Consideration Of Consequences Research Articles

Trait impulsivity influences behavioural and physiological responses to threat in a virtual environment

Trait impulsivity represents a tendency to take action without forethought or consideration of consequences. This trait is multifaceted and can be decomposed into attentional, motor and non-planning subtypes of impulsivity. The purpose of the current study was to investigate how subtypes of trait impulsivity responded to different degrees of threat within room-scale virtual reality (VR) with respect to behaviour and level of physiological activation. Thirty-four participants were required to negotiate a virtual environment (VE) where they walked at height with the continuous threat of a virtual ‘fall.’ Behavioural measures related to the speed of movement, interaction frequency and risk were collected. Participants also wore ambulatory sensors to collect data from electrocardiogram (ECG) and electrodermal activity (EDA). Our results indicated that participants who scored highly on non-planning impulsivity exhibited riskier behaviour and higher skin conductance level (SCL). Participants with higher motor impulsivity interacted with more objects in the VE when threat was high, they also exhibited contradictory indicators of physiological activation. Attentional impulsivity was associated with a greater number of falls across the VE. The results demonstrate that subtypes of trait impulsivity respond to threats via different patterns of behaviour and levels of physiological activation, reinforcing the multifaceted nature of the trait.

Publics and counter-publics of net-zero

The proliferation of pledges to reach net-zero emissions has revealed a wide range of understandings of what such a pledge entails. The lack of international standards to define decarbonisation pathways and the many kinds of speculative offsets available for net-zero calculations have generated a multiplication of public commitments not tethered to any specific mechanism of accountability. Many have criticised this state of affairs as a governance vacuum allowing extravagant forms of ‘greenwashing,’ with corporations and countries asserting ostensibly ambitious goals without adopting verifiable instruments for their delivery. This paper addresses the situation from a slightly different perspective, exploring instead how net-zero pledges create new climate publics and counter-publics. Drawing on three case studies (UK national net-zero policy, the Race to Zero campaign, and the Science Based Targets Initiative), and informed by a pragmatist understanding of ‘public’ and ‘public formation,’ we examine how the adoption of a formal but ambiguous target leads to a collective consideration of consequences, thus expanding the range of actors engaged in disputes over alternative climate futures.

B - 69 Risky Sexual Behavior in Young Adult Men: Decision Making, Impulsivity, and the Theory of Planned Behavior.

To examine a biopsychosocial model (decision-making, trait impulsivity, social cognition) of risky sexual behavior (RSB) in men. Using cross-sectional and non-clinical data, 145 (66% White) single men (Mage = 22.0 y, SD = 1.7) were recruited from a research platform and subject pool. Outcomes were RSB (continuous), condom use (binary), and number of partners (count) in 6months. We assessed the effects of decision-making (Balloon Analogue Risk Task), trait impulsivity (UPPS-P), and social cognition (Theory of Planned Behavior-Condom Use Questionnaire) on RSB. We present reduced models with 95% confidence intervals adjusted for age, sexual orientation, and pre-exposure prophylaxis use. Trait impulsivity was associated with RSB in all three regression models. Positive Urgency (B = 9.16 [5.18, 13.14]) and Perseverance were associated (B = -8.61 [-12.93, -4.30]) with overall RSB. Premeditation (OR = 4.50 [1.63, 12.39] and Perseverance (OR = 0.25 [0.10, 0.61]) were associated with condomless intercourse. Finally, Positive Urgency (IRR = 2.11 [1.50, 2.96]) and Perseverance (IRR = 0.29 [0.19, 0.46]) were associated with partner count. Decision-making and social cognition were non-significant. This study underscores the importance of trait impulsivity in risky sex-beyond demographics, decision-making, and social cognition. Men with poorer consideration of consequences and those who take risks during positive mood engaged in greater RSB. In contrast, individuals with a propensity toward boredom might not delay gratification long enough when pursuing a partner to engage in RSB. Therefore, trait impulsivity is a critical area for future research to develop screening and intervention to promote sexual health.

Unilateral caudate inactivation increases motor impulsivity in rhesus monkeys.

Impulsivity, the tendency to react quickly and without consideration of consequences, is correlated with asymmetry in the volume of the caudate nucleus in human patients. In this study, we sought to determine whether the induction of functional asymmetry in the caudate nucleus of monkeys would produce phenomenologically comparable behavior. We found that unilateral suppression of the ventral caudate nucleus increases impulsive behavior in rhesus monkeys. Impulsivity was modeled by the subjects' inability to maintain hold of a touch-sensitive bar until presentation of an imperative signal. Two methods were used to suppress activity in the caudate region. First, muscimol was locally infused. Second, a viral construct expressing the hM4Di DREADD (designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drug) was injected at the same site. Clozapine N-oxide and deschloroclozapine activate the DREADD to suppress neuronal activity. Both methods of suppression, pharmacological and chemogenetic, increased the rate of early bar releases, a behavior we interpret to indicate impulsivity. Thus, we demonstrate a causal relationship between caudate asymmetry and impulsivity.

Self-regulation and healthy lifestyles: considering the future may increase current physical activity levels

ABSTRACT The present study examined whether people’s consideration of consequences (future vs. immediate consequences; CFC) can predict physical activity behaviour (PAB) and, to explore key mechanisms that may underline such association. To that end, participants (N = 128) filled in standardised measures of CFC and PAB, and questionnaires of health regulatory focus, attitude and intention as mediators of the CFC–PAB association. Regression analysis revealed that CFC-immediate was negatively associated with PAB, and that health regulatory promotion focus and intention were both positively associated with PAB. Mediation analysis revealed a significant effect of CFC-future via health promotion focus, attitude, and intention on PAB. Findings are discussed considering both susceptibility and buffering hypotheses. CFC-future buffers against self-control failure because it is associated with a promotion focus and with both more positive attitudes and stronger intentions towards PAB. Interventions promoting a physically active lifestyle should foster people to value and become aware of the future consequences of their actual PAB.

What ethical approaches are used by scientists when sharing health data? An interview study

BackgroundHealth data-driven activities have become central in diverse fields (research, AI development, wearables, etc.), and new ethical challenges have arisen with regards to privacy, integrity, and appropriateness of use. To ensure the protection of individuals’ fundamental rights and freedoms in a changing environment, including their right to the protection of personal data, we aim to identify the ethical approaches adopted by scientists during intensive data exploitation when collecting, using, or sharing peoples’ health data.MethodsTwelve scientists who were collecting, using, or sharing health data in different contexts in Sweden, were interviewed. We used systematic expert interviews to access these scientists’ specialist knowledge, and analysed the interviews with thematic analysis. Phrases, sentences, or paragraphs through which ethical values and norms were expressed, were identified and coded. Codes that reflected similar concepts were grouped, subcategories were formulated, and categories were connected to traditional ethical approaches.ResultsThrough several examples, the respondents expressed four different ethical approaches, which formed the main conceptual categories: consideration of consequences, respect for rights, procedural compliance, and being professional.ConclusionsTo a large extent, the scientists’ ethical approaches were consistent with ethical and legal principles. Data sharing was considered important and worth pursuing, even though it is difficult. An awareness of the complex issues involved in data sharing was reflected from different perspectives, and the respondents commonly perceived a general lack of practical procedures that would by default ensure ethical and legally compliant data collection and sharing. We suggest that it is an opportune time to move on from policy discussions to practical technological ethics-by-design solutions that integrate these principles into practice.

Should we be screening people with diabetes for atrial fibrillation? Exploring patients' views.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and diabetes are increasingly prevalent worldwide, both increasing stroke risk. AF can be detected by patient-led electrocardiogram (ECG) screening applications. Understanding patients' views around AF screening is important when considering recommendations, and this study explores these views where there is an existing diagnosis of diabetes. Nine semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with participants from a previous screening study (using a mobile ECG device), who were identified with AF. Thematic analysis was completed using NVivo 12 Plus software and themes were identified within each research question for clarity. Themes were identified in four groups: 1. patients' understanding of AF - the 'concept of irregularity' and 'consideration of consequence'; 2. views on screening - 'screening as a resource-intensive initiative', 'fear of outcomes from screening' and 'expectations of screening reliability'; 3. views on incorporating screening into routine care - 'importance of screening convenience'; and 4. views on the screening tool - 'technology as a barrier' and 'feasibility of the mobile ECG recording device for screening'. In conclusion, eliciting patients' views has demonstrated the need for clear and concise information around the delivery of an AF diagnosis. Screening initiatives should factor in location, convenience, personnel, and cost, all of which were important for promoting screening inclusion.

Factorial Structure of the EOCL-1 Scale to Assess Executive Functions.

The process of assessing executive functions through behavioral observation scales is still under theoretical and empirical construction. This article reports on the analysis of the factorial structure of the EOCL-1 scale that assesses executive functions, as proposed by the theory developed by Luria, which has not been previously considered in this type of evaluation. In this scale, the executive functions taken into account are error correction, internal behavioral and cognition regulatory language, limbic system conscious regulation, decision making, future consideration of consequences of actions, goal-directed behavior, inhibitory control of automatic responses, creation of new behavioral repertoires, and cognitive–behavioral activity verification. A variety of validity and reliability analyses were carried out, with the following results: (a) an adequate internal consistency level of executive functions between α = 0.70 and α = 0.83, (b) significant convergent validity with a scale that assesses frontal deficits between r = −0.07 and r = 0.28, and (c) the scale’s construct validity that proposes a model with an executive central factor comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.93, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.04 (LO.04 and HI.04), standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.04, and x2(312) = 789.29, p = 0.001. The findings are discussed based on previous literature reports and in terms of the benefits of using a scale to assess the proposed executive functions.

Generational Responsibility in Consumption as a Response to Global Economic Crises

The rise of Asian and the stagnation of Western middle classes over the last thirty years have resulted in gradual convergence of income of large parts of the world’s population. Recent global crises—the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic—have led to a decline in income and increase in income uncertainty. Rise in consumption of lower quality goods of shorter durability and an overall decline in demand and economic activity resulted as challenges to the global economy. In this paper, we argue that generational responsibility in consumption can be an environmentally sustainable response to crises which enables the economies to overcome the crisis of confidence and reaffirms community ties. As an element of long-term orientation in consumption, generational responsibility is a cultural phenomenon dependent on solidarity within family and the wider community. It is characterized by consideration of consequences of consumption choices on the environment, and the abundance of savings and the usability of goods to be inherited by future generations. For companies, willing to revisit their traditional business models and incorporate principles of sustainability in their competitive strategies, promotion of generational responsibility can become a new source of competitive advantage and a driver of economic recovery.

LINKING THE GREEN SERVICE MARKETING MIX ELEMENTS WITH THE GREEN BRAND EQUITY DIMENSIONS

This study has explored the relationship between the green service marketing mix elements and the creation of green brand equity in green hotel services, which are moderated by environmental awareness and consideration of the consequences of consumer behavior. Data was collected through online questionnaires using the snowball sampling method. The final sample was 426 respondents who had stayed at a hotel that implemented an environmentally friendly service program in Indonesia. The results of the regression analysis have shown that the seven elements of green service marketing mix were significantly related to the four dimensions of green brand equity, but not individually. In addition, results have shown a significant increase in models that are moderated by environmental concerns. However, there was no significant increase in the model which was moderated by consideration of consequences.

Acute and extended exposure to episodic future thinking in a treatment seeking addiction sample: A pilot study

Individuals with addictive disorders commonly exhibit a shortened temporal window (shortened period of time an individual can imagine into their own future), which interferes with treatment focusing on long-term sobriety or reductions in use. Episodic future thinking (EFT) involves generating personalized cues related to anticipated, positive future events. EFT has been shown to reduce impulsive decision-making and the reinforcing value of addictive substances; however, this has only been shown in nontreatment samples. The current study examined the feasibility and impact of a 1-week EFT protocol on decision-making and alcohol motivation in a sample of individuals receiving treatment for alcohol use disorder. We randomly assigned twenty-eight individuals currently enrolled in community-based alcohol use disorder treatment to either an EFT protocol or a control episodic recent thinking (ERT) protocol. Participants completed assessments of delay discounting, alcohol demand, craving, self-efficacy, consideration of consequences, and mindfulness at baseline, after 1 week of EFT practice, and at 1-week follow-up. We observed patterns of reductions in alcohol demand indices, delay discounting rates, and an increase in mindfulness after both acute (1 session) and extended (4 sessions) exposure to EFT. These proof-of-concept findings lay the foundation for a randomized controlled trial of EFT as a supplement to addictions treatment.

LAMA2 Neuropathies: Human Findings and Pathomechanisms From Mouse Models.

Merosin deficient Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (MDC1A), or LAMA2-related muscular dystrophy (LAMA2-RD), is a recessive disorder resulting from mutations in the LAMA2 gene, encoding for the alpha-2 chain of laminin-211. The disease is predominantly characterized by progressive muscular dystrophy affecting patient motor function and reducing life expectancy. However, LAMA2-RD also comprises a developmentally-associated dysmyelinating neuropathy that contributes to the disease progression, in addition to brain abnormalities; the latter often underappreciated. In this brief review, we present data supporting the impact of peripheral neuropathy in the LAMA2-RD phenotype, including both mouse models and human studies. We discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying nerve abnormalities and involved in the laminin-211 pathway, which affects axon sorting, ensheathing and myelination. We conclude with some final considerations of consequences on nerve regeneration and potential therapeutic strategies.

In Defense of Future Children: A Response to Cohen’s Beyond Best Interests

This essay responds to I. Glenn Cohen’s articles, Regulating Reproduction and Beyond Best Interests, by asserting that Cohen’s work fails to attain his goal of fundamentally shifting the terrain upon which discussions about exercising control over reproduction takes place. The response offers four interrelated observations about why Cohen’s work is ultimately unconvincing. First, his work is too deeply tied to the notion of procreation as substantially, and perhaps strictly, a matter of rights and autonomy, which ignores the ways in which such a narrow lens continuously fails to capture the complexities of the enterprise of creating new lives, an enterprise that necessarily involves some consideration of consequences for those who already exist and those who will exist. Second, Cohen’s work takes little account of the fact that actively choosing to have children is a moral choice and, as such, it is subject to condemnation, critique and public scrutiny. Third, if we take Cohen at his word that his piece is about shifting the conversation in the policy realm, his work substantially misses the proverbial boat because broad conversations about reproductive regulation will always be conducted with some notion of the consequences that the exercise of reproductive choice has on the lives of those children who issue as a result of such choices. Fourth, and finally, because of the reality of the prior observation, the real task for those who find BIRC untenable is not to convince others that it is unsound — philosophically or otherwise — but to convince them that their notions of best interest are flawed.

Examining the stability of the UPPS-P and MCQ-27 during residential treatment for substance use disorder.

Impulsivity reflects a pattern of rapid behavioral responses to internal or external cues with little planning or consideration of consequences. Impulsive personality is purported to be a largely stable, trait-based quality, while impulsive choice has been shown to respond to interventions aimed at reducing impulsivity. We sought to evaluate the stability of impulsive personality and examine reductions in impulsivity during short-term residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. The temporal stability of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P) and discounting rates on a measure of impulsive choice (i.e., Monetary Choice Questionnaire-27 [MCQ-27]) were assessed over a brief 10-day period in a sample of individuals engaged in 14-day residential SUD treatment (N = 28). Although all five UPPS-P scales exhibited adequate to good test-retest reliability (rs > .78), Negative Urgency and (lack of) Premeditation decreased over time with large and moderate effects, respectively. Discounting rates on the MCQ-27 also declined (i.e., reduced impulsivity) during treatment. While impulsive personality is broadly understood to be trait-like and largely resistant to treatment effects, our results add to emerging evidence that two scales on the UPPS-P (i.e., Negative Urgency and [lack of] Premeditation) measure aspects of impulsive personality that respond to treatment. These findings have significant implications for understanding and conceptualizing impulsivity during initial SUD treatment and suggest opportunities for additional interventions targeting aspects of impulsive personality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

ЗАГРОЗА ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ ПІДПРИЄМСТВА ЯК ІМПЕРАТИВНЕ ПОНЯТТЯ ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ БЕЗПЕКОЛОГІЇ МІКРОРІВНЯ

Protective approach plays the dominative role in economic security studies. One of imperative notions in such approach is notion of while considering phenomenon of economic security at macro-, meso- and microlevel. There are existing in domestic science sources definitions of content of notion analyzed. Limitations and imperfections of existing definitions are considered because of made analysis. Absence of clear identification of content of notion cause to some negative consequences. Such consequences are deprivation of thesaurus of economic security studies of the necessary accuracy, narrowing subject field of research, resistance in making explanatory and methodological basis of economic security studies, false consideration of consequences of threats implementation as directly threats when consequences are considered as threats to the enterprise that causes to mistakes in defining vectors and benchmarks of security-providing at the enterprise. It is suggested to consider to the enterprise activity as processes and phenomena in external and internal environment of the such (including behavior of subjects of external environment) in case of some combination of conditions and circumstances in the enterprise that can stimulate changes with negative character, diverse localization and scale. It is obvious that such negative changes have negative consequences. Elements of notion threat to the enterprise activity are considered. Such elements are processes and phenomena in external and internal environment of the enterprise activity; behavior of subjects of external environment; combinations of conditions and circumstances in the enterprise (preconditions for implementing the namely to occurrence of negative changes in such activity) that cause to actualization, development and implementing threats in the enterprise activity; consequences of implementation of threats in the enterprise activity. In case of absence preconditions of implementing in the enterprise processes and phenomena in external environment both changing behavior of subjects of external environment remain indifferent concerning the enterprise. If preconditions of implementing in the enterprise exist then processes and phenomena in external environment both behavior of subjects of external environment lose indifferent character and become a for the enterprise activity. Negative changes in the enterprise that have taken place or are taking place can be considered as consequences of complete or partial implementation of threats.

Impulsiveness and burn patients

ObjectiveImpulsiveness is a tendency to act quickly based on a whim without reflection or consideration of consequences. We studied its correlations with burn variables and mental disorders among burn patients. MethodsConsecutive acute burn patients (N=107) admitted to the Helsinki Burn Center were assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV mental disorders (SCID) at baseline and at 6 months. All patients filled out the 30-item Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), the most commonly administered self-report measure and a standard point of reference in research on impulsiveness. ResultsThe mean total score of BIS-11 was 64.5 (range 41.0–87.8, SD±6.9). There was not a significant correlation between impulsiveness and a range of characteristics of burn injury (all p-values>0.05). We found a significant correlation between some pre-burn mental disorders and impulsiveness, alcohol dependence and attentional impulsiveness (OR=1.22, p=0.022), any personality disorder and non-planning impulsiveness (OR=1.21, p=0.005), and antisocial personality disorder and motor impulsiveness (OR=1.35, p=0.043). Patients with high impulsiveness (total score >65) more often than those with low impulsiveness (≤65), had pre-burn mental disorders such as major depressive disorder (22.6% vs. 8.6%, p=0.046), alcohol dependence (46.9% vs. 25.9%, p=0.023), or other substance dependence (12.2% vs. 1.7%, p=0.028). ConclusionImpulsiveness had a significant correlation with mental disorders but not with burn-related variables. Therefore the role of impulsiveness in burn injuries should not be investigated independently without first accounting for the role of mental disorders.

The role of social and cognitive variables in adolescent risk-taking

Participants were 491 high schools students in the Midwest USA. Questionnaires included risk behaviors, risk judgments, feelings of invulnerability, consideration of consequences, and perceptions of their best friend’s risk behaviors and consideration of consequences. Perceived best friends’ and personal consideration of negative consequences positively correlated with risk-behaviors for one subgroup. Cognitive variables partially mediated the relations between best friends’ risk taking/consideration of consequences and personal risk-taking for a subgroup. Consideration of personal consequences contributed the greatest amount of variance, with risk judgments and feelings of invulnerability accounting for less variance. Both social and cognitive factors played a role in risk-taking.

Relationship between measures of impulsivity in opioid-dependent individuals

BackgroundImpulsivity is implicated as a contributing factor to ongoing heroin use. This study aimed to determine the inter-relatedness of a battery of self-reported and performance-based behavioural measures of impulsivity in opioid-dependent individuals. MethodsSeventy-two participants on opioid substitution pharmacotherapy completed a battery of impulsivity measures. We analysed the correlations and factor structure of the impulsivity tasks. ResultsWe observed correlations between self-report measures, but self-report measures were unrelated to the performance-based tasks. For the performance-based tasks, correlations were only observed between outcome measures of the same task, and between outcome measures of the impulsive decision-making tasks. Principal components analysis revealed five components that we labelled self-reported impulsivity, impulsive decision-making with learning, impulsive decision-making without learning, sensitivity index, and responding without consideration of consequences. DiscussionThis study reinforces the distinction between multiple facets of impulsivity. This may assist with comparisons between studies that use different measures of impulsivity, and to design improved treatment interventions that target specific aspects of impulsivity.

Overlapping Neural Endophenotypes in Addiction and Obesity.

Impulsivity refers to a tendency to act rapidly without full consideration of consequences. The trait is thought to result from the interaction between high arousal responses to potential rewards and poor self-control. Studies have suggested that impulsivity confers vulnerability to both addiction and obesity. However, results in this area are unclear, perhaps due to the high phenotypic complexity of addictions and obesity. Focusing on impulsivity, the aim of this review is to tackle the putative overlaps between addiction and obesity in four domains: (1) personality research, (2) neurocognitive tasks, (3) brain imaging, and (4) clinical evidence. We suggest that three impulsivity-related domains are particularly relevant for our understanding of similarities between addiction and obesity: lower self-control (high Disinhibition/low Conscientiousness), reward sensitivity (high Extraversion/Positive Emotionality), and negative affect (high Neuroticism/Negative Emotionality). Neurocognitive studies have shown that obesity and addiction are both associated with increased impulsive decision-making and attention bias in response to drug or food cues, respectively. Mirroring this, obesity and different forms of addiction seem to exhibit similar alterations in functional MRI brain activity in response to reward processing and during self-control tasks. Overall, our review provides an integrative approach to understand those facets of obesity that present similarities to addictive behaviors. In addition, we suggest that therapeutic interventions targeting inhibitory control may represent a promising approach for the prevention and/or treatment of obesity.

Time orientation and construal level: effects on eating and exercising behaviour and preferences

AbstractEating and exercising behaviour are both characterized by immediate and future consequences. Consequently, consideration of these consequences (i.e. time orientation) predicts eating and exercising behaviour. We investigate whether construal level acts as an underlying mechanism of these relations. Students (N = 101) completed measures of consideration of immediate and future consequences (i.e. CFC‐food and CFC‐exercise), construal level, eating and exercising behaviour and preferences. For self‐reported eating and exercising behaviour, only direct effects of consideration of immediate and future consequences were found. For eating preferences, however, there was evidence of an indirect effect through construal level. A stronger tendency to consider future consequences led to a stronger preference for utilitarian (as compared with hedonic) food products through a more abstract construal level. All in all, construal level partially explains the differential relations between consideration of immediate and future consequences and eating and exercising behaviour and preferences.