Using PPT to Analyze Suboptimal Human–Automation Performance

Diagnostic automation aids are designed to improve human performance by increasing accuracy in event detection tasks. However, human–automation performance has frequently fallen short of expectations, particularly when the aid is highly reliable. In those cases, human–automation performance is often suboptimal, in that a human being augmented with a diagnostic aid does more poorly than the automation itself. Previously, there have been only ambiguous explanations for why this occurs, with few suggestions on how to effectively eliminate suboptimal performance. Fortunately, with the advent of a new general theory of task performance, termed Potential Performance Theory (PPT) by D. Trafimow and S. Rice (2008 Trafimow, D. and Rice, S. 2008. Potential Performance Theory: A general theory of task performance applied to morality. Psychological Review, 115(2): 447–462. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; 2009), one can now determine exactly why suboptimal performance occurs. Results from the present study reveal that inconsistency is the culprit, rather than just poor strategy selection. Furthermore, PPT allows one to determine exactly how much of the performance decrement is because of inconsistency.     

Chapter 12: New Significance and Identity: A Practical Theological Perspective

SUMMARY

This article looks at personal worth and identity, dependence, time and experience, change and loss, death, work and leisure from a distinctively Christian point of view that frees us from the distortions and dread of aging. We are called to embrace life as new creations through the years.     

网络游戏成瘾与海洛因成瘾存在相同的神经机制吗?——基于MRI的证据

网游成瘾与海洛因成瘾具有许多相似的临床表现,但其神经机制是否相同还不得而知。综合近5年来的MRI研究发现,两类成瘾存在部分相同区域的脑结构和功能损害,且在成瘾线索诱发下二者的4个成瘾相关环路(认知控制环路、奖赏环路、动机环路和记忆-学习环路)均出现了广泛而增强的脑区激活反应。但海洛因成瘾的脑损害区域偏向更高级的认知控制环路和奖赏环路,损害范围也更广(4个环路的功能连通性均降低),而网游成瘾的脑损害主要发生在相对低级的记忆-学习环路和动机环路,损害范围也较窄(功能连通性降低只发生在认知控制和记忆-学习环路之间)。这些结果说明,两类成瘾行为的神经机制既有相同点,又有差异性。     

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia in alcohol dependent patients: a randomized controlled pilot trial

In a randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral treatment for insomnia to improve sleep and daytime symptoms, and to reduce relapse in recovering alcohol dependent (AD) participants. Seventeen abstinent AD patients with insomnia (6 women, mean age 46.2 ± 10.1 years) were randomized to 8 sessions of cognitive-behavioral treatment for insomnia for AD (CBTI-AD, n = 9) or to a behavioral placebo treatment (BPT, n = 8). Subjective measures of sleep, daytime consequences of insomnia and AD, alcohol use, and treatment fidelity were collected at baseline and post-treatment. Diary-rated sleep efficiency and wake after sleep onset, and daytime ratings of General Fatigue on the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory improved more in the CBTI-AD compared to the BPT group. In addition, more subjects were classified as treatment responders following CBTI-AD. No group differences were found in the number of participants who relapsed to any drinking or who relapsed to heavy drinking. The findings suggest that cognitive-behavioral insomnia therapy benefits subjective sleep and daytime symptoms in recovering AD participants with insomnia more than placebo. The benefits of treating insomnia on drinking outcomes are less apparent.     

More than fair: Outcome dependence, system justification, and the perceived legitimacy of authority figures

Legitimacy is a source of power for authorities because it promotes voluntary deference on the part of followers. From a system justification perspective, there is also reason to believe that power is a source of perceived legitimacy. We report five studies demonstrating that in addition to procedural fairness and outcome favorability, outcome dependence is an independent contributor to perceived legitimacy. In two cross-sectional field studies and one panel study, we hypothesized and found that dependence on an authority figure is positively associated with appraisals of legitimacy, measured in terms of trust and confidence in, empowerment of, and deference to authority. These effects were demonstrated in educational, political, and legal settings. Two additional experiments provided direct causal evidence for the hypothesized effect on both perceived legitimacy and voluntary deference (i.e., acquiescence to additional requests). We also found that participants assigned to a high (vs. low) dependence condition judged their outcomes to be more favorable, despite the fact that the outcomes were identical in the two conditions; this effect was mediated by perceived legitimacy. Taken as a whole, these findings suggest that perceived legitimacy is enhanced not only when authorities exercise fair procedures and deliver favorable outcomes, but also when subordinates are dependent on them. Implications for society and the study of legitimacy and social power are discussed.     

Silicon in ‘pure gold’? Theoretical contributions and observations on teleanalysis by videoconference

Ideas about psychoanalysis via videoconference—videoconference teleanalysis (VT)—are presented with the general understanding that these settings produce a twofold split between various degrees of recognition/negativisation of the absence of the other, on one hand, and the expectation of physical co‐presence, on the other. This split has been put forward as dismantling the here, now, with me pre‐reflexive unity of the analytic experience. This article suggests that both members of the analytic dyad will seek to reappropriate the experience through a forced ego integration that interferes with accessing states of unintegration in the analytic treatment and produces subtle alterations to symbolisation work. The effort to overcome this condition is illustrated with clinical vignettes and therapists’ comments about feelings of inauthenticity and discontent when trying to sustain evenly‐suspended attention, as well as in the perception of a form of flattening of the alive nature of speech. However, this is not a constant for all VT, and mutual understanding can be an important mitigating feature. The focus of the discussion should be on the capacity of the analytic dyad to overcome such a split and not on a direct extrapolation of the perceptual limitations of VT to possible effects on transference / countertransference.     

Do PTSD symptoms and course predict continued substance use for homeless individuals in contingency management for cocaine dependence?

Homeless individuals (n = 187) entering contingency management (CM) for cocaine dependence were assessed for PTSD diagnosis, and a subset of 102 participants reporting traumatic exposure also periodically completed a self-report measure of PTSD symptoms. Patients with PTSD in full remission at 6 months (end of active treatment) and 12 months (end of aftercare) used substances much less frequently during aftercare than those with no PTSD diagnosis. Those whose PTSD diagnosis improved to full remission status during active treatment, and remained in full remission at 12 months, also had superior substance use outcomes. Severity of PTSD symptoms at 6 months, but not baseline or 2 months, was associated with substance use across treatment phases. Substance use during aftercare, however, was better predicted by changes in PTSD symptom severity. Patients whose PTSD symptoms improved more during active treatment fared better during aftercare than those with less improvement. Findings suggest homeless individuals with comorbid PTSD entering CM for cocaine dependence are not necessarily at increased risk for substance use compared to those without the comorbidity. However, course of PTSD does predict substance use, with the potential for CM to be unusually effective for those who respond with substantial, lasting improvements in PTSD.     

Pharmacologic and Behavioral Withdrawal From Addictive Drugs

ABSTRACT— Recent theories suggest that drug withdrawal does not motivate drug use and relapse. However, data now show that withdrawal produces complex changes over time in at least two symptoms (i.e., negative affect and urges) that are highly predictive of relapse. Evidence suggests that falling levels of the drug in the blood and interruption of the drug self-administration ritual both affect these symptoms. Both of these forms of withdrawal motivate renewed drug use in addicted individuals.     

海洛因戒除者对相关线索和负性生理线索的注意偏向

以84名海洛因戒除者和20名正常成人为被试,采用情绪stroop范式探讨了不同康复时相海洛因戒除者对海洛因相关线索和负性生理线索的注意偏向。结果发现,海洛因戒除者对表征与海洛因滥用相关的负性生理线索和表征海洛因使用行为的相关线索存在同等效力的注意偏向,且在不同康复时相内具有稳定性。该研究为解释基于戒除症状的负性情绪对于诱发依赖者药物渴求感和复吸行为的作用及整合基于对相关线索注意偏向的认知加工理论和基于对负性情绪的回避的负强化情绪加工理论提供了实验证据。