Behavioral Sciences

[Review of the book Psychopathologie et Neurosciences: Questions actuelles de neurosciences cognitives et affectives, by S. Campanella & E. Streel (Eds.)]

by Alexandre Heeren

Heeren, A. (2009). [Review of the book Psychopathologie et Neurosciences : Questions actuelles de neurosciences cognitives et affectives, by S. Campanella & E. Streel (Eds.)]. Psychologos, 24, 4, pp. 50.

What does being initiated severely into a group do? The role of rewards

by Caroline Kamau

Kamau, C. (2012)

Expressive copying behavior for socially interacting machines: A perceptual analysis

by Christopher Edward Peters

Castellano, G., Mancini, M., Peters, C., and McOwan, P. W. "Expressive copying behavior for socially interacting machines: A perceptual analysis", IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics - Part A: Systems and Humans, to appear: 2012 doi: 10.1109 / TSMCA.2011.2172415

Successful human interaction commonly involves prototypical exchanges where interactors are engaged, synchronized and... more Successful human interaction commonly involves prototypical exchanges where interactors are engaged, synchronized and harmonious in their behaviors. The copying of aspects of the other’s behavior, at different levels, seems central to establishing and maintaining such empathic connections. Yet many questions remain unanswered, in particular, how it is possible to reflect the same affective content back to the other when the actual motion itself is not exactly the same as theirs. This work presents a perceptual study in which emotional gestures conducted by an actor were mapped onto synthesized versions generated by an embodied virtual agent. Copying is at the expressive level, where qualities such as the fluidity or expansiveness of gestures are considered, rather than exact lowlevel motion matching. Participants were later asked to rate the emotional content of video recordings of both the original and the synthesized gestures. A statistical analysis shows that, in most cases, participants associated the emotional content of the agent’s gestures with that intended to be expressed by the original actor. The results suggest that a combination of the type of movement performed and its quality are important for successfully communicating emotions.

Human behavior on the internet

by Santosh Kalwar

My interest in human behavior on the Internet was stimulated while observing my friends surf the World Wide Web. I... more My interest in human behavior on the Internet was stimulated while observing my friends surf the World Wide Web. I began to wonder how people act online and what goes on in their mind. I wanted to see if there are people who show signs of normal or addictive behavior and how it differs from more general Internet behavior. There is a wealth of issues regarding the Internet, including safety, security, social networking, business, research, design, information, and addiction. From informal observation it is apparent that many people approach the Internet with some anxiety. It can be defined as a feeling of fear and apprehension felt by individuals when using computers or considering the use of a computer. When we use the Internet we are relating with others. For example, 70% of Internet users build relationships through communication, relationships, social involvement, networking, meetings, or gatherings. Those whose everyday life involves more communication have more social resources-larger social networks, close relationships, community ties, enacted and perceived social support, and extraverted individual orientation, and they are likely to have better psychological functioning, lower levels of stress, and greater happiness. By contrast, those who communicate little and have fewer social resources-social isolation, living alone, the absence of a close relationship, the breakdown or loss of a close relationship, low levels of real and perceived social support, and introversion are more likely to have poor psychological functioning, to feel lonely, and to experience higher levels of depression. Understanding the psychology of the Internet also includes various information gathered from Web browsing, such as getting information on health and science issues to chatting, dating and viewing pornography. When investigating these possibilities I found that previous researchers have not yet compared uses of the Internet with the types of human behaviors and their consequenc- - es.

Reversal Without Remapping: What We Can (and Cannot) Conclude About Learned Associations From Training-Induced Behavior Changes

by Marc Coutanche

Coutanche, M. N., & Thompson-Schill, S. L. (2012) - Perspectives on Psychological Science

The “cognitive revolution” in psychology is often framed as a departure from associationist principles rooted in... more The “cognitive revolution” in psychology is often framed as a departure from associationist principles rooted in animal learning research, yet it is clear that these principles have immediate relevance for contemporary questions in cognitive and social psychology. Intuitions about the consequences of learning procedures can easily be misleading, making these principles particularly important. To illustrate this point, we identified recent examples of studies applying a particular learning paradigm—response-reversal training—to the study of three different psychological problems (e.g., why objects in the right side of space are preferred to those in the left in right-handed people). The strategy of each study was to alter a typically encountered contingency once in the laboratory, in order to reverse a hypothesized learned response. Yet, contrary to intuitions, we demonstrate that behavior changes can be observed without the reversal of a prior association. Further, many different associative changes can underlie response reversals. We focus on these examples of response-reversal training, but our broader aim is to help connect the animal learning literature to problems in cognitive and social psychology in an effort to strengthen the inferences that might be drawn about learned associations in these contexts.

Do We Fully Understand the Critical Success Factors of Employee Portal Utilitarianism? - Uncovering and Accounting for Unobserved Heterogeneity

by Kunal Mohan

Published in the Proceedings of the 20th European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS 2012), Barcelona, Spain

Employee portals are collaborative information systems that are utilized by many companies to improve information... more Employee portals are collaborative information systems that are utilized by many companies to improve information exchange, communication, and employee collaboration, as well as to better support their business processes. Although some studies investigate single aspects of portal success, the critical success factors of how employee portals help their users become more productive have to date not been fully explored. To understand the antecedents of realizing employee performance gains though employee portals, we propose and validate a model of factors based on the human-computer interaction literature, particularly to better understand heterogeneity. Accordingly, we apply the finite mixture partial least squares (FIMIX-PLS) approach to uncover different segments of employee portal users and thereby provide a differentiated and more complete segment-specific picture of antecedents of employee portal utilitarianism. Our analysis indicates that the aggregate global model hides the existence of meaningful system user segments that are more homogenous in the productivity drivers. While some users are primarily concerned with ergonomicity, others users’ productivity is the result of functionality. The future research steps we outline include the finding of exploratory variables that characterize different user groups and therefore further improve interpretability.

Genetyka behawioralna na sali sądowej [Behavioral Genetics in the Courtroom]

by Radosław Zyzik

Accepted Paper; 'Forum prawnicze'

The paper posits the thesis that there is no methodological shortcut between behavioral genetics and legal sciences,... more The paper posits the thesis that there is no methodological shortcut between behavioral genetics and legal sciences, and we are not into position to walk on the bridge between genetics and law (especially, in the courtrooms).

The structure of the paper is as follows. First, legal cases where behavioral genetics played some role are presented (Bayout, Stefani, Landrigan). In the next step possible points of intersection of law and genetics are described (culpability, mitigation etc.). The third and fourth part of the paper are devoted to genetic research (i.e. on C. elegans) in order to establish the relation between genes, neurons, environment (and again - genes).

The conclusion of the paper is twofold (or even threefold). There is no strong evidence that genetic research can be of any use in legal proceedings. On the other hand, behavioral genetics is already on the courtroom's doorstep and legal community should be prepared for it. And at the end, the relation between behavioral genetics and legal cases is a very interesting problem for legal philosophy and theory.

A seat says sit! Some neurological processes in perceiving the design object.

by Jan Golembiewski

Golembiewski, J. (2012). A seat says sit! A neurological language for determinism in design. Design and Design Principles, 2012-6, (in press).

The environment moderates behaviour using a subtle language of ‘affordances’ and ‘behaviour-settings’. Affordances are... more The environment moderates behaviour using a subtle language of ‘affordances’ and ‘behaviour-settings’. Affordances are environmental offerings. They are objects that demand action; a cliff demands a leap and binoculars demand a peek. Behaviour-settings are ‘places;’ spaces encoded with expectations and meanings. Behaviour-settings work the opposite way to affordances; they demand inhibition; an introspective demeanour in a church or when under surveillance. Most affordances and behaviour-settings are designed, and as such, designers are effectively predicting brain reactions.

Affordances are nested within, and moderated by behaviour-settings. Both trigger automatic neural responses (excitation and inhibition). These, for the best part cancel each other out.
This balancing enables object recognition and allows choice about what action should be taken (if any). But when excitation exceeds inhibition, instinctive action will automatically commence. In positive circumstances this may mean laughter or a smile. In negative circumstances, fleeing, screaming or other panic responses are likely. People with poor frontal function, due to immaturity (childhood or developmental disorders) or due to hypofrontality (schizophrenia, brain damage or dementia) have a reduced capacity to balance excitatory and inhibitory impulses. For these people, environmental behavioural demands increase with the decline of frontal brain function.

The world around us is not only encoded with symbols and sensory information. Opportunities and restrictions work on a much more primal level. Person/space interactions constantly take place at a molecular scale. Every space we enter has its own special dynamic, where individualism vies for supremacy between the opposing forces of affordance-related excitation and the inhibition intrinsic to behaviour-settings. And in this context, even a small change – the installation of a CCTV camera can turn a circus to a prison.

This paper draws on cutting-edge neurological theory to understand the psychological determinates of the every day experience of the designed environment.

Do I have more free will than you do?

by Brian Earp

Earp, B. D. (2011). Do I have more free will than you do? An unexpected asymmetry in intuitions about personal freedom. New School Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 9, No. 21, 34-40.

The present research explores the relationship between moral evaluations and intuitions about the causes of human... more The present research explores the relationship between moral evaluations and intuitions about the causes of human behavior, in particular freedom of the will. Two studies test for a self-serving bias in intuitions about free will. Study 1 explores whether individuals may seek to exculpate themselves from wrongdoing by denying free will, while justifying blame of others by endorsing free will. Study 2 explores whether individuals may justify personal failures by denying free will, while taking credit for personal successes by endorsing free will. In neither study do the data show the predicted differences between conditions. However, an unexpected finding is reported. By pooling the data from both experiments and collapsing across conditions, it is shown that participants give greater endorsement of free will whenever actions are described from a first-person, instead of third-person, perspective—a tentative “I have more free will than you do” effect. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed, as are avenues for further research on this topic.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through behavioral change: An assessment of past research on energy use, transportation and water consumption.

by Ezra Markowitz

Markowitz, E.M. & Doppelt, R. (2009). Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through behavioral change: An assessment of past research on energy use, transportation and water consumption. Published online, Climate Leadership Initiative.

Behavioral research and data collection via the Internet.

by Ulf-Dietrich Reips

Co-authored with Birnbaum, M. H., published 2005 In R. W. Proctor and K.-P. L. Vu (Eds.), The handbook of human factors in Web design (pp. 471-492). Mahwah, New Jersey: Erlbaum.

see 2nd edition in 2011 see 2nd edition in 2011

Examining absolute and relative pitch as automatic processes via auditory-visual Stroop test

by Miren Edelstein

Published in the Fall 2011 edition of the Yale Review of Undergraduate Research in Psychology

Poster presented at the California Cognitive Science Conference (2011), Berkeley Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference (2011) and Society for Neuroscience Meeting (2011)

Relations between parenting and child behavior: Exploring the child's personality and parental self-efficacy as third variables

by Dillon T. Browne

The effect of training structure on the latency of responses to a five-term linear chain

by Robert Whelan

Insomnia: evidence-based approaches to assessment and management

by Erica Kucharczyk

Published in Clinical Medicine

Sleep disturbances are the most commonly
reported psychological symptoms
in Britain.1 Prevalence estimates... more Sleep disturbances are the most commonly
reported psychological symptoms
in Britain.1 Prevalence estimates of
chronic symptoms accompanied by daytime
consequences range from 8–12% of
the adult population.2 Age-specific rates,
however, show a steady rise in prevalence
across the lifespan, from 3–5% at age
18–25 to 25–30% age 65 and over.2 At all
ages, women generally report higher
(though sometimes only marginally)
rates of insomnia than men. Insomnia
risk is also greatly elevated among those
with long-term health conditions.
Analyses controlling for age and gender,
for example, indicate that heart disease,
memory problems, depression and pain
are all independently associated with an
80–150% increased odds of insomnia
symptoms.3 Caring environments also
jeopardise sleep quality. Insomnia risk is
significantly increased among those providing
care at home for a dependent relative
or spouse.4 Hospitals (through, for
example, noise, unfamiliarity, patient
anxiety, association with acute illness
episodes, side effects of treatment regimens)
remain a robust and complex
cause of inpatient sleep disturbances.5
Incidence data are scarce but the General
Practice Research Database suggests an
incidence of all sleep disorder diagnoses of
12.5/1,000 patient years.6 Excluding noninsomnia
sleep disorders (eg obstructive
sleep apnoea, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy),
insomnia diagnoses probably
account for at least half of these cases.

Multimodal Approach to Affective Human-Robot Interaction Design with Children

by Victor Ng-Thow-Hing

Okita, S. Y., Ng-Thow-Hing, V, Sarvadevabhatla, R. K. (2011). Multimodal Approach to Affective Human-Robot Interaction Design with Children.
ACM Transactions on Interactive Intelligent System
(TiiS). 1,1, Article 5, 1-29.

Two studies examined the different features of humanoid robots and the influence on children’s affective behavior. The... more Two studies examined the different features of humanoid robots and the influence on children’s affective behavior. The first study looked at interaction styles and general features of robots. The second study looked at how the robot’s attention influences children’s behavior and engagement. Through activities familiar to young children (e.g., table setting, story telling), the first study found that cooperative interaction style elicited more oculesic behavior and social engagement. The second study found that quality of attention, type of attention, and length of interaction influences affective behavior and engagement. In the quality of attention, Wizard-of-Oz (woz) elicited the most affective behavior, but automatic attention worked as well as woz when the interaction was short. The type of attention going from nonverbal to verbal attention increased children’s oculesic behavior, utterance, and physiological response. Affective interactions did not seem to depend on a single mechanism, but a well-chosen confluence of technical features.

Das psychologische Experimentieren im Internet

by Ulf-Dietrich Reips

Behavioral research and data collection via the Internet

by Ulf-Dietrich Reips

Co-Authored by Michael Birnbaum.  In R. W. Proctor and K.-P. L. Vu (Eds.)(2011), The handbook of human factors in Web design (2nd edition, pp. 563-585). Mahwah, New Jersey: Erlbaum.

http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781439825945

Perspectives on the Ecology of Decision Modes: Reply to Comments

by Daniel Bartels

full cite: Bennis, Will M., Douglas L. Medin and Daniel M. Bartels (2010), "Perspectives on the Ecology of Decision Modes: Reply to Comments," Perspectives on Psychological Science, 5, 213-215.

We welcome and appreciate the insights and perspectives provided by Schwartz (2010, this issue), Tetlock and Mitchell... more We welcome and appreciate the insights and perspectives provided by Schwartz (2010, this issue), Tetlock and Mitchell (2010, this issue), and Bazerman and Greene (2010, this issue). Our thinking has benefited considerably from their responses, and we appreciate the opportunity to continue the discussion. In our reply, we address issues concerning the scope of moral rules and of cost-benefit analysis (CBA), including their relation to other decision modes. We then revisit the issue of closed-world assumptions (CWAs) and the question of how learning processes may operate for different decision modes.

The costs and benefits of calculation and moral rules

by Daniel Bartels

full cite: Bennis, Will M., Douglas L. Medin and Daniel M. Bartels (2010), "The Costs and Benefits of Calculation and Moral Rules," Perspectives on Psychological Science, 5, 187-202.

There has been a recent upsurge of research on moral judgment and decision making. One important issue with this body... more There has been a recent upsurge of research on moral judgment and decision making. One important issue with this body of work concerns the relative advantages of calculating costs and benefits versus adherence to moral rules. The general tenor of recent research suggests that adherence to moral rules is associated with systematic biases and that systematic cost-benefit analysis is a normatively superior decision strategy. This article queries both the merits of cost-benefit analyses and the shortcomings of moral rules. We argue that outside the very narrow domain in which consequences can be unambiguously anticipated, it is not at all clear that calculation processes optimize outcomes. In addition, there are good reasons to believe that following moral rules can lead to superior consequences in certain contexts. More generally, different modes of decision making can be seen as adaptations to particular environments.