine the prevalence of this error in contemporary psychological research. We analysed three highly cited 'Q1' journals in the fields of clinical, educational and cognitive psychology for statements that indicated this error. As hypothesized, the ergodic fallacy was found in the vast majority of the papers investigated here. We also hypothesised that the prevalence of this error would be highest in cognitive psychology papers because this field typically assesses theoretical claims about universal cognitive mechanisms, whereas clinical and educational psychology are more concerned with empirically supported interventions. This hypothesis was also supported by our results. Nonetheless, the prevalence of the ergodic fallacy was still high in all fields. Implications are discussed with respect to the reporting of research findings and the validity of theories in psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Journal of Psychology of Education (EJPE) will now be publishing a new format called "Special Section" to encourage collaboration among researchers in the field of psychology of education. A Special Section consists of 4 to 6 papers focused on a specific area of research proposed by a group of researchers, the editorial team, or the editorial board. The papers go through the same peer review process as regular papers and are published in the journal as a collection. The goal of this format is to promote visibility for European collaborative research projects, foster collaboration, and explore new ideas and approaches in psychology of education. Several Special Sections are already planned for publication between 2024 and 2025. [Extracted from the article]

This paper will use two examples from human cognition-theory of mind and concept representation-to compare human and artificial intelligence. One problem in comparing humans to AI is that performance does not entail competence, meaning that even if two systems can carry out a particular task, the two systems do not necessarily share the same underlying cognitive capacity. However, researchers have begun testing AI on psychological measures to compare human and AI cognition. For example, researchers have investigated the artificial theory of mind, which is the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others. Additionally, researchers have investigated artificial concept representation, which is the ability to represent categories abstractly. This paper argues that although empirical evidence is key to exploring AI, it is possible that data alone cannot capture the challenge of human-artificial comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Were you able to read and understand what that foreign word means? If not, it is never too late to start learning a new language. However, is it possible to become fluent in a foreign language despite the age at which you start? To answer this question this paper delves into the critical periods in language acquisition and their importance. This paper highlights infants' gradual acquisition of different aspects of language, such as phonemes, words, and grammar. To conclude the importance of critical periods, I compare different strategies for infants and adults learning a language, referring to the example of German word order acquisition. Furthermore, this paper focuses on second language learning. It gives some successful examples of perfectly acquired language by foreigners beyond childhood and highlights the phenomenon of exposure to a native-speaking environment. Additionally, I will discuss the degree of plasticity after the critical period ends and some challenges learners might experience when acquiring a second language. In conclusion, this paper offers a comprehensive review that contributes to our understanding of language development and its implications for language learning beyond childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a nonlinear teaching approach, based on learning theories in cognitive psychology, with a special focus on large-cohort economics modules. The fundamental rationale is to match the features of teaching with the nature of learning. This approach was implemented in an undergraduate economics module, which received qualitative feedback and quantitative evaluation. Formal econometric models with both binary and continuous treatment effects were developed and estimated to quantify the effects of the proposed approach. Evidence shows that the nonlinear teaching approach significantly improves the effectiveness and efficiency of the learning-teaching process but does not promote student attendance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the history and development of the journal Social Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience (SCAN). The author, Matthew D. Lieberman, reflects on the early years of the journal and the challenges faced in establishing a dedicated platform for social and affective neuroscience research. Lieberman announces that he will be stepping down as the Editor-in-Chief in January 2025, marking the end of his tenure. He also outlines some upcoming changes for the journal, including the acceptance of non-neuroscience papers and the publication of a "Tools of the Trade" piece to support the growth of social and affective neuroscience in academic institutions. [Extracted from the article]

In order to improve the efficiency of information acquisition and task selection in Virtual Reality (VR) systems, enhance the interactive experience, and reduce cognitive load for users, it is crucial to effectively organize and leverage user cognitive psychology and design elements during the VR scene design phase. This paper focuses on analyzing the low cognitive load requirements of users and the need for a satisfactory user perceptual experience based on the cognitive resource theory. We propose a method for optimizing the design of VR system scenario tasks under low cognitive load requirements. By utilizing human-computer hybrid intelligent assistance for predicting user cognitive load and incorporating intelligent optimization genetic algorithms into the optimization of VR system design elements, we aim to minimize cognitive load as the objective function based on the principle of low cognitive load. Important knowledge granularity nodes are used as fitness functions in the optimization process of VR system design resource elements. An application study is conducted, combining the multi-channel cognition in a smart city VR system task information interface, to optimize the system resource features. The study validates and compares the solutions obtained through traditional design processes and the solutions optimized by the method proposed in this paper, using virtual reality eye-tracking experiments for the same design task requirements in VR systems. The results demonstrate that users experience lower cognitive load and better task operation experience when interacting with the optimized solutions proposed in this paper. Therefore, the optimization method studied in this paper can serve as a reference for the construction of virtual reality systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In the realm of emerging e-commerce platforms, the influence of online shopping events, specifically online carnival promotions (OSC), on consumer behavior is a significant area of interest. This paper delves into the effects of such promotions on consumer perceptions, a topic that has not been extensively explored in academic research. Methods: To investigate this phenomenon, two distinct studies were conducted. The first study employed a questionnaire-based experiment involving 220 participants, divided into two groups. The first study examined the mediating role of cognitive legitimacy in the relationship between OSC events organized by new e-commerce platforms and the perceptions of consumers. The second study utilized an eventrelated potentials (ERPs) experiment with 33 participants to explore the differences in consumer perceptions between OSC promotions and general promotions by new e-commerce platforms. This study measured the brain's response to promotional stimuli to gain insights into the cognitive processes involved. Results: The first study yielded results that suggest OSC activities can facilitate the establishment of cognitive legitimacy for new e-commerce platforms. This, in turn, was found to be associated with an increase in positive purchase intentions among consumers. In the second study, the ERPs data indicated that exposure to OSC promotional materials elicited larger P2 and N2 ERP components when participants were presented with the logo of a new e-commerce platform. This was in contrast to the response to general promotional materials, suggesting a heightened cognitive and perceptual engagement with OSC promotions. Discussion: The findings from both studies collectively imply that OSC promotions have a distinct impact on consumer perceptions and cognitive processes. The implicit memory triggered by these promotions appears to influence the identification of new platforms and the mechanisms of cognitive control during online shopping. This, in turn, may have implications for explicit consumer behavior, suggesting that OSC promotions could be a powerful tool for shaping consumer attitudes and behaviors in the e-commerce space. The results underscore the importance of understanding the nuances of consumer engagement with new e-commerce platforms and the role of promotional strategies in fostering a positive brand image and consumer loyalty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2000, there has been a movement toward bringing the micro-level variables of ideas and agency back into the disciplines of political science. Under these various ideational shifts, the agent-based ideas at the micro-level are conceptualized as terms of cognition or as cognitive information processes in social or cognitive psychology that are to be used to make inferences of structural or macro-level explanations on changes of policy-making or institutional transformation. This trend emphasizes that analyses of ideational factors should be unpacked as independent variables which can be operationalized and verified to have causation. Therefore, this paper suggests that studies of ideational variables should follow three lines of operationalization: the clarification of levels of analysis, the concretization of causal mechanisms, and the verification of practical inferences synthesizes the practices and the limitations of this trend toward ideas. It argues the the ideational turn facilitates the exploration of the structure-agency dilemma with theoretical models, middle-range causal mechanisms, and practical verifications in political science. However, the valid inferences on various mechanisms at different levels need further investigations and evidence-based verifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explored the training methods to improve the level of deaf college students' ToM. Eighty deaf college students were selected as participants and randomly divided into experimental group and control group. The ToM training group received ToM training; The non-ToM training group received physicalconversation training. Cognitive ToM task and affective ToM task were used to investigate the training effect. After training, the level of ToM of deaf college students who received ToM training was significantly improved. The results show that ToM training can effectively promote the level of deaf college students' ToM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present some experimental findings whose best explanation, first of all, provides a positive answer to a philosophical question in ontology as to whether, in the overall domain of beings, there are fictional characters (ficta) over and above concrete individuals. Moreover, since such findings arise out of different comparisons between fictional characters and concrete individuals on the one hand and fictional characters again and non-items that do not belong at all to such an overall domain on the other hand, they also suggest that ficta are allowed as inhabiting a particular subrealm of that domain distinct from the one inhabited by concrete individuals, as previous findings in cognitive psychology had suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This paper explores the evolving landscape of narratives, distinguishing it from the traditional approaches of classical cognitive psychology and social psychology. While cognitive psychology strictly models interpretations based on causal relations, narrative psychology perceives memory, thought, and perception as story construction processes, asserting that individuals contextualize experiences within narrative structures. Aim: The primary objective is to identify the factors shaping narratives, specifically within the context of referentiality, temporal structurality, and their implications for subjective well-being interpreted through social representations. Methodology: The research framework adopts a sociology-influenced lens to interpret narratives, emphasizing the determinacy of social situations and specific time periods. The narrative schemata is dissected, viewing it as an organizational tool for past events. To bring depth to the exploration, various life stories such as „the never tired worker” and „the photojournalist” serve as illustrative examples. Discussion: Exploring the role of referentiality and time within narratives, the essentiality of temporal structurality is emphasized. By juxtaposing distinct life stories, the nuances in social representations and their confluence in shaping narratives is underscored - reflecting to sources of subjective well-being. Conclusion: Personal narratives offer a fresh perspective in the field of sociology, opening doors to understanding how individuals create meaning through stories influenced by their social surroundings and temporal contexts. This framework promises insightful avenues for analyzing subjective well-being through the unique lens of social representations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given a conditional sentence "ϕ ⇒ ψ" (if ϕ then ψ) and respective facts, four different types of inferences are observed in human reasoning: Affirming the antecedent (AA) (or modus ponens) reasons ψ from ϕ; affirming the consequent (AC) reasons ϕ from ψ; denying the antecedent (DA) reasons ¬ψ from ¬ϕ; and denying the consequent (DC) (or modus tollens) reasons ¬ϕ from ¬ψ. Among them, AA and DC are logically valid, while AC and DA are logically invalid and often called logical fallacies. Nevertheless, humans often perform AC or DA as pragmatic inference in daily life. In this paper, we realize AC, DA and DC inferences in answer set programming. Eight different types of completion are introduced, and their semantics are given by answer sets. We investigate formal properties and characterize human reasoning tasks in cognitive psychology. Those completions are also applied to commonsense reasoning in AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the dynamics of learning and how they relate to the optimal teaching strategies for learners. The authors aim to enhance learners' information processing abilities by highlighting the importance of considering different learning theories in the classroom. These considerations are based on the qualitative behaviour of learners' conscious awareness, cognitive and metacognitive engagement. A multi-stage cluster sampling procedure was employed to select a sample of 840 Grade 11 learners from 20 schools in the education district. A questionnaire was used to collect data, and statistical tests were conducted to validate and analyse the data. The study's results suggest that it is crucial for teachers to use a variety of learning theories and to consider variables that facilitate effective information processing by learners. Understanding diverse learning theories and their interplay positively influence the cognitive development of learners. The study's findings, which include SEM and HLM analyses and implications from teachers' application of juxtaposed theories, suggest that inefficiencies may exist in certain teaching approaches and in individual learners' information processing. Teachers who understand and apply the simultaneous impact of juxtaposed theories of learning can enable learners to assimilate or accommodate incoming information into their cognitive schema, leading to deeper and more meaningful understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normative judgments are practical: they bear a close connection to motivation. Noncognitivists often claim that they have a distinctive explanatory advantage accounting for this connection. After all, if normative judgments just are noncognitive, desire-like states, then it is no mystery why they bear an intimate connection to motivation: desire-like states motivate. In this paper, however, I argue that noncognitivism does not have this explanatory advantage after all. The problem is that noncognitivists cannot provide a characterization of the practicality of normative judgment that allows them to retain this advantage. Noncognitivists either posit a strong and controversial connection between normative judgment and motivation that cognitivists have no trouble rejecting, or they posit a weaker connection that cognitivists can explain just as well. Either way, noncognitivists cannot argue from the practicality of normative judgments to their claim that normative judgments are noncognitive, desire-like states. The practicality of normative judgments does not support noncognitivism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In classical Social Network Analysis (SNA), what counted as a "social tie" was fixed by available data collection methods. The emergence of large-scale unobtrusive data collection techniques has sparked renewed interest in the very idea of what counts as a "social tie." Importantly, there has been an acknowledgment that the core issues raised by these developments are primarily conceptual. As a result, there is renewed interest in developing a scientifically grounded characterization of what is arguably the most central concept in social network analysis. This paper contributes to this conceptual effort. I rely on a technique of conceptual representation borrowed from cognitive psychology and cognitive linguistics in which frames for concepts are represented as directed graphs linking attributes to values. I show how the frame representation helps clarify the sort of claims that network theories make (e.g., imposing restrictions on attributes and values), how it helps specify both intra and inter-conceptual relations, how it illuminates seldom noted inter-theoretical commonalities and contrasts, and how it helps avoid common conceptual pitfalls. • I provide a frame representation of the concept of social tie. • The frame shows the core attributes of the tie concept. • The frame shows relations between attributes. • I show how social network theories relate to the frame representation. • I show how frames help clarify key issues, identify theoretical commonalities and differences, and avoid problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evidence-based decision-making movement often assumes that once evidence is available (e.g., via the What Works Clearinghouse), decision-makers will integrate it into their practice. Research-practice partnership studies have shown this is not always true. In this paper, we argue that instead of assuming research will be useful and used, we should directly study strategies for disseminating evidence and mobilizing knowledge. We present a framework for organizing knowledge mobilization research into three facets: (1) examining norms embedded in evidence we communicate, (2) descriptively understanding how decision-makers reason about this evidence as well as their varied decision-making needs, and (3) prescriptively developing and evaluating communication strategies that facilitate better use of evidence by decision-makers. We delineate this three-faceted framework—normative, descriptive, prescriptive—and demonstrate how it considers the perspectives and priorities of both researchers and decision-makers. Focusing on a case study—of how statistical evidence is conveyed by clearinghouses—we point to existing evidence in education and other fields such as data visualization and cognitive psychology that should inform our communication practices and identify areas where further knowledge mobilization research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental philosophy of religion is the project of taking the tools and resources of the human sciences—especially psychology and cognitive science—and bringing them to bear on issues within philosophy of religion toward explicit philosophical ends. This paper introduces readers to experimental philosophy of religion. §2 explores the contours of experimental philosophy of religion by contrasting it with a few related fields: the psychology of religion and cognitive science of religion, on the one hand, and natural theology, on the other. §3 offers a brief history of experimental philosophy of religion. The goal in this section is to highlight the ancient pedigree of this emerging area of research; as the contemporary experimental philosophy of religion literature expands and proliferates, it's important to remember that this field has deep historical roots. Then, §4 focuses on the following questions: Why should we care about experimental philosophy of religion? And why is it needed? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research presented in this article was aimed to explore knowledge domain related to the application of Bayesian method in psychological research. The analysis was based on metadata from 7.054 Bayesian-related psychological articles published from 1962 till 2023 and indexed in Scopus. Trends in publishing Bayesian-related articles were analyzed for different psychology subfields and estimated by the number of published Bayesian articles and their proportions within the total number of articles for each subfield in each particular year. Main research topics were analyzed using the visualization of keywords co-occurrence, and journal co-citation network. Results revealed general increasing trend in publishing Bayesian-related articles in psychology, but also illustrated differences among the subfields both in the pace of growth and relative diversity of research themes. Cognitive and experimental psychology and neurosciences stand out with a high proportion and steep increase of articles related to Bayesian method. Accordingly, most of the psychological research outside of cognitive psychology that use Bayesian method are also very saturated by topics related to cognitive processes. Statistical and methodological issues are well represented, mainly in the form of discussing Bayesian statistics in psychology as an alternative to classical statistics, but also as a method to promote open science principles, having the potential to overcome replication crisis and improve transparency of psychological research. The content of the more recent papers indicate that Bayesian networks have emerged as a useful method to explore psychopathological phenomena, while Bayesian modelling is becoming popular in developmental and educational psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper considers three possible definitions of what it is for an action to be 'morally' good: (1) that it is overall important to do; (2) that it is overall important to do in virtue of a universalisable principle; and (3) that it is overall important to do in virtue of a universalisable principle, belonging to a system of such principles, which includes almost all of certain moral fixed points. I defend (3) and show how we can reach such a system, starting from the basic beliefs with which we find ourselves, through the process of reflective equilibrium. Moral realism is then the doctrine that there is such a system of true moral beliefs. My optimistic view is that all human communities could eventually reach the same such system. But, if they cannot, then there will be two (or more) different such systems, and so two (or more) different senses of 'moral realism'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explain why, in scientific problem solving, a diagram can be "worth ten thousand words," Jill Larkin and Herbert Simon (1987) relied on a computer model: two representations can be "informationally" equivalent but differ "computationally," just as the same data can be encoded in a computer in multiple ways, more or less suited to different kinds of processing. The roots of this proposal lay in cognitive psychology, more precisely in the "imagery debate" of the 1970s on whether there are image-like mental representations. Simon (1972, 1978) hoped to solve this debate by thoroughly reducing the differences between forms of mental representations (e.g., between images and sentences) to differences in computational efficiency; to carry out this reduction, he borrowed from computer science the concepts of data type and of data structure. I argue that, in the end, his account amounted to nothing more than characterizing representations by the fast operations on them. This analysis then allows me to assess what Simon's approach actually achieves when transported from psychology to the study of scientific representations, as in Larkin and Simon (1987): it allows comparing, not representations in and of themselves, but rather the computational roles they play in particular problem-solving processes—that is, representations together with a particular way of using them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the infinitude of nature's various forms, precisely what should we aesthetically appreciate? And supposing we come to achieve such discernment, how should we properly appreciate the aesthetic qualities we thereby find? To address these questions, Carlson has argued that the aesthetic appreciation of nature ought to be guided by scientific insight. In response, non-cognitivists have levelled criticism and suggested alternatives, yet Carlson's (2009) scientific cognitivism remains the best-argued approach to nature appreciation in the field. One non-cognitivist position that Carlson rejects—although much too quickly—is Berleant's (1985) engagement model. The purpose of this paper is to modify and revive that model. Specifically, I will argue that genuine engagement requires a particular form of disinterest. The result is a non-cognitivist approach to the aesthetic appreciation of nature, stronger than the extant alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological researchers often identify with psychological disciplines, such as social or clinical psychology. The current study analyzed Google Scholar profiles from 6,532 international scientists who attracted more than 100 citations in 2019 and self-identified with at least one of 10 common psychological disciplines (psychoanalysis; clinical psychology; (cognitive) neuroscience; developmental psychology; educational psychology; experimental psychology; biological psychology/psychophysiology; mathematical psychology/psychometrics; social psychology; personality psychology). Results indicated that almost half of all psychologists self-identified with either social psychology or cognitive neuroscience. There were 487 topics that were endorsed at least five times, ranging from highly discipline-specific topics to more integrative ones, such as emotion and personality. We also factor-analyzed frequencies of topical endorsement across disciplines and found two factors, which we interpreted as reflecting correlational and experimental research traditions (with social psychology being the largest discipline within the former tradition and cognitive neuroscience being the largest discipline within the latter tradition). Differences in productivity and impact were also found, with researchers identifying with psychometrics being the most productive and researchers identifying with personality psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and multidisciplinary psychology as the most impactful in terms of citation increases per additional output. Recommendations for promoting cross-fertilization across psychological disciplines are formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper aimed to analyze quantitatively the trends of four major schools of thought in scientific Psychology (neuroscience, cognitivism, behaviorism, psychoanalysis) and their intersections, covering the period from 1979 to 2020. We utilized a rigorous methodology across three distinct sources: Mainstream Psychology (MP), Highly Influential Journal (HIJ), and non-English papers (NEP). Our findings align with previous research in two aspects: psychoanalysis and behaviorism have significantly declined, cognitivism remains a prominent trend. However, we deviate from prior studies by recognizing that neuroscience may be considered the most influential trend and that trends exhibit less linearity than previously assumed. We also acknowledge the significance of NEP, which manifest an independent pattern as compared to the other sources and that may reveal what happens in the "periphery" of Psychology. It is noteworthy that NEP demonstrated a still lively contribution from psychoanalysis. Our study also highlights the insularity and lack of cross-fertilization among psychological subdisciplines, despite the widespread claims to the contrary. It eventually supports the inference that scientific Psychology is a non-paradigmatic or pre-paradigmatic discipline, pointing out the dominance of applied psychology and confuting the notion of overarching "grand theories". • Methodological Advancement : The paper introduces an improved methodology for analyzing trends in four major schools of thought in psychology. • Dominance of Neuroscience : Our findings suggest that neuroscience can be considered the most influential trend in scientific psychology. • Decline in Psychoanalysis and Behaviorism : Psychoanalysis and behaviorism exhibit significant declines in prominence. • Prominence of Cognitivism : Cognitivism continues to maintain a prominent position in psychology. • Stability and Dispersion : Trends in psychology exhibit more stability and dispersion than previously assumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper investigates household evacuation route choice; • The proposed multi-methodological approach integrates an empirical study with analytical modeling, and experiments; • A household-based group utility evolution model is developed to characterize the dynamics of household evacuation route choice; • The proposed approach is distinctive in theorizing and incorporating syncretic risk perception into household decision-making; • The analytical and test results demonstrate that the proposed methodology aligns closely with household choice behavior. This paper presents a multi-methodological approach to analyzing household evacuation route choice behaviors and the related decision-making for mass evacuation planning in disaster management. Specifically, the proposed multi-methodological approach integrates a syncretic risk perception conceptual model with a household-based group utility evolution model. The dynamics of household evacuation route choice are explored in two stages, namely the individual utility initiation and accommodation. The unique feature of the proposed approach is that it links individual risk perception, survival psychology, and group behavioral dynamics together to characterize household decision-making about choosing the evacuation routes. An empirical study coupled with experiments is conducted to help validate the proposed household evacuation route choice behavior model. Through various designed disaster scenarios, the applicability and strengths of the proposed model for mass evacuation planning and management are demonstrated. Particularly, the mean relative prediction errors of the proposed model with respect to household-based evacuation route switching probability and path flow splits are 3.79% and 6.88%, respectively, all within an acceptable range of ±10 %. This demonstrates that the proposed model and analytical results align closely with household choice behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbook image resources provide important materials and ways of learning for EFL students. Previous studies on the meaning and function of images in Chinese EFL textbooks tend to take pedagogy and cognitive psychology as main perspectives. Based on visual grammar, this article analyzes the image resources in Chinese junior high school EFL textbooks from a multimodal perspective, attempting to explore how the images realize three meta-meanings. It is found that cartoon, photo, table, and diagram are four main types of images in Yilin EFL textbooks. Quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis show that the images in the textbooks realized the representational meaning, interactive meaning and compositional meaning, but there are still some problems in image design, such as insufficient image types, lack of images promoting knowledge comprehension, and inadequate realization of compositional meaning of images. The research results offer some implications for Chinese EFL textbook editors to design textbooks, and also provide some suggestions for Chinese EFL teachers' teaching practice and students' learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The issue of gender-based violence has been a public health problem for years. Considering its systemic nature, the possible consequences at the individual level on the psychological and cognitive wellbeing of victims have been examined. The present research aims to explore the differences in the various types and forms of violence. Methods: A non-probability and convenience sample was used; a total of 83 participants joined the research. Inclusion criteria wereminimumage of 18 years, female gender, and knowledge of the Italian language. Two non-parametric One-Way ANOVAs (Kruskal-Wallis) were performed according to the type of violence experienced and the type of self-reported abuse (i.e., no victimization, single victimization, complex victimization). Results and discussion: Results showed that victims of violence scored higher overall than non-victims on all subscales of the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale. Analyses among the three groups-no violence, single violence, and complex violence-showed no differences in any of the dimensions between those who experienced single and complex violence, while differences emerged between the "no victimization" group and the other groups. The results were discussed in relation to the existing literature on the topic, highlighting the limitations and future applications of the collected data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cognitive neuroscience and psychology, reaction times are an important behavioral measure. However, in instrumental learning and goal-directed decision making experiments, findings often rely only on choice probabilities from a value-based model, instead of reaction times. Recent advancements have shown that it is possible to connect value-based decision models with reaction time models. However, typically these models do not provide an integrated account of both value-based choices and reaction times, but simply link two types of models. Here, we propose a novel integrative joint model of both choices and reaction times by combining a computational account of Bayesian sequential decision making with a sampling procedure. This allows us to describe how internal uncertainty in the planning process shapes reaction time distributions. Specifically, we use a recent context-specific Bayesian forward planning model which we extend by a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampler to obtain both choices and reaction times. As we will show this makes the sampler an integral part of the decision making process and enables us to reproduce, using simulations, well-known experimental findings in value based-decision making as well as classical inhibition and switching tasks. Specifically, we use the proposed model to explain both choice behavior and reaction times in instrumental learning and automatized behavior, in the Eriksen flanker task and in task switching. These findings show that the proposed joint behavioral model may describe common underlying processes in these different decision making paradigms. Author summary: Many influential results in psychology and cognitive neuroscience rest on reaction time effects in behavioral experiments, for example in studies about human decision making. For the particular case of decisions based on the value of options, however, findings often rely on analyses of choices using specific computational models. Until recently, these models did not allow for analysis of reaction times. In this article we introduce a new model of how to explain both choices and reaction times in decision making experiments that involve evaluating expected outcomes over multiple steps. Importantly, the model explains how the brain can make good decisions quickly, even in the face of many potential choices and in complex environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A robust finding in cognitive psychology is that training children's spatial abilities is an effective route to improving mathematics performance. Despite this finding, there is limited representation of spatial reasoning in school curricula. To bridge this gap between research and practice, we created the Spatial Reasoning Toolkit (SRT; Gifford et al., 2022). In Study 1, we provide quantitative data of practitioner knowledge of spatial reasoning (N = 94) and their intended use of the SRT (N = 74). One year after the toolkit was launched, we compare these samples to a sample of SRT users (N = 59). In Study 2, we present case studies from three different school settings of users of the SRT. Results demonstrate that practitioners judged the SRT to be very useful. As intended, practitioners used it mainly for professional learning and for planning, but confidence in their ability to define spatial reasoning was mixed. Three diverse case studies demonstrate flexibility in application of the SRT resources, exemplifying that every child is unique and might not conform to the 'typical' trajectory. Practitioner time was presented as a barrier; this limitation was somewhat overcome by presenting multiple resource types, but nevertheless highlighted the need to maximize accessibility when translating research to practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decision-making processes in the military domain constitute a strategic field of research in cognitive psychology, although there are currently few scientific publications addressing the topic. Professionals in the field and interested parties need access to data on military decision-making processes to understand where and how the scientific community is directing its investigations on the issue. Military decision-making is a strategic field of study because the military is crucial to the security and defense of a country or community. This work aims to be a point of reference for those involved in various capacities in military decision-making, providing key data regarding research trends over the years, the geographical distribution of scientific productivity, methodologies employed, annual statistics, and the prevalence of the most-investigated terms and topics. Therefore, this study serves as a bibliometric analysis of the literature on military decision-making publihed from 1992 to 2023 on the Scopus and Web of Science databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article argues that understanding when and how emotions matter in times of crisis requires simultaneous contextualisation through setting out three different approaches to the political psychology of emotions in EU foreign policy in times of ontological (in)security and crisis. Firstly, through a longitudinal survey of emotional anxieties and fears in the EU from the 1990s to the 2020s drawing on the introduction of ontological security studies by Kinnvall, Manners, and Mitzen. Secondly the article analyses the SI contributions empirically in terms of the way in which the EU's discrete crises are part of a wider planetary organic crisis. Thirdly, using the contributions as examples of theoretical contributions to the field of political psychology of EU, ranging from individual cognitive psychology to social psychology, social construction, psychoanalysis, and critical political psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Coming up with creative ideas is not easy. In this conceptual article, we integrate organizational behavior, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience literatures to propose that different forms of attention may be a key to maximizing creative usefulness and novelty. Specifically, we develop a neurocognitive framework of attentional control to propose differential pathways from creative goal‐directed attention (a narrow and selective focus) to deliberate information processing, and from undirected attention (a wide and unconstrained focus) to spontaneous information processing. These propositions have implications for creative usefulness and novelty, respectively—namely, that creative goal‐directed attention should facilitate the usefulness of creative outputs to a greater extent than their novelty, whereas undirected attention should promote the novelty of creative outputs to a greater extent than their usefulness. Our framework further suggests that time spent experiencing creative goal‐directed attention followed by undirected attention is the optimal sequence for maximizing both the usefulness and novelty of creative outputs. In combination, our framework advances theoretical understanding of attentional pathways to creative outcomes and offers practical implications for maximizing creative potential at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study pioneers a nuanced approach to enhancing mobile banking experiences by integrating cognitive evaluation theory with gamification strategies. The investigation delves into how personalized gamification, grounded in key psychological drivers--autonomy, competence, and relatedness--affects user engagement and satisfaction. A survey of 451 mobile banking users reveals significant improvements in user interaction (increased by 35%) and loyalty (increased by 28%) when gamification elements are tailored to individual psychological needs. The findings provide a strategic framework for financial institutions and app developers, demonstrating the effectiveness of psychological principles in user interface and user experience design to innovate and enhance digital banking services. This innovative approach elevates the user experience and solidifies the relationship between users and their banking applications, marking a strategic advancement in integrating cognitive psychology with digital banking innovations. The convergence of digital banking advancements with cognitive psychology concepts has resulted in a paradigm shift towards developing more personalized, engaging, and intuitive financial systems. Digital banking is undergoing a revolution that increases user pleasure and fosters financial literacy and well-being by carefully integrating components that address the basic psychological demands of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive psychology is challenging for both teachers and learners due to the abstract and complex nature of mental processes and variation in student motivation. Objective: To test the effectiveness of an approach that seeks to motivate students to engage and successfully complete a cognitive psychology course by highlighting transferrable skills. Method: A cognitive psychology course was redesigned to emphasize the transferability of skills. It involved providing students with scaffolded assessments, just-in-time learning, and drawing explicit connections between knowledge, skill development, and real-world applications. Results: Comparison of student performance before and after course modifications showed a significant increase in learning outcomes, especially for students at the lower end of the performance spectrum. Conclusion: A program of scaffolded assessment with just-in-time skills reinforcement and explicit discussion of the broader application of those skills is an effective approach to teaching cognitive psychology. Teaching implications: This program produced a reliable improvement in learning outcomes in a course with a high level of theoretical and abstract content. The improvement was most noticeable in lower achieving students; however, all students benefit from a better developed transferable skill base and an awareness that can be used to articulate skills to potential employers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within cognitive psychology, there are separate experimental fields devoted to the study of creativity, on the one hand, and aesthetics, on the other, with virtually no cross-talk between them. In this article, I propose a means of uniting creativity and aesthetics via a consideration of the mechanisms of cultural evolution. I call this the creativity/aesthetics cycle. The basic tenet of the model is that creativity and aesthetics mediate, respectively, the processes of variation (production) and selection (perception or consumption) in evolutionary models of culture. By means of this cycle, creators produce works that they hope will be evaluated positively by consumers, where such appraisals ultimately feed back to influence the subsequent decision-making processes of creators. I discuss the implications of this model for the fields of creativity and aesthetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This debate issue centers on the question of whether psychology should follow the methods and principles of the natural sciences. Answers to this question are often implicitly assumed but rarely explicitly debated among psychologists. This issue contains eight invited contributions by scholars whom we anticipated would have strong and divergent positions on the question. The articles present a broad range of perspectives, ranging from phenomenological psychology to cognitive neuroscience. They broadly line up with a "yes" or "no" answer to the question, four authors favoring a "yes" and four authors a "no" response, although nearly all authors advance more nuanced positions that challenge a simple classification. In this introduction, we first discuss the historical roots of the question and our motivation behind this specific formulation of it. Then we briefly summarize the contributions and place them in a broader context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article delves into the concept of admiration and its role in identifying moral exemplars. It explores different perspectives on admiration from philosophers such as Descartes, Spinoza, Smith, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche. The article argues that the affective and collective nature of admiration challenges its reliability as a means of identifying moral excellence. It also highlights the limitations of admiration, including its tendency to focus on the mediocre or base rather than the virtuous. The author suggests that further research is needed to understand the affective nature of admiration and its implications for moral exemplarity. [Extracted from the article]

Sex differences in mental rotation performance are one of the largest in cognitive psychology. Men outperform women by up to 1 SD in psychometric mental rotation tests, but it is often neglected that there are no or only small sex differences for chronometric tests. As both tests are supposed to measure the same ability, we suspect some features of the tests themselves to affect sex differences in performance. Following a theoretical review of the test features, we evaluate the effects of the number of possible answer alternatives, whether they are presented as pairwise mirrored, and their interaction on sex differences in mental rotation performance. In an online experiment, 838 German-speaking participants, 421 women, 417 men, M age = 42.58 (SD = 12.54) years, solved four blocks of mental rotation trials with two or eight alternatives, which were either pairwise mirrored or not. The results show that that the overall performance was lower for more alternatives and for mixed alternatives but not for their interaction. We could not determine explanations for sex differences as we did not observe meaningful sex differences at all. Possible reasons include the differences between men and women in age and education. This study suggests that the differences between tests affect performance. Sex differences, however, need more investigation, including possible effects and interactions of the test design, education, and age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries and regions experienced a surge in online learning, but the public complained about and questioned its effectiveness. One of the most important reasons for this was the inadequate metacognitive abilities of adolescents. Studies in learning sciences have identified various inefficient learning behaviors among students in online learning, including help abuse, help avoidance, and wheel spinning; all closely related to metacognition. Despite concerns about ecological validity, researchers in psychology have proposed the agenda-based regulation framework, the COPES model, and MAPS model, which may help explain the inefficient learning behaviors among adolescents in online learning. Future studies should aim to verify these theoretical frameworks within the context of online learning and elucidate the causes of inefficient learning behaviors; the design and optimization of online learning systems should be informed by theories in cognitive psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review aims to map studies on governmental and institutional decision-making processes in emergencies. The literature reveals various approaches used by governments in managing emergencies. Consequently, this article suggests the need for a systematic literature review to outline how institutional decision-makers operate during emergencies. To achieve this goal, the most widely used databases in psychological research were consulted, with a specific focus on selecting scientific articles. Subsequently, these studies were rigorously assessed for their relevance using a structured literature selection process following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. At the conclusion of the review process, nine studies were identified, each suggesting different methods by which governments manage emergencies. This diversity arises because emergency decision-making processes must account for numerous variables that change depending on the type of crisis and the specific context. However, several critical aspects have emerged, such as the centrality of pre-disaster planning to improve intervention practices and methods, attention to information gaps that inevitably arise during an emergency, and the importance of streamlining and delegating decision-making to emergency responders in the field to counter the phenomenon of centralized decision-making that often hampers crucial interventions during emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]