PLoS ONE / Differentiating self-projection from simulation during mentalizing : evidence from fMRI

We asked participants to predict which of two colors a similar other (student) and a dissimilar other (retiree) likes better. We manipulated if color-pairs were two hues from the same color-category (e.g. green) or two conceptually different colors (e.g. green versus blue). In the former case, the mental state that has to be represented (i.e., the percept of two different hues of green) is predominantly non-conceptual or phenomenal in nature, which should promote mental simulation as a strategy for mentalizing. In the latter case, the mental state (i.e. the percept of green versus blue) can be captured in thought by concepts, which facilitates the use of theories for mentalizing. In line with the self-projection hypothesis, we found that cortical midline areas including vmPFC / orbitofrontal cortex and precuneus were preferentially activated for mentalizing about a similar other. However, activation was not affected by the nature of the color-difference, suggesting that self-projection subsumes simulation-like processes but is not limited to them. This indicates that self-projection is a universal strategy applied in different contextsirrespective of the availability of theories for mentalizing. Along with midline activations linked to self-projection, we also observed activation in right lateral frontal and dorsal parietal areas showing a theory-like pattern. Taken together, this shows that mentalizing does not operate based on simulation or theory, but that both strategies are used concurrently to predict the choices of others.P20718-G1

Didactics of History in Austria.: On the Formation of a Subdiscipline of Historical Studies

This article deals with the development of history didactics as an academic discipline in Austria since 1945. It explores concepts, studies and researchers that have been engaged in this academic field as well as the process of its institutionalization. Not only does it focus on associations and academic institutions as key motivators but it also acknowledges the representatives of history didactics for their interests and achievements. It furthermore outlines how history didactics are positioned in the Austrian academic landscape and in German-speaking and international discourses. The article also discusses recent research approaches, focusing on typical aspects (subject-orientation, domain-specific conceptual learning, contributions to textbook research, etc.). It refers to empirical research and summarizes current research fields. In doing so, the article also provides an overview of the current situation of history didactics in Austria.This article deals with the development of history didactics as an academic discipline in Austria since 1945. It explores concepts, studies and researchers that have been engaged in this academic field as well as the process of its institutionalization. Not only does it focus on associations and academic institutions as key motivators but it also acknowledges the representatives of history didactics for their interests and achievements. It furthermore outlines how history didactics are positioned in the Austrian academic landscape and in German-speaking and international discourses. The article also discusses recent research approaches, focusing on typical aspects (subject-orientation, domain-specific conceptual learning, contributions to textbook research, etc.). It refers to empirical research and summarizes current research fields. In doing so, the article also provides an overview of the current situation of history didactics in Austria

Ways of History Education

Die Geschichtsdidaktik in Österreich präsentiert sich heute, auch wenn sie gegenüber anderen historischen Teildisziplinen noch Aufholbedarf hat, als eine recht vielfältige wissenschaftliche Landschaft. Dennoch wäre es problematisch, ein Narrativ zu konstruieren, das die Geschichtsdidaktik gleichsam von der dunklen Vergangenheit ins Licht führt und somit die Fortschrittseuphorie einer bürgerlichen Leistungsgesellschaft nachzeichnet. Tatsächlich war die Vermittlung von Geschichte – und damit verbunden auch die Frage, welche Bedeutung die Geschichte für die Gesellschaft besitzt – seit der Aufklärung ein wichtiger Bestandteil bildungspolitischer und wissenschaftlicher Diskurse. Aus heutiger Perspektive erscheinen uns diese zwar zum Teil antiquiert und unserer Auffassung von modernem Unterricht kaum entsprechend. Allerdings wäre es wohl ahistorisch, allein eine Bewertung aus der Gegenwart heraus vorzunehmen, zumal sich gesellschaftliche Verhältnisse und somit auch die moderne bürgerlich-demokratische Gesellschaft wandeln. Eine kritische Betrachtung ist dennoch erlaubt und notwendig, insbesondere wenn Geschichte und der Geschichtsunterricht dazu instrumentalisiert wurden, um autoritäre und faschistische Systeme zu legitimieren.Today, history education in Austria presents itself as a quite diverse academic landscape, even if it still needs to catch up with other historical sub-disciplines. Nevertheless, it would be problematic to construct a narrative that leads history didactics from the dark past into the light, as it were, and thus traces the euphoria of progress of a bourgeois achievement society. In fact, the teaching of history - and with it the question of what significance history has for society - has been an important component of educational and scientific discourses since the Enlightenment. From today's perspective, some of these seem antiquated and hardly correspond to our conception of modern teaching. However, it would probably be ahistorical to make an assessment based solely on the present, especially since social conditions and thus also the modern bourgeois-democratic society are changing. A critical view is nevertheless permitted and necessary, especially when history and history teaching have been instrumentalised to legitimise authoritarian and fascist systems

Interlinking the Renewable Electricity and Gas Sectors: A Techno-Economic Case Study for Austria

Achieving climate neutrality requires a massive transformation of current energy systems. Fossil energy sources must be replaced with renewable ones. Renewable energy sources with reasonable potential such as photovoltaics or wind power provide electricity. However, since chemical energy carriers are essential for various sectors and applications, the need for renewable gases comes more and more into focus. This paper determines the Austrian green hydrogen potential, produced exclusively from electricity surpluses. In combination with assumed sustainable methane production, the resulting renewable gas import demand is identified, based on two fully decarbonised scenarios for the investigated years 2030, 2040 and 2050. While in one scenario energy efficiency is maximised, in the other scenario significant behavioural changes are considered to reduce the total energy consumption. A techno-economic analysis is used to identify the economically reasonable national green hydrogen potential and to calculate the averaged levelised cost of hydrogen (LCOH2) for each scenario and considered year. Furthermore, roll-out curves for the necessary expansion of national electrolysis plants are presented. The results show that in 2050 about 43% of the national gas demand can be produced nationally and economically (34 TWh green hydrogen, 16 TWh sustainable methane). The resulting national hydrogen production costs are comparable to the expected import costs (including transport costs). The most important actions are the quick and extensive expansion of renewables and electrolysis plants both nationally and internationally

Exergy as Criteria for Efficient Energy Systems—A Spatially Resolved Comparison of the Current Exergy Consumption, the Current Useful Exergy Demand and Renewable Exergy Potential

The energy transition from fossil-based energy sources to renewable energy sources of an industrialized country is a big challenge and needs major systemic changes to the energy supply. Such changes require a holistic view of the energy system, which includes both renewable potentials and consumption. Thereby exergy, which describes the quality of energy, must also be considered. In this work, the determination and analysis of such a holistic view of a country are presented, using Austria as an example. The methodology enables the calculation of the spatially resolved current exergy consumption, the spatially resolved current useful exergy demand and the spatially resolved technical potential of renewable energy sources (RES). Top-down and bottom-up approaches are combined in order to increase accuracy. We found that, currently, Austria cannot self-supply with exergy using only RES. Therefore, Austria should increase the efficiency of its energy system, since the overall exergy efficiency is only at 34%. The spatially resolved analysis shows that in Austria the exergy potential of RES is rather evenly distributed. In contrast, the exergy consumption is concentrated in urban and industrial areas. Therefore, the future energy infrastructure must compensate for these spatial discrepancies

Data from: Differentiating self-projection from simulation during mentalizing: evidence from fMRI

We asked participants to predict which of two colors a similar other (student) and a dissimilar other (retiree) likes better. We manipulated if color-pairs were two hues from the same color-category (e.g. green) or two conceptually different colors (e.g. green versus blue). In the former case, the mental state that has to be represented (i.e., the percept of two different hues of green) is predominantly non-conceptual or phenomenal in nature, which should promote mental simulation as a strategy for mentalizing. In the latter case, the mental state (i.e. the percept of green versus blue) can be captured in thought by concepts, which facilitates the use of theories for mentalizing. In line with the self-projection hypothesis, we found that cortical midline areas including vmPFC / orbitofrontal cortex and precuneus were preferentially activated for mentalizing about a similar other. However, activation was not affected by the nature of the color-difference, suggesting that self-projection subsumes simulation-like processes but is not limited to them. This indicates that self-projection is a universal strategy applied in different contexts—irrespective of the availability of theories for mentalizing. Along with midline activations linked to self-projection, we also observed activation in right lateral frontal and dorsal parietal areas showing a theory-like pattern. Taken together, this shows that mentalizing does not operate based on simulation or theory, but that both strategies are used concurrently to predict the choices of others

ImagingData_s017-s024

ImagingData_s017-s02

BehavioralData

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ImagingData_s001-s008

See the readme text files in the zip archive for details

Brain areas showing differential activation for mentalizing versus introspection.

<p>* Not significant at <i>p</i><.05 cluster-level corrected.</p><p>¹ The label “vs” subsumes directed contrasts in both directions, summarized here for brevity.</p><p>Abbreviations: SimO… Similar Other; DissO… Dissimilar Other, SC… Similar Colors, DC… Different Colors.</p><p>Results are separately shown for conceptually similar and conceptually different colors. Voxel-level threshold of <i>p</i><.001 and cluster extent <i>p</i><.05 corrected.</p><p>Brain areas showing differential activation for mentalizing versus introspection.</p