Computational models of the “active self” and its disturbances in schizophrenia

The notion that self-disorders are at the root of the emergence of schizophrenia rather than a symptom of the disease, is getting more traction in the cognitive sciences. This is in line with philosophical approaches that consider an enactive self, constituted through action and interaction with the environment. We thereby analyze different definitions of the self and evaluate various computational theories lending to these ideas. Bayesian and predictive processing are promising approaches for computational modeling of the “active self”. We evaluate their implementation and challenges in computational psychiatry and cognitive developmental robotics. We describe how and why embodied robotic systems provide a valuable tool in psychiatry to assess, validate, and simulate mechanisms of self-disorders. Specifically, mechanisms involving sensorimotor learning, prediction, and self-other distinction, can be assessed with artificial agents. This link can provide essential insights to the formation of the self and new avenues in the treatment of psychiatric disorders.     

Different level automation technology acceptance: Older adult driver opinion

The increase in the number of older adult drivers in developed countries has raised safety concerns due to the decline in their sensory, motor, perceptual, and cognitive abilities which can limit their driving capabilities. Their driving safety could be enhanced by the use of modern Automated Driver Assistance Systems (ADASs) and might totally resolved by full driving automation. However, the acceptance of these technologies by older adult drivers is not yet well understood. Thus, this study investigated older adult drivers’ intention to use six ADASs and full driving automation through two questionnaires with 115 and 132 participants respectively in Rhode Island, USA. A four-dimensional model referred to as the USEA model was used for exploring older adult drivers’ technology acceptance. The USEA model included perceived usefulness, perceived safety, perceived ease of use, and perceived anxiety. Path Analysis was applied to evaluate the proposed model. The results of this study identified the important factors in older adult drivers’ intention to use ADASs and full driving automation, which could assist stakeholders in improving technologies for use by older drivers.     

Mindfulness-based programs,perceived stress and well-being at work: The preferential use of informal practices

IntroductionOrganizations which engage in the promotion of well-being are likely to prevent mental health issues in workers. Mindfulness-based interventions offer new perspectives to increase well-being at work. However, the issue of finding time and framework to practice at work is important. Recent studies suggested that informal mindfulness practices could be useful in reducing stress and increasing well-being.ObjectiveThe present study aimed to study how the duration and type of mindfulness practice may enhance employees’ well-being.MethodA multi-method (qualitative and quantitative), controlled pre/post design study (N = 72) was conducted to collect data about the type of preferred mindfulness practices used during an 8-week MBSR program, and to analyse the effects of the program on employees’ well-being. Number of sessions, number of days of practice, and practice time per day were used as moderators.ResultsParticipants reported a preferential use of brief, informal practices. Employees who followed the MBSR program reported higher levels of well-being compared to the wait-list control group (η² = .194). Those who preferentially used informal practices showed the same increase in well-being as those who reported preferentially using formal practices. The number of days of practice did not moderate the effect of the intervention on well-being.ConclusionBrief and informal mindfulness practices appear to be a promising means of increasing well-being in everyday life. Further research is needed to compare an 8-week mainly informal mindfulness-based program to a classical MBSR program to identify whether informal practices may be sufficient to increasing employees’ well-being.     

Bridging ears and eyes when learning spoken words: On the effects of bilingual experience at 30 months

From the very first moments of their lives, infants selectively attend to the visible orofacial movements of their social partners and apply their exquisite speech perception skills to the service of lexical learning. Here we explore how early bilingual experience modulates children's ability to use visible speech as they form new lexical representations. Using a cross‐modal word‐learning task, bilingual children aged 30 months were tested on their ability to learn new lexical mappings in either the auditory or the visual modality. Lexical recognition was assessed either in the same modality as the one used at learning (‘same modality’ condition: auditory test after auditory learning, visual test after visual learning) or in the other modality (‘cross‐modality’ condition: visual test after auditory learning, auditory test after visual learning). The results revealed that like their monolingual peers, bilingual children successfully learn new words in either the auditory or the visual modality and show cross‐modal recognition of words following auditory learning. Interestingly, as opposed to monolinguals, they also demonstrate cross‐modal recognition of words upon visual learning. Collectively, these findings indicate a bilingual edge in visual word learning, expressed in the capacity to form a recoverable cross‐modal representation of visually learned words.     

Fonctionnements et dysfonctionnements des psychothérapies : synthèse de la littérature et présentation de deux méthodologies associées aux meilleurs résultats

IntroductionPsychological difficulties are part of higher stakes health issues. What are the real effects and the difficulties to generate results of psychotherapies?Literature resultsPsychotherapy is efficient for multiple psychological disorders, as well in controlled as in naturalistic studies, and participate in reduction of health expenditure. However, all patients do not get real benefits from care, patients can deteriorate or drop-out treatment, and persistent side effects can occur; clinicians overestimate their efficiency and their performances decline during their career. Two promising methodologies seems to be associated with better outcomes: Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM) and a specific form of training clinician expertise named “Deliberate Practice”.DiscussionUsing client feedback allows to implement ROM and “Deliberate Practice” in routine care.ConclusionImplementation of Routine Outcome Monitoring should be encouraged in French Speaking countries to produce evidence-informed practice for the delivering, the improvement and the payment for psychotherapy expenditure.     

Evaluating the effectiveness of Didi ride-hailing security measures: An integration model

Security is one of the most critical factors influencing individuals’ mobility. Ensuring security along ride-hailing trips is also a fundamental challenge to service providers. After two cases of rape and homicide, Didi has rectified measures again to meet passengers’ need for security. However, there are few scientific findings concerning the impact of Didi rectified measures on personal perception of security. This study aims to explore critical latent factors that affect individuals’ intentions to use or reuse ride-hailing after the rectification of security measures. This paper examines individuals’ usage intentions by integrating and expanding both the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Research results suggest that perceived security, security risk, and government credibility are correlated with the intentions to use or reuse ride-hailing. Importantly, perceived security and security risk both have a direct impact on behavioral intentions from a different perspective. In contrast, government credibility has an indirect effect. Hence, a mediating effect test is conducted. Government credibility could indirectly influence behavioral intention by affecting trust. Finally, this study verifies that the effectiveness of security measures could be evaluated and improved by studying the influence of latent factors on the intentions to use or reuse ride-hailing.     

Safety of micro-mobility: Riders’ psychological factors and risky behaviors of cargo TTWs in China

Cargo two- or three-wheeled vehicles (TTWs), as a new form of micro-mobility, have become a popular mode of urban cargo transportation in China. Cargo TTW riders’ psychological factors and risky behaviors lead to a number of accidents. A questionnaire is designed by comprehensively considering these factors and behaviors of cargo TTW riders that includes eleven risk factors to quantitatively analyze the risky behaviors based on structural equation modeling (SEM). One thousand three hundred nineteen participants reported using cargo TTWs on a questionnaire distributed across the country. The characteristics of riding behavior data are analyzed to verify the three-layer risk theoretical framework of “Psychological factors (Personality traits/specific factors) - Psychological acceptability of risks (confidence/perception/attitude) - Risky behaviors”. The results show that anger has a strong direct effect on riding violations, while normlessness and altruism have a direct effect on riding errors. Workload has a weak but direct effect on risky behaviors, and riding feedback has a weak and mixed effect. In addition, high-risk groups are identified by analysis of variance (ANOVA) with rider population attributes. These quantitative analyses can help guide safety countermeasures to mitigate accidents involving cargo TTWs.     

An adaptive network model covering metacognition to control adaptation for multiple mental models

Learning processes can be described by adaptive mental (or neural) network models. If metacognition is used to regulate learning, the adaptation of the mental network becomes itself adaptive as well: second-order adaptation. In this paper, a second-order adaptive mental network model is introduced for metacognitive regulation of learning processes. The focus is on the role of multiple internal mental models, in particular, the case of visualisation to support learning of numerical or symbolic skills. The second-order adaptive network model is illustrated by a case scenario for the role of visualisation to support learning multiplication at the primary school.     

De l’estime de soi et du sentiment d’auto-efficacité à la motivation au travail : le rôle médiateur du sens du travail chez les alternants en France

The purpose of this study was to test the links between self-esteem, the feeling of self-efficacy and the different forms of motivation. It also aimed to understand the mediating effect of the meaning of work between the variables. French work-integrated learning students (n = 471) completed a self-administered online questionnaire. The results showed significant links between self-esteem, perceived self-efficacy, work meaning, and different dimensions of motivation (extrinsic, intrinsic, and amotivation). In addition, the meaning of work played a mediating role in the relationship between self-esteem, perceived self-efficacy, and dimensions of motivation. This study showed the central mechanism of work meaning in work motivation.     

树大招风：社交焦虑者的正性评价恐惧

正性评价恐惧是社交焦虑能够有效鉴别于抑郁症的核心特征。正性评价恐惧是指对他人给予的积极评价感到恐惧, 并因此而担忧的一种情绪反应。正性评价恐惧不仅会使社交焦虑者表现出否认积极认知、回避关注及情绪消极化等特点, 还会通过去正性化思维和解释偏向进一步加剧其认知偏差并抑制其正性情绪, 从而维持和加剧个体的社交焦虑症状。未来研究应关注正性评价恐惧在教育和咨询中的应用, 以及本土倡导谦虚文化背景下正性评价恐惧特点的研究。