Análisis de la influencia de la evolución tecnológica en los riesgos laborales que afectan las mediciones topográficas

Fundamento y Métodos: En esta investigación se presenta el caso de la mejora de los riesgos laborales que experimenta un puesto de trabajo dedicado a mediciones topográficas, con la evolución tecnológica experimentada en este sector en los últimos 20 años. Para ello, se lleva a cabo una identificación y evaluación de los riesgos más importantes de este tipo de trabajos en el exterior (excavaciones y canteras), así como en actividades mineras y obras subterráneas. Esta identificación y evaluación de riesgos se realiza considerando 4 escenarios: 1) mediciones topográficas realizadas con estaciones totales con capacidad para medir distancias siendo necesario el uso de prismas; 2) mediciones topográficas basadas realizadas con estaciones totales con capacidad de medir distancias sin necesidad de prismas; 3) mediciones topográficas realizadas con receptores GPS; y 4) mediciones topográficas realizadas con drones. Resultados: Una vez realizada la identificación y evaluación de los riesgos principales que tienen lugar en la realización de mediciones topográficas en los 4 escenarios considerados, se analizan las diferencias más destacables de los riesgos que afectan este tipo de trabajos haciendo uso de un equipo u otro. Se constata que el uso de una estación total con capacidad de medir distancias sin uso de prismas permite eliminar o reducir a la mínima expresión riesgos tan importantes como los derivados de acceder al pie o cabeza de un talud, lugares peligrosos de obras y minas subterráneas, etc.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Lenience breeds strictness: the generosity-erosion effect in hiring decisions

In recruitment processes, candidates are often judged one after another. This sequential procedure affects the outcome of the process. Here, we introduce the generosity-erosion effect, which states that evaluators might be harsher in their assessment of candidates after grading previous candidates generously. Generosity is defined as giving a candidate the lowest possible grade required to progress in the hiring process. Analyzing a high-stake hiring process, we find that for each candidate graded generously, the probability for subsequent candidates to pass decreased by 7.7% (Experiment 1; N=11,281). Testing the boundary conditions of the generosity-effect, we explore a hiring process that, in contrast to the previous process, was very selective, since candidates were more likely to fail than to pass. In this scenario, no evidence is found for the generosity-erosion effect (Experiment 2; N=3,171). Practical implications and mechanisms underlying the generosity-erosion effect are further discussed

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) study to optimize the auxiliary ventilation system in an underground mine

Peer ReviewedObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::8 - Treball Decent i Creixement EconòmicPostprint (published version

Large Language Models are biased to overestimate profoundness

Recent advancements in natural language processing by large language models (LLMs), such as GPT-4, have been suggested to approach Artificial General Intelligence. And yet, it is still under dispute whether LLMs possess similar reasoning abilities to humans. This study evaluates GPT-4 and various other LLMs in judging the profoundness of mundane, motivational, and pseudo-profound statements. We found a significant statement-to-statement correlation between the LLMs and humans, irrespective of the type of statements and the prompting technique used. However, LLMs systematically overestimate the profoundness of nonsensical statements, with the exception of Tk-instruct, which uniquely underestimates the profoundness of statements. Only few-shot learning prompts, as opposed to chain-of-thought prompting, draw LLMs ratings closer to humans. Furthermore, this work provides insights into the potential biases induced by Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF), inducing an increase in the bias to overestimate the profoundness of statements.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

The Impact of foreign language processing on judgments, decisions and emotions

Foreign language processing is hard, sometimes the right words do not come out, sometimes phonemes are incompressible. Words also lose their emotional appeal in a foreign language. How does this affect people’s lives? A recent line of research suggests that it changes their decisions and moral judgments, the so-called foreign language effect. We aim to shed some light on the pervasiveness and origin of the effect. We did so by exploring the foreign language effect on the outcome bias (Chapter I), the representativeness heuristic (Chapter I), and intertemporal choices (Chapter II). In the third chapter, we went a step further and explored how foreign language processing affected emotionality not directly caused by language. Results revealed that: 1) Foreign language processing is unlikely to affect decisions that are independent of emotion (Chapters 1 & 2), 2) Once emotion is relevant to the decision at hand, a foreign language effect is present (Chapter II), and 3) Although a foreign language is less emotional, its use does not regulate emotional arousal (Chapter III). Overall, the prevalence of the foreign language effect might be reduced to emotional contexts, emotions that are not reduced in a foreign language when they are not directly caused by the language.Processar una llengua estrangera és difícil, a vegades no surten les paraules exactes, a vegades els fonemes són incomprensibles. A més, les paraules perden la seva força emocional en una llengua estrangera. Com afecta això la vida de les persones? Una línia d’investigació recent suggereix que canvia les seves decisions i judicis morals, l’anomenat efecte de llengua estrangera. L’objectiu de la tesis és explorar com de generalitzat és l’efecte així com el seu origen. Per aconseguir-ho, vàrem explorar l’efecte de llengua estrangera en “l’outcome bias” (Capítol I), l’heurística de representativitat (Capítol I), i les decisions intertemporals. En el tercer capítol, vàrem anar un pas més enllà i vàrem explorar com processar una llengua estrangera afectava les emocions no causades directament pel llenguatge. Els resultats revelen que: 1) El processament d’una llengua estrangera probablement no afecta les decisions no relacionades amb emoció (Capítols I & II), 2) Una vegada l’emoció és rellevant per la decisió, existeix efecte d’una llengua estrangera (Capítol II), i 3) Tot i que una llengua estrangera és menys emocional, el seu ús no ajuda a regular les emocions (Capítol III). En general, la prevalença de l’efecte de llengua estrangera podria reduir-se en contextos emocionals, emocions que no es veuen reduïdes en una llengua estrangera quan no estan directament causades per la llengua

The Impact of foreign language processing on judgments, decisions and emotions

Foreign language processing is hard, sometimes the right words do not come out, sometimes phonemes are incompressible. Words also lose their emotional appeal in a foreign language. How does this affect people’s lives? A recent line of research suggests that it changes their decisions and moral judgments, the so-called foreign language effect. We aim to shed some light on the pervasiveness and origin of the effect. We did so by exploring the foreign language effect on the outcome bias (Chapter I), the representativeness heuristic (Chapter I), and intertemporal choices (Chapter II). In the third chapter, we went a step further and explored how foreign language processing affected emotionality not directly caused by language. Results revealed that: 1) Foreign language processing is unlikely to affect decisions that are independent of emotion (Chapters 1 & 2), 2) Once emotion is relevant to the decision at hand, a foreign language effect is present (Chapter II), and 3) Although a foreign language is less emotional, its use does not regulate emotional arousal (Chapter III). Overall, the prevalence of the foreign language effect might be reduced to emotional contexts, emotions that are not reduced in a foreign language when they are not directly caused by the language.Processar una llengua estrangera és difícil, a vegades no surten les paraules exactes, a vegades els fonemes són incomprensibles. A més, les paraules perden la seva força emocional en una llengua estrangera. Com afecta això la vida de les persones? Una línia d’investigació recent suggereix que canvia les seves decisions i judicis morals, l’anomenat efecte de llengua estrangera. L’objectiu de la tesis és explorar com de generalitzat és l’efecte així com el seu origen. Per aconseguir-ho, vàrem explorar l’efecte de llengua estrangera en “l’outcome bias” (Capítol I), l’heurística de representativitat (Capítol I), i les decisions intertemporals. En el tercer capítol, vàrem anar un pas més enllà i vàrem explorar com processar una llengua estrangera afectava les emocions no causades directament pel llenguatge. Els resultats revelen que: 1) El processament d’una llengua estrangera probablement no afecta les decisions no relacionades amb emoció (Capítols I & II), 2) Una vegada l’emoció és rellevant per la decisió, existeix efecte d’una llengua estrangera (Capítol II), i 3) Tot i que una llengua estrangera és menys emocional, el seu ús no ajuda a regular les emocions (Capítol III). En general, la prevalença de l’efecte de llengua estrangera podria reduir-se en contextos emocionals, emocions que no es veuen reduïdes en una llengua estrangera quan no estan directament causades per la llengua

Anxiety, gender, and social media consumption predict COVID-19 emotional distress

Fear and anxiety about COVID-19 has swept across the globe. Understanding the factors that contribute to increasing emotional distress regarding the pandemic is paramount—especially as experts warn about rising cases. Despite large amounts of data, it remains unclear which variables are essential for predicting who will be most affected by the distress of future waves. We collected cross-sectional data on a multitude of socio-psychological variables from a sample of 948 United States participants during the early stages of the pandemic. Using a cross-validated hybrid stepwise procedure, we developed a descriptive model of COVID-19 emotional distress. Results reveal that trait anxiety, gender, and social (but not government) media consumption were the strongest predictors of increasing emotional distress. In contrast, commonly associated variables, such as age and political ideology, exhibited much less unique explanatory power. Together, these results can help public health officials identify which populations will be especially vulnerable to experiencing COVID-19 related emotional distress

Anxiety, gender, and social media consumption predict COVID-19 emotional distress

Abstract Fear and anxiety about COVID-19 have swept across the globe. Understanding the factors that contribute to increased emotional distress regarding the pandemic is paramount—especially as experts warn about rising cases. Despite large amounts of data, it remains unclear which variables are essential for predicting who will be most affected by the distress of future waves. We collected cross-sectional data on a multitude of socio-psychological variables from a sample of 948 United States participants during the early stages of the pandemic. Using a cross-validated hybrid stepwise procedure, we developed a descriptive model of COVID-19 emotional distress. Results reveal that trait anxiety, gender, and social (but not government) media consumption were the strongest predictors of increasing emotional distress. In contrast, commonly associated variables, such as age and political ideology, exhibited much less unique explanatory power. Together, these results can help public health officials identify which populations will be especially vulnerable to experiencing COVID-19-related emotional distress