scholarly journals Attention constraints and learning in categories

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahul Bhui ◽  
Peiran Jiao
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Category Learning ◽  
Adaptive Response ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Bayesian Theory ◽  
Time Constraints ◽  
Categorical Structure ◽  
Information Sampling ◽  
Bias Learning

When different stimuli belong to the same category, learning about their attributes should be guided by this categorical structure. Here, we demonstrate how an adaptive response to attention constraints can bias learning toward shared qualities and away from individual differences. In three preregistered experiments using an information sampling paradigm with mousetracking, we find that people preferentially attend to information at the category level when idiosyncratic variation is low, when time constraints are more severe, and when the category contains more members. While attention is more diffuse across all information sources than predicted by Bayesian theory, there are signs of convergence toward this optimal benchmark with experience. Our results thus indicate a novel way in which a focus on categories can be driven by rational principles.

Information Seeking with Multiple Sources of Conflicting and Unreliable Information

1973 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerrold M. Levine ◽  
Michael G. Samet
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Payoff Function ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Enlisted Men ◽  
Information Sampling ◽  
Information Conflict ◽  
Source Reliability ◽  
Update Frequency

The effects of information conflict, the frequency with which the information is updated, and the reliability of the information sources upon information seeking and decision behavior were studied. Sixteen U. S. Army enlisted men performed a computer-controlled task in which they had to request updated enemy-position reports from three information sources to determine which of eight locations was the target of a gradual enemy advance. Forty problems, presented twice each, were arranged in two within-subject factorial designs-with source reliability varied between and within problems, respectively. Subjects were permitted to make up to three decisions on each problem, with correct decisions rewarded and incorrect decisions penalized according to a non-linear payoff function. Results from analyses of variance indicated that less information was sought prior to an initial decision (a) for higher than for lower reliability conditions, (b) as update frequency decreased, and (c) as degree of conflict increased. When all sources were of higher reliability, accuracy of decisions was higher; but, in general, accuracy was complexly affected by conflict and update frequency. These results were discussed in terms of the cost of requesting information and the probability that an update would contain accurate information. Information sampling and decision latencies as well as other indices of performance were also evaluated and discussed.

Psychology of the Scientist: LXXI. Attitudes of Practitioners in Human Resource Management toward Information from Academic Research

1997 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 403-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Terpstra ◽  
Elizabeth J. Rozell
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Time Constraints ◽  
Organizational Variables ◽  
Frequency Of Use ◽  
Negative Perceptions ◽  
Academic Information

This study identified three specific attitudes that underlie Human Resource Management practitioners' negative perceptions of information found in academic sources. Data were collected from 201 directors, and the analyses suggested that specific attitudes related to relevance, credibility, and valid bases of knowledge may contribute to their negative perceptions. Degree status and experience were significantly related to practitioners' attitudes. The three types of attitudes were significantly correlated with practitioners' frequency of use of academic sources. Three organizational variables (time constraints, budgetary constraints, and organization size) were also significantly related to the frequency of use of academic information sources. The findings and their possible implications are discussed.

scholarly journals Preferences of Information Dissemination on Treatment for Bipolar Disorder: Patient-Centered Focus Group Study

10.2196/12848 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. e12848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Berit Kerner ◽  
Annette S Crisanti ◽  
Jason L DeShaw ◽  
Janika-Marie G Ho ◽  
Kimmie Jordan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Time Constraints ◽  
Shared Decision ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Patient Interactions

Background Patient education has taken center stage in successfully shared decision making between patients and health care providers. However, little is known about how patients with bipolar disorder typically obtain information on their illness and the treatment options available to them. Objective This study aimed to obtain the perspectives of patients with bipolar disorder and their family members on the preferred and most effectively used information channels on bipolar disorder and the available treatment options. Methods We conducted nine focus groups in Montana, New Mexico, and California, in which we surveyed 84 individuals including patients with bipolar disorder and family members of patients with bipolar disorder. The participants were recruited using National Alliance on Mental Illness mailing lists and websites. Written verbatim responses to semistructured questionnaires were analyzed using summative content analysis based on grounded theory. Two annotators coded and analyzed the data on the sentence or phrase level to create themes. Relationships between demographics and information channel were also examined using the Chi-square and Fisher exact tests. Results The focus group participants mentioned a broad range of information channels that were successfully used in the past and could be recommended for future information dissemination. The majority of participants used providers (74%) and internet-based resources (75%) as their main information sources. There was no association between internet use and basic demographics such as age or geographical region of the focus groups. Patients considered time constraints and the fast pace in which an overwhelming amount of information is often presented by the provider as major barriers to successful provider-patient interactions. If Web-based channels were used, the participants perceived information obtained through Web-based channels as more helpful than information received in the provider’s office (P<.05). Conclusions Web-based resources are increasingly used by patients with bipolar disorder and their family members to educate themselves about the disease and its treatment. Although provider-patient interactions are frequently perceived to be burdened with time constraints, Web-based information sources are considered reliable and helpful. Future research should explore how high-quality websites could be used to empower patients and improve provider-patient interactions with the goal of enhancing shared decision making between patients and providers.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review into Factors Influencing Sketch Map Quality

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kateřina Hátlová ◽  
Martin Hanus
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Spatial Perception ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Positional Accuracy ◽  
Geographical Education ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Sketch Map

Spatial perception is formed throughout our entire lives. Its quality depends on our individual differences and the characteristics of the environment. A sketch map is one way of visualising an individual’s spatial perception. It can be evaluated like a real map, in terms of its positional accuracy, content frequency and choice of cartographic methods. Moreover, the factors influencing the sketch map and/or its individual parameters can be identified. These factors should be of interest to geographers, cartographers and/or (geography) educators. The aim of this paper is to identify and describe the factors that clearly affect sketch map quality, by conducting a systematic review of 90 empirical studies published since 1960. Results show that most empirical studies focus on individual differences more than on environmental characteristics or information sources, even though the importance of these overlooked factors, especially source map characteristics and geographical education, has been proven in most analysed studies. Therefore, further research is needed in the field of sketch map quality parameters, especially in the use of cartographic methods. This paper could serve as a framework for such research.

scholarly journals Reply to Technical Comment on Jonason, P. K., & Luoto, S. (2021). The dark side of the rainbow: Homosexuals and bisexuals have higher Dark Triad traits than heterosexuals. Personality and Individual Differences, 181, 111040.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Severi Luoto ◽  
Peter K. Jonason
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Adaptive Response ◽  
Dark Triad ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Continued Use ◽  
Predictive Adaptive Response ◽  
And Bisexual ◽  
Bisexual People

We thank Sharpe and colleagues for the opportunity to discuss our article titled “The dark side of the rainbow: Homosexuals and bisexuals have higher Dark Triad traits than heterosexuals” in more detail. Here, we address the methodological concerns raised by Sharpe et al. and conclude by discussing our critics’ problematic suggestion that there is something pathologically “wrong” with homosexual and bisexual people. As scientists, we avoid moralizing on such topics, instead openly reporting the results of our research, even hypothesizing that elevated Dark Triad traits in nonheterosexual individuals might constitute an adaptive response or a predictive adaptive response to environmental harshness, whether such harshness may be experienced prenatally, in adolescence, or in adulthood. We further wish to reject and distance ourselves from the prejudiced view of homosexuality voiced by Sharpe et al. Their suggestion to avoid the term “homosexuality” is in itself prejudiced and in stark opposition to the liberation and empowerment of people with same-sex sexual attractions. We encourage other sex researchers to continue using the term “homosexual” as a purely descriptive scientific term which carries no moral implications, and the relevant communities and organizations to accept its continued use in science alongside other sexual orientation categories.

scholarly journals Tic Toc: How working memory load affects intelligence test performance under different time constraints

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Lena Schubert ◽  
Christoph Löffler ◽  
Johanna Hein ◽  
Pauline Schröer ◽  
Antonia Teuber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Intelligence Test ◽  
Time Constraints ◽  
Working Memory Load ◽  
Causal Nature ◽  
The Relationship

There is a broad consensus that individual differences in working memory capacity (WMC) are strongly related to individual differences in intelligence. However, correlational studies do not allow conclusions about the causal nature of the relationship between WMC and fluid intelligence. While research on the cognitive basis of intelligence typically assumes that simpler lower-level cognitive processes contribute to individual differences in higher-order reasoning processes, a reversed causality or a third variable giving rise to two intrinsically uncorrelated variables may exist. In the present study, we investigated the causal nature of the relationship between WMC and intelligence by assessing the experimental effect of working memory load on intelligence test performance. Moreover, we tested if the effect of working memory load on intelligence test performance increased under time constraints, as previous studies have shown that the association between the two constructs increases if intelligence tests are administered with a strict time limit. We show in a sample of 65 participants that working memory load impaired intelligence test performance, but that this experimental effect was not affected by time constraints, which suggests that the experimental manipulations of working memory capacity and processing time did not affect the same underlying cognitive process. Our results confirm that WMC causally contributes to higher-order reasoning processes. Remarkably, we found that the introduction of time constraints completely nullified the advantage of more intelligent participants in matrix reasoning test performance, which emphasizes the role of processing speed as an elementary cognitive process parameter underlying individual differences in intelligence.

scholarly journals Emerging native-similar neural representations underlie non-native speech category learning success

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-82
Author(s):  
Gangyi Feng ◽  
Yu Li ◽  
Shen-Mou Hsu ◽  
Patrick C.M. Wong ◽  
Tai-Li Chou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Category Learning ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Neural Representations ◽  
Learning Success ◽  
Learning Speed ◽  
Learning Efficacy ◽  
Native Speech ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
Mandarin Tone

Abstract Learning non-native phonetic categories in adulthood is an exceptionally challenging task, characterized by large inter-individual differences in learning speed and outcomes. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying the inter-individual differences in the learning efficacy are not fully understood. Here we examine the extent to which training-induced neural representations of non-native Mandarin tone categories in English listeners (n = 53) are increasingly similar to those of the native listeners (n = 33) who acquired these categories early in infancy. We particularly assess whether the neural similarities in representational structure between non-native learners and native listeners are robust neuromarkers of inter-individual differences in learning success. Using inter-subject neural representational similarity (IS-NRS) analysis and predictive modeling on two functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) datasets, we examined the neural representational mechanisms underlying speech category learning success. Learners’ neural representations that were significantly similar to the native listeners emerged in brain regions mediating speech perception following training; the extent of the emerging neural similarities with native listeners significantly predicted the learning speed and outcome in learners. The predictive power of IS-NRS outperformed models with other neural representational measures. Furthermore, neural representations underlying successful learning are multidimensional but cost-efficient in nature. The degree of the emergent native-similar neural representations was closely related to the robustness of neural sensitivity to feedback in the frontostriatal network. These findings provide important insights into the experience-dependent representational neuroplasticity underlying successful speech learning in adulthood and could be leveraged in designing individualized feedback-based training paradigms that maximize learning efficacy.

scholarly journals Foraging Tempo: Human run patterns in multiple target search are constrained by the rate of successive responses.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Michael Thornton ◽  
Tram T. N. Nguyen ◽  
Arni Kristjansson
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Task Difficulty ◽  
Time Constraints ◽  
Multiple Target ◽  
Target Search ◽  
Single Feature ◽  
Individual Strategies ◽  
Human Foraging ◽  
Foraging Task

Human foraging tasks are beginning to provide new insights into the roles of vision, attention and working memory during complex search, particularly with respect to individual differences. Here, we test the idea that “foraging tempo” -- the rate of successive target selections -- helps determine patterns of behaviour in these tasks. Previously, we established that the majority of target selections during unconstrained foraging happen at regular, rapid intervals, forming the “cruise phase” of a foraging trial. Furthermore, we noted that when the temporal interval between cruise phase responses was longer, the tendency to switch between target categories increased. To directly explore this relationship, we modified our standard iPad foraging task so that observers had to synchronize each response with an auditory metronome signal. Across trials, we increased the tempo and examined how this changed patterns of foraging when targets were defined either by a single feature or by a conjunction of features. The results were very clear. Increasing tempo systematically decreased the tendency for participants to switch between target categories. While this was true for both feature and conjunction trials, there was also evidence that time constraints and target complexity interacted. As in our previous work, we also observed clear individual differences in how participants responded to changes in task difficulty. Overall, our results show that foraging tempo does influence the way participants respond, and we suggest this parameter may prove be useful in further explorations of group and individual strategies during multiple target search.

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