The Facts or the Story? It Takes Both to Sensitize People About Unknown Health Hazards

Communicating about new or unknown health risks is challenging because it requires audiences to engage with and process novel and often complex health information. This study examines how texts can convey awareness and increase knowledge about health risks people are unaware of. The focus is on how text genre (narrative, expository, and mixed-genre) affects relevant emotional (arousal, transportation) and cognitive outcomes (knowledge and risk severity), measured using both online (electrodermal activity) and offline self-report measures. Mixed-effects model analyses revealed that narrative texts exhibit the highest self-reported arousal, transportation, and risk severity. Additionally, transportation mediates the relationship between text genre and risk severity. Ultimately, mixed-genre texts produced significantly higher arousal peaks and confidence ratings on knowledge posttests compared to expository texts. Taken together, the findings suggest that narrative texts perform better at raising awareness, whereas mixed-genre texts seem more effective in learning. The implications for health risk communication are discussed.

Insight in the Conspiracist's Mind

ACADEMIC ABSTRACT

The motto of the conspiracist, "Do your own research," may seem ludicrous to scientists. Indeed, it is often dismissed as a mere rhetorical device that conspiracists use to give themselves the semblance of science. In this perspective paper, we explore the information-seeking activities ("research") that conspiracists do engage in. Drawing on the experimental psychology of aha experiences, we explain how these activities, as well as the epistemic experiences that precede (curiosity) or follow (insight or "aha" experiences) them, may play a crucial role in the appeal and development of conspiracy beliefs. Aha moments have properties that can be exploited by conspiracy theories, such as the potential for false but seemingly grounded conclusions. Finally, we hypothesize that the need for autonomous epistemic agency and discovery is universal but increases as people experience more uncertainty and/or feel epistemically excluded in society, hence linking it to existing literature on explaining conspiracy theories.

PUBLIC ABSTRACT

Recent events have made it painfully clear that conspiracy beliefs can tear deep rifts in society and that we still have not found an adequate, de-escalating response to this. To understand the appeal of conspiracy theories and find new, humanizing ways to talk about them, we propose in this perspective paper to start from the universal human need to autonomously make discoveries through personal knowledge-generating actions. Indeed, psychological research shows that the aha experiences that accompany subjective discoveries create confidence in and perceived ownership of ideas that may be exploited by conspiracy theories. We hypothesize that people experiencing more uncertainty and/or epistemic exclusion in society will especially feel the need to re-establish autonomous epistemic agency and discovery. While this explanation starts from shared human experiences and practices, it also illustrates the potential of those processes to lead to a narrowed world and ossified cognition.

The Contribution of Learning and Mental Health Variables in First-Year Students' Profiles

International studies focus on the successful transition into higher education, which is considered crucial for both the students and the educational institution in the context of students' learning and adjustment in higher education. The aim of the current study was to identify student profiles that include cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational aspects of learning, but also aspects of resilience, emotion dysregulation, and anxiety. The sample consists of 316 Greek undergraduate students (18.7% males and 81.3% females). The results showed four different (meta)-cognitive-emotional learner profiles: the emotionally stable and highly adaptive learner; the emotionally dysregulated and at risk learner; the emotionally dysregulated and highly adaptive learner; the emotionally stable and at risk learner. Emotionally dysregulated and at risk learner has a lower GPA than the emotional stable and highly adaptive learner, the emotionally dysregulated and highly adaptive learner and the emotionally stable and at risk learner.

Deep and surface learning in problem-based learning: a review of the literature

In problem-based learning (PBL), implemented worldwide, students learn by discussing professionally relevant problems enhancing application and integration of knowledge, which is assumed to encourage students towards a deep learning approach in which students are intrinsically interested and try to understand what is being studied. This review investigates: (1) the effects of PBL on students' deep and surface approaches to learning, (2) whether and why these effects do differ across (a) the context of the learning environment (single vs. curriculum wide implementation), and (b) study quality. Studies were searched dealing with PBL and students' approaches to learning. Twenty-one studies were included. The results indicate that PBL does enhance deep learning with a small positive average effect size of .11 and a positive effect in eleven of the 21 studies. Four studies show a decrease in deep learning and six studies show no effect. PBL does not seem to have an effect on surface learning as indicated by a very small average effect size (.08) and eleven studies showing no increase in the surface approach. Six studies demonstrate a decrease and four an increase in surface learning. It is concluded that PBL does seem to enhance deep learning and has little effect on surface learning, although more longitudinal research using high quality measurement instruments is needed to support this conclusion with stronger evidence. Differences cannot be explained by the study quality but a curriculum wide implementation of PBL has a more positive impact on the deep approach (effect size .18) compared to an implementation within a single course (effect size of -.05). PBL is assumed to enhance active learning and students' intrinsic motivation, which enhances deep learning. A high perceived workload and assessment that is perceived as not rewarding deep learning are assumed to enhance surface learning.

Spatio-temporal gait parameters change differently according to speed instructions and walking history in MS patients with different ambulatory dysfunction

BACKGROUND

Different walking capacity test formats are applied, but their impact on the gait pattern in persons with MS (pwMS) has not yet been investigated according to baseline velocity performance.

OBJECTIVE

To assess, in pwMS with different ambulation dysfunction, the impact of speed instructions and previous walking tests (2 and 6min walking test; 2MWT and 6MWT) on spatiotemporal gait parameters.

METHODS

27 participants, divided in three groups based on usual gait speed (Most Limited Community Walkers; MLCW<0.82m/s, CW>1.14m/s, LCW show intermediate values), completed the 2MWT and 6MWT. Before and after each test, they walked on the GAITRite walkway system at both usual and fastest speed. Spatio-temporal gait parameters were measured and analyzed with ANOVA.

RESULTS

All gait parameters in the MLCW were significantly different from other groups. In contrast to the MLCW, the LCW and CW subgroups showed greater velocity in the fastest compared to usual speed condition, associated with a significant increase in cadence and step length. After the 6MWT, small changes in cadence at usual speed and step time at fastest speed were observed in the MLCW subgroup only. No impact of the 2MWT on gait parameters was found in any group.

CONCLUSIONS

The ability to accelerate was dependent on the severity of ambulatory dysfunction. Prolonged walking during the 6MWT has, in contrast to the 2MWT, some impact on gait parameters in the most disabled group only.

Effect of time of day on walking capacity and self-reported fatigue in persons with multiple sclerosis: a multi-center trial

BACKGROUND

Many persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) report increased fatigue in the afternoon and evening compared with the morning. It is commonly accepted that physical capacity also decreases as time of day progresses, potentially influencing the outcomes of testing.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this article was to determine whether self-reported fatigue level and walking capacity are influenced by time of day in PwMS.

METHODS

A total of 102 PwMS from 8 centers in 5 countries, with a diverse level of ambulatory dysfunction (Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] <6.5), participated. Patients performed walking capacity tests and reported fatigue level at three different time points (morning, noon, afternoon) during 1 day. Walking capacity was measured with the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and the 10-m walk test performed at usual and fastest speed. Self-reported fatigue was measured by the Rochester Fatigue Diary (RFD). Subgroups with mild (EDSS 1.5-4.0, n = 53) and moderate (EDSS 4.5-6.5, n = 49) ambulatory dysfunction were formed, as changes during the day were hypothesized to depend on disability status.

RESULTS

Subgroups had different degree of ambulatory dysfunction (p < 0.001) but reported similar fatigue levels. Although RFD scores were affected by time of day with significant differences between morning and noon/afternoon (p < 0.0001), no changes in walking capacity were found in any subgroup. Additional analyses on subgroups distinguished by diurnal change in self-reported fatigue failed to reveal analogous changes in walking capacity.

CONCLUSIONS

Testing of walking capacity is unaffected by time of day, despite changes in subjective fatigue.

Comparison of the 2- and 6-minute walk test in multiple sclerosis

The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is often used to assess walking distance in multiple sclerosis (MS), but can be both time consuming for the investigator and exhausting for people with MS (pwMS). The present report compared the 6MWT scores of 40 ambulatory pwMS with their scores on the shorter 2-minute walk test (2MWT). The 2MWT estimated the 6MWT results with a mean relative error of 5% (R(2) = 0.96; p < 0.01). As the last 4-minute period of the 6MWT seems redundant, the 2MWT may be considered as a practical replacement for the 6MWT in routine clinical assessment.

Instructional development for teachers in higher education: effects on students' perceptions of the teaching-learning environment

BACKGROUND

Although instructional development for teachers has become an important topic in higher education, little is known about its actual impact. In particular, evidence regarding the impact of teachers' instructional development on students' perceptions of the teaching-learning environment is scarce.

AIMS

The impact of an instructional development programme for beginning university teachers on students' perceptions of the teaching and learning environment was investigated. We also explored whether this impact is dependent on class size and student level (first years vs. non-first years).

SAMPLE

Quantitative data were gathered from more than 1,000 students at pre- and post-tests, using a quasi-experimental design.

METHOD

A multi-level analysis was conducted in which five models were estimated.

RESULTS

A basic model made clear that teachers did differ from each other with respect to the dependent variables concerned; however, differences in scale scores also resulted to a large extent from differences between students. A second model, in which the moderating impact by way of teacher characteristics, context, and student characteristics was not taken into account, reported no significant effect of training. A third model, examining the net impact of instructional development revealed some impact, which was, remarkably, negative. A first interaction model proved a differential impact of instructional development for teachers teaching first years and those teaching non-first years. A second one showed that the impact of training depended on the number of students one teaches.

CONCLUSIONS

Instructional development for teachers in higher education does not easily result in effects on students' perceptions of the teaching and learning environment. Perspectives for further research into instructional development are discussed.