Prevalence of interactions and influence of performance constraints on kick outcomes across Australian Football tiers: Implications for representative practice designs

Representative learning design is a key feature of the theory of ecological dynamics, conceptualising how task constraints can be manipulated in training designs to help athletes self-regulate during their interactions with information-rich performance environments. Implementation of analytical methodologies can support representative designs of practice environments by practitioners recording how interacting constraints influence events, that emerge under performance conditions. To determine key task constraints on kicking skill performance, the extent to which interactions of constraints differ in prevalence and influence on kicking skills was investigated across competition tiers in Australian Football (AF).A data sample of kicks (n = 29,153) was collected during junior, state-level and national league matches. Key task constraints were recorded for each kick, with performance outcome recorded as effective or ineffective. Rules were based on frequency and strength of associations between constraints and kick outcomes, generated using the Apriori algorithm.Univariate analysis revealed that low kicking effectiveness was associated with physical pressure (37%), whereas high efficiency emerged when kicking to an open target (70%). Between-competition comparisons showed differences in constraint interactions through seven unique rules and differences in confidence levels in shared rules.Results showed how understanding of key constraints interactions, and prevalence during competitive performance, can be used to inform representative learning designs in athlete training programmes. Findings can be used to specify how the competitive performance environment differs between competition tiers, supporting the specification of information in training designs, representative of different performance levels.     

Complexity matching and coordination in individual and dyadic performance

Complexity matching is a measure of coordination based on information exchange between complex networks. To date, studies have focused mainly on interpersonal coordination, but complexity matching may generalize to interacting networks within individuals. The present study examined complexity matching in a double, coordinated Fitts' perceptual-motor task with comparable individual and dyadic conditions. Participants alternated touching targets with their left and right hands in the individual condition, or analogously with the left hand of one partner and the right hand of another in the dyadic condition. In Experiment 1, response coupling was manipulated by making targets drift either randomly or contingently based on prior responses. Here, drift refers to the variability in the target movements between response locations. Long-range correlations in time series of inter-response intervals exhibited complexity matching between the left and right hands of dyads and individuals. Response coupling was necessary for complexity matching in dyads but not individuals. When response coupling was absent in the dyadic condition, the degree of complexity matching was significantly reduced. Experiment 2 showed that the effect of coupling was due to interactions between left and right responses. Results also showed a weak, negative relationship between complexity matching and performance as measured by total response time. In conclusion, principles and measures of complexity matching apply similarly within and between individuals, and perceptual-motor performance can be facilitated by loose response coupling.     

The cognitive load of narrative lies

Lying is assumed to increase cognitive load, and it has been shown to slow response times to simple questions. We employed a dual‐task methodology, the detection response task (DRT), to assess cognitive load in telling narrative lies in a live, open‐question interview. The DRT requires participants to press a button in response to a tactile stimulus every 3–5 s while performing a primary task, in this case, recounting either truthful or deceitful narratives. We found weak support for slowing in the time to initiate a narrative response when lying. In contrast, we found strong support for an increase in cognitive load when producing a narrative lie, as measured by both slowed DRT responses and increased response omissions, although this effect decreased with time on task. We advocate dual‐task methodologies such as the DRT for increasing understanding of the assumptions made by theories of deception and for refining lie detection techniques.     

Measuring decision‐making competence in Chinese adults

In this study, we translated and localized the Adult Decision‐making Competence scale (A‐DMC) and tested its reliability and validity with large samples. Results show the Chinese A‐DMC has relatively good reliability (Cronbach's alpha above 0.6 and test–retest reliability coefficients ranging from 0.44 to 0.78 on all subscales), comparable with the original version. Regarding validity, results of exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis support the one‐factor model, indicating the A‐DMC has good internal consistency and construct validity. A‐DMC scores correlated positively with cognitive ability, constructive decision‐making styles, and good decision outcomes. Additionally, individuals with higher A‐DMC scores were found to perform better on the Cambridge gambling task and Iowa gambling task. These results confirm the validity of the Chinese version of the A‐DMC, which is suitable for measuring decision‐making competence in Chinese adults.     

Investigating ToM in aging with the MASC: from accuracy to error type

Growing evidence indicates that Theory of Mind (ToM) declines in normal aging. However, the majority of this research has used classic and static verbal tasks that present scenarios, which are very different from real life. The present study was designed to fill this gap by administering the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC) to young and older participants. It allows one to analyze not only the accuracy, but also the typology of error in mental states attribution distinguishing between iper-ToM (over-mentalization), ipo-ToM (insufficient mentalization), and no-ToM (lack of mentalization). We recruited 30 young (20–29 years), 39 young-old (65–74 years), and 31 old-old (75–86 years) participants. Along with the MASC, we administered a classic ToM task, the Strange Stories, and several measures of cognitive functioning. Results showed that older adults were less accurate in mental state attribution than young adults in the MASC, but not in the Strange Stories. In addition, compared to young adults, older adults committed more errors of both ipo- and no-ToM, while young adults committed more often iper-ToM errors. Additionally, older adults, but not young adults, did not show a difference between iper-ToM and ipo-ToM errors, which were equally frequent in this age group. Globally, results indicated that older adults’ failure in classic ToM tasks may be due to both ipo- and iper-ToM and provide needed evidence for the MASC as a suitable measure of ToM in aging.     

Using baseline to diagnose internal states? Listen closely

Little is known about the mechanisms underlying how interviewers establish and monitor baselines of respondent behaviour. This study addresses this knowledge gap by characterising the practice of establishing baselines and measuring the accuracy of interviewer judgements based on assessments of baseline and departure behaviours. Eighteen professional interviewers viewed two videos of naturalistic interviews, reported the cues they perceived as informative for establishing and assessing a baseline, and diagnosed respondents' internal states. Participants reported multiple cue types as informative, but predominantly relied on non‐verbal cues. Overall, participants were sensitive to 27% of respondents' identified internal states but showed improvement over time. They achieved a hit rate of 20% during early interview stages and a hit rate of 33% during late stages. Although non‐verbal cues dominated reports, attending to verbal cues afforded participants greater efficiency in identifying respondent internal states. Implications and recommendations for practice are discussed.     

经颅直流电刺激技术在增强健康个体认知功能中的应用及其影响因素

经颅直流电刺激作为一种无创脑刺激技术,已在临床治疗及康复领域有广泛应用。随着研究的深入和人类对于自身认知需求的提高,近年来也有研究者开始尝试使用该技术增强健康个体的认知功能。本文从感知觉、注意、记忆、学习和复杂任务五个方面对目前经颅直流电刺激技术在健康个体认知增强领域的研究现状进行梳理和总结,讨论了机制和影响因素,以及未来面临的问题和挑战。     

Self-reference is a fast-acting automatic mechanism on emotional word processing: evidence from a masked priming affective categorisation task

This study examined the impact of self-referential information at early stages of emotional word processing using an affective masked-priming paradigm in which positive (e.g, espetacular[awesome]) and negative (e.g., horrível[awful]) trait-adjectives were preceded by briefly primes that could be self-related (Eu sou[I am]), other-related (Ela é[She is]), or a control (%%%%%). Trait-adjectives were selected from female norms and only females participants were used to control for sex differences. Results showed that positive words were categorised faster when preceded by self-related primes than by other-related primes, though not control primes. Negative trait-adjectives were not modulated by the type of prime, even though participants were slower when they were preceded by other-related than by control primes. These findings demonstrate that taking the other-perspective entails a cost, and that the amount of priming produced by self-related and control primes was virtually the same, thus suggesting that assuming the self-perspective is a cognitively effortless process.     

言语工作记忆内容在语义水平的注意捕获

采用工作记忆−视觉搜索双任务范式, 探讨不同呈现方式下与言语工作记忆内容语义水平匹配的刺激的注意捕获效应。结果发现：(1)视觉呈现下, 与言语工作记忆内容知觉和语义匹配的刺激均能捕获注意, 且在视觉搜索快速反应的阶段仍能捕获注意; (2)听觉呈现下, 与言语工作记忆内容语义匹配的刺激不能捕获注意, 反而被抑制, 但在视觉搜索快速反应的早期阶段却能捕获注意。研究表明, 基于视听呈现的言语工作记忆内容在语义水平对注意的引导作用可发生在注意搜索过程快速反应的早期阶段。而晚期阶段由于受到跨通道注意选择的抑制, 听觉呈现下的语义表征不能捕获注意, 而视觉呈现下的语义表征仍能捕获注意。     

Abstraction of tactile properties by individuals with autism and Down syndrome using a picture‐based communication system

The present study evaluated the efficacy of a set of procedures for bringing tact extensions of abstract tactile properties under stimulus control. Two participants with disabilities who communicated via a picture‐based communication system received reinforcement for tacts of tactile properties of four wet/dry and four hard/soft stimuli. Test trials were conducted to evaluate the extent to which the participants' correct responding generalized to novel stimuli with the same tactile properties. The results suggest that the procedures were effective in bringing tact extensions of abstract tactile properties under stimulus control. Both participants' correct responding generalized to a set of novel stimuli. Mastery level responding to training and test targets maintained for 2 weeks following training. The results provide further evidence supporting the use of DTT to teach stimulus abstraction to nonvocal verbal individuals who use augmentative forms of communication.