Search

Society today is struggling with various challenging phenomena. This manuscript aims to analyse two phenomena, ageing and digitalisation, in the context of education. Both phenomena are an important area of research: the complexity of an ageing population and the intersection of technology and education. In this context, artificial intelligence (AI) offers the opportunity to improve the educational experiences of older adults. AI-driven tools and educational initiatives can be tailored to the different learning preferences and cognitive abilities of this population, promoting engagement and knowledge retention. The adaptability of AI systems enables personalised learning pathways that address individual challenges and promote lifelong learning and cognitive health in older learners. This research will highlight the critical role of AI in reshaping educational paradigms and its potential to facilitate knowledge acquisition and empower an often-marginalised population. Finally, focusing on the role of international projects will allow us to understand the trends in EU research and funding. Understanding the impact of AI on education in the third age and EU funding invites a broader discussion on inclusivity and innovation in the educational landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Marketing & Marketing Research / Pazarlama ve Pazarlama Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Pazarlama & Pazarlama Arastirmalari Dernegi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study explored the effects of two combined training (Strength-Proprioceptive versus Cognitive-Balance) programs on postural balance during single-task and dual-task conditions in children with intellectual disability. The postural balance and the second cognitive-task performances were evaluated before and after 8-week of training in two groups: Strength-Proprioceptive Group (n = 12) and Cognitive-Balance Group (n = 10). Results showed that, in both groups and regardless of the training effect, the postural balance performance was significantly (p < 0.05) altered in the dual-task condition compared to the single-task one. After-training session, postural balance performance was improved significantly (p < 0.001) for all task conditions. After training session, the second cognitive-task performance was improved in the Strength-Proprioceptive Group (p < 0.001) and Cognitive-Balance Groupe (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the combined training programs, Strength-Proprioceptive and Cognitive-Balance, improved postural balance performance in single-task and dual-task conditions in children with intellectual disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research problem is represented in the weakness of the cognitive balance and the low level of academic hardness among the students in Psychology Department at the Faculty of Education in light of the courses taught to them. Therefore, the researcher proposed a program in health psychology issues to develop cognitive balance and improve the academic hardness level among pre)service teachers in the Psychology Department. The research aimed at identifying the effectiveness of a proposed program in health psychology issues to develop cognitive balance and improve the academic hardness level among pre-service teachers in the Psychology Department. The research used the descriptive and the experimental approaches. The research instruments included: a teacher's guide, a Cognitive Balance Test, and an Academic Hardness Scale. The research sample consisted of (30) male and female pre)service teachers in the Psychology Department. The research results, generally, indicated the effectiveness of the proposed program in health psychology issues in developing cognitive balance and improving the academic hardness level of pre-service teachers in the Psychology Department. Thus, the main aim of the research was achieved. Moreover, the research recommended the need to reorganize psychology courses in light of the lived reality. Hence, the students will be aware of what is going on with them, so what we teach our students is not isolated from the life aspects that they live and interact with. This way may help to bridge the gap between theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The study aimed to compare the effects of two different concurrent training protocols applied to healthy middleaged individuals on balance parameters and cognitive functions. Methods. Thirty-three middle-aged adults voluntarily participated in this study. A randomised, between-group design (Strength+Aerobic Group [SAG] and control group Aerobic+Strength Group [ASG]) was used. After collecting data related to the main characteristics of the subjects (i.e., age, sex, medical history, smoking habits), the following assessments were made: Subjects' physical activity level, balance parameters, and inhibition and attention indicators. The intervention lasted 13 weeks (2 sessions per week, 50 minutes per session). Results. both protocols (SAG and ASG) significantly improved balance performance. However, as for the group-by-time interaction, no significant difference between the two groups were observed in any of the parameters assessed (F(1-31) = 0.843; 0.760; 0.612; 0.656; p > 0.05). Thus, it was found that participating in either the SAG or ASG groups had no significant influence on attention accuracy, reaction time, total number of matters processed (participants' psychomotor speed), and non-marked letters (selective attention) (post-test-pre-test difference: F(1-31) = 0.239, 0.337, 0.738, 0.414; p > 0.05). It was also observed that both training programs resulted in similar improvements in all balance characteristics and cognitive parameters . Conclusions. It was found that the order of strength or aerobic exercises in the concurrent training for improving balance and cognitive parameters in healthy middle-aged individuals is not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theories of cognitive consistency view human beings as actively processing information, trying to make sense of what they think, feel and do, to actively construct and interpret the world in order to overcome the sometimes inconsistencies between attitudes. This report presents some of the theories explaining the consistency of constructs that are widely applicable in the field of consumption - Theory of Cognitive Balance of Fr. Haider, L. Festinger's Theory of Cognitive Dissonance, M. Sheriff's and K. Hovland's Theory of Social Judgments, and D. Bem's Theory of Self-Perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Confinement by COVID-19 affected the lives of thousands of infants who attend preschool education, upsetting their psychological and emotional balance. The study analyzes the effects of prolonged isolation in minors who presented changes in their learning behaviors. The study assumes a descriptive cross-sectional method, where the heads of families, with children between 3 and 5 years old who attended the preschool level of education in an Oaxacan community, answered questionnaires about the changes they observed in their children since the beginning of the pandemic. The theory of effects by prolonged confinement supported by statistical estimators was used. The results indicated that the observed alterations were manifested in the appearance of overflowing emotions, behavioral problems and hyperactivity. It is highlighted that, as the confinement progressed, the psychological and emotional difficulties that affected the infants increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Surra Man Ra'a is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A special place in Western cognitive social psychology is occupied by theories of cognitive correspondence, developed in 50 years for the twentieth century. The main idea of theories of cognitive correspondence is that the cognitive structure of a person cannot be unbalanced, disharmonious. Man initially seeks to have a harmonious, consistent, balanced view of the outside world. If it does, then immediately there is a tendency to restore the internal correspondence of the cognitive system. The need to establish compliance, balance the cognitive structure of a person is the main motivating factor in individual behavior. Of all theories of cognitive correspondence, the most famous were: the theory of structural balance and attribution F. Heider; the theory of communicative acts T. Newcom; the theory of cognitive dissonance by L. Festinger; the theory of congruence C. Osgood and P. Tannenbaum; the theory of self-perception Daryl Bem. This report examines the theories of Festinger, Hеider, and Bem, as well as mechanisms for changing attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To walk safely in their environment, people need to select adequate movement strategies during gait. In situations that are perceived as more threatening, older adults adopt more cautious strategies. For individuals with excessive fear, selecting adequate strategies might be troubling. We investigated how a postural threat affects the selection of strategies within and between older adults by using a stepping-down paradigm. In twenty-four older adults we determined the height at which they switched in stepping-down strategies from a less demanding but more balance threatening heel landing to a more demanding yet safer toe landing. We expected that this switching height would be lower in the high (0.78 m elevation) compared to low threat (floor level) condition. Furthermore, we investigated if older adults, for which the postural threat evoked an increase in the perceived fear, presented a different stepping down strategy due to the postural threat. Our results indicated that the postural threat changed older adults' strategies selection towards a more conservative toe landing. Hence, despite the additional effort, older adults prefer more cautious strategies during a postural threat. No effects of perceived fear on strategy selection between individuals were observed, potentially due to relatively small differences in fear among participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article present several news briefs related to the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) Division of Neuropsychology (DoN). Topics include "The Neuropsychology of Social Connection" event, held in December, 2019, on importance of social connection for neuropsychological health and holistic wellbeing; the role of neurofeedback in cognitive control; and relation to neurophysiological and sensory processing in infants with and without familiar attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The article presents abstracts on sport and exercise psychology topics which include the vital role of sport psychology specialists in developing excellence among athletes, the effectiveness of peppermint scent inhalation in relieving symptoms of smoking craving and withdrawals, and a study which investigates the influence of social evaluation on emotional states and static and dynamic balance tasks.

Balance and motor coordination problems are often seen in persons with intellectual disability (ID). This study aimed to examine the relationship between balance and coordination and football participation in adolescents with ID. The study involved 197 male participants with ID aged between 14 and 19 years (16.22±2.00), of which 110 (65 mild ID, 45 moderate ID) played soccer in a school team, and 87 (48 mild ID, 39 moderate ID) did not participate in any sport. Balance and coordination skills were evaluated using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, second edition short form (BOT-2 SF). A significant positive relationship was found between all the balance and co-ordination sub-tests and the duration of playing football in the adolescents with ID (p<0.05). Balance and co-ordination scores were significantly higher in both the mild and moderate ID participants, who played football compared with the individuals with ID who did no sport (p<0.05). In adolescents with moderate ID, the difference in the 7th item of the balance sub-test was not significant. The results indicate that football participation and balance and coordination are related in adolescents with mild and moderate ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three types of conflict among the subunits of formal organizations are identified: (1) bargaining conflict among the parties to an interest-group relationship; (2) bureaucratic conflict between the parties to a superior-subordinate relationship; and (3) systems conflict among parties to a lateral or working relationship. In each of the three cases, conflict is treated as a series of episodes, each episode including stages of latency, feeling, perception, manifestation, and aftermath. The organization's reaction to conflict in each case is analyzed using the Barnard-Simon model of inducements- contributions balance theory. Of particular interest is whether the organization members resolve conflicts by withdrawing from the organization, by altering the existing set of relationships, or by changing their values and behavior within the context of the existing relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on evaluative conditioning show that a change in liking can occur whenever stimuli are paired. Such instances of attitude change are known to depend on the type of relation established between stimuli (e.g., "Bob is a friend of Mike" vs. "Bob is an enemy of Mike"). Research has so far only compared assimilative and contrastive relational qualifiers (e.g., friend vs. enemy). For the first time, we compared the effect of nonoppositional qualifiers on attitude change in an evaluative conditioning procedure (e.g., "Bob causes Positive Outcomes" vs. "Bob predicts Positive Outcomes"). Differential effects of nonoppositional relational qualifiers were observed on explicit and implicit evaluations. We discuss the implications of our findings for attitude research, theories of attitude change, and optimizing evaluative conditioning for changing attitudes in applied settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Philosophers and behavioral scientists refer to wisdom as unbiased reasoning that guides one toward a balance of interests and promotes a good life. However, major instruments developed to test wisdom appear biased, and it is unclear whether they capture balance-related tendencies. We examined whether shifting from global, de-contextualized reports to state-level reports about concrete situations provides a less biased method to assess wise reasoning (e.g. intellectual humility, recognition of uncertainty and change, consideration of the broader context at hand and perspectives of others, integration of these perspectives or compromise), which may be aligned with the notion of balancing interests. Results of a large-scale psychometric investigation (N = 4,463) revealed that the novel Situated WVse Reasoning Scale (SW1S) is reliable and appears independent of psychological biases (attribution bias, bias blind spot, self-deception, and impression management), whereas global wisdom reports are subject to such biases. Moreover, SWIS scores were positively related to indices of living well (e.g., adaptive emotion regulation, mindfulness), and balancing of cooperative and self-protective interests, goals (influence-vs.- adjustment), and causal inferences about conflict (attribution to the self-vs.-other party). In contrast, global wisdom reports were unrelated or negatively related to balance-related measures. Notably, people showed modest within-person consistency in wise reasoning across situations or over time, suggesting that a single-shot measurement may be insufficient for whole understanding of trait-level wisdom. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for research on wisdom, judgment and decision making, well-being, and prosociality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Some symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) affect driving. In a recent study, performance on five cognitive tests predicted the on‐road test performance of individuals with relapsing‐remitting MS with 91% accuracy, 70% sensitivity and 97% specificity. However, the accuracy with which the battery will predict the driving performance of a different cohort that includes all types of MS is unknown. Methods: Participants (n = 118; 48 ± 9 years of age; 97 females) performed a comprehensive off‐road evaluation that lasted about 3 h and a standardized on‐road test that lasted approximately 45 min over a 2‐day period within the same week. Performance on the five cognitive tests was used to predict participants’ performance on the standardized on‐road test. Results: Performance on the five tests together predicted outcome of the on‐road test with 82% accuracy, 42% sensitivity and 90% specificity. Conclusions: The accuracy of predicting the on‐road performance of a new MS cohort using performance on the battery of five cognitive tests remained very high (82%). The battery, which was administrable in <45 min and cost ~$150, was better at identifying those who actually passed the on‐road test (90% specificity). The sensitivity (42%) of the battery indicated that it should not be used as the sole determinant of poor driving‐related cognitive skills. A fail performance on the battery should only imply that more comprehensive testing is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive processes, such as the generation of language, can be mapped onto the brain using fMRI. These maps can in turn be used for decoding the respective processes from the brain activation patterns. Given individual variations in brain anatomy and organization, analyzes on the level of the single person are important to improve our understanding of how cognitive processes correspond to patterns of brain activity. They also allow to advance clinical applications of fMRI, because in the clinical setting making diagnoses for single cases is imperative. In the present study, we used mental imagery tasks to investigate language production, motor functions, visuo-spatial memory, face processing, and resting-state activity in a single person. Analysis methods were based on similarity metrics, including correlations between training and test data, as well as correlations with maps from the NeuroSynth meta-analysis. The goal was to make accurate predictions regarding the cognitive domain (e.g. language) and the specific content (e.g. animal names) of single 30-second blocks. Four teams used the dataset, each blinded regarding the true labels of the test data. Results showed that the similarity metrics allowed to reach the highest degrees of accuracy when predicting the cognitive domain of a block. Overall, 23 of the 25 test blocks could be correctly predicted by three of the four teams. Excluding the unspecific rest condition, up to 10 out of 20 blocks could be successfully decoded regarding their specific content. The study shows how the information contained in a single fMRI session and in each of its single blocks can allow to draw inferences about the cognitive processes an individual engaged in. Simple methods like correlations between blocks of fMRI data can serve as highly reliable approaches for cognitive decoding. We discuss the implications of our results in the context of clinical fMRI applications, with a focus on how decoding can support functional localization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The non‐transitivity of the relation looks the same as has been used to argue that the relation has the same phenomenal character as is non‐transitive—a result that jeopardizes certain theories of consciousness. In this paper, I argue against this conclusion while granting the premise by dissociating lookings and phenomenology; an idea that some might find counter‐intuitive. However, such an intuition is left unsupported once phenomenology and cognitive access are distinguished from each other; a distinction that is conceptually and empirically grounded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to clinical investigations, early postoperative cognitive dysfunction is the most common adverse event in pediatric patients after tonsillectomy. A previous study has indicated that dexmedetomidine (DEX) is an efficient drug for the treatment of postoperative cognitive dysfunction. However, the efficacy of DEX in alleviating early postoperative cognitive dysfunction in pediatric patients following tonsillectomy has remained elusive, which was therefore assessed in the present study. A total of 186 children presenting with cognitive dysfunction subsequent to tonsillectomy were recruited to analyze the efficacy of DEX. Patients were randomly divided into two groups and received intravenous treatment with DEX (n=112) or placebo (n=74). Duration of treatment, dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of DEX were evaluated in a preliminary experiment. The improvement of postoperative cognitive function in children with tonsillectomy was analyzed with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) following treatment with DEX. A 40-item quality of life (MONEX-40) questionnaire was used to assess the efficacy of DEX. The plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, superoxide dismutase (SOD), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), C-reactive protein (CRP), cortisol and melatonin were also analyzed. The preliminary experiment determined that the DLT was 10 mg/kg and the MTD was 15 mg/kg. In the major clinical trial, it was revealed that MMSE scores in the DEX treatment group were markedly improved, indicating that DEX had a beneficial effect in pediatric patients with early postoperative cognitive dysfunction after tonsillectomy. In addition, IL-1and TNF-α were downregulated, while IL-6 and SOD were upregulated in patients with cognitive dysfunction after treatment with DEX compared with those in the placebo group. Furthermore, DEX treatment markedly decreased the serum levels of CRP, NSE cortisol and melatonin, which are associated with the occurrence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in pediatric patients following tonsillectomy. In conclusion, intravenous administration of DEX at a dose of 10 mg/kg improves postoperative cognitive function in pediatric patients with tonsillectomy by decreasing the serum levels of inflammatory factors and stress-associated signaling molecules. Trial registration no. QLSDHOS0200810102C (Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current study aimed to investigate the relationship of cognitive emotion regulation and meaning in life with health anxiety in nurses working in emergency department. Materials and Methods: It was a descriptive research in the form of correlation and prediction. The sample included 100 emergency nurses in Sari City, Iran selected by randomized method of sampling. The participants completed items of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) and health anxiety questionnaire. The research data were analyzed by descriptive statistics indices, Pearson correlation analysis, Partition coefficient, and multivariate regression, using SPSS. Results: The results suggested a significant relationship between cognitive emotion regulation and health anxiety, especially in the subscale of rumination in terms of negative cognitive emotion regulation. Also, there was a significant relationship between meaning in life and health anxiety. Conclusion: Generally, findings of this research can be useful in future studies regarding the effect of meaning in life and cognitive emotion regulation on health anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cognitive Estimation Test (CET) is a widely used test to investigate estimation abilities requiring complex processes such as reasoning, the development and application of appropriate strategies, response plausibility checking as well as general knowledge and numeracy (e.g., Shallice and Evans, 1978; MacPherson et al., 2014). Thus far, it remains unknown whether the CET is both sensitive and specific to frontal lobe dysfunction. Neuroimaging techniques may not represent a useful methodology for answering this question since the complex processes involved are likely to be associated with a large network of brain regions, some of which are not functionally necessary to successfully carry out the CET. Instead, neuropsychological studies may represent a more promising investigation tool for identifying the brain areas necessary for CET performance. We recently developed two new versions of the CET (CET-A and CET-B; MacPherson et al., 2014). We investigated the overall performance and conducted an error analysis on CET-A in patients with focal, unilateral, frontal (n = 38) or posterior (n = 22) lesions and healthy controls (n = 39). We found that frontal patients’ performance was impaired compared to healthy controls on CET. We also found that frontal patients generated significantly poorer estimates than posterior patients on CET-A. This could not be explained by impairments in fluid intelligence. The error analyses suggested that for CET-A, extreme and very extreme responses are impaired following frontal lobe damage. However, only very extreme responses are significantly more impaired following frontal lobe than posterior damage and so represent a measure restricted to frontal “executive” impairment, in addition to overall CET performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prism adaptation has a long history as an experimental paradigm used to investigate the functional and neural processes that underlie sensorimotor control. In the neuropsychology literature, prism adaptation behaviour is typically explained by reference to a traditional cognitive psychology framework that distinguishes putative functions, such as 'strategic control' versus 'spatial realignment'. This theoretical framework lacks conceptual clarity, quantitative precision and explanatory power. Here, we advocate for an alternative computational framework that offers several advantages: 1) an algorithmic explanatory account of the computations and operations that drive behaviour; 2) expressed in quantitative mathematical terms; 3) embedded within a principled theoretical framework (Bayesian decision theory, state-space modelling); 4) that offers a means to generate and test quantitative behavioural predictions. This computational framework offers a route towards mechanistic neurocognitive explanations of prism adaptation behaviour. Thus it constitutes a conceptual advance compared to the traditional theoretical framework. In this paper, we illustrate how Bayesian decision theory and state-space models offer principled explanations for a range of behavioural phenomena in the field of prism adaptation (e.g. visual capture, magnitude of visual versus proprioceptive realignment, spontaneous recovery and dynamics of adaptation memory). We argue that this explanatory framework can advance understanding of the functional and neural mechanisms that implement prism adaptation behaviour, by enabling quantitative tests of hypotheses that go beyond merely descriptive mapping claims that ‘brain area X is (somehow) involved in psychological process Y’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lesion-behaviour mapping is an influential and popular approach to anatomically localise cognitive brain functions in the human brain. Multiple considerations, ranging from patient selection, assessment of lesion location and patient behaviour, spatial normalisation, statistical testing, to the anatomical interpretation of obtained results, are necessary to optimize a lesion-behaviour mapping study and arrive at meaningful conclusions. Here, we provide a hitchhiker's guide, giving practical guidelines and references for each step of the typical lesion-behaviour mapping study pipeline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The standard functional tool for gait assessment in multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical trials has been the 25-Foot Timed Walk Test, a measure of gait speed. Straight-line gait assessment may not reflect adequately upon balance and coordination. Walking tests with turns may add additional information towards understanding gait and balance status, and be more reflective of ambulation in the community. Understanding the impact of turn parameters on patient-reported outcomes of balance and walking would help MS clinicians better formulate treatment plans for persons with gait limitations. In this study, ninety-one persons with MS (Expanded Disability Status Score; EDSS, range: 0–6.5) were enrolled in an initial cross-sectional study. Twenty-four subjects (EDSS, range:1.0–6.0) completed a follow-up visit an average of 12 months later. Spatiotemporal gait analysis was collected at both visits using APDM Opal wireless body-worn sensors while performing the Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) and 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT). For both cross-sectional and longitudinal data, regression analyses determined the impact on the addition of turning parameters to stride velocity (SV), in the prediction of self-reported balance confidence (Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC)) and walking limitation (12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12)). The addition of 6MWT peak turn velocity (PTV) to 6MWT SV increased the predictive power of the 6MWT for the ABC from 20% to 33%, and increased the predictive power from 28% to 41% for the MSWS-12. TUG PTV added to TUG SV also strengthened the relationship of the TUG for the ABC from 19% to 28%, and 27% to 36% for the MSWS-12. For those with 1 year follow-up, percent change in turn number of steps (TNS%Δ) during the 6MWT added to 6MWT SV%Δ improved the modeling of ABC%Δ from 24% to 33%. 6MWT PTV%Δ added to 6MWT SV%Δ increased the predictive power of MSWS-12%Δ from 8% to 27%. Conclusively, turn parameters improved modeling of self-perceived balance confidence and walking limitations when added to the commonly utilized measure of gait speed. Tests of longer durations with multiple turns, as opposed to shorter durations with a single turn, modeled longitudinal change more accurately. Turn speed and stability should be qualitatively assessed during the clinic visit, and use of multi-faceted tests such as the TUG or 6MWT may be required to fully understand gait deterioration in persons with MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is, by using the general theory of rationality (GTR), to better understand the rationale underlying gambling behavior in adolescents considered to have gambling problems. The study explore gambling associated benefits, negative consequences of gambling, and the adolescents’ perceptions of the severity of their gambling behavior. The qualitative research is based on semi-structured interviews with 31 adolescents considered as having gambling problems. The analysis revealed that gambling behavior are based on a threefold rationality: instrumental, cognitive and axiological. The GTR allows to better understand why most of them do not consider to have gambling problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article introduces a model based on cognitive consistency principles to predict how new identities become integrated into the self-concept, with consequences for intergroup attitudes. The model specifies four concepts (self-concept, stereotypes, identification, and group compatibility) as associative connections. The model builds on two cognitive principles, balance-congruity and imbalance-dissonance, to predict identification with social groups that people currently belong to, belonged to in the past, or newly belong to. More precisely, the model suggests that the relative strength of self-group associations (i.e., identification) depends in part on the (in)compatibility of the different social groups. Combining insights into cognitive representation of knowledge, intergroup bias, and explicit/implicit attitude change, we further derive predictions for intergroup attitudes. We suggest that intergroup attitudes alter depending on the relative associative strength between the social groups and the self, which in turn is determined by the (in)compatibility between social groups. This model unifies existing models on the integration of social identities into the self-concept by suggesting that basic cognitive mechanisms play an important role in facilitating or hindering identity integration and thus contribute to reducing or increasing intergroup bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive control and self-control are often used as interchangeable terms. Both terms refer to the ability to pursue long-term goals, but the types of controlled behavior that are typically associated with these terms differ, at least superficially. Cognitive control is observed in the control of attention and the overcoming of habitual responses, while self-control is observed in resistance to short-term impulses and temptations. Evidence from clinical studies and neuroimaging studies suggests that below these superficial differences, common control process (e.g., inhibition) might guide both types of controlled behavior. Here, we study this hypothesis in a behavioral experiment, which interlaced trials of a Simon task with trials of an intertemporal decision task. If cognitive control and self-control depend on a common control process, we expected conflict adaptation from Simon task trials to lead to increased self-control in the intertemporal decision trials. However, despite successful manipulations of conflict and conflict adaptation, we found no evidence for this hypothesis. We investigate a number of alternative explanations of this result and conclude that the differences between cognitive control and self-control are not superficial, but rather reflect differences at the process level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aesthetic appreciation is looked at with respect to domain generality and domain specificity. Within the classic cognitive paradigm, modality- and domain-specific receptive processes are explored. These are then complemented with central processing structures. These reveal domain-specific as well as domain-general processing. Extending the classic cognitive science approach, the role of emotion in aesthetic appreciation is also explored. While domain-specific models of aesthetic appreciation are clearly called for, there are also numerous domain-general subprocesses and structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature and severity of semantic memory (SM) impairments in schizophrenia has been related to symptoms, mainly formal thought disorder (FTD), and other clinical factors like length of illness. Symptom-related studies in schizophrenia are often confounded by clinical factors, for example medication and hospitalisations. We completed a schizotypy analogue study to examine the relationship between SM processing and FTD using an analogue schizotypy score referred to as cognitive disorganisation. Sixty individuals without a history of mental illness ( M =22.92, SD =2.70) completed a schizotypy questionnaire and three semantic tasks – naming pictures, category fluency and semantic priming. Only decreasing fluency was associated with increasing cognitive disorganisation scores ( p =0.029). In line with the prevailing dyssemantic theories, the results highlight that cognitive disorganisation is associated with some difficulties in SM processes, though not all. The observed differential relationships of SM processes to disorganised schizotypy are discussed in relation to previous work, and in terms of potential developmental trajectories for SM impairment in schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers looking at the effects of performing a concurrent cognitive task on postural control in young and older adults using traditional center-of-pressure measures and complexity measures found discordant results. Results of experiments showing improvements of stability have suggested the use of strategies such as automatization of postural control or stiffening strategy. This experiment aimed to confirm in healthy young and older adults that performing a cognitive task while standing leads to improvements that are due to automaticity of sway by using sample entropy. Twenty-one young adults and twenty-five older adults were asked to stand on a force platform while performing a cognitive task. There were four cognitive tasks: simple reaction time, go/no-go reaction time, equation and occurrence of a digit in a number sequence. Results demonstrated decreased sway area and variability as well as increased sample entropy for both groups when performing a cognitive task. Results suggest that performing a concurrent cognitive task promotes the adoption of an automatic postural control in young and older adults as evidenced by an increased postural stability and postural sway complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work applies and extends balance theory by examining the role of relevance of issue to the relationship in balance theory processes within the context of workplace relationships. In Experiment 1, a sample of working adults (N = 81) reported greater job tension when self-supervisor dissimilarity involved a relationship-relevant (vs. non-relationship) ethical dilemma. In Experiment 2, a sample of working students (N = 185) who perceived greater self-supervisor dissimilarity about workplace (vs. family) ethics reported greater job tension, and in turn, less job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Perceiving dissimilarity with a work supervisor in attitudes about relationship-relevant issues may negatively affect outcomes at work. Importantly, these experiments demonstrated that not all dissimilarity is likely to yield negative outcomes; only relationship-relevant (vs. non-relevant) dissimilarity was a catalyst for imbalance-induced tension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A modified version of the Berg Balance Scale (mBBS) was developed for individuals with intellectual and visual disabilities (IVD). However, the concurrent and predictive validity has not yet been determined.Aim: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the concurrent and predictive validity of the mBBS for individuals with IVD.Method: Fifty-four individuals with IVD and Gross Motor Functioning Classification System (GMFCS) Levels I and II participated in this study. The mBBS, the Centre of Gravity (COG), the Comfortable Walking Speed (CWS), and the Barthel Index (BI) were assessed during one session in order to determine the concurrent validity. The percentage of explained variance was determined by analyzing the squared multiple correlation between the mBBS and the BI, COG, CWS, GMFCS, and age, gender, level of intellectual disability, presence of epilepsy, level of visual impairment, and presence of hearing impairment. Furthermore, an overview of the degree of dependence between the mBBS, BI, CWS, and COG was obtained by graphic modelling. Predictive validity of mBBS was determined with respect to the number of falling incidents during 26 weeks and evaluated with Zero-inflated regression models using the explanatory variables of mBBS, BI, COG, CWS, and GMFCS.Results: The results demonstrated that two significant explanatory variables, the GMFCS Level and the BI, and one non-significant variable, the CWS, explained approximately 60% of the mBBS variance. Graphical modelling revealed that BI was the most important explanatory variable for mBBS moreso than COG and CWS. Zero-inflated regression on the frequency of falling incidents demonstrated that the mBBS was not predictive, however, COG and CWS were.Conclusions: The results indicated that the concurrent validity as well as the predictive validity of mBBS were low for persons with IVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The zebrafish is an ideal vertebrate model for neurobehavioral studies with translational relevance to humans. Many aspects of sleep have been studied, but we still do not understand how and why sleep deprivation alters behavioral and physiological processes. A number of hypotheses suggest its role in memory consolidation. In this respect, the aim of this study was to analyze the effects of sleep deprivation on memory in zebrafish ( Danio rerio), using an object discrimination paradigm. Four treatments were tested: control, partial sleep deprivation, total sleep deprivation by light pulses, and total sleep deprivation by extended light. The control group explored the new object more than the known object, indicating clear discrimination. The partially sleep-deprived group explored the new object more than the other object in the discrimination phase, suggesting a certain degree of discriminative performance. By contrast, both total sleep deprivation groups equally explored all objects, regardless of their novelty. It seems that only one night of sleep deprivation is enough to affect discriminative response in zebrafish, indicating its negative impact on cognitive processes. We suggest that this study could be a useful screening tool for cognitive dysfunction and a better understanding of the effect of sleep-wake cycles on cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alzhiemers disease and Frontotemporal dementia are common neurodegenerative dementias with a wide prevalence. Falls are a common cause of morbidity in these patients. Identifying subclinical involvement of these parameters might serve as a tool in differential analysis of these distinct parameters involved in these conditions and also help in planning preventive strategies to prevent falls. Patients and Methods: Eight patients in age and gender matched patients in each group were compared with normal controls. Standardizes methods of gait and balance aseesment were done in all persons. Results: Results revealed subclinical involvement of gait and balancesin all groups specially during divided attention. The parameters were significantly more affected in patients. Patients with AD and FTD had involement of over all ambulation index balance more affected in AD patients FTD patients showed step cycle, stride length abnormalities. Discussion: There is balance and gait involvement in normal ageing as well as patients with AD and FTD. The pattern of involvement in AD correlates with WHERE pathway involvement and FTD with frontal subcortical circuits involvement. Conclusion: Identification the differential patterns of involvement in subclinical stage might help to differentiate normal ageing and the different types of cortical dementias. This could serve as an additional biomarker and also assist in initiating appropriate training methods to prevent future falls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study deals with "above-the-line advertising media and consumers awareness cable TV networks in Calabar metropolis". The specific objectives were to determine the effect of radio advertising on consumers' awareness of cable TV networks in Calabar metropolis and to examine the effect of billboard advertising on consumers awareness of cable TV networks in Calabar metropolis. Two research hypotheses were formulated and tested for the study. The social penetration and cognitive balance theories were used in the study. Sample size of four hundred was drawn from the population of three hundred and seventy thousand nine hundred and seven consumers using Taro Yamane formula. The instrument was face validated while reliability of the instrument was determined by split-half method and tested by Pearson correlation with the use of SPSS version. Data treatment technique used was simple regression statistical tool with the aid of SPSS version 23. The study concluded that radio and billboard advertisings create positive consumers awareness of cable TV networks in Calabar metropolis. The study recommended that cable TV networks should introduce sponsored radio programmes on local radio stations in Calabar. This will help to increase listenership and as a medium of reminder, awareness, education and persuasion to present and intended consumers to patronize the products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business English as a lingua franca (BELF) is gaining popularity in international business and research domains. In the framework of the socio-cognitive approach, this article examines the role of metapragmatic expressions (MPEs) in creating common ground (CG) in BELF meeting interactions. Based on the data from one business meeting drawn from the Vienna-Oxford International Corpus of English, it is found that the speakers mainly employ four types of MPEs, i.e. commentaries, speech-action descriptions, message glosses and evidentials, as pre-emptive or corrective strategies when they are aware of potential or actual problems or difficulties in interactions. MPEs are intended to activate shared sense (e.g. previous agreement, mutual experiences and company policy) and current sense (e.g. different or new perspectives, evaluations and sympathy) to construct emergent CG of knowledge and emergent CG of affiliation to achieve mutual understanding in BELF meeting interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Balance Theory has accumulated an impressive record of empirical confirmation at both the micro- and macro-levels. Yet, it is unclear why humans consistently prefer balanced relations when imbalance offers the opportunity to reap material rewards. We argue that balance is preferred because it functions as a "compression heuristic," allowing networks to be more easily encoded in, and recalled from, memory. Methodology/approach: We present the results of a novel randomized laboratory experiment using nearly 300 subjects. We evaluate the independent and joint effects of degree of balance/imbalance and presence/absence of kin compression heuristics on network recall. Findings: We find that memory for relationship valence is more accurate for balanced, rather than imbalanced, networks and that relationship existence and relationship valence are separable cognitive elements. We also use comparisons between kin and non-kin networks to suggest that humans are implicitly aware of the conditions under which imbalanced networks will be most durable. Research limitations/implications: We show that the tension/strain postulated to generate mental and behavioral responses to increase balance likely stems from cognitive limitations. More broadly, this connects balance theory to models of human cognition and evolution and suggests that human general processing ability may have evolved in response to social, rather than physical, challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated differences between healthy younger, middle-aged, and older adults in their respiratory responses to pictures of different valence and arousal. Expiratory time shortened and end-tidal PCO 2 decreased with increasing arousal in all age groups; yet, compared to younger adults, older adults’ overall change from baseline was smaller for expiratory time and larger for end-tidal PCO 2 . Contrary to their younger counterparts, older adults’ inspiratory time did not shorten with increasing arousal. Inspiratory duty cycle did not covary with affective ratings for younger adults, increased with unpleasantness for middle-aged adults, and increased with arousal for older adults. Thoracic breathing increased with increasing unpleasantness only among older adults. Age had no effects on mean inspiratory flow and minute ventilation, which both augmented as arousal increased. We discuss how age effects on respiratory response magnitude and pattern may depend on age-associated biological changes or reflect age-related differences in emotional processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to stress, physiological and mental resources are allocated towards those systems that are needed for rapid responding in terms of fight or flight. On the other hand, long term regenerative processes such as growth, digestion and reproduction are attenuated. Levels of the sex steroid testosterone are reduced in participants that suffer from chronic stress. However, beyond its role for reproductive functions, testosterone plays an important role in the regulation of social status and dominance, testosterone levels increase during competition or when the social status is challenged. The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), a laboratory stressor with a substantial social-evaluative component, can provoke an increase in salivary testosterone levels. Still, so far the reported findings regarding acute stress effects on testosterone are equivocal, possibly due to moderating effects. In this study we experimentally manipulated social dominance in 56 healthy participants (28m) by two independent manipulations (body posture and cognitive role taking) and subjected them to the TSST. We analyzed salivary testosterone and cortisol levels as dependent measures for the endocrine stress response. The role taking manipulation interacted with the testosterone response: we found the strongest increase when participants had to put themselves in a dominant (vs. submissive) role. Our results suggest that transient changes in testosterone levels during stress reflect a response to status threat that is affected by social dominance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated whether engaging in a mindful breathing exercise would affect EEG oscillatory activity associated with self-monitoring processes, based on the notion that mindfulness enhances attentional awareness. Participants were assigned to either an audio exercise in mindful breathing or an audio control condition, and then completed a Stroop task while EEG was recorded. The primary EEG measure of interest was error-related alpha suppression (ERAS), an index of self-monitoring in which alpha power is reduced, suggesting mental engagement, following errors compared to correct responses. Participants in the mindful-breathing condition showed increased alpha power during the listening exercise and enhanced ERAS during the subsequent Stroop task. These results indicate enhanced error-monitoring among those in the mindful-breathing group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the extent to which specific interacting constraints of performance might increase or decrease the emergent complexity in a movement system, and whether this could affect the relationship between observed movement variability and the central nervous system's capacity to adapt to perturbations during balancing. Fifty-two healthy volunteers performed eight trials where different performance constraints were manipulated: task difficulty (three levels) and visual biofeedback conditions (with and without the center of pressure (COP) displacement and a target displayed). Balance performance was assessed using COP-based measures: mean velocity magnitude (MVM) and bivariate variable error (BVE). To assess the complexity of COP, fuzzy entropy (FE) and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) were computed. ANOVAs showed that MVM and BVE increased when task difficulty increased. During biofeedback conditions, individuals showed higher MVM but lower BVE at the easiest level of task difficulty. Overall, higher FE and lower DFA values were observed when biofeedback was available. On the other hand, FE reduced and DFA increased as difficulty level increased, in the presence of biofeedback. However, when biofeedback was not available, the opposite trend in FE and DFA values was observed. Regardless of changes to task constraints and the variable investigated, balance performance was positively related to complexity in every condition. Data revealed how specificity of task constraints can result in an increase or decrease in complexity emerging in a neurobiological system during balance performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postural instability is one of the most incapacitating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and appears to be related to cognitive deficits. This study aims to determine the cognitive factors that can predict deficits in static and dynamic balance in individuals with PD. A sociodemographic questionnaire characterized 52 individuals with PD for this work. The Trail Making Test, Rule Shift Cards Test, and Digit Span Test assessed the executive functions. The static balance was assessed using a plantar pressure platform, and dynamic balance was based on the Timed Up and Go Test. The results were statistically analysed using SPSS Statistics software through linear regression analysis. The results show that a statistically significant model based on cognitive outcomes was able to explain the variance of motor variables. Also, the explanatory value of the model tended to increase with the addition of individual and clinical variables, although the resulting model was not statistically significant The model explained 25–29% of the variability of the Timed Up and Go Test, while for the anteroposterior displacement it was 23–34%, and for the mediolateral displacement it was 24–39%. From the findings, we conclude that the cognitive performance, especially the executive functions, is a predictor of balance deficit in individuals with PD. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article explores the cognitive dimensions of spatial pattern identification in people who are blind or low vision using tactile graphics. We contend that spatial pattern identification is critical to the construction of an informative and rich environmental image, and insight into these cognitive skills can inform current practices in tactile map production and accessible cartography. This research investigates individual spatial thinking skills hypothesized to be components of spatial pattern identification. The findings suggest that Cartesian proximity and object differentiation are vital cognitive skills of spatial pattern identification and could potentially be exploited to communicate complex environmental knowledge in tactile reference maps. The relationship between prior map-reading training and test performance indicates a critical need for an increased presence of tactile cartographies and highlights future research opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essay on television aesthetics in response to separating judgment of good in television from social, cultural, affective and cognitive possibilities in national broadcasting services, is presented. Topics discussed include tradition of broadcast television drama qualitatively different from cinematic film, views of British intellectual Terry Eagleton on the Aesthetic as desire to bring feelings within scope of reason and freedom of television aesthetics from narcissism through debates.

Regret is one of the most common emotions, but researchers generally measure it in an ad-hoc, unvalidated fashion. Three studies outline the construction and validation of the Regret Elements Scale (RES), which distinguishes between an affective component of regret, associated with maladaptive affective outcomes, and a cognitive component of regret, associated with functional preparatory outcomes. The present research demonstrates the RES's relationship with distress (Study 1), appraisals of emotions (Study 2), and existing measures of regret (Study 3). We further demonstrate the RES's ability to differentiate regret from other negative emotions (Study 2) and related traits (Study 3). The scale provides both a new theoretical perspective on regret, and a tool for researchers interested in measuring post-decisional regret. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author discusses ontology of religious persons and introduction of the faker and the fanatic. He states that faker is a person, fictionally imagining God exists to maintain the pretense and fanatic resembles the terrorists whose religious beliefs have all the characteristics of factual beliefs except vulnerability. He mentions that religious credence and factual belief are attitude concepts and factual beliefs have widespread cognitive governance and vulnerability.