The influence of background music on learners with varying extraversion: Seductive detail or beneficial effect?

Seductive details in general affect learning and cognitive load negatively. However, especially background music as a seductive detail may also influence the learner's arousal, whose optimal level depends on the learner's extraversion. Therefore, the effects of extraversion and background music on learning outcomes, cognitive load, and arousal were investigated. We tested 167 high school students and found better transfer outcomes for the group with background music. They also reported higher germane load, but no impact of background music on extraneous cognitive load or arousal was found. In the group without background music, learners with higher extraversion reached better recall scores, which was not found in the group with background music. Results may cautiously be interpreted that there is a beneficial impact of background music that compensates for the disadvantages of low extraverted learners and which cannot be explained through arousal.     

Language and eyewitness suggestibility

During forensic interviews, eyewitnesses are to retrieve correct information from memory. Cognitive load should be high, leading to risks of giving in to suggestive questions and difficulties in memory retrieval generally. Testifying in a non‐native vs. native language may require even more cognitive effort due to the need to inhibit the interference of the native language. Such witnesses may also be more motivated to appear credible because they often belong to ethnic outgroups relative to forensic professionals, risking more scepticism. In this study, Swedish participants (N = 51) reported their memory of a simulated crime event either in English (non‐native language) or in Swedish (native language) and were tested for suggestibility and accuracy. Results showed that English‐speaking witnesses yielded to more suggestive questions, perceived themselves as less credible but were equally accurate. Results suggest that testifying in a non‐native language is taxing cognitive resources, in turn increasing suggestibility and suboptimal memory search.     

为什么信息超载损害决策?基于有限认知资源的解释

信息超载是指需要处理的信息量大于信息加工的能力。信息超载会降低决策质量, 延长决策时间, 降低决策满意度, 引起慢性压力。信息超载损害决策的机制可以从有限的注意力资源和工作记忆资源来解释。在信息超载条件下, 一方面用于过滤和控制信息的注意力资源总量被快速消耗, 注意力资源的分配和利用受到无关信息的干扰, 信息得不到高效加工; 另一方面负责保持和加工信息的工作记忆在限定时间内不能充分加工海量信息, 进而损害决策绩效。未来可以运用眼动赋权法探索信息超载下的信息加工模式; 发展意识思维和无意识思维的动态耦合模型指导个体减轻信息超载; 探索运用智能代理和交互记忆系统缓解组织中的信息超载。     

知觉负荷对面孔多重社会范畴加工的影响

为了考察知觉负荷理论对于面孔多重社会范畴加工机制解释的可能性, 我们采用两个反应时实验探讨了姓名判断是否会在不同的知觉负荷条件下受到面孔性别与种族信息的影响。实验1通过侧抑制范式考察姓名判断中面孔种族引发的干扰效应是否会受到知觉负荷水平的调节。结果发现, 姓名判断的反应时间会随着负荷水平的提高显著延长, 即面孔种族引发的干扰效应不会随着负荷水平的提高而消失。实验2继续通过侧抑制范式考察了姓名判断中面孔性别引发的干扰效应是否会在不同知觉负荷水平下出现差异。结果发现, 在低负荷水平下, 个体在不一致条件下的反应时长于一致条件下的反应时, 并且被试会倾向于将中性名字的性别判断为与面孔的性别一致。在高负荷水平下, 个体的反应时在一致和不一致条件下没有显著差异, 并且被试对中性名字的性别判断属于随机猜测水平。上述结果表明, 种族加工具有自下而上的强制性加工的特点; 性别加工是受到注意资源调节的自上而下加工, 具有一定的灵活性。     

图文横排促进低熟悉词汇再认:基于8岁儿童和成人证据

图文信息广泛存在于书面材料中,但是图文材料相对呈现位置和熟悉性如何交互影响信息加工效率,及其认知机制尚不清楚。本研究基于认知负荷理论框架,采用学习-再认范式,结合学习者的认知能力（注意、工作记忆、识字量等）,考察图文材料呈现位置（横排/竖排）和熟悉性（高/低）对32名儿童（7.89 ±0.30岁）和32名成人（22.67 ±3.48岁）词汇再认的影响。结果显示：（1）总体上,低熟悉性词汇在图文横排呈现时再认正确率较高,但高熟悉性词汇不受位置影响;（2）儿童对高熟悉性词汇的再认正确率较高,但成人对低熟悉性词汇的再认正确率较高;（3）儿童识字量越大,词汇再认速度越快;成人注意力、工作记忆广度、识字量成绩越高,再认正确率越高。结果表明,无论对儿童还是成人,外在负荷（呈现位置）和内在负荷（熟悉性）之间均存在交互作用,即外在负荷显著影响高内在负荷信息的加工,但对低内在负荷信息的加工影响较弱,验证了认知负荷理论。本研究成果为不同难度水平的教材排版设计和词汇识别学习提供了科学依据。     

Perceptual load affects change blindness in a real‐world interaction

Change blindness is the striking inability to detect seemingly obvious changes that occur between views of a scene. The current study assessed perceptual load as a factor that may affect change blindness for human faces. The study had participants (n = 103) interact with a researcher in a testing room that imposed low or high perceptual load. Midway through the conversation, the researcher was replaced by another person. Thirty‐nine percent of participants failed to detect the change. There was a significant effect of perceptual load, with greater change detection under low load (71%) than high load (52%). This research suggests that the perceptual load imposed by a task may have a significant effect on the likelihood of change blindness and ought to be considered in future research.     

Detecting drivers’ cognitive load from saccadic intrusion

In this paper, we have explored use of Saccadic Intrusion to detect drivers’ cognitive load and instantaneous perception of developing road hazards. Saccadic Intrusion is a type of eye gaze movement which was earlier found to be related to change in cognitive load. We have developed an algorithm to detect saccadic intrusion from a commercially available low-cost eye gaze tracker and conducted four user studies involving a driving simulator and cognitive and hazard perception tests. Our results show that average velocities of saccadic intrusion increases with increase in cognitive load and recording saccadic intrusion and eye blinks for 6 s duration can predict drivers’ instantaneous perception of developing road hazards.     

Retrospective coping strategies during sexual identity formation and current biopsychosocial stress

Background: Lesbian, gay men, and bisexual individuals (LGBs) often experience distress related to the recognition, self-acceptance, and disclosure of their sexual orientation. Objectives and Design: Retrospectively reported coping strategies enacted during sexual identity formation among LGBs were assessed in relation to current stress indices measured using environmental (frequency of perceived daily hassles), psychological (perceived distress), and biological (allostatic load [AL] levels representing physiological dysregulations) perspectives. Methods: Forty-six healthy LGBs between the ages of 18 and 45 (M = 23.91, SE = .80) participated. Questionnaires included the Ways of Coping Checklist adapted to disclosure milestones, Daily Hassles Inventory, and Perceived Stress Scale. AL was calculated using 21 biomarkers of neuroendocrine, immune, cardiovascular, and metabolic functioning. Results: Avoidance coping during sexual identity formation was positively associated with frequency of daily hassles (β = .598, p < .001), perceived stress (β = .361, p = .015), and AL (β = .405, p = .006). By contrast, seeking social support was negatively associated with perceived stress (β = –.598, p = .048). Conclusions: Emotion-focused coping strategies during LGB sexual identity development are associated with current indices of biopsychosocial stress.