Information Processing Strategies Research Articles

Synergistic information supports modality integration and flexible learning in neural networks solving multiple tasks.

Striking progress has been made in understanding cognition by analyzing how the brain is engaged in different modes of information processing. For instance, so-called synergistic information (information encoded by a set of neurons but not by any subset) plays a key role in areas of the human brain linked with complex cognition. However, two questions remain unanswered: (a) how and why a cognitive system can become highly synergistic; and (b) how informational states map onto artificial neural networks in various learning modes. Here we employ an information-decomposition framework to investigate neural networks performing cognitive tasks. Our results show that synergy increases as networks learn multiple diverse tasks, and that in tasks requiring integration of multiple sources, performance critically relies on synergistic neurons. Overall, our results suggest that synergy is used to combine information from multiple modalities-and more generally for flexible and efficient learning. These findings reveal new ways of investigating how and why learning systems employ specific information-processing strategies, and support the principle that the capacity for general-purpose learning critically relies on the system's information dynamics.

Linking Pathways from Perceived Absolute and Comparative Risk to Colorectal Cancer Screening Intention: Towards an Extended Cognitive Mediation Model

ABSTRACT Digital media platforms are crucial in providing health information to the public, including learning about cancer prevention strategies. Although the Cognitive Mediation Model (CMM) is a sound theoretical framework for explaining the underpinning process of health knowledge acquisition, one important remaining gap is how individuals are motivated to process health information through different discussion-generated elaboration strategies. To better understand the knowledge acquisition process, this paper extends the CMM in the context of colorectal cancer prevention. We introduced perceived absolute risk and perceived comparative risk as two distinct risk assessments as the antecedents facilitating individuals’ attention to cancer information on digital media, two types of interpersonal communication as discussion-generated elaboration strategies, and two dimensions of knowledge assessment in our extended CMM. Based on a nationally representative online survey among 965 Chinese public, we found that two types of risk perception were positively associated with paying attention to colorectal cancer information on digital media, which in turn facilitated both types of interpersonal communication. However, information processing strategies differed in leading to cancer knowledge and screening intention. Only subjective knowledge was positively associated with colorectal screening intention. Our findings offered implications for the literature and health promotion practices.

Multiplication of orbital angular momentum via multi-plane light conversion.

The multiplication of orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes using optical coordinate transformation is useful for OAM optical networks, but the scalability of this scheme is limited by the ray model. Here, we propose an alternative scheme for the scalable multiplication of OAM modes based on modified multi-plane light conversion (MPLC) that can extend azimuthal and radial indices of OAM modes supported by the multipliers and unlock a new degree of freedom for radial high-order OAM states that has been restricted in the zero order. The multiplication for 20 OAM modes with radial index p = 0 and 10 OAM modes with radial index p = 1 is performed in simulation and experiment. The 3-dB optical bandwidth corresponding to the purity of OAM modes covers the entire C-band experimentally. This novel, to the best of our knowledge, approach to manipulating OAM states provides valuable insights and flexible strategies for high-capacity OAM optical communication and high-dimensional optical quantum information processing.

A Study on the Interactive Information Processing Strategy for English L2 Reading

A Study on the Interactive Information Processing Strategy for English L2 Reading

Study on the Automatic Information Processing Strategy in L2 Reading

Reading is currently a prominent topic in L2 acquisition research, serving as an indicator of L2 learners’ overall language proficiency. However, there are still many challenges in reading for L2 learners. For example, there still exist some linguistic and non-linguistic problems, such as insufficient language ability, lack of cultural background knowledge, low reading efficiency, and poor reading habits. Effectively improving the information processing skills of L2 learners in reading posts a major challenge for researchers. This paper explores the effective strategies for L2 learners to obtain the ability of automatic reading information processing through the scale survey. It is found in the study that:1) L2 learners believe that they can reach the level of automatic reading processing through the automatic information processing strategy; 2) The automatic information processing strategy can be applied in L2 reading to effectively improve the level of L2 automatic processing. Various strategies, such as improving language proficiency, increasing cultural background knowledge, utilizing metacognitive strategies, and employing socio-emotional strategies, both linguistic and non-linguistic, have been identified to effectively improve the automatic information processing ability of L2 learners. This study has important theoretical and practical value for improving the reading ability of L2 learners.

Behavioral Information Strategies and Financial Satisfaction: A Mediating Effect of Financial Opportunity

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to examine the information processing strategies' influence on the financial satisfaction of investors. This research also investigates the mediating influence of financial opportunities.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: The proposed model's relationship is examined using mixed methodology. Qualitative data is gathered by using in-depth interviews. While quantitative data is collected through questionnaires. 
 Findings: This study's results explain that financial opportunities significantly mediate the relationship. Further, information processing strategies have a significant influence on financial opportunities. This unique study contributed to the literature and developed a financial opportunity scale.
 Implications/Originality/Value: This study suggested that understanding and knowledge of financial opportunities would help to increase the financial decisions of investors. This research also highlights implications and limitations to investors and practitioners.

Синхронный перевод как крайний вид познавательного процесса

This scientific article is devoted to the study of simultaneous translation as an extreme type of cognitive process. Simultaneous interpreting is a special type of professional activity that requires a high level of cognitive abilities, including attention, memory, concentration, logical thinking and language skills. The paper examines the characteristics of the cognitive load during simultaneous interpreting, the use of various information processing strategies, as well as the influence of stress factors on the quality of the interpreter’s cognitive work.

Information-theoretic analyses of neural data to minimize the effect of researchers' assumptions in predictive coding studies.

Studies investigating neural information processing often implicitly ask both, which processing strategy out of several alternatives is used and how this strategy is implemented in neural dynamics. A prime example are studies on predictive coding. These often ask whether confirmed predictions about inputs or prediction errors between internal predictions and inputs are passed on in a hierarchical neural system-while at the same time looking for the neural correlates of coding for errors and predictions. If we do not know exactly what a neural system predicts at any given moment, this results in a circular analysis-as has been criticized correctly. To circumvent such circular analysis, we propose to express information processing strategies (such as predictive coding) by local information-theoretic quantities, such that they can be estimated directly from neural data. We demonstrate our approach by investigating two opposing accounts of predictive coding-like processing strategies, where we quantify the building blocks of predictive coding, namely predictability of inputs and transfer of information, by local active information storage and local transfer entropy. We define testable hypotheses on the relationship of both quantities, allowing us to identify which of the assumed strategies was used. We demonstrate our approach on spiking data collected from the retinogeniculate synapse of the cat (N = 16). Applying our local information dynamics framework, we are able to show that the synapse codes for predictable rather than surprising input. To support our findings, we estimate quantities applied in the partial information decomposition framework, which allow to differentiate whether the transferred information is primarily bottom-up sensory input or information transferred conditionally on the current state of the synapse. Supporting our local information-theoretic results, we find that the synapse preferentially transfers bottom-up information.

Brain-Behavior Relationships of Trust in Shared Space Human-Robot Collaboration

Trust in human-robot collaboration is an essential consideration that relates to operator performance, utilization, and experience. While trust’s importance is understood, the state-of-the-art methods to study trust in automation, like surveys, drastically limit the types of insights that can be made. Improvements in measuring techniques can provide a granular understanding of influencers like robot reliability and their subsequent impact on human behavior and experience. This investigation quantifies the brain-behavior relationships associated with trust manipulation in shared space human-robot collaboration (HRC) to advance the scope of metrics to study trust. Thirty-eight participants, balanced by sex, were recruited to perform an assembly task with a collaborative robot under reliable and unreliable robot conditions. Brain imaging, psychological and behavioral eye-tracking, quantitative and qualitative performance, and subjective experiences were monitored. Results from this investigation identify specific information processing and cognitive strategies that result in identified trust-related behaviors, that were found to be sex-specific. The use of covert measurements of trust can reveal insights that humans cannot consciously report, thus shedding light on processes systematically overlooked by subjective measures. Our findings connect a trust influencer (robot reliability) to upstream cognition and downstream human behavior and are enabled by the utilization of granular metrics.

Trust but verify? A social epistemology framework of knowledge acquisition and verification practices for fictional entertainment

Abstract Fictional entertainment can serve as a vivid and easily comprehensible source of knowledge, but only if audiences are able to tell its kernel of truth apart from fantasy. In this article, we use the lens of social epistemology to develop a theoretical framework of knowledge acquisition and verification practices for fictional entertainment that integrates various extant lines of work on entertainment education, perceived realism, information processing, credibility assessment, and verification strategies. To flesh out the conceptual model derived from top-down theoretical integration, we use an inductive, bottom-up approach to theory building, assisted by qualitative research. The resulting model describes knowledge acquisition from fiction as an essentially social process characterized by a combination of epistemic trust and epistemic vigilance toward fictional content and sources, in which credibility is assessed via social knowledge sharing and verification practices.

Examining Factors Influencing Public Knowledge, Risk Perception, and Policy Support for Waste Classification: A Multigroup Comparison of the Cognitive Mediation Model Based on Gender Differences

ABSTRACT Using the cognitive mediation model, this study aims to examine how media attention affects knowledge of the ways to implement waste classification via different information processing strategies, and ultimately influences risk perception of noncompliance with waste classification and policy support for waste classification. A total of 1,011 Chinese citizens participated in our survey using convenience sampling. The results demonstrated that media attention enhanced individuals’ knowledge via elaboration. The knowledge acquisition subsequently increased risk perception, which, in turn, strengthened policy support for waste classification. Furthermore, the multigroup structural equation modeling was conducted to determine differences in the cognitive meditation model between males and females. Compared with females, males with a high level of risk perception were more likely to support waste classification policies. Theoretical and practical contributions are discussed as well.

Characteristics of brain activation in high-level football players at different stages of decision-making tasks off the ball: an fMRI study.

This study aimed to examine the neural mechanisms underlying the decision-making process of off-ball movements among high-level football players and ordinary college students, as well as the effect of long-term skill training on these neural mechanisms using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The study recruited 20 professional college football players as the expert group (EG) and 20 novice football players with no background in sports-related disciplines as the novice group (NG). The participants performed the motor video observation and button-decision-making tasks, and fMRI data were acquired, pre-processed, and analyzed. During the decision-making process regarding running without the ball, whole-brain fMRI scans were conducted on both the EG and NG. The analysis of these scans revealed noteworthy disparities in brain activity between the two groups. These disparities were observed during tasks involving motor video observation and button-based decision-making. According to the behavioral data, the EG made more correct decisions than the NG (p < 0.05); however, there was no significant difference in their reaction speed (p > 0.05). During video observation, both the EG and NG exhibited simultaneous activation in the frontoparietal cognitive area, primary somatosensory cortex, visual cortex, and insula. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of activated brain regions [false discovery rate (FDR) corrected to p < 0.05]. Regarding button-press decisions, the areas of the brain that were commonly activated in both the NG and EG were primarily located in the frontoparietal cognitive area, temporal cortex, and cuneus cortex. Notably, the left superior temporal gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus, and left middle occipital gyrus exhibited greater activation in the NG compared to those in the EG (FDR corrected to p < 0.05). This study demonstrated that during motor video observation, the EG's sports experience and professional knowledge can help them achieve better visual information processing strategies in specific areas of sports. During button decision-making, the EG was more economical, whereas the NG required more brain function activity to process visual information, confirming the "neural efficiency" hypothesis.

Adolescents’ fluid intelligence and divergent thinking: the mediating effect of field dependent independent cognitive style

ABSTRACT The current study provided empirical evidence on the mediating effect of field dependent independent cognitive style (FDI) in the association between fluid intelligence (Gf) and divergent thinking (DT) during adolescence. The experiment was carried out with 80 Italian adolescents (meanage = 16.40; SDage = 1.09; rangeage 15–18), who performed Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices, the Leuven Embedded Figure Test, and the Alternative Uses Task. Results revealed that Gf affected DT through the indirect effect of FDI, suggesting that adolescents’ DT represents a blend of different agents, such as information processing, reasoning, and cognitive strategies, which display different roles during divergent idea generation. Specifically, whereas Gf is essential for evaluating the degree of usability and functionality of new ideas, FDI is necessary for employing and managing Gf skills during the idea generation. Theoretical implications, limitations, and future research directions were discussed.

Edutainment as a Modern English Teaching Technique: a Case Study of Lingua-Socio-Cultural Competence Development of Students Majoring in Interpreting and Translation

The vast majority of present-day students belong to the so-called digital generation, which can be characterized by a number of unique cognitive features formed as a result of the extensive use of digital gadgets and modern technology. New means of interacting with reality and new strategies of cognitive information processing have created a demand for updating the repertoire of traditional teaching techniques. The edutainment technique has the capacity to satisfy this demand. Purpose. This article aims to provide a case study of applying the edutainment technique to develop lingua-socio-cultural competence of the students majoring in interpreting and translation. Methods. The article reviews recent advances in the edutainment technique implementation. The author analyzes the results of the practical application of this technique during English lessons. Results. The case study has shown that the application of the edutainment technique increases the students’ interest in the topic and motivation to study, boosts attention span through the activation of the emotional sphere, and improves the satisfaction from learning. Edutainment also facilitates understanding of complicated, culturally specific topics, helping to develop lingua-socio-cultural competence. While using the edutainment technique, it may be necessary for the teacher to perform the function of an edutainer, i.e., not only provide explanations of cultural contexts but engage students in them. Conclusion. The edutainment technique is beneficial for both the student and the teacher. This technique, by design, satisfies the cognitive preferences of the digital generation as well as the technological requirements of long-distance education, which, after the onset of the pandemic and the war, has become the norm in Ukraine.

A calculus of probability or belief? Neural underpinnings of social decision-making in a card game

For decades, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been the focus of social neuroscience research, specifically regarding its role in competitive social decision-making. However, the distinct contributions of PFC subregions when making strategic decisions involving multiple types of information (social, non-social, and mixed information) remain unclear. This study investigates decision-making strategies (pure probability calculation vs. mentalizing) and their neural representations using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data collected during a two-person card game. We observed individual differences in information processing strategy, indicating that some participants relied more on probability than others. Overall, the use of pure probability decreased over time in favor of other types of information (e.g., mixed information), with this effect being more pronounced within-round trials than across rounds. In the brain, (1) the lateral PFC activates when decisions are driven by probability calculations; (2) the right lateral PFC responds to trial difficulty; and (3) the anterior medial PFC is engaged when decision-making involves mentalizing. Furthermore, neural synchrony, which reflects the real-time interplay between individuals' cognitive processes, did not consistently contribute to correct decisions and fluctuated throughout the experiment, suggesting a hierarchical mentalizing mechanism at work.

Mechanisms in Emotional Information Processing in Individuals with Major Depressive Disorder: An Event-Related Potential Study of an Information Processing Model.

Individuals with major depressive disorder have a cognitive bias toward emotional stimuli, which influences the quality and speed of emotional information processing. This study aimed to understand the factors underlying this bias by identifying when it occurs during information processing using an information processing model. A total of 57 participants-19 each [ (16 (84.21%) females and 3 (15.79%) males per group)], for the first-episode MDD (FMDD), recurrent episodes MDD (RMDD), and healthy controls (HCs) - matched for sex and hand preference, completed event-related potentials (ERP) to perform psychological function and a choice response time task. Results revealed that recurrent episodes major depressive disorder participants had decreased N2b and P3b amplitudes but increased contingent negative variation during the processing of happy and neutral facial stimuli, relative to their counterparts. Both recurrent episodes major depressive disorder and first-episode major depressive disorder participants used a parallel information processing strategy for happy information at P3a latency, while healthy controls used a linear information processing strategy. The use of a parallel processing strategy among individuals with major depressive disorder may have led to impaired "happy" information processes, possibly explaining why individuals with major depressive disorder are less efficient than healthy controls. The results suggest the possibility that biases related to the processing of "happy" information among individuals with major depressive disorder may be related to a tendency for these individuals to engage in superficial decision-making. Future research is needed to examine the processes contributing to people with major depressive disorder having challenges with inhibition-facilitation of emotional stimuli.

Perception of university students on the role of educational digital stimuli in achieving academic passion in vocational education

Introduction. Digital stimuli are one of the strategies prepared by higher education institutions in university teaching in the field of vocational education, but they do not attach importance to them from other strategies that are used. The investigation of the role of educational digital stimuli in achieving the academic passion of vocational education students in Jordanian universities in light of COVID-19 is important to try to know the effect of digital stimuli on the academic passion of vocational education students. Methodology and research methods. The descriptive survey method was used to analyse the data. To achieve the objectives of the study, a questionnaire consisting of (29) items was designed, divided into three areas: dynamics (11 items), mechanics (7 items), and components (11 items) to collect data. The study sample consisted of 260 male and female students in Jordanian universities. Results and scientific novelty. The results showed that the role of educational digital stimuli in achieving academic passion was ‘high’ with no statistically significant differences due to the gender variable, with statistically significant differences due to the variables of the academic year and university type. Practical significance. The study recommends designing educational environments that are attractive, interactive, and related to the students’ reality, using strategies for deep information processing, problem-solving method, creativity and critical thinking in order to achieve students’ involvement in learning.

Rule-based process indicators of information processing explain performance differences in PIAAC web search tasks

BackgroundA priori assumptions about specific behavior in test items can be used to process log data in a rule-based fashion to identify the behavior of interest. In this study, we demonstrate such a top-down approach and created a process indicator to represent what type of information processing (flimsy, breadth-first, satisficing, sampling, laborious) adults exhibit when searching online for information. We examined how often the predefined patterns occurred for a particular task, how consistently they occurred within individuals, and whether they explained task success beyond individual background variables (age, educational attainment, gender) and information processing skills (reading and evaluation skills).MethodsWe analyzed the result and log file data of ten countries that participated in the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). The information processing behaviors were derived for two items that simulated a web search environment. Their explanatory value for task success was investigated with generalized linear mixed models.ResultsThe results showed item-specific differences in how frequently specific information processing patterns occurred, with a tendency of individuals not to settle on a single behavior across items. The patterns explained task success beyond reading and evaluation skills, with differences across items as to which patterns were most effective for solving a task correctly. The patterns even partially explained age-related differences.ConclusionsRule-based process indicators have their strengths and weaknesses. Although dependent on the clarity and precision of a predefined rule, they allow for a targeted examination of behaviors of interest and can potentially support educational intervention during a test session. Concerning adults’ digital competencies, our study suggests that the effective use of online information is not inherently based on demographic factors but mediated by central skills of lifelong learning and information processing strategies.

Social Aspects of Variability of Individual Differences in Higher Mental Functions in Preschool Children

Individual variability of higher mental functions depends on the family environment. An appropriate psychological environment is able to harmonize individual development while the ontogenetic individuality of human psychology depends on many systemic factors. This empirical study focused on the socio-demographic characteristics of the family, namely the income and background of the parents. Different socio-cultural family environment caused uneven development of higher mental functions and differences in the main information processing strategy in preschoolers. The financial status of the family and the level of education of the parents proved to be the most significant factors responsible for the individual differences in the development of higher mental functions in preschoolers. The sociocultural environment of the family affected the long-term individual variability of functions connected with block III of the brain, as well as those provided by the left hemisphere.

The representational hierarchy in human and artificial visual systems in the presence of object-scene regularities.

Human vision is still largely unexplained. Computer vision made impressive progress on this front, but it is still unclear to which extent artificial neural networks approximate human object vision at the behavioral and neural levels. Here, we investigated whether machine object vision mimics the representational hierarchy of human object vision with an experimental design that allows testing within-domain representations for animals and scenes, as well as across-domain representations reflecting their real-world contextual regularities such as animal-scene pairs that often co-occur in the visual environment. We found that DCNNs trained in object recognition acquire representations, in their late processing stage, that closely capture human conceptual judgements about the co-occurrence of animals and their typical scenes. Likewise, the DCNNs representational hierarchy shows surprising similarities with the representational transformations emerging in domain-specific ventrotemporal areas up to domain-general frontoparietal areas. Despite these remarkable similarities, the underlying information processing differs. The ability of neural networks to learn a human-like high-level conceptual representation of object-scene co-occurrence depends upon the amount of object-scene co-occurrence present in the image set thus highlighting the fundamental role of training history. Further, although mid/high-level DCNN layers represent the category division for animals and scenes as observed in VTC, its information content shows reduced domain-specific representational richness. To conclude, by testing within- and between-domain selectivity while manipulating contextual regularities we reveal unknown similarities and differences in the information processing strategies employed by human and artificial visual systems.