Young chicks rely on symmetry/asymmetry in perceptual grouping to discriminate sets of elements

Grouping sets of elements into smaller, equal-sized, subsets constitutes a perceptual strategy employed by humans and other animals to enhance cognitive performance. Here, we show that day-old chicks can solve extremely complex numerical discriminations (Exp.1), and that their performance can be enhanced by the presence of symmetrical/asymmetrical colour grouping (Exp.2 versus Exp.3). Newborn chicks were habituated for 1 h to even numerosities (sets of elements presented on a screen) and then tested for their spontaneous choice among what for humans would be considered a prime and a non-prime odd numerosity. Chicks discriminated and preferred the prime over the composite set of elements irrespective of its relative magnitude (i.e. 7 versus 9 and 11 versus 9). We discuss this result in terms of novelty preference. By employing a more complex contrast (i.e. 13 versus 15), we investigated the limits of such a mechanism and showed that induced grouping positively affects chicks' performance. Our results suggest the existence of a spontaneous mechanism that enables chicks to create symmetrical (i.e. same-sized) subgroups of sets of elements. Chicks preferentially inspected numerosities for which same-sized grouping is never possible (i.e. the prime numerosity) rather than numerosities allowing for symmetrical grouping (i.e. composite).

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Young chicks rely on perceptual grouping to discriminate prime numbers

10.1101/2021.03.04.433923 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Maria Loconsole ◽

Massimo De Agro ◽

Lucia Regolin

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Performance ◽

Perceptual Grouping ◽

Visual Cues ◽

Prime Numbers ◽

Novelty Preference ◽

Perceptual Strategy ◽

Young Chicks

Grouping sets of elements into smaller, equal-sized, subsets constitutes a perceptual strategy employed by humans and other animals to enhance cognitive performance. We hypothesized that asymmetrical grouping, a characteristic of prime numbers, could provide visual cues enabling discrimination of prime from non-prime numerosities. Newborn chicks were habituated to even numerosities (as sets of elements presented on a screen), and then tested for their spontaneous choice among a prime and a non-prime odd numerosity. Chicks discriminated and preferred the prime over the composite set of elements. We discuss this result in terms of novelty preference. By employing different contrasts (i.e., 7vs.9, 11vs.9, and 13vs.15) we investigated the limits of such mechanism showing that induced grouping positively affects chicks' performance.

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Thimerosal Not Linked to Cognitive Performance

Clinical Neurology News ◽

10.1016/s1553-3212(07)70292-3 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 3 (10) ◽

pp. 2

Author(s):

ELIZABETH MECHCATIE

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Performance

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Effects of a Group Program to Increase Cognitive Performance Through Cognitively Stimulating Leisure Activities in Healthy Older Subjects

GeroPsych ◽

10.1024/1662-9647/a000035 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 83-92 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Valentina A. Tesky ◽

Christian Thiel ◽

Winfried Banzer ◽

Johannes Pantel

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Function ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Older Persons ◽

Intervention Program ◽

Leisure Activities ◽

The Elderly ◽

Cognitive Stimulation ◽

Group Program ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Older Subjects

To investigate the effects of leisure activities on cognitive performance of healthy older subjects, an innovative intervention program was developed. Frequent participation in cognitively stimulating activities (i.e., reading, playing chess, or playing music) is associated with reduced risk of dementia. AKTIVA (active cognitive stimulation – prevention in the elderly) is an intervention program designed to enhance cognitive stimulation in everyday life by increasing cognitive stimulating leisure activities. The present study determines the effects of AKTIVA on cognitive function, mood and attitude toward aging in a sample of older participants from the general population. Several measurement instruments were used including the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-Cog), the Trail-Making Test (TMT), and the Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q). Initially, the sample consisted of 307 older persons (170 female, 72 ± 7 years). The intervention was evaluated with a randomized, controlled pre-post follow-up design. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: AKTIVA intervention (n = 126), AKTIVA intervention plus nutrition and exercise counseling (n = 84), no-intervention control group (n = 97). The AKTIVA intervention consisted of 8 weekly sessions and two booster sessions after a break of 4 months. Participation in the group program resulted in positive effects on cognitive function and attitude toward aging for subassembly groups. Older persons (≥ 75 years) showed enhanced speed of information processing (by TMT Version A) (F = 4.17*, p < .05); younger participants (< 75 years) showed an improvement in subjective memory decline (by MAC-Q) (F = 2.55*, p < .05). Additionally, AKTIVA enhanced the frequency of activities for leisure activities for subassembly groups. The results of this study suggest that the AKTIVA program can be used to increase cognitively stimulating leisure activities in the elderly. Further research is necessary to identify the long-term effects of this intervention particularly with respect to the prevention of dementia.

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Caffeine and Placebo Expectation

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803.21.2.91 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 91-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Yunfeng Sun ◽

Yinling Zhang ◽

Ning He ◽

Xufeng Liu ◽

Danmin Miao

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Sleep Deprivation ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Cardiovascular Regulation ◽

Double Blind ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Pressure Tests ◽

Healthy Males

Abstract. Caffeine placebo expectation seems to improve vigilance and cognitive performance. This study investigated the effect of caffeine and placebo expectation on vigilance and cognitive performance during 28 h sleep deprivation. Ten healthy males volunteered to take part in the double-blind, cross-over study, which required participants to complete five treatment periods of 28 h separated by 1-week wash-out intervals. The treatments were no substance (Control); caffeine 200 mg at 00:00 (C200); placebo 200 mg at 00:00 (P200); twice caffeine 200 mg at 00:00 and 04:00 (C200-C200); caffeine 200 mg at 00:00 and placebo 200 mg at 04:00 (C200-P200). Participants were told that all capsules were caffeine and given information about the effects of caffeine to increase expectation. Vigilance was assessed by a three-letter cancellation test, cognitive functions by the continuous addition test and Stroop test, and cardiovascular regulation by heart rate and blood pressure. Tests were performed bihourly from 00:00 to 10:00 of the second day. Results indicated that C200-P200 and C200-C200 were more alert (p < .05) than Control and P200. Their cognitive functions were higher (p < .05) than Control and P200. Also, C200-P200 scored higher than C200 in the letter cancellation task (p < .05). No test showed any significant differences between C200-P200 and C200-C200. The results demonstrated that the combination of caffeine 200 mg and placebo 200 mg expectation exerted prolonged positive effects on vigilance and cognitive performance.

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The Relation Between Aerobic Fitness and Cognitive Performance

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803/a000159 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 102-113 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Chun-Hao Wang ◽

Chun-Ming Shih ◽

Chia-Liang Tsai

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Performance ◽

Aerobic Fitness ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Mediation Model ◽

Brain Potentials ◽

Fitness Level ◽

Eeg Data ◽

Attention Performance ◽

P3 Amplitude ◽

The Relationship

Abstract. This study aimed to assess whether brain potentials have significant influences on the relationship between aerobic fitness and cognition. Behavioral and electroencephalographic (EEG) data was collected from 48 young adults when performing a Posner task. Higher aerobic fitness is related to faster reaction times (RTs) along with greater P3 amplitude and shorter P3 latency in the valid trials, after controlling for age and body mass index. Moreover, RTs were selectively related to P3 amplitude rather than P3 latency. Specifically, the bootstrap-based mediation model indicates that P3 amplitude mediates the relationship between fitness level and attention performance. Possible explanations regarding the relationships among aerobic fitness, cognitive performance, and brain potentials are discussed.

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Case Formulation and Design of Behavioral Treatment Programs

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027//1015-5759.19.3.164 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 164-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Stephen N. Haynes ◽

Andrew E. Williams

Keyword(s):

Functional Analysis ◽

Behavior Problems ◽

Behavioral Treatment ◽

Clinical Case ◽

Relative Magnitude ◽

Mechanisms Of Action ◽

Treatment Programs ◽

Case Formulation ◽

Functional Relations ◽

Causal Variables

Summary: We review the rationale for behavioral clinical case formulations and emphasize the role of the functional analysis in the design of individualized treatments. Standardized treatments may not be optimally effective for clients who have multiple behavior problems. These problems can affect each other in complex ways and each behavior problem can be influenced by multiple, interacting causal variables. The mechanisms of action of standardized treatments may not always address the most important causal variables for a client's behavior problems. The functional analysis integrates judgments about the client's behavior problems, important causal variables, and functional relations among variables. The functional analysis aids treatment decisions by helping the clinician estimate the relative magnitude of effect of each causal variable on the client's behavior problems, so that the most effective treatments can be selected. The parameters of, and issues associated with, a functional analysis and Functional Analytic Clinical Case Models (FACCM) are illustrated with a clinical case. The task of selecting the best treatment for a client is complicated because treatments differ in their level of specificity and have unequally weighted mechanisms of action. Further, a treatment's mechanism of action is often unknown.

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Effects of Fatigue on Cognitive Performance in Long-Duration Simulated Flight Missions

Aviation Psychology and Applied Human Factors ◽

10.1027/2192-0923/a000191 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 82-93

Author(s):

Eduardo Rosa ◽

Ola Eiken ◽

Mikael Grönkvist ◽

Roger Kölegård ◽

Nicklas Dahlström ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Functions ◽

Task Performance ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Cognitive Tasks ◽

Fatigue Index ◽

Fighter Aircraft ◽

Long Duration ◽

Metacognitive Accuracy

Abstract. Fighter pilots may be exposed to extended flight missions. Consequently, there is increasing concern about fatigue. We investigated the effects of fatigue and cognitive performance in a simulated 11-hr mission in the 39 Gripen fighter aircraft. Five cognitive tasks were used to assess cognitive performance. Fatigue was measured with the Samn–Perelli Fatigue Index. Results showed that performance in the non-executive task degraded after approximately 7 hr. Fatigue ratings showed a matching trend to the performance in this task. Performance in tasks taxing executive functions did not decline. We interpreted that fatigue can be overridden by increased attentional effort for executive tasks but not for non-executive components of cognition. Participants underestimated their performance and metacognitive accuracy was not influenced by fatigue.

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