Psychological Concepts Research Articles

Evaluation of a transdiagnostic mental health intervention in German primary care: study protocol for a parallel-group, two-arm, cluster randomised controlled pilot study

BackgroundGeneral practitioners play an important role in the first-line care of individuals with mental health conditions. However, factors such as time constraints, limited experience in managing mental health conditions and high rates of comorbidity may hinder adequate treatment. To improve psychological care, adopting a transdiagnostic approach shows potential. Research on transdiagnostic interventions delivered by general practitioners is scarce. Thus, a transdiagnostic intervention adapted from the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders was developed specifically for primary care. In a parallel-group, two-arm, cluster randomised controlled pilot study, the transdiagnostic intervention will be evaluated for feasibility, acceptability and potential effectiveness in German primary care.MethodsA total of 100 adult patients with a mental health condition will be recruited by general practitioners. In the intervention group, general practitioners will administer the transdiagnostic intervention, introducing patients to psychological concepts based on transdiagnostic factors (i.e., understanding emotions, cognitive flexibility, countering emotion-based avoidance). In the control group, general practitioners will provide improved treatment as usual oriented on official German treatment guidelines for depression, anxiety and somatoform disorders. In both study groups, treatment will be carried out in four 20-min sessions over 12-weeks. Self-report questionnaires will be completed before treatment initiation (only patients) and after treatment completion (patients and general practitioners) to assess feasibility and acceptability (i.e., treatment recruitment, delivery, response, effectiveness, unintended consequences and maintenance) as well as potential effectiveness (i.e., change in transdiagnostic factors).DiscussionThe pilot study will address the research gap concerning general practitioner-led psychological interventions in primary care and will give insights into whether the adoption of a transdiagnostic approach is of benefit to general practitioners and patients. Findings may inform the design of a main trial by identifying barriers to the transdiagnostic intervention’s feasibility and acceptability, whilst advancing treatment delivery protocols to support effectiveness.Trial registrationThe protocol for this study has been registered with the German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00033386, Date of registration: 18th of March 2024, https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00033386.

Fatalism, Evolution, and Interpersonal Attractiveness: Psychological Theories and Emotions in Incels' Constructions of Ingroup Identity and Outgroup Hate

ABSTRACTThe online communities of involuntary celibates, or incels, have garnered increased attention for their extreme misogyny and links to violent attacks against women. However, little is known about how (pseudo‐)psychological theories are used among the incel community to construct their identities and justify a worldview that centres on hatred against women. This study uses a critical discursive psychological approach to examine identity constructions in discussions on the so‐called blackpill worldview within the online community incels.is. Our analysis of more than 1000 discussion threads written in 2020 reveals three distinct incel identities: incels as victimised martyrs, incels as aggrieved masculine actors, and a divided identity negotiating the boundaries of ‘pure’ and ‘impure’ inceldom. These identities are constructed through psychological notions, specifically, fatalism, ‘just‐world’ beliefs, evolutionary psychology, eugenics and theories of interpersonal attraction—that serve as interpretative repertoires expressed through a plethora of rhetorical strategies and affective–discursive practices. The study highlights the importance of understanding how psychological concepts are appropriated in the construction of ingroup identities and justifications of outgroup hate within misogynist online communities.

The IP Lottery: The Role of Noise in Balancing Creditor and Stakeholder Interests in Insolvency Proceedings

Abstract. Insolvency practitioners (IPs) manage and liquidate bankrupt estates. While their primary responsibility lies in prioritizing the interests of the collective creditors, they must also consider various other (societal) interests in their decision making. The law typically grants IPs discretion in balancing these interests, but this flexibility leads to variability in bankruptcy proceedings, resulting in legal uncertainty and inequality. This paper aims to introduce the reader to the psychological concept of noise (variability in judgments or decisions that ought to be identical) and to highlight the considerable level of variability in IPs’ decisions when balancing interests. More specifically, using examples from empirical studies we conducted in the Netherlands, the paper demonstrates how stakeholders in bankruptcy proceedings are at the mercy of IPs’ subjective judgements and that there is very little uniformity in their judgments. To reduce the level of legal uncertainty and inequality, this paper proposes further clarification on how IPs should navigate and balance interests in insolvency proceedings.

Empathy and self-awareness (rasa rumangsa) in the Javanese cultural context

Indonesia, as well as every country in the world, has its unique cultural values. As a value familiar to most Indonesian people (Javanese), rasa rumangsa helps individuals produce behavior that supports society’s harmony, peace, and welfare. It is essential to develop rasa rumangsa due to its relevance to the psychological concept of mental health. The current qualitative research used a case study involving 153 participants. Methods for collecting data were a literature review, semi-structured interviews with several Javanese cultural scholars, Javanese psychology experts, and community members supported by focus group discussion (FGD) with community members, and an open-ended questionnaire for Javanese people, which was constructed gradually from previous findings. Responses to this questionnaire were analyzed using open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. The main finding of this research explained the definition, dimension, aspects, and process of rasa rumangsa. This research found rasa rumangsa to be a potential concept to be used as a variable in future research. The bisa rumangsa behavior proved to help prevent individuals from continuous concern and frustration.

Психологические факторы кибербезопасности и доверие к ложным новостям в интернет-коммуникации: обзор современных зарубежных исследований

<p style="text-align: justify;">The paper presents a systematic review of contemporary foreign research on psychological factors of cybersecurity and trust in fake news. It contains an analysis of theoretical developments and empirical studies of the psychological aspects of cybersecurity within the framework of the concepts of personality psychology, behavioral psychology and social psychology. Despite the fact that general psychological patterns and theoretical models of these branches of psychology are used in the study of cybersecurity, the available results of research in this area still do not form a holistic picture of the psychological factors of cybersecurity behavior. At the same time, the factors of personal characteristics and behavior of cybercriminals seem to be better studied and more understandable than the factors of compliance and violation of the rules of cybersecurity behavior by “ordinary” users. The article then presents a review of empirical studies on the reasons why Internet users trust fake news and how to overcome it. General awareness of the problem of the spread of fake news is shown to offer little help in reducing trust in fake news, and the use of ineffective strategies for recognizing fake news often has the opposite effect. A more sophisticated strategy based on knowledge of the specific techniques by which fake news is created, on the contrary, can more effectively reduce the risk of trust in fake news. The author comes to the conclusion that measures promoting cybersecurity behavior of Internet users are advisable if aimed not at stimulating vigilance, but at increasing confidence in the picture of the world, in which the phenomena of cybersecurity threats and fake news are built in as a familiar and understandable component.</p>

NEBUNIE ȘI CREAȚIE ÎN NUVELA PORTRETUL DE N.V. GOGOL

Romantic thinkers posited that artistic genius was linked to a "divine illness," underscoring the significance of spontaneity, creativity, and irrationality. A century later, psychologists and psychiatrists have observed a high and repetitive incidence of psychotic behavior among exceptionally creative individuals. The objective of this article is to examine the interconnection between genius and madness, as exemplified by one of the pivotal concerns in Romantic aesthetics: the function of the artist and their creation in Gogol's short story, “The Portrait”. To this end, I have employed an analytical approach, integrating psychological and narratological concepts to facilitate a comprehensive structural analysis.

Личностный смысл ребенка для взрослого как фактор психологического благополучия

<p style="text-align: justify;">The article presents an analytical review of modern foreign studies devoted to the psychological effects, mechanisms and patterns of influence of children and parenthood on the psychological well-being of adults. Based on the generalization of the results of individual theoretical and empirical studies, systematic and meta-analytical reviews, the history of formation, current state and prospects for the development of this scientific direction are considered. The most general and stably reproducible patterns of the impact of children and parenthood on various components (cognitive, affective, motivational), levels (global, domain, subdomain) and types (hedonic, eudaimonic, existential) of psychological well-being of adults are formulated. Additional and intermediate variables acting as mediators and moderators of the dependence of psychological well-being of adults on children and the parental role are identified. It is shown that the key integrative factor mediating this dependence is the personal meaning of the child for an adult, which determines the strength, direction and form of the influence of children and parental status on psychological well-being. Based on the results of the analytical revision and critical assessment of the current state of the problem, it is argued that a promising line of its development is the construction of a psychological concept of the personal meaning of a child for an adult.</p>

Resonance and alienation in dying

ABSTRACT Hartmut Rosa’s theory of resonance and alienation is a sociological theory of modern people’s relationship to the material and social world; the article explores if and how this theory might illuminate contemporary dying. After introducing Rosa’s key concepts of alienation and resonance, the article applies them first to the individual’s dying (my personal death) and second to the possible dying of western modernity, or even humankind itself, due to global warming and ecological degradation (our collective death). Each section looks at how, as the end of individual or collective life approaches, people’s material, social and existential worlds change, and hence how their relationships to the world change. An accustomed world that to some extent may have been resonant becomes alien; yet resonance is sometimes found in the newly alien world of the dying. Finally, resonance is compared and contrasted with some Majority World concepts of living well: Buddhism, ubuntu, and buen vivir; and with psychological concepts commonly applied in the West to both individual mortality and global warming, namely denial, awareness, anxiety and grief.

An Embedding-Based Semantic Analysis Approach: A Preliminary Study on Redundancy Detection in Psychological Concepts Operationalized by Scales.

As psychological research progresses, the issue of concept overlap becomes increasing evident, adding to participant burden and complicating data interpretation. This study introduces an Embedding-based Semantic Analysis Approach (ESAA) for detecting redundancy in psychological concepts, which are operationalized through their respective scales, using natural language processing techniques. The ESAA utilizes OpenAI's text-embedding-3-large model to generate high-dimensional semantic vectors (i.e., embeddings) of scale items and applies hierarchical clustering to group semantically similar items, revealing potential redundancy. Three preliminary experiments evaluated the ESAA's ability to (1) identify semantically similar items, (2) differentiate semantically distinct items, and (3) uncover overlap between scales of concepts known for redundancy issues. Additionally, comparative analyses assessed the ESAA's robustness and incremental validity against the advanced chatbots based on GPT-4. The results demonstrated that the ESAA consistently produced stable outcomes and outperformed all evaluated chatbots. As an objective approach for analyzing relationships between concepts operationalized as scales, the ESAA holds promise for advancing research on theory refinement and scale optimization.

Tasawuf dalam Perspektif Psikologi: Harmoni Spiritual dan Kesehatan Mental

This article explores the relationship between Sufism and modern psychology, particularly in supporting mental health and spiritual harmony. Sufism, as a branch of Islamic spirituality, offers a holistic approach through practices such as tazkiyatun nafs, muraqabah, and dhikr to achieve inner peace and balance. This approach aligns with modern psychological concepts, such as emotional regulation and mindfulness, which emphasize the importance of emotional balance and life meaning. Through a literature review method, this article finds that Sufi principles can be adapted into psychological therapy to address stress, anxiety, and inner conflicts. By bridging Islamic spirituality and psychology, this article opens opportunities for deeper integration in creating holistic and value-based therapeutic approaches. This is particularly relevant in addressing the increasingly complex mental health challenges of the modern era

Building evidence-based interventions to improve staff well-being in paediatric critical care using the behaviour change wheel.

Research has demonstrated that staff working in Paediatric Critical Care (PCC) experience high levels of burnout, post-traumatic stress and moral distress. There is very little evidence of how this problem could be addressed. To develop evidence-based, psychologically informed interventions designed to improve PCC staff well-being that can be feasibility tested on a large scale. The Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) framework guided systematic development of the interventions. This process was informed by a review of existing well-being initiatives and a survey of PCC staff's awareness and uptake of initiatives identified. Together with empirical evidence, the BCW process produced two bespoke 'SWell' (Staff Wellbeing) interventions tailored for delivery in UK PCC units. The two group-based interventions, Mad-Sad-Glad and Wellbeing Images involve the Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) of self-belief, social support, feedback and monitoring. These BCTs align closely with the psychological concepts of self-efficacy, self-regulation and the psychological theory of how to thrive. Tailored, evidence-based, psychologically informed SWell (Staff Wellbeing) interventions are likely to be feasible and have the potential of making significant differences to individual staff members and the PCC workforce as a whole. Associated investments in the psychological health of the workforce and time to prioritize well-being interventions are required for change to occur and be maintained. The SWell (Staff Wellbeing) interventions could impact directly on the well-being of PCC staff and their ability to thrive in the workplace. Indirectly, they could reduce staff attrition, sickness absence and improve patients' and families' experiences of care.

How Ideas About Context and Remapping Developed in Brooklyn.

In 1979, I joined Jim Ranck's group in Brooklyn and began recording hippocampal neurons. The first project was to record single neurons across three behaviors in different chambers: pellet retrieval on a radial-arm maze, bar-pressing for food reward in an operant chamber, and maternal pup-retrieval in a large home box. We found spatial firing in all three chambers, with a single-neuron's firing pattern unpredictable from one chamber to the next. We interpreted the spatial firing patterns as representing "context." Later, in the 1980s, I began collaborating with Bob Muller (and Jim Ranck). In the first of a pair of 1987 papers, we used computerized data acquisition, recorded in simple, reduced environments to demonstrate robust, stable place cell firing and the characteristic features of firing fields. In the second paper we showed that when a rat is transferred from one environment to another, the set of place cells "remaps." "Remapping" was defined later, in a pair of 1990 papers. "Context" was introduced in the early three-behavior experiment but was not discussed in the 1987 papers. What is the true relationship between the biological observation of "remapping" and the psychological concept of "context"? This difficult question is addressed here and in more detail in our recent paper.

Decreased brain function and anxiety-related loops in harm-avoidance personality: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Personality is a unique and relatively stable psychological concept that defines individual human beings. It strongly influences long-term behavioral styles such as emotional expression. This study aims to elucidate the brain functional underpinning behind personality. A total of 97 young subjects were included. All subjects completed personality, emotion, and cognition scales, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. All subjects were divided into subtypes of harm avoidance (HA) and reward dependence (RD) by clustering analysis. Graph theory analysis and network-based analysis were used to explore the brain functional configurations of personalities. HA subjects showed lower network metrics (P = 0.018) and node metrics (P < 0.009). A negative component network was observed in HA subjects (P < 0.001). Functional topology metrics were negatively correlated with the HA score. The amygdala-IPG functional connectivity mediated the positive correlation between personality HA and state anxiety. Personality HA is associated with decreased functional configuration, which could influence emotion by downregulating amygdala-IPG coupling. These findings provide insight into how the brain shapes personality and related emotions.

Psychological predictors of motivational saturation within professional life at the stage of professional education

Introduction. The main problem of this research is the insufficiency of psychological concepts about motivational saturation as a mechanism regulating relevant behavior for constructing and maintaining a subjective picture of a person's professional life at the stage of professional education. The purpose of the article is to theoretically substantiate and empirically identify differences in psychological factors that affect the overall motivational saturation of the subjective picture of a person's professional life, as well as the motivational saturation of the professional future of university students. Materials and Methods. The research methodology is based on the ideas and principles of synergetic, system-activity and causometric approaches, within the framework of which motivational saturation is interpreted as filling professional life with causal and target connections between significant events, and the image of the professional future is considered as an ‘attractor’ of professional development. 188 students of the Russian State Professional Pedagogical University took part in the survey. The empirical data were collected using the following methods: the method of studying the subjective picture of the life path "Causometry" (A.A. Kronik, E.I. Golovakha, R.A. Akhmerov), a version adapted for studying the subjective picture of the professional life of an individual); the questionnaire of time perspective (ZTPI, F. Zimbardo); the method "Ability to forecast" (L.A. Regush); the method "Diagnostics of the level of development of reflexivity" (A.V. Karpova); the questionnaire "Diagnostics of the features of self-organization" (A.D. Ishkov). In order to process the obtained results, the methods of mathematical statistics in the IBM SPSS Statistics 22 programme were used. Results. In the course of theoretical analysis, it was revealed that the key psychological factors that have an effect on motivational saturation, and accordingly the desire to realize the subjective picture of life according to a certain scenario, are time perspective, prognostic and reflexive abilities, as well as self-organization indicators. It was suggested that, despite the commonality of factors for motivational saturation in general and motivational saturation of the future, they are built on different components of these factors. Indeed, as a result of the regression analysis, it was found that the predictors of motivational saturation of the professional life of university students are the characteristics of time orientation ("Fatalism in the present", "Hedonism in the present") and self-control, which correlates with the psycho-age portrait of a university student. In turn, the image of the professional future is determined by such variables of the presented factors as "Goal setting", "Correction" and "Volitional efforts", which creates a vector in the direction of the mode of the future. These results can be used in the system of psychological support of universities to improve professional choice based on the construction of a personal professional perspective and correction of the subjective image of professional life. Conclusions. The conducted mathematical and statistical analysis confirms the importance of self-organization components in building the image of the future and professional and life trajectory. The obtained results can be used in the development of measures for psychological and teaching support of professional self-determination of young people in the process of revision and correction of their professional choice.

Main Paradigms of the Concept of Evil in Western Anthropological and Psychological Studies

Purpose. The authors aim to investigate the evolution of the paradigm shift of the concept of evil in Western philosophical and psychological thought. Theoretical basis is determined by the latest methodological approaches in studying the relationship between philosophical, psychological, and theological approaches to understanding the essence of evil and its manifestations. Originality. For the first time in Ukrainian philosophical literature, a systematization of the evolution of the concept of evil in the philosophical and psychological sciences has been carried out. Conclusions. Analyzing the main mythological, theological, philosophical, and psychological concepts of evil provides an opportunity to systematize them through the main five paradigms. The primordial paradigm can be considered dualistic, which retains its influence until our time. Evil is understood in it as the personification of natural disasters, diseases, human crimes, and a force opposing Good. Ancient philosophy and Christianity try to deprive evil of its ontological status: evil does not exist as such but is only a lack of Good. Based on this understanding, a privative paradigm was formed, which dominated the European philosophical and theological consciousness for more than a millennium. It became the basis for philosophical theodicy: the justification of the all-good God in the face of clearly existing evil. But at the end of the 18th century, it gave way to the dialectical-romantic paradigm, the most vivid representatives of which are Schelling, Hegel, and Nietzsche. The concept of evil is reinterpreted and considered as a necessary component of the world, which, along with good, belongs to a higher reality. The concept of evil receives a new understanding in the psychoanalysis of Freud, Jung, and Fromm: its source is determined by the human subconscious, and its external manifestation is aggression. A similar understanding of evil is inherent in many other psychological schools, some of which also conducted psychological experiments on the originally evil nature of man. However, such "experiments" are characteristic of the social practices of totalitarian regimes, based on which the concept of the "banality" of evil arises. The appearance of the latest postmodern paradigm of understanding evil is connected with the attempt of some thinkers to reject all previous concepts of evil and a kind of return to the oldest dualistic paradigm. It would seem that the fall of most totalitarian regimes and the expectation of the "end of history" did not give grounds for popularizing this paradigm. Still, the events of the early 20s of our century indicate the need for its actualization.

The Concept of Experimental Psychology as Part of the Reconstruction of Islamic Psychology: An Educational Perspective

This study explores the integration of experimental psychology within an Islamic framework to contribute to the reconstruction of Islamic psychology from an educational perspective. Using qualitative descriptive analysis, this research examines how experimental methods, when adapted to Islamic ethical standards, can enhance the validation and applicability of Islamic psychological concepts in educational settings. Findings indicate that while experimental psychology offers valuable tools for empirical inquiry, its application within Islamic psychology requires modifications that respect spiritual dimensions central to Islam. This integration supports a holistic approach to student development, addressing cognitive, emotional, and moral growth. The study highlights the potential for a culturally relevant educational model that aligns with both scientific rigor and Islamic values, offering a foundation for further research and practical applications in Islamic educational psychology

Психоэстетическая концепция А.В. Бакушинского и периодизация онтогенеза

&lt;p&gt;Interest in the work of A.V. Bakushinsky stems from the significance of his psycho-aesthetic concept for contemporary developmental psychology. This concept outlines the stages of mental development associated with a child's perceptual capabilities within the context of global fine art. The article presents an argument supporting A.V. Bakushinsky&amp;rsquo;s commitment to the cultural-historical approach in evaluating ontogenesis. A.V. Bakushinsky illustrates the parallels between the means of global fine art and the use of artistic symbols by children in their visual activities, following the developmental patterns of the child's psyche. The article also offers a comparative analysis of the approaches taken by A.V. Bakushinsky and A.V. Zaporozhets. They assess the evolution of perception. The similarities and differences in the conclusions of A.V. Bakushinsky and O.M. Dyachenko regarding the formation of images as symbolic means in ontogenesis are examined. A.V. Bakushinsky's ideas hold practical significance for elucidating the perception of the diversity of information, which the scientist called the &amp;ldquo;multiplicity of the world.&amp;rdquo; The findings of this study can be used by specialists in the design and evaluation of a developmental educational environment.&lt;/p&gt;

Critique of Spiritual Concepts in Transpersonal Psychology and Their Interrelation with The Qur’ān

Spirituality holds a significant position within transpersonal psychology, where it is deemed crucial for individual development and psychological well-being. This research conducts a critical analysis of spiritual concepts within transpersonal psychology vis-à-vis the teachings of the Al-Qur'ān. The primary aim of this research is to delineate the similarities and disparities in the understanding of spirituality between transpersonal psychology and Qur’ānic concept of spirituality through an in-depth examination of literature and theoretical perspectives. The outcomes of this study are intended to highlight the importance of comprehending the multifaceted and diverse interpretations of spirituality across various contexts. In addition, a content analysis approach will be employed in this study, in which the gathered data will be meticulously screened. This research finds out that transpersonal psychology places spirituality as a central theme in its studies. In transpersonal psychology, spirituality refers more to human aspirations for a meaningful life and as a source of human qualities. In other words, spirituality in the transpersonal psychology conception focuses more on aspects of human spirituality without touching on broader spiritual dimensions as taught in religions. While Qur’ānic concept of spirituality encompasses more than just their inner attributes that are connected to transcendental objects; it also includes their spirit's essence and existence, which has a unique purpose that transcends their physical function, reason, and soul.

Promoting Skill Development and Positive Change: An Organizational Development Project for Industrial-Organizational Psychology Courses

Background Organizational development is necessary for maintaining and promoting a positive work environment. Objective We present a unique organizational development project emphasizing understanding and applying industrial-organizational psychology concepts to resolve workplace issues and motivate organizational improvement. Method The design of the organizational development project follows both project- and problem-based learning methods. As such, the organizational development project asked students in an industrial-organizational psychology course to critically examine multifaceted workplace problems and provide evidence-based solutions. Results Students reported that the organizational development project helped them meet course learning objectives and stimulated skill development in important areas like problem-solving, professional communication, and consideration of diverse ideas. Conclusion The content and skill development associated with the organizational development project can contribute to students’ personal and professional success. Teaching Implications Instructors can use this project to foster students’ comprehension of organizational development. The opportunity to practice analyzing complicated organizational situations can enhance skill development and workforce readiness. As a result, students may be better prepared to understand how industrial-organizational principles can contribute to productive, inclusive, safe, and meaningful organizational climates.

Decoy Effect In Search Interaction: Understanding User Behavior and Measuring System Vulnerability

This study addresses (1) the influence of the decoy effect, a cognitive bias where the presence of an inferior item alters preferences between two options, on users’ search interactions and (2) the measurement of information retrieval systems’ vulnerability to the decoy effect 1 . From the perspective of user behavior, this study investigates the influence of the decoy effect in information retrieval (IR) by examining how decoy results affect users’ interaction on search engine result pages (SERPs), particularly in terms of click-through likehood, browsing dwell time, and perceived document usefulness. We conducted an experiment based upon regression analysis on user interaction logs from three user study datasets which in total encompass 24 topics, 841 unique search sessions, and 2,685 queries. The findings indicate that decoys significantly increase the likelihood of document clicks and perceived usefulness. To investigate whether the influence of the decoy varies across different levels of task difficulty and user knowledge, we ran an additional experiment on one of the three datasets, which encompasses 6 topics, 166 search sessions and 652 queries. The results indicate that when the task is less challenging, users are more likely to click on a document with a decoy. Additionally, they spend more time on the target document and assign it a higher usefulness score. Furthermore, users with lower knowledge levels about the topic tend to give higher usefulness ratings to the target document. Regarding IR system evaluation, this study provides empirical insights into measuring the vulnerability of text retrieval models to potential decoy effect. An evaluation metric, namely DEcoy Judgement and Assessment VUlnerability (DEJA-VU), is proposed to evaluate the possibility of a retrieval model ranking results in a way that could trigger decoy biases. The experiments on the TREC 19 DL passage retrieval task and the TREC 20 DL passage retrieval task demonstrate that ColBERT and SPLADE show higher relevance-oriented retrieval effectiveness while also displaying lower vulnerability to decoy effect. Overall, this work advances the understanding of decoy effect, a well-established concept in cognitive psychology and behavioral economics, in a novel application field ( i.e., Information Retrieval). It contributes to modeling users’ search behavior in the context of cognitive biases, as well as assessment of the vulnerability of systems and ranking algorithms to the decoy effect.