scholarly journals Bilingual speakers' enhanced monitoring can slow them down

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roksana Markiewicz ◽  
Ali Mazaheri ◽  
Andrea Krott
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Evoked Potentials ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Flanker Task ◽  
Response Distribution ◽  
Conflict Task ◽  
Bilingual Speakers ◽  
Response Time Distributions

Performance differences between bilingual and monolingual participants on conflict tasks can be affected by the balance of various sub-processes such as monitoring and stimulus categorisation. Here we investigated the effect of bilingualism on these sub-processes during a conflict task with medium monitoring demand. We examined the behavioural and evoked potentials from a group of bilingual and monolingual speakers during a flanker task with 25% incongruent trials. We analysed behavioural differences by means of averaged response times and ex-Gaussian analyses of response time distributions. For the evoked potentials we focused on the N2 (implicated to be involved in monitoring) and P300 (implicated to be involved in categorisation) responses. We found that bilinguals had significantly longer response distribution tails compared to monolinguals. Additionally, bilinguals exhibited a more pronounced N2 and smaller P3 components compared to their monolingual counterparts, independent of experimental condition, suggesting enhanced monitoring processes and reduced categorisation effort. Importantly, N2 amplitudes were positively and P3 amplitudes were negatively related to the length of response distribution tails. We postulate that these results reflect an overactive monitoring system in bilinguals in a task of medium monitoring demand. This enhanced monitoring leads to less effortful categorisation, but also occasionally to slow responses. These results suggest that changes of the cognitive control system due to bilingual experience changes the balance of processes during conflict tasks, potentially leading to a small behavioural disadvantage.

Hydraulic Analytical Model of the BOP Control System to Estimate Related Response Times

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Luis Párraga Quispe ◽  
Segen F. Estefen ◽  
Nilo de Moura Jorge ◽  
Marcelo Igor Lourenço Souza
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Drill Pipe ◽  
Equilibrium Pressure ◽  
Campos Basin ◽  
System Equilibrium ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Blowout Preventer ◽  
Surface Test

During activities of ultra-deepwater exploration using drilling vessels an emergency disconnection between Lower Marine Riser Package (LMRP) and Blowout Preventer (BOP) stack could occur due to extreme environmental conditions. The disconnection is not instantaneous; it takes time due to the discharge of pressurized liquid from the system of hydraulic accumulators and the entire process is known as emergency disconnect sequence — EDS. Therefore, estimate the response time of the BOP control system is important to avoid damages that compromise the drillship safe operation. In this study, the BOP control system uses a hydraulic system constituted of accumulator bottles, a pressure regulator, rams, valves, and connectors. This system is considered to estimate the response time of cutting and sealing the BOP. The response time is estimated by applying the theory of fluid mechanics and Bernoulli equation to calculate the system equilibrium pressure. The accumulators are sized according to API 16 D and considered to have adiabatic behavior. Nitrogen is simulated as real gas. The validation of the proposed model is performed by comparison with a surface test for cutting of drill pipe with blind shear ram. The model is applied to a case study for ultra-deepwater in Campos Basin Brazil.

scholarly journals Understanding the Structure of Cognitive Noise

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-Qiao Zhu ◽  
Pablo Leon-Villagra ◽  
Nick Chater ◽  
Adam N Sanborn
Keyword(s):  
Response Time ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Functional Adaptation ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Statistical Sampling ◽  
Patchy Environments ◽  
Heavy Tailed Distributions ◽  
Separate Line ◽  
Heavy Tailed ◽  
Response Time Distributions

Human cognition is fundamentally noisy. While routinely regarded as a nuisance in experimental investigation, the few studies investigating properties of cognitive noise have found surprising structure. A first line of research has shown that inter-response-time distributions are heavy-tailed. That is, response times between subsequent trials usually change only a small amount, but with occasional large changes. A second, separate, line of research has found that participants’ estimates and response times both exhibit long-range autocorrelations (i.e., 1/f noise). Thus, each judgment and response time not only depends on its immediate predecessor but also on many previous responses. These two lines of research use different tasks and have distinct theoretical explanations: models that account for heavy-tailed response times do not predict 1/f autocorrelations and vice versa. Here, we find that 1/f noise and heavy-tailed response distributions co-occur in both types of tasks. We also show that a statistical sampling algorithm, developed to deal with patchy environments, generates both heavy-tailed distributions and 1/f noise, suggesting that cognitive noise may be a functional adaptation to dealing with a complex world.

Investigating the Adequacy of Response Time Outlier Definitions in Computer-Based Web Surveys Using Paradata SurveyFocus

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Karem Höhne ◽  
Stephan Schlosser
Keyword(s):  
Response Time ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Web Surveys ◽  
Step Procedure ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Response Time Distributions ◽  
Proper Values ◽  
The Web

Web surveys are commonly used in social research because they are usually cheaper, faster, and simpler to conduct than other modes. They also enable researchers to capture paradata such as response times. Particularly, the determination of proper values to define outliers in response time analyses has proven to be an intricate challenge. In fact, to a certain degree, researchers determine them arbitrarily. In this study, we use “SurveyFocus (SF)”—a paradata tool that records the activity of the web-survey pages—to assess outlier definitions based on response time distributions. Our analyses reveal that these common procedures provide relatively sufficient results. However, they are unable to detect all respondents who temporarily leave the survey, causing bias in the response times. Therefore, we recommend a two-step procedure consisting of the utilization of SF and a common outlier definition to attain a more appropriate analysis and interpretation of response times.

scholarly journals Midfrontal-occipital Ɵ-tACS modulates cognitive conflicts related to bodily stimuli

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Fusco ◽  
M Fusaro ◽  
S M Aglioti
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Flanker Task ◽  
Theta Oscillations ◽  
Conflict Monitoring ◽  
Related Area ◽  
Specific Stimulus ◽  
Extrastriate Body Area ◽  
Neurophysiological Studies ◽  
Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation

Abstract Neurophysiological studies show that during tasks tapping cognitive control (like the Flanker task), midfrontal theta (MFϴ) oscillations are associated with conflict and error processing and neural top- down modulation of perceptual processing. What remains unknown is whether perceptual encoding of category-specific stimuli (e.g. body vs letters) used in Flanker-like tasks is modulated by theta oscillations. To explore this issue, we delivered transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) in the theta frequency band (6Hz) over the medial frontal cortex (MFC) and the extrastriate body area (EBA) while healthy participants performed two variants of the classical Flanker task, one with stimuli representing human hands (i.e. Hand-Flanker) and the other with stimuli representing coloured letters (i.e. Letter-Flanker). More specifically, we aimed at investigating whether ϴ-tACS involving a body-related area may modulate the long-range communication between neuronal populations underlying conflict monitoring and visuo-perceptual encoding of hand stimuli without affecting the conflict driven by letter stimuli. Results showed faster correct response times during ϴ-tACS in the Hand-Flanker compared to γ-tACS (40Hz) and sham. Importantly, such an effect did not emerge in the Letter-Flanker. Our findings show that theta oscillations over midfrontal-occipital areas modulate bodily specific, stimulus content driven aspects of cognitive control.

scholarly journals A Discrete Formulation of Two Alternative Forced Choice Decision Dynamics Derived from a Double-Well Quantum Landscape

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan L Rosendahl ◽  
Jonathan Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Markov Chain ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Context Effects ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Forced Choice ◽  
External Information ◽  
External Parameter ◽  
Qualitative Properties ◽  
Response Time Distributions

Tools from quantum theory have been effectively leveraged in modeling otherwise poorly understood effects in decision-making such as apparent fallacies in probability judgments and context effects. This approach has described the dynamics of two alternative forced choice (2AFC) decisions in terms of the path of a single quantum particle evolving in a single potential well. Here, we present a variant on that approach, which we name the Multi-Particle and Multi-Well (MPMW) quantum cognitive framework, in which decisions among N alternatives are treated by the sum of positional measurements of many independent quantum particles representing stimulus information, acted on by an N-well landscape that defines the decision alternatives. In this article, we apply the MPMW model to the simplest and most common case of N-alternative decision making, 2AFC dynamics. This application calls for a multi-particle double-well implementation, which allows us to construct a simple, analytically tractable discrete drift diffusion model (DDM), in the form of a Markov chain, wherein the parameters of the attractor wells reflect bottom-up (automatic) and top-down (control-dependent) influences on the integration of external information. We first analyze this Markov chain in its simplest form, as a single integrator with a generative process arising from a static quantum landscape and fixed thresholds, and then consider the case of multi-integrator processing under the same conditions. Within this system, stochasticity arises directly from the double-well quantum attractor landscape as a function of the dimensions of its wells, rather than as an external parameter requiring independent fitting. The simplicity of the Markov chain component of this model allows for easy analytical computation of closed forms for response time distributions and response probabilities that match qualitative properties of the accuracies and reaction times of humans performing 2AFC tasks. The MPMW framework produces response time distributions following inverse gaussian curves familiar from previous DDM models and empirical data, including the common observation that mean response times are faster for incorrect than for correct responses. The work presented in this paper serves as a proof of concept, based on which the MPMW framework can be extended to address more complex decision-making processes, (e.g., N-alternative forced choice, dynamic control allocation, and nesting quantum landscapes to allow for modeling at both the task and stimulus levels of processing) that we discuss as future directions.

scholarly journals Effect of socio-economic status on cognitive control in non-literate bilingual speakers

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 999-1009 ◽  
Author(s):  
VISHNU KK NAIR ◽  
BRITTA BIEDERMANN ◽  
LYNDSEY NICKELS
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Bilingual Advantage ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
Bilingual Speakers ◽  
Attentional Network ◽  
Global Advantage

Previous research has suggested that the advantages for cognitive control abilities in bilinguals are attenuated when socio-economic status (SES) is controlled (e.g., Morton & Harper, 2007). This study examined the effect of SES on cognitive control in illiterate monolingual and bilingual individuals who lived in adverse social conditions. We tested monolinguals and bilinguals using Simon and Attentional Network task while controlling for two potential confounding factors: SES and literacy. Bilinguals were faster for both trials with and without conflict demonstrating overall faster response times (global advantage) compared to monolinguals on both tasks. However, no bilingual advantage was found for conflict resolution on the Simon task and attentional networks on the Attentional Network task. The overall bilingual effects provide evidence for a bilingual advantage even among individuals without literacy skills and of very low SES. This indicates a strong link between bilingualism and cognitive control over and above effects of SES.

scholarly journals Too anxious to control: the relation between math anxiety and inhibitory control processes

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Van den Bussche ◽  
K. Vanmeert ◽  
B. Aben ◽  
D. Sasanguie
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Control Theory ◽  
Math Anxiety ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Control Function ◽  
Flanker Task ◽  
Proactive Control ◽  
Reactive Control ◽  
Task Context ◽  
Task Irrelevant

AbstractBased on the attentional control theory, math anxiety has been explained in terms of impaired inhibition, a key cognitive control function associated with the central executive. Inhibition allows us to suppress task-irrelevant interference when needed. Inspired by the Dual Mechanisms of Control theory, the current study aimed to disentangle the effect of math anxiety on two cognitive control aspects that can be identified in inhibition. Reactive control occurs after interference is detected and is mostly used in a context where interference is scarce. Proactive control is used to prevent and anticipate interference before it occurs and is preferred in contexts where interference is frequent. We used an arrow flanker task where the proportion of interference was manipulated to stimulate the use of a reactive or proactive control strategy. The results showed that response times on trials containing interference increased with math anxiety, but only in a reactive task context. In a proactive task context response times were not influenced by math anxiety. Our results suggest that math anxiety impairs reactive control. We hypothesize that this finding can be explained by a higher state of distractibility, triggered both by the reactive context and by math anxiety.

Impact of antecedent wetness and precipitation intensity on catchment travel and response times

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia L.A. Knapp ◽  
Wouter R. Berghuijs ◽  
Jana von Freyberg ◽  
James W. Kirchner
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Precipitation Intensity ◽  
Travel Times ◽  
Flow Paths ◽  
Isotopic Tracer ◽  
Water Fractions ◽  
Response Time Distributions

<p>The time a molecule of rain takes to reach the stream is normally substantially longer than the time for discharge to respond to rainfall. This difference arises because hydraulic potentials propagate through landscapes much faster than water itself does; in other words, the celerity of wave propagation is faster than the velocity of water flow. Although these concepts are well established, most catchment studies are restricted to the calculation of the celerity or response time from hydrometric information. However, to understand the storage, release, and transport of water, as well as identify flow paths through the catchment, one needs to estimate both response and travel times, requiring both hydrometric and tracer data.</p><p>We analyzed hydrometric and tracer data from two contrasting sites, the pre-Alpine Erlenbach catchment in Switzerland and the Upper Hafren catchment at Plynlimon in Wales. For both sites, hydrometric data and sub-daily isotopic tracer time series are available, enabling the calculation of response times as well as travel time distributions and new water fractions. To gain a deeper understanding of the functioning of the two catchments, we quantified these metrics and distributions for different ranges of antecedent wetness and precipitation intensity. Generally, wetter catchment conditions and higher precipitation intensities yielded faster runoff responses and shorter travel times.  Contrasts between travel and response time distributions under varying catchment conditions also facilitated more nuanced insights into catchment functioning and the effects of catchment wetness and precipitation intensity on water storage and release.</p>

Generalizations of the Race Model Inequality

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 95-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Gondan ◽  
Steven P. Blurton
Keyword(s):  
Response Time ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Race Model ◽  
Response Time Distribution ◽  
Stopping Rules ◽  
Race Model Inequality ◽  
Cumulative Response ◽  
Processing Modes ◽  
Response Time Distributions

In redundant signals tasks, participants respond in the same way to two different stimuli which are presented either alone or in combination (redundant stimuli). Responses to redundant stimuli are typically faster than responses to single stimuli. Different explanations account for such redundancy gains, including race models and coactivation models. Race models predict that the cumulative response time distribution for the redundant stimuli never exceeds the summed distributions of the single stimuli (race model inequality, RMI, Miller, 1982). Based on work by Townsend and Nozawa (1995) we demonstrate that the RMI is a special case of a more general interaction contrast of response time distributions for stimuli of different intensity, or stimuli presented with onset asynchrony. The generalization of the RMI is, thus, suited for a much wider class of experiments than the standard setup in which response times for single stimuli are compared to those for double stimuli. Moreover, predictions can be derived not only for the race model, but for serial, parallel, and coactive processing modes with different stopping rules. Compared to the standard RMI, statistical power of these interaction contrasts is satisfactory, even for small onset asynchronies.

Diffusion Models in Experimental Psychology

2013 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 385-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Voss ◽  
Markus Nagler ◽  
Veronika Lerche
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Psychology ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Diffusion Models ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Binary Decision ◽  
Comprehensive Information ◽  
Decision Biases ◽  
Response Time Distributions

Stochastic diffusion models ( Ratcliff, 1978 ) can be used to analyze response time data from binary decision tasks. They provide detailed information about cognitive processes underlying the performance in such tasks. Most importantly, different parameters are estimated from the response time distributions of correct responses and errors that map (1) the speed of information uptake, (2) the amount of information used to make a decision, (3) possible decision biases, and (4) the duration of nondecisional processes. Although this kind of model can be applied to many experimental paradigms and provides much more insight than the analysis of mean response times can, it is still rarely used in cognitive psychology. In the present paper, we provide comprehensive information on the theory of the diffusion model, as well as on practical issues that have to be considered for implementing the model.

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