Trier University

How do we make sense of our surroundings? A widely recognized field in cognitive psychology suggests that many important functions like memory of incidents, reasoning, and attention depend on the way we segment the ongoing stream of perception (Zacks & Swallow, 2007). An open question still is, how the structure generated from a perceptual stream translates into behavior. To address this question, we combined the findings in event segmentation literature with another influential body of literature that analyzes mechanisms behind the control of individual actions (Frings et al., 2020). Specifically, we analyzed how two very basic mechanisms in action control (binding and retrieval) are affected by boundaries between events. Two comic scenarios with different characters were used to implement events and boundaries between events. In two experiments, we measured binding and retrieval between individually executed responses that could be part of the same or separate events. In Experiment 1, we found larger binding effects for responses that were integrated within an event than for responses that had to be integrated across an event boundary. In Experiment 2, we found that the effect of retrieval of a past response on further actions was hampered by an event boundary. Together, the experiments indicate that the structure we pick up from our environment can translate into ongoing action via modulation of the two basic mechanisms binding and retrieval.

Human cognitive abilities exhibit positive interrelationships that can be represented by a latent general intelligence factor (g). Differentiation hypotheses propose that there are systematic interindividual differences in the strength of g, specifically along the dimensions of ability level (ability differentiation) and age (age differentiation). Despite the potential implications for cognitive theory and assessment, the available evidence on the matter is inconclusive. We present comprehensive analyses of differentiation effects across the lifespan, drawing on the meta-analytic integration of nonlinear factor analyses with German standardization samples (N = 4,129) of the most widely used intelligence tests worldwide (i.e., the Wechsler tests). Results support ability differentiation at all ages, with particularly large effect sizes in young adults, and suggest a complex pattern of age differentiation and dedifferentiation across the lifespan. These findings challenge the uniformity of g, highlighting the need to account for differentiation effects in cognitive theories and assessment.

Background Satisfaction with life is a key concept for most individuals. The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) for measuring general life satisfaction has been widely analyzed in terms of cross-sectional associations. However, the knowledge about long-term changes in life satisfaction and the associations between such changes and changes in other variables of physical and mental health is limited. Methods A community-based representative sample of the general population has been examined twice with a time interval of six years (n = 4,999), using the SWLS and several other scales. Results Over the six years, the mean SWLS score of the total sample remained nearly unchanged (M = 27.0, SD = 5.2, both at t1 and at t2). The test-retest correlation was rtt = 0.66 for the total sample, and there were only marginal differences in temporal stability between male and female respondents. Changes in the SWLS over the six years were correlated with changes in optimism (r = 0.23), mental health (r = 0.26), social functioning (r = 0.22), perceived social support (r = 0.21), anxiety (r = -0.30), and physical complaints (r = -0.18). These change score correlations were lower than the corresponding coefficients under the cross-sectional perspective. Measurement invariance across sex, age, and time was established. Conclusion The SWLS proved to be an appropriate tool for assessing changes in life satisfaction, and correlations between change scores of life satisfaction and health-related variables complement the knowledge about these associations from a cross-sectional perspective.

Knowledge is an important predictor and outcome of learning and development. Its measurement is challenged by the fact that knowledge can be integrated and homogeneous, or fragmented and heterogeneous, which can change through learning. These characteristics of knowledge are at odds with current standards for test development, demanding a high internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach's Alphas greater .70). To provide an initial empirical base for this debate, we conducted a meta-analysis of the Cronbach's Alphas of knowledge tests derived from an available data set. Based on 285 effect sizes from 55 samples, the estimated typical Alpha of domain-specific knowledge tests in publications was α = .85, CI90 [.82; .87]. Alpha was so high despite a low mean item intercorrelation of .22 because the tests were relatively long on average and bias in the test construction or publication process led to an underrepresentation of low Alphas. Alpha was higher in tests with more items, with open answers and in younger age, it increased after interventions and throughout development, and it was higher for knowledge in languages and mathematics than in science and social sciences/humanities. Generally, Alphas varied strongly between different knowledge tests and populations with different characteristics, reflected in a 90% prediction interval of [.35, .96]. We suggest this range as a guideline for the Alphas that researchers can expect for knowledge tests with 20 items, providing guidelines for shorter and longer tests. We discuss implications for our understanding of domain-specific knowledge and how fixed cut-off values for the internal consistency of knowledge tests bias research findings.

Firms rely on their employees’ creativity to drive innovation and secure competitive advantages. In the modern workplace, team members often collaborate in a non-native language and interact virtually rather than face-to-face. Yet, the effects of foreign language use and virtuality on the creative performance of teams have not been fully explored. The present study addresses this issue using an experiment with 95 dyadic teams, which we randomly assigned to either a foreign or a native language condition. In line with our theoretical reasoning, we find that foreign language use is detrimental for team creative performance, an effect that can be alleviated by team members’ foreign language proficiency. We further observe that, at least in the foreign language condition, interacting virtually rather than face-to-face can stimulate team creative performance. Virtuality may thus help alleviate some globalization-induced challenges to nurturing creative performance.

Anthropogenetic disturbance is known to affect population sizes and genetic population structure of many biotas. Wildfires are a major disturbance in many regions of the world, particularly in Mediterranean regions and on the Atlantic islands. Populations of many insects, such as the Madeiran Green Bush‐Cricket ( Psalmatophanes barretoi ), are threatened by wildfires. However, the effects of wildfires on genetic structure and diversity as well as morphological variation of the populations remain little understood. Therefore, we studied genetic diversity, structure and potential bottlenecks of this species using microsatellites. We also studied morphological variation and fluctuating asymmetry within and between populations to unravel potential effects of wildfires. We did not find any evidence for genetic differentiation of populations, but some populations had high heterozygosity excess, regardless of burning. Morphological variation in burnt areas was lower than in non‐burnt areas. Fluctuating asymmetry of the wing length was significantly higher in burnt areas. Our results show that even genetically well‐connected populations may suffer from bottlenecks leading to reduced morphological variation after disturbance.

Today, many far-right parties maintain youth wings, providing opportunities to mobilise members and future party leaders. However, they are often neglected in the study of the far right's organisation. This article explores the development of the 'Young Alternative' and its ambivalent relationship with the 'Alternative for Germany'. Theoretically, it argues that far-right youth wings can act as important drivers of radicalisation. It also tries to understand conflicts between far-right youth organisations and parties by discussing the interactions between organisational development and radicalisation. Empirically, it opens the 'black box' of the German case by drawing on a wide range of primary and secondary sources, including semi-structured interviews with high-ranking 'Young Alternative' members, (social) media communication and official documents of the 'Young Alternative', 'Alternative for Germany' and intelligence services. Overall, the article underlines the importance of far-right youth wings as part of the broader party organisation and offers substantial theoretical and empirical research perspectives.

This study contributes to research on how workplace coaching works by examining learning processes as a mediating mechanism of the impact of problem‐specific interventions on goal attainment. This has rarely been investigated. Fifty‐five coach–coachee dyads with 51 coaches and 55 coachees participated in the study. Workplace coaching lasted seven to eight coaching sessions in average. Coaches and coachees gave ratings in each session. We analysed this data (NLevel2 = 55, NLevel1 = 335–407) using longitudinal multilevel structural equation modelling accounting for the nested data structure. As expected, coachees' perceived goal attainment increased throughout the coaching process. The results of the study also revealed the mediating role of learning processes in the impact of problem‐specific interventions, specifically clarification of meaning and mastery/coping, and, but to a lesser extent, implementation actuation, on goal attainment in coaching. Data for all hypothesised models showed a good or acceptable model fit. In contrast, the model fit was poor, when we explored differential mediation effects, which supported only single‐loop learning as a mediator. These results underscore the importance of stimulating learning processes through specific interventions to improve the effectiveness of workplace coaching.

Objectives Diabetes distress can negatively affect the well-being of individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Voice-based (VB) technology can be used to develop inexpensive and ecological tools for managing diabetes distress. This study explored the competencies to engage with digital health services, needs and preferences of individuals with T1D or caring for a child with this condition regarding VB technology to inform the tailoring of a co-designed tool for supporting diabetes distress management. Design We used a mixed methods design. We performed a qualitative reflexive thematic analysis of semistructured interviews of people living with T1D or caring for a child with T1D, complemented by quantitative analysis (descriptive statistics). Setting 12 adults living with T1D who attended diabetes centres or cared for a child with this condition participated in semistructured interviews to collect opinions about voice technology. They also responded to three questionnaires on sociodemographics and diabetes management, diabetes distress and e-health literacy. Outcome measures Main: Patient experiences and perceptions derived from the coded transcriptions of interview data. Secondary: Quantitative data generated from Socio-Demographic and Diabetes Management questionnaire; Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale and e-Health Literacy Questionnaire. Results Five major themes were generated from the participants’ interview responses: (1) Experience of T1D, (2) Barriers to VB technology use, (3) Facilitators of VB technology, (4) Expectations of VB technology management in T1D, (5) Role of healthcare professionals in implementing VB technology for T1D. Most participants expressed a favourable view of voice technology for diabetes distress management. Trust in technology and healthcare professionals emerged as the predominant sentiment, with participants’ current device type impacting anticipated barriers to adopting new technologies. Conclusion The results highlighted positive participant views towards VB technology. Device use, previous experience and health professional endorsement were influential facilitators of novel VB digital health solutions. Further research involving younger people with T1D could further contribute to the successful development of these tools. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05517772.