scholarly journals Is probabilistic cuing of visual search an inflexible attentional habit? A meta-analytic review

Author(s):  
Tamara Giménez-Fernández ◽  
David Luque ◽  
David R. Shanks ◽  
Miguel A. Vadillo

AbstractIn studies on probabilistic cuing of visual search, participants search for a target among several distractors and report some feature of the target. In a biased stage the target appears more frequently in one specific area of the search display. Eventually, participants become faster at finding the target in that rich region compared to the sparse region. In some experiments, this stage is followed by an unbiased stage, where the target is evenly located across all regions of the display. Despite this change in the spatial distribution of targets, search speed usually remains faster when the target is located in the previously rich region. The persistence of the bias even when it is no longer advantageous has been taken as evidence that this phenomenon is an attentional habit. The aim of this meta-analysis was to test whether the magnitude of probabilistic cuing decreases from the biased to the unbiased stage. A meta-analysis of 42 studies confirmed that probabilistic cuing during the unbiased stage was roughly half the size of cuing during the biased stage, and this decrease persisted even after correcting for publication bias. Thus, the evidence supporting the claim that probabilistic cuing is an attentional habit might not be as compelling as previously thought.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Giménez-Fernández ◽  
David Luque ◽  
David Shanks ◽  
Miguel A. Vadillo

In studies on probabilistic cuing of visual search, participants search for a target among several distractors and report some feature of the target. In a biased stage the target appears more frequently in one specific area of the search display. Eventually, participants become faster at finding the target in that rich region compared to the sparse region. In some experiments, this stage is followed by an unbiased stage, where the target is evenly located across all regions of the display. Despite this change in the spatial distribution of targets, search speed usually remains faster when the target is located in the previously rich region. The persistence of the bias even when it is no longer advantageous underpins the claim that this phenomenon is a habit-like process. The aim of this meta-analysis was to test whether the magnitude of probabilistic cuing decreases from the biased to the unbiased stage. A multi-level random-effects meta-analysis of 42 studies confirmed that probabilistic cuing during the unbiased stage was roughly half the size of cuing during the biased stage, and this decrease persisted even after correcting for publication bias. We propose that probabilistic cuing is better understood as evidence of top-down attentional control than as an attentional habit.


2021 ◽  
pp. 003151252110227
Author(s):  
Bin-Bin Fang ◽  
Frank J. H. Lu ◽  
Diane L. Gill ◽  
Sean H. Liu ◽  
Theresa Chyi ◽  
...  

While prior research has generally found Outdoor Education Programs (OEPs) to be beneficial to adolescents’ self-efficacy, we sought to conduct a meta-analytic review of prior studies in this area in order to pinpoint the key elements to OEPs’ effectiveness. Following Cooper’s guidelines for synthesis research and meta-analysis, we searched six electronic databases for relevant articles: PubMed, Sciencedirect, Medline, PsycArticles, and Behavioral Sciences Collection of EBSCO, and Eric. Selection criteria were: Populations, Interventions, Comparators, Outcomes, Study Design (PICOS), and Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies (MINORS). We estimated the effect size of the selected studies with a 95% confidence interval (CI), estimated I-squared (I2) for heterogeneity analysis and analyzed publication bias by Egger's test. After excluding many studies, we reviewed 12 studies with 2,642 participants that were deemed to be eligible for final analysis. We discovered a high level of heterogeneity (I-squared value =82.474) in the findings of the selected studies. Our meta-analyses revealed that adolescents participating in OEPs enhanced their self-efficacy (medium effect size; Hedges’s g = 0.597) but this enhancement was moderated by participants’ mental health status, the length of the experiments, study groups, and the duration of the intervention. We found no evidence of publication bias (Egger: bias = 2.001, 95% CI = −0.736 to 4.739, p = .137). We discussed our research limitations and the theoretical and practical implications of these findings and made recommendations for future research.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 347-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arlin J. Benjamin ◽  
Sven Kepes ◽  
Brad J. Bushman

A landmark 1967 study showed that simply seeing a gun can increase aggression—called the “weapons effect.” Since 1967, many other studies have attempted to replicate and explain the weapons effect. This meta-analysis integrates the findings of weapons effect studies conducted from 1967 to 2017 and uses the General Aggression Model (GAM) to explain the weapons effect. It includes 151 effect-size estimates from 78 independent studies involving 7,668 participants. As predicted by the GAM, our naïve meta-analytic results indicate that the mere presence of weapons increased aggressive thoughts, hostile appraisals, and aggression, suggesting a cognitive route from weapons to aggression. Weapons did not significantly increase angry feelings. Yet, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis indicated that not all naïve mean estimates were robust to the presence of publication bias. In general, these results suggest that the published literature tends to overestimate the weapons effect for some outcomes and moderators.


Kybernetes ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
AHmet Hakan Özkan

PurposeThe aim of this study was to survey the relationships between organizational justice perceptions and turnover intention by using meta-analysis.Design/methodology/approachEighty-three correlation values were used. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software (CMA) was used to analyze the collected studies.FindingsHeterogeneity and publication bias of each data set was tested. Each data was heterogeneous and included no publication bias. The results suggested that the effect size of distributive justice on turnover intention is −0.396, interactional justice on turnover intention is −0.341, interpersonal justice on turnover intention is −0.361, informational justice on turnover intention is −0.358, procedural justice on turnover intention is −0.369 and overall organizational justice on turnover intention is −0.436. Region was a moderator for the relationship between distributive justice and turnover intention.Originality/valueThe results of this study can provide guidance to the future researchers. Moreover, the managers can use these results for the implementation of organizational strategies and policies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (13) ◽  
pp. 2118-2133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesus Montero-Marin ◽  
Javier Garcia-Campayo ◽  
Mari Cruz Pérez-Yus ◽  
Edurne Zabaleta-del-Olmo ◽  
Pim Cuijpers

AbstractTo what extent meditation techniques (which incorporate practices to regulate attention, construct individual values, or deconstruct self-related assumptions), are more or less effective than relaxation therapy in the treatment of anxiety, is not clear. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of meditation compared to relaxation in reducing anxiety. A systematic review from PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo and the Cochrane Central was conducted. A meta-analysis of 14 RCTs (n = 862 participants suffering from anxiety disorders or high trait anxiety) was performed. Effect sizes (ESs) were determined by Hedges’ g. Heterogeneity, risk of publication bias, quality of studies/interventions, and researcher allegiance, were evaluated. Meditation techniques incorporated attentional elements, and five of them also added constructive practices. No studies were found using deconstructive exercises. The overall ES was g = −0.23 [95% confidence interval (CI) −0.40 to −0.07], favouring meditation (number needed to treat = 7.74). Heterogeneity was low (I2 = 2; 95% CI 0 to 56). There was no evidence of publication bias, but few studies and interventions were of high quality, and allegiance might be moderating results. Meditation seems to be a bit more effective than relaxation in the treatment of anxiety, and it might also remain more effective at 12-month follow-up. However, more research using the full spectrum of meditation practices to treat different anxiety disorders, including independent studies to avoid researcher allegiance, is needed if we are to have a precise idea of the potential of these techniques compared to relaxation therapy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 118 (9) ◽  
pp. 118-126
Author(s):  
Augusty P. A ◽  
Jain Mathew

The study evaluates the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Effectiveness through a Systematic Review of Literature. The relationship has been evaluated in two steps. First, a Systematic review of literature was done to provide a theoretical framework to link the dimensions of Emotional Intelligence to the elements of effective leadership. Meta-analysis was then used to consolidate empirical evidence of the relationship. The studies for the meta-analysis were sourced from Pro Quest and EBSCO and the correlation coefficients of the studies were analysed. Only articles that presented the direct relationship between the variables were included in the study. The results of the analysis revealed a strong, statistically significant relationship between emotional intelligence and effective leadership. The findings of the study provide evidence for the proposition that Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Effectiveness are interrelated.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Kvarven ◽  
Eirik Strømland ◽  
Magnus Johannesson

Andrews & Kasy (2019) propose an approach for adjusting effect sizes in meta-analysis for publication bias. We use the Andrews-Kasy estimator to adjust the result of 15 meta-analyses and compare the adjusted results to 15 large-scale multiple labs replication studies estimating the same effects. The pre-registered replications provide precisely estimated effect sizes, which do not suffer from publication bias. The Andrews-Kasy approach leads to a moderate reduction of the inflated effect sizes in the meta-analyses. However, the approach still overestimates effect sizes by a factor of about two or more and has an estimated false positive rate of between 57% and 100%.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mara J. Richman ◽  
Zsolt Unoka ◽  
Robert Dudas ◽  
Zsolt Demetrovics

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by deficits in emotion regulation and affective liability. Of this domain, ruminative behaviors have been considered a core feature of emotion dysregulation difficulties. Despite this, inconsistencies have existed in the literature regarding which rumination type is most prominent in those with BPD symptoms. Moreover, no meta-analytic review has been performed to date on rumination in BPD. Taking this into consideration, a meta-analysis was performed to assess how BPD symptoms correlate with rumination, while also considering clinical moderator variables (i.e., BPD symptom domain, co-morbidities, GAF score) and demographic moderator variables (i.e., age, gender, sample type, and education level). Analysis of correlation across rumination domains for the entire sample revealed a medium overall correlation between BPD symptoms and rumination. When assessing types of rumination, the largest correlation was among pain rumination followed by anger, depressive, and anxious rumination. Among BPD symptom domain, affective instability had the strongest correlation with increased rumination, followed by unstable relationships, identity disturbance, and self-harm/ impulsivity, respectively. Demographic variables showed no significance. Clinical implications are considered and further therapeutic interventions are discussed in the context of rumination.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Alvaro Coles ◽  
Jeff T. Larsen ◽  
Heather Lench

The facial feedback hypothesis suggests that an individual’s experience of emotion is influenced by feedback from their facial movements. To evaluate the cumulative evidence for this hypothesis, we conducted a meta-analysis on 286 effect sizes derived from 138 studies that manipulated facial feedback and collected emotion self-reports. Using random effects meta-regression with robust variance estimates, we found that the overall effect of facial feedback was significant, but small. Results also indicated that feedback effects are stronger in some circumstances than others. We examined 12 potential moderators, and three were associated with differences in effect sizes. 1. Type of emotional outcome: Facial feedback influenced emotional experience (e.g., reported amusement) and, to a greater degree, affective judgments of a stimulus (e.g., the objective funniness of a cartoon). Three publication bias detection methods did not reveal evidence of publication bias in studies examining the effects of facial feedback on emotional experience, but all three methods revealed evidence of publication bias in studies examining affective judgments. 2. Presence of emotional stimuli: Facial feedback effects on emotional experience were larger in the absence of emotionally evocative stimuli (e.g., cartoons). 3. Type of stimuli: When participants were presented with emotionally evocative stimuli, facial feedback effects were larger in the presence of some types of stimuli (e.g., emotional sentences) than others (e.g., pictures). The available evidence supports the facial feedback hypothesis’ central claim that facial feedback influences emotional experience, although these effects tend to be small and heterogeneous.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 215013272199364
Author(s):  
Robel Hussen Kabthymer ◽  
Solomon Nega Techane ◽  
Temesgen Muche ◽  
Helen Ali Ewune ◽  
Semagn Mekonnen Abate ◽  
...  

Background: Over-nutrition and diet-linked non-communicable morbidities are showing increasing trend overtime. Even if there are different factors that affect the change in BMI other than ART, several authors have reported increases in BMI among PLHIV on treatment that are equal to or surpass the general population. This study is aimed to estimate the prevalence of obesity and overweight among adult HIV infected peoples taking ART in Ethiopia. Method: PubMed, CINAHL, Web of science, global health and Google scholar electronic databases were used to perform a systematic literature search. Two authors independently extracted all the necessary data using a structured data extraction format. Data analysis was done using STATA Version 14. The heterogeneity of the studies was assessed by using I2 test. A random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence. Publication bias was checked using Funnel plot and Egger’s test. Result: Two thousand seven hundred and fifty-one studies were reviewed and 13 studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis of 13 studies, comprising 4994 participants resulted in pooled prevalence of overweight to be 17.85% (95% CI: 12.22-23.47). Whereas, the pooled prevalence of overweight was found to be 3.90 (95% CI: 2.31-5.49) but after adjusting for publication bias using trim and fill analysis it has become 3.58 (95% CI: 2.04-5.13). Magnitude of both overweight and obesity was higher in studies conducted in Addis Ababa, studies done after 2016 and studies having sample size of less than 400, in subgroup analysis. Conclusion: The magnitude of overweight and obesity among HIV infected peoples taking ART in Ethiopia is high. There is a need to have a routine screening to PLWHA on the risk of over-nutrition in order to facilitate early detection.


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