scholarly journals Avoiding at all costs? An exploration of avoidance costs in a novel Virtual Reality procedure

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anke Lemmens ◽  
Tom Smeets ◽  
Tom Beckers ◽  
Pauline Dibbets
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Distress Tolerance ◽  
Fear Extinction ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Contingency Learning ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Physical Effort ◽  
Avoidance Condition ◽  
Approach Avoidance ◽  
The Individual

Approach-avoidance behaviours play a major role in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders as repeated avoidance behaviours are assumed to prevent fear extinction. Approach-avoidance decisions (Conditioned Stimulus (CS)-avoidance and Unconditioned Stimulus (US)-avoidance) and their effect on fear extinction and renewal were investigated using a Virtual Reality fear conditioning procedure with ecologically relevant avoidance costs (temporal delay and physical effort). Participants had to choose between a safe (low approach incentive, no US) and a risky stimulus (high approach incentive, US in 75%). After differential fear acquisition and avoidance learning, participants were randomized to an Avoidance condition or No Avoidance condition during fear extinction. Fear extinction took place in either the original contingency learning context or in a new context and was followed up by a renewal test. Furthermore, the influence of trait anxiety, distress tolerance, and intolerance of uncertainty on approach-avoidance decisions was investigated. Exploratively, a second experiment with varying avoidance costs was conducted. Results were not indicative of renewal and no robust associations with the individual difference measures were found. However, results showed high (Study 1), but not low (Study 2), avoidance costs resulted in less avoidance behaviour. Even though there were no between-group differences, exploratory comparisons of avoiders and non-avoiders in both studies demonstrated that avoidance behaviours protected from extinction learning, resulting in the maintenance of retrospective US expectancies and a sustained preference for the safe stimulus. These findings provide insight in how avoidance behaviours maintain fear and how treatment might be improved by focusing on avoidance costs.

Associations Between Higher-Order Values Vary with Age, Education, and Income

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maksim Rudnev
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
European Social Survey ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Social Survey ◽  
Value Structures ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Representative Samples

A theory of basic human values relies on the similarity of value structures across countries. It has been well established that the quasi-circumplex value structure as a whole is indeed universal. However, less attention has been paid to the associations between specific values. This study investigated associations between four higher-order values across age, education, and income groups. We analyzed the data from national representative samples collected in 29 countries as part of the fourth round of the European Social Survey with a series of multilevel regressions. Younger age, higher levels of education and income coincided with higher independence of the four adjacent higher-order values, whereas among older, less educated, and less wealthy groups, values tended to merge into a single dimension of Social versus Person Focus. These differences were slightly weaker in more economically developed countries. The group differences in value associations may follow from corresponding differences in the degree of societal and individual empowerment, cognitive abilities, and socialization experiences. Accounting for the individual differences in relations between values may bring deeper understanding and higher predictive power to the studies of links between values and various behaviors or attitudes. , value structure, value interactions, European Social Survey

Size of Human Figures Drawn before and after Stress

1969 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lowell Cooper ◽  
Joseph Caston
Keyword(s):  
Individual Variation ◽  
Heart Surgery ◽  
Coping Styles ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Human Figure ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Post Stress

This study measured the effect of a real stress, the announcement of impending heart surgery, on the size of the human figure. The H-T-P was administered before and after the announcement of the operation, with matched controls being told they would not need the operation ( Ns = 10). While the individual variation in coping styles obscured group differences, there was a trend for post-stress drawings by the operated group to be larger than their pre-stress drawings.

Social Capital and Diversity Generalized Trust, Social Cohesion and Regimes of Diversity

2007 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 709-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Hooghe
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Capital Social ◽  
Generalized Trust ◽  
Absolute Level ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
The Individual

Abstract.In recent years an impressive amount of evidence has been collected documenting a negative relationship between levels of ethnic diversity and social capital indicators, in particular generalized trust. In this article we raise a number of theoretical arguments that should be addressed before these findings can be generalized. First, it has to be remembered that most of these studies focus on generalized trust as a social capital indicator, while trust probably is most vulnerable for the effects of weakening homogeneity. Second, it is argued that in order to arrive at a better understanding of the relation between diversity and social capital, at least three intermediary variables need to be taken into account: 1) the question whether diversity entails segregation of networks at the individual level; 2) the increase in diversity rather than the absolute level; 3) the regimes societies use to govern diversity, and especially the variation with regard to the openness of these regimes. We close by exploring the suggestion that in more diverse societies, recognition of group differences and identities, and group relations based on equality-based concepts of reciprocity should be considered as potentially more meaningful strategies.Résumé.Dans les dernières années, une quantité impressionnante de preuves ont été rassemblées, qui documentent une relation négative entre le niveau de diversité ethnique et les indicateurs de capital social, en particulier la confiance généralisée. Dans cet article, nous soulevons un certain nombre d'arguments théoriques qu'il faut examiner avant de pouvoir généraliser ces résultats. D'abord il faut noter que la plupart de ces études se sont concentrées sur la confiance généralisée comme indicateur de capital social alors que la confiance est probablement particulièrement vulnérable aux effets d'une érosion de l'homogénéité. Deuxièmement, nous avançons que, pour mieux comprendre la relation entre diversité et capital social, trois variables intermédiaires au moins doivent être prises en considération : 1) l'existence d'une ségrégation des réseaux au niveau individuel du fait de la diversité; 2) l'augmentation de la diversité plutôt que son niveau absolu; 3) les régimes que les sociétés utilisent pour gouverner la diversité et surtout le degré d'ouverture de ces régimes. Pour finir, nous explorons la suggestion que, dans des sociétés plus diverses, la reconnaissance des différences et identités des groupes, et des relations inter-groupes basées sur des concepts d'égalité et de réciprocité devraient être considérées comme des stratégies potentiellement plus significatives.

On the (Virtual) Road

2017 ◽  
pp. 164-179
Author(s):  
Robert Matthew Poole
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Travel Writing ◽  
Small Groups ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Jack Kerouac ◽  
Social Commentary ◽  
Self Help ◽  
The Us ◽  
Individual Contributions ◽  
The Individual

In the US, travel writing and the travel novel have historically held important positions in the literary landscape –not only as self-help guides and conveyances for empirical information but also as vehicles for satire, social commentary and analyses of the human condition. John Steinbeck, Jack Kerouac and William Least Heat-Moon are just a few of the important 20th century authors who have made insightful use of this genre. Today, increasingly realistic virtual reality environments have been sculpted, imbued with creative content and populated with both artificial agents and real avatars on a scale that can be measured in hundreds of virtual square miles. In some cases, the content is thematic and designed; in others it has grown up spontaneously through the individual contributions and creativity of users and small groups. It is this spontaneous blossoming of art, culture and ideas sprawling across increasingly spacious and interconnected virtual landscapes that presents us with the opportunity to continue the tradition of the epic travel story across new virtual territory.

Lookable User Interfaces and 3D

2018 ◽  
pp. 119-137
Author(s):  
Alan Radley
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
User Interface ◽  
User Interfaces ◽  
Interface Design ◽  
Maximum Degree ◽  
Apparent Distance ◽  
User Interface Design ◽  
Perspective View ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The Individual

A new philosophy of user interface design is described. Named the “Lookable User Interface,” or LUI, the approach is based on the concept of a Personal Reality (PR) system. Here the computer adapts to the user's worldview in a personalized way, and according to the specific requirements, behaviors, and perceptive skills of the individual. Typically, a PR system creates and adjusts (in real-time) 3D perspective view(s) of a data-set, including (potentially) the field of view of a scene and the apparent distance and scale of objects, whilst also creating an aesthetic “eye-friendly” context for computing operations. A Lookable User Interface (LUI) affords the maximum degree of visual accessibility to digital content. The authors examine the results of testing a Lookable User Interface. Spectasia is one example of a Personal Virtual Reality (PVR) that can be used to visualize links between universals and particulars within digital worlds.

Virtual Reality and Identity Crisis—

2011 ◽  
pp. 202-218
Author(s):  
Archana Tyagi
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Virtual World ◽  
Identity Management ◽  
Identity Crisis ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Identity Statuses ◽  
The Social ◽  
Positive Meaning ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Individual

Identity has become one of the single most important issues for human development and adjustment in today’s turbulent times. Virtual world is changing the interface of identification and communication. Virtual reality has recently emerged as an effective tool to extend a healing space for an alternative identity. The focus of this chapter is on the challenges faced by the young generation, which is struggling to understand its “identity.” The exploration of identity in such virtual environments may be a search for a ‘unitary’ construct about the self (Erikson, 1968). In this paper, the concept of “identity” and “identity crisis” and the potential challenges identified in the real and virtual world are discussed at length. In today’s world people are pulled in different directions, thanks to the different kinds of societal demands from family, friends and society. It becomes difficult to find a uniqueness of one’s self and yet able to fulfill the norms and parameters set up by the society. Respect for diversity of self would go a long way in allowing people to be “uniquely themselves” while belonging to a community. Healthy “crisis” or exploration can afford people the opportunity to knowledgeably investigate choices in which there is positive meaning with regard to where they have come from, where they presently exist, and where they envision their future to be (International Encyclopaedia of the Social Sciences, 2008). An attempt to explore the identity management and identity statuses has also been made to understand “real” and “virtual reality.” Identity crisis and psychosocial moratorium’s linkage (Erikson, 1963) to virtual reality have also been touched upon. An understanding of organizational identity with the individual identity.

Lookable User Interfaces and 3D

2015 ◽  
pp. 38-56
Author(s):  
Alan Radley
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
User Interface ◽  
User Interfaces ◽  
Interface Design ◽  
Maximum Degree ◽  
Apparent Distance ◽  
User Interface Design ◽  
Perspective View ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The Individual

A new philosophy of user interface design is described. Named the “Lookable User Interface,” or LUI, the approach is based on the concept of a Personal Reality (PR) system. Here the computer adapts to the user's worldview in a personalized way, and according to the specific requirements, behaviors, and perceptive skills of the individual. Typically, a PR system creates and adjusts (in real-time) 3D perspective view(s) of a data-set, including (potentially) the field of view of a scene and the apparent distance and scale of objects, whilst also creating an aesthetic “eye-friendly” context for computing operations. A Lookable User Interface (LUI) affords the maximum degree of visual accessibility to digital content. The authors examine the results of testing a Lookable User Interface. Spectasia is one example of a Personal Virtual Reality (PVR) that can be used to visualize links between universals and particulars within digital worlds.

scholarly journals Incorporating Virtual Reality into the Teaching and Training of Grid-Tie Photovoltaic Power Plants Design

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (21) ◽  
pp. 4480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Miguel Gonzalez Lopez ◽  
Ramon Octavio Jimenez Betancourt ◽  
Juan M Ramirez Arredondo ◽  
Efrain Villalvazo Laureano ◽  
Fernando Rodriguez Haro
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Virtual World ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Pv System ◽  
Planning And Design ◽  
Photovoltaic Power ◽  
Teaching Goals ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
And Training

The current difficulty in obtaining financial resources to acquire equipment for training personnel and the requirement of well-trained engineers in the industry looking toward sustainability, creates an opportunity to innovate in teaching tools, such as the proposed in this article, where a virtual world is projected, integrating the planning and design of a photovoltaic power plant (PV). The user can interact while immersed in the virtual scene as if the PV system were already installed, illustrating technical characteristics of selected equipment and its installation details, while the user is interacting with didactic activities focused on visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning. This paper summarizes an initiative within the teaching–learning context, which aims to show the advantages of using modern tools, such as virtual reality, to achieve teaching goals in a renewable energy course.

scholarly journals Whole world within reach: Google Earth VR

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-136
Author(s):  
Brooke Belisle
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
Material World ◽  
The Real ◽  
Individual Perception ◽  
Actual Space ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Virtual Earth ◽  
The Way

Google Earth VR (GEVR), released in 2017, claims to put the whole world within reach using virtual reality (VR). Relying on sensors that track a user’s position and gestures in actual space, GEVR suggests that users can experience its virtual Earth in the same way that they experience the real one: as a world they actively embody rather than a representation they examine from the outside. While GEVR conjures a dematerialized world, it also interrogates how what counts as a material world may always be suspended between embodied, technical, and aesthetic mediations. If ‘the whole world’ – which exceeds individual perception – can only be conceived through aesthetic logics, what do the particular aesthetics of GEVR tell us about the way our world is imaged and imagined today? What are the implications of the way it stages ‘worlding’ as a provisional, dimensional coordination? What does the disorienting experience it offers suggest about contemporary entanglements of perception and representation, body and world, the individual here-and-now and a global everywhere-at-once?

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