Posters: Applied Psychology

The visual search involves identifying specific objects, called targets, among numerous other objects, called distractors. This task is an essential skill in many lifesaving professions (e.g. radiologists, airport security screeners). It has been found that even experts make mistakes when there are two targets to be found (Berbaum et al., 2010). Once a target has been found, it happens that even experts do not find the second target. This fact can have serious consequences if, for example “a water bottle and a small gun are in hand baggage” (Cain & Mitroff, 2013). One reason why people miss the subsequent object once they had found another one may be, that the position and shape of the first found target exhaust the resources of working memory (WM; resource depletion account). We used real x-rayed hand baggages to investigate this effect. People had to remember a position and the identity of an object before searching a forbidden item in a hand baggage (experimental condition). In the control condition there was no memory item before the visual search task. We found no difference in the reaction time or in the accuracy between both conditions. The analysis from the eye movements shows that participants rarely look at the position in the baggage where the memory object was presented before. Interestingly, people look back in the area close to the object but avoid the exact position from the object.

Die Denktrainings von K. J. Klauer zur Schulung induktiven Denkens gelten als die empirisch am besten geprüften kognitiven Trainings im deutschsprachigen Raum (Hasselhorn, XXXX). Das Trainingsprogramm „Keiner ist so schlau wie ich“ (KISSWI; Klauer, 2007/2009/2011) stellt eine zeitgemäße und ökonomische Version für Kinder im Vorschul- und Schuleintrittsalter dar. Allerdings wurde das KISSWI ursprünglich als Einzeltraining konzipiert. Ein Dissertationsprojekt an der TU Chemnitz untersucht nun, inwieweit dieses Trainingsprogramm auch bei einer Durchführung in Gruppen von ca. zehn Kindern wirksam ist. Die vorliegende Teilstudie überprüft drei Hypothesen: (H1) Das Gruppentraining erzielt im Vergleich zum Einzeltraining ähnlich hohe Effekte auf die kognitiven Fähigkeiten der trainierten Kinder. (H2) Das Gruppentraining erzielt, wenn es von (geschulten) Psychologiestudierenden durchgeführt wird, im Vergleich zu einer Leitung durch Erzieherinnen, ähnlich hohe Effekte. (H3) Das Gruppentraining erzielt vergleichbare Ergebnisse bei Kindern im Vorschul- und Schuleintrittsalter. Die Effekte des Gruppentrainings wurden mit einer Wartekontrollgruppen-Studie im Prä-Post-Design bei Vorschul- und Grundschulkindern der ersten Klasse getestet. Die Vorschul-Stichprobe umfasste 127 Kinder (M=6;3 Jahre). 60 der Kinder wurden von Ihren BezugserzieherInnen aus der Kita trainiert (31 Kinder in der Experimentalgruppe [EG]; 29 Kinder in der Wartekontrollgruppe [WKG]). Die verbleibenden 67 Vorschulkinder (EG=33; WKG=34) wurden von geschulten Master-Studierenden der Psychologie trainiert. In der Grundschul-Stichprobe waren 128 Kinder (M=7;1 Jahre). 59 der Grundschulkinder (EG=29; WKG=30) wurden von ihren betreuenden HorterzieherInnen trainiert und 69 Kinder (EG=36; WKG=33) erhielten das Training von geschulten Master-Studierenden der Psychologie. Die gewonnenen Daten werden aktuell noch analysiert, die Ergebnisse liegen im Januar 2020 vor.

The development of cyber-physical production systems and industry 4.0 is a central goal of the German research initiative (High-Tech Strategy 2025). Complementary to this aim, we propose a cognition-based human–machine interaction approach including (1) a holistic analysis of complex human–machine systems and interaction processes and (2) modeling of cognitive processes. This approach is applied in the context of manufacturing, specifically, coating technology (i.e., atmospheric plasma spraying). Thermal spraying is widely used, for instance, for wear and corrosion resistance and thermal barrier coatings. To analyze technical and cognitive processing, operators’ glance behavior was tracked during thermal spraying. Operators’ expert knowledge was collected using a retrospective think-aloud technique. Afterwards, eye-tracking data were matched to relevant expert knowledge. This combined data- and expert-driven method reveals insights into the operator’s attention and information search processes. These processes are central to an understanding of human monitoring and control of the thermal spraying process and are the basis for the development of technical assistant systems. Further, we discuss possibilities for data modelling (e.g., fuzzy pattern classification) and show how the presented cognition-based human–machine interaction approach contributes to the development of advanced interaction displays as well as self-optimizing automation systems, with applications in production and other areas of human factors.

The usefulness of feedback plays an important role for effective learning. It is a challenge in academic contexts to find a balance between time constraints, feedback quality and immediacy of feedback. Because of the parsimony of score sheets, we want to explicitly test whether its effect on self-efficacy and learning gain is equivalent to textual feedback. We investigate the effects of the feedback type in a quasi-experimental pre-post design with 80 freshmen (M = 20.56 years SD = 2.79, 14 men), who attend one of four parallel introductory university seminars. Students work on home assignments on four occasions during the seminar. For the assignments, half of the participants receive a score sheet feedback, the other half receive textual feedback with standardized text modules. We test for differential effects on learning gain (pre-post knowledge gain; 20 items on topics covered in the four assignments) and self-efficacy (adaptation of the self-efficacy scale by Schwarzer and Jerusalem, 1999). Openness to feedback (AILI subscore on receptiveness to external feedback; translated by Meijer, 2004) and achievement motivation (German version of the AGI by Sudmann et al., 2014) are considered as potential moderators. Both variables were measured in a pretest at the beginning of the semester. This study is currently ongoing. Data will be analysed using repeated measurement ANOVAS. Openness to feedback and achievement motivation will be included as moderator variables, if there are substantial correlations with an outcome. Results will yield implications for the design of blended learning environments.

Revision is an important step within the Knowledge Integration Framework which proposes that successful inquiry learning involves adding, sorting, integrating and revising ideas. Evidence suggests that learners’ aptitudes influence how well they revise thereby resulting in improved learning outcomes. Since revision requires greater engagement from learners, those with high academic self-concept and mastery-oriented goals may revise better. However, learners do not tend to spontaneously revise; scaffolds - tailored to individuals' prior knowledge - are needed to guide this process. This study investigates firstly, the role of individual aptitudes of learners on revision. Secondly, it examines the effectiveness of constructive vs. example-based scaffolds to foster learner’s revision and learning outcomes. Adult participants complete an online learning unit on climate change and engage with one of two scaffolds that support the revision of an explanation item. We hypothesize that learners with high academic self-concept and mastery-oriented goals will score higher in the revision task. It is expected that guidance, in the form of scaffolding, will be more likely to predict revision than individual aptitudes and that more successful revision will result in improved learning outcomes. High prior knowledge learners are predicted to revise better and have better learning outcomes following a constructive scaffold, while low prior knowledge learners will benefit more from an example-based scaffold. Moderation regression analysis will be run to test these hypotheses. Implications of this study will be important for designing robust instruction which promotes knowledge revision and improved learning outcomes for all learners.

Patients with surgically treated anterior cruciate ligament rupture often suffer from a phenomenon called “giving way”, a perceived loss of stability in the knee, for a long time after an accident and the subsequent surgery. Long-term effects of an insufficient rehabilitation are frequent acute and chronic secondary injuries, such as the renewed rupture of the operated cruciate ligament in 5-10% of cases or the contralateral knee in approximately 15 - 30% of cases (Failla et al., 2015). Between 12 and 24 months after surgery, the sports-related injury rate increases dramatically by about 30% (Grindem et al. 2016). The present study aims at significantly reducing the recurrence and complication rate in this group of patients. Textile-integrated sensors, worn by the patient in the form of a smart knee bandage, are used to detect harmful events which are signalled by a suitable actuator to avoid misalignments. To implement this innovative approach, various technologies from the fields of textile technology, sensor technology and embedded IT are combined with corresponding analytical methods and actuators. Considering aspects of user acceptance and usability, this study examines and compares different approaches to feedback actuators such as heat and vibration in a preliminary sample of N = 11 healthy participants. Further, feedback modalities like pressure, frequency, rhythmicity and intensity of feedback expositions are examined and discussed. In the future, this feedback could enable patients to recognize and correct maladaptive movement behavior during their everyday activities and therapeutic exercises.

Identity data are a common target of cyber-attacks aiming at selling the data or using it for criminal purposes. New services, so-called leak-checkers, offer users the possibility to inform themselves about whether their identities have been leaked. However, we know few about the users’ perception and acceptance of such services and whether the provided information motivates the user to perform protective actions. The current laboratory study (N=88) used a cover-story to investigate the use and perception of leak-checkers as well as reactions on information about leaked identity data by using a simulated leak-checking service. The leak-checker report told all participants that their identity data had been leaked. The results show that this information caused less than 30% of the participants to directly change their passwords even if they previously reported to be highly concerned about their identity data being leaked. This tendency was independent of whether identity data of social networks or online banking services were leaked. Overall, the findings indicate that leak-checkers are perceived as very useful, however, the given information does not necessarily lead users to take effective action.