Repetition Avoidance Research Articles

Three-phase temporal dynamics in random number generation.

"Inhibition of return" (IOR) was originally described in the field of spatial attention, but it has also been observed in random number generation tasks. Subjects showed a tendency of "repetition avoidance," which can be considered as equivalent to IOR in another cognitive domain. As temporal factors have been suspected to play an important role in random number generation, we aimed to examine how such factors might influence regularities such as repetition avoidance in random number generation tasks. Participants were instructed to verbally generate a sequence of numbers at a certain pace, that is, with either 0.5, 1.5, 3 or 4 s between each response. Each number in the sequence should have the same probability of appearance and should be independent from the others. However, it was observed that the human-generated sequences differed drastically from computer-simulated pseudo-random sequences. The distribution of the repetition gap, which indicates how many different numbers are reported between two identical numbers in the generated sequences, showed a "three-phase" characteristic: a phase of avoidance of the same number, an oscillatory component for coming back to the same number, and finally an exponential decay of number selection frequencies. This three-phase characteristic was independent of the time interval between responses. These observations indicate an item-based process in random number generation, making a time-based control in this task rather unlikely as has been hypothetically assumed.

Contrastive Analysis of Translation Shifts in Lexical Repetition in Arabic-English Legal Translations

The study investigates some preliminary generalizations regarding the standards regulating the translation types and directions, the lexical repeatability of legal texts shifts. It also compares lexical repetition in Arabic legal texts and that of the corresponding English translation on the basis of lexical repetition type, frequency and distribution. It is a descriptive study that employed parallel corpora to compare lexical repetition in the source language (SL) text with its translation in the target language (TL) text. The research corpus consists of an Arabic legal text and its English translation. The researcher examined the different forms of shifts in the translated text, and the motivation of the translator for utilizing each translation shifts. The result proves that translation shift is an inevitable phenomenon. The various types of translation fell under three categories - avoidance of lexical repetition, retention with alteration, and addition of repetition. In the process of translation from Arabic to English, certain basic concepts cannot be replaced; and as such a translational shift (in lexical repetition) is required to appropriately convey ideas from Arabic to English. Arabic tends to use lexical repetition (LR) more than English, but for the legal texts, English uses LR as well as Arabic. The most common shift detected in this corpus is Partial shift. The results display that the roles of ‘repetition’ are not always preserved, sometimes they can be lost. Multiple translation methods were utilized by the translator. These include deletion, paraphrase, synonym and near-synonym, modulation and pronominalisation.

Mediators of symptom improvement in transdiagnostic internet cognitive behavioural therapy for mixed anxiety and depression

ABSTRACT Objectives Transdiagnostic internet cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) improves depression and anxiety symptoms, but the factors mediating these improvements are unknown. Design In a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial, we compared the impact of a transdiagnostic iCBT program (n = 39) on emotion regulation, repetitive negative thinking, and experiential avoidance relative to treatment-as-usual (TAU) control (n = 35). The extent to which changes in these processes mediated treatment gains in iCBT relative to TAU was also explored. Intention-to-treat mixed models were used to assess outcomes, and unmoderated simple mediation models were used to explore mediators of change of each outcome (depression/anxiety). Results Results showed iCBT outperformed TAU in reducing all three processes, with largebetween-group effect sizes for repetitive negative thinking (g = 1.04), and medium effect sizes for emotion regulation (g = 0.78), and experiential avoidance (g = 0.54). Changes in symptoms of depression and anxiety were partly mediated through pre-to-post changes in all three variables, but not pre-to-mid-treatment changes. Conclusion These findings provide evidence that transdiagnostic iCBT for depression and anxiety improves emotion regulation, reduces repetitive thinking and experiential avoidance, and provides preliminary evidence that symptom improvements are associated with improvements in these variables. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: (1) Transdiagnostic interventions aim to target the common symptoms and the functional emotional, cognitive, and behavioural processes shared across emotional disorders. (2) Transdiagnostic internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) improves depression and anxiety symptoms. (3) However, the factors mediating these symptom improvements are largely unknown. What this topic adds: (1) Transdiagnostic iCBT for depression and anxiety improves emotion regulation and reduces repetitive thinking and experiential avoidance in participants with an anxiety and/or depressive disorder. (2) Symptom improvements are associated with improvements in these transdiagnostic variables; emotion regulation, repetitive negative thinking, and experiential avoidance appear to be significant mediators of post-treatment improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety. (3) Targeting these shared underlying processes is likely important to improve symptoms of depression and anxiety.

P-OGC76 A patient engagement event to assess feasibility of preoperative enhanced recovery groups in patients with oesophagogastric cancer undergoing surgery

Abstract Background Enhanced recovery (ER) includes pre-operative counselling during individual patient consultations with multidisciplinary team (MDT) members. Patients can experience lengthy appointments seeing multiple professionals. This negatively impacts on their ability to retain and process information, and results in long, overrunning clinics. Separate, virtual ER group sessions have been proposed to deliver aspects of the pre-operative appointment which are common to all patients undergoing oesophagogastric (OG) cancer surgery. The aim is to improve patient engagement and experience, and improve efficiency of clinics. A patient engagement event was undertaken to gain feedback from patients about the existing service and the proposed virtual group. Methods A semi-structured telephone interview was developed with the support of a Patient & Public Engagement Team. The 30 minute interview covered aspects such as patient experience of ER information delivery, the quality of the information they received and their thoughts on attending virtual group sessions. Seventy patients, who had undergone surgery for OG cancer in the previous 14 months were invited to take part. A Health Informatics Team screened the patient list prior to invitation letters being sent. The telephone interviews took place in November 2020. Results Twenty-seven patients responded (37%). Of these, 89% felt they received all information required for surgery preparation. Over 50% reported receiving adequate information to support with common post-operative issues (dietary - 81%; physical activity - 55%) but would like more on others (psychological impact - 26%). Patients highlighted that the MDT clinic took many hours and information delivery was overwhelming. The internet was accessible to 85% and 56% thought the information provided prior to surgery could have been delivered in a virtual group. Patient perceived advantages to virtual groups included: peer support; reduced travel; and avoidance of information repetition and overload. Conclusions Patient preference, perspective and needs are paramount when designing healthcare services. Results from this patient engagement event suggest that the delivery of preoperative information and counselling as part of ER could be improved through the implementation of virtual ER groups. They also suggest that most patients perceive benefits to such a model, including the addition of peer support. The next steps in the proof of concept are to develop the virtual groups MDT content and pilot in a cohort of patients, evaluating patient related outcome measures and impact on service efficiency.

중한 정치 연설문에 나타난 ‘여행 은유’ 번역 연구

The purpose of this study is to examine how the source domains of the ‘journey metaphor’ shown in political speeches has changed in Chinese-Korean translation and the factors affecting the use of translation strategies. The finding shows that, there were three cases of ‘journey metaphor’ in Chinese-Korean translation: source domain maintenance, source domain difference, and source domain loss. Translation is most effective when the source domain is maintained. Substitution of the source domain is selected when there is a difference in conceptualization between cultures or when there is a more idiomatic metaphor in the target language. In the case of source domain loss, it is also greatly affected by explicitation and avoidance of repetition. In addition to conceptual metaphors, factors that influence metaphor translation include language structure, metaphor convention, and text function. ‘Four-character idioms’ are difficult to achieve equivalent of effects in translation due to differences in language structure, and should focus on conveying the overall meaning according to the context of the text. In texts with conventional metaphors and informational functions, acceptability in target language should first be considered. Description and omitting may also be used relatively freely as alternative strategies.

Ellipsis in English and Albanian

This research attempted to conduct an in-depth analysis of the text-forming elements based on the fact that cohesive devices are insufficiently treated in the Albanian language, although considerable research and publications have been made in other languages. This study aims to bring evidence in recognizing, determining, and categorizing the structures of ellipsis and substitution which perform in English and Albanian. Comparing these important elements of grammatical cohesion in two languages will bring light upon the differences and similarities between the two languages. It will also show how frequently they are used in English and Albanian. Particularly, the aim is to show how these two mechanisms enable the avoidance of repetition, either by choosing other short words, phrases, and clauses or by removal of words, phrases, and clauses. This study involved samples of fiction and non-fiction texts of English and Albanian language, consisting of two novels and two daily newspapers. The findings of the research indicate that in fiction texts, ellipsis is used more in the Albanian language rather than in English whereas substitution prevails more in English than Albanian. Ellipsis is used more in the Albanian language rather than in English in non-fiction texts too. Nevertheless, the frequency of substitution seems to be the same in both languages with a total of 4 items in English and 3 items in Albanian.

Sensation seeking scale - results of a teacher research.

The study presented here and its results form part of the research among the students of the Faculty of Teacher Education of J. Selye University, which focuses on the study of the causes and background of a dropout. Data collection is performed partly by standardized tests, questionnaires, and partly by self-developed tests. What has been achieved and received so far is pointing out students ’fears and expectations about university life. In the 2019/2020 academic year, we expanded our measurement tools with the Sensation Seeking Scale. A total of 161 teacher candidates were enrolled in this study (full-time 117, 44 correspondents). The questionnaire analyzes the student opinions in 4 dimensions: 1) Thrill and Adventure seeking (SSS-TAS) - searching for fast and dangerous sports, activities, 2) Experience seeking (SSS-ES) - longing for a new, non-conforming lifestyle with senses or unique vitality, 3) Disinhibition (SSS-DIS) - in which the strongest factor is a dive into drug and sex adventures, and 4) Boredom Susceptibility (SSS-BS) - avoidance of repetition, routine and dull people, intolerance of the tension of invariance. In the present study, we focus on: 1. which dimensions belong to the most common search for experiences among students, and 2. whether there are outstanding differences in relation to each dimension. We do this in order to obtain additional information about the students ’personality profile, values, needs, expectations, and to achieve our objectives outlined above.

Talking to the Dead in the Classroom: How a Supposedly Psychic Event Impacts Beliefs and Feelings.

Paranormal beliefs (PBs) are common in adults. There are numerous psychological correlates of PBs and associated theories, yet, we do not know whether such correlates reinforce or result from PBs. To understand causality, we developed an experimental design in which participants experience supposedly paranormal events. Thus, we can test an event's impact on PBs and PB-associated correlates. Here, 419 naïve students saw a performer making contact with a confederate's deceased kin. We tested participants' opinions and feelings about this performance, and whether these predicted how participants explain the performance. We assessed participants' PBs and repetition avoidance (PB related cognitive correlate) before and after the performance. Afterwards, participants rated explanations of the event and described their opinions and feelings (open-ended question). Overall, 65% of participants reported having witnessed a genuine paranormal event. The open-ended question revealed distinct opinion and affect groups, with reactions commonly characterized by doubt and mixed feelings. Importantly, paranormal explanations were more likely when participants reported their feelings than when not reported. Beyond these results, we replicated that 1) higher pre-existing PBs were associated with more psychic explanations (confirmation bias), and 2) PBs and repetition avoidance did not change from before to after the performance. Yet, PBs reminiscent of the actual performance (spiritualism) increased. Results showed that young adults easily endorse PBs and paranormal explanations for events, and that their affective reactions matter. Future studies should use participants' subjective experiences to target PBs in causal designs (e.g., adding control conditions).

Unusual Presentation of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Masquerading Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is defined as increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) opening pressure and abnormal fundoscopy when other causes of increased intracranial pressure are ruled out. We present a patient with a primary diagnosis of IIH who had undergone a lumboperitoneal shunt. Later she was treated with shunt revision, anti-tuberculosis drugs, and intravenous immunoglobulin. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was diagnosed after bone marrow biopsy. The initial response to chemotherapy was promising. Careful history taking, avoidance of unnecessary repetition of diagnostic procedures, avoidance of a tunneled vision, and a strong clinical suspicion is important to see the hidden causes underlying a difficult case of pseudotumor cerebri. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia and carcinomatous meningitis should be sought in IIH patients with abnormal presentation and unusual response to the known treatments.

People also avoid repetition in sentence comprehension: Evidence from multiple postposition constructions in Korean

Abstract Repetition avoidance, one characteristic of human cognition, affects human behaviour to a great extent. The present study aims to extend the understanding of repetition avoidance to sentence comprehension in Korean, a language typologically different from the major languages that have been investigated for this issue. I measured the degree of acceptability and reaction times for two types of multiple postposition constructions in Korean, each of which has two grammatical patterns involving postposition alternations (dative-accusative and accusative-accusative for the dative construction; topic-nominative and nominative-nominative for the double subject construction). Results showed that the patterns involving repetition of postpositions were dispreferred over those without the repetition, and that by-pattern reaction times within each construction type were modulated by the postposition types repeated in the patterns. The findings of this study support the role of repetition avoidance for sentence comprehension in Korean (and perhaps beyond), and suggest an interplay between a domain-general factor (repetition avoidance) and language-specific knowledge (postpositions).

Neural mechanisms of persistent avoidance in OCD: A novel avoidance devaluation study

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by repetitive avoidance behavior which is distressing and associated with marked impairment of everyday life. Recently, paradigms have been designed to explore the hypothesis that avoidance behavior in OCD is consistent with a formal conception of habit. Such studies have involved a devaluation paradigm, in which the value of a previously rewarded cue is altered so that avoidance is no longer necessary. We employed a rule-based avoidance task which included a devaluation, examining behavioral performance on the task and their neural correlates using functional MRI in groups of participants with OCD (n = 44) and healthy control participants (n = 46). Neuroimaging data were analyzed using a general linear model (GLM), modelling valued, devalued and control cues, as well as feedback events. First, while no overall effect of OCD was seen on devaluation performance, patients with longer illness duration showed poorer devaluation performance (χ2 = 13.84, p < 0.001). Reduced devaluation was related to impaired learning on the overtraining phase of the task, and to enhanced feedback activation in the caudate and parietal lobe during within-scanner retraining (T = 5.52, p_FWE = 0.003), across all participants. Second, a significant interaction effect was observed in the premotor cortex (F = 29.03, p_FWE = 0.007) coupled to the devalued cue. Activations were divergent in participants with OCD (lower activation) and healthy controls (higher activation) who did not change responding to the devalued cue following devaluation, and intermediate in participants who did change responding (T = 5.39, p_FWE = 0.003). Finally, consistent with previous work, medial orbitofrontal cortex activation coupled to valued cues was reduced in OCD compared to controls (T = 3.49, p_FWE = 0.009). The findings are discussed in terms of a prediction error-based model of goal-directed and habitual control: specifically, how goal-directed control might be diminished in OCD in favor of habits. They suggest that illness duration might be significant determinant of variation in impaired goal-directed learning in OCD, and be a factor relevant for understanding discrepancies across studies. Overall, the study shows the potential of conceptual replication attempts to provide complementary insights into compulsive behavior and its associated neural circuitry in OCD.

Repetition avoidance in products of factors

We consider a variation on a classical avoidance problem from combinatorics on words that has been introduced by Mousavi and Shallit at DLT 2013. Let pexpi(w) be the supremum of the exponent over the products (concatenation) of i factors of the word w. The repetition threshold ▪ is then the infimum of pexpi(w) over all words w∈Σkω. Mousavi and Shallit obtained that ▪ and ▪. We show that ▪ if i is even and ▪ if i is odd and i⩾3.

The Irish Banking Crisis (2008–2016)

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a vision for leadership in business, banking, and politics based on a recovery of virtue. It draws principally on the works of the classical philosophers Aristotle (384–322 BCE) and Plato (c. 427–347 BCE) in line with the contemporary resurgence of Aristotle associated with Alasdair MacIntyre and others. In the context of an ethical analysis of the Irish banking crisis (2008-2016), the paper will show how virtue ethics can contribute to the avoidance of a repetition of the disastrous financial crisis of 2008 in Ireland and globally. It proposes a holistic approach that integrates virtue and culture, ethics and governance.

Magic Performances - When Explained in Psychic Terms by University Students.

Paranormal beliefs (PBs), such as the belief in the soul, or in extrasensory perception, are common in the general population. While there is information regarding what these beliefs correlate with (e.g., cognitive biases, personality styles), there is little information regarding the causal direction between these beliefs and their correlates. To investigate the formation of beliefs, we use an experimental design, in which PBs and belief-associated cognitive biases are assessed before and after a central event: a magic performance (see also Mohr et al., 2018). In the current paper, we report a series of studies investigating the “paranormal potential” of magic performances (Study 1, N = 49; Study 2, N = 89; Study 3, N = 123). We investigated (i) which magic performances resulted in paranormal explanations, and (ii) whether PBs and a belief-associated cognitive bias (i.e., repetition avoidance) became enhanced after the performance. Repetition avoidance was assessed using a random number generation task. After the performance, participants rated to what extent the magic performance could be explained in psychic (paranormal), conjuring, or religious terms. We found that conjuring explanations were negatively associated with religious and psychic explanations, whereas religious and psychic explanations were positively associated. Enhanced repetition avoidance correlated with higher PBs ahead of the performance. We also observed a significant increase in psychic explanations and a drop in conjuring explanations when performances involved powerful psychic routines (e.g., the performer contacted the dead). While the experimentally induced enhancement of psychic explanations is promising, future studies should account for potential variables that might explain absent framing and before–after effects (e.g., emotion, attention). Such effects are essential to understand the formation and manipulation of belief.

Magical Potential: Why Magic Performances Should be Used to Explore the Psychological Factors Contributing to Human Belief Formation.

Beliefs in supernatural entities are integral parts of both our culturally embedded religions and more individualized magical belief systems (e.g., paranormal beliefs, spirituality). Scholars regularly link the occurrence of beliefs to individuals' cognitive and affective ways of informationprocessing. For magical beliefs in particular, we expect children to endorse them. When reaching adulthood, however, individuals should have abandoned magical beliefs, and become pragmatic, sceptical, critical and rational thinkers. The reality is, a large proportion of the adult population can be described as magical thinkers, or report having had magical experiences, even in the recent past. Moreover, psychological research in adults shows a large range of magical beliefs, which correlate with particular psychological processing biases (e.g., repetition avoidance, seeing signal in noise). Unfortunately, these correlational studies do not tell us whether such psychological processing biases precede magical beliefs or whether they result from these magical beliefs. Knowing the direction of such relationships is key to understand which psychological biases might contribute to adult belief formation (or the persistence of beliefs from childhood). To test such causal relationships, we started to systematically apply an experimental approach in which people are exposed to anomalous events. Such a central event allows before-after comparisons of psychological biases. First empirical results confirmed that the use of magic performances, particularly when of paranormal nature, results in an important amount of paranormal explanations. Pre-existing beliefs enhanced this explanation bias. These results show how easily naïve observers can be "tricked" into unsubstantiated beliefs.

Investigating the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation in the development of adolescent emotional problems

Previous research has indicated that cognitive emotion regulation strategies contribute to the development and maintenance of emotional problems in adults and adolescents. However, there is a lack of longitudinal research with adolescent samples, hence knowledge of exactly how these strategies influence the development of emotional problems in adolescence is sparse. This study investigated maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation (cognitive avoidance and repetitive negative thinking) as a potential mediator in the development of anxiety and depressed mood over time in adolescence. Self-reported depressed mood, anxiety, and cognitive emotion regulation strategies were assessed during school hours in a sample of Swedish 10th graders (N = 149; 53% girls), with follow-up assessments one and two years later. Repetitive negative thinking and cognitive avoidance formed a unidimensional factor of cognitive emotion regulation. Cognitive emotion regulation was found to mediate the development of both anxiety and depressed mood over time, lending support to the previous findings that cognitive emotion regulation strategies such as cognitive avoidance and repetitive negative thinking might act as transdiagnostic mechanisms in the development of emotional symptoms in adolescence. This suggests that maladaptive forms of cognitive emotion regulation could be important targets in prevention and treatment of emotional problems in adolescence.

Relative relationships of general shame and body shame with body dysmorphic phenomenology and psychosocial outcomes

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is characterized by a preoccupation with a perceived flaw in appearance and repetitive avoidance behaviors. BDD involves severe psychosocial outcomes (e.g., depression, suicidality, functional impairment). Identifying correlates of BDD symptoms and outcomes can inform treatment. Shame, a painful emotion felt in response to critical self-judgment, may be one key correlate. However, research on shame in BDD is scarce and previous studies have not distinguished general shame from body shame. This study examines the relative relationships between body shame and general shame with body dysmorphic phenomenology and psychosocial outcomes. Participants (N =184) were recruited online via BDD organizations and completed a survey. Path analysis was used to examine associations between body and general shame with 1) body dysmorphic phenomenology and 2) depression severity, suicide risk, and functional impairment. Both types of shame were differentially related to outcomes. Body shame was more strongly related to phenomenology, whereas general shame was more strongly related to psychosocial outcomes. Thus, it may be important for BDD treatment to focus on reducing both general and body shame. Further research should evaluate whether current treatments adequately address and reduce general and body shame, and whether addressing shame promotes better treatment outcomes.

“Qu” (去) and Formula of Time in Epitaph, and Avoidance of Rhetoric Repetition

“Qu” (去) and Formula of Time in Epitaph, and Avoidance of Rhetoric Repetition

Joint Cognition: Thought Contagion and the Consequences of Cooperation when Sharing the Task of Random Sequence Generation.

Generating random number sequences is a popular psychological task often used to measure executive functioning. We explore random generation under “joint cognition” instructions; pairs of participants take turns to compile a shared response sequence. Across three studies, we point to six key findings from this novel format. First, there are both costs and benefits from group performance. Second, repetition avoidance occurs in dyadic as well as individual production settings. Third, individuals modify their choices in a dyadic situation such that the pair becomes the unit of psychological function. Fourth, there is immediate contagion of sequence stereotypy amongst the pairs (i.e., each contributor “owns” their partner’s response). Fifth, dyad effects occur even when participants know their partner is not interacting with them (Experiment 2). Sixth, ironically, directing participants’ efforts away from their shared task responsibility can actually benefit conjoint performance (Experiment 3). These results both constrain models of random generation and illuminate processes of joint cognition.

Random Number Generation and Executive Functions in Parkinson's Disease: An Event-Related Brain Potential Study.

The generation of random sequences is considered to tax executive functions and has been reported to be impaired in Parkinson's disease (PD) previously. To assess the neurophysiological markers of random number generation in PD. Event-related potentials (ERP) were recorded in 12 PD patients and 12 age-matched normal controls (NC) while either engaging in random number generation (RNG) by pressing the number keys on a computer keyboard in a random sequence or in ordered number generation (ONG) necessitating key presses in the canonical order. Key presses were paced by an external auditory stimulus at a rate of 1 tone every 1800 ms. As a secondary task subjects had to monitor the tone-sequence for a particular target tone to which the number "0" key had to be pressed. This target tone occurred randomly and infrequently, thus creating a secondary oddball task. Behaviorally, PD patients showed an increased tendency to count in steps of one as well as a tendency towards repetition avoidance. Electrophysiologically, the amplitude of the P3 component of the ERP to the target tone of the secondary task was reduced during RNG in PD but not in NC. The behavioral findings indicate less random behavior in PD while the ERP findings suggest that this impairment comes about, because attentional resources are depleted in PD.