The influence of incidental emotions on decision-making under risk and uncertainty: a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental evidence.

Emotions influence human decisions under risk and uncertainty, even when they are unrelated to the decisions, i.e. incidental to them. Empirical findings are mixed regarding the directions and sizes of the effects of discrete emotions such as fear, anger, or happiness. According to the Appraisal-Tendency Framework (ATF), appraisals of certainty and control determine why same-valence emotions can differentially alter preferences for risky and uncertain options. Building upon this framework of emotion-specific appraisals, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 28 experimental studies on the effects of discrete incidental emotions on decision-making under risk and uncertainty. We evaluated potential moderators at the task and study levels. We find emotion-specific, moderately heterogeneous effects partially in line with the expectations of the ATF. The framing and financial consequences of choices, the type of choices, and the presence of other participants during the task do not moderate the effect. Our meta-analytic results support the differential influence of discrete, incidental emotions on decision-making under risk and uncertainty depending on appraisals other than valence. We discuss limited sample sizes and heterogeneity as reasons for the absence of significant moderators and encourage experimental investigations of individual differences in the susceptibility to incidental affective influences.

A European questionnaire survey on epilepsy monitoring units' current practice for postoperative psychogenic nonepileptic seizures' detection.

BACKGROUND: In cases undergoing epilepsy surgery, postoperative psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) may be underdiagnosed complicating the assessment of postsurgical seizures' outcome and the clinical management. We conducted a survey to investigate the current practices in the European epilepsy monitoring units (EMUs) and the data that EMUs could provide to retrospectively detect cases with postoperative PNES and to assess the feasibility of a subsequent postoperative PNES research project for cases with postoperative PNES. METHODS: We developed and distributed a questionnaire survey to 57 EMUs. Questions addressed the number of patients undergoing epilepsy surgery, the performance of systematic preoperative and postoperative psychiatric evaluation, the recording of sexual or other abuse, the follow-up period of patients undergoing epilepsy surgery, the performance of video-electroencephalogram (EEG) and postoperative psychiatric assessment in suspected postoperative cases with PNES, the existence of electronic databases to allow extraction of cases with postoperative PNES, the data that these bases could provide, and EMUs' interest to participate in a retrospective postoperative PNES project. RESULTS: Twenty EMUs completed the questionnaire sheet. The number of patients operated every year/per center is 26.7 ( ±â€¯19.1), and systematic preoperative and postoperative psychiatric evaluation is performed in 75% and 50% of the EMUs accordingly. Sexual or other abuse is systematically recorded in one-third of the centers, and the mean follow-up period after epilepsy surgery is 10.5 ±â€¯7.5 years. In suspected postoperative PNES, video-EEG is performed in 85% and psychiatric assessment in 95% of the centers. An electronic database to allow extraction of patients with PNES after epilepsy surgery is used in 75% of the EMUs, and all EMUs that sent the sheet completed expressed their interest to participate in a retrospective postoperative PNES project. CONCLUSION: Postoperative PNES is an underestimated and not well-studied entity. This is a European survey to assess the type of data that the EMUs surgical cohorts could provide to retrospectively detect postoperative PNES. In cases with suspected PNES, most EMUs perform video-EEG and psychiatric assessment, and most EMUs use an electronic database to allow extraction of patients developing PNES.

Fostering flow experiences at work: a framework and research agenda for developing flow interventions.

Flow, the holistic experience of intrinsic motivation and effortless attention, is positively associated with job performance, work engagement, and well-being. As many individuals struggle to enter and maintain flow states, interventions that foster flow at work represent valuable catalysts for organizational and individual improvement. Since the literature on work-related flow interventions is still sparse, this article aims to provide a foundation for the systematic development of these interventions. Through a narrative review of the empirical and theoretical field, we develop a comprehensive framework with three dimensions, (1) the intervention aim (entering, boosting, or maintaining flow), (2) the target (context, individual, or group), and (3) the executor (top-down or bottom-up), for systematically classifying flow interventions at work. We complement the framework with guiding questions and concrete starting points for designing novel interventions. In addition, we explain how to build on these dimensions when operationalizing flow as the outcome variable in evaluating intervention effectiveness. By acknowledging individual and situational variability in flow states and the contingent limitations of flow interventions, we offer a broad perspective on the potential for fostering flow at work by using adaptive interventions.