scholarly journals Do Attentional Lapses Account for the Worst Performance Rule?

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Christoph Löffler ◽  
Gidon T. Frischkorn ◽  
Jan Rummel ◽  
Dirk Hagemann ◽  
Anna-Lena Schubert
Keyword(s):  
Time Distribution ◽  
Hierarchical Modeling ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Response Time Distribution ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Task Completion ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Attentional Lapses

The worst performance rule (WPR) describes the phenomenon that individuals’ slowest responses in a task are often more predictive of their intelligence than their fastest or average responses. To explain this phenomenon, it was previously suggested that occasional lapses of attention during task completion might be associated with particularly slow reaction times. Because less intelligent individuals should experience lapses of attention more frequently, reaction time distribution should be more heavily skewed for them than for more intelligent people. Consequently, the correlation between intelligence and reaction times should increase from the lowest to the highest quantile of the response time distribution. This attentional lapses account has some intuitive appeal, but has not yet been tested empirically. Using a hierarchical modeling approach, we investigated whether the WPR pattern would disappear when including different behavioral, self-report, and neural measurements of attentional lapses as predictors. In a sample of N = 85, we found that attentional lapses accounted for the WPR, but effect sizes of single covariates were mostly small to very small. We replicated these results in a reanalysis of a much larger previously published data set. Our findings render empirical support to the attentional lapses account of the WPR.

scholarly journals Do attentional lapses account for the worst performance rule?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Löffler ◽  
Gidon T. Frischkorn ◽  
Jan Rummel ◽  
Dirk Hagemann ◽  
Anna-Lena Schubert
Keyword(s):  
Time Distribution ◽  
Hierarchical Modeling ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Response Time Distribution ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Task Completion ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Attentional Lapses

The worst performance rule (WPR) describes the phenomenon that individuals’ slowest responses in a task are often more predictive of their intelligence than their fastest or average responses. To explain this phenomenon, Larson and Alderton (1990) suggested that occasional lapses of attention during task completion might be associated with particularly slow reaction times. Because less intelligent individuals should experience lapses of attention more frequently, reaction time distribution should be more heavily skewed for them than for more intelligent people. Consequently, the correlation between intelligence and reaction times should increase from the lowest to the highest quantile of the response time distribution. This attentional lapses account has some intuitive appeal, but has not yet been tested empirically. Using a hierarchical modeling, we investigated whether the WPR pattern would disappear when including different behavioral, self-report, and neural measurements of attentional lapses as predictors. In a sample of N = 85, we found that attentional lapses accounted for the WPR, but effect sizes of single covariates were mostly small to very small. We replicated these results in a reanalysis of a larger previously published data set (N = 352). Our findings render empirical support to the attentional lapses account of the WPR.

Attentional lapses cannot explain the worst performance rule

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Löffler ◽  
Gidon T. Frischkorn ◽  
Jan Rummel ◽  
Dirk Hagemann ◽  
Anna-Lena Schubert
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Attentional Control ◽  
Time Distribution ◽  
Hierarchical Modeling ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Empirical Test ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Intuitive Appeal ◽  
Attentional Lapses

The worst performance rule describes the often-observed phenomenon that individuals' slowest responses in a task are more predictive of their intelligence than their fastest or average responses. To explain this phenomenon, Larson and Alderton (1990) suggested that occasional lapses of attention might result in slower reaction times. Because less intelligent individuals are more likely to experience lapses of attention, they should show a more heavily skewed reaction time distribution, causing an increase in correlations between reaction times and intelligence across the percentiles of the distribution. The attentional lapses account has been well-received, not least because of to its intuitive appeal, but has never been subjected to a direct empirical test. Using state-of-the-art hierarchical modeling approaches to quantify and test the worst performance rule, we investigated in a sample of 98 participants if different behavioral, self-report, and neural measures of attentional control accounted for the phenomenon. Notably, no measure of attentional lapses accounted for increasing covariances between intelligence and reaction time from best to worst performance. Hence, our results challenge the attentional lapses account of the worst performance rule.

Prevalence of Self-Reported Depression Symptoms and Perceived Anxiety Among Community-Dwelling U.S. Adults Reporting Tinnitus

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 959-970
Author(s):  
Kelly M. Reavis ◽  
James A. Henry ◽  
Lynn M. Marshall ◽  
Kathleen F. Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Community Based Interventions ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Health Distress ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Mental Health Distress

Purpose The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between tinnitus and self-reported mental health distress, namely, depression symptoms and perceived anxiety, in adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examinations Survey between 2009 and 2012. A secondary aim was to determine if a history of serving in the military modified the associations between tinnitus and mental health distress. Method This was a cross-sectional study design of a national data set that included 5,550 U.S. community-dwelling adults ages 20 years and older, 12.7% of whom were military Veterans. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association between tinnitus and mental health distress. All measures were based on self-report. Tinnitus and perceived anxiety were each assessed using a single question. Depression symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire, a validated questionnaire. Multivariable regression models were adjusted for key demographic and health factors, including self-reported hearing ability. Results Prevalence of tinnitus was 15%. Compared to adults without tinnitus, adults with tinnitus had a 1.8-fold increase in depression symptoms and a 1.5-fold increase in perceived anxiety after adjusting for potential confounders. Military Veteran status did not modify these observed associations. Conclusions Findings revealed an association between tinnitus and both depression symptoms and perceived anxiety, independent of potential confounders, among both Veterans and non-Veterans. These results suggest, on a population level, that individuals with tinnitus have a greater burden of perceived mental health distress and may benefit from interdisciplinary health care, self-help, and community-based interventions. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12568475

Acanthocnemidae (Coleoptera), a family of beetles new to Russia

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ya.N. Kovalenko
Keyword(s):  
Time Distribution ◽  
Published Data ◽  
First Time

Acanthocnemus nigricans (Hope, 1843), a single recent representative of the beetle family Acanthocnemidae, is reported from Russia for the first time. Distribution, probable ways of dispersion and the published data on the biology of A. nigricans are discussed.

scholarly journals Relationship between large-scale ionospheric field-aligned currents and electron/ion precipitations: DMSP observations

2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Xiong ◽  
Claudia Stolle ◽  
Patrick Alken ◽  
Jan Rauberg
Keyword(s):  
Time Distribution ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Particle Flux ◽  
Particle Energy ◽  
Lower Latitude ◽  
Particle Precipitation ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Two Parameters ◽  
Meteorological Satellite

Abstract In this study, we have derived field-aligned currents (FACs) from magnetometers onboard the Defense Meteorological Satellite Project (DMSP) satellites. The magnetic latitude versus local time distribution of FACs from DMSP shows comparable dependences with previous findings on the intensity and orientation of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) By and Bz components, which confirms the reliability of DMSP FAC data set. With simultaneous measurements of precipitating particles from DMSP, we further investigate the relation between large-scale FACs and precipitating particles. Our result shows that precipitation electron and ion fluxes both increase in magnitude and extend to lower latitude for enhanced southward IMF Bz, which is similar to the behavior of FACs. Under weak northward and southward Bz conditions, the locations of the R2 current maxima, at both dusk and dawn sides and in both hemispheres, are found to be close to the maxima of the particle energy fluxes; while for the same IMF conditions, R1 currents are displaced further to the respective particle flux peaks. Largest displacement (about 3.5°) is found between the downward R1 current and ion flux peak at the dawn side. Our results suggest that there exists systematic differences in locations of electron/ion precipitation and large-scale upward/downward FACs. As outlined by the statistical mean of these two parameters, the FAC peaks enclose the particle energy flux peaks in an auroral band at both dusk and dawn sides. Our comparisons also found that particle precipitation at dawn and dusk and in both hemispheres maximizes near the mean R2 current peaks. The particle precipitation flux maxima closer to the R1 current peaks are lower in magnitude. This is opposite to the known feature that R1 currents are on average stronger than R2 currents.

352 Feasibility of Hypnosis as Adjunctive Treatment for Subjective Sleep Disturbance: A Pilot Study and Proof of Concept

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A140-A141
Author(s):  
Emma Zhao ◽  
Afik Faerman ◽  
David Spiegel
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Adjunctive Treatment ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Sleep Complaints ◽  
Subjective Sleep ◽  
Before And After

Abstract Introduction Hypnosis-based interventions have been shown to have a positive impact on several dimensions of sleep health. However, current evidence is limited as only a paucity of studies included populations with sleep complaints. Here we present a pilot data set to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a hypnosis-based adjunctive treatment for subjective sleep complaints. Methods Eleven adults (42% female; mean age 45±16.87 years) who sought treatment at the Stanford Sleep Medicine Center or Center for Integrative Medicine for subjective sleep complaints received hypnosis as adjunctive treatment. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess the weekly frequency of subjective sleep disturbances experienced before and after treatment, as well as 5-point Likert scale ratings of perceived qualitative improvement in symptom severity and overall sleep quality. Results Five participants (45%) reported a reduction in symptom frequency and severity after hypnosis treatment. All five participants attributed at least some of the improvement to hypnosis treatment. Most participants (63%) observed post-treatment improvements in their overall sleep quality. No participants reported adverse effects of hypnosis. Conclusion Results suggest hypnosis-based adjunctive treatment may be effective for alleviating subjective sleep disturbances. The findings serve as preliminary support for further randomly controlled trials in larger samples. Support (if any):

scholarly journals Linking Phubbing Behavior to Self-Reported Attentional Failures and Media Multitasking

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Kayla S. Sansevere ◽  
Nathan Ward
Keyword(s):  
Technology Use ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Media Multitasking ◽  
Cognitive Errors ◽  
Personality Variables ◽  
Cognitive Framework ◽  
Self Report Data ◽  
Attentional Lapses ◽  
Use Behavior

Phubbing, or using a phone to snub another person, has been investigated through social and personality frameworks. Phubbing involves attending to and performing competing tasks, implying the involvement of attentional abilities. Yet, past research has not yet used a cognitive framework to establish a link between phubbing and attention. Using self-report data from a large online sample, we explored the associations between phubbing and everyday attentional failures. Phubbing was associated with difficulties in attentional shifting and distractibility, frequent attentional lapses, spontaneous and deliberate mind wandering, and attention-related cognitive errors. When examining these attention variables alongside several psychosocial and personality variables, attention-related cognitive errors acted as the biggest predictor of phubbing behavior. Phubbing was also positively correlated with media multitasking, which is a conceptually similar yet distinct technology use behavior. The results suggest that perceived everyday attentional failures are strongly associated with, and to an extent can predict, phubbing behavior, even more so than some social and personality variables. Technology has incorporated itself as a necessity, or at the very least a favored convenience, in most people’s lives. Characterizing technology multitasking behaviors from a variety of frameworks can help us better understand who is engaging in these behaviors and why.

Estimating performance from capabilities in business process improvement

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 1099-1117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boyd A. Nicholds ◽  
John P.T. Mo
Keyword(s):  
Process Improvement ◽  
Business Process ◽  
Expected Improvement ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Performance Gain ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Business Process Improvement ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The research indicates there is a positive link between the improvement capability of an organisation and the intensity of effort applied to a business process improvement (BPI) project or initiative. While a degree of stochastic variation in applied effort to any particular improvement project may be expected there is a clear need to quantify the causal relationship, to assist management decision, and to enhance the chance of achieving and sustaining the expected improvement targets. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a method to obtain the function that estimates the range of applicable effort an organisation can expect to be able to apply based on their current improvement capability. The method used analysed published data as well as regression analysis of new data points obtained from completed process improvement projects. Findings The level of effort available to be applied to a process improvement project can be expressed as a regression function expressing the possible range of achievable BPI performance within 90 per cent confidence limits. Research limitations/implications The data set applied by this research is limited due to constraints during the research project. A more accurate function can be obtained with more industry data. Practical implications When the described function is combined with a separate non-linear function of performance gain vs effort a model of performance gain for a process improvement project as a function of organisational improvement capability is obtained. The probability of success in achieving performance targets may be estimated for a process improvement project. Originality/value The method developed in this research is novel and unique and has the potential to be applied to assessing an organisation’s capability to manage change.

Self-Report and Objective Measures of ADHD-Related Behaviors in Parents of Preschool Children at Risk for ADHD

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 639-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Curko Kera ◽  
David J. Marks ◽  
Olga G. Berwid ◽  
Amita Santra ◽  
Jeffrey M. Halperin
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Attention Deficit Disorder ◽  
Performance Test ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Significant Group

ABSTRACTObjective: Few studies have used a combination of objective and self-report measures to examine neuropsychological and behavioral functioning in parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study examined attention and inhibitory control in the parents of preschool children who were rated as “at risk” for developing ADHD as compared with parents of controls.Methods:Preschool children (N=53) were divided into at risk for ADHD and control groups based on parent and teacher ratings of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition ADHD symptoms. One parent of each child was administered an identical pairs Continuous Performance Test (CPTIP), a Go/No-Go task, and the Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scale for Adults.Results: Parents of preschoolers at risk for ADHD showed a pattern of responding on measures of vigilance characterized by slower reaction times and increased commission errors as compared with parents of controls. There were no significant group differences on self-report measures on the Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scale for Adults.Conclusion: Parents of preschoolers at risk for ADHD appear to exhibit cognitive processing deficits that may not be evident using self-report measures. Further research is needed to more clearly identify the specific nature of these neuropsychological deficits and to determine whether they have a negative impact on their children.

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