Higher Levels Of Cognitive Ability Research Articles

Soundscape Composition in the Framework of Cognitive Systems

After more than fifty years of development, soundscape composition has evolved from its initial purposes of education and archival work into a significant branch of contemporary music creation. With the advancement of recording technology, digital audio processing tools, and computer music software, the creative means of soundscape composition have been greatly expanded. At the same time, soundscape composition requires composers to make comprehensive use of multiple fields such as technology, art, science, society and culture. However, this also introduces more complex creative challenges, as composers may need to efficiently coordinate the use of various tools in multitasking environments and manage multidimensional interactive scenarios, which demands higher levels of cognitive ability and clearer workflow. This paper aims to discuss my own soundscape composition project within the framework of cognitive theories (extended mind and distributed cognition), in order to explore underdeveloped perspectives on the practice and learning of soundscape composition. This perspective may provide soundscape composers with a richer cognitive theoretical foundation and potential methodological support in the creative process, helping composers or researchers understand the dynamic cognitive processes of soundscape composition based on an analysis of the entire environment.

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.

Us versus them: The role of national identity in the formation of false memories for fake news.

People are prone to forming false memories for fictitious events described in fake news stories. In this preregistered study, we hypothesized that the formation of false memories may be promoted when the fake news includes stereotypes that reflect positively on one's own nationality or negatively on another nationality. We exposed German and Irish participants (N = 1,184) to fabricated news stories that were consistent with positive or negative stereotypes about Germany and Ireland. The predicted three-way interaction was not observed. Exploratory follow-up analyses revealed the expected pattern of results for German participants but not for Irish participants, who were more likely to remember positive stories and stories about Ireland. Individual differences in patriotism did not significantly affect false memory rates; however, higher levels of cognitive ability and analytical reasoning decreased false memories and increased participants' ability to distinguish between true and false news stories. These results demonstrate that stereotypical information pertaining to national identity can influence the formation of false memories for fake news, but variations in cultural context may affect how misinformation is received and processed. We conclude by urging researchers to consider the sociopolitical and media landscape when predicting the consequences of fake news exposure. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining the association between social media fatigue, cognitive ability, narcissism and misinformation sharing: cross-national evidence from eight countries

Several studies have explored the causes and consequences of public engagement with misinformation and, more recently, COVID-19 misinformation. However, there is still a need to understand the mechanisms that cause misinformation propagation on social media. In addition, evidence from non-Western societies remains rare. This study reports on survey evidence from eight countries to examine whether social media fatigue can influence users to believe misinformation, influencing their sharing intentions. Our insights also build on prior cognitive and personality literature by exploring how this mechanism is conditional upon users’ cognitive ability and narcissism traits. The results suggest that social media fatigue can influence false beliefs of misinformation which translates into sharing on social media. We also find that those with high levels of cognitive ability are less likely to believe and share misinformation. However, those with low cognitive ability and high levels of narcissism are most likely to share misinformation on social media due to social media fatigue. This study is one of the first to provide cross-national comparative evidence highlighting the adverse effects of social media fatigue on misinformation propagation and establishing that the relationship is not universal but dependent on both cognitive and dark personality traits of individuals.

Understanding the functional form of the relationship between childhood cognitive ability and adult financial well-being.

The increasing complexity of the modern financial landscape presents significant challenges for individuals' financial well-being. In this study, we aim to investigate the relationship between cognitive ability and financial well-being by utilizing data from the British Cohort Study, which follows a sample of 13,000 individuals from birth in 1970 to the present day. Our objective is to examine the functional form of this relationship while controlling for factors such as childhood socio-economic status and adult income. Previous research has established a correlation between cognitive ability and financial well-being, but has implicitly assumed a linear relationship. Our analyses indicate that the majority of the relationships between cognitive ability and financial variables are monotonic. However, we also observe non-monotonic relationships, particularly for credit usage, suggesting a curvilinear relationship where both lower and higher levels of cognitive ability are associated with lower levels of debt. These findings have important implications for understanding the role of cognitive ability in financial well-being and for financial education and policy, as the complexity of the modern financial landscape poses significant challenges for individuals' financial well-being. As financial complexity is increasing and cognitive ability is a key predictor of knowledge acquisition, misspecifying the true relationship between cognitive ability and financial outcomes leads to an undervaluation of the role of cognitive ability for financial well-being.

The interrelatedness of cognitive abilities in very preterm and full-term born children at 5.5 years of age: a psychometric network analysis approach.

Very preterm (VP) birth is associated with a considerable risk for cognitive impairment, putting children at a disadvantage in academic and everyday life. Despite lower cognitive ability on the group level, there are large individual differences among VP born children. Contemporary theories define intelligence as a network of reciprocally connected cognitive abilities. Therefore, intelligence was studied as a network of interrelated abilities to provide insight into interindividual differences. We described and compared the network of cognitive abilities, including strength of interrelations between and the relative importance of abilities, of VP and full-term (FT) born children and VP children with below-average and average-high intelligence at 5.5 years. A total of 2,253 VP children from the EPIPAGE-2 cohort and 578 FT controls who participated in the 5.5-year-follow-up were eligible for inclusion. The WPPSI-IV was used to measure verbal comprehension, visuospatial abilities, fluid reasoning, working memory, and processing speed. Psychometric network analysis was applied to analyse the data. Cognitive abilities were densely and positively interconnected in all networks, but the strength of connections differed between networks. The cognitive network of VP children was more strongly interconnected than that of FT children. Furthermore, VP children with below average IQ had a more strongly connected network than VP children with average-high IQ. Contrary to our expectations, working memory had the least central role in all networks. In line with the ability differentiation hypothesis, children with higher levels of cognitive ability had a less interconnected and more specialised cognitive structure. Composite intelligence scores may therefore mask domain-specific deficits, particularly in children at risk for cognitive impairments (e.g., VP born children), even when general intelligence is unimpaired. In children with strongly and densely connected networks, domain-specific deficits may have a larger overall impact, resulting in lower intelligence levels.

Ongoing trends of human intelligence

The aim of the study is to estimate the most recent trends of intelligence world-wide. We find that the most recent studies report mainly positive Flynn effects in economically less developed countries, but trivial and frequently negative Flynn effects in the economically most advanced countries. This is confirmed by an analysis of 48 countries in the 2000–2018 PISA tests, showing that high pre-existing IQ and school achievement are the best predictors of declining test scores. IQ gaps between countries are still large (e.g., 19 IQ points in PISA between East Asia and South Asia) but are diminishing world-wide. We predict that these trends, observed in adolescents today, will reduce cognitive gaps between the working-age populations of countries and world regions during coming decades. As is predicted by the well-established relationship between intelligence and economic growth, there is already evidence that the ongoing cognitive convergence is paralleled by global economic convergence. These developments raise questions as to how long this cognitive and economic convergence will continue, whether it will eliminate cognitive and economic gaps between countries entirely, and whether a condition with high levels of cognitive ability and economic prosperity is sustainable long-term.

Social Media News Use and COVID-19 Misinformation Engagement: Survey Study.

BackgroundSocial media is widely used as a source of news and information regarding COVID-19. However, the abundance of misinformation on social media platforms has raised concerns regarding the spreading infodemic. Accordingly, many have questioned the utility and impact of social media news use on users’ engagement with (mis)information.ObjectiveThis study offers a conceptual framework for how social media news use influences COVID-19 misinformation engagement. More specifically, we examined how news consumption on social media leads to COVID-19 misinformation sharing by inducing belief in such misinformation. We further explored if the effects of social media news use on COVID-19 misinformation engagement depend on individual differences in cognition and personality traits.MethodsWe used data from an online survey panel administered by a survey agency (Qualtrics) in Singapore. The survey was conducted in March 2022, and 500 respondents answered the survey. All participants were older than 21 years and provided consent before taking part in the study. We used linear regression, mediation, and moderated mediation analyses to explore the proposed relationships between social media news use, cognitive ability, personality traits, and COVID-19 misinformation belief and sharing intentions.ResultsThe results suggested that those who frequently used social media for news consumption were more likely to believe COVID-19 misinformation and share it on social media. Further probing the mechanism suggested that social media news use translated into sharing intent via the perceived accuracy of misinformation. Simply put, social media news users shared COVID-19 misinformation because they believed it to be accurate. We also found that those with high levels of extraversion than those with low levels were more likely to perceive the misinformation to be accurate and share it. Those with high levels of neuroticism and openness than those with low levels were also likely to perceive the misinformation to be accurate. Finally, it was observed that personality traits did not significantly influence misinformation sharing at higher levels of cognitive ability, but low cognitive users largely drove misinformation sharing across personality traits.ConclusionsThe reliance on social media platforms for news consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified, with dire consequences for misinformation sharing. This study shows that increased social media news consumption is associated with believing and sharing COVID-19 misinformation, with low cognitive users being the most vulnerable. We offer recommendations to newsmakers, social media moderators, and policymakers toward efforts in limiting COVID-19 misinformation propagation and safeguarding citizens.

THE INTERACTION EFFECT OF GENERAL COGNITIVE ABILITY AND JOB CHARACTERISTICS ON INTRINSIC JOB SATISFACTION

452 employees participated in the study exploring the interaction effect of General Cognitive Ability and Job Characteristics on Intrinsic Job Satisfaction. To address the research question, the following instruments were used in the study: General Aptitude Test Battery – GATB (The U.S. Employment Service, 1947-1996), Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (1966), and Karasek’s Job Content Questionnaire (1979).  General cognitive ability was assessed from two different perspectives – cognitive ability as a predictor and cognitive ability as a moderator in the relationship between job characteristics and job satisfaction.  Since job characteristics variables (Decision authority, Decision latitude, Skill discretion) are mainly associated with intrinsic job satisfaction, the study focused on the relationship between cognitive ability,  job characteristics and intrinsic job satisfaction as well as on the role of job characteristics in the given  relationship.  The study showed that job characteristics moderate the relationship between general cognitive ability and intrinsic job satisfaction. Also, general cognitive ability strengthens relationship between job characteristics and intrinsic job satisfaction. General cognitive ability has a significant negative effect on intrinsic job satisfaction only in those employees, who perform monotonous and repetitive work and have limited control and decision authority. Under such working conditions, highly developed cognitive ability is associated with low levels of intrinsic job satisfaction. High levels of cognitive ability are related to the satisfaction with the intrinsic factors of work (responsibility, independence, creativity, diversity, etc.), whereas employees with low levels of cognitive ability tend to have a more positive attitude to work, if their work is redesigned to include increased decision latitude.

Eigenbehaviour as an Indicator of Cognitive Abilities.

With growing use of machine learning algorithms and big data in health applications, digital measures, such as digital biomarkers, have become highly relevant in digital health. In this paper, we focus on one important use case, the long-term continuous monitoring of cognitive ability in older adults. Cognitive ability is a factor both for long-term monitoring of people living alone as well as a relevant outcome in clinical studies. In this work, we propose a new potential digital biomarker for cognitive abilities based on location eigenbehaviour obtained from contactless ambient sensors. Indoor location information obtained from passive infrared sensors is used to build a location matrix covering several weeks of measurement. Based on the eigenvectors of this matrix, the reconstruction error is calculated for various numbers of used eigenvectors. The reconstruction error in turn is used to predict cognitive ability scores collected at baseline, using linear regression. Additionally, classification of normal versus pathological cognition level is performed using a support-vector machine. Prediction performance is strong for high levels of cognitive ability but grows weaker for low levels of cognitive ability. Classification into normal and older adults with mild cognitive impairment, using age and the reconstruction error, shows high discriminative performance with an ROC AUC of 0.94. This is an improvement of 0.08 as compared with a classification with age only. Due to the unobtrusive method of measurement, this potential digital biomarker of cognitive ability can be obtained entirely unobtrusively—it does not impose any patient burden. In conclusion, the usage of the reconstruction error is a strong potential digital biomarker for binary classification and, to a lesser extent, for more detailed prediction of inter-individual differences in cognition.

Psychomotor abilities of candidates for Polish Special Forces

Combat tasks involving special units often put a mental and physical strain on the soldiers. During the military operation, soldiers may struggle with multiple difficulties such as extreme physical effort, sleep deprivation, weather conditions, limited access to food and stress. These circumstances require a high level of cognitive ability (including psychomotor abilities) to overcome the physiological stress response and to be able to quickly and efficiently make decisions under stressful situations, especially in combat. The aim of the study was to assess the level of the psychomotor abilities of candidates for the Polish Special Forces. The study comprised 48 candidates for the Polish Special Forces (age: 30.06 pm 2.87), 40 athletes (age: 27.93 pm 3.91) and 40 non-athletes (age: 24). The study was performed using Test2Drive software. Four computer-based tests were used to assess the following psychomotor abilities: simple reaction time, choice reaction time, hand-eye coordination and two-dimensional visuomotor coordination/spatial orientation test (SPANT). The analysis demonstrated statistically significant differences in reaction time and motor time between the study groups. The shortest reaction time in each test was observed in athletes, while the shortest motor time was observed in soldiers. All the psychomotor tests, except for the number of correct answers in SPANT, demonstrated statistically significant differences between the studied groups. It was also found that military training had a positive effect on the motor time in every psychomotor test. As regards the reaction time, it was observed that the athletes were characterised with better reaction times than the special forces candidates. The study has confirmed that military training and sports training have a positive effect on the level of psychomotor abilities, especially motor time.

The Emergence of eSports Nutrition: A Review

Peak cognitive performance is of paramount importance for the sports and competitive activities that depend on a high level of cognitive performance, such as eSports. The popularity of eSports has increased rapidly in recent years and will probably continue to rise in the forthcoming years. Above all, eSports practitioners require higher levels of cognitive abilities and motor skills for optimal performance and may benefit from adequate body composition and proper nutrition, as happens with more traditional athletes. However, there is a noticeable shortage of scientific knowledge in this area, including in nutritional-related aspects. Therefore, the objective of this non-systematic review is to summarize the nutritional strategies that may enhance health, cognitive performance, decrease reaction time and minimize fatigue. This information may be relevant for eSports competitors and set a base for further investigations, which could ultimately lead to the establishment of nutritional recommendations specific for this competitive population.

Disliked but Free to Speak: Cognitive Ability Is Related to Supporting Freedom of Speech for Groups Across the Ideological Spectrum

Freedom of speech for all citizens is often considered as a cornerstone of democratic societies. In three studies, we examined the relationship between cognitive ability and support for freedom of speech for a variety of social groups across the ideological spectrum (N1 varies between 1,373 and 18,719, N2 = 298, N3 = 395). Corroborating our theoretical expectations, although cognitive ability was related to more affective prejudice toward relatively conservative groups and less affective prejudice toward relatively liberal groups (Study 2), people with higher levels of cognitive ability were more in favor of freedom of speech for all target groups (Studies 1–3). The relationship between cognitive ability and freedom of speech support was mediated by intellectual humility (preregistered Study 3). These results indicate that cognitive ability contributes to support for the democratic right of freedom of speech for all social–ideological groups.

A narrative review of cognitive behavioural therapy in supporting bereaved adults with intellectual disability

Accessible summary People with an intellectual disability may have feelings that are hard to manage when a loved one dies. People with an intellectual disability may not receive access to enough support to help them understand and manage difficult feelings when someone dies. Cognitive behavioural therapy is a therapy that can be adapted and may be useful to support people with intellectual disability when someone they love has died. AbstractBackgroundAs the life expectancy of adults with intellectual disability has increased, experience of familial bereavement is becoming more frequent. However, this group may not receive adequate information and support to enable them to understand and cope with the experience of loss.MethodThis narrative review examined the impact of bereavement, the ability to engage in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and learn skills to understand and cope with bereavement, in an intellectual disability context.ResultsFindings indicated that the loss of someone close can render adults with intellectual disability at increased risk for additional mental health difficulties. Among variables associated with better death comprehension are higher levels of cognitive ability, adaptive behaviour skills and receptive language ability. However, research indicates that understanding the concept of death is not a requirement for experiencing the emotions associated with grieving. Findings indicated that the successful use of CBT for bereavement in people with intellectual disability requires adaptation, such as the use of visuals and preparatory training in relation to the CBT model.ConclusionsWith adaptation, CBT may be beneficial in supporting adults with intellectual disability to understand and cope with bereavement. The lack of controlled studies available for review exploring the impact of CBT on bereavement and the lack of standardised measures available in a population intellectual disability limit this review's findings. Controlled studies examining the effectiveness of adapted CBT for bereavement in a population with intellectual disability are recommended.

Effects of perceptual load on eyewitness memory are moderated by individual differences in cognitive ability

ABSTRACTPrevious research has identified perceptual load – the amount of perceptual processing required by a scene – as a potentially important factor in eyewitness memory. Here, we investigated whether effects of perceptual load on eyewitness memory for a simulated crime are moderated by individual differences in cognitive ability. We presented participants with a video of a simulated crime that imposed either high or low perceptual load, followed by a written narrative which contained a mixture of neutral and misleading descriptions of critical details. We examined the effects of three cognitive variables (working memory capacity, verbal cognitive ability and analytical reasoning) on participants’ ability to accurately recall details of the video in both the misinformation and control conditions, and to detect a change in the clothing of a main character. General cognitive ability was associated with improved global memory for details of the event, and enhanced change detection under load. Greater WM capacity and a tendency towards analytical reasoning were both associated with resistance to misinformation under conditions of high perceptual load. We conclude that higher levels of cognitive ability, assessed across a number of domains, may enable eyewitnesses to withstand the effects of perceptual load and preserve the accuracy of their memories.

Predictors of Success in the NCLEX-RN for Canadian Graduates.

The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) has been the nursing licensure exam in most Canadian jurisdictions since 2015. Nursing faculty across the country have invested considerable effort into understanding the NCLEX-RN, so they could help to prepare students to be successful in the exam. A retrospective study was conducted at one Canadian university to identify predictors of success on the NCLEX-RN. Findings revealed that the strongest predictors of success were a grade point average of >3.5 and a course grade in the community development course. The strong predictive value of the community development course was unexpected, and this suggests that content specifically related to acute care may not play as heavy a role in the NCLEX-RN outcome as previously expected. It is possible that students' higher levels of cognitive abilities, such as application, analysis and synthesis of nursing knowledge, play a larger role in the exam outcome than content-specific knowledge.

Changes in the Cellular Composition of the Cerebral Cortex in Rats with Different Levels of Cognitive Functions Under Cerebral Hypoperfusion

The aim of study was to investigate characteristics of neurodystrophic changes in neurons and glia of the motor cortex in rats with different levels of cognitive functions under bilateral ligation of the common carotid arteries. Material and methods . The study included 136 Wistar rats. All animals were divided into two subgroups based on the results of the Morris water maze test: with high and low level of ability to spatial learning. Animals of the experimental group were removed from the experiment on the 1st, 6th, 14th, 21st, 35th, 60th and 90th days after bilateral ligation of both carotid arteries. Histological sections of the motor cortex were studied using Nissl and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Results . In 1, 6 and 8 days after ischemia, the number of neurons with irreversible changes and dead cells reached their maximum for the entire time of observation. On the 8th day of study, compact groups of glial cells appeared near the vessels. Heterochrony was noted: in animals with high level of cognitive ability, an increase in the number of neurons with irreversible changes followed the peak of cell death; in animals with low level, on the contrary, the maximum number of dead cells was observed on the 6th day, and the maximum number of neurons with irreversible changes – on the 1st. On the 14th, 21st, and 28th days there was observed a gradual stabilization of indicators characterizing damage to the cerebral cortex. Average values of the perikarya area and neurons nuclei increased, the nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio decreased, and intracellular swelling was noted. After 35 days, areas of the cortex depleted in bodies of neurons and glia appeared; the number of neurons with irreversible changes increased, to a greater extent, in animals with high level of cognitive abilities. Typical trends of the first month of study are as follows: a decrease in the nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio and a number of neurons without irreversible changes, and an increase in the neuroglial index continued to progress on the 60th and 90th days of study. The apical dendrites of the pyramidal neurons obtained a corkscrew course. Compact groups of glial cells disappeared. Conclusion . During the first week of cerebral hypoperfusion, irreversible changes in neurons predominated, in the second and third weeks, the morphological criteria of their functional activity decreased. In the fourth and fifth weeks incomplete adaptation developed in the form of an increased number of neurons near the vessels of the hemocirculatory bed and an increased number of satellite gliocytes by immersing them in the cytoplasm of neurons. In 2-3 months after cerebral hypoperfusion, signs of acute hypoxia reappeared. Animals with high level of cognitive ability were characterized by large damage to the structures of the neuroglial ensemble.

Functional and health promotion predictors of PROMIS® scores in people with multiple sclerosis.

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of perceived functional abilities and health promotion activities on subsequent symptom experience among those who have lived with multiple sclerosis (MS) for many years. This longitudinal mailed survey study examined Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP) scores and MOS SF 36 scores as predictors of PROMIS® Pain Interference, Pain Intensity, Fatigue, Sleep Disturbance, and Applied Cognition Abilities Scores among 260 adults with MS. The community dwelling sample was initially recruited from the mailing list of the MS Society in a large southwestern state. Respondents were predominantly female, with an average age of 67 years. They had been diagnosed an average of 30 years. Forty percent reported relapsing remitting MS, and 41% have the more severe progressive form of the disease. HPLP and SF 36 Role Physical, Role Emotional, and Social Function scores assessed in 2013 were moderately correlated (r > .30) with PROMIS® Fatigue and PROMIS® Cognitive Abilities scores measured in 2014 and were somewhat predictive of PROMIS® Pain and Sleep Disturbance scores (r > .20). These results were replicated in an analysis using data from Years 2016 and 2017. Findings suggest that those who report higher levels of health promotion activities and greater functional ability may experience lower levels of fatigue, pain, and sleep disturbance and higher levels of cognitive abilities in the subsequent year. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Intelligence and Slave Exports from Africa

This article examines the role of cognitive ability or intelligence on slave exports from Africa. We test a hypothesis that countries which were endowed with higher levels of cognitive ability were more likely to experience lower levels of slave exports from Africa probably due to comparatively better capacities to organize, co-operate, oversee and confront slave traders. The investigated hypothesis is valid from alternative specifications involving varying conditioning information sets. The findings are also robust to the control of outliers. JEL: I20, I29, N30

HeartBit

Biometric heart-rate information is increasingly proliferating through simple wearable technology. However, this technology presents a need for contextual information to guide interpreting physiological responses in lower and higher levels of cognitive abilities. In this paper, the author introduces HeartBit, a sensor-based intervention used for non-obtrusive heart-rate observation of elementary age children within the creative and critical thinking contexts. The author describes the Sandbox as single-session workshop with individual children, the development of HeartBit, and results from Sandboxes with 35 K-1 students (ages 6 and 7). Findings reveal how children's in-situ levels of creativity and critical thinking were observed through an interplay of system design, heart-rate monitoring, and Bloom's Taxonomy educational learning objectives, and how this differed between the individual children.