Search Results (54)

In distance learning environments, learner engagement directly impacts attention, motivation, and academic performance. Signs of fatigue, negative affect, or critical remarks can warn of growing disengagement and potential dropout. However, most existing approaches rely on a single modality, visual or text-based, without providing a general view of learners’ cognitive and affective states. We propose a multimodal system that integrates three complementary analyzes: (1) a CNN-LSTM model augmented with warning signs such as PERCLOS and yawning frequency for fatigue detection, (2) facial emotion recognition by EmoNet and an LSTM to handle temporal dynamics, and (3) sentiment analysis of feedback by a fine-tuned BERT model. It was evaluated on three public benchmarks: DAiSEE for fatigue, AffectNet for emotion, and MOOC Review (Coursera) for sentiment analysis. The results show a precision of 88.5% for fatigue detection, 70% for emotion detection, and 91.5% for sentiment analysis. Aggregating these cues enables an accurate identification of disengagement periods and triggers individualized pedagogical interventions. These results, although based on independently sourced datasets, demonstrate the feasibility of an integrated approach to detecting disengagement and open the door to emotionally intelligent learning systems with potential for future work in real-time content personalization and adaptive learning assistance. Full article

Housekeeping and colony defense behaviors are crucial for social aphids, as they help maintain a habitable living environment and enhance their ecological adaptability. However, over the past decades, numerous studies have focused on housekeeping and colony defense behaviors in species living in primary hosts, but little attention has been given to the secondary host stage. This constrains a deeper understanding of the altruistic behavior of social aphids, as well as the ecological and evolutionary significance of such behavior. We employed indoor video recordings to document and analyze the behaviors displayed by the soldiers of the sugarcane wooly aphid, C. lanigera, on secondary hosts. C. lanigera soldiers continuously patrol around the colony to detect potential threats. When encountering potential threats or obstacles, soldiers actively initiate cleaning behavior. The soldiers use their frontal horns to disengage the hardened honeydew, corpses, or honeydew simulants (rock sugar) that are attached to the surface of host plant leaves. Subsequently, they transport these materials away from the colony using their frontal horns or forelegs, either discarding or flicking them directly. When soldiers identify obstacles—such as predator eggshells—as natural enemies, they attack them with their frontal horns. Our findings contribute to a broader understanding of altruistic behavior in social aphids and the evolutionary success of their sociality. Full article

Simulation sickness (SS) remains a challenge in virtual reality (VR) applications, especially in pedestrian safety research. This study investigates SS symptoms in VR environments, focusing on gender differences, exposure time, and user perceptions. A total of 145 participants were exposed to two VR pedestrian scenarios: a crosswalk and a sidewalk. The Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) was used to assess symptoms of nausea, oculomotor disturbance, and disorientation. Results showed that female participants reported significantly higher SS symptoms than males, with the sidewalk scenario inducing greater overall SS. Additionally, perceived realism in the VR environment was associated with reduced symptoms, while perceived disengagement led to increased discomfort. These findings highlight the importance of user perceptions in mitigating SS and suggest that VR scenarios should be designed with attention to gender differences and environmental realism to improve user experience and safety. Full article

Empathy has been linked to enhanced processing of social information, yet the neurophysiological correlates of such individual differences remain underexplored. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate how individual differences in trait empathy are reflected in oscillatory brain activity during the perception of non-verbal social cues. Methods: In this EEG study involving 30 participants, we examined spectral and time–frequency dynamics associated with trait empathy during a visual task requiring the interpretation of others’ body gestures. Results: FFT Power spectral analyses (applied to alpha/mu, beta, high beta, and gamma bands) revealed that individuals with high empathy quotients (High-EQ) exhibited a tendency for increased beta-band activity over frontal regions and markedly decreased alpha-band activity over occipito-parietal areas compared to their low-empathy counterparts (Low-EQ), suggesting heightened attentional engagement and reduced cortical inhibition during social information processing. Similarly, time–frequency analysis using Morlet wavelets showed higher alpha power in Low-EQ than High-EQ people over occipital sites, with no group differences in mu suppression or desynchronization (ERD) over central sites, challenging prior claims linking mu ERD to mirror neuron activity in empathic processing. These findings align with recent literature associating frontal beta oscillations with top-down attentional control and emotional regulation, and posterior alpha with vigilance and sensory disengagement. Conclusions: Our results indicate that empathic traits are differentially reflected in anterior and posterior oscillatory dynamics, supporting the notion that individuals high in empathy deploy greater cognitive and attentional resources when decoding non-verbal social cues. These neural patterns may underlie their superior ability to interpret body language and mental states from visual input. Full article

Background/Objectives: Despite the growing recognition of cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS), previously termed sluggish cognitive tempo, as a distinct dimension of psychopathology, the neural correlates of CDS remain largely unknown. We investigated the neural correlates of CDS in children using whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG). Methods: A community-based sample of children (N = 43, ages 8–12 years) was recruited and completed self-report ratings of CDS. MEG was recorded while the children completed an adapted version of the attention network test (ANT). Results: The results indicated that higher levels of self-reported CDS symptoms were associated with larger changes in the root-mean square (ΔRMS) (incongruent—congruent trials) in M2 and M3, suggesting children with higher levels of CDS symptoms might require greater mental effort to overcome distractors during incongruent trials. The source localization analysis initially revealed a negative correlation between child self-reported CDS symptoms and ΔM2 power (incongruent—congruent trials) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), suggesting insufficient power allocation in a region critical for attentional processing. However, this association was no longer significant after controlling for ADHD status. No significant correlation was found between self-reported CDS symptoms and alerting or orienting. Conclusions: These findings provide initial evidence of the disrupted attentional processing associated with CDS in children. Further replication and extension with larger samples are warranted. Full article

Adolescents’ pervasive use of social media has been increasingly linked to aggression, including cyberbullying and hostile online interactions. While this association is well documented, the psychological and contextual mechanisms that mediate or moderate it remain unclear. This scoping review maps quantitative evidence on mediators and moderators between social media use and aggression among adolescents. A comprehensive search using ProQuest’s Summon platform was conducted across PsycINFO, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Eligible studies, published between January 2020 and March 2025, included adolescents aged 11–18 and reported at least one statistical mediation or moderation analysis. Forty-four studies from 19 countries (N > 90,000) were thematically synthesized. Key mediators included problematic use, moral disengagement, depression, attention-seeking, and risky digital behaviors. Moderators included gender, body satisfaction, cultural setting, school type, and family attachment. Most of the studies used structural equation modeling or PROCESS macro, although cross-sectional designs predominated. Limitations included reliance on self-reports and inconsistent social media measures. The findings suggest that social media–aggression links are indirect and shaped by emotional, cognitive, and ecological factors. Multi-level interventions targeting digital literacy, moral reasoning, and resilience are needed. This review was not registered and received no external funding. Full article

This study examines news avoidance behaviors in Egypt’s media system, addressing a significant gap in understanding how audiences disengage from news content in non-Western contexts. Using a mixed-methods approach combining focus groups (n = 16), surveys (n = 512), and expert interviews (n = 4), we investigate the relationships between news overload, trust in formal media, and selective attention in shaping news avoidance behaviors. Our structural equation model demonstrates strong explanatory power (R² = 0.505), with news overload emerging as the strongest predictor of avoidance behaviors (β = 0.481). Trust in formal media (β = −0.265) and selective attention (β = −0.184) show significant negative relationships with news avoidance. Qualitative findings reveal how Egypt’s media system creates unique conditions for news avoidance, with audiences developing sophisticated strategies for managing information flow within an environment of state control. The study advances the theoretical understanding of news avoidance by demonstrating how Media Saturation Theory operates within authoritarian contexts while providing practical insights for news organizations operating under state control. Our findings suggest that news avoidance in authoritarian systems represents not simply audience disengagement but rather a complex adaptation to specific institutional and social conditions. Full article

Early identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) can significantly improve outcomes. Deficits in joint attention (JA) abilities, considered a milestone in socio-communicative development, are among the earliest indicators of ASD. The purpose of this study is to examine if the ability to disengage visual attention (DA) at 12 months could predict joint attention abilities and socio-communicative development at 24 months in a population of infants at increased likelihood and reduced likelihood to develop ASD. Latency of DA at 12 months was analyzed through an eye-tracking paradigm in a group of 56 infants at increased (IL = 29) or reduced (RL = 27) likelihood to develop ASD. JA at 12 months was assessed through items from the Early Social Communication Scales. Diagnostic status was established at 24 months, with 10 children receiving a diagnosis of ASD. A higher DA latency at 12 months is correlated with a lower frequency of JA behaviors at 12 months and with poorer JA abilities at 24 months. Altered visual attention at 12 months was also correlated with socio-communicative development at 24 months and, together with lower JA abilities at 12 months, correlated with diagnostic status. Our findings point to the potential relevance of DA and JA skills as prognostic markers and intervention targets. Full article

The spread of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has brought advantages and disadvantages, particularly impacting youth, who use the Internet and social media applications daily. In preadolescents’ social development, problematic social media use (PSMU) and cyberbullying (CB) are potential risk factors across several countries. PSMU is defined as the lack of regulation of social media platforms that is associated with negative outcomes in everyday life, while CB refers to using digital technology to harass, threaten, or embarrass another person. Among preadolescents, CB perpetration is frequently associated with cybervictimization (CV) experiences. The underlying mechanisms that drive this relationship have received limited attention. The aim of the cross-national comparative study, rooted in the general aggression model, is to investigate the direct and indirect effects between cyberbullying perpetration and cybervictimization, testing a model involving PSMU and moral disengagement (MD) as serial mediators in this association. A total of 895 Italian and Spanish preadolescents (M_age = 11.23, SD_age = 1.064) completed a self-report survey during school hours. Descriptive statistics were computed, and a serial mediation model was run. The results show that CV is positively associated with CB, and that PSMU and MD positively serially mediate the CV–CB link. This study’s insights suggest the need for tailored educational interventions targeting European youth, to promote more positive online social interactions and a safer digital environment. Full article

Background/Objectives: Iron deficiency has been suggested as a potential mechanism for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) development due to involvement in neurotransmitter synthesis and transporter expression. As iron deficiency is particularly common in women of reproductive age, often due to heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), we aimed to explore the relationship between iron deficiency, HMB and ADHD in women. Methods: We screened women (18–49 years) at university and local sporting events in Western Australia. To screen for ADHD, section A of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-V1.1 (ASRS-V1.1) and the Adult Concentration Inventory were used to assess cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS) symptoms. Risk factors for iron deficiency, such as HMB, commonly reported symptoms and a fingerpick haemoglobin concentration (Hb) (Hemocue Hb801) were recorded. Results: Of the 405 completed questionnaires, the mean age was 24.8 ± 10.1 years, the mean Hb was 136.8 ± 12.4 g/L and 6.4% of women were anaemic. Symptoms suggestive of ADHD were reported by 174/405 (43%) women, and 128/405 (32%) women reported HMB. There was a greater prevalence of HMB reported in those experiencing symptoms suggestive of ADHD (39% vs. 26%, p = 0.01). Symptoms of fatigue, dizziness, brain fog, anxiety, heart palpitations, headaches, restless legs and depression were more common in patients with symptoms suggestive of ADHD (p ≤ 0.01) and HMB (p < 0.05). Anaemia status did not influence ADHD status (p = 0.87) nor CDS scores (15.7 ± 7.0 vs. 13.8 ± 6.1, p = 0.17). Conclusions: There is an apparent relationship between those with symptoms reported in ADHD, HMB and iron deficiency. Further exploration is required to determine whether there is a causative relationship. Full article

Background/Objectives: Given the observed increase in life expectancy within Europe, it is anticipated that there will be a growing number of retirees and a lengthening of the retirement phase for individuals. This has brought attention to the examination of how the disengagement from professional endeavors influences overall wellbeing. The objective of this investigation was to conduct a comprehensive literature review spanning the period from 1998 to 2024, focusing on the intersection of retirement and wellbeing. Methods: This review (PROSPERO reference: CRD42024621454) was based on scientific articles available in PsycInfo, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science, resulting in the inclusion of 32 articles in the systematic review, of which 12 were eligible for meta-analysis. The quality of evidence was evaluated based on the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies checklist. Results: The meta-analysis results revealed that the observed effect size was d = 0.383, considered moderate. This value was statistically significant (Z = 3.197; p = 0.001) with a 95% CI [0.148, 0.617]. The publications were subjected to qualitative analysis, taking into account study type and thematic content. The discernible outcomes were categorized as follows: (1) expectations regarding retirement, (2) preparation for retirement, (3) family relations and grandparenting, (4) quality of life and satisfaction with retirement, and (5) health consequences of retirement. Conclusions: The prevalent approach predominantly comprised quantitative investigations, with a particular focus on exploring the nexus between retirement and health implications, particularly in the context of European participants. This emphasis on health consequences provides a deeper comprehension of this association. Full article

Background/Objectives: Attention is a complex process involving various components such as alerting, orienting, and resolving conflicts. These components have been widely examined using the Attention Network Test (ANT), which has also been used to explore attentional decline associated with aging. However, discrepancies exist in the literature regarding which specific aspects of attention are most impacted by aging. These inconsistencies could be due to methodological issues such as group comparisons that may exaggerate differences between groups while flattening subtle variations within groups. Methods: To address this issue, we administered the ANT to 60 healthy participants aged between 62 and 90 years. Using a multivariate regression analysis, we examined whether increasing age was associated with changes in alerting, orienting, and conflict resolution, while controlling for overall performance in terms of both reaction times and accuracy. Results: The results showed a general and age-insensitive decline in two of the three attentional components: the alerting effect, which was abolished, and a large conflict effect, which was present regardless of age. In contrast, the orienting of spatial attention was found to linearly increase with increasing age. More focused analyses revealed that the ability to shift attention from the central (initial) to the peripheral (target) location slowed down as a function of age. Conclusions: These results suggest that aging is associated with a greater difficulty in disengaging endogenous attention from the central, uninformative cue to direct attention on task-relevant peripheral targets. Full article

Heightened anxiety can impair perceptual-motor performance, with detrimental effects potentially arising, in part, from threat-related attentional biases and interpretations. Shifting from a flight (i.e., threat) mindset to a fight (i.e., challenge) mindset may be an effective strategy for coping with anxiety and improving performance on perceptual-motor tasks. In this context, the present study examined how differences in fight-or-flight behavioral goals, represented by hit or avoidance actions, influence attentional control in response to threatening stimuli during heightened anxiety. Healthy adult participants performed a visual probe task, with half responding to a probe target in hit mode and the other half responding in avoidance mode. Anxiety levels were manipulated using the threat-of-shock (ToS) method, which significantly increased the participants’ anxiety. Participants with avoidance goals exhibited significantly delayed responses when avoiding a target in the presence of threat-related stimulus cues under the ToS condition. Conversely, no changes in response times were observed between the ToS and no ToS conditions in those with hit goals. These results suggest that when anxiety is heightened, avoidance goals induce attentional biases toward threat-related stimuli. In conclusion, encouraging avoidance of potential threat-related sources as an action mode may be counterproductive for coping with heightened anxiety, at least in healthy adults. The study’s principal implication for clinical practice is that adopting fight-like behavioral goals in response to threats may be an effective strategy for managing anxiety in everyday life. Full article

This real-world investigation aimed to quantify the human–machine interaction between remote drivers of teleoperation systems and the Level 4 automated vehicle in a real-world setting. The primary goal was to investigate the effects of disengagement and distraction on remote driver performance and behaviour. Key findings revealed that mental disengagement, achieved through distraction via a reading task, significantly slowed the remote driver’s reaction time by an average of 5.309 s when the Level 4 automated system required intervention. Similarly, disengagement resulted in a 4.232 s delay in decision-making time for remote drivers when they needed to step in and make critical strategic decisions. Moreover, mental disengagement affected the remote drivers’ attention focus on the road and increased their cognitive workload compared to constant monitoring. Furthermore, when actively controlling the vehicle remotely, drivers experienced a higher cognitive workload than in both “monitoring” and “disengagement” conditions. The findings emphasize the importance of designing teleoperation systems that keep remote drivers actively engaged with their environment, minimise distractions, and reduce disengagement. Such designs are essential for enhancing safety and effectiveness in remote driving scenarios, ultimately supporting the successful deployment of Level 4 automated vehicles in real-world applications. Full article

Individuals with depression may have alterations in attention that begin at the sub-threshold stage. This study explored attention bias from the perspectives of early attention orientation and late attention disengagement in individuals with sub-threshold depression (SD) and healthy control (HC) individuals using a cue-target paradigm and event-related potentials (ERPs). The study enrolled 46 participants, comprising 23 males and 23 females, with 25 individuals in the SD group and 21 in the HC group, exceeding the calculated sample size requirement. The data were analyzed from two aspects. Behavioral data showed that SD individuals had difficulty in attention disengagement and that the time of attention transfer was delayed. Analysis of ERP data revealed that, regardless of the attributes of the emotional stimulus, the cue information promoted participants’ response to the target stimulus. While SD individuals did show directional acceleration of attention to the emotional stimulus, no significant negative attention bias was observed. Taken together, these findings suggest that SD individuals do not show specific directional acceleration of attention to negative stimuli in the early stage of attention processing, although there may be attention avoidance. Full article