The rapid integration of ChatGPT into English language classrooms has introduced a troubling pedagogical shift in which learners increasingly outsource cognitive effort to artificial intelligence, bypassing processes of intellectual struggle, retention, and independent language development. This article critically examines how generative artificial intelligence, while often celebrated for accessibility and linguistic support, can foster learner dependency and undermine the development of sustained cognitive engagement. Drawing on extended classroom observations and reflective teaching practice within a United Arab Emirates higher education context, the study identifies recurring patterns of disengagement, superficial linguistic understanding, and a growing reluctance to grapple with language complexity. These behaviors are conceptualized through the notion of the Brat Brain, a metaphor used to describe a learner mindset that resists effort and critical thinking, demands instant solutions, and privileges convenience over intellectual growth. Rather than asking how to improve their writing or speaking, students increasingly question why such effort is necessary when artificial intelligence can produce faster and seemingly superior outputs. Reframing artificial intelligence use through the good, the bad, and the (educationally) evil, the article offers a critical lens for evaluating both the affordances and the unintended consequences of artificial fluency in language education. The study’s significance lies in its contribution to current debates on artificial intelligence in education by highlighting the pedagogical risks of uncritical adoption and arguing for a recalibration of instructional practices grounded in critical digital literacy, intellectual responsibility, and human-centered learning.

BackgroundOverdose fatality review (OFR) is a public health process in which cases of fatal overdose are carefully reviewed to identify prevention strategies. Current OFR requires review of multiple unconnected data sources, which is a manually intensive process. The Substance Misuse Data Commons (SMDC) was created to link electronic health record data with data from local and state agencies into a single, cloud-based e-platform but does not currently have a data visualization tool.ObjectiveWe aimed to use human factors design principles to develop a comprehensive dashboard for the SMDC that could facilitate enhanced processes to support OFR.MethodsWe first surveyed OFR leaders in Wisconsin using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index to understand the cognitive workload of 3 tasks: (1) analysis of population-level overdose trends, (2) selection and preparation of individual cases for review, and (3) abstraction of data from individual causes. We then conducted semistructured interviews to identify targets for workflow optimization. Next, we developed a prototype dashboard for evaluation using a synthetic dataset built with GPT-4. We subsequently performed iterative design sessions with heuristic evaluations and collected end-user feedback on the final prototype via a second round of semistructured interviews and targeted surveys, including the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the Perceived Usefulness Questionnaire.ResultsThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index revealed a moderately high mental workload with the current workflow for all 3 tasks, with mean scores of 12.60 (SD 3.31), 11.90 (SD 3.57), and 12.43 (SD 5.41) for tasks 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Interviews pointed to causes including technological challenges and a reliance on manual processes. The prototype dashboard addressed these concerns by integrating multiple data sources to generate population-level visualizations and patient-level event timelines. End users reported the potential for improved efficiency and data accessibility compared to antecedent processes. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology results indicated the dashboard would likely be adopted if made available, with a mean of 4.07 out of 5.00 (SD 0.65). The Perceived Usefulness Questionnaire results suggested moderate usefulness for both the aggregate and individual-level data, with means of 3.61 (SD 0.82) and 3.64 (SD 0.85) out of 5.00, respectively.ConclusionsOFR is a data-intensive process that traditionally demands substantial cognitive and manual effort, and there are multiple barriers to efficiently collecting data and presenting them for review. The dashboard offers a user-centered, informatics-based approach to streamline data aggregation and presentation, potentially enhancing the efficiency of case reviews. Implementing a dashboard that consolidates and visualizes disparate data sources has the potential to alleviate the manual workload in OFR. Ultimately, our aim is to deliver a finalized data dashboard with real-world SMDC data, giving OFR leaders additional tools to aid in their rigorous work shaping interventions to reduce overdose fatalities.

Cognitive effort (i.e., the mobilization of mental resources for task performance) is essential to equality of opportunity and meritocracy because it epitomizes individual agency. However, sociological theories of social inequality in effort are scarce and partial, and available empirical measures of effort are unreliable and lack validity. We fill this lacuna by (1) elaborating a theoretical account of how socioeconomic status (SES) affects children’s cognitive effort, (2) developing a novel research design for measuring effort using simple-yet-demanding behavioral tasks and varying incentive conditions, and (3) presenting evidence based on this laboratory design featuring 1,360 5th-grade students. We theorize that greater material abundance and lower environmental threat reduce the subjective costs of exerting effort for higher-SES children, and that parental socialization emphasizing autonomy gives them more intrinsic motivation compared to lower-SES children. Conversely, we posit that the effort of lower-SES children is more susceptible to material and status rewards. Supporting our expectations, we find that social origin effects on effort are largest when incentives are absent, yet decrease notably when material incentives are introduced. Albeit surprisingly modest and malleable, social origin effects on effort challenge voluntaristic notions of individual agency. Crucially though, providing tangible performance rewards can significantly narrow socioeconomic disparities in effort.

This study explored learners’ engagement and performance in Science Investigatory Projects (SIPs) in the District of Antique during 2025. Using a descriptive-correlational design, the study examined behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement in SIP activities and analyzed how engagement relates to performance outcomes. A total of 82 learners who participated in SIPs as part of their science curriculum served as respondents. Data were collected through a validated, researcher-developed questionnaire assessing participation, interest, critical thinking, project quality, and academic performance. Descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, weighted mean, and standard deviation, were used to measure engagement and performance, while Pearson Product-Moment Correlation assessed the relationship between the two variables at a 0.05 significance level. Results showed that learners’ engagement was generally high, with behavioral engagement leading, followed by emotional and cognitive dimensions. Learners’ performance in SIPs ranged from satisfactory to high, with most achieving grades in the proficient range. A significant positive relationship was observed between engagement and performance, indicating that greater involvement corresponds with improved outcomes in investigatory projects. The study concludes that active participation, interest, and cognitive effort significantly enhance the quality and success of SIPs. It is recommended that science teachers implement strategies that strengthen engagement, provide adequate support and resources, and monitor progress to optimize learners’ performance.

The exploration-exploitation tradeoff describes the cognitive balance between exploring novel options and exploiting known strategies to optimize decision-making. The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system has been implicated in regulating this tradeoff, with phasic and tonic LC activity linked to exploitation and exploration, respectively. Pupillometry provides a noninvasive measure of LC activity, with pretrial pupil size reflecting tonic activity and task-evoked pupil responses indicating phasic activity. In this study, we investigated how pupillary dynamics track transitions between exploration and exploitation in a novel cognitive paradigm, the Complex Card Matching Task (CCMT). The CCMT was designed to elicit clear exploratory and exploitative behaviors while incorporating two difficulty levels to assess task-related cognitive demands. Our findings showed that exploration was consistently associated with larger pupil size than exploitation in both pretrial and task-evoked periods, suggesting heightened LC-NE activity during uncertain decision-making. Importantly, task difficulty moderated these effects during exploitation, with larger pupils observed in the Hard condition, reflecting the increased cognitive effort required to maintain complex rules to make a decision. By contrast, exploration was unaffected by difficulty, indicating a stable arousal signature of rule discovery across task demands. The pupil dynamics observed in the exploration-exploitation tradeoff highlight the complexity of this process, suggesting that while exploration involves a consistent baseline of elevated arousal, exploitation is more sensitive to task difficulty. The CCMT provided a clear distinction between exploration and exploitation, reinforcing its value for investigating cognitive flexibility and decision-making processes. Our findings contribute to understanding the neural and physiological mechanisms underlying the exploration-exploitation tradeoff.

Current market trends, such as the adoption of omnichannel strategies and rising customer expectations, have introduced challenges in warehouse operations. While automation has improved efficiency, the human factor remains critical, particularly in order-picking, which demands physical and cognitive effort. In line with the Warehouse 5.0 paradigm, this study combines performance and worker perspectives, investigating how picking policies shape operator cognitive load and operational outcomes. An experimental methodology was adopted, involving a laboratory simulation of picking tasks under two policies, i.e. single order and batch order-picking. Cognitive load was assessed through a multidimensional approach combining physiological measures (EEG-based attention level, arousal level) and self-reported perceived mental demand. Results show that batch strategy, compared to single order-picking, presents productivity advantages (19.5%), while increasing perceived mental demand (26.4%), level of attention (10.9% in males), and error rate (105.0%), with all effects statistically significant. The mediating role of human factor (specifically, cognitive dimension) and the moderating role of individual worker characteristics (e.g. gender) in the relationship between picking policies and performances are highlighted. The quantitative evidence obtained from controlled experiments on how the interplay of picking policy and cognitive load affects individual and system performance offers actionable insights to advance human-centric decision-making processes.

Test anxiety spares behavioral performance but alters ERP response in working memory updating.

Noise perception and cognitive effort in the simulated reverberant and quiet environment of the New Central Civic Library of Torino

ABSTRACTEmetophobia is a specific phobia characterized by an intense fear of vomiting, often accompanied by panic attacks, hypervigilance to bodily sensations, and avoidance behaviors. This case study describes the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)‐based treatment of a 24‐year old woman with Emetophobia and comorbid panic disorder. Her symptoms caused significant impairment, leading her to avoid social settings, public spaces, and situations linked to vomiting (e.g., dining out, public transport, certain media content). Treatment followed a structured CBT protocol for specific phobias, including psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, exposure therapy, response prevention and attention‐shifting techniques. A novel feature of the intervention was the inclusion of brief, spoken interactions in English with a speech‐based artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT. As English was not the client's first language, these interactions required increased cognitive effort, serving as a structured external distraction that facilitated habituation by helping her remain in anxiety‐provoking situations without relying on safety behaviors. Treatment progress was tracked using validated self‐report measures including the Specific Phobia of Vomiting Inventory, the Emetophobia Questionnaire‐13 and Panic Disorder Severity Scale. Substantial symptom reduction was observed across domains, with improvements maintained at one‐year follow‐up. By the end of therapy, the client no longer depended on safety behaviors and demonstrated greater tolerance for bodily sensations and uncertainty. This case highlights the potential of CBT for treating Emetophobia and suggests that the integration of artificial intelligence, when applied with clear clinical rationale, may improve attentional flexibility and enhance treatment engagement.

Brain fog was first described in the 1850s as a form of mental fatigue, particularly observed among individuals engaged in occupations requiring intensive cognitive effort. The present study aims to examine the occurrence of brain fog among healthcare professionals—who are required to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and make critical decisions—and to identify contributing factors through a review of the current literature. Accordingly, a traditional literature review was conducted by retrieving articles published between 2019 and 2025 from the PubMed database using the keywords “brain fog”, “cognitive impairment” and “mental fatigue”. Brain fog is characterized by forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, impaired multitasking ability, and diminished cognitive functioning. Healthcare professionals constitute one of the occupational groups most frequently exposed to brain fog. Physicians, nurses, and other healthcare personnel are subjected to various stressors and adverse working conditions that may precipitate brain fog, including time pressure, uncertainty in patient treatment and care processes, extended working hours and insufficient nutrition. Given that healthcare professionals are responsible for improving and maintaining individual health and quality of life, the experience of brain fog within this group poses risks to patient safety due to the cognitive symptoms it entails. Examining brain fog and its associated factors among healthcare professionals is essential for implementing preventive strategies, enhancing the quality of patient care, minimizing errors during clinical practice, and improving job satisfaction and quality of life among healthcare personnel. Furthermore, investigations may provide a foundation for developing evidence-based strategies to mitigate brain fog in healthcare settings.

Neuroscience meets food choice: Implicit and explicit consumer responses to plant-based vs animal-based foods

Machine translation post-editing is becoming an increasingly important part of the translation process, boosting efficiency. As the primary aim of technology is to reduce human effort, the concept of effort has been widely investigated in this context. This study examines the relationship between expertise and effort in MTPE, addressing the following two questions: (1) To what extent can expertise serve as a valid indicator of cognitive, temporal, and technical/linguistic effort in MTPE? (2) What is the relationship between expertise, objective and self-reported effort, and post-editing accuracy? A mixed-methods experiment was conducted with 21 participants divided into three groups: experienced translators, inexperienced translators, and field experts. They were asked to post-edit three legal documents that had been machine-translated from English to Turkish. Their post-editing processes were recorded using keylogging software (Translog-II), which measured total task duration, mean pause duration, total pause duration, pause percentage, pauses per word, text production and elimination, and user and production events per minute. Post-editing accuracy, self-reports and retrospective think-aloud records were also collected. The findings revealed that experienced translators exerted higher cognitive and temporal effort than inexperienced translators, as well as higher technical and linguistic effort than inexperienced translators and field experts combined.

This qualitative study examines the complexities of forgiveness among older Indian adults residing in shelter homes. Using a qualitative design, 18 older adults (10 males and 8 females) with varied educational levels (6 graduates, 10 with higher secondary education, and 2 with secondary education) were recruited through purposive sampling. They responded to semi-structured interview questions. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using the thematic analysis method. The thematic analysis revealed seven key themes: the multifaceted nature of forgiveness, the role of severe transgressions, negative cognitions and lack of support, guilt and frequent negative emotional experiences, hindering behaviour patterns, fear of losing respect, and strong adherence to desirable social and religious values in guiding forgiveness practices. Serious offences require significant cognitive and emotional effort, with the nature of the relationship with the perpetrator and their intentions playing crucial roles. Emotional wounds from severe transgressions often create complex barriers to forgiveness, exacerbated by negative cognitions and inadequate support. Loneliness and perceived vulnerability further complicate forgiveness, while ingrained maladaptive behavioural patterns and the fear of losing social respect also impact forgiveness decisions. Strong adherence to social norms and religious beliefs emerged as guiding forces in navigating forgiveness. Encouraging emotional support programmes, cognitive reframing, and community engagement may foster forgiveness among institutionalised older adults. The findings offer a significant understanding of forgiveness in this unique context, emphasising the interplay of cognitive, emotional, social, and cultural factors.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility and impact of remote consecutive, in-person consecutive, and in-person simultaneous interpreter modalities on clinical workflow, patient experience, and provider experience in a multidisciplinary pediatric craniofacial clinic.DesignMixed-methods study incorporating quantitative clinical workflow and patient survey data with qualitative semi-structured interviews.SettingSingle-site multidisciplinary pediatric craniofacial clinic at an academic medical center.Patients, ParticipantsA total of 170 patients were seen during the study period: 126 (74.1%) English-speaking (for no interpreter comparison) and 44 (25.9%) Spanish-speaking using interpreter services. A total of 105 (61.8%) patients completed voluntary patient satisfaction surveys. Sixteen craniofacial providers and four Spanish-speaking interpreters participated in interviews.InterventionsLanguage interpretation was provided via three modalities: remote (audio and video) consecutive, in-person consecutive, and in-person simultaneous.Main Outcome Measure(s)Clinic cycle time and face-to-face time; patient satisfaction scores; thematic analysis of provider and interpreter interviews.ResultsClinic time and satisfaction scores did not differ significantly across modalities. Interviews revealed that in-person interpretation supported rapport, trust, and clarity, while remote interpretation posed technical and relational challenges. Simultaneous interpretation was valued for efficiency but required greater cognitive effort from interpreters. Preferences for in-person consecutive and simultaneous interpretation varied with patient and clinic needs.ConclusionsWhile quantitative outcomes showed minimal workflow differences among interpreter modalities, qualitative findings highlight important communication benefits of in-person interpretation, especially when interpreters are experienced and integrated into the care team. Tailored interpretation approaches may better promote equitable care in multidisciplinary pediatric craniofacial settings.

SummaryExecuting complex movement sequences from memory is crucial for skillful motor actions such as musical performance and sports. While chunking helps memorization during practice, transitions between chunks may become vulnerable during execution. Here, we developed a novel paradigm combining chunked motor sequence memorization with online sensory perturbation to show that perturbations at chunk junctions induced larger errors than those within chunks and increased pupil diameter, reflecting elevated attentional load. Subsequent training focusing on bridging chunk junctions improved performance stability, as evidenced by reduced force variability during perturbation. EEG data further revealed elevated frontal theta power in response to perturbation, indicating greater cognitive effort. Critically, this disruption was reduced after training, suggesting more efficient memory retrieval. Together, these findings underscore the vulnerability of motor sequence retrieval at chunk junctions and highlight the potential of targeted training to stabilize execution and reduce cognitive load.

Cognitive Effort Verbalised in Self-reports: Investigating the Influence of Directionality in Translation

BackgroundVisual short‐term memory binding (VSTMB) requires efficient functional connectivity between cortical regions and is a sensitive behavioral marker of Alzheimer's disease (AD). VSTMB impairments have been detected in individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) who perform normally on standard neuropsychological tests. Research has linked SCD to reduced integrity of the rostral‐middle locus coeruleus (LC), an area that accumulates tau in early preclinical AD. Since the LC plays a crucial role in maintaining cortical efficiency, VSTMB may be similarly associated with LC integrity, particularly among those with SCD.MethodData were from cognitively unimpaired men in the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging (N = 350; mean age=72.9, SD=2.4) who completed a test of VSTMB, an LC‐sensitive MRI scan, and the 39‐item Everyday Cognition (ECog) scale; 274 participants also had informant ECog ratings. The VSTMB task employs a change detection paradigm and compares performance in shape‐color binding (SCB) versus shape‐only (SO) conditions (see Figure 1). Rostral‐middle and caudal LC integrity was calculated as a contrast‐to‐noise ratio (LC‐CNR) using a pontine tegmentum reference region. Mixed models regressed VSTMB accuracy across condition (SO, SCB) and set size (2, 3) within person, while testing main effects and interactions with LC‐CNR and ECog. Models adjusted for age 20 cognitive ability, current age, depressive symptoms, and state anxiety. Sensitivity analyses adjusted for global performance on standard neuropsychological measures.ResultVSTMB accuracy was lower on the SCB than SO condition (b=‐1.08, p = .001), especially at higher set sizes (b=‐1.90, p < .001). Higher participant‐rated, but not informant‐rated, SCD was associated with decreasing accuracy on SCB relative to the SO condition (b=‐.253, p = .007). Lower rostral‐middle, but not caudal, LC‐CNR was associated with poorer SCB accuracy relative to SO condition accuracy (b=7.10, p = .010). Results remained significant after adjusting for global neuropsychological performance.ConclusionSubtle losses in cognitive efficiency detected in cognitively unimpaired older adults on a VSTMB task were associated with SCD and LC integrity, even after accounting for performance on traditional neuropsychological tests. Given its role in modulating cortical efficiency through cognitive effort, reduced LC integrity may be associated with SCD when capacity for increasing compensatory effort to perform tasks is exceeded.

This study explored the relationship between Psychological Capital (PsyCap) and Work Engagement, with Work Demand as a mediating variable, among HR professionals in the BPO industry in NCR. Using the JD-R Theory, the study aimed to assess how PsyCap relates to employee engagement and how work demands may affect this dynamic. A quantitative, correlational research design was employed, using a validated survey instrument distributed to purposively selected HR professionals with at least one year of experience in BPO companies within NCR. Data were analyzed using linear regression and mediation analysis. Findings revealed no significant relationship between PsyCap and Work Engagement (p = .336), PsyCap and Work Demand (p = .574), and Work Demand and Work Engagement (p = .298). Furthermore, work demand did not mediate the relationship between PsyCap and Work Engagement. Descriptive statistics showed that most respondents experienced high levels of work demand, particularly cognitive load, emotional effort, and time pressure. Despite the non-significant relationships, the consistently high levels of work demand underscore the need to address stress, burnout, and workload management among HR professionals. The findings suggest that while PsyCap is a valuable psychological asset, its effect may be diminished in environments with excessive work demands. It is recommended that BPO companies implement structured intervention programs that develop PsyCap, promote job crafting, and address workload and emotional strain to foster sustainable engagement. HR departments should integrate mental health support, resilience training, and workload balancing policies to enhance overall workforce well-being and productivity.

A topic that combines many different fields of study is, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). It is concerned with the design, development, and evaluation of systems that allow humans to use computers with the greatest ease. With the rapid improvements in artificial intelligence (AI), the traditional interaction models are evolving into smart, context sensitive, and flexible interfaces that radically change the ease with which humans can use digital systems. Conversational agents, speech-driven systems, e-commerce personalization, and adaptive systems are examples of intelligent interfaces that incorporate computer vision, machine learning, and natural language processing for greater functionality, usability, and personalization. This report focuses on the integration of AI into HCI with the aim of showing how intelligent systems designed in accordance with human-centered principles can improve the interaction and experience of users. The study employs an analytical approach to measure and compare the impacts of AI interaction models vs traditional interfaces by relying on usability studies, reviews of existing literature, and interface evaluations. The study shows that AI interfaces improve user satisfaction, reduce cognitive effort, and ease the completion of tasks by providing on-the-fly assistance and predictive guidance. On the other hand, the report highlights an array of technical issues to do with algorithm bias, privacy, and trust that stand in the way of widespread application of AI in interfaces. This study is focused on getting the right balance between considering the possibility and the constrain of something while trying to place both human value and technical intelligence.

This study explores how differences in web-interface design can generate variations in users’ task performance, cognitive load, and user experience (UX). In the study, a cohort of 32 purposively selected South African university students aged 18–24 was presented with an information-seeking and problem-solving task—calculation of the calories they should consume per day based on their age, gender, height, weight, and activity level—and they were asked to choose among several possible websites/pages to complete the task. A mix of quantitative and qualitative data was collected to explore the participants’ web-interface choices, task performance (speed and success), cognitive load, and UX. The majority of participants (84.4%) selected the most visually rich, interactive, tool-based web interface to complete the task, and these participants completed the task faster, with lower cognitive effort and with higher satisfaction, than the participants who chose a site with a less visually compelling and interactive interface. These findings point to the need for disseminators of educational and public-service information targeted at “digital natives” to prioritise the use of visually rich, interactive, tool-based web interfaces for their online materials.