Trajectories of Idea Emergence in Dialogic Collaborative Problem Solving: Toward a Complex Dynamic Systems Perspective

According to the complex dynamic systems (CDS) perspective, learning emerges at various system levels. This study built a coherent theoretical framework based on CDS and Bakhtinian dialogic theory and further employed the concept of attractor (i.e., certain stable states that recur over time) in CDS theory to investigate the trajectories of idea emergence and how they diversified group outcomes in dialogic collaborative problem solving (D-CPS). Two contrasting groups were compared using visual and qualitative analysis approaches. The analysis based on idea tree diagrams showed that new ideas emergent in group discussion tended to attract local utterances and performed features of attractors in CDS in both high-performing and low-performing groups. The analysis based on idea hierarchy diagrams revealed how ideas emerged at various system levels. It was also found that status problems were likely to affect the functioning of regulative feedback loops, which might give rise to different structures of idea evolution. This study proposed CDS theory as an alternative perspective, augmented by the ethical considerations of Bakhtinian dialogism, for examining the dynamics of D-CPS.

A variational-autoencoder approach to solve the hidden profile task in hybrid human-machine teams

Algorithmic agents, popularly known as bots, have been accused of spreading misinformation online and supporting fringe views. Collectives are vulnerable to hidden-profile environments, where task-relevant information is unevenly distributed across individuals. To do well in this task, information aggregation must equally weigh minority and majority views against simple but inefficient majority-based decisions. In an experimental design, human volunteers working in teams of 10 were asked to solve a hidden-profile prediction task. We trained a variational auto-encoder (VAE) to learn people's hidden information distribution by observing how people's judgements correlated over time. A bot was designed to sample responses from the VAE latent embedding to selectively support opinions proportionally to their under-representation in the team. We show that the presence of a single bot (representing 10\% of team members) can significantly increase the polarization between minority and majority opinions by making minority opinions less prone to social influence. Although the effects on hybrid team performance were small, the bot presence significantly influenced opinion dynamics and individual accuracy. These findings show that self-supervised machine learning techniques can be used to design algorithms that can sway opinion dynamics and group outcomes.

Does Knowledge about Climate Change Predict Concern? Concern for Climate Change and the Knowledge-Deficit Theory

<p>The knowledge-deficit theory suggests that if people are not concerned about climate change, it is because there is a deficit in their knowledge of climate change—they do not properly comprehend the scientific consensus. So do people with higher levels of knowledge about climate change feel more concerned than those with lower knowledge levels? Existing research has been inconclusive but suggests differences between perceived and actual knowledge. This thesis comprises two studies. Study 1 tests the effect of perceived knowledge on concern for climate change with a nationally representative, randomly selected sample of 269 New Zealanders. Study 2 tests the effect of actual knowledge about climate change on concern with a sample of 452 New Zealanders recruited via snowball sampling. Results supported the knowledge-deficit theory for concern for climate change, but only when actual knowledge was tested. Participants in both Study 1 and Study 2 with high perceived knowledge did not have correspondingly high levels of concern, but Study 2 participants with high actual knowledge of climate change did also have high levels of concern. Other variables tested that consistently predicted high concern for climate change were perceived efficacy (the perception that one's actions will influence group outcomes) and environmental values. Demographic variables were not strong or consistent predictors of concern, but overall, younger female participants tended to display higher levels of concern than older male participants.</p>

Does Knowledge about Climate Change Predict Concern? Concern for Climate Change and the Knowledge-Deficit Theory

<p>The knowledge-deficit theory suggests that if people are not concerned about climate change, it is because there is a deficit in their knowledge of climate change—they do not properly comprehend the scientific consensus. So do people with higher levels of knowledge about climate change feel more concerned than those with lower knowledge levels? Existing research has been inconclusive but suggests differences between perceived and actual knowledge. This thesis comprises two studies. Study 1 tests the effect of perceived knowledge on concern for climate change with a nationally representative, randomly selected sample of 269 New Zealanders. Study 2 tests the effect of actual knowledge about climate change on concern with a sample of 452 New Zealanders recruited via snowball sampling. Results supported the knowledge-deficit theory for concern for climate change, but only when actual knowledge was tested. Participants in both Study 1 and Study 2 with high perceived knowledge did not have correspondingly high levels of concern, but Study 2 participants with high actual knowledge of climate change did also have high levels of concern. Other variables tested that consistently predicted high concern for climate change were perceived efficacy (the perception that one's actions will influence group outcomes) and environmental values. Demographic variables were not strong or consistent predictors of concern, but overall, younger female participants tended to display higher levels of concern than older male participants.</p>

Increased Employee Productivity with The Application of e-HRM

This research examines the role of e-HRM (electronic Human Resources Management) in improving employee productivity in higher education. The goal of this empirical study is to confirm and examine this e-HRM usage in higher education. Adaptive structuration theory (AST) is used, to understand the role of e-HRM in improving employee productivity. social factors and technological characteristics interact to affect group outcomes. AST argues that technology usage provides social structures to engage employees in social interaction that both enable and constrain human action within the firm. Research models are analyzed using linear regression and the result is indeed finding a positive effect of e-HRM usage on employee productivity that supports AST. E-HRM can help to streamline operational HRM activities; accelerate HR processes; improve communication between stakeholders include existed employees, potential employees, and management; reduce administrative tasks and HR staff headcount; and capture, create and transfer some HR knowledge more accurately and speedily for employee training and development. These advantages can help to increase employee productivity.

Modified Nuss operation using introducer-bar complex for pectus excavatum in adults: a retrospective study

Background Shortcoming of traditional Nuss operation on adults is gradually found in the clinical practice. A new kind of introducer-bar complex was introduced. However, there is limited evidence regarding its safety and efficacy. Therefore, a single center, retrospective study was conducted to address this issue. Methods Patients with pectus excavatum who underwent surgery between January 2015 and June 2017 were consecutively enrolled in this study. In all, 52 patients underwent the modified procedure using the introducer-bar complex (new procedure group), whereas 48 underwent the traditional anti-Nuss procedure (traditional procedure group). Outcomes analysis of balanced baseline was performed to compare the intraoperative and postoperative short-term outcomes. Results All patients in the new procedure group had shorter operation duration (51.54 ± 20.32 vs. 79.45 ± 13.88 min, p = 0.017), postoperative hospitalizations (4.77 ± 1.62 vs. 6.86 ± 2.18 days, p = 0.028), plate removal surgery durations (39.30 ± 8.97 vs. 60.30 ± 10.49 min, p < 0.001), and less blood loss during operation (6.25 ± 4.88 vs. 10.90 ± 5.75 ml, p = 0.003) than patients in the traditional procedure group. There was no significant difference in the length of incision, postoperative Haller index, cost, number of steel bars, postoperative surgical outcome and incidence of complications between the two groups. Conclusion Through the main clinical outcome were similar, our results shown that modified procedure may have the shorter operation time, postoperative hospital stay, and operation time for plate removal and less blood loss, which may bring potential clinical benefits to patients.

Fostering Positive Communities: A Scoping Review of Community-Level Positive Psychology Interventions

Historically, positive psychology research and practice have focused on studying and promoting well-being among individuals. While positive psychology interventions focusing on the well-being of communities and marginalized groups have recently been developed, studies reporting on their nature and characteristics are lacking. The aim of this paper is to examine the nature of community-level positive psychology interventions. It reviews the target populations, intervention modalities, objectives, and desired effects of 25 community-level positive psychology interventions found in 31 studies. This scoping review shows that community-level programs based on positive psychology vary greatly in all these aspects. However, most interventions are aimed at individual-level changes to achieve target group outcomes. Contextual issues such as social conditions, values, and fairness affecting well-being are rarely considered. Discrepancies between community-level positive psychology interventions and community psychology in terms of values and social change are discussed.

Dynamics of quality of life main parameters in patients with spine tumors underwent surgical treatment

In this study we analyzed the quality of life in 62 patients (35.5 % of men and 64.5 % of women; mean age 55 years) who had tumor lesions in different parts of the spine and were treated in the Department of Vertebral Surgery, N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Ministry of Health of Russia. We assessed the association between the quality of life and psychological characteristics of patients – coping strategies and personal resources. We used a general questionnaire for assessing patients’ quality of life (The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 Items Health Survey) and special questionnaires for cancer patients (Quality of Life Questionnaire – Core 30, QLQ-C30), patients with tumor lesions to the spine (Spine Oncology Study Group Outcomes Questionnaire, SOSG OQ), and psychodiagnostic methods, such as Ways of Coping, Big Five, and Life-meaning Orientations. We have identified an association between the quality of life and all parameters of psychodiagnostic questionnaires, better quality of life correlated with more pronounced psychological characteristics reflecting the maturity of the individual (internality, activity, presence of meaningful goals, ability to seek social support, etc.). Lower personal maturity and poorer constructive coping strategies were associated with worse somatic symptoms and their impact on the quality of life.

Effect of shoulder internal rotators strengthening versus muscle energy technique for shoulder external rotators on bowling speed among fast bowlers playing cricket: a study protocol

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The literature has shown the promising effect on shoulder internal rotators strengthening on fast bowlers. However, no previous study has demonstrated the effect of muscle energy technique for shoulder external rotators on fast bowlers. This study aims to analyze the efficacy of shoulder internal rotators muscles strengthening and muscle energy technique for external rotators enhancing the bowling in speed among fast bowlers in cricket. METHODS/DESIGN: Participants will be screened based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Demographic data shall be collected. Participants taken shall be in the age group between 18-30 years, be randomly assigned into two groups: exercise group and MET group. Outcomes considered in the study are Universal Goniometer and Bowling speed km\h. This is a two-group, pre-test, post-test randomized clinical trial. Participants will receive 5 sessions per week within 2 months. The range of motion and speed of the ball is the primary outcome measures to the pre and post-intervention effect of the treatments. PERSPECTIVES: Results from this study can provide the basis for studying the strengthening of the shoulder internal rotator muscles and MET of shoulder external rotators in rehabilitation and clinical setups, which will provide additional help to the bowlers increase bowling speed. The procedure of the study is noninvasive, safe, and feasible. The efficacy of shoulder internal rotator strengthening and muscle energy technique for shoulder external rotators on fast bowlers in each group will be established with this study. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials Registry- India. (CTRI/2020/06/026046). Universal Trial Number- U1111-1257-4649.