The Effect of Video Game Experience in Different Genres on Task-Switching Ability

Task-switching is an executive function that refers to an individual’s ability to shift attention between different tasks. Previous studies have examined whether video game players perform better on task-switching experiments compared to non-video game players. This study aimed to add to existing research by examining video game experience on a continuous scale. Other factors that may affect the association between video game experience and task-switching ability were also examined, including the specific video game genre(s) played and the age that an individual began actively playing. Sixty participants from the Rochester Institute of Technology completed a questionnaire assessing video game experience and a task-switching experiment with a predictable and random paradigm. Task-switching performance was measured through switch cost, the price paid in response time for switching from one task to another. The results showed that for both the predictable and random task-switching paradigm: 1) Individuals with more video game experience had smaller switch costs than those with less. 2) Individuals who began actively playing earlier in life had no difference in switch cost compared to those who started playing later. 3) Individuals who more frequently play genres higher in complexity had no difference in switch costs compared to those who play less complex genres. 4) Differences in switch cost were robust to a correction that accounts for differences in baseline response times. These results suggest that individuals who play video games frequently may have practice with mechanics that likely transfer to task-switching performance due to them both requiring similar underlying demands

Introducing Tax Education in Non-Accounting Curriculum in Higher Education: Survey Evidence

This study aims i) to assess the quest for tax education among working adults that pursuing off-campus non-accounting program, ii) to analyze the level of tax knowledge among the working adults, iii) to elicit the relevant tax topics to be taught should tax education be integrated into non-accounting curriculum in higher education. We surveyed 450 working adults pursuing off-campus non-accounting program in one Malaysian public university. 190 usable responses were received. The survey found 64% of the respondents were keen to learn taxation, and only 23.7% of the respondents possessed high level of tax knowledge. The topics that they desired to learn the most are basic tax principles, personal taxation, tax planning for individuals and taxation for small business and company. The findings suggest that as we moved into the era of self-assessment tax system, it is imperative for the accounting academics and the education authorities to seriously consider introducing tax education in non-accounting curriculum in higher education

Minimal intervention dentistry in general practice

Minimal Intervention Dentistry (MID) is a modern approach to the management of caries, which emphasizes prevention and early interception of disease, underpinned by an understanding of the role of the dental plaque biofilm in disease initiation and progression, and how this is affected by lifestyle and behavioral factors. The MID approach should be the standard of care in modern restorative dentistry, as it avoids over-zealous restorative interventions as well as supervised neglect. Incorporating the principles of MID into general dental practice for the management of dental caries involves using Caries Risk Assessment (CRA), as well as a minimally invasive restorative approach utilizing conservative caries removal methods, minimal cavity designs and the use of adhesive restorative materials. A range of methods now exist for measuring the contribution of risk factors to dental caries risk, allowing the clinician to target their interventions at the factors operating in the individual patient, by applying the concepts of ecological change to modify the biofilm, and motivational interviewing to alter patient lifestyle and dietary behaviour. This review discusses how the principles of MID are used for individual patient care, and suggests methods for implementation of MID into general dental practice