Repetition Effects Research Articles

Visual dominance of the congruency sequence effect in a cross-modal context

The congruency sequence effect (CSE) refers to the reduction in the congruency effect in the current trial after an incongruent trial compared with a congruent trial. Although previous studies widely suggested that CSE was observed only in the modality repeat condition, few studies have reported that CSE could also appear in the modality switch condition. However, it remains unclear whether these conflicting findings were caused by partial repetition effects under modality transition conditions. To address this issue, Experiment 1 controlled for partial repetition effects by ensuring that the modality relationships in both the repetition and switch conditions were either fully congruent or incongruent. The results revealed significant CSE only under the modality repetition condition. In particular, a larger CSE was observed in visual–auditory (VA) repetition than in auditory–visual (AV) repetition, indicating that modality asymmetry might affect the CSE by inducing the priming effect. Thus, Experiment 2 concurrently presented visual and auditory stimuli to eliminate priming effects and further validated CSE differences between auditory and visual modalities. The results revealed that the CSE was significantly greater under the VA condition than under the AV condition and confirmed that the visual modality played a dominant role in the CSE, as visual information is prioritized in processing and ultimately reduces the congruency effect in the next trial. Overall, the present study provides evidence for the specificity of CSE under modality repetition conditions by excluding partial repetition effects and further underscores the critical role of visual dominance in cross-modal CSE.

Experimental Evolution Induced by Maternal Post-copulatory Factors in Drosophila.

Experimental evolution is a powerful approach to study the mechanisms underlying the adaptation of selected characters under the conditions chosen in the laboratory. Drosophila melanogaster is a species frequently used to investigate the experimental evolution of characters, especially those related to reproduction. Recent intra-generational studies showed that cis-vaccenyl acetate (cVa), a sex pheromone transferred with bacteria on eggs by females either 1day (D1) or 5days (D5) after copulation, differentially affected the behavior and pheromone release in adult males emerging from these eggs. Here, we extended this finding to determine whether this alternative egg exposure repeated over many generations could affect a larger set of reproduction-related characters in both sexes. To test the repetitive effects of maternal D1 or D5 post-copulatory factors, we carried out an experimental selection procedure consisting of exposing eggs during 40 successive generations to D1 or D5 maternal post-copulatory factors. We compared cVa and cuticular pheromones, courtship and mating behaviors, and fecundity at different generations in flies of D1 and D5 lines. Based on findings obtained at earlier generations, we also determined survival, bacterial composition and gene expression in adults. Some of these complex traits significantly diverged between D1 and D5 lines indicating that maternal post-copulatory factors transmitted to eggs can influence adult life history traits.

Visual mismatch negativity is more than the sum of microsequences

Visual mismatch negativity (vMMN), the difference between the event-related potentials (ERPs) to repeated (standard) events and changing (deviant) events, can be caused either by diminished activity to the repeated ones (stimulus-specific adaptation, SSA), increased activity to the new ones, or both effects. To determine which of these effects contribute to the emergence of vMMN, we investigated the effect of repetition on visual ERPs. To this end, we measured electrical brain activity to task-irrelevant stimuli both in case of stimulus onset (continuously present objects, ON-events) and stimulus offset (frequently or infrequently disappearing parts of the objects, OFF-events). We examined ERPs to changing events (“deviants”), first and second repetitions (“standards”) and to changing events preceded by one, two or three different events in non-oddball (50% deviant frequency) sequences along with ERPs to similar deviant and standard events in oddball (12,5% deviant frequency) sequences. The absence of exogenous N1 adaptation (i.e., adaptation of the negativity in the range of putative deviant minus standard difference) in non-oddball sequences coupled with the emergence of vMMN in oddball sequences proves that vMMN can be considered more than pure stimulus-specific adaptation effect.

Effect of perceptual training without feedback on bilingual speech perception

This study examines the effect of perceptual training without feedback on the discrimination of the Spanish stop-approximant contrasts [b]–[B], [d]–[ð], and [g]–[y]. Of interest is if the aural repetition of target stimuli improves discrimination accuracy, how many repetitions are needed to observe a significant increase in perceptual discrimination accuracy, and if there is an effect of contrast type. Perception of the Spanish target phones was assessed in adult native (L1) Spanish speakers (n = 10) and L1 English bilingual learners of L2 Spanish (n = 23) via VCV nonwords over six blocks of 10 trials, featuring Spanish approximants and voiced stops in an AX discrimination task. Results indicate a significant effect of aural stimulus repetition on discrimination accuracy scores improvement. Significant improvements were observed for all three contrasts, with discrimination gradually improving across blocks. The data indicated that the [y]–[g] contrast was the most difficult contrast and exhibited the highest rate of discrimination accuracy improvement. Discrimination accuracy score improvements were also significantly larger for L1 English listeners in comparison with the L1 Spanish listeners for this contrast.

ENHANCING ELS STUDENTS’ LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY THROUGH SPACED REPETITION

In language learning, the method of spaced repetition has gained significant importance. It is undoubtedly a learning technique that can greatly enhance students' vocabulary and grammar acquisition. Spaced repetition allows to improve students' long-term retention of the language content they study enhancing language learning through active engagement, repetition, and visual aids. The effectiveness of spaced repetition as a method of improving English language acquisition was investigated by the authors of the paper. The participants of the research were students at the National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute." The experiment involved 76 students, who were divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group applied spaced repetition to their vocabulary and grammar learning, while the control group continued their studies according to the traditional syllabus without the use of spaced repetition. To assess the impact of spaced repetition, both groups took the same test before and after the experiment. The pre-test served to establish a baseline measurement of each student's vocabulary and grammar proficiency, allowing for a direct comparison of progress made during the study. The post-test, conducted at the end of the experiment, aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the spaced repetition method by measuring any improvements in language skills. Data was collected through a combination of online surveys and a Likert scale questionnaire. The results demonstrated that the majority of students in the experimental group, who consistently used spaced repetition, reported significant improvements in their language skills, as evidenced by higher scores on the post-experiment test. In contrast, the control group showed less pronounced progress, highlighting the added value of spaced repetition in language learning. The findings underline the versatility and effectiveness of spaced repetition, especially when integrated into the daily learning process. This method not only proved its effectiveness for memorization but also enhanced the practical application of language skills, leading to more confident and accurate communication in English. Additionally, students in the experimental group reported positive impacts on their motivation and time management, further supporting the potential of spaced repetition as a powerful tool for language education across various linguistic fields.

The Effects of Task Repetition on the Processing and Acquisition of Technical Vocabulary Through Video‐Lecture‐Based Tasks: A Mixed‐Methods Study

AbstractThis study investigated how repeating a video‐lecture‐based task affects second language (L2) learners’ processing and incidental acquisition of technical vocabulary as well as the relationship between processing and lexical gains. The participants were 75 Chinese learners of L2 English. Thirty participants performed the task once (control group), whereas another 30 participants did the same task three times (repetition group). The two groups then completed unannounced vocabulary posttests. The remaining participants engaged in stimulated recall after performing the task once, twice, or three times. The repetition group made greater gains in vocabulary knowledge than the control group, and the repetition group's visual attention to the target words declined during repeated viewing. The amount of attention to the target words emerged as a predictor of delayed meaning recall, with task repetition decreasing the strength of this relationship. Stimulated‐recall participants repeating the task reported increased awareness of specific aspects of the target words.

HabitWalk: A micro-randomized trial to understand and promote habit formation in physical activity.

Habit is a key psychological determinant for physical activity behavior change and maintenance. This study aims to deepen the understanding of habit formation in physical activity and identify promotion strategies. We examined the habit formation trajectory and its relationships with cue-behavior repetition (a cue-triggered 15-minute brisk walk) and unconditional physical activity (daily steps). We also tested whether the behavior change techniques (BCTs) 'commitment' and 'prompts and cues' promote habit, cue-behavior repetition, and daily steps within persons. This micro-randomized trial included a 7-day preparatory and a 105-day experimental phase delivered via the HabitWalk app. Participants (N = 24) had a 50% probability of receiving each BCT daily, leading to four conditions. Habit strength was assessed daily using the Self-Report Behavioral Automaticity Index, while cue-behavior repetition and steps were measured via an activity tracker. Person-specific growth functions indicated that habit strength trajectories were highly idiosyncratic. Multilevel models indicated a positive effect of cue-behavior repetition on habit strength, but not vice versa. The effect of habit strength on daily steps varied by the operationalization of cue-behavior repetition. Tentative findings suggest that commitment and prompts and cues are effective habit-promotion strategies when delivered together.

Trends and topics: Characterizing echo chambers’ topological stability and in-group attitudes

Nowadays, online debates focusing on a wide spectrum of topics are often characterized by clashes of polarized communities, each fiercely supporting a specific stance. Such debates are sometimes fueled by the presence of echo chambers, insulated systems whose users’ opinions are exacerbated due to the effect of repetition and by the active exclusion of opposite views. This paper offers a framework to explore how echo chambers evolve through time, considering their users’ interaction patterns and the content/attitude they convey while addressing specific controversial issues. The framework is then tested on three Reddit case studies focused on sociopolitical issues (gun control, American politics, and minority discrimination) during the first two years and a half of Donald Trump’s presidency and on an X/Twitter dataset involving BLM discussion tied to the EURO 2020 football championship. Analytical results unveil that polarized users will likely keep their affiliation to echo chambers in time. Moreover, we observed that the attitudes conveyed by Reddit users who joined risky epistemic enclaves are characterized by a slight inclination toward a more negative or neutral attitude when discussing particularly sensitive issues (e.g., fascism, school shootings, or police violence) while X/Twitter ones often tend to express more positive feelings w.r.t. those involved into less polarized communities.

The effects of subsensory electrical noise stimulation on the reactive control of balance during support surface perturbations

BackgroundThe ability to respond effectively to balance perturbations is crucial for fall prevention. Subsensory electrical stimulation (SES) applied to the skin leads to improved proactive balance control but there is limited evidence on the SES effect on reactive balance control. Research QuestionsTo test the efficiency of SES in improving reactive balance control against unpredictable support surface perturbations and to compare the effects of SES applied to the trunk and the lower legs. MethodsTwenty-three young adults stood on a treadmill while recovering from 15 forward and 15 backward surface translations of increasing magnitude to determine the backward and forward stepping thresholds (BSTh and FSTh). Then, they recovered from three repetitions of forward and backward perturbations of fixed magnitude to determine the characteristic of the compensatory step (i.e., step time, step length, step delay and Margin of Stability - MOS). Each test was conducted with no stimulation (NS), leg stimulation (LS), or trunk stimulation (TS) equal to 90 % of the sensory threshold. Repeated-measures ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc tests were used to analyze the main and interaction effects of stimulation and repetition. ResultsTS and LS increased the BSTh by 31.5 % (p=0.002) and 16.4 % (p=0.028), respectively, with greater effects of TS; (ii) during backward perturbations, TS reduced compensatory step time by 9.0 %, step length by 17.1 %, and MOS at compensatory heel strike by 17.7 % (p<0.016); and (iii) during forward perturbations, LS and TS reduced the step time by 4.5 % and 3.5 % (p<0.017), and increased the minimum MOS by 7.8 % and 4.5 %, respectively (p<0.048). SignificanceThis is the first study that showed how the application of SES affects reactive balance control during support surface perturbations. TS was more effective than LS during backward perturbations. TS may be an effective strategy to enhance balance control during reactive postural tasks, thus potentially reducing fall risk.

Chronic and Periodic Effects of Smoke from Crop Residue Combustion on Soil Enzymatic Activity

Wildfires lead to the emission of large volumes of toxic smoke, which is transported hundreds of kilometres away from the fires and can have a negative impact on soil, biota and humans. A series of modelling experiments on pyrogenic fumigation of soil were carried out to assess the effects of gaseous products from wildfires on soil biochemical parameters. The effects of chronic exposure to gaseous substances and periodic, repetitive effects of smoke exposure on soil were determined. The results were compared with a single intensive smoke exposure. It was found that pyrogenic impact significantly affected the change of enzymatic activity of ordinary chernozem. The degree of influence depended on the duration and periodicity of smoke exposure. In all experiments enzymes of oxidoreductase class (catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase) were more sensitive to fumigation than invertase from hydrolase class. The reason of suppression of enzymatic activity of soils is high concentrations of toxic gases. The following concentrations exceeded the maximum permissible concentrations for atmospheric air: CO 714 times, phenol (hydroxybenzene) 441 times, acetaldehyde 24100 times, formaldehyde 190 times. Accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil after fumigation was revealed, the total content of PAHs was 377 ng/g. The highest values were recorded for naphthalene, where the concentration was 4.4 times higher than the maximum permissible and phenanthrene 2.8 times higher than the maximum permissible. It was found that 60-minute intensive smoke affects the soil to a lesser extent than chronic and periodic. Indicators of enzymatic activity of chernozem after such fumigation decreased by 15-33% depending on the enzyme, in chronic and periodic by 41-84 and 31-78%, respectively. The obtained data indicate a significant effect of smoke on enzymatic activity of soils under chronic and periodic exposure to gaseous products of combustion.

Effects of training repetition on young footballers’ tactical and physical performances: free and conditioned large-sided games

This study evaluated the consequences of repeating the same large-sided games, playing free or conditioned, during several training sessions on young footballers’ tactical and conditional performances and their variabilities. Thirty-two U14 and U16 developmental male footballers participated in the study. Both teams, divided into two balanced groups (free play and conditioned), faced each other during three eight-a-side games (seven vs seven, plus goalkeepers) during three training sessions. The free-play groups played as they pleased, while the conditioned groups played the games conditioned by tactical instructions. Tactical performance was assessed by central tendency and normalized approximate entropy measures of the distance of each player to the team centroid (m) and the distance of each player to their mean position (m), while the conditional performance was assessed by total distance (m) and walking, jogging, running, and sprinting distances traveled (m), and number of accelerations and decelerations performed. Whereas players’ average tactical and conditional responses scarcely varied between sessions, inter- and intra-player variabilities were always considerable (coefficient of variation &gt;10%) regardless of the task conditions and the age group. In addition, all footballers’ conditional variability was substantially higher at faster speeds (jogging, running, and sprinting distances) than at slower ones (total distance and walking distance traveled), and for accelerations and decelerations performed. Implementing large-sided games with or without tactical instructions may be an appropriate training strategy to ensure stable and constant average responses for the team. Nevertheless, academy football coaches should bear in mind and manage the variability between and within players.

Examining differential effects of target and context repetition in visual search: Insights from a big data approach

Examining differential effects of target and context repetition in visual search: Insights from a big data approach

Investigating a Metrical Hebb Effect for lists of words.

In four experiments, we describe the first finding of a Metrical Hebb Effect. Participants are shown to exhibit a Hebb Repetition Effect for repeating list-wide stress patterns across sequences of familiar words, even though the lexical items within the "repeating" lists do not themselves repeat. Experiment 1 established the presence of a Hebb effect for metrical patterns, demonstrating significant learning of list-wide metrical patterns over successive presentations. Experiment 2 investigated the effect's longevity, showing the persistence of learned metrical information after a spacing of three non-repeating lists. Experiment 3 revealed that the effect did not persist over a longer spacing of eight intervening lists. Experiment 4 investigated the learning mechanism, suggesting that chunking, rather than item-position binding, might account for the observed learning of metrical patterns. The authors propose that metrical-pattern learning represents a process of gradual integration of sequences of weak and strong stress accents into higher-level units representing the stress patterns within, and across, words. We briefly discuss some implications of the Metrical Hebb Effect for phonological word-form learning and for speech perception and production.

EFFECTS OF CLASS REPETITION ON STUDENTS COMPETENCE ACQUISITION IN PUBLIC LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN RWANDAA CASE OF KICUKIRO

The study intended to assess the effects of class repetition on students competence acquisition in public lower primary schools in the Kicukiro District-Rwanda. Specifically, this research sought to examine the influence of students level of participation on students content comprehension in public lower primary schools in the Kicukiro District, Rwanda to determine the influence of students regular academic practice on students content retention in public lower primary schools in the Kicukiro District, Rwanda and to assess the influence of students intellectual maturity on students content mastery in public lower primary schools in the Kicukiro District, Rwanda the researcher adopted the descriptive survey design with quantitative and qualitative methods of collection and analyzing data. The study population comprises 1271 from which a sample size of 312 was collected using the Yamane formula including 302 teachers, and 10 head teachers. The researcher used simple random sampling to select the teachers and purposive sampling to select head teachers of public lower primary schools. This study used the questionnaire and interview guide to gather information. Information was analyzed descriptively in terms of frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, and correlational analysis was given by multiple regression through statistical product and service solution (SPSS version 21). Data was tabulated and statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequencies and means. Data was presented in frequency and percentages tables. Multiple regression analysis technique was used to determine the effect of independent variables on the dependent variables. The results showed that there is a statistically significant relationship (r = .865, p &lt; .01) between students level of participation and students content comprehension in lower primary schools of Kicukiro District. This also implies an association between the effect of students level of participation and students content comprehension in lower primary schools of the Kicukiro District. Furthermore, according to the findings, there is a strong positive correlation (r = .802, p &lt; .01) between students regular academic practice and content retention. This indicates that students who engage in regular academic practice are more likely to retain the information they learn. Finally, the results indicate that there is a moderate to strong positive correlation (r = .735, p &lt; .01) between students intellectual maturity and content mastery. These results suggest that a combination of active engagement, consistent practice, and critical thinking is crucial for student success. However, individual differences, including those influenced by class repetition, can also impact these factors. To address this issue, the researcher advocates for a multifaceted approach that includes strengthening student support systems, improving teacher capacity, and optimizing educational policies. By prioritizing early intervention, resource allocation, and data-driven decision-making, the study concluded that it is possible to significantly reduce class repetition rates and enhance overall student outcomes.

Repetitive recycling effects on mechanical characteristics of poly‐lactic acid and PLA/spent coffee grounds composite used for 3D printing filament

AbstractDue to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and mechanical properties, poly‐lactic acid (PLA) is a leading biomaterial for numerous applications, especially for fused deposition modeling and fused filament fabrication. Nonetheless, the absence of a comprehensive recycling strategy may emerge as a significant source of plastic pollution in the future. Indeed, the polymer undergoes deterioration during melt recycling, resulting in a decrease in some mechanical properties that can compromise recyclability. To improve the properties of recycled PLA, the utilization of organic fillers coming from renewable materials can be considered as a sustainable solution. The objective of this work is then to evaluate the effect of recycling (reprocessing) on a virgin raw material as well as on biocomposites based on spent coffee grounds (incorporating 5% of spend coffee grounds in weight). The different types of filaments are extruded and re‐extruded and characterized under tensile, melt flow index, and hardness tests. The results show that the increase in the number of extrusions whether for virgin PLA or the composite contributes to the diameter fluctuation. Regarding the tensile properties, the rise in the frequency of recycling shows a weakness in the tensile strength and the elongation at break. On the other hand, Young's modulus values exhibit fluctuations. Concerning the addition of the spent coffee grounds filler, no major enhancement is observed in the tensile strength and the elongation at break, which is attributed to the poor adhesion between the matrix and the filler. The recycling process affects the hardness values of PLA, leading to an increase in these values, as well as those of the composite, which can be associated with the increased crystallinity caused by the recycling process and the SCG incorporation.Highlights Recycling and reusability strategy for poly‐lactic acid (PLA) and PLA/spent coffee grounds (SCG) filaments. Assessment of recycling effects on PLA and PLA/SCG. Mechanical characterization through tensile and hardness testing.

Correcting fake news headlines after repeated exposure: memory and belief accuracy in younger and older adults

The efficacy of fake news corrections in improving memory and belief accuracy may depend on how often adults see false information before it is corrected. Two experiments tested the competing predictions that repeating fake news before corrections will either impair or improve memory and belief accuracy. These experiments also examined whether fake news exposure effects would differ for younger and older adults due to age-related differences in the recollection of contextual details. Younger and older adults read real and fake news headlines that appeared once or thrice. Next, they identified fake news corrections among real news headlines. Later, recognition and cued recall tests assessed memory for real news, fake news, if corrections occurred, and beliefs in retrieved details. Repeating fake news increased detection and remembering of corrections, correct real news retrieval, and erroneous fake news retrieval. No age differences emerged for detection of corrections, but younger adults remembered corrections better than older adults. At test, correct fake news retrieval for earlier-detected corrections was associated with better real news retrieval. This benefit did not differ between age groups in recognition but was greater for younger than older adults in cued recall. When detected corrections were not remembered at test, repeated fake news increased memory errors. Overall, both age groups believed correctly retrieved real news more than erroneously retrieved fake news to a similar degree. These findings suggest that fake news repetition effects on subsequent memory accuracy depended on age differences in recollection-based retrieval of fake news and that it was corrected.

The effects of task repetition and corrective feedback on L2 writing development

ABSTRACT This study examines the joint effects of task repetition and corrective feedback on EFL learners’ writing accuracy. Two types of task repetition were investigated: identical repetition where learners repeated the same task, and procedural repetition where learners performed tasks with different content following the same procedure. Under each repetition condition, learners received direct correction or metalinguistic feedback on their erroneous use of three linguistic structures: the past tense, articles, and prepositions. 80 Korean university EFL learners were randomly assigned to four groups: identical repetition + direct feedback, identical repetition + metalinguistic feedback, procedural repetition + direct feedback, and procedural repetition + metalinguistic feedback, and received one of the four instructional treatments. The results showed that (1) procedural repetition was superior to identical repetition in enhancing learners’ writing accuracy regardless of whether direct feedback or metalinguistic feedback was provided, and (2) there were no significant differences between the two types of feedback despite a trend toward a greater effect for metalinguistic feedback for the past tense and a greater effect for direct correction for articles and prepositions. The results demonstrate the advantage of procedural repetition over identical repetition in enhancing the effects of corrective feedback in L2 writing.

Modeling the Effects of Task Repetition in Second Language Writing: Examining Interindividual and Intraindividual Variability

AbstractIn this paper, we report a longitudinal study of the effects of procedural task repetition on learners’ task performance (i.e., syntactic complexity in relation to lexical complexity). We investigated how task repetition results in differences at the group and individual level across each task interval (T = 7). Intermediate‐level Saudi learners of English (N = 93) performed a written task biweekly over the course of a whole semester. To control for text type, mode and tenor were fixed at each data elicitation moment, but field was varied in these writing tasks to keep learners engaged. Using Bayesian generalized additive mixed models and mixed location‐scale models, we analyzed specific ways that groups and individuals changed across time over the course of each task iteration and in relation to previous points. Our results showed that learners’ task performance demonstrated nonlinearity, stability, and variability with meaningfully different effects on individual and group‐level development over time.

Repetition increases belief in climate-skeptical claims, even for climate science endorsers.

Does repeated exposure to climate-skeptic claims influence their acceptance as true, even among climate science endorsers? Research with general knowledge claims shows that repeated exposure to a claim increases its perceived truth when it is encountered again. However, motivated cognition research suggests that people primarily endorse what they already believe. Across two experiments, climate science endorsers were more likely to believe claims that were consistent with their prior beliefs, but repeated exposure increased perceptions of truth for climate-science and climate-skeptic claims to a similar extent. Even counter-attitudinal claims benefit from previous exposure, highlighting the insidious effect of repetition.

The effect of modified team-based learning method on the knowledge and skills of medical emergency personnel: a clinical trial.

Trauma is one of the most important issues and problems considered in most countries in today's modern and industrial society. Since pre-hospital care is the first component of a trauma care system, if done properly, it can reduce the problems associated with long-term disability and death due to trauma. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the impact of training based on a modified team-based learning (TBL) method on the skills of medical emergency personnel in managing trauma patients in 2022. The present study was a two-group clinical before/after study in which 96 technicians were selected using a stratified random sampling method. The sample members were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group. In the intervention group, skills for dealing with trauma patients were taught through a modified team-based learning method. The results were analyzed using SPSS software version 21. The results of the repeated measures analysis of variance showed a significant difference between the intervention and control groups in learning skills for dealing with trauma patients (P<0.001), which were determined by examining the effect of test repetition and the effect of interaction. The changes in the studied variables in the TBL groups were significantly greater than those in the control group (P<0.001). The results indicate that training based on the modified team-based learning method is effective for the management of trauma patients by medical emergency personnel and improves the readiness of personnel in this field.