Effort expenditure modulates feedback evaluations involving self-other agreement: evidence from brain potentials and neural oscillations.

The influence of effort expenditure on the subjective value in feedback involving material reward has been the focus of previous research. However, little is known about the impact of effort expenditure on subjective value evaluations when feedback involves reward that is produced in the context of social interaction (e.g. self-other agreement). Moreover, how effort expenditure influences confidence (second-order subjective value) in feedback evaluations remains unclear. Using electroencephalography, this study aimed to address these questions. Event-related potentials showed that, after exerting high effort, participants exhibited increased reward positivity difference in response to self-other (dis)agreement feedback. After exerting low effort, participants reported high confidence, and the self-other disagreement feedback evoked a larger P3a. Time-frequency analysis showed that the high-effort task evoked increased frontal midline theta power. In the low (vs. high)-effort task, the frontal midline delta power for self-other disagreement feedback was enhanced. These findings suggest that, at the early feedback evaluation stage, after exerting high effort, individuals exhibit an increased sensitivity of subjective value evaluation in response to self-other agreement feedback. At the later feedback evaluation stage, after completing the low-effort task, the self-other disagreement feedback violates the individuals'high confidence and leads to a metacognitive mismatch.

The Impact of Personalized Feedback Interventions by a Gambling Operator on Subsequent Gambling Expenditure in a Sample of Dutch Online Gamblers.

Player protection has become an important area for the gambling industry over the past decade. A number of gambling regulators now require gambling operators to interact with customers if they suspect they are gambling in a problematic way. The present study provided insight on the impact of personalized feedback interventions (PFIs) on subsequent gambling behavior among a Dutch sample of real-world gamblers. Nederlandse Loterij (the national Dutch Lottery operator) provided access to a secondary dataset comprising tracking data from online casino and sports betting gamblers (N = 2,576) who were contacted either by e-mail or telephone between November 2021 and March 2022 if they showed signs of problematic gambling as identified using behavioral tracking software. Compared to matched controls (n = 369,961 gamblers), Dutch gamblers who received a PFI (via e-mail [n = 1876] or a telephone call [n = 700]) from the gambling operator had a significant reduction in amount of money deposited, amount of money wagered, number of monetary deposits, and time spent gambling in the 30 days after being contacted. Gambling frequency as measured by the number of gambling days did not change significantly after a PFI. Telephone calls did not lead to a significant larger reduction with respect to the aforementioned behavioral metrics. High-intensity players reduced their gambling behavior as frequently as low-intensity players, which means that the intervention's success was independent of gambling intensity. The impact on subsequent gambling was the same across age groups and gender. The results of the present study are of use to many different stakeholder groups including researchers in the gambling studies field and the gambling industry as well as regulators and policymakers who can recommend or enforce that gambling operators utilize responsible gambling tools such as using PFIs to those who may be displaying problematic gambling behaviors as a way of minimizing harm and protecting gamblers.

Resolução de conflitos familiares por adolescentes e defesa do domínio pessoal / Adolescents' family conflict resolution and defense of personal domain / Resolución de conflictos familiares por adolescentes y defensa del dominio personal

Compreender as estratégias de resolução de conflitos utilizadas por adolescentes na relação com seus pais é fundamental para entender como ocorre seu desenvolvimento saudável. Este artigo investigou a resolução de conflitos de adolescentes em situações de confronto entre o seu domínio pessoal e o controle parental. 36 adolescentes com idades entre 15 e 17 anos, divididos igualmente conforme o sexo, responderam a uma entrevista semiestruturada, que continha quatro situações de conflito hipotéticas. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo semântica e a testes não paramétricos. Os resultados foram categorizados em sete estratégias: Assunção de culpa, Submissão, Mentira, Hostilidade, Diálogo/Explicação, Negociação e Outra. A forma predominante de resolução utilizada foi o Diálogo/Explicação, considerada como uma forma recorrente de defender o domínio pessoal. Foram encontradas diferenças em relação ao sexo dos participantes e à situação hipotética. Por fim, os resultados são discutidos em termos de grau de autonomia e tipo de defesa do domínio pessoal.(AU)

Understanding the conflict resolution strategies used by adolescents in their relationship with their parents is fundamental to understanding how their healthy development occurs. This article investigated the resolution of conflicts by adolescents in confrontation situations between their personal domain and parental control. A total of 36 adolescents, aged 15 to 17 years, divided equally according to sex, answered a semi-structured interview that contained four hypothetical conflict situations. Data were subjected to semantic content analysis and non-parametric tests. The results were categorized into seven strategies: Assumption of Guilt, Submission, Lie, Hostility, Dialogue/Explanation, Negotiation, and Other. The predominant form of resolution used was Dialogue/Explanation, considered a recurrent form of defense of the personal domain. Differences were found depending on the participants' gender and the hypothetical situation. Finally, the results are discussed regarding the degree of autonomy and type of defense of the personal domain.(AU)

Enterarse de las estrategias de resolución de conflictos que los adolescentes utilizan en la relación con sus padres es fundamental para comprender cómo ocurre el desarrollo saludable de los adolescentes. A partir de una entrevista semiestructurada, presentamos cuatro situaciones hipotéticas de conflicto que fueron analizadas y respondidas por 36 adolescentes de entre 15 y 17 años, divididos según el género. Los datos se sometieron a un análisis de contenido semántico y a pruebas no paramétricas. Los resultados se categorizaron en siete estrategias de resolución de conflictos: Asunción de culpa, Sumisión, Mentira, Hostilidad, Diálogo/Explicación, Negociación y Otros. La forma de resolución más utilizada fue Diálogo/Explicación, y esta categoría fue una forma de defensa del dominio personal. Asimismo, se encontraron diferencias en función del género de los participantes y conforme la situación hipotética. Los resultados se discuten en términos de grado de autonomía y tipo de defensa del dominio personal.(AU)

A Gamified Personalized Normative Feedback App to Reduce Drinking Among Sexual Minority Women: Randomized Controlled Trial and Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Sexual minority women disproportionately engage in heavy drinking and shoulder the burden of alcohol dependence. Although several intensive interventions are being developed to meet the needs of treatment-seeking sexual minority women, there remains a lack of preventive interventions to reduce drinking and its consequences among women not yet motivated to reduce their alcohol consumption. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the feasibility and efficacy of reducing alcohol-related risks via personalized normative feedback (PNF) on alcohol use and coping delivered within LezParlay, a social media-inspired digital competition designed to challenge negative stereotypes about lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ)-identified sexual minority women. METHODS: Feasibility was assessed by examining engagement with LezParlay outside the context of an incentivized research study, assessing the characteristics of the LBQ women taking part, and examining the competition's ability to derive risk-reducing actual norms as well as levels of acceptability and perceived benefits reported by participants. Intervention efficacy was examined by randomizing a subsample of 499 LBQ alcohol consumers (ie, drinkers) already taking part in the competition to receive sexual identity-specific PNF on alcohol use and coping, alcohol use only, or control topics over only 2 rounds of play. Changes in alcohol use and negative consequences were examined 2 and 4 months after the delivery of treatment PNF. RESULTS: A total of 2667 diverse LBQ women played ≥1 round of LezParlay. The competition attracted large numbers of moderate and heavy drinkers; however, risk-reducing actual norms could still be derived from competition rounds and featured in PNF. Efficacy results revealed that drinkers who received PNF on alcohol use and both alcohol use and coping had similar reductions in their weekly drinks (P=.003; P<.001), peak drinks (P<.001; P<.001), and negative consequences (P<.001; P<.001) relative to those who received PNF on control topics at the 2-month follow-up. However, at the 4-month follow-up, reductions in alcohol consumption outcomes faded among those who received alcohol PNF only (weekly: P=.06; peak: P=.11), whereas they remained relatively robust among those who received PNF on both alcohol use and coping (weekly: P=.02; peak: P=.03). Finally, participants found the competition highly acceptable and psychologically beneficial as a whole. CONCLUSIONS: The LezParlay competition was found to be a feasible and efficacious means of reducing alcohol-related risks in this population. Our findings demonstrate the utility of correcting sexual identity-specific drinking and coping norms to reduce alcohol-related risks among LBQ women and suggest that this approach may also prove fruitful in other stigmatized health disparity populations. To engage these populations in the real world and expand the psychological benefits associated with PNF, our findings also point to packaging PNF within a broader, culturally tailored competition designed to challenge negative group stereotypes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03884478; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03884478. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/24647.

A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Impact of Tailored Feedback on the Purchase of Healthier Foods from Primary School Online Canteens.

Few online food ordering systems provide tailored dietary feedback to consumers, despite suggested benefits. The study aim was to determine the effect of providing tailored feedback on the healthiness of students' lunch orders from a school canteen online ordering system. A cluster randomized controlled trial with ten government primary schools in New South Wales, Australia was conducted. Consenting schools that used an online canteen provider ('Flexischools') were randomized to either: a graph and prompt showing the proportion of 'everyday' foods selected or a standard online ordering system. Students with an online lunch order during baseline data collection were included (n = 2200 students; n = 7604 orders). Primary outcomes were the proportion of foods classified as 'everyday' or 'caution'. Secondary outcomes included: mean energy, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium content. There was no difference over time between groups on the proportion of 'everyday' (OR 0.99; p = 0.88) or 'caution' items purchased (OR 1.17; p = 0.45). There was a significant difference between groups for average energy content (mean difference 51 kJ; p-0.02), with both groups decreasing. There was no difference in the saturated fat, sugar, or sodium content. Tailored feedback did not impact the proportion of 'everyday' or 'caution' foods or the nutritional quality of online canteen orders. Future research should explore whether additional strategies and specific feedback formats can promote healthy purchasing decisions.

Behavioral Integration of Individual Psychological Assessment Feedback: Assessor and Social Support.

The present study investigates the role of perceived social support and development-focused feedback techniques on behavioral integration of feedback in the context of individual psychological assessment. We hypothesized that development-focused techniques would predict participants' motivational intention to act on feedback and tested whether perceived social support would mediate or moderate the relationship between motivational intention and behavioral outcomes. We performed structural equation modeling analyses on data collected at two time-points. Two hundred and forty (N = 240) participants completed questionnaires immediately after their feedback session (T1) and 138 of them completed questionnaires three months later (T2). The model results, χ2 = 230.09, p < .01, CFI = .97, TLI = .97, SRMR = .06, RMSEA = .03 90% CI [.02, .05], suggest that development-focused techniques predict motivational intention, social support mediates the relationship between motivational intention and developmental activities (R2 = .31), and social support also interacts with development-focused techniques to predict behavior change (R2 = .40). The relationship between social support and behavioral change is higher when the assessor uses few development-focused techniques (at -1 SD, b = .32, p < .001, 95% CI [.27, .36]). The study provides empirical insights about how behavioral change unfolds in an IPA feedback context and suggests that participants could benefit from obtaining social support to act on feedback. Assessors should focus on development during feedback and encourage the participant to seek social support to facilitate their subsequent professional development. Because the findings rely on self-reported data, future studies would benefit from including observed measures.

A parallel accumulator model accounts for decision randomness when deciding on risky prospects with different expected value.

In decision-making situations individuals rarely have complete information available to select the best option and often show decisional randomness, i.e. given the same amount of knowledge individuals choose different options at different times. Dysfunctional processes resulting in altered decisional randomness can be considered a target process for psychiatric disorders, yet these processes remain poorly understood. Advances in computational modeling of decision-making offer a potential explanation for decisional randomness by positing that decisions are implemented in the brain through accumulation of noisy evidence, causing a generally less preferred option to be chosen at times by chance. One such model, the linear ballistic accumulator (LBA), assumes that individuals accumulate information for each option independently over time and that the first option to reach a threshold will be selected. To investigate the mechanisms of decisional randomness, we applied the LBA to a decision-making task in which risk and expected value (EV) were explicitly signaled prior to making a choice, and estimated separate drift rates for each of the four task stimuli (representing high and low EV and high and low risk). We then used the fitted LBA parameters to predict subject response rates on held-out trials for each of the 6 possible stimulus pairs. We found that choices predicted by LBA were correlated with actual choices across subjects for all stimulus pairs. Taken together, these findings suggest that sequential sampling models can account for decisional randomness on an explicit probabilistic task, which may have implications for understanding decision-making in healthy individuals and in psychiatric populations.

Effectiveness of an attachment-based intervention for the assessment of parenting capacities in maltreating families: A randomized controlled trial.

Even though Parenting Capacity Assessments (PCAs) are essential for child protection services to support placement decisions for maltreating families, presently no evidence-based PCA protocols are available. In this randomized controlled trial, we tested the quality of an attachment-based PCA protocol based on Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD). We recruited 56 parent-child dyads (Mage children = 3.48 years) in Dutch family residential clinics that conduct PCAs to support placement decisions. After pretest, families were randomized to receive the Regular Assessment Procedure (RAP) (n = 28), or an additional assessment based on VIPP-SD (n = 28). An immediate post-test and a 10-month follow-up were conducted. Multilevel models showed that therapists felt equally confident about their recommendations regarding child placement for both groups and that they equally often modified their initial placement recommendations. Moreover, children in the VIPP-SD group did not show fewer behavior problems and did not experience recurring child maltreatment less often than children in the RAP group. Thus, we found no evidence that PCAs incorporating the VIPP-SD protocol outperformed PCAs as usual. We discuss possible explanations why in the current study VIPP-SD did not seem to add to the quality of the RAP.

A pesar de que las Evaluaciones de Capacidad de Crianza (PCA) son esenciales para los servicios de protección al niño para apoyar las decisiones de dónde colocarlo por razones de familias maltratadoras, en el presente no se encuentran disponibles ningún protocolo PCA basado en la evidencia. En este ensayo controlado al azar, pusimos a prueba la calidad de un protocolo PCA basado en la afectividad para lo cual nos basamos en la Intervención de Video Informativo para promover una Crianza Positiva y Disciplina Sensible (VIPP-SD). Reclutamos 56 díadas de progenitor-niño (edad promedio de los niños = 3.48 años) en clínicas residenciales de familias holandesas que utilizan las PCA para apoyar las decisiones de dónde colocar. Después del pre-examen, las familias fueron asignadas al azar para recibir el Procedimiento de Evaluación Regular (RAP) (n = 28), o una evaluación adicional basada en VIPP-SD (n = 28). Se llevaron a cabo un examen posterior inmediato y un seguimiento a los 10 meses. Los modelos de niveles múltiples mostraron que los terapeutas se sintieron igualmente confiados acerca de sus recomendaciones con respecto a dónde colocar al niño en ambos grupos y que ellos igualmente modificaron a menudo su recomendación inicial de dónde colocarlo. Es más, los niños en el grupo VIPP-SD no mostraron menos problemas de conducta y no experimentaron maltrato infantil recurrente menos a menudo que los niños en el grupo RAP. Por tanto, no encontramos evidencia de que las PCA que incorporan el protocolo VIPP-SD tuvieran mejores resultados que las PCA en su forma usual. Discutimos posibles explicaciones de por qué en el presente estudio los VIPP-SD no parecieron agregar nada a la calidad de RAP.

Contexte: Des interventions favorables et ciblées pour les familles sont nécessaires afin d'optimiser l'ajustement parental et la relation parent-bébé conformément à un diagnostic précédant de risque neurodéveloppemental pour les bébés. Buts: Le but de cette revue systématique était de déterminer l'efficacité des interventions pour l'amélioration de l'ajustement psychologique et le bien-être pour les parents ayant un bébé ayant été diagnostiqué comme ayant ou étant à risque d'avoir un trouble neurodéveloppemental. Méthodes: La stratégie de recherche du Cochrane Review Group a été suivie avec une recherche des essais contrôlés du Registre Cochrane Central, de PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, et Embase entre juillet et décembre 2017. La qualité méthodologique des articles inclus a été évaluée au moyen de l'échelle de la base de données de preuve de physiothérapie (PEDro Physiotherapy Evidence Database) par deux évaluateurs indépendants. Résultats: Douze études ont rempli les critères d'inclusion. Un petit nombre d'essais de grande qualité ont révélé une efficacité modérée à importante de la réduction chez les parents de symptômes psychologiques indésirables de trauma et de stress des parents. Des améliorations importantes dans les symptômes de dépression et d'anxiété ont émergé lors de follow up post intervention à plus long terme (6 mois-8 ans). Conclusions: On constate un soutien prometteur pour l'efficacité de certaines interventions à réduire les symptômes psychologiques de mésadaptation chez les parents avec des bébés diagnostiqués comme étant à risque d'un trouble neurodéveloppemental. D'autres ECR de qualité d'intervention psychologiques portant sur les conditions plus grandes de risque neurodéveloppemental sont nécessaires.

Your losses are mine: The influence of empathic concern on evaluative processing of others' outcomes.

Neural responses to others' decision-making outcomes can be modulated by many social factors. Using the event-related potential (ERP) technique, we explored the neural mechanisms of empathic concern modulating evaluative processing of others' outcomes. Participants were asked to perform a gambling task for three beneficiaries: themselves and two strangers. One stranger was an economically underprivileged student requiring help (high-empathy condition); the other stranger was a student with no upsetting information to induce empathic concern (low-empathy condition). ERP results showed that the valence effect of the feedback-related negativity (FRN) was larger when participants exhibited high empathic concern than when they did not. The FRN responses to strangers' outcomes in the high-empathy condition were as strong as those to their own outcomes. The P300 showed no differences between the low- and high-empathy conditions. These findings indicate that empathic concern could modulate the early stage of outcome processing, implying empathic emotional/altruistic motivational impacts of others' outcomes.

Performance feedback during writing instruction: A cost-effectiveness analysis.

Students in K-12 settings experience poor writing outcomes, with less than 30% of students writing at the proficient level. Coupled with the pressure to improve academic outcomes with limited resources, schools are in dire need of efficient, universally provided instructional activities that promote writing skills. Performance feedback on writing fluency was designed to be a brief, low-resource universally provided instructional activity to facilitate writing development and has demonstrated moderate to large effects on formative writing measures. The current study was conducted to directly evaluate the extent to which performance feedback on writing fluency is cost-effective. This study uses the ingredients method to estimate the costs of providing performance feedback on writing fluency and calculates incremental cost-effectiveness ratios based on secondary data from a randomized controlled trial. Results suggest that performance feedback is more cost-effective than comprehensive systems reform initiatives and comparable to other universally provided interventions, and therefore should be considered a cost-effective approach to improve writing fluency for all students. Results provide school psychologists with concrete examples of how to support prevention and intervention activities aimed to improve student writing outcomes. Limitations and suggestions for future research are also discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Tailored feedback reduced prolonged sitting time and improved the health of housewives: a single-blind randomized controlled pilot study.

Reducing sitting time, independent of physical activity, is important for health. However, few reports have been published regarding physical activity of housewives compared to that of employed women. We examined strategies to shorten housewives' sitting time using a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Forty-eight housewives (38.0 ± 4.5 years old) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: pamphlet, self-feedback, and tailored feedback groups. All participants received a pamphlet describing the risks of prolonged sitting. The self-feedback and tailored feedback groups were also given feedback on sitting time by a smartphone application. The tailored feedback group received individual suggestions regarding lifestyle to shorten sitting time. We measured physical activity using an accelerometer and health-related quality of life using the Short-Form 8. The longest prolonged sitting time significantly decreased over time, a significant reduction was observed after the intervention only in the tailored feedback group. Vitality, mental health, and role emotional components of health-related quality of life showed a significant improvement with time but no significant differences were observed among the study groups. We suggested an easy approach to shortening prolonged sitting time in housewives using a pamphlet and feedback by smartphone. However, tailored consulting was necessary to yield a more effective result.

Harnessing smartphone technology and three dimensional printing to create a mobile rehabilitation system, mRehab: assessment of usability and consistency in measurement.

BACKGROUND: Residual sensorimotor deficits are common following stroke. While it has been demonstrated that targeted practice can result in improvements in functional mobility years post stroke, there is little to support rehabilitation across the lifespan. The use of technology in home rehabilitation provides an avenue to better support self-management of recovery across the lifespan. We developed a novel mobile technology, capable of quantifying quality of movement with the purpose of providing feedback to augment rehabilitation and improve functional mobility. This mobile rehabilitation system, mRehab, consists of a smartphone embedded in three dimensional printed items representing functional objects found in the home. mRehab allows individuals with motor deficits to practice activities of daily living (ADLs) and receive feedback on their performance. The aim of this study was to assess the usability and consistency of measurement of the mRehab system. METHODS: To assess usability of the mRehab system, four older adults and four individuals with stroke were recruited to use the system, and complete surveys to discuss their opinions on the user interface of the smartphone app and the design of the 3D printed items. To assess the consistency of measurement by the mRehab system, 12 young adults were recruited and performed mRehab ADLs in three lab sessions within 1 week. Young adults were chosen for their expected high level of consistency in motor performance. RESULTS: Usability ratings from older adults and individuals with stroke led us to modify the design of the 3D printed items and improve the clarity of the mRehab app. The modified mRehab system was assessed for consistency of measurement and six ADLs resulted in coefficient of variation (CV) below 10%. This is a commonly used CV goal for consistency. Two ADLs ranged between 10 and 15% CV. Only two ADLs demonstrated high CV. CONCLUSIONS: mRehab is a client-centered technology designed for home rehabilitation that consistently measures performance. Development of the mRehab system provides a support for individuals working on recovering functional upper limb mobility that they can use across their lifespan.

Decomposing the effects of context valence and feedback information on speed and accuracy during reinforcement learning: a meta-analytical approach using diffusion decision modeling.

Reinforcement learning (RL) models describe how humans and animals learn by trial-and-error to select actions that maximize rewards and minimize punishments. Traditional RL models focus exclusively on choices, thereby ignoring the interactions between choice preference and response time (RT), or how these interactions are influenced by contextual factors. However, in the field of perceptual decision-making, such interactions have proven to be important to dissociate between different underlying cognitive processes. Here, we investigated such interactions to shed new light on overlooked differences between learning to seek rewards and learning to avoid losses. We leveraged behavioral data from four RL experiments, which feature manipulations of two factors: outcome valence (gains vs. losses) and feedback information (partial vs. complete feedback). A Bayesian meta-analysis revealed that these contextual factors differently affect RTs and accuracy: While valence only affects RTs, feedback information affects both RTs and accuracy. To dissociate between the latent cognitive processes, we jointly fitted choices and RTs across all experiments with a Bayesian, hierarchical diffusion decision model (DDM). We found that the feedback manipulation affected drift rate, threshold, and non-decision time, suggesting that it was not a mere difficulty effect. Moreover, valence affected non-decision time and threshold, suggesting a motor inhibition in punishing contexts. To better understand the learning dynamics, we finally fitted a combination of RL and DDM (RLDDM). We found that while the threshold was modulated by trial-specific decision conflict, the non-decision time was modulated by the learned context valence. Overall, our results illustrate the benefits of jointly modeling RTs and choice data during RL, to reveal subtle mechanistic differences underlying decisions in different learning contexts.

Effects of elaborate feedback during practice tests: Costs and benefits of retrieval prompts.

This study explores the effect of feedback with hints on students' recall of words. In three classroom experiments, high school students individually practiced vocabulary words through computerized retrieval practice with either standard show-answer feedback (display of answer) or hints feedback after incorrect responses. Hints feedback gave students a second chance to find the correct response using orthographic (Experiment 1), mnemonic (Experiment 2), or cross-language hints (Experiment 3). During practice, hints led to a shift of practice time from further repetitions to longer feedback processing but did not reduce (repeated) errors. There was no effect of feedback on later recall except when the hints from practice were also available on the test, indicating limited transfer of practice with hints to later recall without hints (in Experiments 1 and 2). Overall, hints feedback was not preferable over show-answer feedback. The common notion that hints are beneficial may not hold when the total practice time is limited. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Social frame and tax compliance modulate electrophysiological and autonomic responses following tax-related decisions.

Given the intrinsic complexity of cognitive and affective processes affecting how people reason about taxes and their decisions to be compliant with such social duty, we aimed at exploring those latent processes by combining the analysis of their central and peripheral physiological correlates. We asked participants to make realistic economic decisions concerning tax-payment and manipulated the social vs. individual decisional frame. In addition, we took into account the potential role of tax-compliance trait. Thirty self-employed professionals took part in the study and completed a public good game while their autonomic (skin conductance - SC - and heart rate - HR) and neural brain (electroencephalography - EEG) activities were recorded. The analysis of physiological responses during the feedback phase - where participants could be presented or not with a fiscal audit - highlighted: (i) increased tonic SC levels and theta activity in the social condition than in the individual one; (ii) increased HR values when a fiscal audit did not take place, especially in participants who presented an enforced tax-compliance trait. Present findings support the idea that classic economic theories of tax behaviour developed under the assumption that taxpayers act as rational and individualist agents do not provide a comprehensive account for the decision-making process. They add to available evidence highlighting the contribution of psychological and social-affective variables to individuals' decision-making processes to pay or evade taxes and to their appraisal of the consequences of such choice, as suggested by the 'slippery slope' framework.

Reaching out to big losers: A randomized controlled trial of brief motivational contact providing gambling expenditure feedback.

Gambling disorder is a public health issue in many countries, and expectations that the gambling industry protects individuals from harm are increasing. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effects of providing personalized feedback on gambling intensity among high consumers of venue-based and online gambling in Norway. A randomized controlled trial design was used to evaluate how behavioral feedback by telephone or letters sent via surface mail affects subsequent gambling expenditure and use of responsible gambling tools and whether a follow-up contact increases the effect. Gambling expenditure, the primary outcome, was measured using theoretical loss, which is the actual cost to the player, adjusted for the house advantage. From the top .5% of customers based upon annual expenditure, a sample of 1,003 statistical triplets, matched on sex, age, and net losses, were randomly assigned to the feedback intervention by telephone, letter, or a no-contact control condition. Participants assigned to the phone call or letter were also randomly assigned to receive or not receive a subsequent follow-up contact. The results showed that over 12 weeks, theoretical loss decreased 29% for the phone and 15% for the letter conditions, compared with 3% for the control group. A positive effect of the follow-up contact was limited to participants who at the initial call indicated an interest in receiving a follow-up call. Contacting high consumers about their gambling expenditure appears to be an effective method for gambling companies to meet their duty to care for customers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Communication between the Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Ventral Tegmental Area during a Cost-Benefit Reversal Task.

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is implicated in value-based decision making, anticipation, and adaptation; however, how ACC activity modulates these behaviors is unclear. One possibility is via the ACC's connections with the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a dopaminergic region implicated in motivation and feedback processing. We tested this by monitoring ACC and VTA local field potentials in rats performing a cost-benefit reversal task that elicited both value-based and anticipatory choices. Partial directed coherence analyses revealed that elevated 4-Hz ACC-to-VTA signaling accompanied decisions that appeared to be anticipatory. ACC-to-VTA signaling also occurred post-reversal, consistent with it being involved in the initiation of non-default behavior. An analysis of 4-Hz signals in the other direction (VTA-to-ACC) revealed that it was elevated when the rats committed errors and that this signal was followed by behavioral adaptation. Together, these findings suggest that bidirectional communication between the ACC and VTA supports behavioral flexibility.

Individual differences in pain sensitivity predict the experience of unfairness.

Pain has shaped our evolutionary history, and pain-free experiences are critical for our health. There are, however, enormous individual differences in pain sensitivity, and the psychological consequences of this heterogeneity are only poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether individual differences in pain sensitivity predicted the experience of unfairness. We found that the magnitude of pain sensitivity correlated with the extent to which participants experienced unfairness. This association was due to the shared human alarm system of unfairness and pain sensitivity. This finding may elucidate mechanisms for producing a new and positive cycle of a healthy experience between fairness and feeling pain-free.

A Markov approach for increasing precision in the assessment of data-intensive behavioral interventions.

Health interventions using real-time sensing technology are characterized by intensive longitudinal data, which has the potential to enable nuanced evaluations of individuals' responses to treatment. Existing analytic tools were not developed to capitalize on this opportunity as they typically focus on first-order findings such as changes in the level and/or slope of outcome variables over different intervention phases. This paper introduces an exploratory, Markov-based empirical transition method that offers a more comprehensive assessment of behavioral responses when intensive longitudinal data are available. The procedure projects a univariate time-series into discrete states and empirically determines the probability of transitioning from one state to another. State transition probabilities are summarized separately in phase-specific transition matrices. Comparing transition matrices illuminates intricate, quantifiable differences in behavior between intervention phases. Statistical significance is estimated via bootstrapping techniques. This paper introduces the methodology via three case studies from a secondhand smoke reduction trial utilizing real-time air particle sensors. Analysis enabled the identification of complex phenomena such as avoidance and escape behavior in response to punitive contingencies for tobacco use. Additionally, the largest changes in behavior dynamics were associated with the introduction of behavioral feedback. The Markov approach's ability to elucidate subtle behavioral details has not typically been feasible with standard methodologies, mainly due to historical limitations associated with infrequent repeated measures. These results suggest that the evaluation of intervention effects in data-intensive single-case designs can be enhanced, providing rich information that can ultimately be used to develop interventions uniquely tailored to specific individuals.

Patient, Caregiver, and Taxpayer Knowledge of Palliative Care and Views on a Model of Community-Based Palliative Care.

CONTEXT: Palliative care (PC) model delivered by two large hospices and PC providers. OBJECTIVES: To understand study participants' knowledge of PC and acceptability of a new community-based PC model. METHODS: Semistructured interview with patients and caregivers; focus groups with taxpayers. Descriptive content analysis with an inductive approach. RESULTS: Across 10 interviews and four focus groups (n = 4-10 per group), there was varying knowledge of PC. Gaps in interview and focus group participants' knowledge related to knowing the services available in PC, how PC is paid for, how to initiate PC, and how PC affects the patient's relationship with existing providers. Regarding the model, negative feedback from interview participants included not having PC explained adequately and PC providers seen as consultants and not as full-time providers. Focus group participants indicated that the model sounded promising but noted the likely difficulty in enacting it in our current health care system. Positive feedback from interview participants included the perception that clinicians spent more time and provided more support for patients and families and the developing ability of PC services to provide care more broadly than at the very end of life. Focus group participants had similar observations related to perceived attention to care and broader application of PC. Perceptions of time-constrained care delivery and suboptimal provider-patient communication persist for some patients getting PC services. CONCLUSION: Education for patients, caregivers, and community members about the roles and benefits of PC will be needed to successfully expand community-based PC.