Experiential Similarity Research Articles

The primacy of experience in language processing: Semantic priming is driven primarily by experiential similarity

The organization of semantic memory, including memory for word meanings, has long been a central question in cognitive science. Although there is general agreement that word meaning representations must make contact with sensory-motor and affective experiences in a non-arbitrary fashion, the nature of this relationship remains controversial. One prominent view proposes that word meanings are represented directly in terms of their experiential content (i.e., sensory-motor and affective representations). Opponents of this view argue that the representation of word meanings reflects primarily taxonomic structure, that is, their relationships to natural categories. In addition, the recent success of language models based on word co-occurrence (i.e., distributional) information in emulating human linguistic behavior has led to proposals that this kind of information may play an important role in the representation of lexical concepts. We used a semantic priming paradigm designed for representational similarity analysis (RSA) to quantitatively assess how well each of these theories explains the representational similarity pattern for a large set of words. Crucially, we used partial correlation RSA to account for intercorrelations between model predictions, which allowed us to assess, for the first time, the unique effect of each model. Semantic priming was driven primarily by experiential similarity between prime and target, with no evidence of an independent effect of distributional or taxonomic similarity. Furthermore, only the experiential models accounted for unique variance in priming after partialling out explicit similarity ratings. These results support experiential accounts of semantic representation and indicate that, despite their good performance at some linguistic tasks, the distributional models evaluated here do not encode the same kind of information used by the human semantic system.

Similar Others, Social Comparison, and Social Support in Online Support Groups

Social comparison and social support have implications for individuals' wellbeing, offline and on social media. Perceptions of similarity underlie both social comparison and social support processes, though how comparison and support function in tandem in online spaces, and which aspects of identity and experiential similarity are salient to which comparison and support outcomes, merits investigation. Through interviews with people who have joined or considered joining social media-based support groups following pregnancy loss (N=18), we provide an intracommunity view into social comparison within online support groups. We identify a set of identity and experience attributes that inform perceptions of similarity and difference in these support spaces. We characterize tensions arising from these attributes and propose the preliminary Social Comparison and Social Support in Online Support Groups model to describe interactions between social support and comparison processes within online support groups. We further discuss findings' implications for design, including via introducing the tolerance principle of online health support groups. CAUTION: This paper includes quotes about pregnancy loss.

Soreness Reminds Me of Grief: Patients With Chronic Pain Show Less Differentiated Representations of Emotional Feelings and Bodily States

People experience similarities between emotional feelings and bodily states on a daily basis, but both the magnitude and pervasiveness of this experiential similarity vary across individuals. Inspired by previous findings that chronic pain (CP) is characterized by strengthened pain-affect coupling and reduced interoceptive accuracy, we conducted 2 cross-sectional studies to examine whether patients with CP would exhibit less differentiated perception and mental representation of emotional feelings and bodily states. In study 1 (N = 500), patients with CP and healthy controls (HCs) completed a self-report questionnaire that asked explicitly about the perceived similarity between 5 basic emotion categories and a series of bodily states. In study 2 (N = 73), a specially designed false memory test was administered to examine whether patients with CP would have reduced differentiation of concepts of negative emotion and somatic distress. We found that patients with CP perceived greater and more pervasive similarities between emotional feelings and bodily states, as indicated by higher questionnaire scores and denser, less specialized bipartite emotion-body networks, both associated with lower subjective interoceptive accuracy. Furthermore, patients with CP formed false memories of negative emotion words (eg, grief) more readily than HCs after memorizing somatic distress words (eg, soreness), as if they represented negative emotion and somatic distress as a single, enmeshed semantic category. Our findings extend previous literature by demonstrating reduced discrimination between emotional and bodily experiences in CP that is not restricted to pain-related emotional and sensory experiences and may be related to a fundamentally less differentiated interoception. PerspectivesThis study shows that patients with chronic pain have a profoundly less differentiated perception and implicit conceptualization of emotional feelings and bodily states, which appears to be associated with altered interoception. These findings may provide new perspectives on why they often experience a stronger pain-affect coupling.

What Motivates Physicians to Address Caregiver Needs? The Role of Experiential Similarity.

Despite the significant stress of family caregiving, caregivers' needs and risks are often overlooked in healthcare settings. This study examined the factors associated with primary care physicians' perceived responsibility to identify and address caregiver needs and risks. Using a national random sample of U.S. primary care physicians (N = 106), multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations of physicians' perceived responsibility to assess caregivers' needs with experiential similarity (personal experience with caregiving), structural similarity (being older and female), and secondary exposure variables (time seeing older adults in the outpatient setting). Most (76.5%) physicians felt responsible for identifying caregivers' needs and risks. In multivariable models, physicians who had personal experience with caregiving were four times more likely than those without it to feel responsible for identifying caregivers' needs and risks and assessing caregivers' mental health concerns. Thus, physicians may benefit from educational interventions that immerse them in caregivers' lived experiences.

WHAT MOTIVATES PHYSICIANS TO ADDRESS CAREGIVER NEEDS? THE ROLE OF EXPERIENTIAL SIMILARITY

Abstract Despite the negative emotional and physical consequences of caregiving, caregivers’ needs and risks are often overlooked in health care settings. This study used survey data from a national random sample of primary care physicians (N=106) to examine the factors associated with physicians’ perceived responsibility to identify caregiver needs and risks, focusing on three theoretically implicated variables: 1) experiential similarity (i.e., physicians having personal experience with caregiving), 2) structural similarity (i.e., physicians being older and female), and 3) secondary exposure to caregivers (i.e., more time seeing older patients and a higher percentage of older adults in their patient panel). Physicians in our sample consisted of 42.5% women; most of whom were white (73.6%). The majority (76.5%) agreed or strongly agreed that they were responsible for identifying caregivers’ needs and risks. Multivariable models controlling for physicians’ age and gender revealed that physicians who had personal experience with caregiving were four times more likely than those without caregiving experience to feel responsible to identify caregivers’ needs and risks (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.90; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34-11.41) and to assess caregivers’ mental health concerns (aOR 3.58; 95% CI 1.29-9.94). Structural similarity and secondary exposure did not play significant roles in motivating physicians. Findings highlight the role of experiential similarity in physicians’ motivation to assess caregivers’ needs and risks. Future work may benefit from designing intervention programs for physicians that incorporate experiential learning activities (e.g., conversations in which caregivers share their experiences) and evaluating whether such programs enhance physicians’ sensitivity toward family caregivers.

Getting "clean" from nonsuicidal self-injury: Experiences of addiction on the subreddit r/selfharm.

Background & AimsPrevious studies have shown that nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) has addictive features, and an addiction model of NSSI has been considered. Addictive features have been associated with severity of NSSI and adverse psychological experiences. Yet, there is debate over the extent to which NSSI and substance use disorders (SUDs) are similar experientially.MethodsTo evaluate the extent that people who self-injure experience NSSI like an addiction, we coded the posts of users of the subreddit r/selfharm (n = 500) for each of 11 DSM-5 SUD criteria adapted to NSSI.ResultsA majority (76.8%) of users endorsed at least two adapted SUD criteria in their posts, indicative of mild, moderate, or severe addiction. The most frequently endorsed criteria were urges or cravings (67.6%), escalating severity or tolerance (46.7%), and NSSI that is particularly hazardous. User-level addictive features positively predicted number of methods used for NSSI, number of psychiatric disorders, and particularly hazardous NSSI, but not suicidality. We also observed frequent use of language and concepts common in SUD recovery circles like Alcoholics Anonymous.Discussion & ConclusionOur findings support previous work describing the addiction potential of NSSI and associating addictive features with clinical severity. These results suggest that NSSI and SUD may share experiential similarities, which has implications for the treatment of NSSI. We also contribute to a growing body of work that uses social media as a window into the subjective experiences of stigmatized populations.

Being held through pain: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of experiences of receiving a peer support intervention for family members of individuals with mental illness

AbstractBackgroundSince the deinstitutionalisation movement, many families have taken on the responsibility of caring for their family members with severe mental illness (SMI). Despite being recognised as a fundamental resource, family caregivers frequently report that the support they are receiving from mental health services is inadequate.AimTo explore the lived experiences of receiving a Family Recovery Peer Support (FRPS) pilot intervention for family caregivers of individuals with SMI.MethodThe experiences of receiving FRPS, a 6‐session intervention, were explored through 12 in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews with family members.FindingsUsing interpretative phenomenological analysis, two superordinate themes were identified as follows: 1) ‘You feel all their pain’ and 2) ‘A vital experience of growth and healing through relationship’. Findings revealed that having a family member suffer from SMI was a traumatic experience. All 12 interviewees reported that receiving FRPS was beneficial. The significance of genuine understanding in the context of experiential similarity was repeatedly identified as invaluable. Analyses revealed a sequential journey of recovery, and post‐traumatic growth, across family members’ narratives, which led to improved relationships.ConclusionHaving a family member suffer from severe mental illness was a traumatic experience. Findings from the present study support the roll‐out of FRPS as an effective intervention for family caregivers of individuals with SMI. In order to develop more effective Mental Health Services, future policy initiatives should take family caregivers’ views and experiences into account.

Who Should Represent Future Generations in Climate Planning?

AbstractExtreme impacts from climate change are already being felt around the world. The policy choices that we make now will affect not only how high global temperatures rise but also how well-equipped future economies and infrastructures are to cope with these changes. The interests of future generations must therefore be central to climate policy and practice. This raises the questions:Whoshould represent the interests of future generations with respect to climate change? And according to whichcriteriashould we judge whether a particular candidate would make an appropriate representative for future generations? In this essay, we argue that potential representatives of future generations should satisfy what we call a “hypothetical acceptance criterion,” which requires that the representative could reasonably be expected to be accepted by future generations. This overarching criterion in turn gives rise to two derivative criteria. These are, first, the representative'sepistemic and experiential similarity to future generations, and second, his or hermotivation to act on behalf of future generations. We conclude that communities already adversely affected by climate change best satisfy these criteria and are therefore able to command the hypothetical acceptance of future generations.

Eating we live by

Abstract eating plays a pivotal role in Chinese culture as echoed in the saying mín yǐ shí wéi tiān “Eating is everything for people”. In Chinese, a multitude of expressions related to eating are metaphorically used to talk about aspects of living and we call them “eating metaphors”. eating metaphors are largely motivated by the primary metaphor living is eating. This paper focuses on three prominent elements of the eating activity (i.e., living as “a process of eating”, living as “a kind of food” and living as “a tool for eating or cooking”) which give rise to the following metaphors: social activity is a process of eating, mental activity is a process of eating, social activity is food, mental activity is taste of food, humans are food, social activity is a tool for eating/cooking, and mental activity is attribute of tools for eating/cooking. The mappings from the domain of eating to the domain of living are largely based on their similarities on the generic level. Using the apparatus of clics 3, we find that the concept of eat in Chinese can colexify drink, intake, chew, learn, consider, understand, invade, possess, deprive, absorb, coitus, depend, and consume, and all cases of colexification can be accounted for by the living is eating metaphor. It is the experiential similarities between the living activity and the eating activity that make the structural mappings between two domains possible and that people can use one domain of experience to talk about another.

Losing Ourselves: Active Inference, Depersonalization, and Meditation.

Disruptions in the ordinary sense of selfhood underpin both pathological and “enlightened” states of consciousness. People suffering from depersonalization can experience the loss of a sense of self as devastating, often accompanied by intense feelings of alienation, fear, and hopelessness. However, for meditative contemplatives from various traditions, “selfless” experiences are highly sought after, being associated with enduring peace and joy. Little is understood about how these contrasting dysphoric and euphoric experiences should be conceptualized. In this paper, we propose a unified account of these selfless experiences within the active inference framework. Building on our recent active inference research, we propose an account of the experiences of selfhood as emerging from a temporally deep generative model. We go on to develop a view of the self as playing a central role in structuring ordinary experience by “tuning” agents to the counterfactually rich possibilities for action. Finally, we explore how depersonalization may result from an inferred loss of allostatic control and contrast this phenomenology with selfless experiences reported by meditation practitioners. We will show how, by beginning with a conception of self-modeling within an active inference framework, we have available to us a new way of conceptualizing the striking experiential similarities and important differences between these selfless experiences within a unifying theoretical framework. We will explore the implications for understanding and treating dissociative disorders, as well as elucidate both the therapeutic potential, and possible dangers, of meditation.

A Heuristic Study of Therapeutic Presence and Its Experiential Relations with Stage Presence

This article is based on a heuristic study that phenomenologically explored the experiential similarities of therapeutic performance and stage presence. The rationale for choosing the research method and the research process is discussed in line with the stages of heuristic research. The themes emerged in this study are related to an approach to cultivating therapeutic presence and its implicit dimension. These themes are discussed in connection with the concepts in performance studies - Growtoski’s via negativa and Eugenio Barba’s pre-expressivity. The relevance of drama-based action methods in the process of cultivating therapeutic presence are discussed in connection with the preparation stage of therapeutic presence that extends beyond the boundaries of a clinical setting.

The impact of befriending and peer support on family carers of people living with dementia: A mixed methods study

BackgroundVolunteer led befriending and peer support is provided to a wide range of people with varying needs. Despite large numbers of such schemes for carers of people with dementia, there is little evidence for any benefits they may offer. The aim of this research was to investigate the impact of befriending and peer support on carers of people with dementia and to explore their experiences of receiving the interventions using a mixed methods approach. MethodsNineteen carers of people with dementia were recruited from befriending and peer support services. Carers completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and UCLA Loneliness Scale at baseline, three months and six months. Of the 16 carers who completed the quantitative phase, eight took part in depth semi-structured interviews. ResultsA statistically significant increase in perceived social support from a significant other between baseline and three months was found (Z = 2.487, p = 0.013). Qualitative findings showed befriending and peer support to be important sources of emotional and social support for carers, which was facilitated by the volunteers’ experiential similarity. ConclusionVolunteer led befriending and peer support offers carers of people with dementia emotional and social support which enables them to cope better with challenges and continue caring. This has important implications for potentially reducing breakdowns in carer mental and physical health. Future research should explore whether these finding are replicable in other locations and in more diverse populations.

Supportive communication from bystanders of cyberbullying: indirect effects and interactions between source and message characteristics

ABSTRACTCyberbullying is an increasingly common experience that produces psychosocial consequences for targets. Interventions encouraging bystanders to support targets of cyberbullying are limited by a lack of focus on what to communicate. This study considers supportive messages that emphasize emotional comfort, attributions of responsibility, and beliefs that people can change as relevant to this context, and it examines how perceptions of messages differ based on whether support providers have or lack experience with cyberbullying. We extend research on the indirect effects model of supportive communication by randomly assigning participants (N = 304), who self-identify as targets of cyberbullying, to message and source conditions and assessing their perceptions of messages, providers, and outcomes. Impressions of messages mediate their influence on outcomes, and the experiential similarity of support providers moderates these effects. Certain messages, notably those contending that bullies can change, are less effective when delivered by sources who lack experience with bullying.

Volunteer peer support and befriending for carers of people living with dementia: An exploration of volunteers' experiences.

With ageing populations and greater reliance on the voluntary sector, the number of volunteer-led peer support and befriending services for carers of people with dementia in England is set to increase. However, little is known about the experiences of the volunteers who deliver these interventions, many of whom are former carers. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews with 10 volunteer peer supporters and befrienders, this exploratory study investigated volunteers' experiences of delivering the support, the types of relationships they form with carers and their perceptions of its impact upon them and on carers. Data were analysed using framework analysis. Findings showed that volunteers benefitted from their role due to the 'two-way' flow of support. Experiential similarity and having common interests with carers were considered important to the development of mutually beneficial relationships. Volunteers perceived that carers gained emotional and social support, which in turn improved the carers' coping ability. Being able to see positive changes to carers' lives was important for volunteers to gain enjoyment and satisfaction from their role. However, volunteers also identified challenges with their role, such as dealing with carers' emotions. Future research should investigate ways of reducing potential burden on volunteers and explore the impact of volunteering specifically on former carers of people with dementia.

Communication and Exchange of Specialized Health-Related Support Among People With Experiential Similarity on Facebook

ABSTRACTSocial support is an important factor that shapes how people cope with illness, and health-related communication among peers managing the same illness (network ties with experiential similarity) offers specialized information, resources, and emotional support. Facebook has become a ubiquitous part of many Americans’ lives, and may offer a way for patients and caregivers experiencing a similar illness to exchange specialized health-related support. However, little is known about the content of communication among people who have coped with the same illness on personal Facebook pages. We conducted a content analysis of 12 months of data from 18 publicly available Facebook pages hosted by parents of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, focusing on communication between users who self-identified as parents of pediatric cancer patients. Support exchanges between users with experiential similarity contained highly specialized health-related information, including information about health services use, symptom recognition, compliance, medication use, treatment protocols, and medical procedures. Parents also exchanged tailored emotional support through comparison, empathy, encouragement, and hope. Building upon previous research documenting that social media use can widen and diversify support networks, our findings show that cancer caregivers access specialized health-related informational and emotional support through communication with others who have experienced the same illness on personal Facebook pages. These findings have implications for health communication practice and offer evidence to tailor M-Health interventions that leverage existing social media platforms to enhance peer support for patients and caregivers.

Habitual Boredom and Depression: Some Qualitative Differences

This article will compare and contrast the author’s theory of Habitual Boredom with a phenomenological account of Unipolar Depression. The habitually bored show more external ambivalence, passive avoidance, and shame, as well as a tendency toward passive hope and identity confusion. The depressed show more internal ambivalence, willful (but futile) determination, and guilt as well as tendency toward hopelessness and identity objectification. The article also discusses some of the experiential similarities and developmental differences between the two phenomenon as well as some aspects of the defensive structure that initially prevents the bored from becoming depressed.

An intensely sympathetic awareness: Experiential similarity and cultural norms as means for gaining older African Americans' trust of scientific research

Well-known trust-building methods are routinely used to recruit and retain older African Americans into scientific research studies, yet the quandary over how to overcome this group's hesitance to participate in research remains. We present two innovative and testable methods for resolving the dilemma around increasing older African Americans' participation in scientific research studies. Certain specific and meaningful experiential similarities between the primary researcher and the participants, as well as clear recognition of the elders' worth and dignity, improved older African Americans' willingness to adhere to a rigorous research design. Steps taken in an intervention study produced a potentially replicable strategy for achieving strong results in recruitment, retention and engagement of this population over three waves of assessment. Sixty-two (n=62) older African Americans were randomized to treatment and control conditions of a reminiscence intervention. Sensitivity to an African American cultural form of respect for elders (recognition of worth and dignity), and intersections between the lived experience of the researcher and participants helped dispel this population's well-documented distrust of scientific research. Results suggest that intentional efforts to honor the worth and dignity of elders through high level hospitality and highlighting meaningful experiential similarities between the researcher and the participants can improve recruitment and retention results. Experiential similarities, in particular, may prove more useful to recruitment and retention than structural similarities such as age, race, or gender, which may not in themselves result in the trust experiential similarities elicit.

The impact of volunteer mentoring schemes on carers of people with dementia and volunteer mentors: a systematic review.

This systematic review aims to examine the differences and similarities between the various types of volunteer mentoring (befriending, mentoring and peer support) and to identify the benefits for carers and volunteers. Literature searching was performed using 8 electronic databases, gray literature, and reference list searching of relevant systematic reviews. Searches were carried out in January 2013. Four studies fitted the inclusion criteria, with 3 investigating peer support and 1 befriending for carers. Quantitative findings highlighted a weak but statistically significant (P =.04) reduction in depression after 6 months of befriending. Qualitative findings highlighted the value carers placed on the volunteer mentors' experiential similarity. Matching was not essential for the development of successful volunteer mentoring relationships. In conclusion, the lack of need for matching and the importance of experiential similarity deserve further investigation. However, this review highlights a lack of demonstrated efficacy of volunteer mentoring for carers of people with dementia.

Understanding the psychological processes of the racial match effect in Asian Americans.

Some studies on mental health outcomes research have found that when clients and therapists are ethnically or racially matched, this tends to be related to greater satisfaction and better outcomes. However, the precise underlying mechanism for the match effect has not been extensively examined. In this experimental study, we tested the effect of racial match on critical counseling processes (i.e., therapist credibility and the working alliance) using a sample of 171 Asian American respondents. We also examined Asian ethnic identification as a potential moderator of the racial match effect. Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that racially matched individuals perceived greater experiential similarity with the therapist than nonmatched individuals, and experiential similarity was positively associated with therapist credibility. Although racial match did not predict attitudinal similarity, attitudinal similarity was strongly related to the working alliance and therapist credibility. Counseling implications are discussed.

Crossing diaspora's borders: musical roots experiences and the Euro-American presence in Afro-Cuban religious music.

As a potentially more useful heuristic, I discuss what I call a musical “roots experience.” In doing so, I argue that recent Euro-American interest in Afro-Cuban music is a logical result of a search for a historicized cultural self, quite similar to that of African-Americans. In this way, the framework of a “roots experience” highlights experiential similarities across an ethnically diverse community of practitioners, whereas relying on the concept of the African Diaspora could possibly reinforce racial barriers.