Character Customization With Cosmetic Microtransactions in Games: Subjective Experience and Objective Performance

Free games that are monetized by selling virtual items, such as cosmetic microtransactions for one’s avatar, seem to offer a better gaming experience to paying players. To experimentally explore this phenomenon, the effects of character customization with cosmetic microtransactions on objective and self-estimated player performance, subjective identification with the avatar, fun and the players’ perceived competence were examined in the game League of Legends. This study introduces a new laboratory-based, experimental task to objectively measure within-game player performance. Each participant performed this game-based task in two different conditions: With a character that was customized using a provided set of cosmetic microtransactions and with a default character. Results showed that customization increased subjective identification with the player character. However, objective performance measures were unaffected by this manipulation although the novel experimental approach provided reliable performance results. Additionally, identification was positively related to perceived competence, fun, and self-estimated performance. Implications for the design of cosmetic microtransactions and their influence on competitive gaming are discussed.

Investigating the Use of Task Resumption Cues to Support Learning in Interruption-Prone Environments

The ubiquity of mobile devices in peoples’ everyday life makes them a feasible tool for language learning. Learning anytime and anywhere creates great flexibility but comes with the inherent risk of infrequent learning and learning in interruption-prone environments. No matter the length of the learning break, it can negatively affect knowledge consolidation and recall. This work presents the design and implementation of memory cues to support task resumption in mobile language learning applications and two evaluations to assess their impact on user experience. An initial laboratory experiment (N=15) revealed that while the presentation of the cues had no significant effect on objective performance measures (task completion time and error rate), the users still perceived the cues as helpful and would appreciate them in a mobile learning app. A follow-up study (N=16) investigated revised cue designs in a real-world field setting and found that users particularly appreciated our interactive test cue design. We discuss strengths and limitations of our concept and implications for the application of task resumption cues beyond the scope of mobile language learning.

Virtual Versus in-Person Frailty Assessments in Older Adults with Hematologic Malignancies

Introduction : Time and resource barriers limit widespread implementation of frailty assessment in oncology practice, and the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the number of in-person visits. To overcome these barriers, virtual geriatric assessments (GAs) have been developed, but lack important objective performance measures such as gait speed and cognitive tests-measures that are important predictors for poor outcomes in older patients with blood cancers (Liu et al., Blood, 2019; Hshieh et al., JAMA Oncol., 2018). We adapted an in-person frailty assessment to a virtual format that maintained both patient-reported and objective measures. Methods : Our cohort assessed in-person (February 2015 to March 2020; resumed June 2021 to July 2021) included all transplant-ineligible patients aged 75 years and older who presented to DFCI for initial consultation for their hematologic malignancy. On the same day as their initial consult, a research assistant administered to consented patients a screening geriatric assessment that assessed for 42 aging-related health deficits using patient-reported and objective performance measures spanning the domains of function, cognition, comorbidity, and mobility. From this assessment, frailty was measured using both the phenotypic (Fried et al., J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci, 2001) and deficit-accumulation approaches (Rockwood et al., J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci, 2007). The frailty phenotype uses five criteria to define a syndrome (slow gait speed, weakness [grip strength], self-reported exhaustion, low physical activity, and weight loss). The deficit-accumulation method calculates the proportion of deficits present in an individual out of the total number of possible deficits measured. To virtually adapt our assessment (Figure 1), patient-reported items were readily converted to questions administered over video- or teleconference. Of the objective measures, grip strength was replaced with self-reported grip strength. The Clock-in-the-Box test was changed to a simple clock draw that the patient completes and displays to the video camera for scoring. 4-meter gait speed is collected by teaching a caregiver to administer with a stopwatch and a 4-meter strip of ribbon. If video is unavailable, self-reported gait speed is measured instead. We expanded eligibility of virtual assessments to patients aged 70 and older. Geriatricians (C.D., T.H., and J.D.) and oncologists (G.A. and J.D.) reviewed the virtual GA for content validity. We measured the proportion of patients who consented and completed the virtual assessment. We assessed for differences in the distributions of age and frailty between virtual and in-person frailty assessments in patients 75 and older using Fisher exact (age) and Chi-square (frailty) tests. Results : Since starting our virtual frailty assessments in November 2020 through July 2021, 118 patients were enrolled and 89 (75%) completed assessments. Median age was 77.6 years (SD = 4.21), 55 (62%) were male, 38 (43%) had lymphoma, 32 (36%) had leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative disorders, and 19 (21%) had multiple myeloma. Of the 89 who completed virtual assessments, 67 (75%) completed the assessment over video with the remaining 22 (25%) over telephone. For the objective measures, 68 (76%) participants were able to complete the clock draw and 47 (53%) were able to complete the gait speed tests. The distribution of age (p = 0.78) and frailty categories (p = 0.49) in our virtual assessments was similar to that of our in-person assessments (Table 1). Conclusion : We developed and successfully delivered a virtual frailty assessment for older adults with blood cancers and found no evidence that frail patients or patients of the highest age categories were unable to complete them. These data suggest that virtual frailty assessment will allow decentralization of assessments even beyond the pandemic, potentially reaching more older adults with blood cancers. The ability to scale to more patients and measure frailty where it matters most-in their own homes-could help overcome barriers to frailty assessments in busy oncology clinics. Virtual frailty assessments also allow for serial measurement while on treatment to better understand and track the trajectory of frailty in this population. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Kim: Alosa Health: Other: Personal Fee; NIH: Other: Grants; Alosa Health: Other: Personal Fee.

Evaluation of the Octreotide Acetate Pen Injector in a Formative Human Factors Study

Introduction: Subcutaneous injection of octreotide acetate is indicated to treat adults with acromegaly and diarrhea associated with carcinoid tumors or vasoactive intestinal peptide tumors. In this formative human factors study, we evaluated the readability and comprehension of the instructions for use (IFU) and ease of use of the octreotide pen injector. Methods: The study enrolled patients and healthcare practitioners who would be using the pen injector. The IFU contained a stepwise process with illustrations to detail injection administration and safe storage of the octreotide pen injector. Participants read the IFU and familiarized themselves with the device. Participants administered 2 unaided injections into skin-like pads. Injection success was defined as an attempt that delivered the correct dose into the pad. Each injection was evaluated by objective performance and subjective measures. Objective performance measures included assessment of steps necessary to deliver the correct medication dose and ensure user safety. Subjective measures included soliciting participant feedback on perceived success and difficulties administering a dose with the octreotide pen injector, as well as suggestions for improvements. Additional goals included evaluation of the IFU and octreotide pen injector usability aspects. Results: A total of 8 patients and 3 healthcare practitioners enrolled in the study. All (n = 11) participants successfully administered both injections, leading to an overall injection success rate of 100% across twenty-two injections. Subtask errors included participants priming the pen injector with the incorrect dose (n = 1) and not holding the injection button for 10 seconds after the injection (n = 2), but neither error resulted in dosing failure. Participant suggestions for improving the IFU included changes to the illustration of the plunger, reordering statements to clarify the priming process, and detailing how long to let the pen injector come to room temperature. Conclusion: Overall, participants felt the octreotide pen injector was easy to use and the instructions were clearly written and illustrated. Participant feedback and observations by moderators of the study led to recommendations for improvements to the clarity of the IFU.

Does the League Table Lie? The Development and Validation of the Perceived Performance in Team Sports Questionnaire (PPTSQ)

Objective performance measures are vastly used in sport psychology despite their inherent limitations (e.g., unaccounted baseline differences). Founded on the nature of group goals in team sports, we aimed at developing the Perceived Performance in Team Sports Questionnaire (PPTSQ) to capture the team members’ perception of their team’s performance. Accordingly, three dimensions were hypothesized: effort investment, skills execution, and perceived outcome. To measure these dimensions, items were generated to address the players’ perception of their team performance as a whole. Four samples of athletes were used to test the psychometric properties of the PPTSQ: professional (n = 231), collegiate (n = 222), professional—retest (n = 89), and mixed professional–collegiate (n = 139). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to estimate construct and content validities. These procedures revealed a better data fit to a two-dimensional model that consists of effort investment and perceived outcome. The reliability analyses for the PPTSQ provide satisfactory evidence that the questionnaire is a reliable measure of perceived performance in team sport. Adequate internal consistency emerged for both dimensions (0.75 < ω < 0.89). Furthermore, a high correlation was obtained for temporal stability. Concurrent validity was addressed by correlating the PPTSQ scores with the Group Environment Questionnaire and the Team Assessment Diagnostic Instrument. Correlational analysis between the PPTSQ and an objective measure of performance was used to test its predictive validity. The correlations strongly support the concurrent and predictive validities of the PPTSQ. We conclude that our perceived performance questionnaire can address various objective measures shortcomings (e.g., considering base-rate biases) resulting in a more meaningful team performance metric. Implication of the PPTSQ for sport psychology research and applied work enhancement are discussed in detail.

Effectiveness of Augmented Reality Guides for Blind Insertion Tasks

Although many augmented reality (AR)-based assembly support systems have been proposed in academic research and industry, the effectiveness of AR to resolve the occlusion issue in the context of a blind assembly process remains an unexplored topic. Therefore, the present work investigates how AR can assist operators during the execution of blind manual assembly tasks. Specifically, an AR research set-up was designed to provide assistance in occlusion situations during a peg-in-hole task. The set-up featured a see-through device (HoloLens), which provides operators with two modes of visual augmentations that directly overlay on the assembly objects. The first mode referred to as the “wireframe overlay” displays the inner part of the objects, providing an inside view of the occluded parts, and the second one referred to as the “axes overlay,” displays the axes of the objects and their slots, indicating how to align the different parts during the assembly. The effectiveness of these AR visualizations was compared to a baseline augmentation-free situation in a controlled experiment. Thus, following a within-subject design, 30 participants performed a two-stages blind insertion task. Their performances represented by task completion time, insertion errors, and smoothness of the insertions were recorded. In addition, a post-questionnaire reported their subjective perception of task difficulty during the task and their preferences. Results indicated a strong acceptance of participants for AR visualizations that they rated as allowing them to perform the task more easily. However, no statistically significant differences in terms of objective performance measures were found. Yet, it was found that axes overlay produced smoother trajectories compared to the wireframe overlay, highlighting the potential effect of more abstract visualization aids.

Financial and non-financial benefits of carbon controls

Purpose This study aims to understand the organisational benefits of carbon-focussed management control systems (carbon MCS) under a regulatory context. Design/methodology/approach The authors conduct a survey of 85 New Zealand (NZ) organisations covering different industries, sizes and compliance obligations. Findings The results suggest a significant direct positive impact of carbon MCS on organisations’ non-financial benefits and an indirect impact on financial benefits via non-financial benefits. The impact on non-financial benefits is strongest when a whole carbon MCS package is used rather than individual carbon controls. However, the highest impact on financial benefits are attained when only diagnostic controls are used rather than other controls or the whole MCS package. Firms in primary, manufacturing and energy sectors and those with export activities are less likely to achieve organisational benefits, while those with a compliance obligation under the emissions trading scheme are more likely to perceive such benefits. Research limitations/implications The study has a limited sample size (85 firms), a unique context (NZ) and coves only large firms. Further, there are no objective performance measures to validate survey responses regarding organisational benefits. Practical implications The findings provide a business case for managers and practitioners in formulating their strategic and MCS responses to climate change issues. Originality/value The authors focus on carbon MCS and adopt a wider range of carbon MCS levers than previous research. The authors discern not only non-financial benefits but also financial benefits from MCS use.

The Journey From Development to Appraisal

This case study describes an initiative to change a long-standing performance management process at a large manufacturing facility within General Mills that emphasized the attainment of objective performance measures (the “what” of performance) to one that also included the “how” of goal achievement. The organization embarked on a 3-year pilot evaluation of the use of 360 Feedback as a possible solution to replace or supplement their traditional single-source (supervisor) performance appraisal process. The two systems ran in parallel using 140 randomly selected employees. Results showed little correlation between the what measures of performance from the traditional appraisals and the how data collected using the 360 Feedback, supporting the view that job performance should be viewed as requiring both aspects of evaluation, using different methods of assessment. Ultimately, the organization maintained both systems but integrated 360 Feedback into the traditional appraisals as well, creating complementary processes that looked “forward” (development) and “past” (performance).