Learning autonomy in two or three steps:linking open-ended development, authority, and agency to motivation

In this paper we connect open-ended development, authority, agency, and motivation through (1) an analysis of the demands of existing in a complex world and (2) environmental appraisal in terms of affordance content and the complexity to select appropriate behavior. We do this by identifying a coherent core from a wide range of contributing fields. Open-ended development is a structured three-step process in which the agent first learns to master the body and then aims to make the mind into a reliable tool. Preconditioned on success in step two, step three aims to effectively co-create an optimal living environment. We argue that these steps correspond to right-left-right hemispheric dominance, where the left hemisphere specializes in control and the right hemisphere in exploration. Control (e.g., problem solving) requires a closed and stable world that must be maintained by external authorities or, in step three, by the right hemisphere acting as internal authority. The three-step progression therefore corresponds to increasing autonomy and agency. Depending on how we appraise the environment, we formulate four qualitatively different motivational states: submission, control, exploration, and consolidation. Each of these four motivational states has associated reward signals of which the last three—successful control, discovery of novelty, and establishing new relations—form an open-ended development loop that, the more it is executed, helps the agent to become progressively more agentic and more able to co-create a pleasant-to-live-in world. We conclude that for autonomy to arise, the agent must exist in a (broad) transition region between order and disorder in which both danger and opportunity (and with that open-ended development and motivation) are defined. We conclude that a research agenda for artificial cognitive system research should include open-ended development through intrinsic motivations and ascribing more prominence to right hemispheric strengths

Safe and Sound:Soundscape research in special needs care

In het algemeen geldt voor iedereen dat de kwaliteit van de auditieve omgeving een sterke invloed heeft op het welzijn en de gemoedstoestand. Dit unieke interdisciplinaire proefschrift, waarin de afdelingen Orthopedagogiek en Kunstmatige Intelligentie hebben samengewerkt, richt zich op het verbeteren van de auditieve omgeving in de langdurige zorg, specifiek bij personen met (zeer) ernstige verstandelijke (en meervoudige) beperkingen. De bij hen frequent voorkomende visuele beperkingen en hun verminderde cognitieve vermogens, maken hen in het bijzonder afhankelijk van geluid bij het begrijpen van de wereld om hen heen. Aan de hand van een drietal studies, waarin gebruik is gemaakt van een aantal soundscape tools zoals een smartphone applicatie en 3D geluid, is aangetoond dat de kwaliteit van de auditieve omgeving inderdaad samenhangt met stemming en (probleem)gedrag bij deze doelgroep. Hoorbare veiligheid lijkt een belangrijke rol te spelen in de kwaliteit van auditieve omgevingen: een omgeving moet geruststellen en niet verontrusten. De belangrijkste aanbeveling is het vergroten van het bewustzijn in de gehele organisatie over de rol van geluid in de leefomgeving van personen met een (zeer) ernstige verstandelijke beperking. Het optimaliseren van de auditieve (leef)omgeving is belangrijk om de best mogelijke zorg te kunnen bieden. Zolang dit niet gebeurt, zal de auditieve omgeving een belangrijke negatieve invloed hebben op het fysiek en psychisch welzijn van de bewoners

Creating a common language for soundscape research:Translation and validation of Dutch soundscape attributes

Much of the work into the understanding of our auditory environment, referred to as soundscape research, has emerged from international and interdisciplinary research. This has enabled growth in understanding and increased opportunities for optimising shared environments but has also formed one major obstacle: a lack of a common language to describe soundscapes. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to validate translated soundscape descriptors in Dutch as part of the Soundscape Attributes Translation Project (SATP). For this, an expert panel of seven soundscape researchers from The Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium) translated the original eight English attributes into Dutch. Subsequently, following standardised materials and procedures, a sample of 32 Dutch participants completed a listening experiment in which they rated 27 audio files on the eight soundscape attributes. Results show modest evidence indicating that the Dutch translations were applied similarly to the original English attributes, with a slight (but not statistically significant) bias towards Pleasantness and Eventfulness in the Dutch sample. Bayesian analysis supports these findings by showing that the translations for the opposing attributes Uneventful and Annoying fit less well compared to the other attributes. Despite some limitations and while further research is necessary, our findings are promising and suggest that, although not perfect, the Dutch translations of the English soundscape attributes could already be useful for describing thegeneral appraisal of a person’s soundscape in The Netherlands

Do Active Learning Classrooms make for Active Teaching?

This paper presents preliminary results from a research project at the University of Groningen where recently various Active Learning Classrooms (ALC) were created. It answers the research question “How do university teachers experience teaching in an Active Learning Classroom?”. In total, 14 teachers participated in a survey which was conducted before and after their courses in an ALC. Results show that, in line with their expectations, teachers experienced their courses in ALC to be more active. It seems that the ALC indeed stimulated teachers to implement more active learning activities in their course, although teachers indicate they have not yet fully utilized the ALC. Therefore, we conclude it would be worthwhile to provide continuous didactic and technological support to teachers when adopting ALC in universities

The relationship between soundscapes and challenging behavior:A small-scale intervention study in a healthcare organization for individuals with severe or profound intellectual disabilities

This article evaluates the role of soundscapes in the emotional well-being of individuals with severe or profound intellectual disabilities. Given the high prevalence of visual disabilities in this group, they supposedly depend more on sound to understand their surroundings. Nevertheless, there is little attention for (the effects of) sound in long-term healthcare. To address this issue, we conducted a small-scale intervention study among 13 healthcare professionals with Mobile Soundscape Appraisal and Recording Technology (MoSART: a smartphone application). Pre- and post-test measurements were administered of the emotional well-being (measured as moods and challenging behavior) of 15 clients with intellectual disabilities. Results showed that the MoSART intervention was accompanied by an increased experience of vibrant soundscapes and audibility of human sounds as perceived by the professionals, and a significant decrease of negative moods and severity of stereotypical behavior in the clients

The Evolution of Soundscape Appraisal Through Enactive Cognition

We propose a framework based on evolutionary principles and the theory of enactive cognition (“being by doing”), that addresses the foundation of key results and central questions of soundscape research. We hypothesize that the two main descriptors (measures of how people perceive the acoustic environment) of soundscape appraisal (‘pleasantness’ and ‘eventfulness’), reflect evolutionarily old motivational and affective systems that promote survival through preferences for certain environments and avoidance of others. Survival is aimed at ending or avoiding existential threats and protecting viability in a deficient environment. On the other hand, flourishing occurs whenever survival is not an immediate concern and aims to improve the agent’s viability and by co-creating ever better conditions for existence. As such, survival is experienced as unpleasant, and deals with immediate problems to be ended or avoided, while flourishing is enjoyable, and therefore to be aimed for and maintained. Therefore, the simplest, safety-relevant meaning attributable to soundscapes (audible safety) should be key to understanding soundscape appraisal. To strengthen this, we show that the auditory nervous system is intimately connected to the parts of our brains associated with arousal and emotions. Furthermore, our theory demonstrates that ‘complexity’ and ‘affordance content’ of the perceived environment are important underlying soundscape indicators (measures used to predict the value of a soundscape descriptor). Consideration of these indicators allows the same soundscape to be viewed from a second perspective; one driven more by meaning attribution characteristics than merely emotional appraisal. The synthesis of both perspectives of the same person–environment interaction thus consolidates the affective, informational, and even the activity related perspectives on soundscape appraisal. Furthermore, we hypothesize that our current habitats are not well matched to our, evolutionarily old, auditory warning systems, and that we consequently have difficulty establishing audible safety. This leads to more negative and aroused moods and emotions, with stress-related symptoms as a result

Soundscape Optimization in Nursing Homes Through Raising Awareness in Nursing Staff With MoSART+

Introduction: Soundscapes in nursing homes are often suboptimal for residents. This can cause them feeling anxious and unsafe, or develop behavioral and psychological problems. Residents with dementia cannot adapt nursing home environments to their needs due to cognitive and physical limitations. It is up to the staff of psycho-geriatric wards to improve the soundscape. We evaluated the effect of the sound awareness intervention Mobile Soundscape Appraisal and Recording Technology (MoSART+) on soundscapes in nursing homes. Methods: The MoSART+ intervention was carried out in four nursing homes and took three months in each home. The MoSART+ intervention involved training ambassadors, assessing the soundscape with the MoSART application by the nursing staff to raise their sound awareness on random time points, discussing the measurements, and implementing micro-interventions. Soundscapes were assessed from 0 to 100 on four attributes: pleasantness, eventfulness, complexity, and range of affordances. Based on these scores, soundscapes were classified in four dimensions: calm, lively, boring, and chaotic. Nursing staff graded the environment on a scale of 0 to 10. T-test and Z-tests were used to analyze data. Results: Staff recorded 1882 measurements with the MoSART app. "People," "music, TV, and radio," and "machines and appliances" were the most prevalent sound sources before and after the implementation of micro-interventions. Post-implementation of micro-interventions, soundscapes were pleasant (median 69.0; IQR 54.0-81.0), of low complexity (33.0; 18.0-47.0), uneventful (27.0; 14.0-46.5), and gave moderate affordances (50.0; 35.0-67.0). Changes in attributes were statistically significant (p < 0.01). The proportion of the dimension calm increased (z = 12.7, p < 0.01), the proportion of chaotic decreased (z = 15.0, p < 0.01), and the proportion of lively decreased not statically significant (z = 0.68, p = 0.79). The proportion of boring was unchanged. The proportion of grades ≥6 increased after implementation of the micro-interventions (z = 15.3, p < 0.01). The micro-interventions focused on removing or reducing disturbing sounds and were unique for each nursing home. Discussion: The MoSART+ intervention resulted in a statistically significantly improvement of soundscapes, and more favorable evaluations of the nursing staff. The intervention empowered staff to adapt soundscapes. Nursing homes can improve soundscapes by raising sound awareness among staff. Trial Registration: Netherlands National Trial Register (NL6831)