The dynamic framework of mind wandering revisited: How mindful meta-awareness affects mental states’ constraints

The dynamic framework of mind wandering (Christoff, Irving, Fox, Spreng, & Andrews-Hanna, 2016) is reviewed and modified through integrating the construct of mindful meta-awareness. The dynamic framework maintains that mind wandering belongs to a family of spontaneous thought phenomena. The key defining feature of mind wandering is ‘spontaneity’ which characterizes the dynamic nature of thoughts in the framework. The argument is made that incorporating the mindful meta-awareness construct modifies the dynamic framework as follows: (1) the framework’s criteria for mind wandering do not hold anymore as meta-awareness changes the relationship between thoughts and constraints, and (2) lucid dreaming can be categorized as unguided thought while at the same time being dependent on deliberate constraints. Finally, the application of this modified framework will be discussed in terms of the treatment of mental disorders related to spontaneous thought alterations, in particular depression and nightmares.     

Driver's avoidance characteristics to hazardous situations: A driving simulator study

When analyzing the causes of an accident, it is critical to determine whether the driver could have prevented the accident. In previous studies on the reaction times of drivers, the definition and values of reaction times vary, so applying reaction time is difficult. In such analysis, the driver’s reaction time from perception is required to determine whether the driver could have prevented the accident, but past studies are difficult to utilize in accident analysis as reaction time measurements were taken after the occurrence of hazardous situations. In this study, 93 subjects from age groups ranging from 20 s to 40 s participated in an experiment inside a full-scale driving simulator, to determine reaction time values that can be practically applied to accident analysis. A total of 4 hazardous accident situations were reproduced, including driving over the centerline, pedestrian jaywalking, a vehicle cutting in, and intersection traffic signal violation. The Time-To-Collision (TTC) was 2.5 s and the driving speed was set to the common city road speed limits of 60 and 80 km/h. An eye tracker was used to determine the driver’s Saccade Latency (SL) during hazardous situations. Brake Reaction Time from Perception (BRT_P), Steer Reaction Time from Perception (SRT_P), and Driver Reaction Time from Perception (DRT_P) were derived, and the measurements were statistically analyzed to investigate differences by age group, gender, speed, and type of hazardous situation. Most participants were found to avoid collisions by braking first rather than steering for the presented hazardous situations, except for the cutting in situation. Also, to determine a reaction time that would cover most drivers, the 85th percentile of DRT_P was calculated. The 85th percentile of DRT_P was in the range of 0.550 – 0.800 s. Specifically for each hazardous situation, it was 0.650 s for driving over the centerline, 0.800 s for the pedestrian jaywalking, 0.660 s for cutting in, and 0.550 s for the intersection traffic signal violation. For all 4 hazardous situations combined, the 85th percentile of DRT_P was 0.646 s. The findings can be utilized to determine the driver’s likelihood of avoiding accidents when faced with similar hazardous situations.     

Infant media use: A harm reduction approach

There are a myriad of potentially harmful developmental outcomes associated with infant digital media use. Studies revealing risk associated with early media use have informed the current American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations that discourage most digital media use among children under 18 months of age. Recent research advances, however, suggest potential benefits of technology engagement in this age group. Additionally, surveys of parents reveal that most infants engage with digital media for at least 30 min a day, exceeding the AAP recommendations. In response to these discoveries and cultural trends, some scholars have made compelling cases to adapt the AAP guidelines for infants. A helpful model for developing infant digital media use guidelines for families may be the harm reduction approach. The intent of this review is to suggest adaptations to the AAP guidelines for infant media engagement using a harm reduction framework. This review describes the challenge of restrictive guidelines, briefly summarizes the harm reduction approach, provides a review of risks and benefits associated with infant media use in each developmental domain (physical, cognitive, and socioemotional), summarizes correlates of infant screen media use, and examines intervention strategies for reducing screen time. The paper concludes with examples of possible adaptations to current AAP infant media use recommendations using harm reduction and bioecological frameworks.     

Screens across the pond: Findings from longitudinal screen time research in the US and UK

Digital media are increasingly pervasive in the lives of young children. This increase in the availability of digital media might have long-run implications for child development; however, it is too soon to definitively conclude the direction of effects. In part due to this lack of certainty, leading health organizations have chosen to make different recommendations to parents of young children: Many international health organizations (e.g., the American Academy of Pediatrics, World Health Organization) recommend very young children be limited to under one hour of screen time daily, whereas others (e.g., Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health) have intentionally opted not to make recommendations about specific limits. These guidelines might contribute to parents in different countries making meaningfully different choices about children’s use of digital media. Using a sample of N = 303 families recruited in Cambridgeshire, England and New York City prior to the birth of couples’ first child, we explore predictors of digital media use across the first two years of life. Data were collected when children were 4, 14, and 24 months of age. Results of latent growth curve analyses show that generally, children spend more time engaging with digital media as they grow older; however, growth mixture models reveal most children fit into one of two classes: One group of children (High Media Users; 52.2 %) engages with a substantial amount of digital media, whereas the other (Low Media Users; 48.8 %) engages with relatively little. Children in the US were approximately 30 % more likely to be in the Low Media Users group and there were no differences in group membership on the basis of parents’ psychosocial wellbeing. While these differences could be due to a number of factors, these findings may reflect the power of pediatric recommendations.     

Associations among average parental educational attainment,maternal stress,and infant screen exposure at 6 months of age

Evidence suggests that increased use of screens early in life may have negative developmental consequences for children. However, little is known concerning parental factors that predict initial screen exposure in infancy. The primary goal of this study was to examine whether parental educational attainment and maternal stress were associated with infant screen exposure by 6 months of age. A diverse sample of mothers (N = 93) was recruited prenatally. In a follow-up visit when the infants were six months of age (N = 82), we examined factors that may be associated with initial infant exposure to screens. First, mothers reported whether they had already exposed their infants to screens. Thereafter, those mothers who reported already having exposed their infants to screens were further queried to determine the extent of infant screen use. Results demonstrated that among infants exposed to screens, mothers reported an average of nearly 3 h of daily screen use. Average parental educational attainment, but not maternal stress, was significantly associated with initial infant exposure. Of those families who endorsed screen exposure by 6 months, 70 % reported a screen in the room where the child sleeps, nearly half reported using screens to help calm the infant, and about a third reported using a screen at least sometimes during meals, when going to sleep, and while waiting. Parental education around infant screen use behaviors may be important to help promote child development and outcomes.     

时间与金钱概念对消费者购买决策的不同影响及其心理机制

时间与金钱是影响人们消费行为决策的两种不同的重要资源。消费者在进行产品购买时, 常常会受到商家广告语和购物环境中所隐含的时间或金钱概念的影响, 从而做出不同的决策。具体而言, 时间与金钱概念会对消费者的购前决策、购中决策及购后决策三个方面产生不同的影响。从双加工理论的角度来看, 产生这种不同影响背后的心理机制在于时间与金钱概念启动了个体不同的认知加工方式和思维定势, 进而影响了消费者不同的购买决策。未来的研究方向有：(1)细化时间和金钱概念启动对消费者购买决策的不同影响; (2)考虑时间与金钱的权衡对购买决策的影响; (3)进一步探究时间和金钱概念的激活对购前决策的不同影响; (4)探讨时间概念与金钱概念对购买决策不同影响的神经机制。     

CBT对社交焦虑障碍有效干预的神经预测因子及机器学习应用

认知行为疗法（CBT）是社交焦虑障碍的标准疗法,对其疗效的神经预测因子研究有利于个性化诊疗方案选择。初步证据表明,干预前高级视皮层、背侧前扣带回、背内/外侧前额叶及眶额皮层的功能激活,杏仁核与情绪调节相关脑区的结构与功能连接,情绪性刺激诱发的晚期正成分与治疗后症状的改善有关,因而是潜在的预测因子。基于机器学习的个体化预测存在样本量小的突出问题。未来研究应考虑跨研究机构合作共享大数据,在多模态、多任务条件下收集数据,并在独立样本中验证预测的有效性。     

Transcranial direct-current stimulation enhances implicit motor sequence learning in persons with Parkinson's disease with mild cognitive impairment

Implicit motor sequence learning (IMSL) is affected in Parkinson's disease (PD). Research in healthy young participants shows the potential for transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) over the primary motor cortex (M1) to enhance IMSL. In PD, only null effects have been reported to date. We determined concurrent, short-term, and long-term effects of anodal tDCS over M1 on IMSL, as measured by the serial reaction time (SRT) task, in persons with PD with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Concurrent (anodal/sham tDCS intervention during the SRT task), short-term (5 min post-intervention), and long-term (1 week post-intervention) effects on IMSL were evaluated in persons with idiopathic PD (Hoehn and Yahr stage II-III) with MCI. Results of 11 persons with PD (8 men and 3 women; mean age = 77.1 years; mean disease duration = 7.7 years) showed significant IMSL in the anodal (p = .016), but not in the sham tDCS condition (p = .937). Post-hoc analyses showed that IMSL reached statistical significance at 1 week post-intervention (p < .001). Anodal tDCS over M1 exerted beneficial effects on IMSL in persons with PD with MCI, in particular one week post-intervention. Our study is the first to report a positive effect of tDCS on IMSL in PD. Further research should include a larger, more cognitively diverse sample and additional follow-up periods.     

Child care centre adherence to infant physical activity and screen time recommendations in Australia,Canada and the United States: An observational study

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to compare adherence to physical activity and sedentary behaviour recommendations within the 2011 Institute of Medicine Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies as well as screen time recommendations from the 2013 American Academy of Pediatrics for samples of infants in child care centres in Australia, Canada, and the United States (US).MethodsThis cross-sectional study used data from: the Australian 2013 Standing Preschools (N = 9) and the 2014–2017 Early Start Baseline (N = 22) studies; the 2011 Canadian Healthy Living Habits in Pre-School Children study (N = 14); and the American 2008 (N = 31) and 2013–2017 (N = 31) Baby Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) trials. Data were compared on the above infant recommendations. Percentages were used to describe compliance to the recommendations and chi-square tests to determine whether compliance differed by country.ResultsChild care centres were most compliant (74%–95%) with recommendations to: provide daily indoor opportunities for infants to move freely under adult supervision, daily tummy time for infants less than 6 months of age, indoor and outdoor recreation areas that encourage infants to be physically active, and discourage screen time. Centres were least compliant (38%-41%) with adhering to recommendations to: limit the use of equipment that restricts an infant’s movement and provide education about physical activity to families. Compared with Canadian and US centres, Australian centres were less compliant (46%) with the recommendation to engage with infants on the ground each day, to optimize adult-infant interactions and to limit the use of equipment that restricts the infant’s movement. Canadian centres were less compliant (39%) with the recommendation to provide training to staff and education to parents about children’s physical activity. US centres were less compliant (25%–41%) with the recommendations to provide daily opportunities for infants to explore their outdoor environment, limit the use of equipment that restricts the infant’s movement and provide education to families about children’s physical activity.ConclusionsAssisting child care centres on limiting the use of equipment that restricts an infant’s movement, and providing education about children’s physical activity to families may be important targets for future interventions.