Differential association between food craving,food addiction and eating-related characteristics in persons at risk for eating disorders

IntroductionFood craving is a key feature of eating disorders, but its association with medical and psychological outcome might depend on the type of eating disorder.ObjectivesThis study investigated the factors associated with food craving in individuals at risk for DSM-5 eating disorder.MethodSeventy-six women were recruited from a non-clinical population (n = 372) based on their positive screening (EDDS, QEWP-R) for binge eating disorder (BED; n = 29), anorexia nervosa (AN; n = 28) or bulimia nervosa (BN; n = 19). They completed self-administered questionnaires assessing food craving (FCQ- T-r), Body Mass Index (BMI), eating behaviour (DEBQ), food addiction (YFAS 2.0), and anxiety and depressive symptoms (HADS).ResultsIndividuals at risk for BED or BN had higher food craving than those at risk for AN. Food craving was associated with BMI only in the BED group. Food craving was positively correlated with external eating in all groups, and with emotional eating in the AN and BED groups and correlated with anxiety only in BN. Food addiction prevalence was higher in the BN group than in the AN or BED groups (respectively 94.7%, 46.4% and 65.5%; p < 0.01). In this non-clinical population, we demonstrated that food craving was differentially associated with BMI and eating-related characteristics according to the type of eating disorder.ConclusionThis suggests that food craving is a transdiagnostic dimension that should be differentially targeted depending on the type of eating disorder; future studies should test this hypothesis in clinical populations.     

Investigating route learning,metacognition, and beacon-based strategies using virtual environments

IntroductionDominant theories of wayfinding may have underestimated the ease with which adults can learn a route, even with minimal exposure to that route.ObjectivesIn this paper we present three different experiments to provide a comprehensive picture of whether adults can learn complex routes consisting of a number of choicepoints, and if so, what strategies they might be employing to do so.Methodand results We found that adults could learn a 15-junction route after only a single experience of the route (Experiment 1) but that they underestimated how good they would be at learning the 15-junction route (Experiment 2). In Experiment 3, we found that when learning a route made up of “T” shaped junctions, participants relied on a “beacon” strategy based on visual matching.ConclusionsCollectively, these findings suggest that adults can learn complex routes, even with as many as 15 choicepoints, very quickly and without the need for repeated exposure. These findings have implications for theories of wayfinding and call into question the need for repeated exposure.     

Personal values and unsanctioned aggression inherent in contact sports: The role of self-regulatory mechanisms,aggressiveness, and demographic variables

IntroductionTo date, research-examining factors related to the sociocognitive self-regulatory mechanisms governing unsanctioned aggression have received scant attention in applied sport psychology.ObjectiveA mediating model as influenced by various demographic variables was applied to explore the relationships between athletes’ personal values and their unsanctioned aggression directly and indirectly through the mediating role of resistive self-regulatory efficacy, moral disengagement, and aggressiveness.MethodA sample of 301 French competitors of different age (young: n = 200 and adult: n = 101), gender (male: n = 172 and female: n = 129), type of sport (high: n = 131 and low contact: n = 170), level of competition (beginner: n = 115, intermediate: n = 110, and advanced: n = 76), and length of practice (brief: n = 109, intermediate: n = 49, and extensive: n = 143) completed a questionnaire assessing the aforementioned variables.ResultsStructural equation modelling demonstrates that self-transcendence and self-enhancement values have only indirect negative and positive effects, respectively, on unsanctioned aggression through the full mediating effect of the mediators. Also, age, gender, and type of sport were predictive only of some personal values and mediators.ConclusionThese findings offer evidence that resistive self-regulatory efficacy, moral disengagement, and aggressiveness are mediators that fully govern the impact of athletes’ personal values and certain demographic variables on their unsanctioned aggression. Several limitations, implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.     

Average impact and important features of onboard eco-driving feedback: A meta-analysis

Eco-driving refers to suites of behavior a driver can engage in to improve fuel economy. The most common strategy used to promote eco-driving is onboard feedback that conveys information about fuel efficiency to the driver. This paper presents a statistical meta-analysis of eco-driving feedback studies in order to determine a weighted estimate of the average impact of feedback on fuel economy and explore potential moderators of its effectiveness, particularly regarding features of the feedback interface design. The main effect of onboard feedback on fuel economy across the final sample of 17 studies and 23 effect sizes was 6.6% improvement. Feedback that included information about both instantaneous and accumulated performance predicted larger effects. Though not statistically significant, trends in relationships between other feedback design features and fuel economy outcomes aligned with study hypotheses. Length of feedback intervention negatively related to effects, and pairing feedback with instructions or rewards predicted larger effects.     

Traffic safety competencies in Peruvian high school students

This study aims to comprehend traffic safety competencies in high school students from two specific regions of Peru, as well as to analyze the differences between both groups. For this purpose, a qualitative study was carried out which consisted of eight focus groups in high schools, three of them in the metropolitan area of Lima (Lima region) and five in the province of Rodríguez de Mendoza (the Amazonas region). The focus groups were constituted by 73 students enrolled in the last three years of high school, named 3rd, 4th and 5th grade of secondary education, whose ages ranged from 14 to 18 years. The collected data were analyzed employing elements of Grounded Theory and Axiomatic Set Theory. The main findings reveal that most participants have a general understanding of traffic rules and the proper use of the components of traffic safety. Thus, they understand the traffic rules as road signs that regulate the behavior of drivers and pedestrians. In addition, participants know the proper procedure to follow at traffic lights, pedestrian walkways and how to use seat belts. They also identify the driver’s tiredness/drowsiness, and the consumption of alcohol and drugs as potential factors that cause traffic accidents. No causes that are linked to pedestrian behavior were identified, and only participants from the Amazonas region mentioned speeding as a contributing factor. On the other hand, participants report that in practical situations they engage in risky behavior and fail to comply with transit rules. They justify this behavior by citing poor infrastructure, vehicle malfunctions, and the need get around quickly in order to get things done. Finally, the implications of the results are discussed and compared to the content and implementation of the Peruvian Road Safety Educational Program (PENSV, for its acronym in Spanish), providing recommendations that can aid evidence‐based policy making in Peru.     

Cyclist strategies and behaviour at intersections. Conscious and un-conscious strategies regarding positioning

Severe and even fatal accidents between cyclists and motor vehicles commonly occur at intersections. Many of these accidents occur with right-turning vehicles, with drivers not observing an adjacent cyclist. Few structured investigations exist regarding the interaction between cyclist and motor vehicle, and factors in need of study are how infrastructure and vehicle properties affect human decision-making and cycling behaviour. Therefore, a bicycle simulator study was performed, where vehicle type, presence of lane markings and lane width were systematically varied in a scenario with a cyclist approaching a vehicle from behind, at a signalized city intersection. 33 participants cycled through 8 intersection variants each. Data on cycling trajectories, stopping points and speed was coupled with survey data from the participants, and semantically categorized verbal responses to questions regarding strategy for choice of stopping point. Results show that all three factors (vehicle type, lane markings and available vehicle-adjacent space) significantly affects cyclists’ behaviour and conscious strategies. Participants were more cautious in the presence of a truck than a car, reflected in choice of position when cycling and stopping, and in explicit verbalisations regarding perilous aspects of the situation and their conscious and strategic choice of positioning. Available lateral space also affected stop positions and feeling of safety (expressed verbally). Presence of bicycle lane markings made the cyclists inclined to continue into the space to the right of the vehicle. This was revealed by their positioning and speed, and also apparent in the verbal expressions, especially the positive remarks on the situation and conditions. However, the perceived comfort with lane markings present was actually lower than when they were missing. Cyclist type (slow, moderate, or fast) matters with the self-reported faster cyclists being more prone to stop to the right than the slower one.     

Prevalence and factors associated with turn signal neglect-related crashes among motorcyclists and car drivers in Vietnam

Road traffic crashes and injuries are a major societal challenge around the world. However, the majority of injuries and fatalities occur disproportionately in low-income and medium-income countries. Previous studies have concluded that risky behaviours were the main contributing factor of traffic crashes. Turn signal neglect (TSN) when making a turn is one of those risky behaviours. Unfortunately, research on TSN has been very limited. This study investigates the prevalence of TSN-related crashes and factors affecting TSN among motorcyclists and car drivers. Data was obtained from self-administered questionnaires conducted in Vietnam. The findings showed that 17.54% of motorcyclists and 14.76% of car drivers have experienced at least one crash caused by their failure to turn signals in the last three years. Additionally, fewer years having a riding/driving license, longer daily travelling time, lower frequency of turn signal use, and having received a fine due to TSN were found to be positively associated with TSN-related crashes for both motorcyclists and car drivers. The findings highlight the importance of TSN for road safety and the need for authorities to develop more effective educational strategies and to increase traffic law enforcement.     

Exploring the relationships between pedestrian behaviours and traffic safety attitudes in six countries

The majority of cross-cultural research on traffic safety has investigated driver behaviour, yet in most low- and middle-income countries, where the weight of the road fatality burden is felt, motorisation rates are significantly lower than in higher-income countries. As such, this approach necessarily excludes large parts of the populations in those settings. In order to investigate the link between traffic safety attitudes and road user behaviours, this study used a self-report measure of pedestrian behaviour, applying it in six countries; Bangladesh, China, Kenya, Thailand, the UK, and Vietnam. Focus was on the relationships between a respondent’s attitude towards risky or rule violating on-road behaviours (of other road users, or more generally, not specific to pedestrians), and the extent to which they reported performing three types of risky pedestrian behaviours (i.e., intentional rule violations, errors in judgement or memory, and aggressive behaviours). Data from a sample of 3,423 individuals was subjected to a series of regression models, revealing significant links between attitudes and pedestrian behaviours in all countries, in all three behavioural factors, after controlling for age, gender, and exposure to the road environment. Differences were found between countries in the strength of these relationships, with weaker connections between attitudes and behaviours in Kenya, and stronger connections in China (with other countries in-between the two). Results are discussed in terms of the need to understand the relationships between social cognitive constructs in the specific country in which a road safety intervention is intended to be implemented.     

App-based feedback on safety to novice drivers: Learning and monetary incentives

An over-proportionally large number of car crashes is caused by novice drivers. In a field experiment, we investigated whether and how car drivers who had recently obtained their driving license reacted to app-based feedback on their safety-relevant driving behavior (speeding, phone usage, cornering, acceleration and braking). Participants went through a pre-measurement phase during which they did not receive app-based feedback but driving behavior was recorded, a treatment phase during which they received app-based feedback, and a post-measurement phase during which they did not receive app-based feedback but driving behavior was recorded. Before the start of the treatment phase, we randomly assigned participants to two possible treatment groups. In addition to receiving app-based feedback, the participants of one group received monetary incentives to improve their safety-relevant driving behavior, while the participants of the other group did not. At the beginning and at the end of experiment, each participant had to fill out a questionnaire to elicit socio-economic and attitudinal information.We conducted regression analyses to identify socio-economic, attitudinal, and driving-behavior-related variables that explain safety-relevant driving behavior during the pre-measurement phase and the self-chosen intensity of app usage during the treatment phase. For the main objective of our study, we applied regression analyses to identify those variables that explain the potential effect of providing app-based feedback during the treatment phase on safety-relevant driving behavior. Last, we applied statistical tests of differences to identify self-selection and attrition biases in our field experiment.For a sample of 130 novice Austrian drivers, we found moderate improvements in safety-relevant driving skills due to app-based feedback. The improvements were more pronounced under the treatment with monetary incentives, and for participants choosing higher feedback intensities. Moreover, drivers who drove relatively safer before receiving app-based feedback used the app more intensely and, ceteris paribus, higher app use intensity led to improvements in safety-related driving skills. Last, we provide empirical evidence for both self-selection and attrition biases.     

The safety and conspicuity of pedestrian crossing at roundabouts: The effect of median refuge island and zebra markings

Roundabouts are one of the most used road intersections because, compared to signalized ones, they reduce conflict points between traffic flows and moderate driving speed. Great attention should also be paid to vulnerable road users at roundabouts. According to accident statistics, in fact, accessibility of pedestrians and cyclists is not always ensured.This paper has evaluated the effects on the visibility of pedestrian crossing before and after the displacement of zebra markings, moved before intersections, and the introduction of media refuge islands and “Yield here to pedestrians” vertical signs. The above effects have been assessed by before-after analysis of speed and visual behaviour of drivers approaching the crosswalk.Moreover, the analysis of the drivers’ eye movements has highlighted the most salient elements of the pedestrian crossing. The relation between the drivers’ visual behaviour and the vehicle speed have also been calculated. Results have confirmed that the intervention carried out has increased both visibility and safety of the studied pedestrian crosswalks.Zebra markings and the median refuge island have turned out to be the most glanced elements, respectively seen by 93.75% and 56.25% of the drivers, followed by the “Yield here to pedestrians” vertical sign. The mean distance of first fixation of the crosswalk increased from 21.98 m before the intervention, to 40.69 m after it. The drivers perceived the pedestrian crossings from a longer distance after the intervention, and they continued to glance at the crosswalk while approaching it, enhancing their visual attention.