Individual differences as a window into the structure and function of the visual system

This chapter examines human factors associated with using interactive three-dimensional (3D) visualizations. Virtual representations of anatomical structure and function, often with sophisticated user control capabilities, are growing in popularity in medicine for education, training, and simulation. This chapter reviews the cognitive science literature and introduces issues such as theoretical ideas related to using interactive visualizations, different types and levels of interactivity, effects of different kinds of control interfaces, and potential cognitive benefits of these tools. The authors raise the question of whether all individuals are equally capable of using 3D visualizations effectively, focusing particularly on two variables: (1) individual differences in spatial abilities, and (2) individual differences in interactive behavior. The chapter draws together findings from the authors’ own studies and from the wider literature, exploring recent insights into how individual differences among users can impact the effectiveness of different types of external visualizations for different kinds of tasks. The chapter offers recommendations for design, such as providing transparent affordances to support users’ meta-cognitive understanding, and employing personalization to complement the capabilities of different individuals. Finally, the authors suggest future directions and approaches for research, including the use of methodology such as needs analysis and contextual enquiry to better understand the cognitive processes and capacities of different kinds of users.

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Blue-Throated Hummingbird Song: A Pinnacle of Nonoscine Vocalizations

The Auk ◽

10.1093/auk/117.1.120 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 117 (1) ◽

pp. 120-128 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Millicent Sigler Ficken ◽

Kathryn M. Rusch ◽

Sandra J. Taylor ◽

Donald R. Powers

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Mate Attraction ◽

Temporal Aspects ◽

Males And Females ◽

And Function ◽

Vocal Complexity

Abstract Little is known about the structure and function of hummingbird vocalizations. We studied the vocalizations of Blue-throated Hummingbirds (Lampornis clemenciae) at two sites in southeastern Arizona. Songs were produced by males and females. Male songs consisted of arrays of notes organized in clusters of “song units.” Within sites, all males shared the same song units. Individual differences occurred in some temporal aspects of song, and slight but consistent differences in note structure occurred between the two sites. The organization of units within songs was marked by rigid syntax, and long songs were produced by agglutination of units. Male songs may function in territorial advertisement and mate attraction. Female songs were very different acoustically from those of males and typically were given when females were within a few centimeters of a male. In these situations, the female's song often overlapped temporally with the male's song. Of the hummingbird species studied so far, the Blue-throated Hummingbird has the most complex songs and is the only known species with complex female songs. Blue-throated Hummingbirds show convergence with oscines in vocal complexity, song organization, song function, and possible learning of some song elements.

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Striatal structure and function predict individual biases in learning to avoid pain

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1519829113 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 113 (17) ◽

pp. 4812-4817 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Eran Eldar ◽

Tobias U. Hauser ◽

Peter Dayan ◽

Raymond J. Dolan

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Prediction Error ◽

Outcome Prediction ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Pain Modulation ◽

Prediction Errors ◽

Learning Biases ◽

Individual Traits ◽

And Function ◽

Pain Prediction

Pain is an elemental inducer of avoidance. Here, we demonstrate that people differ in how they learn to avoid pain, with some individuals refraining from actions that resulted in painful outcomes, whereas others favor actions that helped prevent pain. These individual biases were best explained by differences in learning from outcome prediction errors and were associated with distinct forms of striatal responses to painful outcomes. Specifically, striatal responses to pain were modulated in a manner consistent with an aversive prediction error in individuals who learned predominantly from pain, whereas in individuals who learned predominantly from success in preventing pain, modulation was consistent with an appetitive prediction error. In contrast, striatal responses to success in preventing pain were consistent with an appetitive prediction error in both groups. Furthermore, variation in striatal structure, encompassing the region where pain prediction errors were expressed, predicted participants’ predominant mode of learning, suggesting the observed learning biases may reflect stable individual traits. These results reveal functional and structural neural components underlying individual differences in avoidance learning, which may be important contributors to psychiatric disorders involving pathological harm avoidance behavior.

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