Subjective Task Research Articles

IntelliFuzz: An Advanced Fuzzy Logic Framework for Dynamic Evaluation of Student Performance in Open-Ended Learning Tasks

This study presents IntelliFuzz, an advanced fuzzy logic-based assessment system designed for the dynamic evaluation of student performance in open-ended tasks. The proposed system leverages fuzzy logic to address the inherent subjectivity and ambiguity in evaluating tasks such as essays, project work, and case studies. IntelliFuzz incorporates multiple evaluation criteria, including task relevance, critical thinking, creativity, and presentation quality, to generate a comprehensive performance score. Experimental results on a dataset of 500 student submissions demonstrate the effectiveness of IntelliFuzz. The system achieved a 95% accuracy in aligning with expert assessments and reduced evaluation time by 30% compared to traditional manual grading methods. The fuzzy inference system was calibrated using 150 expert feedback samples, yielding an average correlation coefficient of 0.92 between system-generated scores and expert evaluations. Furthermore, IntelliFuzz was rated 85% satisfactory by instructors for its ability to provide consistent and fair evaluations.The study highlights the potential of fuzzy logic in educational assessment, offering a scalable and efficient solution for evaluating subjective student tasks. Future research will focus on integrating machine learning to further enhance the adaptability and precision of the system.

Expectancy value theory's contribution to unpacking the black box of motivation.

Although in basic agreement with Murayama and Jach's call for greater attention to the black boxes underlying motivated behavior, we provide examples of our published suggestions regarding how subjective task value (and ability self-concepts) "gets into people's knowledge structures." We suggest additional mental computational processes to investigate and call for a developmental and situated individual differences approach to this work.

Assessing Caregiver Burden, Tasks, and Heart Rate Using Wearable Sensors: A Longitudinal Study of Informal Caregivers of Persons With Dementia and Older Adults.

Purpose In recent years, research on caregivers has highlighted the importance of integrating advanced technologies, such as wearable devices. Furthermore, when investigating the characteristics of persons with dementia (PWD), comparative analyses should be conducted based on the presence or absence of the condition. We aimed to elucidate the relationship between caregivers' subjective burdens, tasks, and heart rate (HR) using wearable sensors to objectively assess the health status of caregivers of PWDand older adults requiring long-term care. Methods The study recruited 21 caregivers of PWDs and older adults requiring long-term care between September 2022 and December 2024 from one hospital, two care plan centers, and visiting nursing stations in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. We collected the participants' sociodemographic data using a questionnaire survey for caregivers. We also measured the caregiver's HR, walking steps, and total sleep time using a wearable sensor. Results Data from 17 participants with no missing values were included in this analysis among the 21 caregivers who provided consent to participate in this study. The demographic variables of the caregivers and care recipients revealed that the caregivers were predominantly female (typical spouses). Most PWDs were diagnosed with atopic disease. No significant correlations were found between the short Japanese version of the Zarit Burden Interview (J-ZBI_8) and the following measures: caregiving years, activities of daily living (ADL), the 14-item Short-Memory Questionnaire (SMQ), caregiving time, the Caregiving Gratification Scale (CGS), total caregiving tasks, sleep time, walking steps, or conversation time. Caregiver burden was significantly associated with caregiving experience and continued caregiving. We observed no significant differences in the average HR for pre- and post-caregiving tasks. Significant differences were found in the maximum pre- and post-caregiving HR. While caregiver burden showed a high-scoring trend and positive perception showed a low-scoring trend, none of the variables differed according to the presence or absence of PWDs. Conclusions These results indicate that subjective appraisal of caregiver burden was not significantly associated with HR change during caregiving tasks. No differences were observed in the behaviors of caregivers with or without dementia. It is necessary to measure subjective and objective appraisals using wearable sensors to better understand caregivers' situations.

Examining the effects of a diagnostic language test on learning

This study applied expectancy-value theory (EVT) to examine the impact of diagnostic language assessment (DLA) on the learning activities of a group of Chinese learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). A model of test impact on learning was conceptualized by integrating EVT and DLA theories. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to explore how the test’s diagnostic power influenced remedial learning through subjective task value, which encompassed attainment and utility values. The results indicated that the test’s diagnostic power positively influenced students’ attainment value, utility value, and remedial learning. While utility value mediated the relationship between diagnostic power and remedial learning, attainment value did not. Additionally, a significant distal mediation was observed in the causal relationship among diagnostic power, attainment value, utility value, and remedial learning. The findings have implications for test development, classroom teaching, and research on test impact, particularly in the context of EVT and DLA.

The influence of red and blue font color on intertemporal choice: the mediating roles of time perception and dimensional difference comparison

BackgroundIntertemporal choices are the process by which people make choices about losses or gains at different points in time (near or far). To explore the relationship between font color and intertemporal choice and to examine the serial mediation of time perception and intradimensional difference comparison on the association between font color and intertemporal choice on the basis of attribute-based choice models.MethodsWe randomly assigned subjects to the intertemporal choices questionnaire in a specific font color (blue vs. red) condition. The Intertemporal Choice Task, the Subjective Duration Judgment Task and the Intradimensional Difference Comparison Task were administered to a sample comprising 210 college students (103 males accounting for 49.05%). Multivariate analysis and latent variable analysis were used to explore the separate mediating roles of time perception and intradimensional difference comparison in the association between font color and intertemporal choice, and their serial mediation was also investigated. The bootstrap method was employed to test the significance of these mediating effects.ResultsCompared with red font, blue font can encourage students to choose more-farsighted intertemporal choices (i.e., LL). Students who use the blue font are more likely to have shorter durations and can choose the more farsighted intertemporal choice (i.e., LL) than those who use the red font. Students using blue fonts are more likely to perceive the difference between the two options chosen across time (∆payoff A, B) to be greater than the difference between the two options in the payoff dimension (∆time A, B), leading to farsighted choices compared with those using red fonts. Serial mediation was also found.ConclusionThe findings revealed why font color influences intertemporal choice. This study revealed the mediating role that time perception and intradimensional difference comparison play in the association between font color and intertemporal choice.

Study on exhaled volatile organic compounds identifying cognitive fatigue induced by N-back task in healthy young adults.

Cognitive fatigue in specific occupations may present a risk to personal safety. The study aimed to explore the characteristic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath in response to cognitive fatigue, to provide a scientific basis for the non-invasive exhaled breath diagnostic techniques for cognitive fatigue assessing. Thirty healthy young adults were recruited and assigned to complete two 1.5-hour cognitive fatigue-inducing trials of the N-back task and one control trial of low emotion film watching of the same duration time. The Chalder Fatigue Scale was employed to assess the cognitive fatigue of the subjects before and after the induction and film watching. Exhaled VOCs were collected and detected using a Bio-VOC sampler and Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy method. The differences in exhaled VOCs between the pre- and post-induction and film watching was evaluated using either the paired t-test or the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. It was found that the scale scores of the task group (n = 50) significantly increased after the induction, whereas no such findings were observed in the control group (n = 10), indicating that the cognitive fatigue state of the task group was effectively induced through the performance of the N-back task. A total of 15 VOCs were identified in the exhaled breath samples of the task group. And only the level of isoprene changed significantly from 339.77 ± 162.21 μg/m³ to 604.18 ± 230.75 μg/m³ with the induction of cognitive fatigue. In contrast, the change of isoprene in the control group was not statistically significant. The study demonstrated that after inducing cognitive fatigue by N-back task in healthy young subjects, isoprene levels in exhaled breath increased significantly. It suggests that isoprene could be considered a characteristic volatile organic compound in exhaled breath associated with cognitive fatigue.

The effect of gravity on hand spatio-temporal kinematic features during functional movements.

Understanding the impact of gravity on daily upper-limb movements is crucial for comprehending upper-limb impairments. This study investigates the relationship between gravitational force and upper-limb mobility by analyzing hand trajectories from 24 healthy subjects performing nine pick-and-place tasks, captured using a motion capture system. The results reveal significant differences in motor behavior in terms of planning, smoothness, efficiency, and accuracy when movements are performed against or with gravity. Analysis showed that upward movements (g-) resembled transversal ones (g0) but differed significantly from downward movements (g+). Corrective movements in g+ began later than in g- and g0, indicating different motor planning models. Velocity profiles highlighted smoother movements in g- and g0 compared to g+. Smoothness was lower in g+, indicating less coordinated movements. Efficiency showed significant variability with no specific trends due to subjective task duration among subjects. This study highlights the importance of considering gravitational effects when evaluating upper-limb movements, especially for individuals with neurological impairments. Planning metrics, including Percent Time to Peak Velocity and Percent Time to Peak Standard Deviation, showed significant differences between g- and g0 compared to g+, supporting Fitts' law on the trade-off between speed and accuracy. Two novel indications were also introduced: the Target Position Error and the Minimum Required Tunnel. These new indicators provided insights into hand-eye coordination and movement variability. The findings suggest that motor planning, smoothness, and efficiency are significantly influenced by gravity, emphasizing the need for differentiated approaches in assessing and rehabilitating upper-limb impairments. Future research should explore these metrics in impaired populations to develop targeted rehabilitation strategies.

Performance metrics outperform physiological indicators in robotic teleoperation workload assessment

Robotics holds the potential to streamline the execution of repetitive and dangerous tasks, which are difficult or impossible for a human operator. However, in complex scenarios, such as nuclear waste management or disaster response, full automation often proves unfeasible due to the diverse and intricate nature of tasks, coupled with the unpredictable hazards, and is typically prevented by stringent regulatory frameworks. Consequently, the predominant approach to managing activities in such settings remains human teleoperation. Teleoperation can be demanding, especially in high-stress situations, and involves a complex blend of both cognitive and physical workload. We present an experiment to explore a range of physiological and performance-related metrics for workload assessment during robotic teleoperation. Thirty-five participants performed a teleoperation task, during which we manipulated cognitive and physical workload conditions. We recorded multiple metrics, including brain activity using functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, galvanic skin responses, cardiovascular responses, subjective workload ratings, task and robot performance data. Our results suggest that robotic teleoperation performance may be the most robust metric for distinguishing between different levels of workload experienced during teleoperation, with most physiological measures becoming insignificant to distinguish high cognitive workload.

Оценка предрасположенности к небезопасному поведению: стандартизация методики

<p>The work is aimed at studying the connection between value-semantic indicators and the author's technique for modeling extreme situations to assess the respondent's predisposition to commit unsafe acts was standardized. The <strong>technique</strong> includes two models: “mine” and “bomb”. The model is two sheets of paper (two tracks), behind one of which a conventional explosive is placed, the “mine" is a five-ruble coin, the “bomb” is a lid 8–10 mm high and 68–70 mm in diameter. The subject's task is to walk along the safe sheet without stepping on the sheet hiding the explosive. Four tests are conducted. The following methods were used for standardization: 1) the author's technique for modeling extreme situations; 2) subjective assessment of unsafe behavior; 3) survey of the causes of erroneous reactions; 4) calculation of mathematical statistics: descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation coefficient, Cronbach's alpha. <strong>Subjects</strong>: psychology students specializing in extreme profiles — 100 people. <strong>Result</strong>: the method has subjective validity (r = 0.71) and structural reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.52). The average number of steps on a conventional “mine” = 2.1 + 0.89; it corresponds to the mathematical expectation calculated for this model. The average number of steps on a conventional “bomb” = 0.3 + 0.66. We defined the norm as: 0 steps; excess characterizes the presence of a predisposition to unsafe behavior in extreme conditions. <strong>Conclusion</strong>: it is recommended to use the experimental “bomb” model to assess the respondent's predisposition to unsafe behavior.</p>

Розвиток множинного інтелекту в учнів початкової школи засобами технології контекстного навчання

The article states the interconnection of the sectoral competences of a New Ukrainian School graduate with nine types of multiple intelligences (verbal (linguistic), logical and mathematical, visual, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, musical, naturalistic and existential), describes the didactic potential of the content of educational sectors for their development. It has been established that the technology of contextual learning has ample opportunities for the development of junior schoolchildren's multiple intelligences through the use of subject tasks that are characterised by accessibility, interactivity, informativeness, and take into account personal, procedural and situational aspects of learning. This approach ensures a gradual transition from theoretical learning to practical application of knowledge, which contributes to the implementation of multisensory and activitybased methodological approaches. Based on the analysis of psychological, pedagogical, methodological works of domestic and foreign researchers, synthesis of educational and methodological ideas, the methods and forms of contextual learning that should be used in the process of developing different types of intelligence in primary school students are proposed. These include: role-playing, experiments and research, group projects, as well as the Interactive Maps toolkit from the MozaBook software, etc. The methodological feasibility of using such methods and forms of contextual learning for the development of different types of multiple intelligences in Grade 2 pupils is emphasised: mathematical games and puzzles, solving problems in the form of stories and real-life situations (logical and mathematical); roleplaying games with literary content, creating own mini-stories or poems (verbal and linguistic); projects, experiments and experiments «Not just a drop», «Tornado in a jar», «Enchanted button» (naturalistic); lessonquest «Safety Country» with the creation of a mini-book «Road Safety», group projects (interpersonal); online game «Interland», in particular the level «River of Reality», to master basic network etiquette and safety skills (emotional and personal).

Electromyographic Activity of Cervical Muscles in Patients with Neck Pain and Changes After Dry Needling: A Narrative Review.

Neck pain can be associated with specific conditions, such as neurological disorders, vascular or inflammatory diseases, fractures, herniated discs, etc. However, the majority of neck pain cases cannot be attributed to a specific cause. The objective of this review is to describe the muscle dysfunctions associated with neck pain, as measured by electromyography, and to determine the effectiveness of dry needling in improving these muscular dysfunctions. The research was conducted using the following databases: PubMed, Alcorze, and Google Scholar. The next conclusions have been extracted after the revision of the 65 selected manuscripts. The current scientific evidence supports electromyographic pathological findings in individuals with chronic neck pain, especially during general upper limb movement, repetitive work, violin playing, cervical force, and cervical movement tasks. Dry needling applied to an active myofascial trigger point in the upper trapezius can be suggested as an intervention to enhance the performance in the cranio-cervical flexion. Dry needling applied to latent myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius after typing tasks in healthy subjects resulted in decreased upper trapezius activity and fatigue in the short term. In women with trapezius myalgia, dry needling applied to the upper trapezius led to a lower increase in electromyography activity compared to no intervention.

Impact of Situation Awareness Variations on Multimodal Physiological Responses in High-Speed Train Driving.

In safety-critical environments, human error is a leading cause of accidents, with the loss of situation awareness (SA) being a key contributing factor. Accurate SA assessment is essential for minimizing such risks and ensuring operational safety. Traditional SA measurement methods have limitations in dynamic real-world settings, while physiological signals, particularly EEG, offer a non-invasive, real-time alternative for continuous SA monitoring. However, the reliability of SA measurement based on physiological signals depends on the accuracy of SA labeling. This study aims to design an effective SA measurement paradigm specific to high-speed train driving, investigate more accurate physiological signal-based SA labeling methods, and explore the relationships between SA levels and key physiological metrics based on the developed framework. This study recruited 19 male high-speed train driver trainees and developed an SA measurement paradigm specific to high-speed train driving. A method combining subjective SA ratings and task performance was introduced to generate accurate SA labels. The results of statistical analysis confirmed the effectiveness of this paradigm in inducing SA level changes, revealing significant relationships between SA levels and key physiological metrics, including eye movement patterns, ECG features (e.g., heart rate variability), and EEG power spectral density across theta, alpha, and beta bands. This study supports the use of multimodal physiological signals for SA assessment and provides a theoretical foundation for future applications of SA monitoring in railway operations, contributing to enhanced operational safety.

Trustworthy collaborative evaluation of multi-service subjects in the cloud manufacturing model

Trustworthy collaborative evaluation of multi-service subjects in the cloud manufacturing model

Crossmodal correspondences between visual and speech angularity and tactile jaggedness of response key

Several studies reported various crossmodal correspondences related to tactile features. These previous studies have investigated tactile-related correspondences through explicit matching or subjective evaluation tasks, which required participants to recognize relationships between tactile and other sensory features or rate tactile materials on scales with adjective labels related to visual or auditory features. However, these tasks are prone to occur the experimenter-expectancy effects and arbitrary categorization of tactile materials by the labels, making it difficult to assess implicit and non-arbitrary aspects of crossmodal correspondences. To address this, we used a speeded classification task to examine whether the angularity/roundedness of visual and auditory stimuli correspond to tactile jaggedness/fluffiness. Participants distinguished between angularity or roundedness (Experiment 1: visual shapes; Experiment 2: speech sounds) by pressing right- or left-positioned response keys with task-irrelevant jaggedness or fluffiness without prior instruction on which key represented jaggedness/fluffiness. Results showed faster keypresses for jagged/fluffy responses to angular/rounded stimuli, suggesting an implicit correspondence between these sensory features except for the experimenter-expectancy effects and the influence of the labels. Unlike previous studies that examined the correspondence with simple tactile features (e.g., weight, size), our findings suggest that even complex tactile-quality features, such as jaggedness/fluffiness, implicitly correspond to visual and auditory angularity/roundedness.

Divergence in situation awareness and workload

Situation awareness (SA) and workload have both received considerable attention over the past several decades. Little research has investigated the relationship between these two constructs however. The present study examines the relationship between workload and SA in a task involving operation of unmanned vehicles performing an inspection task. Overall, an inverse correlation between SA and workload was found, with SA decreasing by approximately 20% as workload increased. Unexpectedly, considerable differences in this relationship across individuals were found, however, with 50% of participants showing a correlation between SA and only one workload measure (subjective or secondary task) and 30% showing no correlation between SA and workload on either measure. Reasons for dissociation within different measures of workload and SA are discussed, as well as potential reasons for individual differences leading to dissociations across these two constructs.

Does affective processing require awareness? On the use of the Perceptual Awareness Scale in response priming research.

Masked priming paradigms are frequently used to shine light on the processes of nonconscious cognition. Introducing a new method to this field, Lähteenmäki et al. (2015) claimed that affective priming requires awareness. Specifically, they administered a subjective rating task after the priming task in each trial to directly assess awareness of the prime. Their main result was a lack of priming for subjectively unaware primes. In four experiments, we compared their method with the traditional paradigm, that is, a single-task priming phase followed by a direct test of prime recognition. We used faces with anger versus sadness expressions as primes and targets; emotion categorization was the task. In contrast to Lähteenmäki et al., primes and targets were drawn from different sets, such that priming effects can be unequivocally attributed to the processing of evaluative features. In Experiments 1a, b, we followed their approach of using different prime durations to produce variance in awareness ratings. With a duration of 40 ms, significant priming effects for subjectively unaware primes were found. This duration was also associated with priming effects in the traditional paradigm with near-zero objective prime categorization, suggesting that priming does not require awareness. In Experiment 2a, employing a constant 40-ms duration, we replicated the traditional effect. However, the parallel Experiment 2b with subjective awareness ratings produced a null result at a sharply increased response time level. We conclude that the claim that affective processing requires awareness is not justified. Subjective trial-by-trial visibility ratings can severely alter processing strategies in response priming paradigms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Do I want to study psychology and why? Can I succeed in blended learning? The perseverance and changes in success expectancies and the subjective task value of non-traditional Swiss students

Non-traditional students in higher education have been increasing in numbers, and blended learning is considered a learning environment which often meets their special needs. However, dropout seems to be a major challenge. The goal of the current research was to investigate motivational beliefs in the framework of the expectancy–value model that might lead this population to persist in blended learning. Persistence intentions, as well as expectancies and perceived task value, were measured during the first semester of blended learning amongst non-traditional Swiss students. The results showed that intrinsic values, expectancies (competence-related beliefs), and two facets of cost played a role in predicting perseverance intentions. Moreover, subjective task value, as well as expectancy (competence-related beliefs), remained stable over time. These findings fill a gap in the existing literature by quantitatively investigating motivational beliefs of non-traditional students in blended learning and their short-term changes. The authors conclude with a discussion of these findings, their limitations, and their implications.

A Feature Fusion Model Based on Temporal Convolutional Network for Automatic Sleep Staging Using Single-Channel EEG.

Sleep staging is a crucial task in sleep monitoring and diagnosis, but clinical sleep staging is both time-consuming and subjective. In this study, we proposed a novel deep learning algorithm named feature fusion temporal convolutional network (FFTCN) for automatic sleep staging using single-channel EEG data. This algorithm employed a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) to extract temporal features from raw EEG, and a two-dimensional CNN (2D-CNN) to extract time-frequency features from spectrograms generated through continuous wavelet transform (CWT) at the epoch level. These features were subsequently fused and further fed into a temporal convolutional network (TCN) to classify sleep stages at the sequence level. Moreover, a two-step training strategy was used to enhance the model's performance on an imbalanced dataset. Our proposed method exhibits superior performance in the 5-class classification task for healthy subjects, as evaluated on the SHHS-1, Sleep-EDF-153, and ISRUC-S1 datasets. This work provided a straightforward and promising method for improving the accuracy of automatic sleep staging using only single-channel EEG, and the proposed method exhibited great potential for future applications in professional sleep monitoring, which could effectively alleviate the workload of sleep technicians.

Systematic review of cognitive impairment in drivers through mental workload using physiological measures of heart rate variability.

The intricate interplay between driver cognitive dysfunction, mental workload (MWL), and heart rate variability (HRV) provides a captivating avenue for investigation within the domain of transportation safety studies. This article provides a systematic review and examines cognitive hindrance stemming from mental workload and heart rate variability. It scrutinizes the mental workload experienced by drivers by leveraging data gleaned from prior studies that employed heart rate monitoring systems and eye tracking technology, thereby illuminating the correlation between cognitive impairment, mental workload, and physiological indicators such as heart rate and ocular movements. The investigation is grounded in the premise that the mental workload of drivers can be assessed through physiological cues, such as heart rate and eye movements. The study discovered that HRV and infrared (IR) measurements played a crucial role in evaluating fatigue and workload for skilled drivers. However, the study overlooked potential factors contributing to cognitive impairment in drivers and could benefit from incorporating alternative indicators of cognitive workload for deeper insights. Furthermore, investigated driving simulators demonstrated that an eco-safe driving Human-Machine Interface (HMI) significantly promoted safe driving behaviors without imposing excessive mental and visual workload on drivers. Recommendations were made for future studies to consider additional indicators of cognitive workload, such as subjective assessments or task performance metrics, for a more comprehensive understanding.

Profiles of John Henryism and subjective task value in higher education: the motivations and attributions of nontraditional students

AbstractSchool psychology scholars argue that diversifying the profession will advance equity and social justice. Yet, nontraditional and racially and ethnically minoritized students are underrepresented in school psychology programs. These diverse college students bring complex identities that may complicate as well as enrich their paths to achievement. This is a challenge as higher education environments often do not optimize support for these students. To address this challenge, we investigated the influence of a school‐based task on cognitive engagement, subjective task value, positive and negative emotions, identities, and context‐sensitive high‐effort coping called John Henryism in 294 U.S. college students. Correlation and regression analysis demonstrated a strong relationship between John Henryism and subjective task value. Latent profile analysis and follow‐up logistic regression demonstrated that older and Latinx students predicted membership in the group that was high in John Henryism and subjective task value. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of this work in better understanding the mixed consequences of achievement motivation, contextualizing subjective task value using John Henryism, and recommendations for higher education institutions.