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Evoking simplicity in marketing communications has become popular among marketing practitioners, but little is known about its effects on consumers and firms. The current work focuses on consumers' perceptions of the simplicity or complexity of brands and a previously overlooked consequence of those perceptions. Results from six experiments and analysis of a proprietary customer satisfaction dataset from Consumer Reports (N = 147,600) show that when consumers think brands are simple, they judge them to be less likely to experience product or service failures. Although these lower risk judgments could be positive for brands, they can also lead consumers to punish simpler brands more in the event of failures. Results also suggest that consumers' simplicity/complexity perceptions reflect the dimensionality of their mental representations of brands, and the relationship between simplicity and lower risk is attenuated when additional brand dimensionality is framed in terms of redundancy. The findings cast doubt on the degree to which evoking simplicity is a uniformly positive marketing strategy and encourage practitioners to more thoughtfully consider simplicity's implications for consumer and firm welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Phenomenology and Pedagogy in Physical Education" by Oyvind Standal is a book that addresses the lack of studies on phenomenology and pedagogy in the context of physical education in schools. The book consists of 10 chapters that cover topics such as the role of practical knowledge in physical education, the teacher's role in the skills model, and the ethical dimensions of physical education. Standal argues that phenomenology can contribute to physical education by promoting critical movement literacy and accommodating marginalized groups. The book is intended for sports and education academics and provides a new perspective on understanding physical education. However, the discussion could benefit from more real-life examples. [Extracted from the article]

Tulving's concept of mental time travel (MTT), and the related distinction of episodic and semantic memory, have been highly influential contributions to memory research, resulting in a wealth of findings and a deeper understanding of the neurocognitive correlates of memory and future thinking. Many models have conceptualized episodic and semantic representations as existing on a continuum that can help to account for various hybrid forms. Nevertheless, in most theories, MTT remains distinctly associated with episodic representations. In this article, we review existing models of memory and future thinking, and critically evaluate whether episodic representations are distinct from other types of explicit representations, including whether MTT as a neurocognitive capacity is uniquely episodic. We conclude by proposing a new framework, the Multidimensional Model of Mental Representations (MMMR), which can parsimoniously account for the range of past, present and future representations the human mind is capable of creating. This article is part of the theme issue 'Elements of episodic memory: lessons from 40 years of research'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perception involves the processing of content or information about the world. In what form is this content represented? I argue that perception is widely compositional. The perceptual system represents many stimulus features (including shape, orientation, and motion) in terms of combinations of other features (such as shape parts, slant and tilt, common and residual motion vectors). But compositionality can take a variety of forms. The ways in which perceptual representations compose are markedly different from the ways in which sentences or thoughts are thought to be composed. I suggest that the thesis that perception is compositional is not itself a concrete hypothesis with specific predictions; rather it affords a productive framework for developing and evaluating specific empirical hypotheses about the form and content of perceptual representations. The question is not just whether perception is compositional, but how. Answering this latter question can provide fundamental insights into perception. This article is categorized under:Philosophy > RepresentationPhilosophy > Foundations of Cognitive SciencePsychology > Perception and Psychophysics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humans are not guaranteed to benefit from unsupervised experiences (and neither are machines). Instead, given unsupervised experience, humans self-reinforce their predictions. This can help performance when the predictions are accurate; it can hurt or have no effect when the predictions are inaccurate. Predictions depend on the internal representations of learners, which are shaped by prior experiences. Thus, prediction accuracy depends on how well internal representations align with the task. Only by assessing these representations can researchers understand whether and why unsupervised learning helps or hurts in a specific task and in a specific person. The literatures on self-reinforcement and unsupervised learning in humans have largely operated in isolation, but would benefit from more crosstalk. Insights also have broad implications for lifelong learning and the design of instruction. Humans and machines rarely have access to explicit external feedback or supervision, yet manage to learn. Most modern machine learning systems succeed because they benefit from unsupervised data. Humans are also expected to benefit and yet, mysteriously, empirical results are mixed. Does unsupervised learning help humans or not? Here, we argue that the mixed results are not conflicting answers to this question, but reflect that humans self-reinforce their predictions in the absence of supervision, which can help or hurt depending on whether predictions and task align. We use this framework to synthesize empirical results across various domains to clarify when unsupervised learning will help or hurt. This provides new insights into the fundamentals of learning with implications for instruction and lifelong learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive economics uses cognitive science to understand economic decision-making. We review research streams that conceptualize both minds and markets as complex adaptive systems. Narrative theories of decision-making examine the cognitive and social representations and processes that govern decision-making under uncertainty. Agent-based cognitive models study how cognitive mechanisms at the individual level can contribute to emergent systems-level phenomena. Post-cognitivist approaches such as the Market Mind Hypothesis consider minds and markets to be one continuous complex system. Coordination Dynamics is one useful framework for analyzing this system. Cognitive economics is an emerging interdisciplinary field that uses the tools of cognitive science to study economic and social decision-making. Although most strains of cognitive economics share commitments to bridging levels of analysis (cognitive, behavioral, and systems) and embracing interdisciplinary approaches, we review a newer strand of cognitive economic thinking with a further commitment: conceptualizing minds and markets each as complex adaptive systems. We describe three ongoing research programs that strive toward these goals: (i) studying narratives as a cognitive and social representation used to guide decision-making; (ii) building cognitively informed agent-based models; and (iii) understanding markets as an extended mind – the Market Mind Hypothesis – analyzed using the concepts, methods, and tools of Coordination Dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To account for the explanatory role representations play in cognitive science, Egan's deflationary account introduces a distinction between cognitive and mathematical contents. According to that account, only the latter are genuine explanatory posits of cognitive-scientific theories, as they represent the arguments and values cognitive devices need to represent to compute. Here, I argue that the deflationary account suffers from two important problems, whose roots trace back to the introduction of mathematical contents. First, I will argue that mathematical contents do not satisfy important and widely accepted desiderata all theories of content are called to satisfy, such as content determinacy and naturalism. Secondly, I will claim that there are cases in which mathematical contents cannot play the explanatory role the deflationary account claims they play, proposing an empirical counterexample. Lastly, I will conclude the paper highlighting two important implications of my arguments, concerning recent theoretical proposals to naturalize representations via physical computation, and the popular predictive processing theory of cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental representations of space can be generated and communicated with respect to different reference frames and perspectives. The present study investigated the effects of age and individual differences in domain-general executive functions on people's ability to process spatial relations as expressed in language within different spatial reference frames (SRFs). Healthy adults aged between 18 and 85 completed a novel task involving self-, third-person-, object-, and environment-centered judgements of spatial relations between two objects, as well as standard tests of working memory, inhibition, and mental flexibility. A psychometric evaluation confirmed the test-retest reliability and the convergent and divergent validity of the new task. Results showed that the lifespan trajectories varied depending on the SRF. Processing from a self-centered perspective or an object-centered frame remained intact throughout the adult-lifespan. By contrast, spatial processing from a third-person-centered perspective or within an environment-centered frame declined in late adulthood. Mediation regression models showed that mental flexibility accounted for a significant part of the age-related variance in spatial processing across all allocentric SRFs. The age effects on environment-centered processing were also partially mediated by age-related changes in visuospatial working memory capacity. These findings suggest that at least partially distinct systems are involved in mentally representing space under different SRFs, which are differentially affected by typical aging. Our results also highlight that people's ability to process spatial relations across different SRFs depends on their capacity to employ domain-general effortful cognitive resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating diverse cues from metadata to make sense of retrieved data during relevance evaluation is a crucial yet challenging task for data searchers. However, this integrative task remains underexplored, impeding the development of effective strategies to address metadata's shortcomings in supporting this task. To address this issue, this study proposes the “Integrative Use of Metadata for Data Sense‐Making” (IUM‐DSM) model. This model provides an initial framework for understanding the integrative tasks performed by data searchers, focusing on their integration patterns and associated challenges. Experimental data were analyzed using an interpretable deep learning‐based prediction approach to validate this model. The findings offer preliminary support for the model, revealing that data searchers engage in integrative tasks to utilize metadata effectively for data sense‐making during relevance evaluation. They construct coherent mental representations of retrieved data by integrating systematic and heuristic cues from metadata through two distinct patterns: within‐category integration and across‐category integration. This study identifies key challenges: within‐category integration entails comparing, classifying, and connecting systematic or heuristic cues, while across‐category integration necessitates considerable effort to integrate cues from both categories. To support these integrative tasks, this study proposes strategies for mitigating these challenges by optimizing metadata layouts and developing intelligent data retrieval systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental representations of the environment in infants are sparse and grow richer during their development. Anticipatory eye fixation studies show that infants aged around 7 months start to predict the goal of an observed action, e.g., an object targeted by a reaching hand. Interestingly, goal-predictive gaze shifts occur at an earlier age when the hand subsequently manipulates an object and later when an action is performed by an inanimate actor, e.g., a mechanical claw. We introduce CAPRI2 (Cognitive Action PRediction and Inference in Infants), a computational model that explains this development from a functional, algorithmic perspective. It is based on the theory that infants learn object files and events as they develop a physical reasoning system. In particular, CAPRI2 learns a generative event-predictive model, which it uses to both interpret sensory information and infer goal-directed behavior. When observing object interactions, CAPRI2 (i) interprets the unfolding interactions in terms of event-segmented dynamics, (ii) maximizes the coherence of its event interpretations, updating its internal estimates and (iii) chooses gaze behavior to minimize expected uncertainty. As a result, CAPRI2 mimics the developmental pathway of infants' goal-predictive gaze behavior. Our modeling work suggests that the involved event-predictive representations, longer-term generative model learning, and shorter-term retrospective and active inference principles constitute fundamental building blocks for the effective development of goal-predictive capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current research is sparse on the relatively new but highly relevant topic of mental disorders in video games. This scoping review aimed to map the existing research on portrayal of mental illness in video games. PubMed, PsychInfo, PsycArticles, Medline, Scopus and the ACM Digital Library were searched, resulting in the final inclusion of seven records. Prevalences for the representation of mental illness ranged from 12 to 24%. Findings indicate that video games' portrayal of mental illness is predominantly stigmatizing and negatively connoted. Mental illness frequently serves as a reason for violent behavior and is portrayed in line with paranormal experiences. Yet, some games portray mental illness in a more neutral way, using game mechanics to elicit empathy. While this review emphasizes the need for non-stigmatizing depiction, potentially through the inclusion of experts in the development process, future research should examine how much consumers are affected by the negative or positive portrayal of mental illnesses in video games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Spatial construction is a complex ability involving attention, global/local visual processing, mental representation, visuo-motor coordination and, to varying extent, working memory and executive functions, and verbal abilities. In developmental neuropsychology, little attention has been paid to comprehend whether and to what extent the above cognitive processes are involved in two main spatial construction tasks, that is drawing and block building. Method: We used path analysis to test shared and specific effects of verbal and spatial working memory, spatial attention, inhibition, verbal abilities (vocabulary and naming), figure disembedding, mental rotation, and visualmotor coordination, as well as of demographics (sex, age and socio-economic status), on two classical drawing (Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure; ROCF) and block building (Block design; BD) tasks in a sample of 195 typically developing children (age range: 7-11 years). Results: Figure disembedding and visuo-motor coordination were the only shared predictors of both spatial construction tasks. Moreover, ROCF score was directly related with spatial attention and inhibition, while BD score was directly related with sex, vocabulary, mental rotation and backward spatial working memory. Discussion: These findings distinguish between abilities involved in spatial construction regardless of the type of task and those specifically related to ROCF or Block Design, thus providing clues relevant to neuropsychological assessment and intervention in children with spatial construction disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Evidence from neuroscience and behavioral research has indicated that language meaning is grounded in our motor–perceptual experiences of the world. However, the question of whether motor embodiment occurs at the sentence level in L2 (second language) comprehension has been raised. Furthermore, existing studies on motor embodiment in L2 have primarily focused on the lexical and phrasal levels, often providing conflicting and indeterminate results. Therefore, to address this gap, the present eye-tracking study aimed to explore the embodied mental representations formed during the reading comprehension of L2 action sentences. Specifically, it sought to identify the types of motor representations formed during L2 action sentence comprehension and the extent to which these representations are motor embodied. Methods: A total of 56 advanced L2 learners participated in a Sentence–Picture Verification Task, during which their response times (RTs) and eye movements were recorded. Each sentence–picture pair depicted an action that either matched or mismatched the action implied by the sentence. Data analysis focused on areas of interest around the body effectors. Results and discussion: RTs in the mismatch condition indicated an impeding effect. Furthermore, fixations on the body effector executing an action were longer in the mismatch condition, especially in late eye-movement measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we investigated whether differences in spatial working memory (SWM) abilities – assessed through the Corsi block task (CBT) – impact the processes of mental rotation (MR) engaged during a classic letter rotation task. Based on the median split of their scores in the CBT, participants were divided into a higher and a lower SWM group. Behavioral and electrophysiological data were recorded while participants completed the MR task and were compared across groups. Higher error rates were observed in individuals with lower than higher SWM scores, while no RT differences emerged. Systematic group differences were observed before and during the MR process of canonical letters. A delayed onset of the event-related potential (ERP) rotation-related negativity (RRN), a reliable psychophysiological marker for MR processes, was observed in the lower SWM group for all rotation angles, suggesting that a longer time is needed to generate a mental representation of familiar stimuli in individuals with lower SWM scores. Furthermore, a delayed RRN offset indicating the end of the MR process and longer RRN durations suggesting longer MR processes were found for letters with larger rotation angles (i.e. 120°, 150°) in individuals with lower SWM scores on canonical character trials. These observed group differences provided evidence for the debated issue of the interaction between SWM and MR, suggesting that SWM plays a role in both the initial phase to generate the mental representation of familiar objects and during the MR process, especially for larger angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Categorical search involves looking for objects based on category information from long-term memory. Previous research has shown that search efficiency in categorical search is influenced by target/distractor similarity and category variability (i.e., heterogeneity). However, the interaction between these factors and their impact on different subprocesses of search remains unclear. This study examined the effects of target/distractor similarity and category variability on processes of categorical search. Using multidimensional scaling, we manipulated target/distractor similarity and measured category variability for target categories that participants searched for. Eye-tracking data were collected to examine attentional guidance and target verification. The results demonstrated that the effect of category variability on response times (RTs) was dependent on the level of target/distractor similarity. Specifically, when distractors were highly similar to target categories, there was a negative relation between RTs and variability, with low variability categories producing longer RTs than higher variability categories. Surprisingly, this trend was only present in the eye-tracking measures of target verification but not attentional guidance. Our results suggest that searchers more effectively guide attention to low-variability categories compared to high-variability categories, regardless of the degree of similarity between targets and distractors. However, low category variability interferes with target match decisions when distractors are highly similar to the category, thus the advantage that low category variability provides to searchers is not equal across processes of search. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper introduces a theoretical model that addresses the interplay between insecure attachment, internal narratives, and defensive behaviour. Drawing from attachment theory research, we conceptualize the "internalized defensive narrative" (IDN) as a mental representation associated with attachment-insecurity. The model illustrates how the unique IDN associated with attachment-anxiety and attachment-avoidance respectively invoke hyperactivating and deactivating defenses. In clinical contexts, the model's application may possibly contribute to the development of more effective therapeutic strategies that target the root causes of a client's defensive behaviour. By recognizing the IDN as a key factor in the maintenance of the insecure cycle, therapists can potentially help clients gain insights into the psychological mechanisms driving their behaviour and provide them with tools for change, leading to improved therapeutic outcomes for individuals struggling with these issues. Further research is needed to validate and elaborate on the proposed model and its implications for clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active ingredients are often assessed based on physiological measurements, but innovative technologies to measure skin sensations can provide a holistic volunteer assessment of the use of an ingredient. In this paper, the hydrating benefits of a cationic hyaluronic acid (HA) were evaluated alongside clinical biometrics and innovative cognitive measurements to determine how biological benefits correlated with volunteers' feelings and perceptions of hydration. The results demonstrated that cationic HA provides hydrating benefits at the clinical level due to its film‐forming properties. Through the use of innovative behavioural measurement tools, we were able to show that these outcomes are perceived by naïve consumers in real‐life conditions. In addition, the benefits of cationic HA reported by users were in accordance with the mental representation they had related to the use of HA, thus the product achieved complete sensorial embodiment. We can conclude that the combination of clinical evaluations and home use trials consolidates product assessment when seeking to measure consumer satisfaction with proven biological benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this selective review, we describe the current neuroscientific literature on disturbances of the self-other boundary in schizophrenia as they relate to structural and experiential aspects of the self. Within these two broad categories, the structural self includes body ownership and agency, and the experiential self includes self-reflection, source monitoring, and self-referential and autobiographical memory. Further, we consider how disturbances in these domains link to the phenomenology of schizophrenia. We identify faulty internal predictive coding as a potential mechanism of disturbance in body ownership and agency, which results in susceptibility to bias (over- or under-attributing outcomes to one's own actions or intentions). This is reflected in reduced activity in the temporoparietal junction (TPJ), a heteromodal association area implicated in several aspects of self-other processing, as well as reduced fronto-parietal functional connectivity. Deficits of the experiential self in schizophrenia may stem from a lack of salience of self-related information, whereby the mental representation of self is not as rich as in healthy controls and therefore does not result in the same level of privileged processing. As a result, memory for self-referential material and autobiographical memory processes is impaired, which hinders creation of a cohesive life narrative. Impairments of the experiential self implicate abnormal activation patterns along the cortical midline, including medial prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate/precuneus, as well as TPJ. In fact, TPJ appears to be involved in all the reviewed aspects of the self-other disturbance. We conclude with suggestions for future work, including implications for interventions with critical timing considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the diglossic nature of the Arabic language, Arabic-speaking children enter their first year of school with immaturity in literary language and word representations in their mental lexicon. This study examined the effects of interactive story reading in kindergarten on future reading skills and whether this effect can be generalized to reading skills of infrequent words. 102 Arabic-speaking kindergarten children were divided into two groups: 1) the intervention group was based on a first-grade textbook; 2) the control group was based on classic stories from the kindergarten library. The program was implemented for three months during the kindergarten year. The findings show that the intervention group's scores were higher than the control group in measures of represented/practiced and unfamiliar items. Additionally, the gain of the intervention group in reading unfamiliar items provide evidence for a generalization effect of t he intervention program. We conclude that the negative impact of diglossia on reading acquisition in Arabic can be reduced during kindergarten. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to identify and to describe the implicit understanding of mind and mental life at work across an adolescent inpatient eating disorder ward, where the author worked as a healthcare assistant for 12 weeks. It does so by providing an account of ‘prompts’ employed by hospital staff during mealtimes on the ward. The vision of mental illness implied by these ‘prompts’ is described as supporting a paradigm of mental life consistent with the assumptions of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). An account of supervising mealtimes while employing language consistent with a psychodynamic model of mind is briefly offered as an alternative, before some of the benefits and drawbacks of both paradigms are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study investigates the multifaceted nature of motor learning in a complex bimanual task by examining the interplay between mental representation structures, biomechanics, tactile pressure, and performance. We developed a novel maze game requiring participants to maneuver a rolling sphere through a maze, exemplifying complex sequential coordination of vision and haptic control using both hands. A key component of this study is the introduction of cognitive primitives, fundamental units of cognitive and motor actions that represent specific movement patterns and strategies. Methods: Participants were divided into two groups based on initial performance: poor performers (PPG) and good performers (GPG). The experimental setup employed motion capture and innovative tactile sensors to capture a detailed multimodal picture of the interaction process. Our primary aims were to (1) assess the effects of daily practice on task performance, biomechanics, and tactile pressure, (2) examine the relationship between changes in mental representation structures and skill performance, and (3) explore the interplay between biomechanics, tactile pressure, and cognitive representation in motor learning. Results: Performance analysis showed that motor skills improved with practice, with the GPG outperforming the PPG in maze navigation efficiency. Biomechanical analysis revealed that the GPG demonstrated superiormovement strategies, as indicated by higher peak velocities and fewer velocity peaks during task execution. Tactile feedback analysis showed that GPG participants applied more precise and focused pressure with their right-hand thumb, suggesting enhanced motor control. Cognitively, both groups refined their mental representation structures over time, but the GPG exhibited a more structured and sophisticated cognitive mapping of the task post-practice. Discussion: The findings highlight the intertwined nature of biomechanical control, tactile feedback, and cognitive processing in motor skill acquisition. The results support established theories, such as the cognitive action architecture approach, emphasizing the role of mental representation in planning and executing motor actions. The integration of cognitive primitives in our analysis provides a theoretical framework that connects observable behaviors to underlying cognitive strategies, enhancing the understanding of motor learning across various contexts. Our study underscores the necessity of a holistic approach to motor learning research, recognizing the complex interaction between cognitive and motor processes in skill acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Method Results BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants have been associated with an increased risk for breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate cancer as well as melanoma. The present research uses the Leventhal's common‐sense model of self‐regulation (CSM), a theoretical framework highlighting the role of mental representations on responses to a health‐threat. We aim at understanding the personal meaning and representation of living with an hereditary breast and ovarian cancer predisposition.Semi‐structured interviews of 15 BRCA carriers were analysed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis.Mental representations develops in childhood and are influenced by childhood emotional responses to the familial experience of the BRCA predisposition. Pre‐existing beliefs about BRCA, even erroneous, are deeply anchored and not called into question by medical informations given during the genetic counselling. This is particularly true when medical information is perceived as too complex, inconsistent or in contradiction with familial experience. These beliefs about the consequences of being carriers of the BRCA gene influence emotional and behavioural experiences leading to experience fear, anxiety, lack of hope for future or self‐identity change. For participants with a traumatic familial experience of cancer, the lack of treatment for this genetic disease generates a perpetual overestimation of cancers’ risk and the feeling of an unending danger associated with early death despite breast and ovarian prophylactic surgery. When strong negative representations of the BRCA predisposition are experienced, dysfunctional health behaviours, such as drugs consumption or overuse of medical consultations, could appear consecutively to emotional disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe functional equivalence model suggests a common internal representation initiates both imagery and execution. This suggestion is supported by the mental chronometry effect, where there is a positive relation between task difficulty (as defined by the Index of Difficulty; ID) and imagined movement time. The present study extends this logic by examining whether imagery captures the spatial trajectory. Participants were initially tasked with the imagery and execution of a rapid aiming movement under different IDs. These initial attempts were adapted to configure auditory tones at early (25%) and late (75%) intervals for a separate set of imagery trials. If a tone had sounded, participants had to estimate post-trial where their imagined limb would have been located. The findings revealed increases in ID that coincided with increases in imagined and executed movement times. However, participant mean and standard deviation of estimated locations revealed limited differences between the early and late tones. Further inspection revealed some evidence for these estimated locations shifting further along in space following more rapid imagined movements. While equivalence is clearly evident within the temporal domain, there is comparatively little to suggest that this logic extends to the resolution required for simulating the spatial characteristics of movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male mental health professionals (e.g. social workers, psychologists) are a minority of providers in eating disorder treatment spaces, and there is a drastic need to increase their representation in this clinical area. This Last Word outlines the barriers that impede male mental health professionals from specializing in eating disorder treatment, such as masculine gender norms, and provides four specific recommendations to enhance training, hiring, retention, and the development of male mental health professionals in the treatment of people with eating disorders. These recommendations include, developing gender awareness, specialized training, talking about gender, and gender and relationships. Building the representation of male mental health professionals in eating disorder treatment may reduce stigma and myths about these disorders and have positive impacts on clients across genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building caring communities is fundamental to achieving a community-based approach to mental health. Understanding how communities perceive mental illness provides critical insight into fostering mental health awareness and care. We explored the perceptions of mental illness among members of two urban poor communities in Accra, Ghana. Qualitative data were collected from 77 participants through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and situated conversations. Using theory-driven thematic analysis based on social representations theory, findings revealed cognitive-emotional representations of mental illness. The communities demonstrated high awareness of the multilevel factors contributing to mental illness risk and experiences, drawing on five sources of knowledge: embodied, common sense, medical, cultural, and religious. Mental illness representations informed the classification and legitimization of mental illness based on the severity of conditions and the identity of sufferers. These findings provide valuable insights for planning community mental health interventions that address both social and institutional care needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solving problems in a technical system usually requires people to understand its functioning on different levels of abstraction (i.e., goals, functions, components, characteristics) that are connected via means–ends links. We combined this abstraction hierarchy with concept mapping to assess people's understanding of system functioning. The present study examines the benefits and drawbacks of the proposed method by comparing it to a viable alternative, namely verbal explanation. Using a set of pre-defined concepts, twenty-four participants explained the functioning of two everyday systems: one graphically by constructing a concept map and one verbally. The verbal explanations were subsequently transformed into concept maps by the authors. Compared to verbal explanations, participant-constructed concept maps contained a higher proportion of functional propositions, and lower proportions of structural, temporal, general, and other propositions. Contrary to our expectations, there was no difference regarding the accuracy of functional propositions. Even though participants needed far less time to explain system functioning verbally, our results indicate that concept mapping is better suited to assess functional system understanding. We discuss how this benefit relates to the cognitive processes during concept mapping, and how the method needs to be adapted to assess functional understanding of more complex systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The way we perceive our own body is shaped by our perception. Changes in sensory input, such as visual degradation, can lead to visual-to-motor shifts in the reference frame used to mentally represent the body. While this effect has been demonstrated in mental representation of hands, it is still unknown whether it also affects mental representation of other body parts. To fill this gap, we asked 35 neurotypical participants to perform mental rotation (laterality judgement) of hand, foot, and full-body images, while the images' visibility (figure/background contrast) was manipulated. Visibility deteriorations increased the steepness of the response time (RT) slopes for mental rotation of hand images shown from a less common view (palm) and of foot images from a more common view (dorsum), but not of full-body images from either the common or uncommon views. Suggesting that steeper and flatter RT slopes evoke the activation of a motor- or vision-based cognitive strategy for mental rotation, respectively, we propose that visual deterioration induces body-specific visual-to-motor shifts in mental processing. These findings show that the reliance on visual or motor aspects to mentally represent the body can be modulated by a reduction in sensory input, which changes the employed cognitive strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A life scheme can be understood as the cognitive representation of individuals' life events and their goal attainment in the past and future. We conceptualize beliefs in free will and determinism as two life schemes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between beliefs in free will and determinism, search for meaning, and depressive symptoms. While belief in free will uniquely and negatively predicted depressive symptoms, deterministic belief was uniquely and positively associated with depressive symptoms. Moreover, a multiple mediation model revealed that beliefs in free will and determinism were indirectly associated with increased depressive symptoms via their positive relations with search for meaning. These findings are discussed in view of the relationship between inconsistent life schemes and the need to search for meaning, as well as the mediating role of the search for meaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buttenfield (1988) pioneered research on multiple representations in the dawn of GIScience. Her efforts evoked inquiries into fundamental issues arising from the selective abstractions of infinite geographic complexity in spatial databases, cartography, and application needs for varied geographic details. These fundamental issues posed ontological challenges (e.g. entity classification) and implementational complications (e.g. duplication and inconsistency) in geographic information systems (GIS). Expanding upon Buttenfield's line of research over the last three decades, this study reviewed multiple representations in spatial databases, spatial cognition, and deep learning. Initially perceived as a hindrance to GIS, multiple representations were found to offer new perspectives to encode and decipher geographic complexity. This paper commenced by acknowledging Buttenfield's pivotal contributions to multiple representations in GIScience. Subsequent discussions synthesized the literature to outline cognitive representations of space in the brain's hippocampal formation and feature representations in deep learning. By cross-referencing related concepts of multiple representations in GIScience, the brain's spatial cells, and machine learning algorithms, this review concluded that multiple representations facilitate learning geography for both humans and machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Detour behavior refers to the ability to reach a goal object that is not directly accessible due to an obstacle (opaque or transparent) by circumventing it. It varies among species, suggesting that environmental adaptation may drive insight behavior. Some species of marine and freshwater fish were placed in a corridor with social stimuli at the end, not directly accessible due to an opaque barrier. Two symmetrical apertures positioned midline in the corridor allowed the fish to temporarily abandon the view of the goal and attempt to circumvent the barrier. All fish showed the ability to move around an interposed obstacle. This is the first evidence of detour behavior in marine fishes within the "four-compartment box task", while results in freshwater fishes confirmed previous evidence. The comparable performance of marine and freshwater fishes suggests similar selective ecological pressure even in different aquatic habitats (e.g., sea and freshwater basins). Moreover, different exploratory behaviors emerged between correct and incorrect compartments (particularly in Danio rerio), providing evidence for a possible mental representation or "permanence in existence" of the goal while performing the obstacle circumvention, as opposed to a more parsimonious idea suggesting that the detour ability emerges only from primitive forms of exploratory behavior such as taxis. Evidence of detour ability to reach a salient goal in marine fishes (Chromis viridis, Chrysiptera parasema, Dascyllus aruanus) and freshwater fishes (Xenotoca eiseni, Danio rerio) has been observed using a "four-compartment box task" with an opaque barrier. The first experiment investigated this ability in marine fishes (Chromis viridis, Chrysiptera parasema, Dascyllus aruanus). Fish were placed in a four-compartment box, with social stimuli not accessible due to an opaque barrier. Two symmetrical apertures midline in the corridor allowed the fish to temporarily abandon the goal's view and attempt to circumvent the barrier. Marine fish showed searching behavior in the two compartments near the social stimuli. In the second experiment, the detour abilities of a marine fish (Dascyllus aruanus) and two freshwater fishes (Xenotoca eiseni, Danio rerio) were compared using a modified version of the apparatus, with elongated compartments continuing further from the obstacle barrier and social stimuli. This enabled the evaluation of the dependence on effective distance to achieve the social goal. Both marine and freshwater fish exhibited detour skills. Additionally, Danio rerio's differential spatial explorations inside compartments supported an active interest in searching for conspecifics, suggesting possible social object permanence retention. Overall, these results highlight the ecological salience of detour skills in fishes, irrespective of species-specific adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reward processing is impaired in people with schizophrenia, which may begin in the clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis period. The Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task has been important in understanding the neural correlates of reward processing deficits in various psychiatric disorders. Previous research has found that CHR individuals have an imprecise mental representation of rewards, which leads to a diminished differentiation between rewards, though this has not been observed behaviorally. A total of 19 CHR individuals and 20 controls were given a novel variant of the MID task, designed to examine how modulating reward context may impact responses to reward cues, a process often referred to as "adaptive coding." Both groups appeared to update their behavior in response to the rewards available in this adaptive task. However, when compared to controls who showed a more graded decrease in response time to increasing reward contexts, CHR individuals appeared to have a sharp decrease in response time in the low reward context that is nearly stable across higher reward contexts. This is largely driven by the exponential component of the response time distribution, which is often interpreted to be more cognitively or effortfully influenced. Response times are related to negative symptoms, but not positive symptoms, disorganized symptoms, or estimated intelligence. Although an adaptive coding effect was not observed, these results provide novel insight into the reward processing mechanisms and volitional processes in the CHR population, as this was the first study to observe the diminished differentiation of rewards behaviorally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of recent articles have shown intracranial decoding in prefrontal cortex (PFC) for high-level perceptual features but not low-level features. Furthermore, sustained perception results only in momentary PFC decoding. These results have been taken to both confirm and challenge aspects of 'prefrontalist' theories of consciousness. New 'inattentional blindness' results have been used to argue for PFC representation of perceptual contents. Pointer versions of prefrontalist theories of consciousness provide a way of accommodating the decoding results but have been thought to be challenged by inattentional blindness results. Pointer theories run into problems with intracranial stimulation. Bifurcation dynamics yields a new no-report paradigm. The global playground provides a better account of pure access than the global workspace. PFC decoding may depend on postperceptual cognition. Disputes between rival theories of consciousness have often centered on whether perceptual contents can be decoded from the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Failures to decode from the PFC are taken to challenge 'cognitive' theories of consciousness such as the global workspace theory and higher-order monitoring theories, and decoding successes have been taken to confirm these theories. However, PFC decoding shows both too much and too little. Too much because cognitive theories of consciousness do not need PFC rerepresentation of perceptual contents since pointers to perceptual representations suffice. Too little because there is evidence that PFC decoding of perceptual content reflects postperceptual cognitive representation, such as thoughts that have those perceptual contents rather than conscious percepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Psychological Science is the property of Psychological Science Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As global attention to mental health issues increases, its media portrayal becomes increasingly important. This literature review explores the representation of mental health in the media. The study found that the media plays a key role in shaping the public's views on mental health issues. Positive media reports can help increase public awareness, reduce stigma, and promote help-seeking behaviors and policy improvements. However, negative reports may deepen misunderstandings and prejudices, increase stigma, and hinder people from seeking help. Several topics including violence and threats have become common themes in media reports on mental health issues. In addition, the portrayal of mental health on social media is emphasized, which provides a platform for discussing mental health issues, but also brings challenges to information authenticity and privacy protection. Social media interactions can provide support for mental health issues, but negative comments and cyberbullying may exacerbate the problem. The significance of this literature review is to provide theoretical support for improving media coverage and formulating public strategies, calling on media practitioners to report mental health issues in a responsible manner to promote healthier public attitudes and more effective policy interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Language Academy is the property of Rota Kariyer and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Augmented reality (AR) presents significant opportunities for creating authentic learning environments by accurately mirroring real-world objects, contexts, and tasks. The visual fidelity of AR content, seamlessly integrated into the real world, contributes to its perceived authenticity. Despite acknowledging AR's positive impact on learning, scant research explores specific learning strategies within an AR context, and there's a lack of studies linking perceived visual authenticity to these strategies. This study addresses these gaps by surveying learners using AR technology to study the human cardiovascular system, exploring perceived visual authenticity, learning outcomes, and satisfaction. Learners used either (1) AR with the self-explanation learning strategy, (2) AR with the drawing learning strategy, or (3) AR only. Analysis of variance and correlation was used for data analysis. Results indicated no significant differences in perceived visual authenticity and satisfaction among the learning strategy groups. However, groups employing learning strategies showed superior learning outcomes compared to the AR-only group. Crucially, the self-explanation learning strategy significantly enhanced knowledge gain compared to drawing and AR-only groups, indicating that self-explanation, together with the visual input from the AR-learning environment, fosters a more coherent mental representation. This increased learning efficacy was achieved while maintaining a consistent perception of visual authenticity and satisfaction with the learning material. These findings expand the current landscape of AR research by moving beyond media comparison studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Combined action observation and motor imagery (AOMI) training improves motor skill performance, but limited research has investigated possible moderating factors for this intervention. This study examined the influence of action observation (AO) perspective on the effectiveness of AOMI training for novices learning a ‘shadow’ Osoto Gari judo throw. Thirty novice participants were randomly assigned to AOMI training that displayed egocentric footage (AOMIEGO) or allocentric footage (AOMIALLO) of the Osoto Gari, or Control training. A motor learning design incorporating pre-test (Day 1), acquisition (Days 2–6), post-test (Day 7), and retention-test (Day 14) was adopted. Motor skill performance, self-efficacy, and mental representation structures were recorded as measures of learning. There were mixed effects for motor skill performance across the three training conditions utilized in this study, with AOMIALLO training significantly reducing error scores for final right hip flexion angle and peak right ankle velocity compared to AOMIEGO training. Self-efficacy increased for all training conditions over time. Both AOMIEGO and AOMIALLO training led to improved functional changes in mental representation structures over time compared to Control training. The findings suggest AOMI training led to improved perceptual-cognitive scaffolding, irrespective of AO perspective, and offer some support for the use of AOMIALLO training to facilitate novice learning of complex, serial motor skills in sport.

Repetitive thinking is a common phenomenon, also implicated in a variety of mental disorders. The content of repetitive thoughts can take the form of prediction of aversive events (in worry) or evoking negatively valenced information (in rumination), for instance. Investigating the influence of repetitive thinking through the lens of associative learning could help deepen our understanding of the mechanisms involved in its effects.In two experiments, non-clinical participants were exposed to CS-US pairings with the aim of creating non-threatening expectancy learning (Experiment 1) or evaluative conditioning (Experiment 2). After each conditioning trial, participants were instructed to initiate repetitive thoughts about the pairing (i.e. rehearse) or follow control instructions.Experiment 1 (N = 64) showed that such intervention strengthen the association between the mental representations of the CS and the US, leading to a stronger US expectancy in response to the CS. In Experiment 2 (N = 107), an evaluative conditioning effect was observed; however, it was not influenced by instructions.The study demonstrated that simulated repetitive thinking strengthens the CS-US association and leads to greater US expectancy in expectancy learning, despite appearing not to influence the evaluative conditioning effect. The potential implications of these findings on repetitive thinking are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consolidation of discrete experiences into a coherent narrative shapes the cognitive map, providing structured mental representations of our experiences. In this process, past memories are reactivated and replayed in sequence, fostering hippocampal-cortical dialogue. However, brain-wide engagement coinciding with sequential reactivation (or replay) of memories remains largely unexplored. In this study, employing simultaneous EEG-fMRI, we capture both the spatial and temporal dynamics of memory replay. We find that during mental simulation, past memories are replayed in fast sequences as detected via EEG. These transient replay events are associated with heightened fMRI activity in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. Replay occurrence strengthens functional connectivity between the hippocampus and the default mode network, a set of brain regions key to representing the cognitive map. On the other hand, when subjects are at rest following learning, memory reactivation of task-related items is stronger than that of pre-learning rest, and is also associated with heightened hippocampal activation and augmented hippocampal connectivity to the entorhinal cortex. Together, our findings highlight a distributed, brain-wide engagement associated with transient memory reactivation and its sequential replay. This study uses simultaneous EEG-fMRI to investigate how the brain replays past experiences, revealing that transient replay events by EEG correspond with increased hippocampal activity and enhanced connectivity with the default mode network in fMRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possible impact of gender-sensitive language on readers is among the most controversially debated issues in linguistics and beyond. Previous studies have suggested that there is an effect of gender-sensitive language on mental representations, based on data gathered in laboratory settings with small groups of participants. We add a new perspective by examining correlations of authentic language use with authentic user interaction on a recruitment website. Drawing upon a large dataset provided by the recruitment platform StepStone, we evaluate whether job advertisements using certain kinds of gender-sensitive language in their titles correlate with higher proportions of views by female users. Our results indicate that there are differing effects depending on the type of gender-sensitive language that is used. Overall, the strongest correlation can be found with terms that include the feminine suffix -in. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For over a century, the neuro- and pathophysiological, behavioral, and cognitive correlates of consciousness have been an active field of theoretical considerations and empirical research in a wide range of modern disciplines. Conscious cognitive processing of information cannot be observed directly, but might be inferred from step-like discontinuities in learning performance or sudden insight-based improvements in problem solving behavior. It is assumed that a sudden step of knowledge associated with insight requires a creative reorganization of mental representations of task- or problemrelevant information and the restructuration of the task, respectively problem to overcome an cognitive dead-end or impasse. Discontinuities in learning performance or problem solving after an insight event can be used as timetags to capture the time window in which conscious cognitive information processing must have taken place. According to the platform theory of conscious cognitive information processing, the reorganization and restructuration processes, require the maintenance of task- or problem-relevant information in working memory for the operation of executive functions on these mental representations. Electrophysiological evidence suggests that the reorganization and restructuration processes in working memory, that precede insight-based problem solutions are accompanied by an increase in the power of gamma oscillations in cortical areas including the prefrontal cortex. Empirical evidence and theoretical assumptions argue for an involvement of gap junction channels and connexin hemichannels in cortical gamma-oscillations and working memory processes. Discontinuities in learning or problem solving performance might be used as time-tags to investigate the implication of gap junction channels and hemichannels in conscious cognitive processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All leading models of visual word recognition assume a hierarchical process that progressively converts the visual input into abstract letter and word representations. However, the results from recent behavioral studies suggest that the mental representations of words with a highly consistent visual format, such as logotypes, may comprise not only purely abstract information but also perceptual information. This hypothesis would explain why participants often misperceive transposed-letter misspellings with the original base words to a larger degree in logotypes (e.g., SASMUNG, but not SARVUNG, is perceived as SAMSUNG) than in common words. The present experiment examined the electrophysiological signature behind the identification of correctly spelled and misspelled logotypes (via letter transposition or replacement) in an ERP go/no-go semantic categorization experiment. Results showed that N400 amplitudes for transposed-letter misspelled logotypes (SASMUNG) and intact logotypes (SAMSUNG) did not differ significantly across various time windows (until 600 ms), whereas replacement-letter misspelled logotypes (SARVUNG) yielded consistently larger N400 amplitudes. These findings reveal that the mental representations of logotypes are particularly resistant to minor orthographic changes, which has important theoretical and applied (e.g., marketing) implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the impact of written and hands-on teaching materials on parent–child math talk and children’s interest in mathematics. Thirty parents and their preschool children participated in two play sessions, one using written material and the other using hands-on material, each lasting 12 min. At the end of each session, the children’s interest levels were assessed, and the frequency of math-related conversations was analysed. Regardless of the materials used, discussions primarily revolved around fundamental numerical concepts, with little mention of practical measurement units and conventional nominatives or number comparisons involving the application of mental representation. Ordinal and division concepts were only mentioned by parents in the written scenario rather than in the hands-on one. Overall, using written material led to doubling math discourse compared to hands-on material. However, children showed slightly higher interest levels in the hands-on scenario, where parent–child math talk categories also exhibited greater synchrony. The study highlights the complementary nature of written and hands-on teaching materials and provides recommendations for their future application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultimate source of the ongoing human-induced climate change must be found within the thinking that guides actions. This human aspect goes outside the laws of natural science. Human thinking as a cause of anthropogenic or industrial climate change is still an under-researched topic. Here, we focus on how humans think about climate change. We use a content-based analysis of the mind to analyze comments in a Finnish online forum, Suomi24. Our immediate findings are that people have errors in reviewing knowledge and constructing information in their mental representations. Discussions are colored by illusions, false claims, incorrect interpretations, mistakes, and opinions to deny facts. Understanding erroneous thinking is crucial, as it helps to identify ways to correct risky thinking and to understand why people do what they do. Ultimately, erroneous thinking is the root cause of the modern climate crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a study on how digital mediation in the teaching-learning process of Modern and Contemporary Physics concepts in elementary school establishes the production of hybrid mechanisms of cognition between humans and non-humans, in light of Bruno Latour's generalized symmetry. To this end, we chose as knowledge content the phenomenon of nuclear fusion, foreseen as an object of knowledge in the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) of Natural Sciences. In view of this, we adopted the articulation of three theoretical references, the Network Cognitive Mediation Theory (TMC), responsible for discussing the mediation mechanisms as processing external to the human brain and its implications on the cognitive structure of students, the Theory of Mental Models that classifies and categorizes the types of mental representations and Bruno Latour's Symmetrical Anthropology that provides a systemic, reticular and nondichotomized view of the construction of reality. The initial results were obtained after analyzing the questionnaires and the students' verbal and sign languages. Subsequently, we interpreted the results in accordance with the concepts of hybridization, detours and translations of Latourian thought. We found that digital mediation in this context influences the cognitive mechanisms used by students and the sophistication of the mental representations constructed by them. Finally, we recognize that both the teaching-learning process and the construction of mental representations based on digital mediation constitute Latourian hybrids, as the actors involved begin to share human and non-human skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motor imagery (MI) requires the mental representation of the body, obtained by integrating exteroceptive and interoceptive information. This study aimed to investigate the role of interoceptive sensitivity (IS) in MI performed through visual and kinesthetic modalities by participants with low (lows, N = 26; SHSS: A, M + SD: 1.00 + 1.52), medium (mediums, N = 11; SHSS: A, 6.00 + 0.77) and high hypnotizability scores (highs, N = 16; SHSS:A, 9.75 + 1.24), as measured by the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale: Form A. The three groups displayed different MI abilities and IS levels. The efficacy of MI was measured using the chronometric index and self-reported experience, while IS was measured using the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) questionnaire. Alpha and beta power spectrum densities (PSDs) were extracted from the EEG signals acquired during baseline, actual movement and visually and kinesthetically imagined movements. The chronometric indices do not reveal significant differences between groups and imagery modalities. The self-report MI efficacy indicates better kinesthetic imagery in highs and mediums than in lows, and no modality difference among lows. The MAIA dimensions sustain the differences in subjective experience and almost all the EEG differences. The latter are slightly different in highs, mediums and lows. This is the first report of the major role played by IS in MI and strongly supports the theory of embodied cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional view of cognition as detached from emotions is recently being questioned. This study aimed to investigate the influence of emotional valence on the accuracy and bias in the representation of numbers on the mental number line (MNL). The study included 164 participants who were randomly assigned into two groups with induced positive and negative emotional valence using matched arousal film clips. Participants performed a computerised number-to-position (CNP) task to estimate the position of numbers on a horizontal line. The results showed that participants in the positive valence group exhibited a rightward bias, while those in the negative valence group showed an opposite pattern. The analysis of mean absolute error revealed that the negative valence group had higher error rates compared to the positive valence group. Furthermore, the MNL estimation pattern analysis indicated that a two-cycle cyclic power model (CPM) best explained the data for both groups. These findings suggest that emotional valence influences the spatial representation of numbers on the MNL and affects accuracy in numerical estimations. Our findings are finally discussed in terms of body-specificity and the Brain's Asymmetric Frequency Tuning (BAFT) theories. The study provides new insights into the interplay between emotions and numerical cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discontinuity in natural language is characterized by the linear disruption of a continuous string of linguistic expressions forming a constituent. While dependency relations in Dependency Grammar (DG) can capture discontinuity well, phrase-structure-based approaches such as Phrase Structure Grammar (PSG) face difficulty in accommodating discontinuity. Categorial Grammar (CG) has correspondences with PSG, although it can handle discontinuity, if equipped with wrapping operations. Given the existing literature on discontinuity in natural language, it appears that constituency relations of PSG, dependency relations of DG and functor-argument relations of CG are distinct and independent. Here, we argue for a unified representation achieved by taking into account fundamental representational principles of PSG, DG and CG. For simplicity, we show this by considering an embedded clause from Wan, spoken in Ivory Coast, as an illustrative case. The paper then attempts to explain, based on available empirical pieces of evidence, the plausible connections between the unified representation and the neurocognitive representation of continuity and discontinuity in natural language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fascinating phenomena such as landmark vector cells and splitter cells are frequently discovered in the hippocampus. Without a unifying principle, each experiment seemingly uncovers new anomalies or coding types. Here, we provide a unifying principle that the mental representation of space is an emergent property of latent higher-order sequence learning. Treating space as a sequence resolves numerous phenomena and suggests that the place field mapping methodology that interprets sequential neuronal responses in Euclidean terms might itself be a source of anomalies. Our model, clone-structured causal graph (CSCG), employs higher-order graph scaffolding to learn latent representations by mapping aliased egocentric sensory inputs to unique contexts. Learning to compress sequential and episodic experiences using CSCGs yields allocentric cognitive maps that are suitable for planning, introspection, consolidation, and abstraction. By explicating the role of Euclidean place field mapping and demonstrating how latent sequential representations unify myriad observed phenomena, our work positions the hippocampus in a sequence-centric paradigm, challenging the prevailing space-centric view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]