On the Decision to Explore New Alternatives: The Coexistence of Under‐ and Over‐exploration

The decision whether to explore new alternatives or to choose from familiar ones is implicit in many of our daily activities. How is this decision made? When will deviation from optimal exploration be observed? The current paper examines exploration decisions in the context of a multi‐alternative “decisions from experience” task. In each trial, participants could choose a familiar option (the status quo) or a new alternative (risky exploration). The observed exploration rates were more sensitive to the frequent outcome from choosing new alternatives than to the average outcome. That is, the implicit decision whether to explore a new alternative reflects underweighting of rare events: Over‐exploration was documented in “Rare Disasters” environments, and insufficient exploration was evident in “Rare Treasures” environments. In addition, the results reveal a decrease in exploration of new alternatives over time even when it is always optimal and some exploration even when it is never reinforcing. These results can be captured with models that share a distinction between “data collection” and “outcome‐driven” decision modes. Under the data collection mode, the decision maker collects information about the environment, to be used in future choices. Under the outcome‐driven mode, the decision maker relies on small samples of previous experiences with familiar versus unfamiliar alternatives, before the selection of a specific alternative. The predictive value of a two‐parameter “explorative sampler” quantification of these assumptions is demonstrated. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The hidden cost of value-seeking: People do not accurately forecast the economic benefits of experiential purchases

In spite of the experiential advantage, people consume material items in the pursuit of happiness. We conducted three studies to determine if people commit forecasting errors when deciding between purchasing life experiences and material items. Study 1a showed that people expect life experiences to result in more well-being, whereas material items are forecasted to be a better use of money. However, Study 1b demonstrated that people enjoy greater well-being from life experiences and consider them to be a better use of money. Study 2, a four-week longitudinal study, corroborated this economic misforecast. Study 3 demonstrated that seeking to make good use of one’s money, compared to prioritizing happiness, is more important during material consumption, and when people attempt to maximize economic value, instead of their happiness, they are more likely to consume material items. We suggest that prioritizing value may encourage people to prefer material items instead of life experiences.     

Travailler dans un réseau de santé : effets sur la santé psychique au travail

The new needs as regards care taking charge of patients have contributed to the creation of health networks. As they are growing fast, they are an integral part of the French sanitation system. The impact, on the health professionals, of networking is, today, the object of contrasted research and results, but has little been studied as far as Social Psychology, Work and Organizations are concerned. This article follows a research project which had the objective, on the one hand, to describe the effects of the participation to a health network mental health at work and, on the other hand, to examine the variables and process accounting for the variability of these effects. This research privileges an approach to the health network as a place of socialization and personalization (Malrieu, 1979). The research on the ground is carried out in collaboration with the health network town-hospital Prevention and Taking charge of Pediatric Obesity Network (RéPPOP) Midi-Pyrénées. We have carried out semi-guided interviews with 20 private professionals (8 doctors, 8 dieticians, 3 psychologists, 1 physiotherapist) members of the RePPOP Midi-Pyrénées network. The main results show that the perception of positive and/or negative effects of networking on mental health varies according to the age of membership of the network and the processes of transfer of experience (from professional practice within the network to professional practice off-network and vice versa). Proposals are deduced in terms of continuing education within the network.     

When do employees cross boundaries? Individual and contextual determinants of career mobility

This study investigates the joint effects of individual characteristics and the labour market on career mobility. We propose that level of education, openness to experience, and a favourable labour market relate positively to employees crossing organizational, industrial, and occupational boundaries. Management programme alumni (N = 503) provided information through an online survey about their career histories, their level of education, and their openness to experience. Additionally, we used the unemployment rate as an indicator for yearly changes in the labour market. The results of our cross-classified multilevel analysis indicate that both individual characteristics and the labour market are determinants of career mobility. Level of education had a positive effect on organizational and industrial boundary crossing, and changes in the labour market related to organizational boundary crossing. Against our assumptions, openness to experience had no effect on career mobility, and none of the predictors were related to occupational boundary crossing. Our results demonstrate the importance of investigating career mobility from a boundary perspective combined with a focus on both individual and contextual characteristics. The dominance of education compared to personality and the difficulty of explaining occupational mobility open new research avenues and yield practical implications for employees, career counsellors, and organizations.     

Experiences of patients undergoing repeated intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections for neovascular age-related macular degeneration

Current therapy to slow disease progression in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) entails regular intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections, often indefinitely. Little is known about the burden imposed on patients by this repetitive treatment schedule and how this can be best managed. The aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial impact of repeated intravitreal injections on patients with neovascular AMD. Forty patients (16 males, 24 females) with neovascular AMD undergoing anti-VEGF treatment were recruited using purposive sampling from a private ophthalmology practice and public hospital in Melbourne. Patients were surveyed using the Macular Disease Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (MacTSQ; Bradley, Health Psychology Research Unit, Surrey, England) and underwent semi-structured, one-on-one interviews. Interview topics were: treatment burden and satisfaction; tolerability; barriers to adherence; treatment motivation; and patient education. Interviews were audio recorded and thematic analysis performed using NVivo 10 (QSR International, Doncaster, Australia). Patients recognised the importance of treatment to preserve eyesight, yet experienced significant psychosocial and practical burden from the treatment schedule. Important issues included treatment-related anxiety, financial considerations and transport burden placed on relatives or carers. Many patients were restricted to sedentary activities post-injection owing to treatment side effects. Patients prioritised treatment, often sacrificing family, travel and social commitments owing to a fear of losing eyesight if treatment was not received. Whilst anti-VEGF injections represent the current mainstay of treatment for neovascular AMD, the ongoing treatment protocol imposes significant burden on patients. An understanding of the factors that contribute to the burden of treatment may help inform strategies to lessen its impact and assist patients to better manage the challenges of treatment.     

Influences on anger in German urban cyclists

Previous research shows that anger and aggression among road users lead to maladjusted driving and a higher risk of accidents. Especially cyclists as vulnerable road users have a high risk of being injured if they are involved in accidents. This paper examines reasons for cycling anger in two studies. The first study aimed at identifying anger provoking events. Seventy-three cyclists were invited to discuss anger provoking events in a focus group setting. These events were rated regarding their anger intensity, clustered within focus groups, and aggregated across all groups. The first study revealed 208 unique cycling anger provoking events of varying anger intensity that were summarized in six clusters. The second study aimed at validating these anger provoking events, the ratings, and the clusters. Here, 129 participants were asked to complete a four-time point diary study (over the course of ten days), in which they registered all anger provoking events that they experienced while cycling. The results of this study validated most of the anger provoking events of the first study. Both studies show that most anger provoking events are related to conflicts between cyclists with other road users like car drivers and pedestrians. Moreover, conflicts with car drivers seem to cause stronger anger among cyclists than conflicts with other cyclists or pedestrians. Implications for further research and the planning of road infrastructure are discussed.     

Rôle de l’émotion dans l’acceptabilité d’un produit : évaluation des composantes cognitive,motivationnelle et subjective

To anticipate a product commercial success, companies aim to ensure that product's characteristics are involving users and triggering a positive first user experience as well as all along product's life span. Among these characteristics, triggering users’ emotions is particularly relevant. This article aims to present the different approaches integrating the emotion generated by products. In order to illustrate the emotional potential of certain products a selection of 14 photographs of products was evaluated by 87 participants. Results reveal a significant correlation between cognitive, motivational and subjective components of emotions. A reflexion about the integration of cognitive appraisal assessment and motivational action readiness evaluation into a wilder emotional model is provided. Thus, emotions triggered by a product appear to be a stake for designers and an important variable to introduce in acceptability or user experience models.     

Why theatre-based research works? Psychological theories from behind the curtain

While many scholars have demonstrated the effectiveness of theatre-based knowledge mobilization, fewer studies have examined its psychological dimensions. This article examines some psychological theories that may account for the success behind theatre-based knowledge mobilization. Drawing from the Canadian Experience Project, a study about the labor market challenges of skilled immigrant workers, we show how theatre-based research dissemination efforts attempt to achieve optimal stress by using aesthetic distance processes. We maintain that this psychological capacity to attune to audience members, especially evident in forum theatre, makes theatre a particularly effective means for knowledge mobilization.     

抑郁个体对社会反馈的加工：研究现状及存在问题

抑郁症伴随着严重的社会功能障碍。本文以“社会反馈”这一重要社会性信息为切入点,综述了抑郁症患者及抑郁倾向人群对社会反馈的体验、期待及情绪调节障碍的研究现状,发现抑郁个体对社会奖赏存在快感缺失,对社会排斥、社会拒绝等负性反馈表现出过敏化,对社会奖赏的期待降低,且可能存在情绪调节困难。目前此领域存在社会与非社会反馈神经机制的异同不清楚、异常脑区与社会反馈加工障碍的因果关系难以确定以及无法排除抑郁症患者和抑郁倾向人群存在不同社会反馈加工模式的可能性等问题。     

驾驶经验和危险类型对年轻驾驶员危险知觉的影响

结合反应时和眼动测量方法,采用驾驶经验分组2（年轻新手驾驶员,年轻有经验驾驶员）× 危险类型2（明显危险,隐藏危险）的混合实验设计,探索年轻驾驶员危险知觉的经验优势是否随着危险类型的不同而变化。使用一个基于真实交通情境视频的驾驶员危险知觉任务,对27名年轻新手驾驶员和22名年轻有经验驾驶员进行测试,并使用Tobbi T120记录眼动数据。结果发现,总体上,年轻新手驾驶员对潜在道路危险的反应次数比年轻有经验驾驶员更少,反应时间也更慢。两组驾驶员反应时间的差异,随着危险类型的不同而来源于不同的加工阶段。具体来说：一方面,年轻新手驾驶员对明显危险的反应时间慢,是因为他们对该类危险的评估时间长。另一方面,年轻新手驾驶员对隐藏危险的反应时间慢,是因为他们对该类危险的识别时间长。两组驾驶员对危险的平均注视时间受测试中危险类型的影响但不受驾驶经验的影响。这些研究结果表明,在对年轻新手驾驶员进行危险知觉训练或测试时,应重视危险类型对他们危险知觉的影响。