Superordinate Category Research Articles

Exploring Psychotherapists’ Attitudes on Internet- and Mobile-Based Interventions in Germany: Thematic Analysis

Background In recent years, internet- and mobile-based interventions (IMIs) have become increasingly relevant in mental health care and have sparked societal debates. Psychotherapists’ perspectives are essential for identifying potential opportunities for improvement, facilitating conditions, and barriers to the implementation of these interventions. Objective This study aims to explore psychotherapists’ perspectives on opportunities for improvement, facilitating conditions, and barriers to using IMIs. Methods The study used a qualitative research design, utilizing open-ended items in a cross-sectional survey. A total of 350 psychotherapists were asked to provide their written opinions on various aspects of IMIs. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data and identify core themes. Results The analysis revealed 11 core themes related to the use of IMIs, which were categorized into 4 superordinate categories: “Applicability,” “Treatment Resources,” “Technology,” and “Perceived Risks and Barriers.” While many psychotherapists viewed IMIs as a valuable support for conventional psychotherapy, they expressed skepticism about using IMIs as a substitute. Several factors were perceived as hindrances to the applicability of IMIs in clinical practice, including technological issues, subjective concerns about potential data protection risks, a lack of individualization due to the manualized nature of most IMIs, and the high time and financial costs for both psychotherapists and patients. They expressed a desire for easily accessible information on evidence and programs to reduce the time and effort required for training and advocated for this information to be integrated into the conceptualization of new IMIs. Conclusions The findings of this study emphasize the importance of considering psychotherapists’ attitudes in the development, evaluation, and implementation of IMIs. This study revealed that psychotherapists recognized both the opportunities and risks associated with the use of IMIs, with most agreeing that IMIs serve as a tool to support traditional psychotherapy rather than as a substitute for it. Furthermore, it is essential to involve psychotherapists in discussions about IMIs specifically, as well as in the development of new methodologies in psychotherapy more broadly. Overall, this study can advance the use of IMIs in mental health care and contribute to the ongoing societal debate surrounding these interventions.

When more is less: the impact of multimorphemic words on learning word meaning

Abstract Monomorphemic words have been found to influence category formation, as they encode one general category and thus activate it more than other related categories in the same lexical network. On the other hand, multimorphemic words can encode multiple categories from the same network by the multiple forms they combine. Superordinate categories are encoded by sub-lexical forms (e.g., affixes), while the entire words encode lower categories in the hierarchical structure. In the present study, we asked whether sub-lexical forms influence the learning of the meaning encoded by the entire word they underlie. We used Semitic-like words where sub-lexical forms (syllabic patterns) encode superordinate categories of manner-of-motion, and the entire words encode lower-level categories (moving characters). In our main experiment, a word-learning test showed that a shared syllabic pattern had a negative effect on the learning of the moving characters encoded by the entire word. This effect was revealed mainly in dimensions related to the superordinate category encoded by the pattern. The effect and its direction are beyond the expectations of enhanced category representations suggested in previous literature. We conclude that the effect of word-form is beyond the specific category they encode and can have different directions at different hierarchical levels.

“Ins and outs”: Ethnic identity, the need to belong, and responses to inclusion and exclusion in inclusive common ingroups

An often overlooked aspect of intergroup relations is how people react to inclusion in a beneficial superordinate category. To examine this issue, we conducted four studies ( N = 1,686) in Kosovo about the European Union (EU), using adult (Studies 1, 3, 4) and adolescent (Study 2) samples. We employed experimental designs (Studies 1, 3, 4) and a two-wave longitudinal design (Study 2). In Studies 1–3, we assessed ethnic identification before exposing participants to one of three experimental conditions: inclusion in the superordinate category, exclusion, or a control. Results showed that individuals with low ethnic identification perceived less discrimination (i.e., less unfair treatment), greater metahumanization (i.e., being seen as equal), and less collective victimhood (i.e., lower feelings of being unjustly targeted) in the inclusion condition compared to exclusion or control conditions, whereas those with high ethnic identification exhibited the opposite reactions regardless of condition. In Study 4, we assessed the need to belong to the EU and ethnic identification before exposing participants to similar conditions. Results showed that individuals with a high need to belong to the EU perceived less discrimination, greater metahumanization, and lower collective victimhood in the inclusion condition compared to other conditions, regardless of ethnic identification. This pattern also held for those with a low need to belong to the EU and low ethnic identification. However, it did not appear for those with a low need to belong to the EU and high ethnic identification, whose reactions to inclusion differed from those of participants in other conditions. These effects were mediated by collective victimhood.

Experiences of patients with endometriosis with a digital health application: a qualitative analysis

BackgroundEndometriosis is a frequent disease in women of reproductive age in which the endometrium occurs outside the uterine cavity. Multimodal treatment approaches are necessary due to loss of quality of life and the chronic nature of the disease. Digital health applications (DiGa) are becoming increasingly important. This research project investigates how a healthcare app can influence the subjective experience of illness in patients with endometriosis.MethodsEmpiric data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was carried out using qualitative focussed interview analysis. Reliability was ensured by joint interdisciplinary and interprofessional evaluation of the interviews by experts and those affected.ResultsTen patients with endometriosis and the prescribed healthcare app Endo-App© were examined. Categories were defined from the superordinate categories “Factors influencing the experience of illness” and “Evaluation of the app”. The app provided reliable information, promoted self-efficacy through exercises and strengthened the perception of the individuality of the illness. It helped to minimise nocebo effects from internet research and enabled a positive change of perspective. Patients criticised the time required for data input and had data protection concerns. The educational elements were often seen as redundant. Some patients only used the app briefly, or not at all.ConclusionOnce a DiGa has been prescribed, it may be useful to explain its use on an outpatient basis and validate regular use. Blind re-prescribing of DiGas should be avoided. Younger patients with a recent diagnosis or patients following rehabilitation may benefit more from prescribing.

Using semantic verbal fluency to estimate the relative and absolute vocabulary size of bilinguals: An exploratory study of children and adolescents

IntroductionThe full assessment of bilingual children often involves at least one language for which formal vocabulary tests are lacking and which the examiner does not speak. We examined, in a sample of children with typical development (TD), whether a semantic verbal fluency task, typically used in research as a measure of executive function, could be used in the place of a formal vocabulary test to estimate vocabulary knowledge when formal tests are not available. Method113 TD monolingual French speakers and TD bilinguals and with varying degrees of exposure to French, age 6 to 17 years, completed tests of vocabulary knowledge and semantic verbal fluency. A subset of 64 participants spoke French and English and were tested in both languages. Verbal fluency measures calculated using a traditional method which uses specific rules for superordinate categories and for animals of different sex and age and a simplified scoring method which simply counts all words produced, included the total number of words produced in each language, Total Vocabulary and Conceptual Vocabulary measures combining both languages, as well as analyses of lexical composition and word frequency within the study sample. ResultsLinear regressions revealed that the number of words produced predicted vocabulary size in a language-specific way, with slightly stronger predictions made by the simplified scoring method. As expected, bilinguals produced more words and more unique words in their language of greater exposure, while different exposure groups were equivalent in measures combining both languages, including their Total vocabulary and Conceptual vocabulary. Producing unusual words (infrequently produced in the study sample) indicated higher vocabulary scores. ConclusionsThis study supports the use of the verbal fluency task as a quick and simple tool to obtain a rough estimate of vocabulary size in TD monolinguals and bilinguals. This tool shows promise as well in clinical work with other populations, subject to further verification.

Between evidence and delusion – a scoping review of cognitive biases in Environmental and Sustainability Education

Exposing learners to sustainability-related topics can present affective–motivational challenges for learners, which may prompt cognitive bias. Cognitive bias directly influences how individuals perceive and process sustainability-related information, thereby also influencing sustainability-related behaviour and decision-making. Therefore, cognitive bias may also present a significant obstacle to the purposes of Environmental and Sustainability Education. Notwithstanding its potential relevance, there is no comprehensive understanding of how cognitive bias is currently addressed in Environmental and Sustainability Education. This review scopes scientific literature that addresses cognitive bias in Environmental and Sustainability education, based on SCOPUS, Web of Science and ERIC. We identified 21 articles that matched our search criteria. We identified four superordinate categories of cognitive bias that were addressed in the literature, including bounded rationality, confirmation bias, self-enhancement and ambiguity aversion. Moreover, we distinguished three perspectives from which cognitive bias is discussed in the literature: (i) education to mitigate bias associated with sustainability-related matters, (ii) bias as a barrier to Environmental and Sustainability Education and (iii) bias at the research-paradigm level. The list of identified biases provides evidence that cognitive bias may play an important role in Environmental and Sustainability Education scholarship and practices, which suggests that more research on this topic is needed.

Words do not just label concepts: activating superordinate categories through labels, lists, and definitions

ABSTRACT We investigate the interface between concepts and word meanings by asking English speakers to list members of superordinate categories under one of three conditions: (1) when cued by a label (e.g. animals), (2) an exemplar list (e.g. dog, cat, mouse), or (3) a definition (e.g. “living creatures that roam the Earth”). We find that categories activated by labels lead to participants listing more category-typical responses, as quantified through typicality ratings, similarity in word embedding space, and accuracy in guessing category labels. This effect is stronger for some categories than others (e.g. stronger for appetizers than animals). These results support the view that a word is not merely a label for a concept, but rather a unique way of accessing and organizing conceptual space.

For the good of the party, for the good of the nation: ingroup projection can motivate support for political violence

Support for political violence in the United States appears to be growing. We outline a model that positions ingroup projection—seeing ingroup values as the shared values of a larger inclusive societal group—as a key psychological process through which identification with political ingroups (Democrats/Republicans) and with national superordinate categories (Americans) influence support for political violence. We tested this model in two studies. Study 1 (N = 297) included original survey data collected during the 2016 US Presidential election, and analyses revealed that identification with Democrats or Republicans and identification with Americans both had positive indirect effects on support for political violence that were mediated by ingroup projection. Study 2 (N = 642) provided a preregistered replication of these results using original data collected during the 2022 US Midterm Senate elections. These results provide insight into the psychological processes that underlie support for political violence in the United States and elucidate a generalizable model for understanding destructive intergroup behaviors in a variety of real-world intergroup contexts.

European identity's effect on immigration attitudes: Testing the predictions of the common Ingroup identity model versus ingroup projection model

AbstractA superordinate identity unites different subgroups into an overarching, common one. But does superordinate identification then improve or worsen attitudes towards the former outgroup? The common ingroup identity model (CIIM) asserts that recategorization ameliorates outgroup bias by reducing perceptions of intergroup threat. It predicts that superordinate identification will improve intergroup relations by promoting tolerance and acceptance of diversity. In contrast, the ingroup project model (IPM) asserts that identifying superordinately will actually exacerbate outgroup bias because ingroup members naturally project their own characteristics onto the superordinate category and will more strongly dislike the former outgroup for not fitting the “correct” superordinate prototype. Existing evidence—largely drawn from psychology lab experiments, not real‐world situations—suggests both models can be correct insofar as ingroup projection only occurs under certain conditions. In that case, which model is correct for European identity? Results from original survey data collected in three European countries (Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom) show that increased identification with Europe is almost always associated with more favorable attitudes towards outgroup immigrants, even among those most likely to engage in ingroup projection. Future research should continue to investigate when and why this inclusivity does—and does not—hold.

‘We're still here’: Misrecognition and the quest for dual identification of Roma people

AbstractMisrecognition describes everyday practices that deny the autonomy of minority members to define who they are and instead impose identities that may diverge from their own sense of self. Being misrecognized is particularly relevant for the historically marginalized Roma people, whose national belonging is repeatedly questioned despite centuries of co‐existence and citizenship. Our aim was to understand whether the experience of misrecognition, along with discrimination, would predict identification patterns that represent an obstacle to dual identification among Roma people in three East‐Central European countries: Hungary, Romania and Serbia. We collected data among Roma participants online and face‐to‐face with convenience sampling (N = 1,325). Latent class analysis revealed three similar classes based on national and ethnic identification scores in all subsamples: (1) disidentification, (2) Roma identification and (3) dual identification. Logistic regression analysis showed that misrecognition and discrimination predicted stronger Roma identity than dual identification in Hungary and Serbia. However, misrecognition predicted stronger dual identification in Romania, possibly as a reaffirmation strategy in response to misrecognition. Our results show that misrecognition can add to our understanding of minority group members' identification with the superordinate category of the nation as well as subgroup ethnic minority identity, and this connection could be key for advancing Roma inclusion.

‘‘If You don’t Feel Empowered, Then How are You Going to Empower Someone else?” Perspectives of Executive Directors and Supervisors on Community Health Worker Workforce Development

ABSTRACT Expansion of the Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce has become a national priority. It is critical to understand CHW strengths and individual challenges, associated professional development needs, and specific strategies that may meet needs from the perspectives of those who employ, manage, and supervise this growing workforce. Through a community-partnership with eight member organizations of the Association of Perinatal Networks of New York, we conducted two focus groups with 7 Executive Directors and 6 CHW Supervisors. Data were analyzed according to the six steps of thematic analysis. Analyses revealed seven salient themes across three superordinate categories of strengths, individual challenges, and mechanisms of support. CHWs are a critical component of the US health workforce. Challenges related to navigating boundaries, use of empowerment-focused approaches and effective documentation require skills-based training and trauma-informed workplace-based supports. Supervision is an effective mechanism through which CHWs receive support needed to optimize job performance.

Find (and Remember) the Odd One Out: The Effect of Categorical Distinctiveness on Recognition Memory

How does the relationship between the categorical membership of a target object and its surrounding context affect the memorization of the target object? We conducted four experiments to examine how categorical distinctiveness is related to memory. During the categorical discrimination stage, participants searched for a target to be remembered among five distractor images belonging to another category. In the low categorical distinctiveness condition, the target image was surrounded by perceptually similar images from the same superordinate category (e.g., a cat among dogs); in the high categorical distinctiveness condition, it was surrounded by dissimilar objects from another superordinate category (e.g., a cat among chairs). Participants also performed a recognition test. We expected an increase in the number of hits and false alarms in the recognition task for objects discriminated in the low categorical distinctiveness condition. This hypothesis was confirmed in Experiments 1 and 4, and the effect also partly remained in Experiments 2 and 3 (when we manipulated the memorization time), affecting only hits or only false alarms, respectively. Moreover, in Experiment 2, in which memorization was incidental, memorization among low-distinguishability objects was more accurate, which could indicate the advantages that categorical knowledge offers in such a memorization paradigm. This indicates the influence of categorical knowledge on the memorization and recognition of objects.

Coherent categorical information triggers integration-related alpha dynamics.

To create coherent visual experiences, the brain spatially integrates the complex and dynamic information it receives from the environment. We previously demonstrated that feedback-related alpha activity carries stimulus-specific information when two spatially and temporally coherent naturalistic inputs can be integrated into a unified percept. In this study, we sought to determine whether such integration-related alpha dynamics are triggered by categorical coherence in visual inputs. In an EEG experiment, we manipulated the degree of coherence by presenting pairs of videos from the same or different categories through two apertures in the left and right visual hemifields. Critically, video pairs could be video-level coherent (i.e., stem from the same video), coherent in their basic-level category, coherent in their superordinate category, or incoherent (i.e., stem from videos from two entirely different categories). We conducted multivariate classification analyses on rhythmic EEG responses to decode between the video stimuli in each condition. As the key result, we significantly decoded the video-level coherent and basic-level coherent stimuli, but not the superordinate coherent and incoherent stimuli, from cortical alpha rhythms. This suggests that alpha dynamics play a critical role in integrating information across space, and that cortical integration processes are flexible enough to accommodate information from different exemplars of the same basic-level category.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our brain integrates dynamic inputs across the visual field to create coherent visual experiences. Such integration processes have previously been linked to cortical alpha dynamics. In this study, the integration-related alpha activity was observed not only when snippets from the same video were presented, but also when different video snippets from the same basic-level category were presented, highlighting the flexibility of neural integration processes.

Infants' individuation of human faces across race and identity.

Young infants' face perception capabilities quickly tune to the features of their primary caregiver. The current study examines whether infants distinguish faces in a more conceptual manner using a manual-search, violation of expectation task that has previously been used to test kind-based individuation. We tested how well infants between 11 and 27months of age individuated faces that varied by superordinate category (human vs. non-human in Experiment 1) subordinate category (individual identity in Experiment 2) or by race (White vs. Black, Experiments 1 & 2). We assessed individuation by quantifying the difference in infants' duration of reaching within an empty box between trials when the box was unexpectedly empty and expectedly empty. We found evidence of individuation across all ages and conditions, but with within-infant variation. On average, infants individuated face from non-face stimuli (Experiment 1), individual face identities (Experiment 2), and White versus Black faces (Experiments 1 & 2). These findings suggest that 1- to 2-year-old infants use distinct human face features to represent individuals across time and space. We discuss this evidence for race-based individuation and related complexities of face identity in terms of implications for conceptual development for faces in the first years of life.

경계선급 지적 기능 학습자의 생애주기별 특성과 교육지원 요구: 경기도를 중심으로

In this study, we examined the perceptions of parties, parents, teachers, and experts regarding
 characteristics and educational support needs by life cycle of learners with borderline intellectual
 functioning, focusing on Gyeonggi-do. A total of 52 people were selected as research participants,
 including 6 adolescents with borderline intellectual function, 6 young adults, 8 parents, 13 teachers,
 and 19 relationship experts, and in-depth interviews were conducted. As a result of analyzing the
 interview data through continuous comparative analysis, the interview results were divided into 16
 superordinate categories and 38 categories centered on two main themes such as characteristics
 and educational support needs of learners with borderline intellectual functioning. Regarding
 subcategories, 82 contents were derived. Learners with borderline intellectual functioning who
 participated in the study were experiencing difficulties in learning and social adaptation throughout
 their entire life cycle, from preschool to adulthood, and related experts said that life cycle-specific
 support at the national level was needed for these learners. Based on the research results,
 implications on the direction of support for each life cycle were presented.

A Study on Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition Under the Categorization Theory

In cognitive linguistics, debates on the status and functions of categorization have been a heated issue. In semantics and second language acquisition, scholars have discussed and achieved vocabulary acquisition from different perspectives and academic levels. Vocabulary learning exerts a fundamental role in second language vocabulary acquisition (SLVA), and it is closely related to learners’ cognitive competence. However, studies on second language vocabulary acquisition under the categorization theory in cognitive linguistics have received less attention from linguists when compared with other studies. This paper employs two representative dimensions, the basic-level effect and the prototype effect, under the categorization theory to further delve into the implications on second language vocabulary acquisition. This article first provides a comprehensive introduction to the nature and the approaches of the categorization theory, and then analyzes the relations and implications for second language vocabulary acquisition under the categorization theory from the perspective of the basic-level and the prototype effects. The research results showed that the basic-level effect on SLVA is mainly on the classification of word categories distinguished from the superordinate and subordinate categories, while the prototype effect is more on understanding the complexity and use of word meaning.

The impact of response congruence on speech production: An event-related potentials study

A puzzling finding in the speech production literature is the facilitation of categorically related distractors in a superordinate level naming task. The context is in this case response congruent, because application of the task instruction to the context would lead to the correct response. This study investigates the time-course of response congruence effects in speech production using event-related potentials (ERPs). Participants overtly named target words that were overlaid on context pictures with either their superordinate category level name or their associated function, while their response times and ERPs were recorded. Behavioural results replicate the facilitating effect of response congruence. The ERP results showed that the N2 was larger for a response incongruent than congruent context, and this effect correlated with the behavioural pattern of results. This key finding suggests that response incongruence is associated with a conflict-monitoring response which drives the behavioural effect. Further, N400 amplitude was not modulated by response congruence, showing that its effect appears confined to the conceptualisation phase. Finally, P3 modulations mirrored those in RTs, but unlike the N2 effect, they did not correlate with RTs. This suggests that, although the facilitating effect of response congruence is confined to the conceptualisation phase of speech production, response incongruent representations may remain active during later processing stages, or that this late effect of response congruence reflects conflict resolve. Implications for models of speech production are discussed.

A Clinical Leadership Lens on Implementing Progress Feedback in Three Countries: Development of a Multidimensional Qualitative Coding Scheme.

Progress feedback, also known as measurement-based care (MBC), is the routine collection of patient-reported measures to monitor treatment progress and inform clinical decision-making. Although a key ingredient to improving mental health care, sustained use of progress feedback is poor. Integration into everyday workflow is challenging, impacted by a complex interrelated set of factors across patient, clinician, organizational, and health system levels. This study describes the development of a qualitative coding scheme for progress feedback implementation that accounts for the dynamic nature of barriers and facilitators across multiple levels of use in mental health settings. Such a coding scheme may help promote a common language for researchers and implementers to better identify barriers that need to be addressed, as well as facilitators that could be supported in different settings and contexts. Clinical staff, managers, and leaders from two Dutch, three Norwegian, and four mental health organizations in the USA participated in semi-structured interviews on how intra- and extra-organizational characteristics interact to influence the use of progress feedback in clinical practice, supervision, and program improvement. Interviews were conducted in the local language, then translated to English prior to qualitative coding. A team-based consensus coding approach was used to refine an a priori expert-informed and literature-based qualitative scheme to incorporate new understandings and constructs as they emerged. First, this hermeneutic approach resulted in a multi-level coding scheme with nine superordinate categories and 30 subcategories. Second-order axial coding established contextually sensitive categories for barriers and facilitators. The primary outcome is an empirically derived multi-level qualitative coding scheme that can be used in progress feedback implementation research and development. It can be applied across contexts and settings, with expectations for ongoing refinement. Suggestions for future research and application in practice settings are provided. Supplementary materials include the coding scheme and a detailed playbook.

Putting a crinoid on a stalk: new evidence on the Devonian diplobathrid camerate Monstrocrinus

AbstractThe diplobathrid camerate crinoid genus Monstrocrinus is morphologically reinterpreted on the basis of new finds from the upper Emsian (Lower Devonian) to lower Eifelian (Middle Devonian) of Germany (Rhenish Slate Mountains, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Rhineland-Palatinate). The most complete, new specimen has a long segment of column projecting outward from the basal concavity, which confirms that the Monstrocrinus crown was attached to a column as an adult. Thus, a free-living life mode of a passively rolling or drifting crinoid is refuted and Monstrocrinus is reinterpreted as an attached, stalked echinoderm. This finding is supported by re-examination of the historical type material. A column attachment with a central pentalobate axial canal was recognized for the first time in the calyx of the holotype of the type species Monstrocrinus securifer. The holotype of Monstrocrinus granosus is far more complete than previously thought. It is a partially disarticulated crown embedded together with an associated longer part of the column. The extraordinary spines on the calyx plates of Monstrocrinus can be divided into eight morphological types and into two superordinate categories: “Category A” is a physical part of the calyx plate, whereas “Category B” is an attachment onto the calyx plate. Taxonomically, M. aliformis from the upper Emsian of Spain is treated herein as a subjective junior synonym of M. securifer.

Eliciting student perspectives to inform the design of positive psychology courses: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT Undergraduate positive psychology courses are typically semester-long educational courses or units of study dedicated to providing students with an understanding of the science of wellbeing and the factors contributing to optimal human functioning. A number of universities around the world offer positive psychology courses, yet little is known about students’ perspectives of these courses. Evaluating students’ perspectives may enable educators to modify courses to better address students’ needs, which in turn, may increase engagement with, and learning in these courses. This study provides an in-depth account of students’ perspectives on a positive psychology course offered at an Australian university. After completing the course, nine students participated in focus groups to discuss their experiences. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, three superordinate categories (and 14 subcategories) were identified, namely, interest in wellbeing, beneficial to wellbeing, and balancing competing needs. Participants expressed interest in learning about wellbeing, experienced the course as beneficial for wellbeing, and recognised several challenges in delivering course content. The richness of these results supports the utility of assessing and evaluating students’ perspectives using a qualitative approach, and the emerging themes provide insights into the aspects of positive psychology courses more broadly that may enhance students’ learning and wellbeing.