Towards Automating Decision Aiding Through Argumentation

Decision aiding can be abstractly described as the process of assisting a user/client/decision maker by recommending possible courses of his action. This process has to be able to cope with incomplete and/or inconsistent information and must adapt to the dynamics of the environment in which it is carried out. Indeed, on the one hand, complete information about the environment is almost impossible, and on the other hand, the information provided by the user is often affected by uncertainty; it may contains inconsistencies and may dynamically be revised because of various reasons. The aim of this paper is to present a model of the decision aiding process that is amenable to automation. The main features of the approach is that it models decision aiding as an iterative defeasible reasoning process, and it uses argumentation for capturing important aspects of the process. More specifically, argumentation is used for representing the relations between the cognitive artefacts that are involved in decision aiding, as well as for modelling the artefacts themselves. In modelling the cognitive artefacts, we make use of the notion of argument schemes and specify the related critical questions. More specifically, the work reported here aims at initiating a systematic study of the use of argumentation in future decision aiding tools. Our ambition is twofold: (i) enhance decision support capabilities of an analyst representing explicitly and accountably the reasons for which he recommend a solution for a decision maker and (ii) enhance decision support capabilities of an (semi) automatic device to handle (at least partially) the dialogue with the user. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Genetic Association Between ADHD Symptoms and Reading Difficulties: The Role of Inattentiveness and IQ

Previous studies have documented the primarily genetic aetiology for the stronger phenotypic covariance between reading disability and ADHD inattention symptoms, compared to hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms. In this study, we examined to what extent this covariation could be attributed to “generalist genes” shared with general cognitive ability or to “specialist” genes which may specifically underlie processes linking inattention symptoms and reading difficulties. We used multivariate structural equation modeling on IQ, parent and teacher ADHD ratings and parent ratings on reading difficulties from a general population sample of 1312 twins aged 7.9–10.9 years. The covariance between reading difficulties and ADHD inattention symptoms was largely driven by genetic (45%) and child-specific environment (21%) factors not shared with IQ and hyperactivity-impulsivity; only 11% of the covariance was due to genetic effects common with IQ. Aetiological influences shared among all phenotypes explained 47% of the variance in reading difficulties. The current study, using a general population sample, extends previous findings by showing, first, that the shared genetic variability between reading difficulties and ADHD inattention symptoms is largely independent from genes contributing to general cognitive ability and, second, that child-specific environment factors, independent from IQ, also contribute to the covariation between reading difficulties and inattention symptoms.     

Unemployment alters the set point for life satisfaction

Abstract— According to set-point theories of subjective well-being, people react to events but then return to baseline levels of happiness and satisfaction over time. We tested this idea by examining reaction and adaptation to unemployment in a 15-year longitudinal study of more than 24,000 individuals living in Germany. In accordance with set-point theories, individuals reacted strongly to unemployment and then shifted back toward their baseline levels of life satisfaction. However, on average, individuals did not completely return to their former levels of satisfaction, even after they became reemployed. Furthermore, contrary to expectations from adaptation theories, people who had experienced unemployment in the past did not react any less negatively to a new bout of unemployment than did people who had not been previously unemployed. These results suggest that although life satisfaction is moderately stable over time, life events can have a strong influence on long-term levels of subjective well-being.     

The adjunctive role of imagery on the functional rehabilitation of a grade II ankle sprain

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of imagery on muscular endurance, dynamic balance, and functional stability in athletes who sustained a grade II ankle sprain. The sample consisted of 20 active athletes (aged from 18 to 30 years) with a grade II ankle sprain, as confirmed by ultrasound testing. The participants were randomly divided into two groups of 10 participants each; one experimental and one control group. The experimental group received 12 individual sessions of imagery rehearsal in addition to a normal course of physical therapy, while the control group followed only the physical therapy treatment. Results revealed significant differences only in the variable of muscular endurance. This study partly supports the contribution of imagery to the functional rehabilitation of grade II ankle sprain. Further research should be conducted to examine the effect of imagery on the functional rehabilitation of sport injuries using other tests of functional rehabilitation along with larger sample sizes.     

Development of a Robust Multicriteria Classification Model for Monitoring the Postoperative Behaviour of Heart Patients

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia occurring in 2% of the general population, while the assuming projected incidence in 2050 will rise to 4.3%. This paper presents a multicriteria methodology for the development of a model for monitoring the post‐operative behaviour of patients who have received treatment for AF. The model classifies the patients in seven categories according to their relapse risk, on the basis of seven criteria related to the AF type and pathology conditions, the treatment received by the patients and their medical history. The analysis is based on an extension of the UTilités Additives DIScriminantes (UTADIS) method, through the introduction of a two‐stage model development procedure that minimizes the number and the magnitude of the misclassifications. The analysis is based on a sample of 116 patients who had pulmonary veins isolation in a Greek public hospital. The classification accuracy of the best fitted models scores between 71% and 84%. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Double Deduction System for Quantum Logic Based On Natural Deduction

The author presents a deduction system for Quantum Logic. This system is a combination of a natural deduction system and rules based on the relation of compatibility. This relation is the logical correspondant of the commutativity of observables in Quantum Mechanics or perpendicularity in Hilbert spaces.Contrary to the system proposed by Gibbins and Cutland, the natural deduction part of the system is pure: no algebraic artefact is added. The rules of the system are the rules of Classical Natural Deduction in which is added a control of contexts using the compatibility relation.The author uses his system to prove the following theorem: if propositions of a quantum logical propositional calculus system are mutually compatible, they form a classical subsystem.     

Skills Evaluator: a multicriteria decision support system for the evaluation of qualifications and skills in Information and Communication Technologies

Employees need to acquire new qualifications throughout their lives in order to deal with the multiple changes in the labour market. This knowledge and competences (formally or non-formally acquired) must be identified and evaluated. For that reason, an integrated approach to the evaluation of Information and Communication Technology knowledge and skills is proposed. The multicriteria method that has been developed refers to professionals who wish to be accredited in a particular specialization through the evaluation of their professional experience, studies and vocational training. The aim of this paper is to present the multicriteria decision support system, Skills Evaluator, which brings into effect the aforementioned method. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A critical assessment of pedestrian behaviour models

This paper concerns a review and critical assessment of the existing research on pedestrian behaviour in urban areas, focusing on two separate yet complementary aspects: route choice and crossing behaviour. First, an exhaustive review of the existing route choice models for pedestrians is presented. It is shown that the existing models are mainly more stochastic and more macroscopic than required and seldom incorporate the interactions between pedestrians and traffic. Second, the existing models on pedestrians crossing behaviour are presented and assessed. It is shown that, although their approach is usually detailed, deterministic and traffic-oriented, they are mainly devoted to a local level behaviour and focus on only one type of all the potential determinants. Most importantly, these two complementary and possibly interdependent aspects of pedestrian behaviour are always examined separately. The results of this review reveal a lack of an overall and detailed consideration of pedestrian behaviour along an entire trip in urban areas. Moreover, the need for an integrated approach based on flexibility, disaggregation and more determinism is identified. Accordingly, a set of modelling techniques are discussed as a general framework for further research in the field.     

Mechanisms underlying the self-talk–performance relationship: The effects of motivational self-talk on self-confidence and anxiety

ObjectivesThe present study examined the effects of motivational self-talk on self-confidence, anxiety, and task performance in young athletes.MethodsParticipants were 72 tennis players. The experiment was conducted in five sessions: baseline assessment, three training sessions, and final assessment. After the baseline assessment participants were divided and assigned randomly into experimental and control groups. The two groups followed the same training program with the experimental group practicing the use of self-talk. In the last session, the final assessment took place. A forehand drive test was used to evaluate task performance, and the Competitive Anxiety Inventory-2R was used to assess self-confidence and anxiety.ResultsA two-way mixed model MANOVA revealed that task performance improved for the experimental group (p < .01) and remained stable for the control group; self-confidence increased (p < .01) and cognitive anxiety decreased (p < .05) for the experimental group, whereas no changes were observed for the control group. Correlation analysis revealed that changes in task performance were moderately related to changes in self-confidence (p < .05).ConclusionsThe results of the study showed that self-talk can enhance self-confidence and reduce cognitive anxiety. Furthermore, it is suggested that increases in self-confidence can be regarded as a viable function explaining the facilitating effects of self-talk on performance.     

Differences in smoking attitudes of adolescents and young adults

This study employed the Theory of Planned Behavior to examine the differences between adolescent (n = 182) and young adults (n = 209) in their intention to smoke and examined possible differences. Analysis showed that young adults had more positive self-reported attitudes toward smoking than adolescents, had higher intentions to smoke, lower perceived behavioral control over smoking and perceived they were more informed about smoking. The Theory of Planned Behavior provided good prediction of intention for both young adults (R2 = .70, attitudes, information, and past behavior significant) and adolescents (R2 = .68, attitudes, past behavior significant). For both samples attitudes were the strongest predictor of intentions to smoke. Implications for understanding intention toward smoking between adolescents and young adults are discussed.