118 results on '"Maria Elide Vanutelli"'
Search Results
2. Breathing Right… or Left! The Effects of Unilateral Nostril Breathing on Psychological and Cognitive Wellbeing: A Pilot Study
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Maria Elide Vanutelli, Chiara Grigis, and Claudio Lucchiari
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unilateral nostril breathing ,pranayama ,brain lateralization ,psychological wellbeing ,mind wandering ,yoga ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Abstract
The impact of controlled breathing on cognitive and affective processing has been recognized since ancient times, giving rise to multiple practices aimed at achieving different psychophysical states, mostly related to mental clarity and focus, stress reduction, and relaxation. Previous scientific research explored the effects of forced unilateral nostril breathing (UNB) on brain activity and emotional and cognitive functions. Some evidence concluded that it had a contralateral effect, while other studies presented controversial results, making it difficult to come to an unambiguous interpretation. Also, a few studies specifically addressed wellbeing. In the present study, we invited a pilot sample of 20 participants to take part in an 8-day training program for breathing, and each person was assigned to either a unilateral right nostril (URNB) or left nostril breathing condition (ULNB). Then, each day, we assessed the participants’ wellbeing indices using their moods and mind wandering scales. The results revealed that, after the daily practice, both groups reported improved wellbeing perception. However, the effect was specifically related to the nostril involved. URNB produced more benefits in terms of stress reduction and relaxation, while ULNB significantly and increasingly reduced mind-wandering occurrences over time. Our results suggest that UNB can be effectively used to increase wellbeing in the general population. Additionally, they support the idea that understanding the effects of unilateral breathing on wellbeing and cognition requires a complex interpretive model with multiple brain networks to address bottom-up and top-down processes.
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- 2024
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3. BCI Applications to Creativity: Review and Future Directions, from little-c to C2
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Maria Elide Vanutelli, Marco Salvadore, and Claudio Lucchiari
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BCI ,EEG ,creativity ,little-c ,C2 ,hyperscanning ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Abstract
BCI devices are increasingly being used to create interactive interfaces between users and their own psychophysiological signals. Over the years, these systems have seen strong development as they can enable people with limited mobility to make certain decisions to alter their environment. Additionally, their portability and ease of use have allowed a field of research to flourish for the study of cognitive and emotional processes in natural settings. The study of creativity, especially little creativity (little-c), is one example, although the results of this cutting-edge research are often poorly systematized. The purpose of the present paper, therefore, was to conduct a scoping review to describe and systematize the various studies that have been conducted on the application potential of BCI to the field of creativity. Twenty-two papers were selected that collect information on different aspects of creativity, including clinical applications; art experience in settings with high ecological validity; BCI for creative content creation, and participants’ engagement. Critical issues and potentialities of this promising area of study are also presented. Implications for future developments towards multi-brain creativity settings and C2 are discussed.
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- 2023
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4. Editorial: Not Funny! A [Super] Serious Multidisciplinary Exploration of Humor Creativity
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Maria Elide Vanutelli, Mirella Manfredi, Ori Amir, and Claudio Lucchiari
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humor ,creativity ,fMRI ,divergent thinking ,comedy ,laughter ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Published
- 2022
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5. When gratitude and cooperation between friends affect inter-brain connectivity for EEG
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Michela Balconi, Giulia Fronda, and Maria Elide Vanutelli
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Gratitude ,Emotions ,EEG ,Inter-brain connectivity ,Cooperation ,DLPFC ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 ,Neurophysiology and neuropsychology ,QP351-495 - Abstract
Abstract Background Recently several studies in the psychological and social field have investigated the social function of gift exchange as a useful way for the consolidation of interpersonal and social relationships and the implementation of prosocial behaviors. Specifically, the present research wanted to explore if gift exchange, increased emotional sharing, gratitude and interpersonal cooperation, leading to an improvement in cognitive and behavioral performance. In this regard, neural connectivity and cognitive performance of 14 pairs of friends were recorded during the development of a joint attention task that involved a gift exchange at the beginning or halfway through the task. The moment of gift exchange was randomized within the pairs: for seven couples, it happened at task beginning, for the remaining seven later. Individuals’ simultaneous brain activity was recorded through the use of two electroencephalograms (EEG) systems that were used in hyperscanning. Results The results showed that after gift exchange there was an improvement in behavioral performance in terms of accuracy. For what concerns EEG, instead, an increase of delta and theta activation was observed in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) when gift exchange occurred at the beginning of the task. Furthermore, an increase in neural connectivity for delta and theta bands was observed. Conclusion The present research provides a significant contribution to the exploration of the factors contributing to the strengthening of social bonds, increasing cooperation, gratitude and prosocial behavior.
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- 2020
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6. A Contagious… Smile! Training Emotional Skills of Adults with Intellectual Disability in the Time of COVID-19
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Maria Elide Vanutelli, Antonella Grieco, Eleonora Comelli, and Claudio Lucchiari
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intellectual disability ,emotions ,COVID-19 ,training ,creativity ,cooperation ,Education - Abstract
The COVID-19 emergency has had important implications not only for physical but also for psychological well-being. This is particularly true for fragile populations such as people with intellectual disability (ID), who are particularly at risk of suffering during uncertain times. The goal of this action research was to design, implement, and test the efficacy of emotional competencies training to support people with ID in coping with stressful events. For this purpose, eight adults with ID followed a 5-week training of increasing complexity, aimed at exercising different skills through group activities. We designed a study to test its feasibility and efficacy, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The analyses revealed that, after the training, participants used a more complex emotional language and were able to frame their perception of COVID-related threat with greater confidence and awareness. These findings, although circumscribed, respond positively to the urgent need to develop emotional support programs targeted at people with ID.
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- 2023
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7. Using Neurofeedback to Restore Inter-Hemispheric Imbalance: A Study Protocol for Adults With Dyslexia
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Alice Cancer, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Claudio Lucchiari, and Alessandro Antonietti
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neurofeedback ,dyslexia ,reading ,training ,learning disabilities (LD) ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Abstract
Neurofunctional models of developmental dyslexia (DD) point out disruption of the left-lateralized reading network. In individuals with DD, the left temporo-parietal (TP) regions are underactivated during reading tasks and a dysfunctional activation of the contralateral regions is reported. After a successful reading intervention, left TP lateralization was found to be increased in children with DD. Previous studies measured the effect of modulating the excitability of the left TP cortex using non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) in individuals with reading difficulties, showing significant reading improvements. NIBS exclusion criteria and safety guidelines may limit its application in settings without medical supervision and in younger populations. Neurofeedback (NF) training could be an alternative intervention method for modulating the inter-hemispheric balance of the temporal–parietal regions in DD. To date, the effect of NF on reading has been scarcely investigated. Few protocols increasing beta activity in underactivated areas showed improved reading outcomes. However, none of the previous studies designed the NF intervention based on a neurofunctional model of DD. We aim to propose a study protocol for testing the efficacy of a NF training specifically designed for inducing a functional hemispheric imbalance of the tempo-parietal regions in adults with DD. A randomized clinical trial aimed at comparing two experimental conditions is described: (a) Enhancing left beta/theta power ratio NF training in combination with reducing right beta/theta power ratio NF training and (b) sham NF training.Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier [NCT04989088].
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- 2021
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8. To stimulate, or to meditate? That is the question! A randomized, sham-controlled trial exploring the effects of tDCS and mindfulness on cognition and creative thinking
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Claudio Lucchiari, Giuseppe Rocca, and Maria Elide Vanutelli
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Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Published
- 2021
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9. Moral Decision-making as Compared to Economic and Shopping Contexts. Gender Effects and Utilitarianism
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Claudio Lucchiari, Francesca Meroni, and Maria Elide Vanutelli
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Decision-making ,Utilitarianism ,Altruism ,Moral Decision-making ,Economic Decision-making ,Philosophy. Psychology. Religion - Abstract
How do people make decisions? Previous psychological research consistently shed light on the fact that decisions are not the result of a pure rational reasoning, and that emotions can assume a crucial role. This is particularly true in the case of moral decision-making, which requires a complex integration of affective and cognitive processes. One question that is still open to debate concern the individual factors that can affect moral decisions. Gender has been consistently identified as a possible variable of interest for the adoption of different strategic behaviors, with men using more rational processes and women more deontological principles. In the present study we aimed at exploring the presence of gender differences in different decision-making scenarios. Results showed that the moral scenario led to a similar acceptance rate in both genders, while economic and shopping offers were more likely to be accepted by men. Also, women were more inclined to refuse unfair offers, which included a higher personal benefit at the expense of the opponent, even if this meant a total loss for both parties. Finally, correlational analyses revealed a different relation between risk propensity and decision-making in men and women in different scenarios.
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- 2019
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10. Functional EEG connectivity during competition
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Michela Balconi and Maria Elide Vanutelli
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Competition ,Hyperscanning ,EEG ,Functional connectivity ,Reinforcing feedback ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 ,Neurophysiology and neuropsychology ,QP351-495 - Abstract
Abstract Background Social behavior and interactions pervasively shape and influence our lives and relationships. Competition, in particular, has become a core topic in social neuroscience since it stresses the relevance and salience of social comparison processes between the inter-agents that are involved in a common task. The majority of studies, however, investigated such kind of social interaction via one-person individual paradigms, thus not taking into account relevant information concerning interdependent participants’ behavioral and neural responses. In the present study, dyads of volunteers participated in a hyperscanning paradigm and competed in a computerized attention task while their electrophysiological (EEG) activity and performance were monitored and recorded. Behavioral data and inter-brain coupling measures based on EEG frequency data were then computed and compared across different experimental conditions: a control condition (individual task, t0), a first competitive condition (pre-feedback condition, t1), and a second competitive condition following a positive reinforcing feedback (post-feedback condition, t2). Results Results showed that during competitive tasks participants’ performance was improved with respect to control condition (reduced response times and error rates), with a further specific improvement after receiving a reinforcing feedback. Concurrently, we observed a reduction of inter-brain functional connectivity (primarily involving bilateral prefrontal areas) for slower EEG frequency bands (delta and theta). Finally, correlation analyses highlighted a significant association between cognitive performance and inter-brain connectivity measures. Conclusions The present results may help identifying specific patterns of behavioral and inter-brain coupling measures associated to competition and processing of social reinforcements.
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- 2018
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11. Why to cooperate is better than to compete: brain and personality components
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Michela Balconi, Davide Crivelli, and Maria Elide Vanutelli
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Cooperation ,Competition ,Ranking self-perception ,EEG ,fNIRS ,BAS ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 ,Neurophysiology and neuropsychology ,QP351-495 - Abstract
Abstract Background Cooperation and competition were compared in the present study. Brain correlates (electroencephalography, EEG frequency band, delta, theta, alpha, and beta) and hemodynamic measure of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS, O2Hb) were acquired during a joined cooperative (Experiment 1) or competitive (Experiment 2) task. Subjects were required to match each other’s cognitive performance (cooperation) or to make better than others (competition) in terms of accuracy (error rate, ER) and response time (RT). In addition, a personality trait measure (behavioral activation system, BAS) was used to distinguish subjects based on their rewarding attitude. Self-perception of social ranking and real performance were considered in response to subjects’ performance (that was artificially manipulated to show an increasing or decreasing profile during the task). Results An increased left prefrontal cortical (PFC) responsiveness was found for subjects who had higher BAS rating in case of both cooperation and competition conditions. Moreover, subjects with higher BAS ratings showed greater frontal left activity during the cooperative task. These subjects also concomitantly perceived an increasing in social ranking and improved their performance. Conclusions Present results demonstrated that some trait components (BAS) and cooperative condition induce a positive self-representation in term of ranking and a best way to perform the task, as underlined by self-perception and cognitive outcomes. Indeed the higher BAS trait proved to be related with the representation of higher social ranking and with the perception of improved cognitive outcomes, with also a significant increased left PFC activity in cooperative contexts.
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- 2017
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12. When brains dialogue by synchronized or unsynchronized languages. Hyperscanning applications to neuromanagement
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Irene Venturella, Laura Gatti, Maria Elide Vanutelli, and Michela Balconi
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Management ,Hyperscanning technique ,Leadership ,Communication style ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 ,Neurophysiology and neuropsychology ,QP351-495 - Abstract
Neuromanagement deals with neuroscience methodological approaches to the management. A management construct is leadership, but objective psychophysiological data in support of it are still missing. The present pilot study aimed to apply the hyperscanning paradigm during a role played employees’ evaluation. Our purpose was to identify lexical and neuro/psychophysiological markers of leader-employee interactions. The sample consisted in paired manager-collaborator couples. Managers were required to use two different communication styles: authoritative vs. cooperative. A conversational analysis permitted to identify main topics to interpret data. Results showed that the interview was more arousing for the employee than the manager. Greater Delta and Theta EEG bands could denote positive valence of personal interactions and company mission topics. Autonomic measures (Skin Conductance Response, SCR and Heart Rate, HR) showed important information related to different leadership style. Results highlight the importance of applying neurosciences to organizational contexts exploring processes related to manager-employee dynamics and communicative style.
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- 2017
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13. Editorial: Brain Stimulation and Behavioral Change
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Claudio Lucchiari, Nicholas J. Kelley, Maria Elide Vanutelli, and Roberta Ferrucci
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brain stimulation ,tDCS ,TMS ,behavioral change ,neuro-cognitive correlates ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Published
- 2019
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14. The boundaries of cooperation: sharing and coupling from ethology to neuroscience
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Maria Elide Vanutelli, Jean-Louis Nandrino, and Michela Balconi
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Cooperation ,Synchronization ,Empathy ,Humans ,Animals ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 ,Neurophysiology and neuropsychology ,QP351-495 - Abstract
Cooperation is usually described as a human tendency to act jointly that involves helping, sharing, and acting prosocially. Nonetheless clues of cooperative actions can be found also in non-humans animals, as described in the first section of the present work. Even if such behaviors have been conventionally attributed to the research of immediate benefits within the animal world, some recent experimental evidence highlighted that, in highly social species, the effects of cooperative actions on others’ wellbeing may constitute a reward per se, thus suggesting that a strictly economic perspective can’t exhaust the meaning of cooperative decisions in animals. Here we propose, in the second section, that a deeper explanation concerning cognitive and emotional abilities in both humans and animals should be taken into account. Finally, the last part of the paper will be devoted to the description of synchronization patterns in humans within complex neuroscientific experimental paradigms, such as hyperscanning.
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- 2016
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15. Gender Differences and Unfairness Processing during Economic and Moral Decision-Making: A fNIRS Study
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Maria Elide Vanutelli, Francesca Meroni, Giulia Fronda, Michela Balconi, and Claudio Lucchiari
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decision-making ,fNIRS ,unfairness ,ultimatum game ,prefrontal cortex ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Abstract
Decisional conflicts have been investigated with social decision-making tasks, which represent good models to elicit social and emotional dynamics, including fairness perception. To explore these issues, we created two modified versions of the UG framed within an economic vs. a moral context that included two kinds of unfair offers: advantageous (upside, U) or disadvantageous (downside, D) from the responder’s perspective, and vice-versa for the proponent. The hemodynamic activity of 36 participants, 20 females and 16 males, was continuously recorded with fNIRS to investigate the presence of general or specific circuits between the different experimental conditions. Results showed that disadvantageous offers (D) are associated with an increased widespread cortical activation. Furthermore, we found that advantageous moral choices at the expense of others (U) were related to the activation of the right prefrontal cortex. Finally, we found gender-related differences in brain activations in the different frameworks. In particular, the DLPFC was recruited by females during the economic task, and by males during the moral frame. In conclusion, the present study confirmed and expanded previous data about the role of the prefrontal cortices in decision-making, suggesting the need for further studies to understand better the different prefrontal networks serving moral and economic decisions also considering gender-related differences.
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- 2020
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16. Emotion Regulation in Schizophrenia: A Pilot Clinical Intervention as Assessed by EEG and Optical Imaging (Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy)
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Michela Balconi, Alessandra Frezza, and Maria Elide Vanutelli
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EEG ,emotional behavior ,fNIRS ,neurofeedback ,schizophrenia ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Abstract
Previous research on Schizophrenia (S) revealed anomalies in brain responsiveness during emotion processing, as shown by neuroimaging and electroencephalography (EEG) measures. Nonetheless preserved capacities to explicitly evaluate the emotional significance of affective stimuli in term of valence have been found. The present study applied functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and EEG to explore the spatial and temporal expressions of emotion processing in the brain before (T0) and after (T2) an emotional Neurofeedback (NF) training of patients, assigned to the control or the experimental group. Explicit measures revealed correct identifications of stimuli emotional valence before (T0) and after (T2) the treatment, while implicit measures (EEG and fNIRS) showed a modulation and increased competencies only after the NF (T2), with more balanced prefrontal activity.
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- 2018
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17. Promoting Creativity Through Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). A Critical Review
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Claudio Lucchiari, Paola Maria Sala, and Maria Elide Vanutelli
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creativity ,divergent thinking ,convergent thinking ,brain stimulation ,tDCS ,DMN ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Abstract
Creativity, meant as the ability to produce novel, original and suitable ideas, has received increased attention by research in the last years, especially from neuroaesthetics and social neuroscience. Besides the research conducted on the neural correlates of such capacities, previous work tried to answer the question of whether it is possible to enhance creativity through cognitive and neural stimulation. In particular, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been applied to increase neuronal excitability in those areas related to creativity. However, being a complex construct that applies to a huge variety of situations, available results are often confusing and inconsistent. Thus, in the present critical review, after selecting original research articles investigating creativity with tDCS, results will be reviewed and framed according to the different effects of tDCS and its underlying mechanisms, which can be defined as follows: the promotion of self-focused attention; the disruption of inhibiting mechanisms; the enhancement of creative thinking; the promotion of artistic enactment. Finally, a theoretical perspective, the creative on/off model, will be provided to integrate the reported evidence with respect to both anatomical and functional issues and propose a cognitive explanation of the emergence of creative thinking.
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- 2018
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18. Empathy and Prosocial Behaviours. Insights from Intra- and Inter-species Interactions
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Maria elide Vanutelli and Michela Balconi
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Empathy ,Emotion ,Prosocial Behaviours ,Intra- and Inter-species Interaction. ,Intra- and Inter-species Interaction ,Philosophy. Psychology. Religion - Abstract
It has been suggested that “sharing the same body” between the observer and the observed subject allows for a direct form of understanding and emotional attuning by a process of simulation. Then, what happens when we don’t share the same body? The aim of the present paper is to review available evidence of intra- and inter-species empathic and prosocial behaviours, with respect to within-human, within-animals and cross-specifies interactions. Similarities and differences will be evaluated using a comparative perspective, and some possible moral and ethical implications for human-animal interactions will be discussed. According to Charles Darwin’s work, the perceived differences between human and animal empathy could be more quantitative than qualitative, suggesting a common affective core which allows both categories to mirror and tune to conspecifics’ feelings, where in the case of humans it can be integrated with more complex cognitive processes.
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- 2015
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19. Two is better than one: The effects of strategic cooperation on intra- and inter-brain connectivity by fNIRS.
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Michela Balconi, Laurent Pezard, Jean-Louis Nandrino, and Maria Elide Vanutelli
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Inter-brain synchronization during joint actions is a core question in social neuroscience, and the differential contribution of intra- and inter-brain functional connectivity has yet to be clarified along with the role of psychological variables such as perceived self-efficacy. The cognitive performance and the neural activation underlying the execution of joint actions were recorded by functional Near-Infrared imaging during a synchronicity game. An 8-channel array of optodes was positioned over the frontal and prefrontal regions. During the task, the dyads received reinforcing feedback that was experimentally manipulated to induce adoption of common strategies. Intra- and inter-brain connectivity indices were computed along with an inter-brain/intra-brain connectivity index (ConIndex). Finally, correlation analyses were run to assess the relationship between behavioral and physiological levels. The results showed that the external feedback could modulate participant responses in both behavioral and neural components. After the reinforcing manipulation, there were faster response times and increased inter-brain connectivity, and ConIndex emerged primarily over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Additionally, the presence of significant correlations between response times and inter-brain connectivity revealed that only the "two-players connection" may guarantee an efficient performance. The present study provides a significant contribution to the identification of intra- and inter-brain functional connectivity when social reinforcement is provided.
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- 2017
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20. Autonomic responsivity and semantic associative competences in disturb of consciousness
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Michela Balconi, Rachele Stoppelli, and Maria Elide Vanutelli
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Disturb of consciousness ,SCR ,HR ,Arousal ,MCS ,VS ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 ,Neurophysiology and neuropsychology ,QP351-495 - Abstract
Linguistic associative functions in Disorders of Consciousness patient (DOC) were studied in the present research by using autonomic measures (Skin Conductance Response, SCR; Heart Rate, HR). We intended to verify the preservation of semantic linguistic processes in Vegetative State (VS) and Minimal Consciousness State (MCS) by considering arousal modulation. Twenty-four patients and twenty controls were submitted to an auditory semantic task (congruous or incongruous word sequences). A similar increased SCR/HR was found for both DOC and control group in response to incongruous condition. This modulation was interpreted as a marker of the increased cognitive difficulty in processing and restoring incongruent information. However, MCS and VS groups quantitatively (but not qualitatively) differed in term of degree of increased arousal, since higher SCR and HR increasing was observed for MCS than VS. These results were interpreted as a marker that the semantic processing was partially preserved in both VS and MCS patients.
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- 2014
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21. Competition in the brain. Social ranking,cognition and personality effects
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Michela Balconi and maria elide vanutelli
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Personality ,competition ,fNIRS ,social ranking ,Alpha oscillation ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Abstract
In the present study the social ranking perception in competition was explored. Brain response (alpha band oscillations, EEG; hemodynamic activity, O2Hb) as well as self-perception of social ranking, cognitive performance, and personality trait (Behavioral Activation System, BAS) were considered during a competitive joint-action. Subjects were required to develop a strategy to obtain a better outcome than a competitor (C) (in term of error rate, ER, and response time, RT). A pre-feedback (without a specific feedback on the performance) and a post-feedback condition (which reinforced the improved performance) was provided. It was found that higher BAS participants responded in greater measure to perceived higher cognitive performance (post-feedback condition), with increased prefrontal left activity, perception of higher ranking and a better real performance (reduced RTs). These results were explained in term of increased sense of self-efficacy and social position, probably based on higher-BAS sensitivity to reinforcing condition. In addition, the hemispheric effect in favor of the left side characterized the competitive behavior, showing an imbalance for high-BAS in comparison to low-BAS in the case of a rewarding (post-feedback) context. Therefore, the present results confirmed the significance of BAS in modulating brain responsiveness, self-perceived social position and real performance during an inter-personal competitive action which is considered highly relevant for social status.
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- 2016
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22. Can you catch a liar? How negative emotions affect brain responses when lying or telling the truth.
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Alice Mado Proverbio, Maria Elide Vanutelli, and Roberta Adorni
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
The capacity to deceive others is a complex mental skill that requires the ability to suppress truthful information. The polygraph is widely used in countries such as the USA to detect deception. However, little is known about the effects of emotional processes (such as the fear of being found guilty despite being innocent) on the physiological responses that are used to detect lies. The aim of this study was to investigate the time course and neural correlates of untruthful behavior by analyzing electrocortical indexes in response to visually presented neutral and affective questions. Affective questions included sexual, shameful or disgusting topics. A total of 296 questions that were inherently true or false were presented to 25 subjects while ERPs were recorded from 128 scalp sites. Subjects were asked to lie on half of the questions and to answer truthfully on the remaining half. Behavioral and ERP responses indicated an increased need for executive control functions, namely working memory, inhibition and task switching processes, during deceptive responses. Deceptive responses also elicited a more negative N400 over the prefrontal areas and a smaller late positivity (LP 550-750 ms) over the prefrontal and frontal areas. However, a reduction in LP amplitude was also elicited by truthful affective responses. The failure to observe a difference in LP responses across conditions likely results from emotional interference. A swLORETA inverse solution was computed on the N400 amplitude (300-400 ms) for the dishonest - honest contrast. These results showed the activation of the superior, medial, middle and inferior frontal gyri (BA9, 11, 47) and the anterior cingulate cortex during deceptive responses. Our results conclude that the N400 amplitude is a reliable neural marker of deception.
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- 2013
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23. BCI Applications to Creativity: Review and Future Directions, from little-c to C2
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Vanutelli, M, Salvadore, M, Lucchiari, C, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Marco Salvadore, Claudio Lucchiari, Vanutelli, M, Salvadore, M, Lucchiari, C, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Marco Salvadore, and Claudio Lucchiari
- Abstract
BCI devices are increasingly being used to create interactive interfaces between users and their own psychophysiological signals. Over the years, these systems have seen strong development as they can enable people with limited mobility to make certain decisions to alter their environment. Additionally, their portability and ease of use have allowed a field of research to flourish for the study of cognitive and emotional processes in natural settings. The study of creativity, especially little creativity (little-c), is one example, although the results of this cutting-edge research are often poorly systematized. The purpose of the present paper, therefore, was to conduct a scoping review to describe and systematize the various studies that have been conducted on the application potential of BCI to the field of creativity. Twenty-two papers were selected that collect information on different aspects of creativity, including clinical applications; art experience in settings with high ecological validity; BCI for creative content creation, and participants’ engagement. Critical issues and potentialities of this promising area of study are also presented. Implications for future developments towards multi-brain creativity settings and C2 are discussed.
- Published
- 2023
24. 'Hyperfeedback' as a Tool to Assess and Induce Interpersonal Synchrony: The Role of Applied Social Neurosciences for Research, Training, and Clinical Practice
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Maria Elide Vanutelli and Claudio Lucchiari
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BCI, B2CI, Interpersonal Coordination, Hyperscanning, Neurofeedback, Hyperfeedback, Dyadic Interactions - Abstract
In the last 25 years, the field of neuroscience has seen exponential growth due to technological advances, which have not only allowed for collecting more accurate data, but also for addressing a variety of innovative studies for human development understanding. Neurofeedback (NF), and particularly Brain–Computer Interfaces (BCI) applications, are among the most promising methods, since they enable individuals to interact with a computer by using their brain activity to learn implicitly and train some specific cognitive and affective functions. These applications proved to be suitable for many different fields, from research to clinical practice. However, NF was used only in individual settings, with participants interacting with a computer, while more ecological and complex phenomena could be better explored in interactive contexts. In the present work, we propose that the future of BCI provided NF may lie in the development of interactive settings where two or more participants can be informed about their inter-brain synchrony to train and reinforce them towards enhanced joint interactions and promote learning and empowerment. We propose that BCI methods should move to brain-X-brain-computer interfaces (B2CI). In this new protocol, that we called “hyperfeedback,” brain signals coming from two people involved in a joint setting are processed so to provide a compound feedback. The possible applications of such a paradigm are discussed.
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- 2022
25. The relationship between creative, cognitive, and emotional competences in Intellectual Disability: A case report
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Vanutelli, M, Cortinovis, V, Lucchiari, C, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Veronica Cortinovis, Claudio Lucchiari, Vanutelli, M, Cortinovis, V, Lucchiari, C, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Veronica Cortinovis, and Claudio Lucchiari
- Abstract
People with intellectual disabilities (ID) show cognitive deficits that are subject to an earlier deterioration and they experience difficulties in the social-emotional sphere. Various stimulation techniques exist to strengthen these skills that, however, are not usually proposed to individuals with ID because 1) the users are not necessarily in senile age, nor do they have an acquired impairment that requires rehabilitation. Consequently, it is erroneously assumed that their condition cannot be improved. 2) The standard pathways include socio-educational objectives, but not specifically neuro-cognitive ones. We believe that divergent thinking and creativity could be particularly suitable and proficient areas of intervention to promote a flexible, original, and autonomous thinking that can be extended in many different domains. To do so, we designed a research-intervention project named SoCraTEs (Social-emotional, Creative, and Thinking Enhancement), which is aimed at empowering these areas of interest, proposing creativity as an elective tool. In this paper we illustrate the results of a preliminary phase where we first explored the relationship between the aforementioned abilities to identify the most significant components that had the greatest potential. We found that creative abilities are strongly related to attentional, mnestic, and emotional skills, together with personal autonomy in everyday life. Implications for future research are discussed.
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- 2022
26. The relationship between creative, cognitive, and emotional competences in Intellectual Disability: A case report
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Maria Elide Vanutelli, Veronica Cortinovis, Claudio Lucchiari, Vanutelli, M, Cortinovis, V, and Lucchiari, C
- Subjects
Creativity ,Intellectual disability ,Divergent thinking ,Assessment ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA - Abstract
People with intellectual disabilities (ID) show cognitive deficits that are subject to an earlier deterioration and they experience difficulties in the social-emotional sphere. Various stimulation techniques exist to strengthen these skills that, however, are not usually proposed to individuals with ID because 1) the users are not necessarily in senile age, nor do they have an acquired impairment that requires rehabilitation. Consequently, it is erroneously assumed that their condition cannot be improved. 2) The standard pathways include socio-educational objectives, but not specifically neuro-cognitive ones. We believe that divergent thinking and creativity could be particularly suitable and proficient areas of intervention to promote a flexible, original, and autonomous thinking that can be extended in many different domains. To do so, we designed a research-intervention project named SoCraTEs (Social-emotional, Creative, and Thinking Enhancement), which is aimed at empowering these areas of interest, proposing creativity as an elective tool. In this paper we illustrate the results of a preliminary phase where we first explored the relationship between the aforementioned abilities to identify the most significant components that had the greatest potential. We found that creative abilities are strongly related to attentional, mnestic, and emotional skills, together with personal autonomy in everyday life. Implications for future research are discussed.
- Published
- 2022
27. Leader-employee emotional 'interpersonal tuning'.An EEG coherence study
- Author
-
Maria Elide Vanutelli, Irene Venturella, Michela Balconi, Giulia Fronda, Balconi, M, Venturella, I, Fronda, G, and Vanutelli, M
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Social Psychology ,Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,emotion ,Interpersonal communication ,Eeg coherence ,Development ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,emotions ,050105 experimental psychology ,social engagement ,03 medical and health sciences ,Behavioral Neuroscience ,0302 clinical medicine ,EEG ,hyperscanning ,Leadership ,Humans ,Interpersonal Relations ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,05 social sciences ,Brain ,Electroencephalography ,Middle Aged ,Management research ,Female ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Psychology ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Cognitive psychology - Abstract
Empirical management research has focused more on the investigation of important interpersonal factors that could be beneficial for a company's well-being, including emotional and empathic engagement between managers and employees. The capacity to understand and mirror others' feelings could result in a mutual adaptation that generates interpersonal tuning (IT). In the present study, we measured IT by applying a hyperscanning approach with simultaneous recording of electroencephalographic (EEG) signals from two participants interacting together. Eleven leaders and 11 employees were recruited and asked to role-play an employee performance review with a rating (R) or no rating (NR) condition. In the NR condition leaders describe by words the employee's proficiency, while in R they provided a quantitative rating. The NR condition emerged as a more engaging situation in terms of empathic responses and mirroring. This difference was detectable from the localization of neurophysiological effects over the frontopolar and frontal brain areas, and the higher synchronization of EEG delta frequency coherence. Behavioral results also revealed an increase of self-perceived emotional tuning, agreement on content, and interpersonal cooperation in the NR condition compared to R condition. These effects were present in both leaders and employees and have several implications for social and company well-being.
- Published
- 2019
28. Editorial: Not Funny! A [Super] Serious Multidisciplinary Exploration of Humor Creativity
- Author
-
Maria Elide Vanutelli, Mirella Manfredi, Ori Amir, Claudio Lucchiari, Vanutelli, M, Manfredi, M, Amir, O, and Lucchiari, C
- Subjects
comedy ,humor ,brain ,fMRI ,Psychology ,laughter ,creativity ,divergent thinking ,General Psychology ,BF1-990 - Published
- 2021
29. To stimulate, or to meditate? That is the question! A randomized, sham-controlled trial exploring the effects of tDCS and mindfulness on cognition and creative thinking
- Author
-
Maria Elide Vanutelli, Claudio Lucchiari, Giuseppe Rocca, Lucchiari, C, Rocca, G, and Vanutelli, M
- Subjects
Mindfulness ,Psychotherapist ,meditation ,General Neuroscience ,Biophysics ,Cognition ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,tDCS ,law.invention ,Randomized controlled trial ,law ,Brain stimulation ,Neurology (clinical) ,Creative thinking ,Psychology ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,creativity ,RC321-571 - Published
- 2021
30. Pain and emotions in non-human animals: Debates and insights from philosophy, ethology, and neuroscience
- Author
-
Maria Elide Vanutelli and Michela Balconi
- Subjects
animals ,human being ,Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Philosophy ,Emotions ,Pain ,Settore M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Emotions, animals, human being, empathy ,empathy ,Humanities ,General Psychology - Abstract
I criteri standard per valutare la presenza di esperienze legate al dolore prevedono un riscontro verbale da parte dei soggetti (umani) coinvolti. Tuttavia, mentre questo tipo di informazioni vengono normalmente considerate durante procedure mediche e scientifiche, appare evidente che lo stesso tipo di indagine non puo essere effettuata nel caso degli animali non umani. A questo proposito sono stati sviluppati alcuni metodi per dedurre la presenza di dolore tramite la valutazione di indizi non verbali, anche se simili inferenze non sono, o quantomeno non dovrebbero essere, cosi facili da fare. Lo scopo del presente studio e quello di raccogliere le principali evidenze filosofiche, etologiche e neuroscientifiche sull’esperienza del dolore nell’uomo e negli animali, per esplorare la presenza di continuita e specificita da una prospettiva comparativa. Inoltre, verra proposta una nuova cornice interpretativa che possa aiutare a cogliere alcuni comportamenti significativi legati all’esperienza del dolore nel regno animale. Piu specificamente, proponiamo l’osservazione e l’analisi di esperienze emotive e sociali complesse (e condivise) come strumento per dedurre, almeno in alcuni casi, la presenza di un’esperienza soggettiva di dolore.
- Published
- 2019
31. Neurofeedback Intervention for Emotional Behavior Regulation in Schizophrenia: New Experimental Evidences from Optical Imaging
- Author
-
Michela Balconi, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Balconi, M, and Vanutelli, M
- Subjects
Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Schizophrenia (object-oriented programming) ,Experimental and Cognitive Psychology ,Neurofeedback ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Emotional behavior ,FNIRS ,Prefrontal cortex ,Schizophrenia ,Psychiatry and Mental health ,Behavioral Neuroscience ,Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology ,Optical imaging ,Physiology (medical) ,Intervention (counseling) ,Settore M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Psychology ,Biological Psychiatry ,Applied Psychology ,Clinical psychology - Abstract
Recent neuroscience research tried to identify biological markers underlying schizophrenia’s (SZ) symptoms. Results showed a functional hypofrontality in SZ patients during both cognitive and emotional tasks. Here, we submitted an experimental (E) group of patients to a neurofeedback (NF) training during emotion induction (T1) and assessed its efficacy by comparing the frontal neural activity before (T0) and after it (T2), with regard to a control (C) group. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used during an emotional task with valence and arousal rating. Behavioral results showed that patients of both groups could identify pictures’ valence, both in T0 and T2. However, a significant interaction effect revealed that negative and positive stimuli received more positive values in T2 compared to T0 only in E group, as a consequence of an alleged more functional management of negative feelings. Such results were paralleled by imaging data that showed increased O2Hb levels over frontal areas for positive and negative pictures compared to neutral ones, which were even more evident in the E group in T2. The preliminary results of the present study highlight the possible application of NF training to sustain patients’ achieving more awareness and regulation during emotion processing.
- Published
- 2019
32. The effects of a cognitive pathway to promote class creative thinking. An experimental study on Italian primary school students
- Author
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Paola Maria Sala, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Claudio Lucchiari, Lucchiari, C, Sala, P, and Vanutelli, M
- Subjects
media_common.quotation_subject ,Control (management) ,050109 social psychology ,Divergent thinking ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Education ,Creativity ,Mathematics education ,Settore M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Creative thinking ,media_common ,Primary school ,Class (computer programming) ,Operationalization ,Teaching ,05 social sciences ,050301 education ,Cognition ,Cognitive training ,Experimental research ,Test (assessment) ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Psychology ,0503 education - Abstract
The goal of this experimental research was to demonstrate that creative thinking could be trained in primary school children. After asserting the difficulty to determine a unique definition of creativity – the concept fits to several fields and areas of interests – the capacity to produce numerous ideas and to think divergently was chosen as the framework within creativity as a way of thinking that can be assessed and measured. Even though creativity is challenging to define and consequently to operationalize, tests exist with the purpose to evaluate creativity levels in individuals. Starting from the Test of Child Creativity (TCI) an Italian mental reactive aimed at measuring the potential of creative thinking in individual children, a Group Creativity Assessment (gTCI) was made up with the objective to test 224 children belonging to 10 primary school classes (5 second grades and 5 third grades), achieving creativity scores of groups. The aim was to investigate whether children’s attitude to think divergently would improve after participating in a creativity training made up of 10 interactive one-hour long sessions. For that reason, all the sample of children were tested in T0 before the training; afterward 8 out of the 10 classes were weekly trained, before being all 10 classes tested again in T1, 10 weeks after T0. The hypothesis was that the trained classes would have improved in creative thinking, whereas the control groups would have not. It was therefore demonstrated the efficacy of the specific technique to train creative thinking that was conceived, developed and administered to the children.
- Published
- 2019
33. Let’s do the Math… About Creativity and Mathematical Reasoning: A Correlational Study in Primary School Children
- Author
-
Maria Elide Vanutelli, Giulia Pirovano, Chiara Esposto, Claudio Lucchiari, Vanutelli, M, Pirovano, G, Esposto, C, and Lucchiari, C
- Subjects
Creativity ,Divergent Thinking ,Humor ,ComputingMilieux_THECOMPUTINGPROFESSION ,Convergent Thinking ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Mathematic - Abstract
Mathematics, being a very ancient discipline, is usually seen as a formal subject that must be learned for school purposes, which is very far from creativity and fun. Also, mathematical skills are often considered a talent, so students are easily divided into gifted and not gifted, with a focus on speed and accuracy rather than encouraging the process of juggling between divergent and convergent thinking. In the present paper, we aimed at investigating the relationship between mathematical reasoning and different aspects of creative thinking, such as divergent and convergent creativity, aesthetic appreciation, and humor. To do so, 146 second and third graders in a primary school in Milan have been recruited and tested with mathematical and creative tasks. Correlational analyses showed significant positive relations between flexibility and originality dimensions of creativity and mathematical performance. Results are discussed by providing a theoretical framework about the relation between mathematics and creative skills.
- Published
- 2021
34. Creatività speciale e inclusione scolastica
- Author
-
Maria Elide Vanutelli, Lucchiari, C, Vanutelli, ME, and Vanutelli, M
- Subjects
creatività ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA - Published
- 2020
35. Comprendere i processi creativi
- Author
-
Claudio Lucchiari, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Lucchiari, C, Vanutelli, ME, and Vanutelli, M
- Subjects
processi creativi ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA - Published
- 2020
36. Gender Differences and Unfairness Processing during Economic and Moral Decision-Making : A fNIRS Study
- Author
-
Vanutelli, M, Meroni, F, Fronda, G, Balconi, M, Lucchiari, C, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Francesca Meroni, Giulia Fronda, Michela Balconi, Claudio Lucchiari, Vanutelli, M, Meroni, F, Fronda, G, Balconi, M, Lucchiari, C, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Francesca Meroni, Giulia Fronda, Michela Balconi, and Claudio Lucchiari
- Abstract
Decisional conflicts have been investigated with social decision-making tasks, which represent good models to elicit social and emotional dynamics, including fairness perception. To explore these issues, we created two modified versions of the UG framed within an economic vs. a moral context that included two kinds of unfair offers: advantageous (upside, U) or disadvantageous (downside, D) from the responder’s perspective, and vice-versa for the proponent. The hemodynamic activity of 36 participants, 20 females and 16 males, was continuously recorded with fNIRS to investigate the presence of general or specific circuits between the different experimental conditions. Results showed that disadvantageous offers (D) are associated with an increased widespread cortical activation. Furthermore, we found that advantageous moral choices at the expense of others (U) were related to the activation of the right prefrontal cortex. Finally, we found gender-related differences in brain activations in the different frameworks. In particular, the DLPFC was recruited by females during the economic task, and by males during the moral frame. In conclusion, the present study confirmed and expanded previous data about the role of the prefrontal cortices in decision-making, suggesting the need for further studies to understand better the different prefrontal networks serving moral and economic decisions also considering gender-related differences.
- Published
- 2020
37. Creatività speciale e inclusione scolastica
- Author
-
Lucchiari, C, Vanutelli, ME, Vanutelli, M, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Lucchiari, C, Vanutelli, ME, Vanutelli, M, and Maria Elide Vanutelli
- Published
- 2020
38. Comprendere i processi creativi
- Author
-
Lucchiari, C, Vanutelli, ME, Vanutelli, M, Claudio Lucchiari, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Lucchiari, C, Vanutelli, ME, Vanutelli, M, Claudio Lucchiari, and Maria Elide Vanutelli
- Published
- 2020
39. Neurophysiology of intra- and inter-species emotional interactions. Personality trait effect, P300 and N300 ERPs measures
- Author
-
Maria Elide Vanutelli, Davide Crivelli, Michela Balconi, Balconi, M, Crivelli, D, and Vanutelli, M
- Subjects
Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,media_common.quotation_subject ,BEES ,Neurophysiology ,Emotional empathy ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience ,Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology ,IRI ,intra/ inter-species ,N300/P300 ,Intra/inter-specie ,Trait ,Personality ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Psychology ,Cognitive psychology ,media_common - Abstract
Emotional empathy plays a crucial role in social intra-species and inter-species interactions. However the role of interspecies interactions and of some personality components was underestimated. The present research explored electrophysiological correlates of affective processing in relation to emotionally valenced human-human (HH) and human-animal (HA) interactions. Further, we explored the link between such cortical responses and personality empathic profile as measured by the Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Both HH and HA interactions was associated to a significant increase of N300 and P300 deflections in response to positive and negative compared with neutral interactions. However, whereas N300 was mainly influenced by stimuli valence and was frontally distributed, P300 seemed to be mainly modulated by the stimuli attentional relevance and showed even a posterior distribution. Finally, a significant association was found between emotional empathy trait (BEES) and N300 amplitude. Results are discussed in light of the significance of empathic traits in mediating species-specific and speciesaspecific relationships.
- Published
- 2018
40. Mirroring the emotions of others by autonomic system: intra-species effect in children
- Author
-
Maria Elide Vanutelli, Irene Venturella, Michela Balconi, Laura Angioletti, Vanutelli, M, Venturella, I, Angioletti, L, and Balconi, M
- Subjects
Autonomic measures ,EDA ,Emotion perception ,HR ,Intra/interspecies interactions ,Similarity factor ,Autonomic measure ,Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience ,Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology ,Intra/interspecies interaction ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Psychology ,Mirroring ,Cognitive psychology - Abstract
Previous research investigated the presence of differential autonomic responses towards the emotions expressed by individuals from ingroup or outgroup contexts. Results found increased affective reactions and typical identification bias that can be explained, according to "the similarity factor", as the tendency to tune stronger with those perceived as more similar. Then, few previous studies explored the presence of such mechanisms in intra and interspecies contexts. However, further investigation is needed to better explore these issues in developmental samples and to different emotionally valenced stimuli. Thus, we asked 30 children to watch emotional pictures involving child-child (CC) and child-animal (CA) interactions with negative, positive, or neutral valence. Autonomic responses were recorded and compared across species and gender. Results showed a higher sensitivity to intraspecies emotional valence (increased heart rate for negative compared to neutral stimuli) which was visible only in the female group, thus confirming the presence of a gender effect.
- Published
- 2017
41. When cooperation goes wrong: brain and behavioural correlates of ineffective joint strategies in dyads
- Author
-
Michela Balconi, Laura Gatti, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Balconi, M, Gatti, L, and Vanutelli, M
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Human life ,fNIRS ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Frustration ,050105 experimental psychology ,Task (project management) ,Social group ,Cognitive strategy ,Young Adult ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Reaction Time ,Humans ,Interpersonal Relations ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Cooperative Behavior ,hyperscanning ,Brain Mapping ,Cooperation ,performance ,self-efficacy ,Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared ,General Neuroscience ,05 social sciences ,Brain ,General Medicine ,Self Efficacy ,Female ,Joint (building) ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Psychology ,Social psychology ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Purpose: Human life is connoted by sophisticated interactions that involve not only single individuals, but larger social groups composed by members interacting each other. Cooperation secures a benefit to all the people engaged as well as important behaviors like helping, sharing, and acting prosocially. But what happens when the joint actions are not effective? Materials and method: In the present study, we asked 24 participants paired in 12 dyads to cooperate during an attentional task in a way to synchronize their responses and obtain better outcomes. In addition we tested inter-brain and cognitive strategy similarities between subjects. Then, we frustrated their strategies by providing false feedbacks signalling the incapacity to create a synergy, which was reinforced by a general negative evaluation halfway through the task. The effects of the feedback inmodulating subjects behavioural performance and brain responsiveness were explored by means of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Results: Results showed a worsen performance after the negative feedback in the form of longer reaction times and a specifc pattern of brain activation involving th dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the superior frontal gyrus. The DLPFC showed increased O2Hb (oxy-haemoglobin) level after the feedback, compatible with the need for higher cognitive effort. In addition, fNIRS measures revealed a decreased inter-brain synchronicity in post-feedback condition for the dyad. Also, the representation of negative emotions in response to failing interactions was signalled by a right-lateralized effect. Conclusions: Results were interpreted at light of available knowledge on perceived self-efficacy and the implementation of common goals and strategies.
- Published
- 2017
42. When brains dialogue by synchronized or unsynchronized languages.Hyperscanning applications to neuromanagement
- Author
-
Michela Balconi, Irene Venturella, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Laura Gatti, Venturella, I, Gatti, L, Vanutelli, M, and Balconi, M
- Subjects
Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Neuromanagement ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Settore M-PSI/06 - PSICOLOGIA DEL LAVORO E DELLE ORGANIZZAZIONI ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,computer.software_genre ,lcsh:RC321-571 ,Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience ,Communicative style ,lcsh:Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,media_common ,Multimedia ,business.industry ,lcsh:QP351-495 ,Hyperscanning technique ,Art ,Management ,Leadership ,lcsh:Neurophysiology and neuropsychology ,Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Communication style ,Telecommunications ,business ,computer - Abstract
Neuromanagement deals with neuroscience methodological approaches to the management. A management construct is leadership, but objective psychophysiological data in support of it are still missing. The present pilot study aimed to apply the hyperscanning paradigm during a role played employees’ evaluation. Our purpose was to identify lexical and neuro/psychophysiological markers of leader-employee interactions. The sample consisted in paired manager-collaborator couples. Managers were required to use two different communication styles: authoritative vs. cooperative. A conversational analysis permitted to identify main topics to interpret data. Results showed that the interview was more arousing for the employee than the manager. Greater Delta and Theta EEG bands could denote positive valence of personal interactions and company mission topics. Autonomic measures (Skin Conductance Response, SCR and Heart Rate, HR) showed important information related to different leadership style. Results highlight the importance of applying neurosciences to organizational contexts exploring processes related to manager-employee dynamics and communicative style.
- Published
- 2017
43. Remembering faces: The effects of emotional valence and temporal recency
- Author
-
Maria Elide Vanutelli, Simone Viganò, Alice Mado Proverbio, Proverbio, A, Vanutelli, M, and Viganò, S
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Memory, Long-Term ,Long term memory ,Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Cognitive Neuroscience ,Emotions ,Experimental and Cognitive Psychology ,Engram ,Emotional valence ,Electroencephalography ,Long-Term ,050105 experimental psychology ,Task (project management) ,03 medical and health sciences ,Young Adult ,0302 clinical medicine ,Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous) ,Memory ,Emotional memory ,Developmental and Educational Psychology ,medicine ,Psychology ,Humans ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Memory, ERPs, Episodic memory, Long term memory, Recency, Remembering ,Remembering ,Evoked Potentials ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,Recall ,Episodic memory ,Long-term memory ,05 social sciences ,Brain ,Recognition, Psychology ,ERPs ,Recency ,Female ,Photic Stimulation ,Face ,Recognition ,Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology ,Face (geometry) ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Cognitive psychology - Abstract
It is known that the longer an information has been memorized, the stronger is its memory trace, and that emotionally-valenced information is more solid than neutral one. We investigated whether the emotional content of recent information might enhance its memory, making it as familiar as information known for a long time. We compared ERPs alternately recorded in response to old and solid information from long term memory (i.e., faces of popular movie stars), to recently acquired emotional information (faces of fictional characters), and to completely new information (faces of previously unknown people). Initially participants familiarized with the fictional police dossiers of 10 victims of dramatic deaths (recent faces), twice a day for seven days before EEG recordings. Recent faces were compared with faces of movie stars and unknown faces in an old/new recognition task. N200 and FN400 responses were affected by face familiarity (with no difference between old and recent faces), while parietal late positivity (LP) was sensitive to temporal recency, being it greater to old than recent faces. Interestingly, LP amplitude was similar for old and recent own-sex faces (victims) that were therefore equally memorable. It is shown that emotional memory can overcome temporal recency thus improving memory recall.
- Published
- 2019
44. A gift for gratitude and cooperative behavior: brain and cognitive effects
- Author
-
Maria Elide Vanutelli, Michela Balconi, Giulia Fronda, Balconi, M, Fronda, G, and Vanutelli, M
- Subjects
Male ,Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,near-infrared spectroscopy ,gratitude ,Task (project management) ,0302 clinical medicine ,Cognition ,Task Performance and Analysis ,Cooperative Behavior ,health care economics and organizations ,media_common ,Brain Mapping ,Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared ,05 social sciences ,Brain ,General Medicine ,humanities ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,cooperative task ,gift exchange ,intra-brain activity ,Female ,Psychology ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Cognitive psychology ,Adult ,Cognitive Neuroscience ,media_common.quotation_subject ,education ,Prefrontal Cortex ,Experimental and Cognitive Psychology ,Original Manuscript ,Interpersonal communication ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,050105 experimental psychology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Neural activity ,Young Adult ,Gratitude ,medicine ,Reaction Time ,Humans ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance ,Hemodynamics ,Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex ,Cooperative behavior ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Recently, different psychological studies have been interested in identifying the factors that regulate the development and maintenance of long-lasting interpersonal and social relationships. Specifically, the present research explored the link between gift exchange, gratitude and cognitive effects. The behavioral performance and neural activity of 32 participants were recorded during a cooperative game to be played before and after gift exchange. Specifically, participants had to perform the task coupled with a dear friend. Half of the couples were asked to exchange a gift before the task performance; the other half was asked to exchange a gift halfway through the task performance. For hemodynamic brain responses, functional near-infrared spectroscopy was used. Results showed that an increase in cognitive performance occurred after the exchange of gifts, with improved accuracy and lower response times in task performance. Regarding hemodynamic responses, an increase in oxygenated hemoglobin was detected, especially in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex following the gift exchange. Furthermore, it was observed that gift exchange before the beginning of the task increased the performance level. The present study provides a significant contribution to the identification of those factors that enable the increased cognitive performance based on cooperative relationships.
- Published
- 2019
45. Who's boss? Physiological measures during performance assessment
- Author
-
Maria Elide Vanutelli, Irene Venturella, Giulia Fronda, Michela Balconi, Balconi, M, Venturella, I, Fronda, G, and Vanutelli, M
- Subjects
Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Strategy and Management ,05 social sciences ,Settore M-PSI/06 - PSICOLOGIA DEL LAVORO E DELLE ORGANIZZAZIONI ,COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE ,Management Science and Operations Research ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,behavioral disciplines and activities ,Performance assessment ,Psychophysiological markers ,Business and International Management ,Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Management ,Management of Technology and Innovation ,Interpersonal relationship ,Emotional engagement ,Boss ,0502 economics and business ,Settore M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,050207 economics ,Role playing ,Skin conductance ,Psychology ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Social psychology ,050203 business & management ,Reciprocal - Abstract
Leadership in organizations consists of a complex process, which includes the interpersonal relationship with collaborators. By using a neuroscientific approach, we evaluated the effect of the presence of unidirectional versus reciprocal feedback (provided only by the leader or by both figures), as well as the assignment of a quantitative or just a qualitative assessment. Skin conductance level and response (SCL and SCR), as well as heart rate (HR), have been recorded during a role playing. Results revealed increased emotional engagement (SCL/SCR) during no rating and reciprocal condition, as well as a stressful response (increased HR) during rating and unidirectional condition.
- Published
- 2019
46. The role of cognitive science and artificial intelligence in supporting clinical diagnosis
- Author
-
Maria Elide Vanutelli, Raffaella Folgieri, Claudio Lucchiari, Lucchiari, C, Vanutelli, M, and Folgieri, R
- Subjects
Artificial neural network ,Cognitive science ,Decision support system ,Knowledge management ,Relation (database) ,Context (language use) ,Medical decision making ,Medical error ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,030212 general & internal medicine ,business.industry ,030503 health policy & services ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Cognition ,Clinical diagnosis ,0305 other medical science ,Psychology ,business ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Psychosocial ,Diagnosi - Abstract
Research suggests that doctors are failing to make use of technologies designed to optimize their decision-making skills in daily clinical activities, despite a proliferation of electronic tools with the potential for decreasing risks of medical and diagnostic errors. This paper addresses this issue by exploring the cognitive basis of medical decision making and its psychosocial context in relation to technology. We then discuss how cognitive-led technologies – in particular, decision support systems and artificial neural networks – may be applied in clinical contexts to improve medical decision making without becoming a substitute for the doctor’s judgment. We identify critical issues and make suggestions regarding future developments.
- Published
- 2019
47. Exploring the Connected Brain by fNIRS: Human-to-Human Interactions Engineering
- Author
-
Laura Angioletti, Giulia Fronda, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Michela Balconi, Wan Hu, J, Angioletti, L, Vanutelli, M, Fronda, G, and Balconi, M
- Subjects
Social Neuroscience ,Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,05 social sciences ,fNIRS ,General Medicine ,Human-to-Human Interaction ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,050105 experimental psychology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Hyperscanning Technique ,0302 clinical medicine ,Engineering ,Settore M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Psychology ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a relatively new neuroimagingtechnique adequate and useful for exploring neural activity in social contexts involving humaninteractions. Compared to functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), fNIRS is easy-to-usesafe, noninvasive, silent, relatively low cost and portable, and applicable to subjects of all ages, thusresulting in a good option for ecological studies involving humans in their real-life context.Moreover, by using hyperscanning technique, fNIRS allows recording the hemodynamic cerebralactivity of two interacting subjects in an ecological context or during a shared performance. Thus,moving from a simple analysis about each subject’s neural response during joint actions towardsmore complex computations makes possible to investigate brain synchrony, that is the if and howone’s brain activity is related to that of another interacting partner simultaneously recorded. Here,we discuss how connectivity analyses, with respect to both time and frequency domain procedures,permitted to deepen some aspects of inter-brain synchrony in relation to emotional closeness, and tohighlight how concurrent, cooperative actions can lead to interpersonal synchrony and bondconstruction.
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- 2019
48. Gli effetti di un training cognitivo per l’incremento della produzione ideativa in bambini di scuola primaria. Un confronto tra metodo Montessori e tradizionale
- Author
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Paola Maria Sala, Maria Elide Vanutelli, and Claudio Lucchiari
- Subjects
Mathematics education ,Settore M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Creatività ,pensiero creativo ,pensiero divergente ,scuola primaria ,training cognitivo ,Creative thinking ,Psychology ,Divergent thinking ,Object (philosophy) ,General Psychology ,Test (assessment) ,Mental image - Abstract
The goal of the present research was to investigate if creative thinking can be trained in primary school children. Imagination represents one of the bases of the creative thinking process: a skilled imaginative ability, developed in early age, fosters creative processes, producing numerous and flexible mental images, easily malleable and useful to generate new ideas and combine elements in innovative ways. The study aims to analyse one of the factors of the creative thinking process, the capacity to produce ideas, and to enhance it in children through a specific 10-week training of imagination and divergent thinking. Starting from the TCI, an Italian mental reactive designed for measuring the potential of creative thinking in individual children, a different Test was made up with the objective to test 224 children belonging to 10 primary school classes (5 second grades and 5 third grades), achieving group scores. The purpose was to investigate if children’s attitude to think creatively and divergently would improve after participating to 10 interactive one-hour group training sessions. The activities were aimed at training 3 abilities - capacity to produce ideas, ability to think of many possible purposes for an object, contra-factual thinking - each measured in T0 and T1 from one part of the Test created. They were all tested in T0; afterward 8 out of the 10 classes were weekly trained, before being all 10 classes tested again in T1, 10 weeks after T0. The hypothesis was that the trained classes would have improved the capacity of producing ideas, whereas the control groups would have not. It was so verified the efficacy of the specific method to train creative thinking that was conceived, developed and administered to the children.
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- 2019
49. To Rate or Not to Rate Autonomic Response and Psychological Well-being of Employees during Performance Review
- Author
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Giulia Fronda, Maria Elide Vanutelli, Daniela De Filippis, Michela Balconi, Irene Venturella, Emanuela Salati, Balconi, M, Venturella, I, Fronda, G, De Filippis, D, Salati, E, and Vanutelli, M
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Value (ethics) ,leadership ,Health (social science) ,Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Leadership and Management ,media_common.quotation_subject ,autonomic measure ,Settore M-PSI/06 - PSICOLOGIA DEL LAVORO E DELLE ORGANIZZAZIONI ,rating ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,Job Satisfaction ,Developmental psychology ,neuroscience ,Autonomic measure ,Employee Performance Appraisal ,Female ,Galvanic Skin Response ,Heart Rate ,Humans ,Workplace ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Originality ,Perception ,Heart rate ,Settore M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Care Planning ,media_common ,030503 health policy & services ,Health Policy ,Ranking ,Psychological well-being ,Job satisfaction ,0305 other medical science ,Skin conductance ,Psychology ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE - Abstract
Organizational research started including neurosciences exploring pivotal phenomena and promoting organizational well-being. Leadership was investigated by assessing psychophysiological responses during performance review characterized by narrative or quantitative assessments and their effects on employees' well-being. As is known, rating could be perceived as threatening for employees' ranking and status perception, leading to avoidant behaviors. Design and methodology Here, manager-employee dyads were assigned to 2 conditions: in the nonrate scenario, managers were asked to describe the employee's performance; in the rate one, they had to provide a quantitative rating. Skin conductance level and response and heart rate indices were continuously recorded. Findings Dyads in nonrate condition showed higher arousal-related responses (skin conductance level and skin conductance response), perhaps highlighting an increased engagement triggered by a rewarding exchange. Conversely, in rate condition, employees showed higher heart rate, usually related to negative and stressful conditions, and avoidant behaviors. Originality/value Results are discussed for their possible applications to employees' well-being.
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- 2019
50. Donate or receive? Social hyperscanning application with fNIRS
- Author
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Maria Elide Vanutelli, Michela Balconi, Giulia Fronda, Balconi, M, Fronda, G, and Vanutelli, M
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Brain activity and meditation ,Settore M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,media_common.quotation_subject ,050109 social psychology ,Gift exchange ,M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA ,050105 experimental psychology ,Premotor cortex ,Inter-brain activity ,Hyperscanning ,Intra-brain activity ,Prosocial behavior ,Social neuroscience ,Perception ,medicine ,Settore M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,General Psychology ,media_common ,05 social sciences ,Cognition ,Frontal eye fields ,humanities ,Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE ,Psychology ,Cognitive psychology - Abstract
Recent research in social neuroscience has shown how prosocial behavior can increase perceived self-efficacy, perception of cognitive abilitites and social interactions. The present research explored the effect of prosocial behavior, that is giving a gift during an interpersonal exchange, measuring the hyperscanning among two brains. The experiment aimed to analyze the behavioral performance and the brain-to-brain prefrontal neural activity of 16 dyads during a joint action consisting in a cooperative game, which took place in a laboratory setting controlled by an experimenter, to play before and after a gift exchange. Two different types of gift exchange were compared: experiential and material. Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) was applied to record brain activity. Inter-brain connectivity was calculated before and after the gift exchange. In behavioral data, a behavioral performance increase was observed after gift exchange, with accuracy improvement and response times decrease. Regarding intra-brain analyses, an increase in oxygenated hemoglobin was detected, especially in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in both donor and receiver; and in the dorsal part of the premotor cortex (DPMC) in the donor. Moreover, as regards the gift type, greater activation in the DPLFC emerged in both the donor and the receiver after receiving an experiential gift. Finally, the results of the inter-brain connectivity analysis showed that after gift exchange, the donor and receiver brain activity was more synchronized in the DPMC and Frontal Eye Fields (FEF) areas. The present study provides a contribution to the identification of inter-brain functional connectivity when prosocial behaviors are played out.
- Published
- 2019
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