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Onset complexity and task conflict in the Stroop task.
Get PDFThe present study examined the extent to which a key marker of task conflict, negative facilitation, is modified by onset complexity. Negative facilitation, slower RTs to congruent stimuli than to non-lexical neutral stimuli in the Stroop task, is thought to reflect competition between the task sets of colour naming and word reading in the Stroop task (also known as task conflict). That is, it reflects competition between whole task sets, over and above any competition between specific responses associated with a stimulus. An alternative account of negative facilitation argues that it reflects the specific phonological processing differences between pronounceable (e.g., congruent) and non-pronounceable (e.g., xxxx) stimuli that are magnified by the specific task contexts that produce negative facilitation (a mostly non-lexical trial context). Here we used onset complexity to manipulate pronounceability of the irrelevant words in the Stroop task to test this alternative account. However, before applying manipulations that produce negative facilitation, we initially tested whether there was an effect of onset complexity on Stroop task performance. The results from Experiment 1 (and 3) showed that complex onsets led to larger positive facilitation and congruency effects relative to simple onsets, but did not modify incongruent or neutral word RTs. Experiment 2 directly tested whether onset complexity modifies negative facilitation and provided strong evidence for no effect of onset complexity, contrary to the alternative account predictions. The implications of the results for task conflict theory, selective attention and phonological processing in the manual response Stroop task are discussed
Teaching with the Electronic Literature Collection Volume 4
Get PDFThis article surveys the four ELCs - Electronic Literature Collections (2006-2022), reviews pedagogical approaches to teaching ELCs, and situates ELCs and electronic literature pedagogy into higher education’s course management systems. ELCs’ increasing accessibility serves its global audience and centers the ethical values of diversity, equality, and inclusion. The ELC4’s user experience design manifests these values. The article discusses the history of the Collections’ experience design. Volume Four (2022) expanded reader accessibility and linguistic diversity by including video playthroughs and collecting 132 works from 42 author nationalities in 31 languages. This article surveys those evolving design changes. It engages a robust literature review of global electronic literature pedagogy. It features suggestions for thematic clusters of ELC4 works in a variety of subjects including literature, media studies, critical AI, identity theories and bibliotherapy. It concludes with a discussion of how electronic literature pedagogy fits within higher education’s ecosystem
“Shifting goalposts” and “fishing expeditions”: police case preparation and the application of the full code test in cases of RASSO
Get PDFPurpose: Despite recent increases, the low level of convictions in cases of rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO), aligned with the subsequent lack of victim satisfaction with the process, has highlighted the various challenges and barriers throughout the criminal justice process. Whilst understanding the shortcomings of criminal justice processes in cases of RASSO requires a holistic approach, this paper focuses on case preparation and the application of the Full Code test. Its purpose is to explore the application of this test and preceding case preparation in police decision-making around submitting cases for charging decision, following the recommendations of the first year of Operation Soteria Bluestone. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted a mixed-method approach, combining both interviews and case reviews of selected RASSO cases across five forces in England and Wales. Findings: This research found a shift towards “threshold thinking”, whereby officers arguably no longer try to predict a prosecutor’s decision and instead focus on meeting the requirements for the application of the test. In terms of case preparation, the research demonstrates a move away from “fishing expeditions”, with a preference for more focused approaches to collecting evidence. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies looking at the use of full code test principles in police decision-making in RASSO cases
Digital Dependency and Security Risk: Investigating the Connections Between Fear of Missing Out, Problematic Social Media Use, and Vulnerability Perceptions
Get PDFThis study investigates the interplay between Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU), and perceptions of vulnerability, comparing these dynamics across UK and Arab samples. Utilizing a cross-sectional survey design with 642 participants (314 from the UK and 328 from the Arab region), the research examines how FoMO and PSMU influence individuals’ susceptibility to cyber threats, focusing on three key outcomes: the Likelihood of being targeted by a scam, the Likelihood of a successful scam, and the Encounter of a scam. The results reveal significant associations between FoMO, PSMU, and perceptions of vulnerability, with notable cultural differences. In the UK sample, FoMO and PSMU were strong predictors of the Likelihood of being targeted by a scam, and PSMU is the predictor of the Encounter of a scam, suggesting that higher level FoMO and PSMU are linked to greater online vulnerability. However, in the Arab sample, while FoMO was positively associated with the Likelihood of a successful scam, PSMU did not significantly predict the Likelihood of a successful scam. This discrepancy indicates that cultural or contextual factors may influence the relationship between FoMO, PSMU, and vulnerability perceptions differently across regions. The findings underscore the importance of considering cultural context when addressing digital behavior and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Future research should explore how varying forms of social media engagement and cultural factors impact these relationships to develop more effective, culturally tailored interventions
Data-Driven Strategies for Carbimazole Titration: Exploring Machine Learning Solutions in Hyperthyroidism Control
No full textBACKGROUND: University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) has more than 1000 thyroid patient contacts annually. These are primarily patients with autoimmune hyperthyroidism treated with carbimazole titration. Dose adjustments are made by a healthcare professional (HCP) based on the results of thyroid function tests, who then prescribes a dose and communicates this to the patient via letter. This is time consuming and introduces treatment delays. This study aimed to replace some time-intensive manual dose adjustments with a machine learning model to determine carbimazole dosing. This can in the future serve patients with rapid and safe dose determination and ease the pressures on HCPs. METHODS: Data from 421 hyperthyroidism patients at UHD were extracted and anonymized. A total of 353 patients (83.85%) were included in the study. Different machine learning classification algorithms were tested under several data processing regimes. Using an iterative approach, consisting of an initial model selection followed by a feature selection method, the performance was improved. Models were evaluated using weighted F1 scores and Brier scores to select the best model with the highest confidence. RESULTS: The best performance is achieved using a random forest (RF) approach, resulting in good average F1 scores of 0.731. A model was selected based on a balanced assessment considering the accuracy of the prediction (F1 = 0.751) and the confidence of the model (Brier score = 0.38). CONCLUSION: To simulate a use-case, the accumulation of the prediction error over time was assessed. It was determined that an improvement in accuracy is expected if this model was to be deployed in practice
Examining the comparative effectiveness of virtual reality and in-vivo exposure therapy on social anxiety and specific phobia: A systematic review & meta-analysis
Get PDFBackground
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) is the most widely used Virtual Reality psychotherapeutic intervention. There is empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of VRET on Specific Phobia and Social Anxiety Disorder. Since it has an advantage over in-vivo Exposure Therapy (IVET) in being cost-effective, adaptable and controllable, previous studies suggest it is a suitable alternative psychotherapeutic intervention for IVET. However, there is a need for a meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness of VRET and IVET.
Aim
The present meta-analysis aimed to examine the effectiveness of VRET and IVET in the treatment of social anxiety disorder and specific phobia.
Methods
Eligible studies needed to be randomised controlled trials which included adults diagnosed with social anxiety or specific phobia according to the DSM-4 and DSM-5 or ICD 10. Studies needed to include two treatment conditions, VRET (using a head-mounted display) and IVET, and these should be accompanied by an additional control condition. Studies also needed to include pre-and post-assessment measures to allow for the calculation of effect size estimates. The electronic databases, PubMed, PsycNet, ProQuest and ScienceDirect were systematically searched for the relevant randomised controlled studies.
Data collection and results
A random effects meta-analysis was conducted to examine the comparable effectiveness of VRET and IVET on symptomology. The analysis suggested that both are equally effective at reducing social phobia and anxiety symptoms with both approaches reporting moderate effect sizes.
Conclusions
Results of the meta-analysis demonstrate that VRET generates positive outcomes in the treatment of Specific Phobia and Social Anxiety Disorders which are comparable to IVET. However, due to the limited nature of the literature examined it is not possible to identify which approach is optimal
MRI assessment of body composition for prediction of therapeutic response to biologic agents in patients with Crohn’s disease
Get PDFObjectives: Altered body fat and muscle mass in Crohn’s disease (CD) have been linked to adverse disease course and outcomes. Prediction of treatment response or remission (RoR) of small bowel CD (SBCD) to biologic therapy remains challenging. We aimed to establish the prognostic value of body composition parameters measured using MR enterography (MRE) for RoR at 1 year in patients with SBCD commencing biologic therapy. Methods: Participants were identified from those recruited to a prospective, multicentre study investigating the predictive ability of motility MRI for 1 year RoR in patients starting biologic therapy for active SBCD (MOTILITY trial). Myopenia, skeletal muscle:fat and visceral:subcutaneous fat were measured from baseline MRE. RoR at 1 year was judged using a composite of clinical and morphological MRE parameters. We compared the likelihood of RoR in patients with and without myopenia or low skeletal muscle:fat using logistic regression models. Results: Ninety-six participants were included (mean age 38.2 years; 40 (42%) female). There were 34 (35%) responders. There was no significant difference in RoR at 1 year between those patients with and without skeletal muscle myopenia (OR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.27, 2.66, p-value: 0.78), or those with or without low skeletal muscle:fat (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.19, 2.71, p-value: 0.62). Conclusions: Body composition parameters demonstrated no value for predicting therapeutic RoR in patients commencing biologic therapy for SBCD. Critical relevance statement: Prediction of response to biologic therapy in small bowel Crohn’s disease (SBCD) remains challenging. Body composition parameters cannot predict biologic therapeutic response or remission for SBCD reliably. Key Points: Altered body fat and muscle mass in Crohn’s disease have been linked to adverse outcomes. Prediction of response to biologic therapy in small bowel CD (SBCD) would be useful for treatment optimisation. Body composition parameters measured using MRI cannot reliably predict biological therapeutic response or remission for SBCD. © The Author(s) 2025
Dementia, travel, and tourism: A scoping review
Get PDFBackground: Little is known about travelling and tourism for people living with or caring for someone with dementia. The aim of this scoping review was to synthesise the existing evidence on dementia, travel and tourism, the experiences of people with dementia and their carers, and how venues and businesses are dementia friendly.
Methods: The review protocol was prospectively registered on PROSPERO [ID: CRD42023397637]. Four databases were searched for relevant literature in February 2024. Studies were included if they were published in English, Danish, or German, without any restrictions on publication date. Titles and abstracts, and full texts, were reviewed by two different research team members, and any disagreements were resolved in discussion with the wider team.
Results: From 1,523 screened records, 13 papers were included. Evidence showed wide-ranging barriers for people with dementia and their carers to travel, often limiting the travel to local well-known places with adequate facilities or decisions on whether to travel solo as a carer. Seven studies focused on attitudes of businesses and tourist attractions and their implementations of dementia-friendliness. There was a notable lack of knowledge about dementia, and whilst most sites were willing to adapt existing attractions to include people with dementia, a lack of financial resources was the main barrier consistently referred to.
Conclusion: Little remains known about the experiences of people living with dementia and their carers surrounding tourism and local, national, and international travel, and how different tourism organisations provide dementia-friendly support. With a focus on supporting people with dementia to remain as independent as possible, research needs to explore the population’s experiences, and how tourism destinations and modes of travel and transport could improve to be dementia-friendly and inclusive
Virtual Reality Provides an Eyewitness Experience That Is Similar to Real Life
Get PDFTraditional methods used for presenting to-be-remembered events in eyewitness memory research are often criticized for lacking scientific rigor. Videos lack ecological validity, and though staged live events are realistic, they lack experimental control. Virtual reality (VR) has been proposed as a promising alternative, offering immersive realism in a controlled environment. In this study, 141 participants viewed an event either live, on video, or in VR. Presence, emotional experience, heart rate, and recall were compared across groups, and it was seen that the VR experience was highly similar to the live-event group. The video group reported significantly lower presence, ecological validity, and heart rate changes compared to the VR group. These findings suggest that VR can offer a highly realistic witness experience while maintaining experimental control, making it a valuable tool for eyewitness memory research
What do the Young People Think? Responses to the Censoring of Roald Dahl
Get PDFIn 2022 and 2023, children’s publisher Puffin released a set of Roald Dahl children’s titles significantly revised to take account of the sensibilities of contemporary readers. The announcement was met with widespread opposition, with high-profile writers including Salman Rushdie having their say on the matter. Following the overwhelmingly negative media-led response, which almost entirely characterised the revision as censorship, the publisher changed tack: it would retain the revised versions under the Puffin imprint, but also offer for sale the ‘classic’ versions under the Penguin imprint. In all the media coverage, young readers themselves were not consulted, or if they were, their responses have not been made public. There appears to be very little published empirical work with young readers themselves, on this specific issue or on censorship of children’s literature more generally. Since Dahl is one of the best-selling and simultaneously most-attacked writers of literature aimed at children, we wanted to investigate the views of young readers on the censorship of children’s literature, focussing on this recent re-writing of Roald Dahl books. To that end we conducted eight discussion workshops with 73 teenage students in three UK schools. We report on our findings and conclude that these young readers display a high level of insight and sophistication in their understanding and analysis of the censorship debate overall, and the censoring of Dahl in particular