477 research outputs found
When distraction helps: Evidence that concurrent articulation and irrelevant speech can facilitate insight problem solving
We report an experiment investigating the âspecial-processâ theory of insight problem solving, which claims that insight arises from non-conscious, non-reportable processes that enable problem re-structuring. We predicted that reducing opportunities for speech-based processing during insight problem solving should permit special processes to function more effectively and gain conscious awareness, thereby facilitating insight. We distracted speech-based processing by using either articulatory suppression or irrelevant speech, with findings for these conditions supporting the predicted insight facilitation effect relative to silent working or thinking aloud. The latter condition was included to investigate the currently contested effect of âverbal overshadowingâ on insight, whereby thinking aloud is claimed to hinder the operation of special, non-reportable processes. Whilst verbal overshadowing was not evident in final solution rates, there was nevertheless support for verbal overshadowing up to and beyond the mid-point of the available problem solving time. Overall our data support a special-process theory of insight, whilst also pointing to the role of moderator variables (e.g., available time for solution) in determining the presence or absence of effects predicted by the special-process account
Investigating students seriousness during selected conceptual inventory surveys
Conceptual inventory surveys are routinely used in education research to
identify student learning needs and assess instructional practices. Students
might not fully engage with these instruments because of the low stakes
attached to them. This paper explores tests that can be used to estimate the
percentage of students in a population who might not have taken such surveys
seriously. These three seriousness tests are the pattern recognition test, the
easy questions test, and the uncommon answers test. These three tests are
applied to sets of students who were assessed either by the Force Concept
Inventory, the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism, or the Brief
Electricity and Magnetism Assessment. The results of our investigation are
compared to computer simulated populations of random answers.Comment: 8 pages; submitted to Phys Rev PE
Efficacy of Problem-Solving Interventions for Improving Executive Functioning Outcomes in Patients with Acquired Brain Injuries: A Systematic Review
Background and Objective(s): Individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) often demonstrate executive functioning (EF) impairments that impact their ability to identify and solve problems within their daily lives. This systematic review attempts to consolidate available research supporting problem-solving interventions as effective, evidence-based practice for addressing EF deficits in individuals with ABI.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted using the databases Ovid Medline, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Studies met the following inclusion criteria: 1) problem-solving intervention, 2) EF outcomes, 3) individuals with acquired brain injuries. Studies were excluded based on the following criteria: 1) single case study design, 2) family-centered interventions and outcomes. All studies were then quality assessed using components of the Assessment of the Quality and Applicability of Systematic Reviews.
Results: A total of 531 studies were identified and 14 met inclusion criteria. The overall quality of the studies was âmoderate.â Interventions identified include problem-solving skills training, analogical problem-solving approach, explicit problem-solving training, Attention and Problem Solving, Interactive Strategy Modelling Training, Short-Term Executive Plus, Counselor Assisted Problem-Solving Training, Teen Online Problem Solving-Teen Only, and Teen Online Problem Solving-Family.
Conclusions: Problem-solving interventions are effective for use as management strategies for individuals with problem-solving deficits following ABI. The available evidence does not support the use of these interventions as remediation for EF deficits. Explicit teaching of problem-solving frameworks has been found to improve individualsâ abilities to recognize solutions to daily problems and determine a plan to reach an appropriate solution. Variables such as age, injury severity, and cognitive reserve may contribute to the level of success of the problem-solving interventions. More research is warranted to support the use and generalization of explicit problem-solving interventions to improve EF in individuals with ABI.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/csdms/1006/thumbnail.jp
Performance test of QU-fitting in cosmic magnetism study
QU-fitting is a standard model-fitting method to reconstruct distribution of
magnetic fields and polarized intensity along a line of sight (LOS) from an
observed polarization spectrum. In this paper, we examine the performance of
QU-fitting by simulating observations of two polarized sources located along
the same LOS, varying the widths of the sources and the gap between them in
Faraday depth space, systematically. Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach
is used to obtain the best-fit parameters for a fitting model, and Akaike and
Bayesian Information Criteria (AIC and BIC, respectively) are adopted to select
the best model from four fitting models. We find that the combination of MCMC
and AIC/BIC works fairly well in model selection and estimation of model
parameters in the cases where two sources have relatively small widths and a
larger gap in Faraday depth space. On the other hand, when two sources have
large width in Faraday depth space, MCMC chain tends to be trapped in a local
maximum so that AIC/BIC cannot select a correct model. We discuss the causes
and the tendency of the failure of QU-fitting and suggest a way to improve it.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, submitted to MNRA
Spontaneous Chelation-Driven Reduction of the Neptunyl Cation in Aqueous Solution.
Octadentate hydroxypyridinone (HOPO) and catecholamide (CAM) siderophore analogues are known to be efficacious chelators of the actinide cations, and these ligands are also capable of facilitating both activation and reduction of actinyl species. Utilizing X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopies, as well as cyclic voltammetry measurements, herein, we elucidate chelation-based mechanisms for driving reactivity and initiating redox processes in a family of neptunyl-HOPO and CAM complexes. Based on the selected chelator, the ability to control the oxidation state of neptunium and the speed of reduction and concurrent oxo group activation was demonstrated. Most notably, reduction kinetics for the NpV O2 +/ /NpIV redox couple upon chelation by the ligands 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) and 3,4,3-LI(CAM)2 (1,2-HOPO)2 was observed to be faster than ever reported, and in fact quicker than we could measure using either X-ray absorption spectroscopy or electrochemical techniques
Public attitudes to government intervention to regulate food advertising, especially to children
The World Health Organization has called on governments to implement recommendations on the marketing of foods and beverages to children. This study describes high public support for government intervention in marketing of unhealthy food to children and suggests more effort is needed to harness public opinion to influence policy development
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Effects of Irrelevant Symbols in Text on Word Recognition and Saccadic Programming during Reading
Chemical signatures of a warped protoplanetary disc
Circumstellar discs may become warped or broken into distinct planes if there
is a stellar or planetary companion with an orbit that is misaligned with
respect to the disc. There is mounting observational evidence for
protoplanetary discs with misaligned inner discs and warps that may be caused
by such interactions with a previously undetected companion, giving us a
tantalising indication of possible planets forming there. Hydrodynamical and
radiative transfer models indicate that the temperature varies azimuthally in
warped discs due to the variable angle at which the disc surface faces the star
and this impacts the disc chemistry. We perform chemical modelling based on a
hydrodynamical model of a protoplanetary disc with an embedded planet orbiting
at a 12 inclination to the disc. Even for this small misalignment,
abundances of species including CO and HCO vary azimuthally and this
results in detectable azimuthal variations in submillimetre line emission.
Azimuthal variations in line emission may therefore indicate the presence of an
unseen embedded companion. Nonaxisymmetric chemical abundances should be
considered when interpreting molecular line maps of warped or shadowed
protoplanetary discs.Comment: Accepted to MNRAS. 18 pages, 14 figure
The Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA) instrument: Evaluating features, amenities and incivilities of physical activity resources in urban neighborhoods
Background: Neighborhood environment factors may influence physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to develop and test a brief instrument to systematically document and describe the type, features, amenities, quality and incivilities of a variety of PA resources.
Method: The one-page Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA) instrument was developed to assess all publicly available PA resources in thirteen urban lower income, high ethnic minority concentration neighborhoods that surrounded public housing developments (HDs) and four higher income, low ethnic minority concentration comparison neighborhoods. Neighborhoods had similar population density and connectivity. Trained field coders rated 97 PA resources (including parks, churches, schools, sports facilities, fitness centers, community centers, and trails) on location, type, cost, features, amenities, quality and incivilities. Assessments typically took about 10 minutes to complete.
Results: HD neighborhoods had a mean of 4.9 PA resources (n = 73) with considerable variability in the type of resources available for each neighborhood. Comparison neighborhoods had a mean of 6 resources (n = 24). Most resources were accessible at no cost (82%). Resources in both types of neighborhoods typically had about 2 to 3 PA features and amenities, and the quality was usually mediocre to good in both types of neighborhoods. Incivilities at PA resources in HD neighborhoods were significantly more common than in comparison neighborhoods.
Conclusion: Although PA resources were similar in number, features and amenities, the overall appearance of the resources in HD neighborhoods was much worse as indicated by substantially worse incivilities ratings in HD neighborhoods. The more comprehensive assessment, including features, amenities and incivilities, provided by the PARA may be important to distinguish between PA resources in lower and higher deprivation areas
The Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA) instrument: Evaluating features, amenities and incivilities of physical activity resources in urban neighborhoods
BACKGROUND: Neighborhood environment factors may influence physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to develop and test a brief instrument to systematically document and describe the type, features, amenities, quality and incivilities of a variety of PA resources. METHOD: The one-page Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA) instrument was developed to assess all publicly available PA resources in thirteen urban lower income, high ethnic minority concentration neighborhoods that surrounded public housing developments (HDs) and four higher income, low ethnic minority concentration comparison neighborhoods. Neighborhoods had similar population density and connectivity. Trained field coders rated 97 PA resources (including parks, churches, schools, sports facilities, fitness centers, community centers, and trails) on location, type, cost, features, amenities, quality and incivilities. Assessments typically took about 10 minutes to complete. RESULTS: HD neighborhoods had a mean of 4.9 PA resources (n = 73) with considerable variability in the type of resources available for each neighborhood. Comparison neighborhoods had a mean of 6 resources (n = 24). Most resources were accessible at no cost (82%). Resources in both types of neighborhoods typically had about 2 to 3 PA features and amenities, and the quality was usually mediocre to good in both types of neighborhoods. Incivilities at PA resources in HD neighborhoods were significantly more common than in comparison neighborhoods. CONCLUSION: Although PA resources were similar in number, features and amenities, the overall appearance of the resources in HD neighborhoods was much worse as indicated by substantially worse incivilities ratings in HD neighborhoods. The more comprehensive assessment, including features, amenities and incivilities, provided by the PARA may be important to distinguish between PA resources in lower and higher deprivation areas
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