Alexithymia modulates the experience of the rubber hand illusion

Alexithymia is associated with lower awareness of emotional and non-emotional internal bodily signals. However, evidence suggesting that alexithymia modulates body awareness at an external level is scarce. This study aimed to investigate whether alexithymia is associated with disrupted multisensory integration by using the rubber hand illusion task.Fifty healthy individuals completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and underwent the rubber hand illusion measure. In this measure, one watches a rubber hand being stroked synchronously or asynchronously with one’s own hand, which is hidden from view. Compared to the asynchronous stimulation, the synchronous stimulation results in the illusion that the rubber hand and the participant’s hand are closer together than they really are and that the rubber hand belongs to them. Results revealed that higher levels of alexithymia are associated with a lower ownership illusion. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that high alexithymia scorers integrate two simultaneous sensory and proprioceptive events into a single experience (lower multisensory integration) to a lesser extent than low alexithymia scorers. Higher susceptibility to the illusion in high alexithymia scorers may -indicate that alexithymia is associated with impaired multisensory integration and that this association results from an abnormal focus of one's own body

Kardiosensibilität, Emotionen und kortikales Geschehen

In der vorgelegten Dissertation wird der Zusammenhang zwischen Kardiosensibilität, Emotionen und kortikalem Geschehen beleuchtet. Hierfür wurden vier empirischen Studien durchgeführt, die als ein Hauptanliegen solche zerebralen Strukturen identifizieren sollten, die sowohl an der Herzwahrnehmung als auch an der Entstehung des sog. Herzschlag-evozierten Potentials (HEP) beteiligt sind. Dabei wurde ausgehend von aktuellen Forschungsbefunden vermutet, dass es sich hierbei um viszerale Regulationsstrukturen wie die Insula, das anteriore Cingulum, den präfrontalen Kortex und die somatosensorischen Kortizes handeln könnte. Des weiteren wurde postuliert, dass Unterschiede in der Kardiosensibilität sich sowohl in der Amplitude des HEP als auch in den Dipol-Quellstärken des HEP sowie in der Aktivität während der Herzwahrnehmung nieder-schlagen. Die Ergebnisse der beiden HEP-Studien sowie der fMRT-Studie haben diese Hypothesen eindrucksvoll bestätigt. Über die verschiedenen Methoden hinweg (EEG, Dipolanalyse nach BESA, fMRT) wurde eine Aktivierung in den beschriebenen viszeralen Regulationsstrukturen gefunden, welche zudem mit der Kardiosensibilität positiv korrelierte. In der vierten Studie wurde das Zusammenspiel von Emotionen und Kardiosensibilität bei emotionaler Bilderpräsentation in einer EEG-Studie mit anschließender Stromdichterekon-struktion untersucht. Auch hierbei zeigte sich eine deutliche Modulation der visuell-evozierten Potentiale durch die Kardiosensibilität. Neben subjektiv berichteten höheren Arousal war die P300 und die Slow Wave in der Gruppe der guten Herzwahrnehmer erhöht. Die Stromdichterekonstruktion ergab wiederum positive Korrelationen zwischen der Kardiosensibilität und der Aktivierungsstärke des anterioren Cingulums, des dorsolateralen Kortex, der Insula und der somatosensorischen Kortizes. Aufgrund der hier vorgelegten Ergebnisse wurden die genannten Strukturen als Koordinationszentren für Emotionen und viszerale Regulation identifiziert, da die Areale übereinstim-mend bei kardialer und emotionaler Aufgabenstellung eine Aktivierung aufwiesen sowie in gleichbleibender Weise durch die Kardiosensibilität modulierbar waren

Complaints as starting point for vicious cycles in customer-employee-interactions

A ring-model of vicious cycles in customer employee-interaction is proposed: service employees perceive complaints as a threat to their self-esteem resulting in defense responses such as an increased need for cognitive closure, a devaluation of the customer and their information and degrading service behavior. Confronted with such degrading service behavior, customers react defensively as well, by devaluing the employee for example with regard to his/her competence and by reducing repurchase and positive word-of-mouth (WOM). Three studies investigated each link in this ringmodel. In study 1, participants were confronted with an aggressive or neutral customer complaint. Results show that motivated closed-mindedness (one aspect of the need for cognitive closure) increases after an aggressive complaint leading to a devaluation of the customer and their information, and in turn to a degrading service reaction. In study 2, participants were confronted with a degrading or favorable service reaction. Results show that they devaluate the employees' competence after receiving a degrading service reaction and thus reduce their intention to repurchase. In study 3, we finally examined our predictions investigating real customer employee-interactions: we analyzed data from an evaluation study in which mystery callers tested the service hotline of an airline. Results show that the employees' competence is devaluated after degrading behavior and thus reduces positive WOM

Atypical Self-Focus Effect on Interoceptive Accuracy in Anorexia Nervosa

Background: Interoceptive abilities are known to be affected in anorexia nervosa (AN). Previous studies could show that private self-focus can enhance interoceptive accuracy (IAcc) in healthy participants. As body dissatisfaction is high in AN, confrontation with bodily features such as the own face might have a directly opposed effect in AN. Whether patients with AN can benefit from self-focus in their IAcc and whether this pattern changes over the time-course of cognitive behavioral therapy was investigated in this study. Methods: 15 patients with AN from the Psychosomatic Clinic in Windach were assessed three times in the time course of a standardized cognitive-behavioral therapy. They were compared to 15 controls, recruited from Ulm University and tested in a comparable setting. Both groups performed the heartbeat perception task assessing interoceptive accuracy (IAcc) under two conditions either enhancing (Self) or decreasing (Other) self-focused attention. Furthermore, body dissatisfaction was assessed by a subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory 2. Results: Patients with AN scored higher in IAcc when watching others’ faces as compared to one’s own face while performing the heartbeat perception task. The opposite pattern was observed in controls. IAcc remained reduced in AN as compared to controls in the time-course of cognitive-behavioral therapy, while body-dissatisfaction improved in AN. High body dissatisfaction was related to poorer IAcc in the Self condition. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that using self-focused attention reduces IAcc in AN while the opposite pattern was observed in controls. Confronting anorexic patients with bodily features might increase body-related avoidance and therefore decrease interoceptive accuracy. The current study introduces a new perspective concerning the role of interoceptive processes in AN and generates further questions regarding the therapeutic utility of methods targeting self-focus in the treatment of AN

From Driver to Supervisor: Comparing Cognitive Load and EEG-based Attentional Resource Allocation across Automation Levels

With increasing automation, drivers' roles transition from active operators to passive system supervisors, affecting their behaviour and cognitive processes. This study addresses the attentional resource allocation and subjective cognitive load during manual, SAE Level 2, and SAE Level 3 driving in a realistic environment. An experiment was conducted on a test track with 30 participants using a prototype automated vehicle. While driving, participants were subjected to a passive auditory oddball task and their electroencephalogram was recorded. The study analysed the amplitude of the P3a event-related potential component elicited by novel environmental stimuli, an objective measure of attentional resource allocation. The subjective cognitive load was assessed using the NASA Task Load Index. Results showed no significant difference in subjective cognitive load between manual and Level 2 driving, but a decrease in subjective cognitive load in Level 3 driving. The P3a amplitude was highest during manual driving, indicating increased attentional resource allocation to environmental sounds compared to Level 2 and Level 3 driving. This may suggest that during automated driving, drivers allocate fewer attentional resources to processing environmental information. It remains unclear whether the decreased processing of environmental stimuli in automated driving is due to top-down attention control (leading to attention withdrawal) or bottom-up competition for resources induced by cognitive load. This study provides novel empirical evidence on resource allocation and subjective cognitive load in automated driving. The findings highlight the importance of managing drivers' attention and cognitive load with implications for enhancing automation safety and the design of user interfaces.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure

Discrepancies Between Explicit Feelings of Power and Implicit Power Motives Are Related to Anxiety in Women With Anorexia Nervosa

Background: Several studies identified low subjective feelings of power in women with anorexia nervosa (AN). However, little is known about implicit power motives and the discrepancy between explicit feelings of power and implicit power motives in AN. Aim: The study investigated the discrepancy between explicit feelings of power and implicit power motives and its relationship to anxiety in patients with AN. Method: Fifty-three outpatients and inpatients with AN and 48 participants without AN were compared regarding subjective feelings of power and anxiety. Explicit power [investigated with the Personal Sense of Power Scale (trait focus) and a visual analog scale (state focus)], implicit power motives [investigated with the Multi-Motive Grid (MMG)] and trait anxiety [measured with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)], were assessed. Results: Explicit feelings of power (state and trait level) were lower in patients with AN compared to non-AN participants. No differences in implicit power motives were found when comparing the groups against each other. However, looking at the groups separately, women with AN had similar levels of implicit fear of losing power and hope for power, whereas woman without AN had significantly lower fear of losing power than hope for power. Focusing on discrepancies between powerful feelings and power motives, results were mixed, depending on the subscale of the MMG. Lastly, discrepancies between implicit power motives and explicit feelings of power were positively correlated with trait anxiety in AN patients. Conclusion: These findings underline that individuals with AN display significantly lower explicit feelings of power, however, they show similar implicit power motives compared to individuals without AN. The discrepancy between explicit feelings of power and implicit power motives is related to anxiety in AN and may represent a vulnerability factor to illness maintenance

Проект "Малая академия наук "Scientrium"" как пример организации исследовательской деятельности учащихся

Рассматривается исследовательская деятельность учащихся старших классов. Освещается реализация социально значимого проекта по вовлечению их в исследовательскую и околонаучную деятельность на базе Национального исследовательского Томского политехнического университета, Томской областной детской общественной организации «Хобби-центр» и Томского областного института повышения квалификации и переподготовки работников образования. Показан механизм формирования научных команд, позволяющий эффективно организовать исследовательскую работу учащихся старших классов под руководством сотрудников университета и студентов.The article discusses research activity of high schoolchild. Covers the implementation of socially significant project to engage them in research and allied activities in the framework of the National research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk regional children's public organization «Hobby-center» and the Tomsk regional Institute of advanced training and retraining of workers of education. The mechanism of formation of research teams to effectively organize the research work of senior students under the guidance of University staff and students

Interoception across Modalities: On the Relationship between Cardiac Awareness and the Sensitivity for Gastric Functions

The individual sensitivity for ones internal bodily signals (“interoceptive awareness”) has been shown to be of relevance for a broad range of cognitive and affective functions. Interoceptive awareness has been primarily assessed via measuring the sensitivity for ones cardiac signals (“cardiac awareness”) which can be non-invasively measured by heartbeat perception tasks. It is an open question whether cardiac awareness is related to the sensitivity for other bodily, visceral functions. This study investigated the relationship between cardiac awareness and the sensitivity for gastric functions in healthy female persons by using non-invasive methods. Heartbeat perception as a measure for cardiac awareness was assessed by a heartbeat tracking task and gastric sensitivity was assessed by a water load test. Gastric myoelectrical activity was measured by electrogastrography (EGG) and subjective feelings of fullness, valence, arousal and nausea were assessed. The results show that cardiac awareness was inversely correlated with ingested water volume and with normogastric activity after water load. However, persons with good and poor cardiac awareness did not differ in their subjective ratings of fullness, nausea and affective feelings after drinking. This suggests that good heartbeat perceivers ingested less water because they subjectively felt more intense signals of fullness during this lower amount of water intake compared to poor heartbeat perceivers who ingested more water until feeling the same signs of fullness. These findings demonstrate that cardiac awareness is related to greater sensitivity for gastric functions, suggesting that there is a general sensitivity for interoceptive processes across the gastric and cardiac modality

Interoception and Mental Health: A Roadmap

Interoception refers to the process by which the nervous system senses, interprets, and integrates signals originating from within the body, providing a moment-by-moment mapping of the body’s internal landscape across conscious and unconscious levels. Interoceptive signaling has been considered a component process of reflexes, urges, feelings, drives, adaptive responses, and cognitive and emotional experiences, highlighting its contributions to the maintenance of homeostatic functioning, body regulation, and survival. Dysfunction of interoception is increasingly recognized as an important component of different mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders, mood disorders, eating disorders, addictive disorders, and somatic symptom disorders. However, a number of conceptual and methodological challenges have made it difficult for interoceptive constructs to be broadly applied in mental health research and treatment settings. In November 2016, the Laureate Institute for Brain Research organized the first Interoception Summit, a gathering of interoception experts from around the world, with the goal of accelerating progress in understanding the role of interoception in mental health. The discussions at the meeting were organized around four themes: interoceptive assessment, interoceptive integration, interoceptive psychopathology, and the generation of a roadmap that could serve as a guide for future endeavors. This review article presents an overview of the emerging consensus generated by the meeting