Higher Cognitive Abilities Research Articles

The Impact of Using ChatGPT on Improving Focus in Students with High Cognitive Functioning Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

: This article explores my personal experiences as a veterinary student diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), focusing on how ChatGPT has figsignificantly helped me manage my symptoms and improve concentration, particularly during preparation for the IELTS exam. Despite my high cognitive abilities and early literacy, ADHD has posed challenges in sustaining focus during intensive study periods. As a high-functioning individual with ADHD, incorporating ChatGPT into my study routine has been instrumental in enhancing both focus and productivity. This study underscores the positive impact of ChatGPT as a digital tool for improving concentration and managing ADHD symptoms, demonstrating its potential as an effective supplement to traditional interventions.

Evaluating the Impact of AI Dependency on Cognitive Ability among Generation Z in Higher Educational Institutions: A Conceptual Framework

This research aims to examine the factors of AI dependency (AID) and to investigate the relationship between AI dependency on cognitive ability (CA) among Generation Z (Gen Z) in higher educational institutions. The factors involved are academic self-efficacy (ASE), academic stress (AS), and performance expectation (PE). In this research, the proposed research design is a quantitative method. A self?administered questionnaire will be distributed to respondents, a group of students who were born between 1997 to 2012, and the AI user. The questionnaire will be utilizing the Google Form platform for easier data collection. A snowball sampling method will be applied. Then, the data collected will be analyzed through the partial least square (PLS-SEM) technique. The research findings are expected to highlight the significant emphasis on the contributing factors of AI dependency among Gen Z students. Then, the findings will also provide a model to understand better the impact of AI dependency on cognitive ability. Additionally, it is foreseen that the findings will help various parties, including the government, to create better models for helping Gen Z students apply AI in decent ways to help them increase their cognitive ability. It is also considered a long-term strategy to become a nation with numbers of high cognitive ability citizens. Further, a practical framework based on AI dependency on cognitive ability will be developed as a guideline to support the effort of the government or industry practitioners to increase awareness among Gen Z students on how crucial to possess high cognitive ability.

Accompanying Talent in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Psychoeducational and Therapeutic PerspectivesGifted students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present multifaceted needs that span a wide range of areas, from academic to social

Gifted students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present multifaceted needs that span a wide range of areas, from academic to social and emotional domains. These students often exhibit disparate profiles, combining high cognitive abilities with significant challenges in areas such as social interaction and communication. This poses a unique challenge for educational and health professionals, who must develop diagnostic and therapeutic approaches that adequately address these differences. This article aims to review the most recent evidence-based approaches for the identification, intervention, and education of gifted students with ASD. The most promising interventions include behavioral and cognitive-behavioral therapeutic approaches. However, research on the effectiveness of these interventions in gifted students remains limited. In the psychoeducational field, the most effective interventions focus on leveraging the students' cognitive strengths while addressing their social, communicative, and behavioral difficulties. This dual approach is critical for fostering the overall development and well-being of these students.

Perihatch surge of thyroid hormone drives cognitive flexibility in newborn chicks

Early experience in infancy affects cognitive development. Birds, like mammals, acquire cognitive flexibility attributed to a well-developed telencephalon. Precocial chicks acquire imprintability just after hatching when thyroid hormone (T 3 ) flows into the brain and primes later learning. Here, we show that the perihatch synthesis of T 3 paralleling thyroid development is crucial for imprinting and endows newborn chicks with cognitive flexibility via a mechanism involving the nidopallium dorsocaudale, the avian “prefrontal cortex.” Imprinted chicks showed higher cognitive flexibility than those unimprinted in switching or reversal task experiments. Notably, we discovered that exogenous T 3 endowed similar flexibility in unimprinted chicks. Cognitive stimulation by a surge of thyroid hormone indicates a vertebrate tactic involving high cognitive ability for adapting to environmental changes.

Credit constraints in higher education attendance: Longitudinal evidence from Ethiopia

AbstractIn this paper, we examine the relationship between household wealth and higher education enrolment, with a focus on the evidence surrounding credit constraints in postsecondary education. Using unique longitudinal data that link household wealth and measures of cognitive ability at age 12 to higher education attendance at age 19–22, we differentiate short‐term credit constraints from long‐term credit constraints and test the relative importance of short‐ and long‐term credit constraints in schooling decisions. We find that short‐ and long‐term credit constraints determine the relationship between household wealth and higher education attendance. There is a need to complement short‐term policies with long‐term interventions that empower households to continue to invest in human capital development over the child's life cycle, which will crystallize in higher cognitive ability and readiness for higher education.

The Role of Psychosocial and Contextual Factors in Academic Talent Development: In Search of General and Specific Developmental Processes

Empirical testing of talent development models or contextual developmental models of giftedness is enhanced by longitudinal research that considers contextual factors as well as individual/psychological factors. Relying on findings from the longitudinal TALENT project in Flanders, we aimed to shed light on the role of social-contextual factors (i.e., relationships with teachers, peers, and parents) and psychological (i.e., motivational) factors in the developmental process of transforming high cognitive ability into high achievement levels. Also, we aimed to gain insight into which developmental processes are specific to high-ability students and which are generalizable across ability levels. The findings provided longitudinal evidence for the key role of social-contextual and motivational resources in the process of academic talent development. Overall, they call for further integration of giftedness models with general developmental theories and elaboration of the role of social-contextual factors.

Looming Large or Seeming Small? Attitudes Towards Losses in a Representative Sample

Abstract We measure individual-level loss aversion using three incentivized, representative surveys of the U.S. population (combined N=3,000). We find that around 50% of the U.S. population is loss tolerant—they are willing to accept negative-expected-value gambles that contain a loss. This is counter to expert predictions and earlier findings—which mostly come from laboratory/student samples—that 70–90% of participants are loss averse. Consistent with the different findings in our study versus the prior literature, loss aversion is more prevalent in people with high cognitive ability. Further, our measure of gain–loss attitudes exhibits similar temporal stability and better predictive power outside our survey than measures of risk aversion. Loss-tolerant individuals are more likely to report recent gambling, investing a higher percentage of their assets in stocks, and experiencing financial shocks. These results support the general hypothesis that individuals value gains and losses differently, and that gain–loss attitudes are an important economic preference. However, the tendency in a large proportion of the population to emphasize gains over losses is an overlooked behavioural phenomenon.

Exploring the Relationship between Cortical Thickness and Cognitive Abilities: A Multi-Modal Imaging Approach

Background: Cortical thickness has been associated with cognitive abilities in prior research, but the specific relationships remain unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to further examine associations between cortical thickness in various brain regions and performance on tests of intelligence and executive function. Methods: Structural MRI scans were obtained from 65 healthy adults aged 18-35. Cortical thickness was estimated across the cortex using Free Surfer software. Participants completed standard tests measuring IQ, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. Correlation and regression analyses were used to relate regional cortical thickness to cognitive scores. Results: This study showed cortical thickness in prefrontal regions positively correlated with IQ, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. No significant associations were found between cortical thickness and response inhibition. Conclusions: The findings provide evidence for links between PFC thickness and higher cognitive abilities. A multi-modal neuroimaging approach combining structural MRI and cognitive testing is useful for elucidating brain-behavior relationships. Further research with larger samples is needed to fully characterize these associations.

The Relationship of Mathematical Reasoning to Mathematics Achievement and Academic Excellence

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between mathematical reasoning and achievement in mathematics, and extend this to its correlation as a higher cognitive ability with various academic subjects in general, particularly across different levels of academic performance efficiency. The study employed a descriptive correlational approach with a sample of 106 twelfth-grade secondary school students. The sample was divided into three groups based on academic performance efficiency. The study sought to answer the following questions(1)What is the extent and direction of the correlation between mathematical reasoning as a higher cognitive qualitative ability, and achievement in mathematics as educational content? (2)To what extent does the extent and direction of this correlation vary between mathematical reasoning variables and achievement in mathematics across different levels of academic performance in this subject? (3)What is the extent and direction of the correlation between mathematical reasoning and achievement in different academic courses?(4)To what extent do the extent and direction of correlation relationships vary between mathematical reasoning variables and different academic courses across varying levels of academic performance in these courses? Naturally, these questions were addressed by verifying the validity of the following scientific hypotheses:Hypothesis1There is a strong correlation between mathematical reasoning (as a higher cognitive ability) and achievement in mathematics, as presented to fourth-grade secondary school students. Hypothesis2: The correlation between mathematical reasoning and achievement in mathematics varies in strength and weakness across different levels of academic performance efficiency in this subject.Hypothesis3:There is a strong correlation between the variable of mathematical reasoning and various academic subjects in general. However, the correlation is stronger between this ability and scientific subjects compared to subjects with linguistic or humanistic nature.Hypothesis4:The extent of correlation relationships (both strong and weak) between mathematical reasoning and different academic courses varies across different levels of academic achievement efficiency in general. The results of this study revealed the validation of all these hypotheses except for the third hypothesis, which was partially validated.The most significant findings from this study have highlighted a set of important indicators that shed light on the nature of non-cognitive factors behind academic excellence in general and specifically in mathematics, as presented in our context previously.

Analisis Kesalahan Mahasiswa Dalam Menyelesaikan Soal Pembuktian Teorema Binomial Pada Sifat Simetrik

This research was conducted to observe students' error in working on problems proving the binomial theorem on the symmetric properties of binomial coefficients. This type of research is qualitative research. This research uses a test method, namely by working on questions followed by interviews. This research involved students from the Tadris Mathematics Study Program at Al Falah As Sunniyah Kencong Jember University in the second semester of the 2023/2024 academic year with a total of 17 students. The 17 students were grouped into 3 cognitive abilities, namely high, medium and low cognitive. The subjects of this research consisted of three students with each student representing each cognitive ability group. The results of the research show that the types of language interpretation errors are made by subjects with high and moderate cognitive abilities, namely not writing the correct sentences when drawing conclusions. Conceptual errors were made by subjects with medium and low cognitive abilities in the form of errors in the proof steps. Procedural errors were made by subjects with moderate and low cognitive abilities, namely not having carried out complete calculations when applying the theorem in numerical form. Technical errors were made by subjects with low cognitive abilities, namely writing the same steps repeatedly. Errors in drawing conclusions were made by subjects with high, medium and low cognitive abilities. The three subjects considered the verification process to be complete. All errors are caused by a lack of understanding of the concept, carelessness in the proof process and not being careful in reading the questions.

ACCELERATING STUDENT COMPETENCY IN ENGLISH THROUGH EFFECTIVE LEARNING MANAGEMENT: INSIGHTS FROM MAN 2 MATARAM

This study examines the implementation of an English learning management system aimed at accelerating student competency at MAN 2 Mataram. This study analyzes aspects of planning, organizing, implementing, and controlling in the English learning process in an accelerated program tailored for language track students. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected through observation, interviews, and document analysis at MAN 2 Mataram, a leading Islamic high school in Mataram. The findings indicate that effective planning and organizing are essential to adapting the curriculum to the needs of diverse students, especially those with high cognitive abilities. The English curriculum is tailored to emphasize essential materials, allowing students to learn in an accelerated manner without being distracted by less relevant content. The implementation is supported by motivated and well-trained teachers, who use a variety of teaching methods to encourage active learning. However, this study identified several challenges, including limited resources and varying levels of student readiness, which were addressed through targeted interventions and continuous teacher supervision. This study concludes that a well-managed learning system, supported by a strong curriculum and effective teaching strategies, can significantly improve students' competency in English, especially in an accelerated learning environment. These findings provide valuable insights for educators and policy makers aiming to improve educational outcomes in similar contexts.

Efficient digital design of ganglion cells in the retinal pathway

Spiking networks, the third generation of neural networks, are presented as low-power consumption machines with higher cognitive ability, one of the main concerns in intelligence machines. In fact, neuromorphic systems are hardware implementations of spiking networks with minimum resource, area, and power consumption while preserve maximum working frequency. Here, the focus is on the digital implementation of Retinal Ganglion Cell (RGC) based on the linear approximation of non-linear terms which is called Linear Retinal Ganglion Cell (LRGC). The low-cost hardware design of biological cells is acceptable when the digital model of the cell has the same phase and time domain behavior as the original model and follows the dynamic behavior of the original model accurately, which is discussed and confirmed with different analyzes in this paper. The low-cost hardware design of biological cells allows the optimal implementation of a neural population on the hardware, provided that the collective behavior of the digital model matches the original model which is approved by the large-scale simulation of RGC and LRGC models. Cognitive processes are performed in the nervous system at a very low cost, which neuromorphic systems are trying to achieve this important. In this regard, the behavior of RGC and LRGC models in the reconstruction of the image through the retina pathway was examined and a high agreement between the performance of the two models was achieved. Finally, the high functional compatibility of RGC, LRGC models proves that the proposed model is a good candidate of the main model in neuromorphic systems with low hardware cost.

Nutritional Health Risk (Food Security) in Thai Older Adults and Related Factors.

The older adult population in Thailand has been steadily increasing in recent years, and urbanization has resulted in many older adults living independently, leaving many at nutritional risk. The purpose of this research is to explore food security among Thai older adults using a simple screening tool, the DETERMINE tool, as well as from three surveys which reflect seniors' health and ultimately food security including the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), the self-efficacy for physical activity scale (SEPAS), and the health literacy questionnaire. The DETERMINE tool was used in Thailand for the first time in this study. The findings revealed a moderate risk of food insecurity amongst participants, as most of them claimed to have underlying diseases, eat alone, eat a few nutrient-rich foods, and take medication. The MMSE, SEPAS, and health literacy questionnaire results suggested that food security was found to be negatively correlated with higher cognitive ability, higher physical activity, self-efficacy, and higher health literacy. In conclusion, there appears to be a high risk for malnutrition among older adults in Thailand, particularly in those with low income and underlying diseases.

Peers in puppy love and student academic performance in middle school: quasi-experimental evidence from China

ABSTRACT In the ongoing debate regarding the impact of puppy love on adolescents’ personal development, the existing literature has paid insufficient attention to the externalities of students experiencing puppy love in classrooms. By using a nationally representative survey of middle school students in China, we employed random student-classroom assignment as a quasi-experiment to investigate the causal effect of classroom peers experiencing puppy love on students’ academic performance. We found that classroom peers in puppy love had an adverse impact on students’ academic performance, which is proven to be reliable by a series of robustness checks, including instrumental variable（IV）estimation, removing extreme observations, placebo tests, and adding other control variables. Mechanism analysis indicated that this negative peer effect was caused by students’ lower learning effort, lower expectations for the future, further peer effect of student friends and teachers’ lack of responsibility and patience. Furthermore, this negative effect was more pronounced among boys, students with high family income, and medium or low cognitive ability.

Cognitive ability, education, height and body mass index in relation to risk of schizophrenia and mortality following its diagnosis

This study examines the hypotheses that the traits of higher IQ, longer education and taller height are associated with lower risk of death as compared to traits of low IQ, short education, and short height in men with schizophrenia compared to men without schizophrenia. In total, 937,919 men born 1939-59 and 1983–1997 with information from conscription were followed for incident schizophrenia in Danish registries. Higher levels of cognitive ability, longer education, and taller height were associated with fewer cases of schizophrenia. In a sub-sample of 652,368 men with information on body mass index, underweight was associated with more and overweight and obesity were associated with fewer cases of schizophrenia compared with normal weight. Higher cognitive ability, longer education, and taller height were associated with fewer deaths from both natural and unnatural causes in both men with and without schizophrenia. Underweight was associated with more deaths from natural and unnatural causes, whereas overweight and obesity were associated with more deaths from natural causes and fewer deaths from unnatural causes in both groups of men. Due to interaction, tall height and long educational duration were associated with fewer deaths from natural causes, and obesity was associated with fewer deaths from unnatural causes among men with schizophrenia compared to men without. In conclusion, traits in young adulthood are associated with higher mortality in men with and without schizophrenia, but traits of long educational duration and obesity seem to be especially important for lower mortality in men with schizophrenia.

Successful ageing is associated with falls among older adults in India: a large population based across-sectional study based on LASI

BackgroundFalls are common in the elderly and can lead to adverse consequences, like injuries, hospitalization, disability even mortality. Successful ageing emerged in sight to assess physical, psychological and social status of older adults. This study is conducted to explore the association between them in a large Indian community-dwelling population.MethodsData were based on the wave 1 survey of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI). People aged 60 and above with complete information were included. The elderly met five standards including absence of chronic diseases, freedom from disability, high cognitive ability, free from depressive symptoms and active social engagement, were classified into successful agers. The assessment of falls, fall-related injuries and multiple falls depended on interview. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to find the associations between falls, fall-injury, multiple falls and successful ageing after adjusting both socio-demographic and biological covariates. The log-likelihood ratio test was calculated interactions in subgroups.Results31,345 participants in LASI were finally included in our study. Of them, 20.25% reported fall, and 25% were classified into successful agers. After full adjustment, successful ageing was negatively associated with falls (OR 0.70; 95%CI 0.65–0.76) and multiple falls (OR 0.70; 95%CI 0.63–0.78). And the association did not show the significance in older adults with fall-related injuries (OR 0.86; 95%CI 0.72–1.04).ConclusionsSuccessful ageing was negatively associated with falls and multiple falls, but not fall-related injuries in older people in India. Future studies are demanded to explore the causal relationship and to reveal the underlying mechanism.

Time-mapping and future-oriented behavior in free-ranging wild fruit bats

Episodic memory and mental time travel have been viewed as uniquely human traits.1,2,3 This view began to shift with the development of behavioral criteria to assess what is referred to as "episodic-like memory" in animals.4,5 Key findings have ranged from evidence of what-where-when memory in scrub-jays, rats, and bees; through decision-making that impacts future foraging in frugivorous primates; to evidence of planning based on future needs in scrub-jays and tool use planning in great apes.4,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13 Field studies of these issues have been rare, though there is field-based evidence for future-oriented behaviors in primates.8,10,14,15 We report evidence that free-ranging wild fruit bats rely on mental temporal maps and exhibit future-oriented behaviors when foraging. We tracked young bats as they navigated and foraged, documenting every tree they visited over many months. We prevented the bats from foraging outside for different time periods and monitored their foraging decisions, revealing that the bats map the spatiotemporal patterns of resources in their environment. Following a long period in captivity, the bats did not visit those trees that were no longer providing fruit. We show that this time-mapping ability requires experience and is lacking in inexperienced bats. Careful analysis of the bats' movement and foraging choices indicated that they plan which tree to visit while still in the colony, thus exhibiting future-oriented behavior and delayed gratification on a nightly basis. Our findings demonstrate how the need for spatiotemporal mental mapping can drive the evolution of high cognitive abilities that were previously considered exclusive to humans.

Changes in concentration performance and alternating attention after short-term virtual reality training in E-athletes: a pilot study

In the dynamic landscape of e-sports, where intense competitive gaming demands high cognitive abilities, concentration performance and alternating attention play a pivotal role. E-sports encompass diverse genres, each requiring specific cognitive functions. Maintaining unwavering focus is crucial, as split-second decisions can determine victory. The study explores the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) training to enhance concentration performance and alternating attention, shedding light on the importance and possibilities of optimizing cognitive abilities for e-athletes. VR training emerges as a promising intervention, offering immersive environments for cognitive exercises. The study investigates the impact of VR training on concentration performance and alternating attention in amateur e-athletes, utilizing standardized tests. A randomized controlled trial with 66 participants reveals significant improvements in the VR training group, highlighting the adaptability and plasticity of cognitive processes. The findings suggest that VR training can enhance concentration abilities, providing valuable insights for e-sports and potentially extending to other fields requiring sustained attention and rapid task-switching. The study underscores the convergence of cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and VR technology, paving the way for innovative training methodologies and advancements in e-sports performance.

A Comparison of Gifted Children and Children With Low, Average, and Above-Average Cognitive Abilities in Sensory Processing Sensitivity in the Primary School Context

High sensitivity is often considered a characteristic of giftedness, but scientific evidence for this is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether gifted children rate themselves higher in sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) than their peers. A total of 882 children from Grades 4, 5, and 6 of primary school participated. They all completed a cognitive ability test (COVAT-3) and two self-report questionnaires to assess SPS (HSC scale and ChiSSEQ). The results revealed that the 10% best-performing children on the cognitive ability test did not differ significantly from their peers in SPS. There was one exception: Only on the HSC scale did children with high cognitive abilities score higher than those with low abilities (not higher than those with average and above-average abilities). However, this difference disappeared when applying stricter cut-offs to define high cognitive abilities.

Predictors of Adherence and Response to Exercise Interventions in Schizophrenia

Abstract Exercise can be considered a feasible and efficient add-on treatment in schizophrenia. However, there remain two major challenges with regard to feasibility and efficiency: First, drop-out rates during exercise programs appear to be relatively high, ranging between 30 to 80 percent. Second, only between 30 and 50 percent of patients clinically respond to exercise interventions. Hence, we aimed to identify factors that predict adherence and response to exercise programs in people with schizophrenia. Based on data from 180 patients with schizophrenia enrolled in the Enhancing Schizophrenia Prevention and Recovery through Innovative Treatments (ESPRIT) C3 study, we examined clinical baseline characteristics that may predict study completion and number of attended trainings (adherence), as well es clinically relevant improvements in symptomatology and functioning (response). We found that only levels of functioning at baseline, but not symptom severity, cognitive functioning, or physical health, predicted adherence. Further, we provide preliminary evidence suggesting that patients with higher cognitive abilities and higher education who performed regular exercise already prior to the study participation were more likely to respond. To conclude, our findings indicate that exercise is particularly helpful for a subgroup of patients characterized by higher levels of functioning, higher cognitive abilities and education, and more pronounced affinity to exercise. Future studies should additionally include environmental, genetic, and neural data to predict adherence and response to exercise.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared