Respiratory pattern in awake rats : effects of motor activity and of alerting stimuli

Our aim was to assess the impact of motor activity and of arousing stimuli on respiratory rate in the awake rats. The study was performed in male adult Sprague–Dawley (SD, n = 5) and Hooded Wistar (HW, n = 5) rats instrumented for ECG telemetry. Respiratory rate was recorded using whole-body plethysmograph, with a piezoelectric sensor attached for the simultaneous assessment of motor activity. All motor activity was found to be associated with an immediate increase in respiratory rate that remained elevated for the whole duration of movement; this was reflected by: i) bimodal distribution of respiratory intervals (modes for slow peak: 336 ± 19 and 532 ± 80 ms for HW and SD, p < 0.05; modes for fast peak 128 ± 6 and 132 ± 7 ms for HW and SD, NS); and ii) a tight correlation between total movement time and total time of tachypnoea, with an R2 ranging 0.96–0.99 (n = 10, p < 0001). The extent of motor-related tachypnoea was significantly correlated with the intensity of associated movement. Mild alerting stimuli produced stereotyped tachypnoeic responses, without affecting heart rate: tapping the chamber raised respiratory rate from 117 ± 7 to 430 ± 15 cpm; sudden side move — from 134 ± 13 to 487 ± 16 cpm, and turning on lights — from 136 ± 12 to 507 ± 14 cpm (n = 10; p < 0.01 for all; no inter-strain differences). We conclude that: i) sniffing is an integral part of the generalized arousal response and does not depend on the modality of sensory stimuli; ii) tachypnoea is a sensitive index of arousal; and iii) respiratory rate is tightly correlated with motor activity.

Fruitful use of bioacoustic alarm stimuli as a deterrent for Crimson Rosellas (Platycercus elegans)

Birds cause considerable damage to horticultural crops in Australia each year. The playback of species-specific bioacoustic alarm stimuli has been one of the most promising methods suggested to deal with bird-problems. However, no published studies have tested this method on species of parrots, one of the main avian pests of crops in Australia and globally. Furthermore the effectiveness of this method might be reduced if alarm calls were played back that came from a non-local population. The Crimson Rosella species complex (Platycercus elegans), a parrot with considerable acoustic variation throughout its range, is considered a pest species of several commercial fruit crops. This study tested whether alarm calls from Crimson Rosellas were effective in reducing the activity of Rosellas in apple orchards. Three groups of bioacoustic stimuli were compared: control stimuli, local alarm calls and non-local alarm calls. Our results indicate that the playback of alarm calls from Crimson Rosellas is effective in reducing the activity of Rosellas in orchards over the period of study, and we did not find any difference between the use of local and non-local alarm calls. Our study suggests that playback of alarm calls may be an effective deterrent of rosellas over a broad distribution, at least for short- to medium-term use.

The science of our own fiction : affective experiments enacted through creative research

This paper will explore the ways in which art may be understood as an ongoing experiment that interacts with the plasticity of the body to prompt change and affect the body-environment relationship. The arts offer an approach to research that recognizes the importance of the affect in studies of perception and action, self-organization and selection. An affective approach to experimentation would connect cognitive activity to the material processes of the environment in a science of our own fiction. This connection becomes the basis of affective experiments, which aim to yield new insights by merging the creative researcher with self-affecting-experimenter. To this end, I will discuss the scientific objectives of the “rubber hand”, and the ‘mirror-box” experiments are contrasted with work by artists-turned-architects Arakawa and Gins and three of my creative projects to suggest how creative research might enact embodied change. Throughout the paper I will argue that cognitive processes such as attention, selection, decision and judgment are ripe for re-entry and experimentation through an embodied approach to acquiring knowledge that is particular to the arts.

Fuzzy simulation of pedestrian walking path considering local environmental stimuli

Pedestrian steering activity is a perception-based decision making process that involves interaction with the surrounding environment and insight into environmental stimuli. There are many stimuli within the environment that influence pedestrian wayfinding behaviour during walking activities. However, compelling factors such as individual physical and psychological characteristics and trip intention cause the behaviour become a very fuzzy concept. In this paper pedestrian steering behaviour is modelled using a fuzzy logic approach. The objective of this research is to simulate pedestrian walking paths in indoor public environments during normal and non-panic situations. The proposed algorithm introduces a fuzzy logic framework to predict the impact of perceived attractive and repulsive stimuli, within the pedestrian's field of view, on movement direction. Environmental stimuli are quantified using the social force method. The algorithm is implemented in a simulated area of an office corridor consist of a printer and exit door. Stochastic simulation using the proposed fuzzy algorithm generated realistic walking trajectories, contour map of dynamic change of environmental effects in each step of movement and high flow areas in the corridor.

Accountability and the affective labour of teachers: a Marxist-Vygotskian perspective

This article addresses the issue of affective labour in education in the context of standards-based reforms and accountability. In particular, it focuses on neoliberal strategies of rationalization and control that produce a number of social pathologies, such as alienated teaching and learning and reified social relations between teachers and students. The article turns to affective labour as something that enables teachers to counteract these effects. This argument arises from the analysis of interviews with teachers who continue to generate and sustain the sociality of teaching and learning. Affect directs teachers’ commitment to practice that is governed by feeling, passion and the ethics of care. What gives affective labour such an important position is that it is both outside and beyond accountability and performativity measures. It is identified with the general pedagogical activity that cannot be structured by measuring devices such as students’ test scores or standards. The article concludes with the application of Vygotsky’s ideas about the role of affect in education and argues that affective labour has an expansive power of ontological freedom that cannot be controlled. of ontological freedom that cannot be controlled.

Process in skill acquisition : motivation, interruptions, memory, affective states, and metacognition

Models of skill acquisition, such as Ackerman's (1988) theory of skill acquisition, largely ignore the experiences and dynamic internal processes of a person while learning a skill (e.g., how they feel, what strategies they are using, the role of the external environment). Riding and Powell (1993) suggested that the information-processing model (a common conceptualisation of learning and thinking) is an inadequate model to explain the complexities of human brain functions. These models are largely holistic, and do not provide detail about the qualitative aspects of a person's learning experience. This paper attempts to highlight the importance of a dynamic description of skill acquisition and to “unpack” the skill acquisition stages, with a focus given to process rather than performance or outcome. Learning more about what is going on “inside people's heads” whilst learning a skill, and what feelings or affective states are present, can inform both skill acquisition theory and various practical issues, such as why some training programs fail and some succeed. The role of emotions, motivation, environment, and other factors; the concepts of skill and ability; and various theories of skill acquisition are discussed. This highlights missing elements in the typical cognitive experimental focus. The concept of process itself is explored, with a focus on learning in general. Process-oriented factors such as motivation, memory, interruptions, emotion, and metacognition are investigated in relation to skilled performance. Areas for future research and some practical implications for training are outlined.

Interpretation of ambiguous interoceptive stimuli in panic disorder and nonclinical panic

Cognitive bias in the misinterpretation of ambiguous interoceptive stimuli has been demonstrated in panic disorder. This study investigated whether this cognitive bias also occurs in people with nonclinical panic who are at risk of developing panic disorder. The responses of 25 people with nonclinical panic were compared to those of 20 people with panic disorder and 69 nonpanic controls on a measure of interpretive bias, the Brief Body Sensations Interpretation Questionnaire. There was evidence for interpretive cognitive bias for ambiguous interoceptive stimuli among the nonclinical panickers which did not differ from that of the people with panic disorder, but which differed from the nonpanic controls. High anxiety sensitivity predicted interpretive bias toward both interoceptive and external stimuli. Results therefore suggest that interpretive cognitive bias for ambiguous interoceptive stimuli may be a risk factor for the development of panic disorder.

Mechanisms linking affective reactions to competition-related and competition-extraneous concerns in male martial artists

The main aim of this study was to examine affective linkages between competition-related and competition-extraneous concern domains. A secondary purpose was to establish the contributions of pre-competition affects to post-competition performance appraisals, independent of pre-competition performance expectations. Thirty-nine highly skilled male martial artists were assessed at five random times a day for a week and 1 h before a major competition on affective states and sources of concern. They also reported their performance expectations and post-competition performance appraisals. Affective states triggered by competition-related and competition-extraneous concerns persisted in time. Carry-over effects were stronger after reports of competition-related concerns, emphasizing the subjective importance of the competitive event. Although positive (enjoyment and surprise) and negative (sadness and guilt) affective spill-over was observed from competition-extraneous to competition-related concerns, the reverse held true only for disgust. These findings may be due to the athletes' ability to regulate affective reactions within a sporting setting, in particular. Spill-over from competition-extraneous to competition-related concerns is indicative of a lesser degree of control over work/study and family life. Given that average weekly negative affects and anger/disgust were independent predictors of post-competition performance appraisals, the phenomenon of spill-over and other affective linkage mechanisms in sport warrant further investigation.

Predictors of pre- and post-competition affective states in male martial artists : a multilevel interactional approach

The aims of this study were to examine (a) the effects of competition-related and competition-extraneous concerns on affective states; (b) the relationships of primary and secondary appraisal with affective states and (c) the main and moderating effects of personality traits on pre- and post-competition affects. Thirty-nine male elite martial artists were assessed on 12 affective states, concerns and dimensions of primary and secondary appraisal at five random times a day across 1 week before and 3 days after a competition. On the competition day, they were assessed 1 h before and immediately after the contest. Competitive trait anxiety, neuroticism and extraversion were measured at the start of the study. The competition was the most significant and stressful event experienced in the examined period and had a pervasive influence on athletes' affective states. All examined appraisal and personality factors were somewhat associated with pre- and post-competition affective states. Competitive trait anxiety was a key moderator of the relationship between cognitive appraisal and affective states. This study supports the idea that cognitive appraisal and situational and personality factors exert main and interactive effects on athletes' pre- and post-competition affects. These factors need to be accounted for in planning of emotion regulation interventions.

Engaging Élitism: the Mediating Effect of Work Engagement on Affective Commitment and Quit Intentions in Two Australian University Groups

Some universities rely on their élitism as one mechanism to attract and retain talented faculty. This paper examines two groups of élite and non-élite universities and the mediating effect that work engagement has on affective commitment and intention to quit. Findings indicate partial support for the mediating effect of work engagement in the non-élite group but no support in the élite university group. The implications of these diverse results are posed for the management of academics in élite and non-élite universities, suggesting that a ‘one size fits all approach’ to performance outcomes does not always fit.