Patterns of Receptivity to the Influence Tactic of Pseudo-Reasoning

The “bullshit” construct used within social influence involves presenting ambiguous message content as an ersatz substitute for missing reasoning. This pseudo-reasoning combines with clearer source or affect cues that drive the target toward a desired conclusion. Bullshit receptivity (BSR) has presented a popular focus of research, especially considering the use of pseudo-reasoning within viral disinformation (Van Bavel et al, 2020). Most BSR research has involved non-experimental correlational tests with trait-like, individual cognitive variables, their explanation of BSR’s cause remaining limited and inconsistent (Pennycook et al, 2015). However, influence tactics employing bullshit commonly derive their effects from fulfilling targets’ motivated needs and addressing their accessible knowledge structures (Brown et al, 2019; Carpenter, 2017; Kruglanski & Thompson, 1999). Attitude and knowledge structures partially emerge from and depend upon individuals’ connections to the groups with which they identify (Smith & Hogg, 2008; Terry & Hogg, 1996), and self-uncertain individuals exhibit attraction to group-based messages that reduce their uncertainty (Hogg, 2007). This project tested the hypothesis that self-uncertainty and message cues identifying sources as sharing social identities with subjects positively predict the acceptance of pseudo-reasoning and compliant responses to compliance gaining messages accompanied by pseudo-reasoning

Art, Artists and Pedagogy

This volume has been brought together to generate new ideas and provoke discussion about what constitutes arts education in the twenty-first century, both within the institution and beyond. Art, Artists and Pedagogy is intended for educators who teach the arts from early childhood to tertiary level, artists working in the community, or those studying arts in education from undergraduate to Masters or PhD level

Landmine internal structure detection from ground penetrating radar images

Reliable landmine detection is still an unresolved problem. Demining operations are complex activities because of the large variety of existing landmine types, many different possible soil and terrain conditions, and environmental circumstances. Due to its ability of detecting both metallic and non-metallic objects, ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a promising method for detecting landmines that may allow faster and safer operations. As the performance of GPR is mainly governed by the target signature, the potential of discriminating target based on the presence of internal reflections could be a valuable advantage for identification and recognition process. This study demonstrates that from a set of high resolution GPR slices the internal design of the landmine can be properly imaged and characterised, confirming the applicability of the methodology and the validity of such an approach

Increasing workload on simulated remotely piloted system interaction and task completion – gamers versus non-gamers

With the current high rate of development and deployment of Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS) for both commercial and military sectors globally, it is key to understand the implications this technology has on current and future RPAS operators and the consequential effect on licensing, training and performance measurement. This thesis investigates aspects of training and potential objective performance measurement of RPAS operators, this is carried out by reviewing current literature relating to RPAS and associated human factors thus a gap analysis was undertaken and a set of experiments/evaluations were devised to provide important new insights. Attention is drawn to the type of skill set required for future RPAS operations. A factor has been to understand whether a regular computer games player displays differing simulator interaction, in this case information gathering and analysis patterns, to that of someone with limited to no computer games experience. To achieve the aims of the research experimentation had to be carried which required the development of an appropriate simulator followed by the inclusion of a case study and the creation of bespoke performance data analysis software, SimPACT. Although performance differentials have been observed through action it was hoped to be able to identify performance differential characteristics through the means of evaluating the use of disparate physical data sets; the research, in fact, identified no significant difference between data set use and it must be concluded that any pre-action performance differential cannot be measured, at least not with the equipment available. However computer gamers, rather than having differing information acquisition strategies, have differing and more effective information retention and processing pathways likely to have been developed through continuous gaming which can be applied to any game-type environment and, potentially, any type of interactive task. These results have been proven to be statistically viable and observable. This research has contributed to the understanding of human performance measurement within the RPAS sector, including the addition of new data processing software, as well as provide new evidence relating to difference within human data gathering and processing between groups of differing experiences

The Role of Trust in Distributed Design

Automated support of design teams, consisting of both human and automated systems, requires an understanding of the role of trust in distributed design processes. By explicating trust, an individual designer's decisions become better understood and may be better supported. Each individual designer has his or her private goals in a cooperative design setting, in which requirement conflicts and resource competitions abound. However, there are group goals that also need to be reached. This paper presents an overview of research related to trust in the context of agents and design, a computational knowledge-level model of trust based on the seven beliefs distinguished by Castelfranchi and Falcone, and an example of the use of the trust model in a specific design process, namely, Website design from the perspective of a single designer. The results are discussed in the context of distributed design in open systems. Copyright © 2004 Cambridge University Press

AI and consumers manipulation: what the role of EU fair marketing law?

Today’s online businesses increasingly employ different AI tools to perform marketing and customer management tasks (e.g. target ad-vertising, product recommendations, personalised pricing, etc.). This de-velopment poses a threat to consumers autonomy as it increases the like-lihood of manipulative results in purchase decisions. This paper explains two ways in which the employment of AI can lead to distortive results in consumers’ decision-making. In addition, some reflections are proposed over the role of fair marketing law in protecting consumers, notably on how EU fair marketing law should change in response to the spread of AI-mediated commercial practices. In particular, the paper focuses on analysing the Unfair Commercial Practice Directive and the recent US leg-islative proposal for the Detour Act.As empresas online de hoje recorrem, cada vez mais, a dife-rentes ferramentas de Inteligência Artificial (IA) para executar tarefas de marketing e gestão de clientes (entre as quais a publicidade direcionada, as recomendações de produtos e a personalização de preços). Trata-se de um desenvolvimento que representa uma ameaça à autonomia dos consumidores, na medida em que aumenta a probabilidade de re-sultados manipulativos nas decisões de aquisição de bens e serviços. Este artigo elucida duas formas através das quais a utilização da IA pode conduzir a resultados distorcidos na tomada de decisões por parte dos consumidores. Além disso, são avançadas algumas reflexões sobre o papel que o direito da publicidade deve desempenhar na proteção dos consumidores, principalmente sobre como o direito da publicidade da UE deve responder à disseminação das práticas comerciais mediadas pela IA. O artigo foca-se, em particular, na análise da Diretiva sobre Práticas Comerciais Desleais e da recente proposta legislativa norte-americana para a adoção do Detour Act

Primer for Experimental Methods in Organization Theory

Experiments have long played a crucial role in various scientific disciplines and have been gaining ground in organization theory, where they add unique value by establishing causality and uncovering theoretical mechanisms. This essay provides an overview of the merits and procedures of the experimental methodology, with an emphasis on its application to organization theory. Drawing on the historical roots of experiments and their impact across science, we argue the method holds immense potential for furthering organization theory. We highlight key advantages of experimental methods, including high internal and construct validity, vividness in communicating findings, the capacity to examine complex and understudied phenomena, and the identification of microfoundations and theoretical mechanisms. We alleviate some concerns about external validity and offer guidance for designing and conducting sound, reproducible experimental research. Ultimately, we contend that the current experimental turn holds the potential to reorient organization theory. History: This paper has been accepted for the Organization Science Special Issue on Experiments in Organizational Theory. Funding: This work was supported by the Otto Moensted Foundation, which granted the Otto Moensted Visiting Professorship to S. S. Levine, and a National Science Foundation CAREER Award from the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences [Grant 1943688] to O. Schilke. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2023.18093

Dynamic Shifting of Virtual Network Topologies for Network Attack Prevention

Computer networks were not designed with security in mind, making research into the subject of network security vital. Virtual Networks are similar to computer networks, except the components of a Virtual Network are in software rather than hardware. With the constant threat of attacks on networks, security is always a big concern, and Virtual Networks are no different. Virtual Networks have many potential attack vectors similar to physical networks, making research into Virtual Network security of great importance. Virtual Networks, since they are composed of virtualized network components, have the ability to dynamically change topologies. In this paper, we explore Virtual Networks and their ability to quickly shift their network topology. We investigate the potential use of this flexibility to protect network resources and defend against malicious activities. To show the ability of reactively shifting a Virtual Network’s topology to se- cure a network, we create a set of four experiments, each with a different dynamic topology shift, or “dynamic defense”. These four groups of experiments are called the Server Protection, Isolated Subnet, Distributed Port Group, and Standard Port Group experiments. The Server Protection experiments involve detecting an attack against a server and shifting the server behind a protected subnet. The other three sets of experiments, called Attacker Prevention experiments, involve detecting a malicious node in the internal network and initiating a dynamic de- fense to move the attacker behind a protected subnet. Each Attacker Prevention experiment utilizes a different dynamic defense to prevent the malicious node from attacking the rest of the Virtual Network. For each experiment, we run 6 different network attacks to validate the effectiveness of the dynamic defenses. The network attacks utilized for each experiment are ICMP Flooding, TCP Syn Flooding, Smurf attack, ARP Spoofing, DNS Spoofing, and NMAP Scanning. Our validation shows that our dynamic defenses, outside of the standard port group, are very effective in stopping each attack, consistently lowering the at- tacks’ success rate significantly. The Standard Port Group was the one dynamic defense that is ineffective, though there are also a couple of experiments that could benefit from being run with more attackers and with different situations to fully understand the effectiveness of the defenses. We believe that, as Virtual Networks become more common and utilized outside of data centers, the ability to dynamically shift topology can be used for network security purposes

The Reliability Of The Navicular Drop Test and Its Transferability To Dynamic Movement

Background: Navicular drop can be defined as the distance the navicular tuberosity moves from a standing weight bearing to a standing neutral position, as the subtalar joint moves from a relaxed position to a neutral position. Navicular drop is an important measurement for clinicians used to describe foot function, pronation, and excessive movement seen in several pathologies. Objective: The purpose of this study is to see if navicular drop is influenced by mode or speed of locomotion, if it is will there be other influences such as the forefoot and heel soft tissue, and will those factors influence those measures. The secondary purpose of this study is to see if the static and dynamic measures of navicular drop will be reliable. Methods: This study included fourteen 21-25 year old recreationally active individuals. Three reflective markers were placed on the medial aspect of the participant’s right foot. Static measure of navicular drop was taken, and then the participants were instructed to walk, and run on a treadmill at different speeds. Statistical Analysis: Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version (23.0) was used. Intraclass correlation coefficients (2,1) model were analyzed in SPSS to determine reliability values of the static and dynamic measures of navicular position and drop. An Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA) was analyzed for differences under different conditions. Results: Navicular drop was higher during running (14.83 ± 0.61mm) compared to walking (8.19 ± 0.52mm) PNavicular drop during dynamic movement is greater than the static measure, and navicular drop is greater during running compared to walking

Who Posts Selfies and Why?: Personality, Attachment Style, and Mentalization as Predictors of Selfie Posting on Social Media

This study examines the phenomenon of selfie posting on social media and its relationship to narcissism, the Dark Triad, impulsivity, attachment style, rejection sensitivity, and reflective functioning. The sample was made up of 499 participants who completed an online survey consisting of personality measures and open- and closed-ended questions about selfie posting behavior. Data were analyzed using a negative binomial regression model. Results: The study found that individuals with high levels of the Dark Triad trait of psychopathy post more selfies on social media than do individuals with low levels of the trait. The Dark Triad trait of narcissism was also found to be significantly related to selfie posting, with narcissistic men posting significantly more selfies than narcissistic women. Furthermore, the study found that individuals with high levels of motor and non-planning impulsivity posted significantly more selfies than individuals with lower levels of those traits. This study also found a (marginally non-significant) trend whereby vulnerable narcissism and anxious attachment were predictive of increased selfie posting. Participants with higher levels of reflective functioning were found to post fewer selfies on social media, as were individuals high in rejection sensitivity. Grandiose narcissism, subclinical narcissism, avoidant attachment, and attentional impulsivity were not found to be significantly related to increased selfie posting on social media. Open-ended questions revealed some interesting anecdotal material about possible motivations for posting selfies on social media. In sum, the study’s findings shed light on a number of traits that are predictive of selfie posting on social media. Clinical implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed