The dangers of occupational vigilance: a scoping review

Abstract Objective: This scoping review systematically mapped the current evidence base for occupational vigilance to identify research gaps and inform future intervention development. Background: Vigilance, the ability to sustain attention to detect rare critical events, is essential across numerous occupations, yet performance typically deteriorates within minutes. Despite extensive laboratory research, occupational applications remain poorly understood, representing a significant gap given safety and productivity implications in contemporary workplaces. Method: Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we searched multiple databases for empirical studies examining occupational vigilance. Two reviewers independently conducted screening, with data extracted on study characteristics, measurement approaches, performance outcomes, and moderating factors. Results: Twelve empirical studies spanning military, healthcare, nuclear operations, air traffic control, and aquatic safety sectors were identified. Consistent vigilance decrements emerged across contexts, with performance deterioration occurring within 5-15 minutes and substantial effect sizes (often η²ₚ > 0.7). Individual differences, particularly expertise and working memory capacity, significantly moderated outcomes. The evidence base remains narrow, concentrated in safety-critical domains, and relies heavily on laboratory simulations. Conclusion: Occupational vigilance research demonstrates robust decrements across diverse contexts, but critical gaps exist in understanding vigilance demands in emerging work environments, effective intervention strategies, and long-term vigilance requirements

Finding the words to say how you feel: experiences of using embodied metaphors

Introduction: Metaphors play a crucial role in structuring understanding of experiences and enabling expression of thoughts and feelings that are otherwise difficult to articulate. While their use in counselling is well established, limited research has explored how embodied metaphors, grounded in sensory and bodily experiences, facilitate emotional expression. This study addresses a gap by examining participant experiences of using embodied metaphors and their perceived helpfulness in discussing difficult emotions. Method: 20 participants aged 18–52, excluding those with current mental health diagnoses or in therapy, took part in semi-structured interviews. They used embodied metaphors (visual, sound, smell, taste, touch, bodily sensation) to express emotions linked to a difficult experience and rated each metaphor’s helpfulness. Data was analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2019, 2022). Results: Four themes were identified: Sensory Preferences, Memory Trumps Metaphor, Storytelling Through Metaphor, and Gaining Perspective. Sensory preferences, imagery vividness, and memory recall shaped participants’ engagement with metaphors. While embodied metaphors often supported emotional expression and insight, sensory sensitivities and strong memory recall sometimes acted as barriers, shifting focus from emotions to events. Conclusion: Embodied metaphors can facilitate emotional expression, particularly through storytelling. Variations in sensory preferences, imagery vividness, and memory recall influenced perceptions of helpfulness. Findings highlight the potential of embodied metaphors as a therapeutic multi-tool that extends beyond visual imagery to incorporate diverse sensory domains. This personalised approach may deepen emotional exploration and insight, with further research needed to refine clinical applications

Developing an assessment toolbox

In the fourth article in this series focusing on play in emergency settings, Debra Laxton, Sarah Ndlovu and Priyanka Handa Ram share more about the development of an assessment tool tailored to play-based provision

The story so far………- current opinion in the use and applications of interactive storytelling in physiology and clinical education.

Physiology and clinical practice are subjects of study which demand integration of multiple sources of systems working knowledge and information on the performance of those systems to come to meaningful conclusions. This is made more complex by the interpretation and actions as a result of this conclusion having direct impact on the sum of the component systems, the human, thereby integrating significant social and psychological considerations into an already complex situation. As higher education educators, it is a significant challenge to provide our learners with training and most importantly, practice, in these knowledge, skills and behaviours in the classroom. There has been a significant interest in recent years in providing active learning opportunities which allow learners to apply subject knowledge to multi-faceted, immersive, continuously evolving stories which reflect a graduate's professional aspirations. This review highlights practices from the literature of storytelling education which the higher education educator can utilise in promoting "meaning making" in the classroom. Here, the case for interactive storytelling in physiology and clinical education is argued, as well as presenting commonly utilised techniques and practices with which educators can embed storytelling into their pedagogy as well as highlighting future directions in this field

Criminal law and criminal justice: morals and policy

Criminal Law and Criminal Justice: Morals and Policy goes beyond the traditional criminal law textbook and invites students to examine underpinning theory. It questions why we criminalise certain behaviour and whether the decisions made by the courts can be justified according to legal principle, morals and policy. Providing an overview not only of the legal doctrine of criminal law, but also of the underpinning theory behind the legal doctrine, the book encourages critical thinking around the context behind and implementation of legal decisions. It applies this to current issues, such as respect for personal autonomy, prevention of domestic abuse and discouraging gang activity, whilst providing a clear overview of the law relating to actus reus, mens rea, property offences, homicide, non-fatal offences, sexual offences, accessorial liability, and defences. Using hypothetical scenarios students will develop an understanding of why certain rules exist and then be able to critically analyse why certain behaviour is criminalised. An in-depth study of several key cases will show how the rules and theory play out in practice and students will examine how morals and policy have influenced these decisions. Featuring thinking points as well as further reading suggestions, this textbook is suitable for all students of criminal law, as well as for those studying jurisprudence

Last word: on transformative justice

Reflection on truth and reconciliation processes in South Africa, Rwanda and Canada, with discussions of the differences between retributive, restorative, transitional and transformative justice; and the importance of cultural events to post-genocide healin

Indexing league of legends performance: A systematic review and focus group study

This study investigates competitive League of Legends performance indicators through systematic review and focus group analysis. A review of 15 studies identified 87 performance variables across eight domains: game metrics, skill, cognition, strategy, awareness, knowledge, vigilance, and physical/physiological factors. Focus groups with panellists consisting of competitive players ( n = 15) from university, national, and international levels led to the construction of crucial insights: performance measurement should be role-specific; traditional statistics provide incomplete assessment without context; team synergy often supersedes individual skill; both consistency and peak performance represent distinct aspects of effectiveness; and evaluation criteria vary across competitive contexts. The findings suggest League of Legends performance is best conceptualised as an integrated dynamic system rather than isolated variables, challenging researchers to develop more sophisticated methodological approaches. The disconnection between statistical measures and player-perceived performance indicators highlights the need for multidimensional assessment frameworks that integrate objective metrics with subjective expertise. Future research should explore role-specific performance parameters, longitudinal tracking across competitive seasons, and advanced statistical techniques to test hierarchical relationships between cognitive capacities, skill execution, and performance outcomes

Narcissism and passive-aggression: testing the moderating effect of perceived ostracism

The present study examined the relationship between narcissism and passive aggressive behaviors, which were operationalized as three conceptually distinct sub-components: inducing criticism, ostracizing others, and sabotaging behavior. The study also explored the potential moderating role of perceived ostracism (i.e., feeling ignored or excluded by others). Consistent with our hypothesis, data from an online sample (N= 219) showed that narcissism was positively related to passive aggressive behaviors. However, a significant moderating effect of perceived ostracism was observed in relation to inducing criticism, but not in relation to ostracizing others or engaging in sabotage. Specifically, at high levels of perceived ostracism there was a stronger relationship between narcissism and inducing criticism compared to when perceived ostracism was low. As such, perceived ostracism may act to amplify this passive aggressive behavior in narcissists. Implications of the present study are discussed

Water as metaphor

Reflections on spiritual, sociopolitical and emotional metaphors involving water, as expressed in sacred texts and creative work by contemporary American, English, French, Israeli, Iranian, Kurdish, and Palestinian writers

Salt & snow

'Whose bodies are blanketed? Whose bodies blanked out?’ asks Naomi Foyle’s searching fourth collection, Salt & Snow. Lamenting personal and collective loss, this triptych of elegies contains tributes to departed family members, friends and writers including John Berger, Judith Kazantzis, Niall McDevitt and Gwendolyn Leick; and pays homage to victims of political violence from George Floyd to civilians caught up or killed in the full scale invasion of Ukraine, the Hamas-led war crimes of Oct 7th and Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Concluding with a mythopoetic sonnet crown circling themes of eco-apocalypse and regeneration, Salt & Snow is a finely interwoven meditation on grief, witness, whiteness and climate crisis