Putting the Nonsocial Into Social Neuroscience: A Role for Domain-General Priority Maps During Social Interactions

Whether on a first date or during a team briefing at work, people’s daily lives are inundated with social information, and in recent years, researchers have begun studying the neural mechanisms that support social-information processing. We argue that the focus of social neuroscience research to date has been skewed toward specialized processes at the expense of general processing mechanisms with a consequence that unrealistic expectations have been set for what specialized processes alone can achieve. We propose that for social neuroscience to develop into a more mature research program, it needs to embrace hybrid models that integrate specialized person representations with domain-general solutions, such as prioritization and selection, which operate across all classes of information (both social and nonsocial). To illustrate our central arguments, we first describe and then evaluate a hybrid model of information processing during social interactions that (a) generates novel and falsifiable predictions compared with existing models; (b) is predicated on a wealth of neurobiological evidence spanning many decades, methods, and species; (c) requires a superior standard of evidence to substantiate domain-specific mechanisms of social behavior; and (d) transforms expectations of what types of neural mechanisms may contribute to social-information processing in both typical and atypical populations.

RamseyWard_social_priority_mapping

Whether on a first-date or during a team briefing at work, our daily lives are inundated with social information and in recent years research has begun studying the neural mechanisms that support social information processing. We argue that the focus of social neuroscience research to date has been skewed towards specialised processes at the expense of general processing mechanisms with a consequence that unrealistic expectations have been set for what specialised processes alone can achieve. We propose that for social neuroscience to develop into a more mature research programme, it needs to embrace hybrid models that integrate specialised person representations with domain-general solutions, such as prioritisation and selection, which operate across all classes of information (both social and non-social). To illustrate our central arguments, we first describe then evaluate a hybrid model of information processing during social interactions that: 1) generates novel and falsifiable predictions compared to existing models; 2) is predicated on a wealth of neurobiological evidence spanning many decades, methods and species; 3) requires a superior standard of evidence to substantiate domain-specific mechanisms of social behaviour, and; 4) transforms expectations of what types of neural mechanisms may contribute to social information processing in both typical and atypical populations.

Use of a safe procedure checklist in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory

BackgroundThe use of the WHO safe surgery checklist has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality from surgical procedures. However, whether a WHO-style safe procedure checklist can improve safety in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory (CCL) has not previously been investigated.ObjectivesThe authors sought to design and implement a safe procedure checklist suitable for all CCL procedures, and to assess its impact over the course of 1 year.MethodsIn the first 3 months, weekly PDSA cycles (Plan-Do-Study-Act) were used to optimise the design of the checklist through testing and staff feedback, and team briefing sessions were introduced before each procedure list. The impact of the checklist and team briefs was assessed by analysing in-house procedural data subsequently submitted to national audit databases. Staff and patient questionnaires were performed throughout the year.ResultsIntroduction of the checklist was associated with a significant reduction of 3 min in average turnaround time (95% CI 25 s to 6 min, p=0.027). Similarly, an initial reduction in patient radiation exposure was recorded (dose area product reduction of 641.5 cGy/cm2; 95% CI 255.9 to 1027.1, p=0.002). The rate of reported complications from all procedures fell significantly from 2.0% in 2012/2013 (95% CI 1.6% to 2.4%) to 0.8% in 2013/2014 (95% CI 0.6% to 1.1%, p≤0.001). Staff climate questionnaires showed that technicians and radiographers gave more positive responses at the end of the study period compared with the beginning (p=0.001).ConclusionsThe use of a team brief and WHO-derived safe procedure checklist in the CCL was associated with decreased radiation exposure, fewer procedural complications, faster turnarounds and improved staff experience.

Does workplace partnership deliver mutual gains at work?

This article uses a large matched employer–employee dataset to assess the outcomes of workplace partnership for British firms and workers, and the HR practices associated with ‘mutual gains’. The findings suggest that HR practices which promote employee voice and participation can deliver mutual gains for both employees and employers, but that it is the combination of direct and indirect participation which appears to be most useful in generating superior outcomes for all stakeholders. However, some practices such as high levels of job flexibility and team briefing procedures are found to be negatively associated with work-related attitudes and/or organizational performance.

Primary retrieval

Chapter 16 of the Oxford Handbook of Retrieval Medicine refers us to the initial stages of retrieval in the prehospital arena. Preparation of self (prior to retrieval) and team briefing remind clinicians to structure their preparation before missions. Highly specialized rescue equipment highlights the essential interaction between prehospital clinicians and other rescue services with emphasis on understanding other team roles. The principles of scene management provide a framework to practise from in the hostile environment with profoundly sensible advice about extrication planning and dealing with multi-victim incidents.