scholarly journals Viewing Cute Images Does Not Affect Performance of Computerized Reaction Time Tasks

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gal Ziv ◽  
Orly Fox
Keyword(s):  
Task Switching ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Pet Ownership ◽  
Motor Tasks ◽  
Online Study ◽  
Pet Owners ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Switching Task

Humans are emotionally affected by cute or infantile appearances, typical of baby animals and humans, which in turn often leads to careful and cautious behavior. The purpose of this pre-registered study was to examine whether looking at cute images of baby pets improves performance of computerized cognitive-motor tasks. Ninety-eight participants were recruited for this online study and were randomly assigned to two experimental groups. The participants in one group performed two cognitive-motor tasks (Simon task and alternate task-switching task) before and after viewing images of adult pets and the participants in the other group performed the tasks before and after viewing images of baby pets. The participants who viewed images of baby pets rated them as significantly cuter (Cohen’s d = 0.50) and more infantile (Cohen’s d = 1.56) compared with those who viewed images of adult pets. All participants improved their performance from the pre-test to the post-test, but no differences in correct responses and reaction times were seen between the groups. However, pet ownership appeared to serve as a moderating variable with pet owners performing the Simon task faster than non-pet owners. In addition, pet owners reacted faster in the alternate task-switching task after viewing cute and infantile images but not after viewing images of adult pets. This effect was not found among non-pet owners. In conclusion, this study did not find that viewing cute images improves cognitive-motor performance, yet this may be dependent on moderators like pet ownership.

scholarly journals The Dual-Language Semantic Computerized Program (DISC) Maintained Local Switch Costs in MCI Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 520-521
Author(s):  
W Quin Yow ◽  
Hui-Ching Chen ◽  
Tharshini Lokanathan
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Task Switching ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Accelerated Aging ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Switching Task ◽  
Experimental Group

Abstract It has been proposed that switching cost deficit in executive control (Velichkovsky et al., 2020) could be used as an early marker for abnormal aging processes. Although research with technology-based intervention has shown benefits in improving cognitive performance with older adults, the overall results are mixed (Ge et al, 2018). This study aims to investigate whether computerized intervention program (e.g., DISC) would help to reduce the switching costs deficits in mild-to-moderate cognitively-impaired older adults (MCI-OA). Fourteen MCI-OA (79.75±6,94) and 9 cognitively-healthy OA (age 77,25±6,9) were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group (a final sample size of 30 MCI and 40 cognitive-healthy older adults would be ready by conference time). All participants first completed a set of cognitive tasks as part of a larger study (i.e., pre-tests) (e.g., MMSE, Ravens, cued-base Task Switching Task). The experimental group then played cognitive games on a touch-screen tablet for about 30-40 minutes per session with a total of 24 sessions over 8-12 weeks. The control group continued their daily activity as per usual for 8-12 weeks. Participants were then asked to complete the same set of cognitive tasks again post-test. Control group MCI-OA performed worse for the local costs in the cued Task Switching task (p<.05), whereas experimental group MCI-OA maintained their performance (p=.40) post-test compared to pre-test. All cognitively-healthy OA did not show any difference in performance irrespective of condition. This suggests that the DISC program could be an effective tool in slowing down the abnormal accelerated aging process.

284 Cognitive Deficits due to Insufficient Sleep are Mitigated Following Strenuous Physical Exertion in Firefighters

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A114-A114
Author(s):  
Michelle Stepan ◽  
Kristine Wilckens ◽  
Dave Hostler ◽  
Peter Franzen
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Deprivation ◽  
Task Switching ◽  
Cognitive Deficits ◽  
Treadmill Exercise ◽  
Physical Exertion ◽  
Switch Trial ◽  
Sleep Disruption ◽  
Insufficient Sleep ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Switching Task

Abstract Introduction Insufficient sleep impairs cognitive function which results in costly errors. Firefighter shifts regularly exceed 24-hrs with little to no sleep. Nevertheless, firefighters must maintain and flexibly shift attention in high-pressure scenarios. Firefighters also engage in strenuous physical exertion during fire suppression activities. However, it is unclear whether physical exertion acts as another stressor, exasperating cognitive deficits due to insufficient sleep, or whether physical exertion enhances arousal to reduce cognitive deficits. Moreover, the effects of physical exertion may depend on the type of cognitive process and extent of sleep loss. We examined the effect of physical exertion on vigilant attention and task-switching in firefighters who underwent sleep-deprivation or sleep-disruption. Methods Participants were 17 healthy young adult males who participated in a within-subjects crossover design with three experimental lab visits: sleep-deprivation, sleep-disruption (woken 3 times for 60-min each), and normal sleep. The next day, participants completed a 50-min treadmill exercise task in a heated room in firefighter protective clothing. Participants completed a vigilant attention task (Psychomotor Vigilance Task, PVT) and a task-switching task five to nine times each visit. The five timepoints of interest–before and after the sleep manipulation night, before and after the treadmill exercise task, and recovery (approximately 180-min following exercise)–were examined using linear mixed effects models. Results We analyzed lapses (reaction times [RT]>500ms) on the PVT and switch-trial RT and accuracy on the task-switching task for sleep-deprivation and sleep-disruption conditions relative to normal sleep. Sleep-disruption, p=.001, and sleep-deprivation, p<.001, increased lapses. Sleep-disruption increased switch-trial RT, p=.01, and sleep-deprivation reduced switch-trial accuracy, p=.01. Only switch-trial accuracy improved immediately after the treadmill exercise task and only for the sleep-deprivation condition, p=.01. During recovery, lapses lessened for the sleep-deprivation condition, p=.049, and switch-trial accuracy improved for both sleep-deprivation, p=.01, and sleep-disruption conditions, p=.049. Conclusion Physical exertion reduced task-switching and attentional deficits caused by insufficient sleep, with more benefits observed during recovery. We found no evidence for performance decrements due to physical exertion. Physical exertion may interact with the extent of sleep loss–primarily benefitting performance under conditions of total sleep-deprivation. Support (if any) DSF Charitable Foundation and University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute UL1TR001857.

scholarly journals Attentional Focus Instructions Do Not Affect Choice Reaction Time

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gal Ziv ◽  
Ronnie Lidor
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Attentional Focus ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Motor Tasks ◽  
Online Study ◽  
External Focus ◽  
Internal Focus ◽  
Complex Motor

The majority of the studies on attentional focus have shown that participants who were instructed to focus externally performed better than those who were taught to focus internally. However, in most of these studies the participants performed complex motor tasks. Due to the scarcity of data on the effects of attentional focus specifically on simple motor tasks, our purpose in the current study was to examine these effects on two simple reaction time (RT) tasks. The study was conducted on a cloud-based experimental software. Participants were allocated to three experimental groups: an external focus group (n = 44), an internal focus group (n = 46), and a control group (no attentional instructions; n = 47). The participants performed two tasks: a choice-RT task and a Simon task. Participants in all three groups practiced eight blocks of 20 trials from each task in a counterbalanced order – a total of 180 trials for each task. The sole difference between the three groups was the administered attentional focus instructions. The findings suggest that attentional focus instructions do not affect the performance of a choice-RT task or a Simon-task in a computerized online study. It is possible that the simple RT-based tasks in the current study were not sensitive to the attentional focus manipulation, since in such simple tasks there are not many actions that internal focus can disrupt. Although we asked the participants to what extent they followed the instructions, we cannot say whether their responses represent their actual attentional focus when performing the tasks.

Clinically Meaningful Change

Methodology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 97-105
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Ferrer ◽  
Antonio Pardo
Keyword(s):  
Effect Size ◽  
False Negative ◽  
False Negative Rate ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Skewed Distribution ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
False Negatives ◽  
Large Size ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Test

Abstract. In a recent paper, Ferrer and Pardo (2014) tested several distribution-based methods designed to assess when test scores obtained before and after an intervention reflect a statistically reliable change. However, we still do not know how these methods perform from the point of view of false negatives. For this purpose, we have simulated change scenarios (different effect sizes in a pre-post-test design) with distributions of different shapes and with different sample sizes. For each simulated scenario, we generated 1,000 samples. In each sample, we recorded the false-negative rate of the five distribution-based methods with the best performance from the point of view of the false positives. Our results have revealed unacceptable rates of false negatives even with effects of very large size, starting from 31.8% in an optimistic scenario (effect size of 2.0 and a normal distribution) to 99.9% in the worst scenario (effect size of 0.2 and a highly skewed distribution). Therefore, our results suggest that the widely used distribution-based methods must be applied with caution in a clinical context, because they need huge effect sizes to detect a true change. However, we made some considerations regarding the effect size and the cut-off points commonly used which allow us to be more precise in our estimates.

Perbedaan Pengetahuan Siswa Tentang Penyakit Hepatitis A Sebelum Dan Sesudah Penyuluhan Di MTsN 02 Bondowoso Tahun 2015

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Putri Megasari
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis A ◽  
Hepatitis Virus ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Test Design ◽  
The World ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Test ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Paired T Test

Hepatitis has become a health problem in the world. The hepatitis virus infected many people. According to the teacher of MTsN 02 Bondowoso more than 20 students have hepatitis A viral infection. The purpose of this research was to know the differences of students' knowledge about hepatitis A before and after counseling in MTsN 02 Bondowoso 2015. This study used pre-experimental (pre-post test design). This study used stratified random sampling technique, 127 students from 270 sample involved this research,and 143 students was excluded. We used questionnaires to collect data. The results showed that the mean value of the students 'knowledge about hepatitis A before counseling in MTsN 02 Bondowoso 2015 was 83.96 with the lowest value of 37.5 and the highest value was 100. The mean value of the students' knowledge about hepatitis A after counseling in MTsN 02 Bondowoso 2015 was 93.21 with the lowest value waf 62.5 and the highest value was 100. Paired t test showed that t (-9.07) > t table (1.98), the null hypothesis (H0) was rejected. There was a difference between students' knowledge about hepatitis A before and after counseling in MTsN 02 Bondowoso 2015. This study showed that routine counseling by healthcare provider was important to prevent hepatitis A infection.; Keywords: counseling, knowledge of students, hepatitis

Melatih Kepemimpinan Perangkat Desa Kebonharjo Kulonprogo: Membangun Sikap Anti Korupsi

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Adi Heryadi ◽  
Evianawati Evianawati
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Paired Samples ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Sample Test ◽  
Corruption Perception ◽  
Measuring Tool

This study aims to prove whether transformational leadership training is effective for building anti-corruption attitudes of villages in Kebonharjo village, subdistrict Samigaluh Kulonprogo. This research is an experimental research with one group pre and posttest design.Subject design is 17 people from village of 21 candidates registered. Measuring tool used in this research is the scale of anti-corruption perception made by the researcher referring to the 9 anti-corruption values with the value of reliability coefficient of 0.871. The module used as an intervention made by the researcher refers to the transformational leadership dimension (Bass, 1990). The data collected is analyzed by statistical analysis of different test Paired Sample Test. Initial data collection results obtained sign value of 0.770 which means> 0.05 or no significant difference between anti-corruption perception score between before and after training. After a period of less than 1 (one) month then conducted again the measurement of follow-up of the study subjects in the measurement again using the scale of anti-corruption perception. The results of the second data collection were analysed with Paired Samples Test and obtained the value of 0.623 sign meaning p> 0.05 or no significant difference between post test data with follow-up data so that the hypothesis of this study was rejected.

Efektifitas Pendidikan Kesehatan Dengan Metode Ceramah Tentang Vulva Hygiene Terhadap Perilaku Merawat Vulva Hygiene Saat Menstruasi Pada Remaja Putri Kelas VII Di SMPN 1 Gondang Mojokerto

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Titin Dwi Ernawati ◽  
Nikhen Fitrianingtyas Harni ◽  
Jinnani Firdausiyah
Keyword(s):  
Health Education ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Measurement Tool ◽  
Test Design ◽  
Average Behavior ◽  
Lecture Method ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Test

ABSTRAKWanita muda cenderung memiliki perilaku buruk pada kebersihan selama menstruasi. Ketika reproduksi basah dan basah, maka akan meningkatkan keasaman memfasilitasi pertumbuhan jamur. Kondisi seperti gatal pada vulva, area eksternal biasanya terjadi pada wanita muda di masa menstruasi. Perilaku seseorang dipengaruhi oleh tingkat pendidikan dan pengetahuan. Pengetahuan seseorang tentang sesuatu dapat menyebabkan perubahan perilaku. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis efektivitas pendidikan kesehatan dengan metode ceramah dalam merawat kebersihan vulva terhadap perilaku kebersihan vulva saat menstruasi pada wanita muda di kelas VII di SMPN 1 Gondang Mojokerto.Jenis penelitian ini adalah pre eksperimental One Group Pre-Post Test Design. Populasi adalah wanita muda di kelas VII di SMPN 1 Gondang Mojokerto. Teknik pengambilan sampel menggunakan total sampling dan diperoleh 21 sampel wanita muda. Alat ukur yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kuesioner. Analisis data dengan membandingkan perilaku rata-rata memperlakukan kebersihan vulva selama menstruasi sebelum dan sesudah kuliah pendidikan kesehatan.Hasil penelitian sebelum pengobatan (pre-test) menunjukkan nilai rata-rata 9,000 sedangkan penelitian setelah perawatan (post test) menunjukkan nilai rata-rata 14,190. Ada perubahan dalam perilaku rata-rata memperlakukan kebersihan vulva selama menstruasi wanita muda sebelum dan sesudah kuliah pendidikan kesehatan di 5.190.Berdasarkan hasil pendidikan kesehatan dengan metode ceramah efektif untuk meningkatkan perawatan perilaku untuk kebersihan vulva selama menstruasi pada wanita muda. Kuliah pendidikan kesehatan tentang kebersihan vulva dapat digunakan sebagai salah satu cara efektif untuk memperbaiki perilaku kebersihan yang buruk selama menstruasi pada wanita muda.Kata kunci: pendidikan kesehatan, perilaku, kebersihan vulva ABSTRACTYoung women tend to have bad behavior on hygiene during menstruation. When reproduction moist and wet, it will increase the acidity facilitate mold growth. Conditions such as itching of the vulva, the external area usually occurs during young women in the menstrual period. Person's behavior is influenced by the level of education and knowledge. One's knowledge about something can cause behavioral changes. The purpose of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of health education with the lecture method of treating vulva hygiene on the behavior of vulva hygiene during menstruation in young women in class VII at SMPN 1 Gondang MojokertoType of research is pre experimental One Group Pre-Post Test Design. The population was young women in class VII at SMPN 1 Gondang Mojokerto. Sampling technique used total sampling and obtained 21 samples of young women. Measurement tool used in the study was questionnaire. Analysis of the data by comparing the average behavior of treating vulva hygiene during menstruation before and after the health education lecture.The results of the study before treatment (pre-test) showed a mean value of 9,000 while the study after treatment (post test) showed a mean value of 14,190. There is a change in the average behavior of treating vulva hygiene during menstruation young women before and after the health education lecture at 5,190.Based on the results of health education with the lecture method effectively to improved behavioral care for vulva hygiene during menstruation in young women. Health education lecture about hygiene vulva can be used as one of the effective ways to improve the behavior of poor hygiene during menstruation in young women.Key Words: health education, behaviour, vulva hygiene 

Missing Data in Research on Youth and Family Programs

2021 ◽  
pp. 003329412110268
Author(s):  
Jaime Ballard ◽  
Adeya Richmond ◽  
Suzanne van den Hoogenhof ◽  
Lynne Borden ◽  
Daniel Francis Perkins
Keyword(s):  
Missing Data ◽  
Statistical Methods ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Program Participation ◽  
Multilevel Data ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Test ◽  
The Individual

Background Multilevel data can be missing at the individual level or at a nested level, such as family, classroom, or program site. Increased knowledge of higher-level missing data is necessary to develop evaluation design and statistical methods to address it. Methods Participants included 9,514 individuals participating in 47 youth and family programs nationwide who completed multiple self-report measures before and after program participation. Data were marked as missing or not missing at the item, scale, and wave levels for both individuals and program sites. Results Site-level missing data represented a substantial portion of missing data, ranging from 0–46% of missing data at pre-test and 35–71% of missing data at post-test. Youth were the most likely to be missing data, although site-level data did not differ by the age of participants served. In this dataset youth had the most surveys to complete, so their missing data could be due to survey fatigue. Conclusions Much of the missing data for individuals can be explained by the site not administering those questions or scales. These results suggest a need for statistical methods that account for site-level missing data, and for research design methods to reduce the prevalence of site-level missing data or reduce its impact. Researchers can generate buy-in with sites during the community collaboration stage, assessing problematic items for revision or removal and need for ongoing site support, particularly at post-test. We recommend that researchers conducting multilevel data report the amount and mechanism of missing data at each level.

Effects of Women’s Football Broadcastings on Viewers’ Moods and Judgments

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holger Schramm ◽  
Johannes Knoll
Keyword(s):  
Information Theory ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Team Identification ◽  
Disposition Theory ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Football Team ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Sport Events

The objective of this article is to improve the understanding of mood and judgment effects evoked by major televised sport events like national football matches. According to disposition theory of sport spectatorship, viewers’ affective experiences, specifically their moods, are assumed to be affected by the outcomes of the matches they watch. This study tests whether these mood effects depend on viewers’ team identification as well as viewers’ sex. Moreover, past research has indicated that mood changes as effects of sport viewing could influence viewers’ subsequent judgments in line with feeling-as-information theory. Based on this line of arguments, a quasi-experimental pre-post-test study with 180 participants was conducted to assess the moods and judgments (self-confidence, evaluation of the economic situation, government satisfaction) of viewers before and after a win and a defeat of the German national football team during the 2011 women’s FIFA World Cup. The results support disposition theory of sport spectatorship as well as feeling-as-information theory and give new insights into the moderating role of team identification and sex.

Does Aerobic Exercise Decrease Brain Activation?

1997 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karla A. Kubitz ◽  
Konstantinos Pothakos
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Times ◽  
Brain Activation ◽  
Vigilance Task ◽  
Beta Activity ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Eeg Activity ◽  
Time Interaction ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
Group Effects

In the present study, participants were randomly assigned to an exercise or a nonexercise group to measure brain activation (spontaneous EEG activity), affect, and cognitive functioning before and after a 15-min treatment period. Exercisers (a) sat quietly for 5 min, (b) exercised for 15 min, (c) recovered for 5 min, and (d) completed a 15-min vigilance task. Nonexercisers did not exercise. There was a significant (a) Condition × Band × Time interaction for EEG activity, (b) Condition × Time interaction for Activation-Deactivation Adjective Checklist (AD ACL) scores, and (c) Condition × Time interaction for reaction times (RTs). Post hoc tests showed (a) no significant group effects at the baseline and 15-min vigilance periods, and (b) significant group effects at the postexercise and 5-min vigilance periods. Exercisers had lower levels of brain activation (i.e., more theta and alpha activity and less beta activity), higher AD ACL scores, and slower RTs than nonexercisers during these periods.

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