Search Results (562)

With the advancement of digital technology, serious games have become an essential tool for disseminating and educating individuals about cultural heritage. However, systematic empirical research remains limited with respect to how visual elements influence users’ cognitive and emotional engagement through interactive behaviors. Using the “Macau Historic Centre Science Popularization System” as a case study, this mixed-methods study investigates the mechanisms by which visual elements affect user experience and learning outcomes in digital interactive environments. Eye-tracking data, behavioral logs, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews from 30 participants were collected to examine the impact of visual elements on cognitive resource allocation and emotional engagement. The results indicate that the game intervention significantly enhanced participants’ retention and comprehension of cultural knowledge. Eye-tracking data showed that props, text boxes, historic buildings, and the architectural light and shadow shows (as incentive feedback elements) had the highest total fixation duration (TFD) and fixation count (FC). Active-interaction visual elements showed a stronger association with emotional arousal and were more likely to elicit high-arousal experiences than passive-interaction elements. The FC of architectural light and shadow shows a positive correlation with positive emotions, immersion, and a sense of accomplishment. Interview findings revealed users’ subjective experiences regarding visual design and narrative immersion. This study proposes an integrated analytical framework linking “visual elements–interaction behaviors–cognition–emotion.” By combining eye-tracking and information dynamics analysis, it enables multidimensional measurement of users’ cognitive processes and emotional responses, providing empirical evidence to inform visual design, interaction mechanisms, and incentive strategies in serious games for cultural heritage. Full article

This paper aims to provide an in-depth and detailed overview of the relationship between language and cognition in Pāli Buddhist texts. These reflections will touch on several fundamental themes, such as the role of signs in structuring cognitive processes and semiosis as a force linked to the proliferation of concepts and percepts, whose organization underlies the constitution of a shared and partly subjective “world”. The paper will engage with linguistics, semiotics, and biosemiotics in order to acquire a vocabulary capable of better understanding the Buddhist reflections on these issues, and, where possible, it will also offer a genealogical inquiry that explains why the theme of language takes on the pivotal role it holds in Pāli Buddhism. Full article

The escalating climate crisis and pervasive digital transformation position university students at a critical juncture where digital competencies increasingly shape environmental engagement. Despite extensive research on digital literacy and environmental responsibility as discrete constructs, the psychological mechanisms linking these domains remain inadequately theorized. This study investigated whether historical empathy mediates the relationship between digital literacy and environmental responsibility among 927 Egyptian university students (50.9% female; M age = 20.50 years). Participants completed validated measures assessing digital literacy, historical empathy (cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions), and environmental responsibility. Mediation analysis using Hayes’ PROCESS macro revealed that historical empathy partially mediated the relationship between digital literacy and environmental responsibility, accounting for approximately 12% of the total effect (indirect effect = 0.0381, 95% CI [0.0132, 0.0636]). Digital literacy demonstrated stronger associations with cognitive empathy (r = 0.337) than affective (r = 0.324) or behavioral empathy (r = 0.209), suggesting digital tools are primarily associated with the contextualization of historical environmental decisions. The model explained 26.6% of variance in environmental responsibility, indicating that while digital literacy exerts substantial direct influence, cultivating historical empathy represents a meaningful complementary pathway. Sustainability educators should integrate historical environmental case studies with digital learning tools to foster empathetic engagement that bridges the attitude–behavior gap. These findings underscore the importance of integrating digital competencies with historical consciousness in sustainability education to bridge the persistent attitude–behavior gap in environmental engagement. Full article

Background: This study examines whether participation in STEAM-based educational activities is associated with improvements in executive functions (EFs) and cognitive skills in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Methods: A total of 60 children diagnosed with ADHD (mean age = 8 years) participated, with 30 following a traditional educational approach and 30 engaged in STEAM-based activities. Executive functions and cognitive abilities were assessed using standardized instruments (BRIEF, WISC-V, CARAS-R), and data were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics 25. Results: Children in the STEAM group outperformed the control group across several domains, showing statistically significant gains in inhibition, planning and organization, verbal comprehension, visuospatial skills, processing speed, total IQ, efficiency, and the Impulsivity Control Index (ICI). Conclusions: These findings suggest that STEAM-based educational experiences may support neurodevelopmental growth and enhance cognitive and executive functioning in children with ADHD, although causal inferences cannot be drawn due to the cross-sectional design. Full article

Background: Aging is a multidimensional process influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Social support contributes to cognitive reserve by reducing stress, promoting mental engagement, and reinforcing a sense of belonging. Objective: To examine the association between perceived social support and cognitive functioning among older adults, and to investigate whether social support mediates the relationship between living arrangements and cognitive performance. Methods: The sample included 265 older adults aged 65 years and above, recruited using snowball sampling between March and July 2025 in rural communities. Instruments included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment for cognitive function and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support for social support. Results: In this study, higher perceived social support from family, friends, and significant others was associated with better cognitive performance. Multiple regression showed that all three dimensions of social support significantly predicted MoCA scores, with the strongest effect from friends’ support. Mediation analysis revealed that perceived social support mediated the relationship between living arrangements and cognitive functioning, while the direct effect of cohabitation alone was not significant. Conclusions: These results highlight the importance of perceived social support in preserving cognitive health in older adults. Full article

Reflective practice is essential to teaching and professional growth in the classroom. However, reflection is often seen as an evaluative tool for teachers’ practice, with limited emphasis on how it can be used to gain student insights or explore their beliefs, sociocultural assumptions, and contextual biases in learning. This oversight can miss its potential to foster deep knowledge development, civic discourse, and transformative engagement. This paper used a document analysis method to describe how critical reflective practice was incorporated through a structured multilevel process to promote preservice teachers’ active participation and meaningful engagement with sensitive topics. The pedagogical approach enabled them to connect both cognitively and relationally, as evidenced by (a) increased self-awareness and understanding of their positionality; (b) greater engagement with the content; and (c) enhanced responsiveness with peers. This approach can help educators design curricula that positively improve students’ engagement when teaching sensitive topics. The implications of applying this curricular design are discussed. Full article

Preschool teaching is a highly demanding profession that requires constant socio-emotional attunement and the ability to engage in reflective reasoning. Despite the central role of these skills in effective early childhood education, little is known about whether preschool teachers’ socio-affective and cognitive capacities vary as a function of accumulated professional experience. To address this knowledge gap, we compared the performance of 30 professional preschool teachers with a matched control group of 30 non-teachers on tests measuring emotion recognition, active-empathic listening, interpersonal reactivity, and abstract reasoning. We found that preschool teachers were significantly better on all dimensions of active-empathic listening (sensing, processing, and responding) and better in emotional self-regulation than controls. Moreover, years of preschool teaching experience were positively correlated with emotion recognition, improved listening skills, and more deliberate abstract reasoning strategies. Notably, socio-affective competencies were correlated with abstract reasoning performance within the preschool teacher group. According to these results, long-term professional involvement in preschool teaching enhances socio-affective skills and integrates them with higher-order cognitive processes, both of which are essential for responsive teaching, efficient classroom management, and the development of children’s social and cognitive abilities. Full article

This study proposes a structured multicriteria approach to assist professionals in the selection of appropriate computing platforms for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, particularly those between 4 and 6 years of age. Recognizing the learning limitations and reduced attention span typical of this group, the study addresses a gap in the current selection process, which is often based on professional experience rather than objective and measurable criteria. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR), protocol analysis, and problem-structuring methods identified essential evaluation criteria that incorporated key dimensions of development and behavior. These include personalization and adaptation, interactivity and engagement, monitoring and feedback, communication and language, cognitive and social development, usability and accessibility, and security and privacy. Based on these dimensions, a multicriteria method was applied to rank the alternatives represented by the technologies in question. The proposed framework enables a rigorous and axiomatic comparison of platforms based on structured criteria aligned with established intervention protocols, such as ABA, DIR/Floortime, JASPER, and SCERTS. The results validate the model’s effectiveness in highlighting the most appropriate technological tools for this audience. Although the scope is limited to children aged 4 to 6 years, the proposed methodology can be adapted for use with broader age groups. This work contributes to inclusive education by providing a replicable, justifiable framework for selecting digital learning tools that may influence clinical recommendations and family engagement. Full article

Sacred heritage landscapes face significant challenges in engaging Generation Z tourists. To understand their visual processing and emotional responses, this study grounded in Cognitive Appraisal Theory (CAT), employed a mixed-methods approach with Chinese youth. Study 1 (N = 35) uses eye-tracking to examine the visual attention of Gen Z to different sacred heritage types, revealing that natural sacred sites yield the highest First Fixation Duration (FFD) and Average Fixation Duration (AFD), alongside stronger subjective preferences—highlighting the role of biophilia and perceptual fluency. Study 2 constructs a moderated mediation model with a questionnaire (N = 300), identifying a “Novelty → Awe → Place Attachment” pathway and the moderating role of mindfulness. The research identifies the specific visual processing patterns of Gen Z and provides a psychological model for place attachment, offering empirical insights for designing intergenerationally inclusive heritage landscapes. Full article

The color design of architectural interior display spaces directly affects the effectiveness of cultural information communication and the visual cognitive experience of viewers. However, there is currently a lack of combined subjective and objective evaluation regarding how to scientifically translate and apply traditional color systems in modern contexts. This study takes the virtual display space of traditional Chinese floral arrangements as a case, aiming to construct an evaluation framework integrating the Semantic Differential Method and eye-tracking technology, to empirically examine how color schemes based on the translation of traditional aesthetics affect the subjective perception and objective visual attention behavior of modern viewers. Firstly, colors were extracted and translated from Song Dynasty paintings and literature, constructing five sets of culturally representative color combination samples, which were then applied to standardized virtual exhibition booths. Eye tracking data of 49 participants during free viewing were recorded via an eye-tracker, and their subjective ratings on four dimensions—cultural color atmosphere perception, color matching comfort level, artwork form clarity, and explanatory text clarity—were collected. Data analysis comprehensively employed linear mixed models, non-parametric tests, and Spearman’s rank correlation analysis. The results show that, regarding subjective perception, different color schemes exhibited significant differences in traditional feel, comfort, and text clarity, with Sample 4 and Sample 5 performing better on multiple indicators; a moderate-strength, significant positive correlation was found between traditional cultural atmosphere perception and color matching comfort. Regarding objective eye-tracking behavior, color significantly influenced the overall visual engagement duration and the processing depth of the text area. Among them, the color scheme of Sample 5 better promoted sustained reading of auxiliary textual information, while the total fixation duration obtained for Sample 4 was significantly shorter than that of other schemes. No direct correlation was found between subjective ratings and spontaneous eye-tracking behavior under the experimental conditions of this study; the depth of processing textual information was a key factor driving overall visual engagement. The research provides empirical evidence and design insights for the scientific application of color in spaces such as cultural heritage displays to optimize visual experience. Full article

Background: This study addresses a common challenge in music education: students’ limited emotional engagement during music listening. Objectives: This study compared two teaching methods—externally guided augmented reality (AR) integration and internally generated simulation—in terms of their neural and behavioral differences in guiding students’ visual mental imagery and influencing their musical affect processing. Methods: Using Chinese Pipa music appreciation as our experimental paradigm, we employed fNIRS hyperscanning to record inter-brain synchronization (IBS) during teacher–student interactions across three instructional conditions (AR group, n = 27; visual imagery group, n = 27; no-instruction group, n = 27), while simultaneously assessing students’ performance in music–emotion processing tasks (emotion recognition and experience). Results: At the behavioral level, both instructional methods significantly enhanced students’ ability to differentiate emotional valence in music compared to the control condition. Crucially, the AR approach demonstrated a unique advantage in augmenting emotional arousal. Neurally, both teaching methods significantly enhanced IBS in brain regions associated with emotion evaluation (lOFC) and imaginative reasoning (bilateral dlPFC). Beyond these shared neural correlates, AR instruction specifically engaged additional brain networks supporting social cognition (lFPC) and multisensory integration (rANG). Furthermore, we identified a significant positive correlation between lFPC-IBS and improved emotional arousal exclusively in the AR group. Conclusions: The visual imagery group primarily enhances emotional music processing through neural alignment in core emotional brain regions, while augmented reality instruction creates unique advantages by additionally activating brain networks associated with social cognition and cross-modal integration. This research provides neuroscientific evidence for the dissociable mechanisms through which different teaching approaches enhance music–emotion learning, offering important implications for developing evidence-based educational technologies. Full article

Background/Objective: Neuroimmune and metabolic dysregulation have been increasingly implicated in the cognitive heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it remains unclear whether anti-inflammatory diets engage distinct biological and cognitive pathways in autistic and neurotypical children. This study examined whether a 12-week anti-inflammatory dietary protocol produces group-specific neuroimmune–metabolic signatures and cognitive responses in autistic children, neurotypical children receiving the same diet, and untreated neurotypical controls. Methods: Twenty-two children (11 with ASD, six a on neurotypical diet [NT-diet], and five neurotypical controls [NT-control]) completed pre–post assessments of plasma IFN-γ, CXCL1, RANTES (CCL5), trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), and an extensive ENI-2/WISC-IV neuropsychological battery. Linear mixed-effects models were used to test the Time × Group effects on biomarkers and cognitive domains, adjusting for age, sex, and baseline TMAO. Bayesian estimation quantified individual changes (posterior means, 95% credible intervals, and posterior probabilities). Immune–cognitive coupling was explored using Δ–Δ correlation matrices, network metrics (node strength, degree centrality), exploratory mediation models, and responder (≥0.5 SD domain improvement) versus non-responder analyses. Results: In ASD, the diet induced robust reductions in IFN-γ, RANTES, CXCL1, and TMAO, with decisive Bayesian evidence for IFN-γ and RANTES suppression (posterior P(δ < 0) > 0.99). These shifts were selectively associated with gains in verbal learning, semantic fluency, verbal reasoning, attention, and visuoconstructive abilities, whereas working memory and executive flexibility changes were heterogeneous, revealing executive vulnerability in individuals with smaller TMAO reductions. NT-diet children showed modest but consistent improvements in visuospatial processing, attention, and processing speed, with minimal biomarker changes; NT controls remained biologically and cognitively stable. Network analyses in ASD revealed a dense chemokine-anchored architecture with CXCL1 and RANTES as central hubs linking biomarker reductions to improvements in fluency, memory, attention, and executive flexibility. ΔTMAO predicted changes in executive flexibility only in ASD (explaining >50% of the variance), functioning as a metabolic node of executive susceptibility. Responders displayed larger coordinated decreases in all biomarkers and broader cognitive gains compared to non-responders. Conclusions: A structured anti-inflammatory diet elicits an ASD-specific, coordinated neuroimmune–metabolic response in which suppression of CXCL1 and RANTES and modulation of TMAO are tightly coupled with selective improvements in verbal, attentional, and executive domains. Neurotypical children exhibit modest metabolism-linked cognitive benefits and minimal immune modulation. These findings support a precision-nutrition framework in ASD, emphasizing baseline immunometabolic profiling and network-level biomarkers (CXCL1, RANTES, TMAO) to stratify responders and design combinatorial interventions targeting neuroimmune–metabolic pathways. Full article

Background: Adolescence is a developmental period marked by heightened vulnerability to depressive symptoms. Although prior research highlights the significance of father presence in adolescent mental health, longitudinal evidence clarifying both its direct and indirect effects remains scarce. Methods: The present study used a three-wave longitudinal design to examine whether emotion beliefs and emotion regulation processes explain the link between father presence and depressive symptoms. Participants included 1074 Chinese adolescents (M_age = 16.06, SD = 0.43, girls = 52.89%). Results: Path models showed that higher perceived father presence predicted lower depressive symptoms over time. Emotion beliefs and cognitive reappraisal each served as significant mediators in this association. Moreover, a sequential pathway emerged that father presence predicted fewer maladaptive emotion beliefs, which in turn were associated with the use of cognitive reappraisal, ultimately reducing depressive symptoms. Conclusions: These findings shed light on the cognitive and regulatory processes through which paternal presence contributes to adolescent emotional adjustment and provide support for incorporating paternal emotional engagement and emotion socialization strategies into family-based prevention and intervention programs targeting adolescent depression. Full article

Background/Objectives: Music engages multiple brain networks simultaneously, yet most studies examine these networks in isolation. Methods: We investigated functional connectivity among the auditory, motor, and reward networks during music listening in different contexts using fMRI data from two samples (N = 39 each): focused music listening and background music during cognitive tasks. ROI-to-ROI, seed-based, and graph theory analyses examined connectivity patterns among 46 regions spanning the three networks. Results: Both contexts showed enhanced within-auditory network connectivity compared to rest, suggesting that this is fundamental to music processing. However, between-network patterns diverged markedly. Background music listening during cognitive tasks preserved reward-motor coupling while reducing auditory-motor and auditory-reward connectivity. Focused music listening produced widespread negative correlations between motor regions and both the auditory and reward networks, potentially reflecting motor suppression in the scanner environment. Graph theory measures revealed context-specific hub reorganization: reward regions (nucleus accumbens, caudate) showed increased centrality during background music listening, while the amygdala and frontal orbital cortex were selectively enhanced during focused listening. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that music engagement involves context-dependent network reorganization beyond simple attention effects. The same musical stimulus engages different neural mechanisms depending on concurrent cognitive demands, motor requirements, and listening goals. Enhanced within-auditory connectivity appears consistent across contexts, but between-network interactions are shaped by the broader cognitive-behavioral context. These results highlight the importance of considering ecological context when studying music processing and designing music-based interventions, as network connectivity patterns during music listening reflect complex interactions between task demands, attentional resources, and musical engagement rather than music processing alone. Full article

(1) Background: Mental health disparities persist across culturally diverse populations despite robust cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) efficacy evidence. Cultural neuroscience suggests that neurobiological processes underlying therapeutic mechanisms may exhibit culturally variable patterns, yet integration of neuroscientific frameworks into culturally adapted interventions remains limited. (2) Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 2014–December 2024) for peer-reviewed studies examining CBT interventions targeting depression, anxiety, PTSD, or psychological distress in culturally diverse populations. Ninety-four studies were synthesized using narrative methods; methodological heterogeneity precluded meta-analytic pooling. (3) Results: Culturally adapted CBT interventions consistently demonstrated superior outcomes compared to standard protocols across diverse populations. Group formats showed exceptional retention in collectivistic cultures, while hybrid technology-enhanced models achieved strong completion rates across contexts. Cultural adaptation enhanced engagement (e.g., 84% vs. 52% retention in refugee populations) and maintenance of treatment gains. Individual studies reported effect sizes ranging from d = 0.29 to d = 2.4; substantial within-group variability was observed, and identified patterns likely reflect learned cultural adaptations rather than inherent biological differences. Direct neuroimaging evidence within included studies remained limited (13.8%). (4) Conclusions: The evidence supports culturally adapted interventions as essential for equitable mental health outcomes. Cultural experiences may influence therapeutic processes, suggesting potential benefit from considering culturally variable processing patterns alongside universal mechanisms. However, conclusions regarding specific neural pathways remain preliminary, and individual assessment remains paramount, with cultural background representing one factor among many in treatment planning. Full article