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"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]

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]

This article is a response to critics of the author's book on intentional objects and experience. The author clarifies their definition of intentional objects and addresses concerns raised by the critics. They argue that intentional objects, including appearances, are fully mind-dependent and exist in virtue of being represented by finite minds. The author also discusses the historical and contemporary use of intentional objects in philosophy and defends the usefulness of their account for explaining the nature of appearances. They address criticisms regarding the ontological status of intentional objects and the representation of empirical reality in Kantian philosophy, acknowledging alternative perspectives and the limitations of their own argument. The text concludes by discussing objections and responses to the author's account of experience in relation to Kantian philosophy, providing explanations and justifications while respecting diverse perspectives. [Extracted from the article]

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]

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]

Media portrayal of mental disorders has a significant impact on awareness and stigma. Given the high prevalence of depression and anxiety as mental disorders, it is crucial to understand how they are represented. This scoping review aimed to map the existing literature on the portrayal of depression and anxiety in mainstream and social media. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed and PsychInfo, resulting in the inclusion of 20 records that predominantly examined social media and newspapers. Findings indicate that social media discussions on depression were mostly supportive and non‐stigmatising. Public figures and role models played a significant role in encouraging open communication. Research on newspapers and other media forms yielded mixed results yet leaning towards positive portrayals. Limited studies explored anxiety portrayal. While acknowledging potential limitations in generalisability, this review emphasises the importance of accurately depicting mental health in media, particularly on social media platforms, while highlighting the need for broader investigations into anxiety representation. [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]

Prior beliefs are central to Bayesian accounts of cognition, but many of these accounts do not directly measure priors. More specifically, initial states of belief heavily influence how new information is assumed to be utilized when updating a particular model. Despite this, prior and posterior beliefs are either inferred from sequential participant actions or elicited through impoverished means. We had participants to play a version of the game ‘Plinko’, to first elicit individual participant priors in a theoretically agnostic manner. Subsequent learning and updating of participant beliefs was then directly measured. We show that participants hold various priors that cluster around prototypical probability distributions that in turn influence learning. In follow‐up studies, we show that participant priors are stable over time and that the ability to update beliefs is influenced by a simple environmental manipulation (i.e., a short break). These data reveal the importance of directly measuring participant beliefs rather than assuming or inferring them as has been widely done in the literature to date. The Plinko game provides a flexible and fecund means for examining statistical learning and mental model updating. [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]

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]

A typical claim in anti-representationalist approaches to cognition such as ecological psychology or radical embodied cognitive science is that ecological information is sufficient for guiding behavior. According to this view, affordances are immediately perceptually available to the agent (in the so-called "ambient energy array"), so sensory data does not require much further inner processing. As a consequence, mental representations are explanatorily idle: perception is immediate and direct. Here we offer one way to formalize this direct-perception claim and identify some important limits to it. We argue that the claim should be read as saying that successful behavior just implies picking out affordance-related information from the ambient energy array. By relying on the Partial Information Decomposition framework, and more concretely on its development of the notion of synergy, we show that in multimodal perception, where various energy arrays carry affordance-related information, the "just pick out affordance-related information" approach is very inefficient, as it is bound to miss all synergistic components. Efficient multimodal information combination requires transmitting sensory-specific (and not affordance-specific) information to wherever it is that the various information streams are combined. The upshot is that some amount of computation is necessary for efficient affordance reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the concept of 'heritage' in the context of 'landscapes of care', which approaches care as a means of fostering connections between humans and non-humans. Heritage care involves communities actively engaging with and benefiting from cultural heritage in various ways. Establishing a caring landscape for heritage involves empowerment, participation, and collaboration, as demonstrated by two community-driven heritage projects in Pionta's cultural landscape. The first project aims to create a community that strengthens the emotional bonds between individuals and their cultural legacy by promoting acts of care. The second introduces diverse participatory and art-based methods that cater to the needs of the involved groups and foster a shared sense of care for their heritage. By using heritage education and serious games as empowerment tools, the projects show how collective heritage caring can change the visual, verbal, and mental representations of a marginal heritage landscape from the community's perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes spatial gestures and cognition in a new, or so-called "emerging", visual language, the Yucatec Maya Sign Language (YSML). This sign language was created by deaf and hearing signers in various Yucatec Maya villages on the Yucatec Peninsula (Mexico). Although the sign language is not a signed version of spoken Yucatec Maya, both languages evolve in a similar cultural setting. Studies have shown that cultures around the world seem to rely on one preferred spatial Frame of Reference (FoR), shaping in many ways how people orient themselves and think about the world around them. Prior research indicated that Yucatec Maya speakers rely on the use of the geocentric FoR. However, contrary to other cultures, it is mainly observable through the production of gestures and not speech only. In the case of space, gestures in spoken Yucatec Maya exhibit linguistic features, having the status of a lexicon. Our research question is the following: if the preferred spatial FoR among the Yucatec Mayas is based on co-expressivity and spatial linguistic content visually transmitted via multimodal interactions, will deaf signers of an emerging language created in the same cultural setting share the same cognitive preference? In order to answer this question, we conducted three experimental tasks in three different villages where YMSL is in use: a non-verbal rotation task, a Director-Matcher task and a localization task. Results indicate that YMSL signers share the same preference for the geocentric FoR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotion differentiation (ED) – complexity in the mental representation and description of one’s emotional experiences – is important for mental health. However, less is known whether ED can be enhanced in adults. We investigated if scaffolding emotion language use during affect labelling – initial provision of emotion word prompts (close-ended) followed by free response (open-ended) – impacts ED and psychological health. Utilising a crossover design, 92 college students completed questionnaires assessing psychological health at three time-points and ecological momentary assessment of emotions, affect valence and emotional self-efficacy for 14 days. Participants were randomised to the “scaffolding” group, where they reported emotions using the close-ended (7 days) followed by open-ended (7 days) approach, or the reverse sequence (control group). We extracted two ED indices: traditional intraclass correlation coefficient from close-ended reports and novel specificity index from open-ended reports. Primary analyses examined group differences across weeks while exploratory analyses examined moment-to-moment differences using multilevel modelling. Relative to controls, the scaffolding group demonstrated greater ED during open-ended emotion reporting of negative emotions and associated shifts in negative affect and emotional self-efficacy. There were no significant group differences in psychological symptoms. Results provide preliminary evidence that scaffolding may enhance ED and have implications for psychological intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inpatient mental health nursing operates with an overarching goal to support people living with mental health challenges by managing risk of harm to self and others, decreasing symptoms, and promoting capacity to live outside of hospital settings. Yet, dominant, harmful stereotypes persist, constructing patients as less than, in need of saving, and lacking self‐control and agency. These dominant assumptions are deeply entrenched in racist, patriarchal, and Othering beliefs and continue to perpetuate and (re)produce inequities, specifically for people with multiple intersecting identities relating to race, class, gender, and culture. This paper explores the relevance of postcolonial feminism, particularly Gayatri Spivak's concept of Subaltern—conceptualized as groups of people who are denied access to power and therefore continue to be systematically oppressed and marginalized—in illuminating the problematic and dominant assumptions about people living with mental health challenges as lacking agency and requiring representation. Through an understanding of Subalternity, this paper aims to decenter and deconstruct dominant colonial, patriarchal narratives in mental health nursing, and ultimately calls for mental health nursing to fundamentally reconsider prevailing assumptions of patients as needing representation and lacking agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to form a mental representation of the surroundings is a critical skill for spatial navigation and orientation in humans. Such a mental representation is known as a "cognitive map" and is formed as individuals familiarize themselves with the surrounding, providing detailed information about salient environmental landmarks and their spatial relationships. Despite evidence of the malleability and potential for training spatial orientation skills in humans, it remains unknown if the specific ability to form cognitive maps can be improved by an appositely developed training program. Here, we present a newly developed computerized 12-days training program in a virtual environment designed specifically to stimulate the acquisition of this important skill. We asked 15 healthy volunteers to complete the training program and perform a comprehensive spatial behavioral assessment before and after the training. We asked participants to become familiar with the environment by navigating a small area before slowly building them up to navigate within the larger and more complex environment; we asked them to travel back and forth between environmental landmarks until they had built an understanding of where those landmarks resided with respect to one another. This process repeated until participants had visited every landmark in the virtual town and had learned where each landmark resided with respect to the others. The results of this study confirmed the feasibility of the training program and suggested an improvement in the ability of participants to form mental representations of the spatial surrounding. This study provides preliminary findings on the feasibility of a 12-days program in training spatial orientation skills. We discuss the utility and potential impact of this training program in the lives of the many individuals affected by topographical disorientation as a result of an acquired or developmental condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examines the role of themata in understanding mental health-related stigma. It is motivated by the need for alternative theoretical-methodological approaches beyond the dominant frameworks in education and contact-based anti-stigma public health efforts, which have shown mixed effects. Specifically, it addresses the need for a more nuanced framework in stigma research, one that is sensitive to the dialogues through which people relate themselves to mental health and stigma in context. Methods: The research employs an exploratory mixed-methods approach, including the analysis of 529 news reports, 20 focus group discussions, and 19 one-to-one interviews, all concerning representations of shared living arrangements with someone perceived to have experiences of mental illness. Thematic analysis and natural language processing are used within a convergent triangulation design to analyze the data. Results: We found that mental health and illness were communicated through an overarching Self/Other thema and five subordinate themata: normal/abnormal, harm/non-harm, bounded/non-bounded, and moral/immoral. Despite familiarity with psychological distress and 'modern' explanations of mental illness, concerns about social identity motivated representations of mental illness as a predominantly permanent, negative form of personhood marked by abnormality, harm, distance, and immorality. Additionally, concerns about personal vulnerability, including historically rooted fears of contagion, motivated distancing representations of mental illness, rather than neutral portrayals. Conclusions: Themata have under-developed theoretical and methodological potential for addressing mental health-related stigma, particularly in their ability to describe the dynamic ways in which culture motivates people to both resist and reproduce stigma, partly through ambivalences, absences, tensions, and ambiguities in representation. A critical discussion is provided on how themata may support ecological strategies in mental health campaigns over generic models, emphasizing the need to understand group knowledge and contact dynamics to mitigate adverse effects. Themata Public Health Unintended Consequences Mixed Methods Behaviour Change Natural Language Processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses a critical gap in measuring and reducing implicit prejudice: biases against Black women and people with intersectional identities. Though social psychologists have published many methods to measure and interventions to reduce implicit prejudice against Black people, these methods often target biases against Black people or Black men rather than Black women. Thus, these methods may leave Black women out because the mental representations of Black women and Black men differ and the mental representation of Black people is more similar to the mental representation of Black men than Black women. This paper advocates for an intersectional approach to measuring and reducing implicit prejudice that accounts for the unique prejudices faced by Black women. Specifically, this paper argues that researchers should tailor their methods to account for how the mental representations of Black women and Black men differ including differences in stereotypic content and ambivalence. The paper concludes by acknowledging the difficulties related to developing long‐lasting interventions, the need to move beyond reducing implicit prejudice, and the value of studying the men and women of additional racial and ethnic groups and other intersections like sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document summarizes a special issue in the Journal of Intelligence titled "Grounding Cognition in Perceptual Experience." The issue explores the relationship between perceptual experience and cognitive performance. The articles cover a wide range of topics, including the influence of perceptual experience on mental representations, language, judgments, reasoning, and memories. The authors emphasize the need to incorporate phenomenological measures in research and discuss the integration of phenomenology into mainstream theories. They also explore the application of perceptual experience in improving motor performance and studying ambiguous figures. Overall, the articles highlight the importance of considering perceptual experience in understanding various cognitive processes and offer insights into the interconnectedness of perception and cognition. [Extracted from the article]

The limited capacity of the short-term working memory system is a major cognitive bottleneck that limits our ability to create a coherent mental representation of a text. The earliest cognitive models of comprehension proposed top-down, schema-based solutions to this problem. In 1978, Walter Kintsch, in collaboration with Teun van Dijk, offered a more-bottom-up approach. The goal of this commentary is to both place this contribution in context and explore some of the research that it inspired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distinction proposed by Walter Kintsch and colleagues between textbase and situation model representations has had a profound influence on theory and research in discourse processing over the past four decades. However, this distinction also has implications for education that have been less widely recognized. We describe a number of practical applications that can be adopted by college instructors and students alike to enhance learning outcomes. We describe how these two levels of mental representation relate to college and university instruction, studying, and assessment. We also consider how certain topics and study strategies that align with this distinction are easier for students to grasp if this framework is already in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to propose a methodology aimed at understanding the cognitive and physiological processes inherent in cadet pilot operations. Through analyzing responses from two cadet pilots with varied experience levels across diverse simulation scenarios, the research uses descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA and percentage change analysis to explore crucial variables, including heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV) and respiratory rate (RR). Design/methodology/approach: The investigation meticulously examines HR, HRV and RR under circumstances encompassing resting state, visual flight rules and instrument flight rules with engine failure. Pilots undergo comprehensive analyses employing statistical techniques and visual representations to comprehend cognitive loads and physiological adaptations. Findings: Significant disparities emerge between the two pilots, elucidating the profound impact of experience on cognitive and physiological outcomes. Novice cadet pilots exhibit heightened variability during scenario transitions, while experienced cadet pilot demonstrate controlled responses, indicative of adaptability. Visual flight simulations evoke distinct responses, whereas instrument-based scenarios, particularly those simulating emergencies, lead to pronounced physiological changes. Practical implications: The findings of this research hold practical significance in introducing the proposed novel methodology for monitoring Cadet pilots to refine pilot training simulation protocols and enhance aviation safety by illuminating the interplay between experience levels and scenario complexities. Originality/value: This study proposes a novel methodology for investigating cognitive and physiological responses in pilot operations, mainly investigating cadet pilots' vital parameters through diverse analytical methods and an exploration of scenario-specific demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appealing to some analytic tools developed by contemporary analytic philosophers, I discuss Avicenna's views regarding the problem(s) of linguistic and mental reference to non-existents, also known as the problem(s) of 'empty intentionality'. I argue that, according to Avicenna, being in an intentional state directed towards an existing thing involves three elements: (1) an indirect relation to that thing, (2) a direct relation to a mental representation of that thing, and (3) a direct relation to the essence of that thing. Empty intentionality does not involve the first element. Moreover, depending on the nature of the non-existent we are thinking about, the third element may not be involved either. Thus, the necessary element of being in an intentional state towards something is to be related to a mental representation of that thing. The nature of this representation may vary depending on the nature of the non-existent towards which our thought is directed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the structural patterns in the cognitive representation of social networks by systematically classifying false positives and negatives. Although existing literature on Cognitive Social Structures (CSS) has begun exploring false positives and negatives by comparing actual and perceived networks, it has not differentiated simultaneous occurrences of true and false positives and negatives on network motifs, such as reciprocity and triadic closure. Here, we propose a theoretical framework to categorize three classes of errors we call imaginary network motifs as combinations of accurately and erroneously perceived ties: (a) partially false, (b) completely false, and (c) mixed false. Using four published CSS data sets, we empirically test which imaginary network motifs are significantly more or less present in different types of perceived networks than the corresponding actual networks. Our results confirm that people not only fill in the blanks as suggested in the prior research but also conceive other imaginary structures. The findings advance our understanding of perception gaps between actual and perceived networks and have implications for designing more accurate network modeling and sampling. • The dyad census approach of a multiplex motif method is developed and applied to Cognitive Social Structure data. • The approach identifies a hidden category of mixed false where false positives and negatives co-occur. • The method reveals false positives and negatives occur with true positives and negatives. • Most false positives and negatives happen in proxy ties rather than the ones people report about themselves. • Perceived network density can partially explain the patterns of false positives and negatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, I examine the Facebook activity of all Hungarian-language daily newspapers in Transylvania realized in the first half of 2017. I will examine the sharing strategies used by each editorial office and the specificities of the readership that responded to the posts. I will attempt to explain my network observation that the overlapping of the representation networks (which user reacting to which post) from each newspaper’s Facebook page as a single large network is a good approximation to the spatial location of the newspaper’s localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equipping autonomous agents for dynamic interaction and navigation is a significant challenge in intelligent transportation systems. This study aims to address this by implementing a brain-inspired model for decision making in autonomous vehicles. We employ active inference, a Bayesian approach that models decision-making processes similar to the human brain, focusing on the agent's preferences and the principle of free energy. This approach is combined with imitation learning to enhance the vehicle's ability to adapt to new observations and make human-like decisions. The research involved developing a multi-modal self-awareness architecture for autonomous driving systems and testing this model in driving scenarios, including abnormal observations. The results demonstrated the model's effectiveness in enabling the vehicle to make safe decisions, particularly in unobserved or dynamic environments. The study concludes that the integration of active inference with imitation learning significantly improves the performance of autonomous vehicles, offering a promising direction for future developments in intelligent transportation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long-standing debate centres around our mental representation of landscape: is it experienced in largely the same way across all humans or is it shaped to some extent by cultural and linguistic experience? Previous research supporting differences across cultures has often relied on introspection or qualitative ethnolinguistic methods. Departing from this, we collected systematic sensory, motor, and emotion ratings for different landscape terms from 289 native speakers of German, English and French. The results show that speakers within and across groups agree to a large extent in their ratings of landscape terms, particularly in their sensory and motor associations. However, there is cultural shaping too. This suggests more caution is required when extrapolating findings about landscape understandings and preferences across cultures and languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: This study explores the impact of media representation on female athlete identity and self-perception. Methods and Materials: A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews to collect data. Twenty-four female athletes, aged 18 to 35, from various sports disciplines in Istanbul participated. The interviews, conducted in Turkish, lasted between 60 to 90 minutes and were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was performed using NVivo software, allowing for the identification of key themes and subthemes related to media representation, identity construction, self-perception, and coping mechanisms. The study continued data collection until theoretical saturation was achieved. Findings: Thematic analysis revealed four main themes: media representation, identity construction, self-perception, and coping mechanisms. Participants reported stereotypical portrayals emphasizing physical appearance and emotional attributes over athletic skills. Media visibility was significantly lower for female athletes compared to their male counterparts, impacting their professional identity and opportunities. The internalization of stereotypes and media-driven body ideals affected their self-esteem and body image, contributing to performance anxiety and mental health challenges. Participants employed various coping mechanisms, including resilience building, support networks, media literacy, advocacy, and personal strategies, to manage the negative impacts of media representation. Conclusion: Media representation profoundly influences female athletes' identity and self-perception, often reinforcing stereotypes and cultural biases. Equitable media coverage focusing on athletic achievements and personal stories is crucial for fostering positive self-identity among female athletes. Practical steps, including media training, advocacy, and promoting media literacy, are essential to create a more inclusive and supportive media environment. [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.

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]

Episodic simulation effectively promotes an individual's willingness to help, and temporal distance can influence an individual's mental representation and reaction. However, the effect of episodic simulation on pro-social behavior at different temporal distances has not been explored, and this perspective is crucial to understand how episodic simulation can more efficiently promote individuals' pro-social behavior. The present study examined how episodic simulation and temporal distances promote pro-social behavior and its scope of applications. Experiment 1 (N = 200) used a two-factor experimental design to explore how episodic simulation and temporal distance (near: after 1 day vs. far: after 1 year) interacted to influence willingness to help and donation behavior. Experiment 2 (N = 335) employed a mixed experimental design to examine the interactive effects of episodic simulation and temporal distance on willingness to help and donation behavior among individuals with different social value orientations (pro-self orientation vs. pro-social orientation). The two experiments used a 7-point scale of willingness to help people and the amount of money donated to charity as indicators of pro-social behavior. The results showed that willingness to help and subsequent donation behavior were significantly higher after initiating the episodic simulation. Individuals matched with the far temporal distance condition (compared to the near temporal distance condition) had a significantly increased willingness to help and donation behavior. Notably, episodic simulation and far temporal distance significantly enhanced the donation behavior of individuals with a pro-self orientation but not of those with a pro-social orientation. The matching of episodic simulation and distant temporal distance facilitated the production of pro-social behavior, especially for individuals with low helping tendencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents a range of challenges, including heightened sensory sensitivities. Here, we examine the idea that sensory overload in ASD may be linked to issues with efference copy mechanisms, which predict the sensory outcomes of self-generated actions, such as eye movements. Efference copies play a vital role in maintaining visual and motor stability. Disrupted efference copies hinder precise predictions, leading to increased reliance on actual feedback and potential distortions in perceptions across eye movements. In our first experiment, we tested how well healthy individuals with varying levels of autistic traits updated their mental map after making eye movements. We found that those with more autistic traits had difficulty using information from their eye movements to update the spatial representation of their mental map, resulting in significant errors in object localization. In the second experiment, we looked at how participants perceived an object displacement after making eye movements. Using a trans-saccadic spatial updating task, we found that those with higher autism scores exhibited a greater bias, indicating under-compensation of eye movements and a failure to maintain spatial stability during saccades. Overall, our study underscores efference copy's vital role in visuo-motor stability, aligning with Bayesian theories of autism, potentially informing interventions for improved action- perception integration in autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Body image is the mental representation of the body and can be influenced by cognitive, biological, behavioral, sociocultural, and environmental factors. University students often encounter challenges related to it. Objective: This systematic review examined interventions aimed at holistically developing a positive body image within this population. Methods: The PRISMA 2020 guidelines and the PICO method were employed to identify, select, assess, and synthesize studies. The consulted databases included Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO, with inclusion criteria targeting body image interventions for university students aged 18 to 39. Study quality was evaluated using the QATSDD tool. Results: Twenty-one relevant studies were identified, primarily from the United States, mostly employing quantitative methods, with a focus on female participants. Various intervention strategies were utilized, including cognitive-behavioral approaches, media literacy, and physical/resistance training, with a growing use of technology like mobile applications. The majority of studies reported effective outcomes, such as reduced body dissatisfaction and increased self-esteem following interventions. Nevertheless, literature gaps were identified, such as the scarcity of formative interventions and limited use of qualitative approaches. Conclusion: While technology in interventions offers promising opportunities, careful assessments and judicious selection of evaluation instruments are fundamental for reliable results. Future research should focus on addressing identified gaps, such as exploring more formative interventions and incorporating qualitative methodologies to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of body image interventions among university students. Highlights: • The majority of studies reported effective outcomes, such as reduced body dissatisfaction and increased self-esteem following interventions. • Nevertheless, literature gaps were identified, such as the scarcity of formative interventions and limited use of qualitative approaches. • While technology in interventions offers promising opportunities, careful assessments and judicious selection of evaluation instruments are fundamental for reliable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem solving is important to many activities, both in a learning context and in everyday tasks. We can be challenged to solve what later turn out to be very simple problems. By understanding more about these challenges and what occurs at a cognitive level during the problem-solving process, we can better support the development of problem-solving skills. Spatial ability has been shown to be related to the ability to develop accurate and schematic mental representations of problems during the problem-solving process. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of spatial ability in solving word problems in mathematics among a cognitively diverse sample of engineering students. A set of five word problems, a test of mental rotation and set of five questions testing the core mathematical competencies needed to solve the word problems were administered to 115 first year engineering students. Using a knowledge framework for problem solving, key aspects of representation were extracted from solutions to the word problems and combined to create a mental representation scale. A large and significant correlation was measured between mental rotation and problem representation, larger than the correlation between spatial ability and problem-solving. Mental representation was found to mediate the relation between spatial ability and word problem-solving. This relation was not found to be significantly moderated by core competency in mathematics. For high levels of core competency only, there was an interaction between spatial ability and core competency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how bilingual individuals conceptualize time and how the language used during testing can influence their spatial representation of time. Two studies were conducted, each manipulating the testing language, and different effects were observed on participants' mental representation of time. The findings suggest that the testing language can impact the spatialization of time in bilingual individuals, potentially due to linguistic or cultural factors. However, the generalizability of these findings is limited due to the different tasks used in the studies. The article emphasizes the importance of studying the immediate effect of the testing language on bilinguals' spatialization of time in implicit contingency tasks and highlights the potential complications that arise when studying long-term linguistic effects without controlling for the testing language. The authors recommend further research to explore the generalizability of the immediate effect of the testing language on implicit contingency tasks. [Extracted from the article]

Over the past twenty years, scientific research on body representations has grown significantly, with Body Memory (BM) emerging as a prominent area of interest in neurorehabilitation. Compared to other body representations, BM stands out as one of the most obscure due to the multifaceted nature of the concept of "memory" itself, which includes various aspects (such as implicit vs. explicit, conscious vs. unconscious). The concept of body memory originates from the field of phenomenology and has been developed by research groups studying embodied cognition. In this narrative review, we aim to present compelling evidence from recent studies that explore various definitions and explanatory models of BM. Additionally, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the empirical settings used to examine BM. The results can be categorized into two main areas: (i) how the body influences our memories, and (ii) how memories, in their broadest sense, could generate and/or influence metarepresentations—the ability to reflect on or make inferences about one's own cognitive representations or those of others. We present studies that emphasize the significance of BM in experimental settings involving patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders, ultimately analyzing these findings from an ontogenic perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lynch's (1960) Theory of Imageability explores how individuals perceive and navigate urban environments, emphasizing the role of paths, edges, districts, nodes, and landmarks. This theory highlights the significance of these elements in shaping people's mental maps and enhancing their understanding and navigation of urban spaces. However, cultural tourism introduces complexities to Lynch's framework due to its unique motivations, interests, and behaviours. This article investigates the relationship between visitor mobility patterns and urban morphology in the context of two cultural destinations: Bilbao and San Sebastian. The study utilizes Network Analysis of visitors' GPS data to analyse the dynamics of visitor mobility within these urban environments. This data-driven approach facilitates a comprehensive understanding of how cultural destinations operate within their physical territories. Results reveal that both San Sebastian and Bilbao exhibit a distinct "D-shaped" mobility pattern, characterized by a clear and uncomplicated flow of movement. This finding aligns with Lynch's theory (1960), emphasizing the importance of simplicity and legibility in shaping visitors' cognitive maps and mental representations of the urban space. The concentration of cultural landmarks in the Old Town and the challenges of congestion and overtourism are brought to light through the network analysis of GPS data. The accompanying figures visually illustrate how the ease of navigation in these cities significantly contributes to the formation of visitors' cognitive maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to componential theories of emotional experience, emotional experiences are phenomenally complex in that they consist of experiential parts, which may include cognitive appraisals, bodily feelings, and action tendencies. These componential theories face the problem of emotional unity: Despite their complexity, emotional experiences also seem to be phenomenologically unified. Componential theories have to give an account of this unity. We argue that existing accounts of emotional unity fail and that instead emotional unity is an instance of experienced causal‐temporal unity. We propose that felt emotional unity arises from our experience of the temporal‐causal order of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the self-representations of Russian-speaking women with anorexia on YouTube. Using multimodal interaction analysis, the research focuses on how the explanatory model of anorexia and the representation platform influence the narratives produced by vloggers who have experienced or are experiencing anorexia. It is concluded that anorexia is mainly represented in these videos as a weight-related mental health disorder. Although the explanatory model of anorexia shapes self-representations on YouTube, the platform plays an even greater role in the construction of such narratives. This study's findings fill gaps in the existing literature by revealing the joint structural influences that shape storytelling regarding the anorexia experience. The theoretical perspective utilized in this article could be further applied in research examining media representations of other mental health conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]