Value Representation Research Articles

Understanding social attachment as a window into the neural basis of prosocial behavior.

The representation and demonstration of human values are intimately tied to our status as a social species. Humans are relatively unique in our ability to form enduring social attachments, characterized by the development of a selective bond that persists over time. Such relationships include the bonds between parents and offspring, pair bonds between partners and other affiliative contacts, in addition to group relationships to which we may form direct and symbolic affiliations. Many of the cognitive and behavioral processes thought to be linked to our capacity for social attachment-including consolation, empathy, and social motivation, and the implicated neural circuits mediating these constructs, are shared with those thought to be important for the representation of prosocial values. This perspective piece will examine the hypothesis that our ability to form such long-term bonds may play an essential role in the construction of human values and ethical systems, and that components of prosocial behaviors are shared across species. Humans are one of a few species that form such long-term and exclusive attachments and our understanding of the neurobiology underlying attachment behavior has been advanced by studying behavior in non-human animals. The overlap in behavioral and affective constructs underlying attachment behavior and value representation is discussed, followed by evidence from other species that demonstrate attachment behavior that supports the overlapping neurobiological basis for social bonds and prosocial behavior. The understanding of attachment biology has broad implications for human health as well as for understanding the basis for and variations in prosocial behavior.

Generative modeling of living cells with SO(3)-equivariant implicit neural representations

Data-driven cell tracking and segmentation methods in biomedical imaging require diverse and information-rich training data. In cases where the number of training samples is limited, synthetic computer-generated data sets can be used to improve these methods. This requires the synthesis of cell shapes as well as corresponding microscopy images using generative models. To synthesize realistic living cell shapes, the shape representation used by the generative model should be able to accurately represent fine details and changes in topology, which are common in cells. These requirements are not met by 3D voxel masks, which are restricted in resolution, and polygon meshes, which do not easily model processes like cell growth and mitosis. In this work, we propose to represent living cell shapes as level sets of signed distance functions (SDFs) which are estimated by neural networks. We optimize a fully-connected neural network to provide an implicit representation of the SDF value at any point in a 3D+time domain, conditioned on a learned latent code that is disentangled from the rotation of the cell shape. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach on cells that exhibit rapid deformations (Platynereis dumerilii), cells that grow and divide (C. elegans), and cells that have growing and branching filopodial protrusions (A549 human lung carcinoma cells). A quantitative evaluation using shape features and Dice similarity coefficients of real and synthetic cell shapes shows that our model can generate topologically plausible complex cell shapes in 3D+time with high similarity to real living cell shapes. Finally, we show how microscopy images of living cells that correspond to our generated cell shapes can be synthesized using an image-to-image model.

Neurocomputations on dual-brain signals underlie interpersonal prediction during a natural conversation

Prediction on the partner's speech plays a key role in a smooth conversation. However, previous studies on this issue have been majorly conducted at the single-brain rather than dual-brain level, leaving the interpersonal prediction hypothesis untested. To fill this gap, this study combined a neurocomputational modeling approach with a natural conversation paradigm in which two salespersons persuaded a customer to buy their product with their haemodynamic signals being collected using functional near-infrared spectroscopy hyperscanning. First, the results showed a cognitive hierarchy in a natural conversation, with the lower-level process (i.e., pragmatic representation of the persuasion) in the salesperson interacting with the higher-level process (i.e., value representation of the product) in the customer. Next, we found that the right dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (rdlPFC) and temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) were associated with the representation of the product's value in the customer, while the right inferior frontal cortex (rIFC) was associated with the representation of the pragmatic processes in the salesperson. Finally, neurocomputational modeling results supported the prediction of the salesperson's lower-level brain activity based on the customer's higher-level brain activity. Moreover, the updating weight of the prediction model based on the neural computation between the rIFC of the salesperson and the rTPJ of the customer was closely associated with the interaction context, whereas that based on the rIFC-rdlPFC was not. In summary, these findings provide initial support for the interpersonal prediction hypothesis at the dual-brain level and reveal a hierarchy for the interpersonal prediction process.

Nonadiabatic simulations of photoisomerization and dissociation in ethylene using abinitio classical trajectories.

We simulate the nonadiabatic dynamics of photo-induced isomerization and dissociation in ethylene using abinitio classical trajectories in an extended phase space of nuclear and electronic variables. This is achieved by employing the linearized semiclassical initial value representation method for nonadiabatic dynamics, where discrete electronic states are mapped to continuous classical variables using either the Meyer-Miller-Stock-Thoss representation or a more recently introduced spin mapping approach. Trajectory initial conditions are sampled by constraining electronic state variables to a single initial excited state and by drawing nuclear phase space configurations from a Wigner distribution at a finite temperature. An ensemble of classical abinitio trajectories is then generated to compute thermal population correlation functions and analyze the mechanisms of isomerization and dissociation. Our results serve as a demonstration that this parameter-free semiclassical approach is computationally efficient and accurate, identifying mechanistic pathways in agreement with previous theoretical studies and also uncovering dissociation pathways observed experimentally.

Formation of civil orientations of social competence of the younger generation (on the example of the activities of the St. Petersburg branch of the Russian schoolchildren’s movement)

This article analyzes the process of formation of civic guidelines of social competence of the younger generation on the example of the Russian Schoolchildren’s Movement (RSM). The materials of a qualitative research conducted on the basis of the St. Petersburg branch of RSM in 2022 are presented, in the course of which the practices related to civic education of young St. Petersburg residents were investigated in detail. The significant role of RSM in the process of educating future citizens of the Russian Federation is shown. It is emphasized that, despite the presence of shortcomings and “birth traumas” in its activities, RSM successfully creates new forms of representation of civic guidelines in the context of the formation of social competence of the younger generation, as well as provides participants with a wide range of directions and types of activities. The author also made a conclusion about the dominance of models based on the value of patriotism among the civic orientations of social competence in RSM activities, as well as about the prevalence of representations of patriotism inextricably linked to military themes, especially the events of the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. At the same time, the tendencies of “fatigue” from the above narratives have been identified, which may indicate the need to search for new forms of representation of civic values in the context of the formation of social competence of the younger generation.

Examining the perceived values toward regional factions and its impacts on the local election: The reasoned action approach perspective

The regional faction, which is frequently perceived as a threat to the democratic system, has received limited attention regarding its representation of values in contemporary society and influence on voting behavior. This study employs the reasoned action approach (RAA) to investigate the influence of attitudes and subjective norms on electoral intention, incorporating perceived utilitarian and hedonic values toward the regional faction. The study hypothesizes that these value perceptions, in conjunction with the theoretical predictors, will collectively influence the voting intentions of electors. Two months before the local elections in Taiwan in 2022, 469 respondents provided information. Using SPSS 25.0, descriptive statistics and regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Principal findings indicate that instrumental attitude, affective attitude, and descriptive norm positively influence electoral intention, whereas injunctive norm negatively influences electoral intention. Moreover, hedonic values moderate the relationships between affective attitude and intention and between injunctive norm and intention. Likewise, utilitarian values moderate the relationship between injunctive norms and intent. These findings highlight the significance of voters' perceptions of the regional faction's value, casting light on its impact on electoral intent. During the investigated local election in Taiwan, the interaction of attitudes, norms, and values emerged as a crucial factor influencing voter behavior. These findings enhance our comprehension of the intricate decision-making processes within the electoral context and provide valuable insights for political campaigns and policy considerations.

Adaptation of Popular Names of Ornamental Plants in Indonesia

This article explores the phenomenon of popular names for ornamental plants in Indonesia, emphasizing their role as both identifiers and representations of economic value. The popularity of these names is categorized based on their alignment (or lack thereof) with different parts of the ornamental plants. Employing a descriptive linguistic approach, the reference attributes of popular names are systematically grouped, followed by an image search and identification of their biological counterparts. The study also traces the elements contributing to the formation of names and their lexical meanings, incorporating both internal and external equivalents. Interviews with traders and collectors further support the meaning search, employing directional techniques and documenting substantive ethnographic patterns. A total of 85 names were collected from ornamental plant traders and collectors, supplemented by data from specialized YouTube channels. These popular names are further classified into nine categories based on plant attributes, such as structure (stalks, leaves, stems, and flowers), time, character, place, sound, and direction. The diversity in plant naming correlates with a complexity that extends beyond language, namely social class, selling price, and aesthetic considerations. Additionally, the naming process revolves around human preferences for convenience, practicality, and cultural phenomena. Changes in the naming of ornamental plants in Indonesia have substantial implications for shifting trends in people's preferences, as evidenced by the dimming landscape of post-pandemic YouTube channels and the ornamental plant market.

Selective encoding of reward predictions and prediction errors by globus pallidus subpopulations

Basal ganglia (BG) circuits help guide and invigorate actions using predictions of future rewards (values). Within the BG, the globus pallidus pars externa (GPe) may play an essential role in aggregating and distributing value information. We recorded from the GPe in unrestrained rats performing both Pavlovian and instrumental tasks to obtain rewards and distinguished neuronal subtypes by their firing properties across the wake/sleep cycle and optogenetic tagging. In both tasks, the parvalbumin-positive (PV+), faster-firing "prototypical" neurons showed strong, sustained modulation by value, unlike other subtypes, including the "arkypallidal" cells that project back to striatum. Furthermore, we discovered that a distinct minority (7%) of GP cells display slower, pacemaker-like firing and encode reward prediction errors (RPEs) almost identically to midbrain dopamine neurons. These cell-specific forms of GPe value representation help define the circuit mechanisms by which the BG contribute to motivation and reinforcement learning.

Adaptor protein complex 2 in the orbitofrontal cortex predicts alcohol use disorder.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a life-threatening disease characterized by compulsive drinking, cognitive deficits, and social impairment that continue despite negative consequences. The inability of individuals with AUD to regulate drinking may involve functional deficits in cortical areas that normally balance actions that have aspects of both reward and risk. Among these, the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is critically involved in goal-directed behavior and is thought to maintain a representation of reward value that guides decision making. In the present study, we analyzed post-mortem OFC brain samples collected from age- and sex-matched control subjects and those with AUD using proteomics, bioinformatics, machine learning, and reverse genetics approaches. Of the 4,500+ total unique proteins identified in the proteomics screen, there were 47 proteins that differed significantly by sex that were enriched in processes regulating extracellular matrix and axonal structure. Gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed that proteins differentially expressed in AUD cases were involved in synaptic and mitochondrial function, as well as transmembrane transporter activity. Alcohol-sensitive OFC proteins also mapped to abnormal social behaviors and social interactions. Machine learning analysis of the post-mortem OFC proteome revealed dysregulation of presynaptic (e.g., AP2A1) and mitochondrial proteins that predicted the occurrence and severity of AUD. Using a reverse genetics approach to validate a target protein, we found that prefrontal Ap2a1 expression significantly correlated with voluntary alcohol drinking in male and female genetically diverse mouse strains. Moreover, recombinant inbred strains that inherited the C57BL/6J allele at the Ap2a1 interval consumed higher amounts of alcohol than those that inherited the DBA/2J allele. Together, these findings highlight the impact of excessive alcohol consumption on the human OFC proteome and identify important cross-species cortical mechanisms and proteins that control drinking in individuals with AUD.

“I’m Home”: “Russian” Houses in Germany and Their Objects

Abstract In this article, I will focus on the study of the living space in houses of Russian-speaking emigrants in 1990s–2000s in Germany. I will discuss the “home” in several aspects: in a wide sense as a place on Earth where people’s life goes on, as physically built environment where a family dwells, and as objectified everyday life in the interiors. The choice of objects and furnishings for a “Russian” house in Germany cannot be classified, but it is unique and is associated with the biographies of the owners, the history of each individual family, as well as the history of moving to Germany. The “Russian” house in Germany turns out to be a complex phenomenon: it can be seen as a safe space, escape from the outside world, and offering emotional comfort. It is a place for representation of family and personal values, the owners’ identity, and preferences. It is also a scene where scenarios of relationships between a person and objects unfold. The objects that a person places in his/her house appear as objectified memories of life events and other people, reflecting the importance of family and interpersonal relationships expressed in gifts, photos, children’s drawings, and crafts. In a new place, people are no longer limited to a set of typical furnishing patterns that were dictated by a shortage of goods and ideas in the country of origin. House owners show their personality, trying to make their home different from that in the place of origin and introduce a non-standard style of European interiors in their homes, yet unwittingly they often reproduce stereotypes and fragments from their previous houses where they lived before migrating.

Learning machines or the key to care: a qualitative study exploring the impact of the hidden curriculum on medical students’ longitudinal experiences in primary care

ObjectiveLongitudinal learning often faces implementation challenges within UK medical schools. Some have suggested that the hidden curriculum may be implicated, but there is little evidence regarding how the hidden curriculum...

Can theatre be used in environmental governance? The view of environmental professionals in Mexico

Values of local people are often poorly represented in environmental decisions due to power differences. Performance arts-based methods have been put forward as one way to increase the representation of local values and signalling power differences. Environmental professionals’ validation of these methods is essential as they shape the interpretation, uptake, and implementation of environmental decisions in practice, but their views remain largely unexplored. This paper uses interviews and focus groups with environmental professionals in Mexico to explore their views on whether these methods a) open the space to discuss a plurality of values and power differences within local communities; and b) can contribute to environmental decision-making, particularly with respect to their viability, cultural relevance and credibility. We use a case study applying Forum Theatre in two rural communities. Results indicate that performance arts-based methods provide openings for environmental professionals to identify interconnected values beyond single categories, and they have the potential to encourage local people to discuss power differences that constrain their participation in environmental decision-making. Results also highlight the importance of preparation and design, as well as rigorous ethical processes to carefully approach specific cultural contexts. Environmental professionals were wary of the methods credibility, partly due to disciplinary conventions that still adhere to positivism. Nevertheless, these challenges also demonstrate the possibilities of performance arts-based methods in fostering transformation and emancipation processes, encouraging local people to influence environmental decisions.

Revisiting the Definition of Solar Cell Generations

AbstractThe classification of photovoltaic technologies into generations aims at facilitating the overview and equally can support the identification of future trends. The initial definition by Martin Green follows the historical development, which however does not necessarily need to imply that a certain technology is old or outdated. To find an update of that early graph without immediately refusing the initial classification, first, the representation is filled with up‐to‐date numbers. Despite several new definitions of generations being introduced, these merely stay on a general level without quantitative justification. Here, in contrast, classification is further strengthened by numbers of the latest efficiency records and module prices. By becoming specific, it is possible to draw the current picture, compare it to the initial idea and reveal novel trends and potential. Showing different representations of the quantitative values further allows setting a focus of investigation and looking at the situation from various perspectives. In this way, it is expected to support the discussion not just of classification but rather of future technology potential, which becomes apparent from parallel trends. In addition, the importance of advanced optical designs for future competitive efficiency enhancement will be presented.

Modular Representation of Rational Fractions

The computer is designed to perform calculations, therefore it is a device for automatically processing machine data formats that display structured information. In machine data formats, the digit grid of typical and specialized computers displays numerical values on which calculations are performed in various number systems. A new modular packed representation of numerical values by rational fractions with fixed denominators, previously unknown, is introduced. For such modular representations of numerical quantities, a basic algorithm for the formation of vector components of types of representations is given with an estimate of complexity. A method of optimal approximation by packed modular representations of arbitrary irregular fractions has been found. The features of algorithms for performing additive and multiplicative operations for packed representations in a modular processor are analyzed.

South Korean Modern Culture in the Drama Series “Just One Bite” (Semiotics Analysis by Charles Sanders Peirce)

The purpose of this study is to analyze and describe the modern cultural values of South Korea which are represented in the drama series "Just One Bite". This drama series is a South Korean drama series that airs on the official PLAYLIST Global YouTube channel and was released in two seasons. The focus of this research is the representation of South Korean cultural values in the modern era. The object of this study is the drama series "Just One Bite" where the writer takes screenshots of various scenes in the drama series. The method used in this study is an inductive qualitative approach with a type of content analysis. Content analysis is used to study storage data in the form of symbols, text, images and so on. The theory used is Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotic theory, namely that signs are divided into symbols, objects, and interpretants. Based on data analysis using Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotic approach, various data were found that represent South Korean cultural values in the modern era in the drama series "Just One Bite". These cultural values include language in the form of naming food, family culture in the form of sharing food, technological advances in the form of instant food, and preserving culture in the form of serving traditional food with modern food.

Higher subjective socioeconomic status is linked to increased charitable giving and mentalizing-related neural value coding

Socioeconomic status (SES), a concept related to an individual's economic and social position relative to others, can shape social interactions like altruistic behaviors. However, little is known about the exact neurocognitive mechanisms that link SES with altruism. Our study aimed to provide a comprehensive account of the sociocognitive and neural mechanisms through which SES affects charitable giving – an important variant of human altruism. To this end, participants completed a charitable donation task while their brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We also assessed participants’ socio-cognitive ability to infer other people's mental states (i.e., mentalizing) – a driver of prosocial behavior – in an independent social task. Behaviorally, we found that both charitable giving and social cognition were status-dependent, as subjective SES positively predicted donations and mentalizing capacity. Moreover, the link between SES and charitable giving was mediated by individuals’ mentalizing capacity. At the neural level, a multivariate pattern analysis of fMRI data revealed that higher subjective SES was associated with stronger value coding in the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ). The strength of this value representation predicted charitable giving and was linked to mentalizing. Furthermore, we observed an increased negative functional coupling between rTPJ and left putamen with higher SES. Together, increased charitable giving in higher-status individuals could be explained by status-dependent recruitment of mentalizing-related value coding and altered functional connectivity in the brain. Our findings provide insights into the socio- and neurocognitive mechanisms explaining why and when higher SES leads to prosociality, which might ultimately inform targeted interventions to promote prosocial behavior in human societies.

Effects of Adult Age and Functioning of the Locus Coeruleus Norepinephrinergic System on Reward-Based Learning.

Age-related impairments in value representations and updating during decision-making and reward-based learning are often related to age-related attenuation in the catecholamine system such as dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE). However, it is unclear to what extent age-related declines in NE functioning in humans affect reward-based decision-making. We conducted a probabilistic decision-making task and applied a Q-learning model to investigate participants' anticipatory values and value sensitivities. Task-related pupil dilations and locus coeruleus (LC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast, which served as a potential window of the LC-NE functions, were assessed in younger and older adults. Results showed that in both choice and feedback phases, younger adults' (N = 42, 22 males) pupil dilations negatively correlated with anticipatory values, indicating uncertainty about outcome probabilities. Uncertainty-evoked pupil dilations in older adults (N = 41, 27 males) were smaller, indicating age-related impairments in value estimation and updating. In both age groups, participants who showed a larger uncertainty-evoked pupil dilation exhibited a higher value sensitivity as reflected in the β parameter of the reinforcement Q-learning model. Furthermore, older adults (N = 34, 29 males) showed a lower LC-MRI contrast than younger adults (N = 25, 15 males). The LC-MRI contrast positively correlated with value sensitivity only in older but not in younger adults. These findings suggest that task-related pupillary responses can reflect age-related deficits in value estimation and updating during reward-based decision-making. Our evidence with the LC-MRI contrast further showed the age-related decline of the LC structure in modulating value representations during reward-based learning.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Age-related impairments in value representation and updating during reward-based learning are associated with declines in the catecholamine modulation with age. However, it is unclear how age-related declines in the LC-NE system may affect reward-based learning. Here, we show that compared with younger adults, older adults exhibited reduced uncertainty-induced pupil dilations, suggesting age-related deficits in value estimation and updating. Older adults showed a lower structural MRI of the LC contrast than younger adults, indicating age-related degeneration of the LC structure. The association between the LC-MRI contrast and value sensitivity was only observed in older adults. Our findings may demonstrate a pioneering model to unravel the role of the LC-NE system in reward-based learning in aging.

Chronic unpredictable mild stress alters odor hedonics and adult olfactory neurogenesis in mice.

Experiencing chronic stress significantly increases the risk for depression. Depression is a complex disorder with varied symptoms across patients. However, feeling of sadness and decreased motivation, and diminished feeling of pleasure (anhedonia) appear to be core to most depressive pathology. Odorants are potent signals that serve a critical role in social interactions, avoiding danger, and consummatory behaviors. Diminished quality of olfactory function is associated with negative effects on quality of life leading to and aggravating the symptoms of depression. Odor hedonic value (I like or I dislike this smell) is a dominant feature of olfaction and guides approach or avoidance behavior of the odor source. The neural representation of the hedonic value of odorants is carried by the granule cells in the olfactory bulb, which functions to modulate the cortical relay of olfactory information. The granule cells of the olfactory bulb and those of the dentate gyrus are the two major populations of cells in the adult brain with continued neurogenesis into adulthood. In hippocampus, decreased neurogenesis has been linked to development or maintenance of depression symptoms. Here, we hypothesize that chronic mild stress can alter olfactory hedonics through effects on the olfactory bulb neurogenesis, contributing to the broader anhedonia phenotype in stress-associated depression. To test this, mice were subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress and then tested on measures of depressive-like behaviors, odor hedonics, and measures of olfactory neurogenesis. Chronic unpredictable mild stress led to a selective effect on odor hedonics, diminishing attraction to pleasant but not unpleasant odorants, an effect that was accompanied by a specific decrease in adult neurogenesis and of the percentage of adult-born cells responding to pleasant odorants in the olfactory bulb.

On Valence: Imperative or Representation of Value?

On Valence: Imperative or Representation of Value?

Technical note: Complexity–uncertainty curve (c-u-curve) – a method to analyse, classify and compare dynamical systems

Abstract. We propose and provide a proof of concept of a method to analyse, classify and compare dynamical systems of arbitrary dimensions by the two key features uncertainty and complexity. It starts by subdividing the system's time trajectory into a number of time slices. For all values in a time slice, the Shannon information entropy is calculated, measuring within-slice variability. System uncertainty is then expressed by the mean entropy of all time slices. We define system complexity as “uncertainty about uncertainty” and express it by the entropy of the entropies of all time slices. Calculating and plotting uncertainty “u” and complexity “c” for many different numbers of time slices yields the c-u-curve. Systems can be analysed, compared and classified by the c-u-curve in terms of (i) its overall shape, (ii) mean and maximum uncertainty, (iii) mean and maximum complexity and (iv) characteristic timescale expressed by the width of the time slice for which maximum complexity occurs. We demonstrate the method with the example of both synthetic and real-world time series (constant, random noise, Lorenz attractor, precipitation and streamflow) and show that the shape and properties of the respective c-u-curve clearly reflect the particular characteristics of each time series. For the hydrological time series, we also show that the c-u-curve characteristics are in accordance with hydrological system understanding. We conclude that the c-u-curve method can be used to analyse, classify and compare dynamical systems. In particular, it can be used to classify hydrological systems into similar groups, a pre-condition for regionalization, and it can be used as a diagnostic measure and as an objective function in hydrological model calibration. Distinctive features of the method are (i) that it is based on unit-free probabilities, thus permitting application to any kind of data, (ii) that it is bounded, (iii) that it naturally expands from single-variate to multivariate systems, and (iv) that it is applicable to both deterministic and probabilistic value representations, permitting e.g. application to ensemble model predictions.