The role of emotional reactivity in the comprehension of online multiple texts

Multiple text-comprehension relies on a coherent mental representation based on content integration of various texts about a topic (Br\ue5ten et al. 2014; Stadler & Bromme, 2013). With respect to the Kintsch (1998) model of single-text comprehension, the \u201cdocuments model\u201d (Britt & Rouet, 2012; Rouet & Britt, 2011) includes the additional layer of the intertext model, which involves the representation of information about the sources, that is, author, type of document, purposes, date of publication, etc. Person-related factors were examined in the literature on multiple-text comprehension, mostly cognitive factors, such as prior knowledge (Br\ue5ten & Str\uf8ms\uf8, 2010; Br\ue5ten et al., 2013), argumentative reasoning (Mason, Ariasi, & Boldrin, 2011), and epistemic beliefs (Kammerer et al., 2013). Recently, theories of intelligence (Braasch et al., 2014), individual interest (Br\ue5ten et al., 2014), and reading self-efficacy (Br\ue5ten et al., 2013) were also examined as motivational factors. What is unknown in this field is the role of emotions (Pekrun & Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2014). In the present study we investigated emotional reactivity as an individual tendency to respond with different intensity to emotional materials (Davidson, 1998). When studying emotions two basic components should be considered: valence and arousal. Valence concerns the degree of pleasantness of students\u2019 response to an emotional stimulus. Arousal regards the intensity of the emotional activation (Pekrun & Perry, 2014). While the former can be easily measured through self-reports of affective states (Crawford & Henry, 2004), arousal is measured at physiological level (Mauss & Robinson, 2009). In this regard, to extend current knowledge, we measured electrodermal activity in response to an emotional material as an index of arousal and sympathetic activation (Boucsein, 2012; Kreibig & Gendolla, 2014). Skin conductance level (SCL) is an electrodermal measure based on the activity of sweat glands that are innervated solely by the sympathetic nervous system. SCL can be collected in a non-intrusive way in school settings. Objectives of the study were the answers to the following research questions (RQ): (1) Can students be grouped according to reliably distinct profiles of emotional response to a negative school-related stimulus in terms of arousal and valence? (2) Do profiles of emotional reactivity differentiate multiple-text comprehension when controlling for potentially interfering factors? For RQ1 we expected that at least two profiles of overall response would emerge when considering physiological reactions and self-perception of emotional states. For RQ2, we expected that the profiles of emotional reactivity would differentiate deeper comprehension at the intertext level. More reactive students would show poorer multiple-text comprehension than less reactive peers. This is because the latter requires extra elaborative processing of the information while more cognitive resources may not be available when individuals tend to become easily hyper-aroused and in a negative affective state

Laparoscopic Excision of Endometriosis May Require Unilateral Parametrectomy

Nerve-sparing complete excision of endometriosis may not be possible. In these patients, unilateral parametrectomy may be a reasonable alternative management strategy

Laparoscopic High Uterosacral Ligament Suspension vs. Laparoscopic Sacral Colpopexy for Pelvic Organ Prolapse: A Case-Control Study

Introduction: Laparoscopic sacral colpopexy is the gold standard technique for apical prolapse correction but it is a technically challenging procedure with rare but severe morbidity. Laparoscopic high uterosacral ligament suspension could be a valid technically easier alternative using native tissue. Material and Methods: In the period from 2015 to 2018, 600 women were submitted to laparoscopic sacral colpopexy while 150 to laparoscopic high uterosacral ligament suspension in three Italian urogynecology referral centers. We enrolled women with apical prolapse stage ≥2 alone or multicompartment descensus. To reduce allocation bias, we performed a propensity matched analysis. Women undergoing laparoscopic high uterosacral ligament suspension surgery were matched 1:2 to women undergoing laparoscopic sacral colpopexy. The cumulative proportion of relapse-free women in time was analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier method. The primary objective of this multicenter case-control retrospective study was to compare the recurrence rate while the secondary objectives were to compare feasibility, safety, and efficacy of laparoscopic sacral colpopexy and laparoscopic high uterosacral ligament suspension in surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. Results: Three hundred and nine women were enrolled (103 laparoscopic high uterosacral ligament suspension; 206 laparoscopic sacral colpopexy). Median operatory time was significantly shorter in the laparoscopic high uterosacral ligament suspension group (P = 0.0001). No statistically significative difference was found in terms of estimated blood loss, admission time, intraoperative, and major early postoperative complications, postoperative pelvic pain, dyspareunia and de novo stress urinary incontinence. Surgical approach was the only independent risk factor for prolapse recurrence (RR = 6.013 [2.965–12.193], P = 0.0001). The objective cure rate was higher in the laparoscopic sacral colpopexy group (93.7 vs. 68%, 193/206 vs. 70/103, P = 0.0001) with a highly reduced risk of recurrence (RR = 5.430 [1.660–17.765]). Median follow up was 22 months. Conclusion: Both techniques are safe, feasible, and effective. Laparoscopic sacral colpopexy remains the best choice in treatment of multicompartment and advanced pelvic organ prolapse while laparoscopic high uterosacral ligament suspension could be appropriate for moderate and isolated apical prolapse when laparoscopic sacral colpopexy is not suitable for the patient or to prevent prolapse in women at high risk at the time of the hysterectomy

Inhibition and Conceptual Learning in Science: a Review of Studies

Recent research about the learning of science has suggested that misconceptions are not replaced by scientific conceptions and extinguished once conceptual change has occurred. Rather, misconceptions still exist alongside the acquired scientific conceptions and must be suppressed in order to use scientific conceptions. Our goal in this review is to understand the conditions under which the executive function of inhibition plays a role in conceptual learning in science domains. We reviewed 18 articles in the extant literature that report investigations involving students at different educational levels, from primary to higher education, in order to identify how inhibition and science conceptual learning are measured and the conditions in which a link between the executive function and the outcome variable emerges. Part of the reviewed studies are based on behavioral data, while the others are based on both behavioral and brain imaging data. The review shows that the majority of the studies at each educational level reveal that inhibition contributes to topic-specific learning in science domains, or to overall academic achievement in science. Neuroscientific studies provide evidence that inhibition is recruited during the execution of tasks that require suppression of misconception interference. Comprehensive models of conceptual change should consider inhibitory control, which may also account for individual differences in this process

Psychophysiological Responses During Webpage Reading and Multiple-Text Comprehension

This study aimed to investigate psychophysiological responses while reading multiple webpages on a debated topic. We measured heart rate (HR) as an index of emotional arousal and heart rate variability (HRV) as an index of emotional regulation. Forty-seven students in grade 7 read four webpages varying for reliability and position on the topic, while their cardiac activity was registered. Results showed that HR was a negative predictor and HRV a positive predictor of multiple-text comprehension

Process data while reading webpages: role of emotional arousal and eye fixations in argumentation

This study extends research on multiple-text comprehension, as revealed in an argumentation essay, by examining process data while reading webpages on a debated issue. We focused on the contribution of two types of process data: emotional arousal and processing time. Forty-six seventh graders read four webpages varying for reliability and position while their heart rate and eye fixations were registered. Results showed that the higher the emotional reaction to the reading material, the longer its processing. A regression analysis revealed the control variables of prior knowledge, reading comprehension, and working memory as positive predictors of argumentation, and emotional arousal and eye-fixation as negative predictors. A three-term interaction between emotional arousal, eye fixations, and type of webpage also predicted argumentation

Learning from text, video, or subtitles: A comparative analysis

The present study investigated the influence of media (text, video, or subtitled video) on students' learning outcomes. Past studies have raised concerns about the effectiveness of learning from online videos over content-equivalent texts. Moreover, subtitled videos place additional demands on learning. Two-hundred and forty-seven undergraduate students were randomly assigned to a text, video, or subtitled-video condition, in a pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest design. The topic assigned was stem cells. Literal, inferential, and transfer questions were used to assess comprehension and learning outcomes. Results from the study confirmed the substantial equivalence of all conditions in immediate comprehension. Conversely, results confirmed the disadvantage of subtitled videos for deep learning outcomes

Physiological responses to a school task: The role of student–teacher relationships and students’ emotional appraisal

Background: To be successful, students must learn to deal with socially and cognitively demanding tasks. Much remains unknown about the effects of previous classroom experiences and of students’ emotional appraisal of a task on their physiological adaptive responses to it. Aims: To investigate how children’s physiological response to a social and cognitive task would be directly and interactively influenced by the perceived student–teacher relationship and by children’s emotional appraisal of what reaction they expect to have while completing the task. Methods: One hundred and sixteen second and third graders took part in the study. Children completed a cognitive and social stress task. Before the task, they were interviewed on their emotional appraisal of the task and on student–teacher relationships. Children’s cardiac activity was registered at rest and during the task to measure physiological activation (heart rate) and self-regulation (heart rate variability). Results: Heart rate variability during the task was positively correlated with the appraised emotional valence of the task and of being observed while doing it. Regression analyses showed that children’s physiological self-regulation during the task was affected by the interaction between student–teacher relationships and appraised emotional valence of being observed. Only among children who had experienced negative student–teacher relationships, an active physiological self-regulation was observed in response to the task when they expected it to be positive compared to when they perceived it as negative. Conclusions: Children’s emotional appraisal of tasks and the quality of student–teacher relationships are important to promote a functional physiological response of self-regulation that underlies academic functioning and well-being at school