Cognitive Mechanisms Research Articles

Research on cognitive neural mechanism of consumers convinced by intelligent recommendation platform eavesdropping.

The negative inference that consumers hold 'eavesdropping' views concerning the intelligent recommendation services of digital platforms is fostering their selective exposure to information that aligns with their preferred viewpoints. This, in turn, exacerbates their psychological defense against digital platforms, causing consumers to become more prone to verifying existing beliefs and fostering the polarization of information choices. This phenomenon directly impacts the effectiveness of smart recommendations and the accuracy of digital platforms' predictions of consumer behavior, potentially even adversely affecting brand trust and the long-term stability of platform usage. From the perspectives of self-verification and cognitive closure, this study delves into the influence of 'eavesdropping' inference cues within intelligent recommendation systems on consumers' selective exposure to information and the underlying psychological mechanisms. Experimental findings indicated: (1) Behavioral results showed that consumers who believed in eavesdropping by digital platforms, under conditions of high comprehensibility, were more inclined to selectively engage with consistent information as opposed to inconsistent information. Under conditions of low comprehensibility, however, information consistency had no significant effect on consumers' selective exposure. (2) EEG results revealed that, based on the need for cognitive closure, individuals in the high comprehensibility group, during the self-verification process, exhibited more cognitive conflict and required greater cognitive effort when presented with inconsistent information compared to those in the consistent information group. This, in turn, elicited higher N2 and N450 amplitudes. This study uncovered the psychological mechanism underlying this phenomenon. When consumers developed a skeptical perspective on perceived eavesdropping by digital platforms within intelligent recommendation systems, they promptly engaged in self-verification, driven by the need for cognitive closure. The study's findings offered practical guidance to digital platforms on how to alleviate consumer suspicions when designing intelligent recommendation services, thereby mitigating negative consumer reactions to the perception of 'eavesdropping'. This insight held significant theoretical and practical value at the intersection of digital marketing and psychology.

Cognitive-Functional Approaches to Transgender Language: Understanding Gender through Mental Representations

This study employs cognitive-functional linguistic approaches to examine the mental representations of gender in contemporary transgender literature. By analysing a corpus of transgender narratives, we investigate how cognitive mechanisms such as conceptual metaphors, image schemas, and categorisation processes contribute to the linguistic construction and expression of gender identity. Our findings reveal prevalent conceptual metaphors like ‘gender as a journey’ and ‘identity as a construction,’ which provide insights into the cognitive framing of transgender experiences. Image schemas, particularly those related to containment and transformation, emerge as significant in describing gender transitions. The study also uncovers unique categorisation patterns and prototype effects in gender-related language, reflecting the complex and fluid nature of gender identities. These cognitive-functional patterns not only illuminate the mental representations underlying transgender language but also offer a deeper understanding of how language shapes and is shaped by gender experiences. The research contributes to both transgender studies and cognitive linguistics, demonstrating the potential of this interdisciplinary approach in exploring gender identity through language. Our findings have implications for fostering more inclusive language practices and enhancing communication about gender diversity.

Shape and texture biases in dogs' generalization of trained objects.

Shape bias, the tendency to link the meaning of words to the shape of objects, is a widely investigated phenomenon, but the extent to which it is linked to vocabulary acquisition and/or to tool using is controversial. Understanding how non-human animals generalize the properties of objects can provide insights into the evolutionary processes and cognitive mechanisms that influence this bias. We investigated object generalization in dogs, focusing on their tendency to attend to shape or texture in a two-way choice task. We analyzed data of thirty-five dogs that were successfully trained to discriminate a target object among distractors and retrieve it to their owner. In subsequent testing, dogs chose between objects similar to the target in either shape or texture. Results showed that dogs first approached objects of similar shape, but then predominantly chose objects of similar texture. This suggests a reliance on visual cues for initial assessment and tactile cues for final discrimination. Our findings highlight the influence of perceptual modalities on object generalization in dogs, showing that, before object manipulation, they seem to show a shape bias but, once they make physical contact with the objects, they rather rely on texture to generalize. This study contributes to our understanding of generalization in a non-verbal and non-tool using species and opens avenues for comparative investigations into the relationship between vocabulary acquisition, tool using and biases in object generalization.

Exploring the Cognitive Processes of Preparation for a Spelling Bee Game to Enhance Vocabulary Learning in a Foreign Language

This study investigates the cognitive processes associated with preparation for a spelling bee game to enhance vocabulary learning in a foreign language. It draws upon the Information Processing Theory, which involves attention, perception, and memory processes. During their freshman year of college in the Department of English, a group of 30 Saudi learners, at the same level of English, ranging in age from 18 to 20 years old, were provided with a weekly set of words to memorize as part of their Reading Course. Following twelve weeks of practice, memorization, and oral performance, a spelling bee was organized for the ten students who achieved the highest scores in the spelling tests. Subsequently, individual interviews were conducted with each of the ten participants in order to understand the cognitive mechanisms underlying their preparation and memorization for the event. The study's findings reveal that most participants in the spelling bee game actively engage in key stages of information processing, including encoding, storing, and retrieving information. Additionally, learners were observed to evolve from merely acquiring factual vocabulary knowledge to applying it practically through repeated practice and memorization for the spelling bee. By engaging multiple senses—such as visual and auditory perception—alongside verbal memory, most participants develop the procedural knowledge needed to spell words accurately and effortlessly, effectively transferring words from short-term to long-term memory.

Two paths of news frames affecting support for particulate matter policies in South Korea: The moderating roles of media exposure and psychological distance.

This study examined the paths through which the news frames of particulate matter (PM) influence support for governmental policies aiming to address PM. It also explored the mediating effects of anxiety and risk perception in the relationship between news frames and policy support, as well as the moderating effects of media exposure and psychological distance on the PM news framing effect. Based on an experimental design (N=676), two groups of news frames were prepared for comparison: a narrative frame group and a numerical frame group. The results showed no significant differences in anxiety or risk perception between the two groups. Further, no significant mediating effects of anxiety or risk perception were found in the process through which PM news frames influence support for governmental policies. However, media exposure significantly moderated the effect of the narrative frame: With high (low) media exposure, the narrative frame positively (negatively) influenced policy support through risk perception. Moreover, when the level of psychological distance was low, the narrative frame positively influenced policy support through risk perception. This study contributes to the literature on news framing of PM by integrating cognitive and emotional mechanisms in forming policy attitudes.

Multisensory Integration in Lexical Processing: Predicting Word Recognition Through Cross-Modal Capability

The integration of multisensory in lexical processing has garnered significant interest in cognitive linguistics and psycholinguistics. This study investigates the predictive power of cross-modal capability (CMC) on word recognition, focusing on how sensory integration influences cognitive processing and lexical decision-making. By collecting five-sense ratings for synesthetic adjectives, we computed the cross-modal capability for each word. We then conducted regression analyses to examine the relationship between these indices and reaction time in lexical decision tasks. Our findings reveal that words with higher cross-modal capabilities, as measured by CMC, are recognized and processed more quickly. This superior predictive power of CMC underscores the importance of sensory associations in lexical processing and highlights the need for comprehensive indices that account for multiple sensory inputs. These results provide deeper insights into the cognitive mechanisms underlying word recognition and processing speed, suggesting that CMC is a better independent variable for partially predict lexical cognition and recognition. This research contributes to our understanding of multisensory integration in lexical processing and has implications for models of word recognition and cognitive linguistics.

Approximate planning in spatial search.

How people plan is an active area of research in cognitive science, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. However, tasks traditionally used to study planning in the laboratory tend to be constrained to artificial environments, such as Chess and bandit problems. To date there is still no agreed-on model of how people plan in realistic contexts, such as navigation and search, where values intuitively derive from interactions between perception and cognition. To address this gap and move towards a more naturalistic study of planning, we present a novel spatial Maze Search Task (MST) where the costs and rewards are physically situated as distances and locations. We used this task in two behavioral experiments to evaluate and contrast multiple distinct computational models of planning, including optimal expected utility planning, several one-step heuristics inspired by studies of information search, and a family of planners that deviate from optimal planning, in which action values are estimated by the interactions between perception and cognition. We found that people's deviations from optimal expected utility are best explained by planners with a limited horizon, however our results do not exclude the possibility that in human planning action values may be also affected by cognitive mechanisms of numerosity and probability perception. This result makes a novel theoretical contribution in showing that limited planning horizon generalizes to spatial planning, and demonstrates the value of our multi-model approach for understanding cognition.

Imitative inhibitory control is associated with psychotic experiences in a sample from the general population

Psychotic experiences (PE) are prevalent and associated with several negative mental health outcomes in both clinical and general population, particularly in young people. A promising avenue to understand the mechanisms underlying PE is to investigate functions that may be related to specific neural systems. One of these key cognitive mechanisms is the ability to control our imitative responses, which is strongly linked to an adequate social functioning. Emergent evidence suggests that impairments in this function might be involved in the early expressions of psychosis, but few studies have investigated its association with PE in a sample from the general population. Using an imitation-inhibition paradigm we examined this relationship in a community sample of young healthy individuals (N=204) and found that increased levels of PE levels were associated with lower imitative inhibitory control. These effects seem to be specific to imitation-inhibition as no correlation was found for a more general cognitive control as addressed by a Stroop-like task. In addition, these effects seem to be more evident for paranoid ideations. Overall, our results suggest that imitative inhibitory control can serve as a proxy to detect abnormalities associated with psychotic experiences.

Sequence Generation and Evaluation: A Novel Assessment of Musical Creativity

ABSTRACT Music is often considered an important domain for creativity. Traditional studies of musical creativity have examined musical improvisation using jazz as a model. While this approach has yielded many valuable insights about creativity’s cognitive and neural mechanisms, it has limited the study sample to those with the means to engage in improvisation within one specific Western style. Here, we introduce a novel tool for assessing musical creativity in the broader sample of individuals with no specialized training. In two experiments (n = 165) we show that this sequencer can be used in people with minimal training to generate a database of sequences composed at the Bohlen-Pierce scale and to evaluate them for creativity. Results show that creativity ratings are predicted by length of melodies, number of distinct pitches used, and information content of pitch intervals. Results also show some external validity with existing creativity tasks. We advocate the use of this sequencer in creativity research, as it provides a theoretically motivated, rigorous tool to examine the iterative process of producing and evaluating musical creativity.

Carrying Ostracism Overnight: The Cognitive Mechanism Underlying the Effect of Daily Workplace Ostracism on Next-Day Work Engagement.

Integrating cognitive appraisal theory of stress and attachment theory, the current study explored the influence of daily workplace ostracism on employee short-term work engagement and examined the mediating role of negative work reflection and the moderating effects of employee attachment styles (i.e., attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety). To test the theoretical model, we employed an experience sampling method to collect daily diary data over 10 consecutive workdays, resulting in a final sample of 834 observations drawn from 133 participants. Results of multilevel path analysis indicated that daily workplace ostracism was negatively related to employee next-day work engagement through negative work reflection at night. In addition, we found that employee attachment avoidance not only moderated the within-person relationship between daily workplace ostracism and negative work reflection at night but also alleviated the indirect effect of daily workplace ostracism on next-day work engagement via negative work reflection at night. Taken together, our study contributed by unfolding the dynamic cognitive appraisal process of workplace ostracism and identifying the significant role of attachment avoidance in shaping employees' cognitive reactions to daily workplace ostracism.

Sex Differences in the Neurobiology of Fear and Anxiety.

Although women are diagnosed with anxiety and stress-related disorders at twice the rate of men, there remains a lack of clarity around how to enhance treatment within each sex to reduce disparate rates of anxiety. However, in recent years, a growing literature has identified neural, cognitive, and physiological mechanisms that contribute to sex differences in fear and anxiety, with the promise of informing tailored treatment approaches. Here, we review recent findings, focusing on human studies among healthy populations as well as among patients with generalized anxiety, social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and panic disorder. The literature reveals nuanced differences in the types of stimuli that preferentially evoke anxiety and stress responses in women and men, as well as sex differences in threat neurocircuitry that mediates the behavioral, physiological, and subjective components of fear and anxiety.

Dysgraphia and Memory: Insights into the Cognitive Mechanisms, Neural Correlates, and Intervention Strategies.

Studies regarding dysgraphia, an impairment in writing, have been receiving more attention in recent research. Most studies have broadly discussed the multiple cognitive mechanisms involved in writing and its disruption leading to dysgraphia. However, little attention has been paid to the involvement of different memory systems integral to writing and its disruption in individuals with dysgraphia. Orthographic long-term memory and orthographic working memory are the two memory systems predominantly involved in the production of written expressions, and the subsequent interruption of these memory systems often leads to varied deficit profiles of dysgraphia. These disruptions have resulted from damage in the brain caused by neural injuries, neurological disorders, or epigenetic factors. The existing studies did not probe into the nuances of the disruptions of these two memory systems in dysgraphia and associated neural pathways. In order to fill this gap, the review attempts to provide a comprehensive account of dysgraphia and its association with orthographic long-term memory and orthographic working memory by comparing and contrasting their workings and patterns of disruption in the deficit profiles of dysgraphia by probing into the underlying neural correlates. Such a detailed account brings insights into pertinent intervention strategies for improving memory systems and dysgraphia. It also helps identify the limitations of the existing intervention methods like CART, ACT, or Spell-Study-Spell, leading to the proposal of improvised neuro-targeted interventions for dysgraphia.

Mitigating Gender Stereotypes Toward AI Agents Through an eXplainable AI (XAI) Approach

People often apply gender stereotypes toward computerized agents. Rather than challenging these stereotypes, modern AI technologies controversially use them in creating AI agents that underline stereotypical gendered roles. This approach thus further reinforces the often male-dominated societal gender norms and disenfranchises women and gender non-binary individuals. While this issue has raised concerns in the HCI and CSCW communities, still little is known regarding how to mitigate the negative impacts of embedding gender stereotypes in AI agents. In this paper, we propose an eXplainable AI (XAI) approach to mitigating individuals' gender stereotypes toward AI agents. We conducted an online video vignette experiment with 350 participants randomly assigned to one of the eighteen conditions of a 3 (gender of the agent: woman, man, gender-neutral) x 3 (task gender: feminine, masculine, neutral) x 2 (presence or absence of AI explanation) between-subjects design. Our findings indeed suggest that XAI helped participants avoid applying gender stereotypes toward gendered AI agents, by increasing their understanding of how the agent came to its decision and decreasing their rating of the agent's humanlikeness. We contribute to CSCW research by providing a timely investigation into individuals' gender stereotypes toward the state-of-the-art AI agents and by advancing the empirical understanding of the cognitive processes and mechanisms underlying these gender stereotypes. We also demonstrate how eXplainable AI can effectively suppress the application of social characteristics (i.e., gender stereotypes) toward AI agents by disrupting the said cognitive processes. Insights from this study can inform how future AI technologies should be designed to create a progressive gender reality that will gradually reshape humans' experience and ingrained gender ideologies.

Comparing retro-cue benefit mechanisms in visual working memory: completely valid vs. highly valid retro-cues

Visual working memory (VWM) plays a crucial role in temporarily maintaining and manipulating visual information. Retro-cue benefit (RCB) refers to the enhancement of memory performance when attention is directed toward a subset of items in VWM after their initial encoding. Our recent electroencephalogram (EEG) studies indicate that cue validity affects the mechanisms underlying RCB formation. However, previous research has not thoroughly examined whether these mechanisms differ between completely valid and highly valid cue conditions. This study investigates the consistency of RCB mechanisms under conditions of complete (100%) and high (80%) retro-cue validity. We manipulated retro-cue validity and examined cognitive processing mechanisms under different validity conditions using EEG. Specifically, we focused on the N2pc component, which reflects attentional resource allocation, and the contralateral delay activity (CDA) component, which reflects the quantity of information retained in VWM. The results, encompassing both behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) findings, show that participants in both the 100% and 80% cue validity conditions exhibit robust RCB. Notably, the degree of RCB remains consistent across these conditions, indicating that participants utilize retro-cues to enhance VWM performance to the same extent. In the 80% cue validity condition, a significant retro-cue cost (RCC) was observed, indicating that participants selectively discarded uncued items from VWM. In invalid trials, response accuracy drops to chance levels, supporting the removal hypothesis. ERP results reveal that attentional resource allocation (N2pc) and the quantity of retained information (CDA) remain uniform across cue validity conditions. The mechanism responsible for RCB formation appears to involve an all-or-nothing process of discarding uncued information rather than a flexible resource allocation strategy. This study provides insights into attention allocation and information-processing mechanisms in VWM, suggesting that conclusions drawn from tasks with completely valid retro-cues can be integrated with findings from highly valid cue tasks. These findings also illuminate the flexibility of internal attentional resource allocation during RCB formation and contribute to our understanding of attention processes in VWM.

Language learners, chess champions, and piano prodigies – insights from research on language contact and expert behavior

Abstract One of the central assumptions in Cognitive Linguistics is that the cognitive mechanisms underlying our language use are domain-general and thus apply to human behavior beyond language. Examples of such cognitive mechanisms are, among others, our ability to focus attention, to memorize and categorize, as well as processes related to chunking, generalization, and inhibitory control. Testing this core assumption, however, is often difficult, as it requires us to move beyond linguistic research and to actively look for links between our language use and other areas of human cognition. This paper is an illustration of what such links could look like, particularly focusing on links between research on (Dutch-German) language contact and expert behavior. In doing so, it shows (a) that there are many shared links, for example, regarding the cognitive mechanisms of entrenchment and chunking, and (b) that these shared links (as well as potential differences across the fields) can be used to improve our linguistic theorizing. In particular, I argue that linguistic research can benefit from the insights from research on expert behavior, especially from its more advanced insights modelling individual variation, and that the shared links can help us to test the core assumption that the cognitive mechanisms underlying our language use are indeed domain-general.

The vague language use scale: Clinical utility and psychometrics from adults with traumatic brain injury.

Pragmatic communication difficulties encompass many distinct behaviours, including the use of vague and/or insufficient language, a common characteristic following traumatic brain injury (TBI) that negatively impacts psychosocial outcomes. Existing assessments evaluate pragmatic communication broadly, often with only one or two items capturing each behaviour, thus limiting sensitivity and precision to variations within each behaviour. Given that greater nuance is needed to detect subtle pragmatic communication differences and investigate underlying cognitive mechanisms, a more refined measure is critical to improve psychosocial outcomes. The Vague scale was developed to address those needs. To provide preliminary evidence supporting the novel Vague language use (Vague) scale's reliability, validity and clinical utility. The Vague scale rates each discourse sample utterance for vague language use on a 3-point scale; the measure's Vague score represents the mean of utterance-level ratings. Using the Vague scale, two raters naïve to diagnosis evaluated Cinderella narratives of 46 adults with severe TBI and 46 controls with no brain injury, providing reliability, construct validity and classification accuracy evidence. Vague scores were also compared to other clinical measures to gather criterion-related validity evidence. Interrater agreement across all transcripts was moderate. Construct validity was supported by expected group differences and criterion validation, including significant relationships with increased violations of Grice's maxim of quantity and measures of lexical variation; significant relationships with psychosocial outcomes, supporting clinical utility; and nonsignificant relationships with measures of syntax and overall pragmatic communication. Classification accuracy expectedly did not support using Vague scores in isolation for diagnosis, due to unacceptable sensitivity (0.696). Evidence supported the Vague scores' psychometric properties. Thus, the Vague scale shows promise as a measure of one distinct pragmatic communication behaviour: vague language use. Future research should apply the Vague scale to determine its sensitivity in individuals with subtle social communication challenges (e.g., mild TBI), explore its utility with more naturalistic discourse samples as part of a pragmatic communication battery, longitudinally examine changes in Vague scores, and investigate cognitive mechanisms underlying this specific pragmatic communication behaviour. What is already known on this subject Use of vague language is common following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may contribute to negative psychosocial outcomes related to employment and relationships. However, existing measures of vague language lack sensitivity and precision, limiting their utility for identifying subtle performance variations or determining the cognitive mechanisms underlying this specific pragmatic communication behaviour. What this study adds to existing knowledge The current study gathered promising reliability, validity and clinical utility evidence to support using the novel Vague language use (Vague) scale, which was developed to address these limitations. Based on complex (Cinderella) stories of adults with and without TBI, Vague scores demonstrated moderate interrater agreement and promising construct validity based on expected group differences and criterion validation, including moderate associations with related constructs and weak associations with unrelated constructs. Because pragmatic communication profiles post-TBI can vary, classification accuracy expectedly indicated that Vague scores should not be used alone to identify communication differences post-TBI. What are the clinical implications of this work? Vague scores show promise for documenting clients' use of vague language and planning intervention to address associated discourse-level challenges. Future research should investigate applying the Vague scale to naturalistic discourse samples (1) as part of a battery that sensitively and precisely identifies pragmatic communication differences and (2) as a tool for investigating cognitive mechanisms underlying vague language use, with the goal of improving interventions that support pragmatic communication and enhance psychosocial outcomes.

The Multiple Dimensions of Familiarity: From Representations to Phenomenology.

This article focuses on familiarity, the form of memory allowing humans to recognize stimuli that have been encountered before. We aim to emphasize its complex nature which includes representational and phenomenological dimensions. The former implies that its neural correlates depend on the type and complexity of the cue stimulus, as different classes of stimuli are represented in distributed ventral visual and medial temporal regions. The second dimension relates to the subjective feeling of familiarity, which results from a fluency signal that is attributed to past encounters with the stimulus. We review mnemonic and non-mnemonic sources of fluency that can induce a sense of familiarity, as well as cases where fluency is not attributed to memory, among which the phenomenological experience of déjà-vu. Across these two dimensions, we highlight key questions to be answered by future studies to improve our understanding of the underpinnings of this form of memory and contribute to building an integrative neurocognitive model of familiarity. Essential to this aim is the clarification of the computational, cognitive, and neural mechanisms involved, namely global matching, fluency attribution, and sharpening. Furthermore, future research is needed to unravel the relationships between these mechanisms. We argue that to achieve these goals, researchers must use appropriate behavioral paradigms and clearly define which dimension of familiarity they investigate.

Core-periphery structure of a medicinal botanical system in Uruguay

BackgroundHuman evolution has granted upon an individual’s cognitive mechanisms necessary for remembering experiences, vital for both survival and reproduction. These experiences manifest into cultural traits, influencing human culture, particularly in healthcare and maintenance. Studies regarding medicinal plants and treatments are integral to the study of the medical botanical system. Pharmacopeias highlight the prevalence of specific species widely used, aligning with the “consensus within diversity theory” in evolutionary ethnobiology. Within the framework of this theory, we reflect on the results we’ve achieved in a priority area recognized by UNESCO for its biocultural significance, both locally and regionally.MethodsThis study integrated network analysis and qualitative methods to examine the botanical medical system of “Parque Regional Quebradas del Norte” in Rivera, Uruguay.ResultsStudy results demonstrate a core-periphery structure, with a strongly interconnected core resistant to fragmentation, ensuring structural stability. Additionally, the presence of peripheral nodes throughout the system was identified, enhancing the resilience of the botanical medicinal system against potential disturbances.ConclusionThe core species renowned for their versatility and multiple medicinal uses, treating less severe ailments effectively. Additionally, core plants serve as prototypes for innovations. Their extinction poses a threat to the system’s resilience. Conversely, peripheral plants, though vulnerable, offer possibilities for therapeutic innovations. In the face of environmental change, conservation efforts should prioritize species that are vulnerable to extinction, particularly within the core. Simultaneously, preserving knowledge associated with peripheral plants presents a bicultural conservation strategy, ensuring the botanical system’s robustness among evolving ecological conditions.

Neuroscientific Approaches to Understanding Adolescent Susceptibility to Substance Abuse

Adolescence is a pivotal developmental stage characterised by significant neurobiological changes that heighten susceptibility to substance abuse. This period is marked by the maturation of the brain regions responsible for decision-making and impulse control, alongside an increased sensitivity to rewards driven by dopaminergic pathways. This review aimed to understand adolescent susceptibility to substance abuse using a neuroscientific approach. In line with best practices, data were collected from a variety reliable source to ensure a comprehensive view of the topic. Research studies on adolescent neurodevelopment have contributed to a broader understanding of the physiological and psychological factors at play during adolescence, while grey literature, including expert interviews and focused group discussions, has offered practical insights from frontline professionals, such as psychologists, social workers, and healthcare providers, who deal directly with adolescent substance use. These results demonstrate that the relationship between genetic factors and environmental conditions, such as stress and trauma, intensifies this vulnerability, thereby heightening the likelihood of individuals participating in risky behaviours. This review examines the neuroscientific foundations of substance use during adolescence, highlighting the critical role of timely interventions that utilize neuroplasticity to enhance resilience and reduce risk. By integrating cognitive training and behavioural therapies into public health initiatives, adolescents' cognitive control mechanisms and their propensity for substance abuse can be reduced.

Follow the gaze: How social attention shapes gendered trading choices

We explore how visual attention differentially impacts the trading behavior of men and women. In the laboratory, eye-tracking technology measures information gaze during a sequential trading game in which participants are asked to buy or sell an asset. Before making a decision, traders receive information on the trading decisions of other participants (others' decisions) and the redemption value of the asset (private information). Research documents that women, compared to men, pay more attention to social cues. In this study, women are more attention-driven when making financial decisions, as compared to men. We conclude that attentional priority is a cognitive mechanism that can account for the increased tendency of women, compared to men, to follow the social cues of others with disparate information and tournament incentives.