123 research outputs found
Decisional Processes with Boolean Neural Network: the Emergence of Mental Schemes
Human decisional processes result from the employment of selected quantities
of relevant information, generally synthesized from environmental incoming data
and stored memories. Their main goal is the production of an appropriate and
adaptive response to a cognitive or behavioral task. Different strategies of
response production can be adopted, among which haphazard trials, formation of
mental schemes and heuristics. In this paper, we propose a model of Boolean
neural network that incorporates these strategies by recurring to global
optimization strategies during the learning session. The model characterizes as
well the passage from an unstructured/chaotic attractor neural network typical
of data-driven processes to a faster one, forward-only and representative of
schema-driven processes. Moreover, a simplified version of the Iowa Gambling
Task (IGT) is introduced in order to test the model. Our results match with
experimental data and point out some relevant knowledge coming from
psychological domain.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure
Psychological intervention measures during the COVID-19 pandemic
The health emergency we are experiencing due to the spread of the COVID-19
disease has strongly influenced the psychological and physical health of the general
population, including the health care professionals. The aim of this brief article is
a preliminary analysis of the psychological interventions following the infectious
disease outbreak in order to 1) implement guidelines for the existing emerging
psychological crisis for people directly and indirectly affected by COVID-19, and 2)
establish adequate procedures and prompt responses
Psychological components of chronic diseases: the link between defense mechanisms and alexithymia
The influence of psychological health in the etiology of chronic diseases is nowadays a central topic of scientific debates (Eikeseth et al., 2020; Martino et al., 2021a; Sardella et al., 2021). Patients coping with a chronic condition experience complex emotional distress that is frequently overlooked when medical care is considered (Gatchel, 2004; Turner Kelly, 2000)
Gender differences on psychological factors in fibromyalgia: a systematic review on maleâs experience
Objectives: Fibromyalgia (FM) is highly prevalent in female gender. Scarce attention has been given to the exploration and description of this syndrome, from a psychological point of view, when occurring in males. The aim of the present study is to develop further knowledge, and to summarise the literature regarding subjective psychological experience, characteristics of symptoms presentation (both onset and development), and treatment options for FM in male patients, in order to highlight differences with FM in females.
Methods: All studies published between January 1993 and February 2020 using PubMed and PsycInfo were included, provided that they met the following criteria: 1) written in English; 2) original articles on studies with a longitudinal design; 3) prospective or retrospective, observational (analytical or descriptive), experimental or quasi-experimental, controlled or noncontrolled studies. Reviews and nonoriginal articles (i.e, editorials, Letters to the Editor, and book chapters) were not included. We utilised the following keywords: (male), (female), (fibromyalgia), combined with Boolean operators 'AND' and 'NOT'.
Results: We found an initial number of 55 papers. Duplicated records were excluded (n=13), as well as papers not focusing on male patients or not fulfilling inclusion criteria (n=25), narrowing the research to 17 papers.
Conclusions: FM male patients consider their masculine identity as inefficiently re-negotiated after symptoms' onset. FM males tend to endure pain for longer periods of time than females before seeking for treatment; bodily symptoms are prevalent with a compromised exploration of feelings about FM. Unfortunately, there is still paucity of evidence on clinical characterisation and treatment options when FM occurs in males. Moreover, no studies addressed the issue of the psychopharmacological/non-pharmacological management of males with FM and comorbid psychiatric syndromes
Neurological complications of covid-19 and possible neuroinvasion pathways: A systematic review
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has shocked the whole world with its unexpected rapid spread. The virus responsible for the disease, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), enters host cells by means of the envelope spike protein, which binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors. These receptors are highly expressed in heart, lungs, respiratory tract epithelium, endothelial cells and brain. Since an increasing body of significant evidence is highlighting a possible neuroinvasion related to SARS-CoV-2, a state of the art on the neurological complications is needed. To identify suitable publications, our systematic review was carried out by searching relevant studies on PubMed and Scopus databases. We included studies investigating neurologic manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 in patients over 18. According to the analyzed studies, the most frequent disorders affecting central nervous system (CNS) seem to be the following: olfactory and taste disorders, ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke, meningoencephalitis and encephalopathy, including acute necrotizing encephalopathy, a rare type of encephalopathy. As regards the peripheral nervous system (PNS), Guillain-Barré and Miller Fisher syndromes are the most frequent manifestations reported in the literature. Important clinical information on the neurological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 would help clinicians raise awareness and simultaneously improve the prognosis of critically ill patients
Human-like problem-solving abilities in large language models using ChatGPT
BackgroundsThe field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seen a major shift in recent years due to the development of new Machine Learning (ML) models such as Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT). GPT has achieved previously unheard-of levels of accuracy in most computerized language processing tasks and their chat-based variations.AimThe aim of this study was to investigate the problem-solving abilities of ChatGPT using two sets of verbal insight problems, with a known performance level established by a sample of human participants.Materials and methodsA total of 30 problems labeled as âpractice problemsâ and âtransfer problemsâ were administered to ChatGPT. ChatGPT's answers received a score of â0â for each incorrectly answered problem and a score of â1â for each correct response. The highest possible score for both the practice and transfer problems was 15 out of 15. The solution rate for each problem (based on a sample of 20 subjects) was used to assess and compare the performance of ChatGPT with that of human subjects.ResultsThe study highlighted that ChatGPT can be trained in out-of-the-box thinking and demonstrated potential in solving verbal insight problems. The global performance of ChatGPT equalled the most probable outcome for the human sample in both practice problems and transfer problems as well as upon their combination. Additionally, ChatGPT answer combinations were among the 5% of most probable outcomes for the human sample both when considering practice problems and pooled problem sets. These findings demonstrate that ChatGPT performance on both set of problems was in line with the mean rate of success of human subjects, indicating that it performed reasonably well.ConclusionsThe use of transformer architecture and self-attention in ChatGPT may have helped to prioritize inputs while predicting, contributing to its potential in verbal insight problem-solving. ChatGPT has shown potential in solving insight problems, thus highlighting the importance of incorporating AI into psychological research. However, it is acknowledged that there are still open challenges. Indeed, further research is required to fully understand AI's capabilities and limitations in verbal problem-solving
Optimism and Its Impact on Mental and Physical Well-Being
Many studies have been carried out about the effectiveness of optimism as a psychological phenomenon, leading to various theoretical formulations of the same concept, conceptualized as âdispositionâ, âattributional styleâ, âcognitive biasâ, or âshared illusionâ. This overview is an attempt to explore the âoptimismâ concept and its relations with mental health, physical health, coping, quality of life and adaptation of purpose, health lifestyle and risk perception
COVID-19 pandemic and internet addiction in young adults: a pilot study on positive and negative psychosocial correlates
Objective: During and after the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic period,
a strain was put on young adults who have taken refuge in the problematic use of
internet, social media, gaming, and gambling. This paper aims to investigate possible
correlates of Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD), hypothesizing anxiety, depression
and perceived stress would promote addiction, while mindfulness skills, resilience
and socialization would, conversely, hamper IAD, and promote, consequently, a more
functional internet use.
Method: A pilot study was carried out with a sample of 31 young adults, recruited
through a snowball sampling using social networks. Participants filled out an online
questionnaire including the following measures: Internet Use, Abuse and Addiction
(UADI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II); State-Trait Anxiety Inventory
(STAI-Y); Perceived Stress Scale (PSS); Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire
(FFMQ); Mindfulness Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS); Resilience Scale
(RS-14). It was also administered an ad hoc questionnaire for the assessment of
socialization behaviour (6 items) and gambling (2 items).
Results: All the measures, but socialization, showed adequate reliability. Our
sample showed high levels of anxiety, stress, IA and gambling, while presenting
low levels of resilience, the mindful skill of no-reactivity and socialization. The first
hypothesis was confirmed, finding positive and significant correlations between
Internet Addiction on one side and PSS, STAI-Y1, STAY-2, and BDI II on the other
side. We also partially confirmed the second hypothesis about UADI negatively
correlated with both RS-14 and Mindful Acting. Finally, no correlations were found
between Gambling and IA.
Conclusions: In conclusion, the more one perceives an emotional overload with
less stress-control, high anxiety, and depression, and the less one can leverage on the
skills of mindful acting and resilience, the more one uses the internet as a strategy to
escape from a threatening reality
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