Video Paradigm Research Articles

Beyond accidents: Young children’s forgiveness of third-party intentional transgressors

To maintain our cooperative relationships, it is critical that we repair these relationships when they are damaged by transgressions. Key to this repair is forgiveness. Previous research suggests that adults and children are more forgiving of remorseful transgressors than of unremorseful ones after accidental transgressions. However, little is known about whether children’s forgiveness also takes the transgressors’ intentions into account. Using a third-person video paradigm with children in the United States, Study 1 found that 6-year-olds (n = 20; 10 girls; 60% White) were more likely to negatively evaluate an intentional transgressor and give more resources to an accidental transgressor when both transgressors showed remorse, whereas 5-year-olds (n = 20; 10 girls; 80% White) showed this effect only in their resource distribution. Study 2 found that 6-year-olds (n = 18; 7 girls; 83% White) were more likely to positively evaluate and share more resources with a remorseful intentional transgressor than with an unremorseful intentional one. Thus, by school age in the United States, children’s forgiveness, at least as bystanders, begins to take into account both the transgressor’s intentions and the display of remorse.

Social Modeling of Virtual Healthy Food Intake

People tend to adapt the amount of their food intake to that of others around them. This so-called social modeling of eating has been extensively studied over the past decades. The current study complements these experiments and aims to investigate social modeling of healthy food intake using a video paradigm in which a virtual model consumed either a small or a large portion of apple. In addition, it was tested whether modeling effects of a virtual female confederate were equally strong in male and female participants. Thirty participants (13 female, 17 male) completed the low norm condition in which a virtual model consumed 30 g of apple. Another 30 participants (17 female, 13 male) were allocated to the high norm condition in which a virtual model consumed 100 g of apple. Participants completed an irrelevant task, after which their own intake of apple was measured. Average intake in the low norm condition was 3 g, average intake in the high norm condition was 26 g (p < 0.001). In conclusion, participants adapted their intake to that of the virtual model. This effect was found irrespective of gender; female and male participants equally adapted their intake to that of a female virtual model. Stimulating food intake via a virtual model in people who have difficulty to meet dietary requirements or inhibiting food intake in people who tend to consume too much would be interesting new steps in the development of healthcare applications.

Multiple-command single-frequency SSVEP-based BCI system using flickering action video

BackgroundThe number of commands in a brain–computer interface (BCI) system is important. This study proposes a new BCI technique to increase the number of commands in a single BCI system without loss of accuracy. New methodWe expected that a flickering action video with left and right elbow movements could simultaneously activate the different pattern of event-related desynchronization (ERD) according to the video contents (e.g., left or right) and steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP). The classification accuracy to discriminate left, right, and rest states was compared under the three following feature combinations: SSVEP power (19–21 Hz), Mu power (8–13 Hz), and simultaneous SSVEP and Mu power. ResultsThe SSVEP feature could discriminate the stimulus condition, regardless of left or right, from the rest condition, while the Mu feature discriminated left or right, but was relatively poor in discriminating stimulus from rest. However, combining the SSVEP and Mu features, which were evoked by the stimulus with a single frequency, showed superior performance for discriminating all the stimuli among rest, left, or right. Comparison with the existing methodThe video contents could activate the ERD differently, and the flickering component increased its accuracy, such that it revealed a better performance to discriminate when considering together. ConclusionsThis paradigm showed possibility of increasing performance in terms of accuracy and number of commands with a single frequency by applying flickering action video paradigm and applicability to rehabilitation systems used by patients to facilitate their mirror neuron systems while training.

Imaging stress: an overview of stress induction methods in the MR scanner.

Processing of acute stress has potential implications for mental and physical health. At the same time, individuals differ largely in how strongly they react to stress. Neuroimaging paradigms have been developed to characterize the neural underpinnings of the stress response in general and to understand the mechanisms that differentiate high and low susceptible individuals. The goal of the present review was to summarize the current literature on psychosocial stress in the brain imaging environment. That is, we focused on the most common neuroimaging paradigms that have been used to induce acute stress and map out the questions that have been addressed with respect to the determinants, the consequences, and the processing of stress. We identified four major paradigms that have been used with different scientific aims. The Montreal Imaging Stress Test and the ScanSTRESS involve cognitive challenge and social-evaluative threat and yielded a stress-related network including most significantly the perigenual ACC, the hippocampus, and the amygdala. The social-evaluative threat paradigm was used to predict the autonomic stress response on the basis of multivariate pattern analysis. The aversive video paradigm, on the other hand, was mainly used to investigate the consequences of stress on emotional and cognitive processes and their neural correlates. We conclude our review with a critical evaluation of methodological and conceptual issues in the study of the neural correlates of acute stress.

Rate-distortion-optimized multi-view streaming in wireless environment using network coding

Multi-view video streaming is an emerging video paradigm that enables new interactive services, such as 3D video, free viewpoint television, and immersive teleconferencing. Because of the high bandwidth cost they come with, multi-view streaming applications can greatly benefit from the use of network coding, in particular in transmission scenarios such as wireless network, where the channels have limited capacity and are affected by losses. In this paper, we address the topic of cooperative streaming of multi-view video content, wherein users who recently acquired the content can contribute parts of it to their neighbors by providing linear combinations of the video packets. We propose a novel method for selection and network encoding of the transmitted frames based on the users’ preferences for the different views and the rate-distortion properties of the stream. Using network coding enables the users to retrieve the content in a faster and more reliable manner and without the need for coordination among the senders. Our experimental results prove that our preference-based approach provides a high-quality decoding even when the uplink capacity of each node is only a small fraction of the rate of the stream.

Social affiliation and negative symptoms in schizophrenia: Examining the role of behavioral skills and subjective responding

Schizophrenia is characterized by profound impairment in the motivation for social affiliation. Negative symptoms are associated with such impairment but the contribution of behavioral skill deficits is unclear. In this study we utilized a novel video paradigm to assess performance-based affiliative behavioral skills in individuals with schizophrenia (N=48) and community controls (N=29). Individuals with schizophrenia displayed significant impairment in behavioral affiliative skills compared to controls; however, in response to the affiliative interaction the groups did not differ on self-reported affective responding, appraisal of the interaction partner, or desire to interact with the partner in the future. Importantly, within the patient group more severe negative symptoms (particularly those related to motivation and pleasure) were associated with poorer affiliative social skills and this relationship was independent of instrumental (non-social) skills, depression or positive symptoms. More severe negative symptoms were also associated with less positive affect in response to the interaction and less positive appraisals of the interaction partner. Self-reported social anhedonia was related to patients' diminished willingness to interact with the partner in the future. These results demonstrate that negative symptoms in schizophrenia are related to both affiliative skill deficits and less affiliative subjective responses to interaction partners.

Linguistic Cues of Deception Across Multiple Language Groups in a Mock Crime Context

AbstractA recent study showed that specific linguistic and grammatical features of a technique commonly referred to as statement analysis are applicable across different language groups. One limitation of that study was that it used an eyewitness crime video paradigm, which might be different from writing a statement after committing an actual criminal act. We remedied that limitation by using a mock crime paradigm. In this study, three language groups (English, Spanish, and Chinese) produced statements after committing a mock crime, taking a check, in an experimental context. Certain linguistic features significantly discriminated truths from lies similarly across the different language groups, suggesting that statement analysis might be applicable as a reliable indicator of deception across languages. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Space distribution of EEG responses to hanoi-moving visual and auditory stimulation with Fourier Independent Component Analysis

Background and objective: The relationship between EEG source signals and action-related visual and auditory stimulation is still not well-understood. The objective of this study was to identify EEG source signals and their associated action-related visual and auditory responses, especially independent components of EEG.Methods: A hand-moving-Hanoi video paradigm was used to study neural correlates of the action-related visual and auditory information processing determined by mu rhythm (8–12 Hz) in 16 healthy young subjects. Independent component analysis (ICA) was applied to identify separate EEG sources, and further computed in the frequency domain by applying-Fourier transform ICA (F-ICA).Results: F-ICA found more sensory stimuli-related independent components located within the sensorimotor region than ICA did. The total number of independent components of interest from F-ICA was 768, twice that of 384 from traditional time-domain ICA (p < 0.05). In the sensory-motor region C3 or C4, the total source signals intensity distribution values from all 14 subjects was 23.00 (Mean 1.64 ± 1.17) from F-ICA; which was more than the 10.5 (Mean 0.75 ± 0.62) from traditional time-domain ICA (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the intensity distribution of source signals in the C3 or C4 region was statistically significant between the ICA and F-ICA groups (strong 50 vs. 92%; weak 50 vs. 8% retrospectively; p < 0.05). In the Pz region, the total source signal intensity distribution from F-ICA was 12.50 (Mean 0.89 ± 0.53); although exceeding that of traditional time-domain ICA 8.20 (Mean 0.59 ± 0.48), the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).Conclusions: These results support the hypothesis that mu rhythm was sensitive to detection of the cognitive expression, which could be reflected by the function in the parietal lobe sensory-motor region. The results of this study could potentially be applied into early diagnosis for those with visual and hearing impairments in the near future.

Impact of emotionality on memory and meta-memory in schizophrenia using video sequences

Background and ObjectivesA vast amount of memory and meta-memory research in schizophrenia shows that these patients perform worse on memory accuracy and hold false information with strong conviction compared to healthy controls. So far, studies investigating these effects mainly used traditional static stimulus material like word lists or pictures. The question remains whether these memory and meta-memory effects are also present in (1) more near-life dynamic situations (i.e., using standardized videos) and (2) whether emotionality has an influence on memory and meta-memory deficits (i.e., response confidence) in schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. MethodTwenty-seven schizophrenia patients and 24 healthy controls were administered a newly developed emotional video paradigm with five videos differing in emotionality (positive, two negative, neutral, and delusional related). After each video, a recognition task required participants to make old–new discriminations along with confidence ratings, investigating memory accuracy and meta-memory deficits in more dynamic settings. ResultsFor all but the positively valenced video, patients recognized fewer correct items compared to healthy controls, and did not differ with regard to the number of false memories for related items. In line with prior findings, schizophrenia patients showed more high-confident responses for misses and false memories for related items but displayed underconfidence for hits when compared to healthy controls, independent of emotionality. LimitationsLimited sample size and control group; combined valence and arousal indicator for emotionality; general psychopathology indicator. ConclusionsEmotionality differentially moderated memory accuracy, biases in schizophrenia patients compared to controls. Moreover, the meta-memory deficits identified in static paradigms also manifest in more dynamic settings near-life settings and seem to be independent of emotionality.

A Non-Humanoid Robot in the “Uncanny Valley”: Experimental Analysis of the Reaction to Behavioral Contingency in 2–3 Year Old Children

Infants' sensitivity to social or behavioral contingency has been examined in the field of developmental psychology and behavioral sciences, mainly using a double video paradigm or a still face paradigm. These studies have shown that infants distinguish other individuals' contingent behaviors from non-contingent ones. The present experiment systematically examined if this ability extends to the detection of non-humanoids' contingent actions in a communicative context. We examined two- to three-year-olds' understanding of contingent actions produced by a non-humanoid robot. The robot either responded contingently to the actions of the participants (contingent condition) or programmatically reproduced the same sequence of actions to another participant (non-contingent condition). The results revealed that the participants exhibited different patterns of response depending on whether or not the robot responded contingently. It was also found that the participants did not respond positively to the contingent actions of the robot in the earlier periods of the experimental sessions. This might reflect the conflict between the non-humanlike appearance of the robot and its humanlike contingent actions, which presumably led the children to experience the uncanny valley effect.

Neurocognitive abnormalities during comprehension of real-world goal-directed behaviors in schizophrenia.

Origins of impaired adaptive functioning in schizophrenia remain poorly understood. Behavioral disorganization may arise from an abnormal reliance on common combinations between concepts stored in semantic memory. Avolition-apathy may be related to deficits in using goal-related requirements to flexibly plan behavior. The authors recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) in 16 patients with medicated schizophrenia and 16 healthy controls in a novel video paradigm presenting congruous or incongruous objects in real-world activities. All incongruous objects were contextually inappropriate, but the incongruous scenes varied in comprehensibility. Psychopathology was assessed with the Scales for the Assessment of Positive and Negative Symptoms (SAPS/SANS) and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. In patients, an N400 ERP, thought to index activity in semantic memory, was abnormally enhanced to less comprehensible incongruous scenes, and larger N400 priming was associated with disorganization severity. A P600 ERP, which may index flexible object-action integration based on goal-related requirements, was abnormally attenuated in patients, and its smaller magnitude was associated with the SANS rating of impersistence at work or school (goal-directed behavior). Thus, distinct neurocognitive abnormalities may underlie disorganization and goal-directed behavior deficits in schizophrenia.

Deception and dating: Knowledge of tactics may improve detection accuracy.

Previous research on deception detection has indicated that a number of factors influence accuracy. It has been hypothesized that deception and the detection of deception is highly influenced by mating context. The current study investigated sex differences in the detection of deception used in typical human mating situations. Sixty-eight females were tested for deception detection using a video paradigm in which the actors either lied or told the truth. An accompanying survey was given that evaluated common deception tactics. Contrary to previous findings, female deception detection was not significantly above chance. However, knowledge of opposite gender tactics increased deception detection such that those females that were aware of common male tactics were superior at detecting deception. The results, which are preliminary, suggest that the evolutionary advantage females have over males may have a top-down cognitive origin such that knowledge of tactics may influence perceptual abilities.

Localisation of regions of intense pleasure response evoked by soccer goals

Localisation of regions of intense pleasure responses will lead to a better understanding of the reward mechanisms in the brain. Here we present a novel fMRI video paradigm designed to evoke high levels of pleasure in a specific test group and to distinguish regions of pleasure from anticipation. It exploits the intense commitment of soccer supporters and thus captures the intense euphoric feeling experienced when a soccer goal is scored. Nine healthy male subjects were imaged. Statistically significant activation clusters were determined for four contrasts: (i) goals vs. open play; (ii) missed chances vs. open play; (iii) goals vs. missed chances; and (iv) goals and missed chances vs. open play. Superior temporal, inferior frontal and amygdala were activated by all contrasts. Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) was activated in contrasts (i) and (iii), suggesting that the ACC is involved in processing pleasure. The putamen was activated in contrasts (i), (ii) and (iv) implicating involvement of this region in the anticipation of pleasure. This paradigm activates brain regions known to be involved in pleasure-processing networks. The structure of the paradigm allows the separation of anticipation from the pleasure stimulus and provides a paradigm devoid of decision-making.

Perturbation of Japanese mother-infant habitual interactions in the double video paradigm and relationship to maternal playfulness

Double video paradigm (DVP) studies have found contradictory evidence regarding the young infants’ ability to discriminate their mother's ‘replay’ image from ‘live’. This study examined the hypothesis that 4-month-old infants whose mothers showed high-levels-of-playful-behavior are more likely to discriminate social contingency in the DVP. We also examined the relationships between the infants’ DVP behaviors and mothers’ free-play behaviors at home with their 3-month-old infants. The results supported our hypothesis. Further, when the mothers’ behaviors were reduced to playful companion (PC) and sensitive support (SS) by a principal component analysis, the level of PC was closely related to the infants’ detection of social contingency, but SS was not. The different functions of mothers’ ‘playfulness’ and ‘sensitivity’ in communication with their infants are discussed.

Female deception detection as a function of commitment and self-awareness

It was been hypothesized that evolutionary factors including self-awareness and commitment are related to deception detection. In this study, 34 female undergraduates were tested for their ability to detect deception via a video paradigm. Females that were not in a committed relationship were significantly better at detecting males “faking good” as compared to committed females. Further, self-awareness was correlated with the ability to detect deception. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that deception may be related to self-awareness and that such a relationship is related to reproductive advantages secured by the ability to deceive.