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Understanding and Boosting Decision Making in Online Environments
No full textOnline-Umgebungen stellen eine große Herausforderung für die menschliche Entscheidungsfindung dar. Falschinformationen gedeihen in digitalen Räumen ohne traditionelles „Gatekeeping“, in denen aufmerksamkeitsgesteuerte Algorithmen unterhaltende Inhalte priorisieren. Gleichzeitig eröffnen die großen Datenmengen, die Plattformen sammeln, Manipulationen wie persönlichkeitsbasiertem Microtargeting Tür und Tor, welches individuelle Schwächen ausnutzt. Diese Dissertation untersucht, wie Menschen mit den Herausforderungen von Falschlinformationen und Microtargeting umgehen. Ziel ist es, evidenzbasierte Ansätze zur Stärkung kognitiver Kompetenzen zu entwickeln, um Manipulationen entgegenzuwirken. Kapitel 1 führt die Kernkonzepte ein und skizziert Unterschiede in der Entscheidungsfindung zwischen Online- und Offline-Umgebungen sowie das Konzept des „Boosting“ als mögliche Lösung. Kapitel 2 präsentiert ein Rahmenwerk mit vier Kernphasen im Umgang mit Falschinformationen: Quellenauswahl, Informationsauswahl, Bewertung und Reaktion. Psychologische Schlüsselfaktoren und Ansatzpunkte für Interventionen werden hervorgehoben. Kapitel 3 fokussiert die „Bewertungsphase“ und zeigt, dass Konservative metakognitive „Blindspots“ aufweisen, wenn sie politische Fehlinformationen bewerten, die ihren Überzeugungen widersprechen. Kapitel 4 testet eine Intervention, welche die Reflexion über eigene Verwundbarkeit im Internet fördert und die Fähigkeit stärkt, personalisiertes Microtargeting zu erkennen. Kapitel 5 untersucht, ob eine erhöhte Wahrnehmung personalisierten Microtargetings dessen Wirksamkeit mindert. Abschließend fasst Kapitel 6 zentrale Erkenntnisse zusammen und gibt Impulse für die zukünftige Forschung. Zusammenfassend liefert diese Dissertation wertvolle Einblicke in den Umgang mit Falschinformationen und Microtargeting und zeigt, wie „Boosting“ eine resilientere Internetbevölkerung fördern kann.Online environments pose significant challenges to human decision making. Misinformation thrives in digital spaces that lack traditional “gatekeeping,” where attention-driven algorithms prioritize entertaining over informative content. Simultaneously, the vast amounts of data collected by platforms open the door to manipulative practices such as personality-based microtargeting, which exploits individual vulnerabilities.
This dissertation examines how people navigate the challenges of misinformation and microtargeting. The goal is to develop evidence-based approaches to strengthen cognitive competencies and counteract manipulation. Chapter 1 introduces the core concepts, outlining differences in decision making between online and offline environments and presenting “boosting” as a potential solution. Chapter 2 proposes a framework for addressing misinformation, focusing on four key stages: source selection, information selection, evaluation, and reaction. Key psychological factors and intervention points at each stage are highlighted. Chapter 3 focuses on the “evaluation stage,” showing that conservatives exhibit metacognitive “blindspots” when assessing political misinformation that contradicts their beliefs. Chapter 4 tests an intervention that prompts individuals to reflect on their vulnerabilities online, thereby enhancing their ability to detect personalized microtargeting. Chapter 5 explores whether increased detection of microtargeting reduces its effectiveness. Finally, Chapter 6 summarizes key findings and provides suggestions for future research. In conclusion, this dissertation offers valuable insights into how individuals grapple with misinformation and microtargeting, and demonstrates how “boosting” can promote a more resilient online population
Psychotherapeutisches Schreiben in der DDR
No full textThe publication of this work was supported by the Open Access Publication Fund of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.Seit den 1970er Jahren verbreitete sich in der DDR das psychotherapeutisch motivierte Schreiben täglicher Selbstberichte als Behandlungspraktik für sogenannte Neurosen. Anhand solcher Berichte aus der Psychiatrischen und Nervenklinik der Berliner Charité spürt dieses Buch nicht nur der Alltagspraxis der Dynamischen Gruppenpsychotherapie und den selten überlieferten Patient:innenperspektiven auf die Behandlung und das soziale Gefüge auf der Station nach. Mit dem Konzept «Doing Patient» fragt das Buch auch, wie sich Patient:innen durch bestimmte Praktiken als Subjekte konstituieren. Die Autorin untersucht, wie die Schreibenden einen therapeutischen Blick auf sich selbst entwickelten und welche Rolle Psychiatriereform, Geschlechterkonventionen und sozialistische Ideologie dabei spielten. Damit skizziert sie ein Spannungsfeld zwischen staatlichem Fürsorgeversprechen und veränderten Anforderungen an die gesundheitliche Eigenverantwortung von Patient:innen im Staatssozialismus
Memory replay and disinhibition mechanisms in sharp wave-ripples
No full textIn Tiefschlaf- und wachen Ruhephasen spielt der Hippocampus Sequenzen neuronaler Aktivität, die mit früheren Erfahrungen verknüpft sind, erneut ab. Dieses „Replay“ tritt zusammen mit hippocampalen Sharp Wave-Ripples (SWRs) auf, kurzen Ereignissen, die vermutlich im CA3-Bereich entstehen. Replay und SWRs sind an Gedächtniskonsolidierung beteiligt. Ihre genauen Entstehungsmechanismen sind jedoch nicht vollständig geklärt. In dieser Dissertation trage ich zum Verständnis dieser Phänomene bei, indem ich theoretische Modelle und das CA3-Netzwerk analysiere. Zunächst untersuche ich ein bestehendes Modell, das SWRs durch Disinhibition erzeugt. Mit einer Stabilitätsanalyse bestimme ich die notwendigen Komponenten des Modells und zeige, dass die zugrundeliegenden Mechanismen robust gegenüber Parameteränderungen sind. Simulationen einer Ratenmodell-Approximation des Netzwerks unterstützen dies. Außerdem zeige ich, dass der Disinhibitionsmechanismus mit Replay vereinbar ist, da er die Feuereigenschaften von Neuronen während SWRs korrekt abbildet. Anschließend untersuche ich die CA3-Konnektivität anhand funktioneller Konnektivitätsmessungen zwischen Pyramidenzellen. Die Messungen zeigen eine zufällig verteilte Konnektivitätsrate, die signifikant höher ist als in früheren Studien berichtet. Simulationen großer Spiking-Netzwerke bestätigen, dass Mustervervollständigung und Replay in CA3 robust möglich sind. Abschließend führe ich ein zeitdiskretes Populationsmodell von Membranpotentialverteilungen ein, das erklärt, wie neuronale Sequenzen trotz schwacher Feedforward-Konnektivität mit Verstärkung durch rekurrente Verbindungen in Zellverbänden wiedergegeben werden können, wie in Spiking-Simulationen beobachtet. Davon leite ich analytische Vorhersagen über die notwendige Beziehung zwischen Netzwerkparametern für Replay ab. Insgesamt erweitern die Ergebnisse dieser Dissertation unser Verständnis der Dynamik hippocampaler Mikroschaltkreise mit Gedächtnisfunktionen.During slow-wave sleep and awake rest, the hippocampus replays sequences of neuronal activity associated with previous experience. This replay coincides with hippocampal sharp wave-ripples (SWRs), brief events thought to originate in the CA3 region. Replay and SWRs are involved in the process of memory consolidation. However, the exact mechanisms that regulate their occurrence remain unclear. This thesis contributes to the understanding of these phenomena by studying theoretical models and analyzing the CA3 network. I first study a previously developed model, in which SWRs are generated by disinhibition. Through a stability analysis, I explain which model components are essential, showing that the underlying mechanisms are robust to parameter changes. This is further supported by simulations of a rate-model approximation of the network. Moreover, I show that the proposed disinhibition mechanism is compatible with sequence replay, matching known neuronal firing properties during SWRs. I then re-examine CA3 connectivity by analyzing functional connectivity recordings from pyramidal cells. Our measurements reveal a randomly distributed high-connectivity rate, significantly higher than previously reported. Simulations of large spiking networks confirm that CA3 should be able to robustly perform pattern completion and sequence replay. Finally, I introduce a time-discrete population model of membrane-potential distributions that can explain how neuronal sequences with weak feedforward connectivity can be replayed due to amplification via recurrent connections within assemblies, as seen in spiking simulations. This allows for the derivation of analytical predictions on the necessary relation between network parameters for sequences to be replayed. Together, these results broaden our understanding of the dynamics of hippocampal microcircuits responsible for memory functions
“Go for Gold!” or “just for fun”?—competitions at Special Olympics Unified Sports® at the National Games 2022
No full textThe article processing charge was funded by the Open Access Publication Fund of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.Special Olympics Unified Sports® is a sports program in which individuals with and without intellectual disabilities train and compete together on the same team. This study, designed and conducted in accordance with the Grounded Theory Methodology (GTM), investigates how individuals with and without intellectual disabilities co-experience and negotiate competitive dynamics in Unified Sports® basketball and handball. The study examined the success factors and challenges within this context. Based on 41 interviews players (14 athletes and 27 partners) conducted during the 2022 Special Olympics National Games in Berlin, the findings reveal pronounced hierarchical structures along the lines of disability. Partners often adopt a reserved, supportive role, intentionally holding back their own performance in order to place athletes at the center of gameplay. This approach is also evident in interactions with opposing teams, aiming to create a balanced and sporting experience for people with and without disabilities. Such practices challenge conventional notions of athletic success and point to an alternative logic of competition—one that prioritizes joyful social interaction over winning. At the same time, these support strategies carry the risk of fostering paternalistic dynamics that may limit the athletes' autonomy. Grounded in the methodology of Grounded Theory, the study is being extended through additional data collection at national and international competitions. The goal is to develop a differentiated system of categories and to contribute to a deeper understanding of competition in Unified Sports®.Peer Reviewe
PREACT-digital: study protocol for a longitudinal, observational multicentre study on digital phenotypes of non-response to cognitive behavioural therapy for internalising disorders
No full textCognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) serves as a first-line treatment for internalising disorders (ID), encompassing depressive, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorders. Nonetheless, a substantial proportion of patients do not experience sufficient symptom relief. Recent advances in wearable technology and smartphone integration enable new, ecologically valid approaches to capture dynamic processes in real time. By combining ecological momentary assessment (EMA) with passive sensing of behavioural and physiological information, this project seeks to track daily fluctuations in symptom-associated constructs like affect, emotion regulation (ER) and physical activity. Our central goal is to determine whether dynamic, multimodal markers derived from EMA and passive sensing can predict treatment non-response and illuminate key factors that drive or hinder therapeutic change. Methods and analysis: PREACT-digital is a subproject of the Research Unit FOR 5187 (PREACT), a large multicentre observational study in four outpatient clinics. PREACT channels state-of-the-art machine learning techniques identify predictors of non-response to CBT in ID. The study is currently running and will end in June 2026. Patients seeking CBT at one of four participating outpatient clinics are invited to join PREACT-digital. They can take part in (1) a short version with a 14-day EMA and passive sensing phase prior to therapy, or (2) a long version in which the short version’s assessments are extended throughout the therapy. It is estimated that 468 patients take part in PREACT-digital, of which 350 opt for the long version of the study. Participants are provided with a smartwatch and a customised study app. We collect passive data on heart rate, physical activity, sleep and location patterns. EMA assessments cover affect, ER strategies, context and therapeutic agency. Primary outcomes on (non)-response are assessed after 20 therapy sessions and therapy end. We employ predictive and exploratory analyses. Predictive analyses focus on classification of non-response using basic algorithms (ie, logistic regression and gradient boosting) for straightforward interpretability and advanced methods (LSTM, DSEM) to capture complex temporal and hierarchical patterns. Exploratory analyses investigate mechanistic links, examine the interplay of variables over time and analyse change trajectories. Study findings will inform more personalised and ecologically valid approaches to CBT for ID. Ethics and dissemination: The study has received ethical approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee of the Department of Psychology at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (Approval No. 2021–01) and the Ethics Committee of Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Approval No. EA1/186/22). Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants prior to enrolment. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and presentations at national and international conferences. Trial registration number: DRKS00030915; OSF PREACT: http://osf.io/bcgax ; OSF PREACT-digital: https://osf.io/253nb .Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFGPeer Reviewe
Discriminatory Climate and School Adjustment in Ethnically Minoritized Adolescents and Majority Adolescents: An Investigation of the Mediating Role of Teaching Quality
No full textAbstractDiscriminatory teacher beliefs and behaviors, as reflected in a discriminatory climate, are negatively related to student adjustment, but little is known about the classroom processes contributing to this relationship. This study investigated the role of teaching quality as a mechanism behind the associations between a discriminatory climate at school and students’ school adjustment. The study used PISA data collected in Germany in 2018 (N = 2947; Mage = 15.47 years, SD = 0.65; 48.4% girls) and included ninth graders (1) from ethnically minoritized groups that are highly stigmatized (i.e., with heritage from Turkey, the SWANA region, sub-Saharan Africa, and Kurdish areas; n = 198), (2) from other ethnically minoritized groups (n = 445), and (3) from the ethnic majority (n = 2304). The students in Group 1 reported a more discriminatory climate at school than the other student groups did. Multilevel analyses revealed that a discriminatory climate was negatively related to all three indicators of school adjustment (i.e., reading comprehension, reading motivation, and school belonging). Adolescents who perceived a stronger discriminatory climate experienced lessons as less structured and more disruptive, highlighting the mediating role of classroom management in the relationship between discriminatory climate and adolescents’ school adjustment. Thus, a discriminatory climate at school hampers adolescents’ educational outcomes not only directly, but also via teachers’ instructional behavior in class.Peer Reviewe
A sketch of Ngundi (Baka-Gundi)
No full textNew data allow for a first comprehensive description of Ngundi, an as yet undescribed Mundu-Baka languages. This linguistic sketch provides information on the phoneme inventory, syllable structure, and tone as well as an outline of basic morphological and morphosyntactic features of the nominal and verbal domains. Moreover, to address questions of genealogical affiliation, the sketch offers a comparative view of Ngundi, taking into account its two closest relatives, Baka and Limassa
NH3-induced activation of hydrophilic Fe–N–C nanocages for enhanced oxygen reduction reaction†
No full textNon-noble metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are urgently needed in metal–air batteries, seawater batteries and fuel cells. Fe–N–C materials are among the most active catalysts for the ORR. Fe–N–C synthesis usually requires post-heat treatment after pyrolysis which is time-consuming and inevitably triggers inactive aggregate Fe species due to difficulties in controllable atom-level modulation. Here, highly active Fe–N–C catalysts were prepared by a simple process involving an ammonia etching treatment by using ZIF-8 as a hard template and a mixture of FeSO4 and 2-methylimidazole as the Fe, N and C precursors. The direct ammonia treatment modulates N and Fe active species and removes the unstable carbon framework to form pyrolyzed Fe–N–C nanocages with a well-dispersed pore structure. The obtained Fe–N–C exhibits a potential of 0.89 V vs. RHE at a kinetic current density of −1 mA cm−2 (E−1) for the ORR, similar to commercial Pt/C, but outperforming it in terms of stability and methanol tolerance. In situ electrochemical Raman and density functional theory provide insights into the origin of the activity of Fe–N–C materials and the underlying ORR electrocatalytic mechanisms at the molecular level.China Scholarship Council 10.13039/501100004543Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 10.13039/501100001659Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung 10.13039/501100002347Volkswagen Foundation 10.13039/501100001663Peer Reviewe
Collective contributions to the atomic Auger photoelectron coincidences on the (100), (110) and (111) facets of copper
No full textFor the Cu(100), Cu(110), and Cu(111) surfaces varying asymmetric line shapes are found for the atomic 3d 8 4s 2 multiplet two-hole final state binding energies reached in MVV Auger photoelectron coincidence spectroscopy. Higher asymmetry for Cu(111) and Cu(110) in comparison to Cu(100) is caused by reduced dynamic screening for Cu(111) and Cu(110) in contrast to free electron like Cu(100). This is a consequence of the surface projected band gaps in Cu(111) and Cu(110) not present in Cu(100). We describe the distinct tailing in the experimental line shapes of the three Cu surfaces with first principles calculations of layer-dependent two-hole binding energy shifts, depth-dependent intensity distribution and Doniach-Sunjic asymmetry parametrization. These fundamental insights into the surface-specific electronic structure can advance the understanding of structure-reactivity relationships in Copper-based surfaces and catalysts.Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH (4212)Peer Reviewe