1,152 research outputs found
Dynamical frustration in ANNNI model and annealing
Zero temperature quench in the Axial Next Nearest Neighbour Ising (ANNNI)
model fails to bring it to its ground state for a certain range of values of
the frustration parameter , the ratio of the next nearest neighbour
antiferromagnetic interaction strength to the nearest neighbour one. We apply
several annealing methods, both classical and quantum, and observe that the
behaviour of the residual energy and the order parameter depends on the value
of strongly. Classical or thermal annealing is found to be adequate
for small values of .
However, neither classical nor quantum annealing is effective at values of
close to the fully frustrated point , where the residual
energy shows a very slow algebraic decay with the number of MCS.Comment: 6 pages,10 figures, to be published in Proceedings of " The
International Workshop on Quantum annealing and other Optimization Methods
Different heuristics and same bias: A spectral analysis of biased judgments and individual decision rules
We used correlation and spectral analyses to investigate the cognitive structures and processes producing biased judgments. We used 5 different sets of driving problems to exemplify problems that trigger biases, specifically: (1) underestimation of the impact of occasional slow speeds on mean speed judgments, (2) overestimation of braking capacity after a speed increase, (3) the time saving bias (overestimation of the time saved by increasing a high speed further, and underestimation of time saved when increasing a low speed), (4) underestimation of increase of fatal accident risk when speed is increased, and (5) underestimation of the increase of stopping distance when speed is increased. The results verified the predicted biases. A correlation analysis found no strong links between biases; only accident risk and stopping distance biases were correlated significantly. Spectral analysis of judgments was used to identify different decision rules. Most participants were consistent in their use of a single rule within a problem set with the same bias. The participants used difference, average, weighed average and ratio rules, all producing biased judgments. Among the rules, difference rules were used most frequently across the different biases. We found no personal consistency in the rules used across problem sets. The complexity of rules varied across problem sets for most participants
Ethical Decision Making and Leadership Stress
The theme of this entry is how ethical decisionmaking is influenced by leadership stress. From a traditional point of view, stress is seen as a potential threat to leaders’ ethical decisions (Selart and Johansen 2011). There is substantial evidence suggesting that stress has a negative impact on leaders’ cognition and information processing, leading to errors and biases in their decisionmaking. However, it must be pointed out that in many types of professions (e.g., chief pilots, chief surgeons, and chief fire officers) leaders are more or less bound to develop advanced levels of stresstolerance in order to function ethically. This implies that stress does not always have to result in unethical decisions among leaders (Klein 1996).
The structure of this entry is organized such that its first part is devoted to clarification of the
relationship between ethical decision-making and leadership, while the second part is focused on how stress adds to this relationship
Using the stated preference method for the calculation of social discount rate
The aim of this paper is to build the stated preference method into the social discount rate methodology. The first part of the paper presents the results of a survey about stated time preferences through pair-choice decision situations for various topics and time horizons. It is assumed that stated time preferences differ from calculated time preferences and that the extent of stated rates depends on the time period, and on how much respondents are financially and emotionally involved in the transactions. A significant question remains: how can the gap between the calculation and the results of surveys be resolved, and how can the real time preferences of individuals be interpreted using a social time preference rate. The second part of the paper estimates the social time preference rate for Hungary using the results of the survey, while paying special attention to the pure time preference component. The results suggest that the current method of calculation of the pure time preference rate does not reflect the real attitudes of individuals towards future generations
Relaxation and Metastability in the RandomWalkSAT search procedure
An analysis of the average properties of a local search resolution procedure
for the satisfaction of random Boolean constraints is presented. Depending on
the ratio alpha of constraints per variable, resolution takes a time T_res
growing linearly (T_res \sim tau(alpha) N, alpha < alpha_d) or exponentially
(T_res \sim exp(N zeta(alpha)), alpha > alpha_d) with the size N of the
instance. The relaxation time tau(alpha) in the linear phase is calculated
through a systematic expansion scheme based on a quantum formulation of the
evolution operator. For alpha > alpha_d, the system is trapped in some
metastable state, and resolution occurs from escape from this state through
crossing of a large barrier. An annealed calculation of the height zeta(alpha)
of this barrier is proposed. The polynomial/exponentiel cross-over alpha_d is
not related to the onset of clustering among solutions.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures. A mistake in sec. IV.B has been correcte
Organization of networks with tagged nodes and biased links: a priori distinct communities. The case of Intelligent Design Proponents and Darwinian Evolution Defenders
Among topics of opinion formation it is of interest to observe the
characteristics of networks with a priori distinct communities. As an
illustration, we report on the citation network(s) unfolded in the recent
decades through web available works belonging to selected members of the
Neocreationist and Intelligent Design Proponents (IDP) and the Darwinian
Evolution Defenders (DED) communities. An adjacency matrix of tagged nodes is
first constructed; it is not symmetric. A generalization of considerations
pertaining to the case of networks with biased links, directed or undirected,
is thus presented. The main characteristic coefficients describing the
structure of such partially directed networks with tagged nodes are outlined.
The structural features are discussed searching for statistical aspects,
equivalence or not of subnetworks through the degree distributions, each
network assortativity, the global and local clustering coefficients and the
Average Overlap Indices. The various closed and open triangles made from nodes,
moreover distinguishing the community, are especially listed to calculate the
clustering characteristics. The distribution of elements in the rectangular
submatrices are specially examined since they represent inter-community
connexions. The emphasis being on distinguishing the number of vertices
belonging to a given community. Using such informations one can distinguish
between opinion leaders, followers and main rivals and briefly interpret their
relationships through psychological-like conditions intrinsic to behavior rules
in either community. Considerations on other controversy cases with similar
social constraints are outlined, as well as suggestions on further, more
general, work deduced from our observations on such networks.Comment: 40 pages, 61 references, 7 Tables, 11 Figures, 2 Appendices (giving
the adjacency matrices
The random K-satisfiability problem: from an analytic solution to an efficient algorithm
We study the problem of satisfiability of randomly chosen clauses, each with
K Boolean variables. Using the cavity method at zero temperature, we find the
phase diagram for the K=3 case. We show the existence of an intermediate phase
in the satisfiable region, where the proliferation of metastable states is at
the origin of the slowdown of search algorithms. The fundamental order
parameter introduced in the cavity method, which consists of surveys of local
magnetic fields in the various possible states of the system, can be computed
for one given sample. These surveys can be used to invent new types of
algorithms for solving hard combinatorial optimizations problems. One such
algorithm is shown here for the 3-sat problem, with very good performances.Comment: 38 pages, 13 figures; corrected typo
High orders of the perturbation theory for hydrogen atom in magnetic field
The states of hydrogen atom with principal quantum number and zero
magnetic quantum number in constant homogeneous magnetic field are
considered. The coefficients of energy eigenvalues expansion up to 75th order
in powers of are obtained for these states. The series for energy
eigenvalues and wave functions are summed up to values of the order
of atomic magnetic field. The calculations are based on generalization of the
moment method, which may be used in other cases of the hydrogen atom
perturbation by a polynomial in coordinates potential.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX, 6 figures (ps, eps
Qualitative analysis of how patients decide that they want risk-reducing mastectomy, and the implications for surgeons in responding to emotionally-motivated patient requests
Objective
Contemporary approaches to medical decision-making advise that clinicians should respect patients’ decisions. However, patients’ decisions are often shaped by heuristics, such as being guided by emotion, rather than by objective risk and benefit. Risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM) decisions focus this dilemma sharply. RRM reduces breast cancer (BC) risk, but is invasive and can have iatrogenic consequences. Previous evidence suggests that emotion guides patients’ decision-making about RRM. We interviewed patients to better understand how they made decisions about RRM, using findings to consider how clinicians could ethically respond to their decisions.
Methods
Qualitative face-to-face interviews with 34 patients listed for RRM surgery and two who had decided against RRM.
Results
Patients generally did not use objective risk estimates or, indeed, consider risks and benefits of RRM. Instead emotions guided their decisions: they chose RRM because they feared BC and wanted to do ‘all they could’ to prevent it. Most therefore perceived RRM to be the ‘obvious’ option and made the decision easily. However, many recounted extensive post-decisional deliberation, generally directed towards justifying the original decision. A few patients deliberated before the decision because fears of surgery counterbalanced those of BC.
Conclusion
Patients seeking RRM were motivated by fear of BC, and the need to avoid potential regret for not doing all they could to prevent it. We suggest that choices such as that for RRM, which are made emotionally, can be respected as autonomous decisions, provided patients have considered risks and benefits. Drawing on psychological theory about how people do make decisions, as well as normative views of how they should, we propose that practitioners can guide consideration of risks and benefits even, where necessary, after patients have opted for surgery. This model of practice could be extended to other medical decisions that are influenced by patients’ emotions
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