Does higher education hone cognitive functioning and learning efficacy? Findings from a large and diverse sample

Guerra-Carrillo, Belén; Katovich, Kiefer; Bunge, Silvia A.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0182276

Cited by 96 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…faster attention guidance). Second, a sampling bias existed, as only university students participated, who tend to have medium to high socioeconomic status [69] and represent a narrow age group at the peak of its cognitive abilities [28]. Third, the study had slightly limited ecological validity, as the experimental procedure and laboratory environment may have encouraged participants to pay more attention to the cues and videos compared to at-home CVR-consumption [10].…”

Section: Methodological Limitations and Further Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Directing versus Attracting Attention: Exploring the Effectiveness of Central and Peripheral Cues in Panoramic Videos

Schmitz¹,

MacQuarrie²,

Julier³

et al. 2020

2020 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR)

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Filmmakers of panoramic videos frequently struggle to guide attention to Regions of Interest (ROIs) due to consumers' freedom to explore. Some researchers hypothesize that peripheral cues attract reflexive/involuntary attention whereas cues within central vision engage and direct voluntary attention. This mixed-methods study evaluated the effectiveness of using central arrows and peripheral flickers to guide and focus attention in panoramic videos. Twentyfive adults wore a head-mounted display with an eye tracker and were guided to 14 ROIs in two panoramic videos. No significant differences emerged in regard to the number of followed cues, the time taken to reach and observe ROIs, ROI-related memory and user engagement. However, participants' gaze travelled a significantly greater distance toward ROIs within the first 500 ms after flickeronsets compared to arrow-onsets. Nevertheless, most users preferred the arrow and perceived it as significantly more rewarding than the flicker. The findings imply that traditional attention paradigms are not entirely applicable to panoramic videos, as peripheral cues appear to engage both involuntary and voluntary attention. Theoretical and practical implications as well as limitations are discussed.

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Section: Methodological Limitations and Further Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Directing versus Attracting Attention: Exploring the Effectiveness of Central and Peripheral Cues in Panoramic Videos

Schmitz¹,

MacQuarrie²,

Julier³

et al. 2020

2020 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR)

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“…Additionally, a recent study compared the cognitive performance of groups with different levels of education and found statistically significant difference in cognitive performance between each group; specifically, the difference was large between the extreme educational attainment (doctorate versus some high school, d = 0.80). The second finding was that education levels affect high-level cognitive functions more strongly compared with lower level functions (Guerra-Carrillo et al 2017). Therefore, we suggest our participants with advanced educational levels had higher cognitive functioning that may have compensated for their processing speed while explaining the black-and-white LD.…”

Section: Limitations and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 70%

Comparing language samples of Bangla speakers using a colour photograph and a black‐and‐white line drawing

Mazumdar

Donovan

Sultana

2020

Intl J Lang & Comm Disor

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Background A comprehensive aphasia assessment is necessary to diagnose the type and severity of aphasia differentially and guide appropriate interventions. One component of an aphasia assessment is the picture description task (PDT), designed to probe spontaneous speech fluency and information content. Most aphasia assessments use black‐and‐white line drawings (LD) to elicit spontaneous language samples from people with aphasia (PWA). However, recent studies reported two visuographic variables: (1) colour (over black and white) and (2) photograph (over LD), that tended to encourage easier and faster comprehension and increased overall naturalistic language production from neurologically healthy individuals as well as PWA. Additionally, a suitable stimulus for a PDT should always be culturally relevant to the target population. Therefore, we suggest that a new PDT must include a culturally appropriate colour photograph (CP). Aims To investigate if a culturally appropriate CP elicits longer and more complex utterances than a culturally appropriate black‐and‐white LD from neurologically healthy native Bangla speakers. Methods & Procedures A total of 30 participants (mean age = 36.03 years) were recruited based on self‐reports of no known impairments in cognition, language, vision and hearing. All were of middle socioeconomic status with at least 12 years of formal education. A culturally appropriate CP was selected showing multiple characters performing various functions. Later, an artist prepared the black‐and‐white LD of that CP. The elicited language samples using these two pictures were transcribed and coded following preset transcription and coding guidelines. The transcribed samples were further analysed using the Bangla adaptation of Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT) software. To identify the differences in language production between these two picture types, investigators used four measurement variables: mean length of utterances (MLU), complexity index (CI), total number of words (TNW) and words per minute (WPM). Outcomes & Results Of the four measures, only MLU showed a statistically significant difference between the CP and the black‐and‐white LD. CI demonstrated a strong correlation with MLU for the CP, which indicates that the participants who produced higher MLU for the CP also produced a higher CI for the CP. There were no significant differences between the two picture types for CI, TNW and WPM. Conclusions & Implications This study found that the grammatical complexity, as measured by MLU, of spontaneous language production of neurologically healthy adults was higher when a CP was used in a PDT. A CP may also be beneficial for PWA to produce complex language samples.

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“…First, these ALMA workers were experienced high-altitude workers, with an average of 4.6 -2.0 years of repeated high-altitude work experience. Second, the study participants were highly educated (17.6 -3.1 years of education), and our participants may have had higher cognitive reserve than the general population (Guerra-Carrillo et al, 2017). Third, the ALMA workers were not involved in physically demanding work (i.e., there was minimal physical exertion at altitude).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Cognitive Effects of Repeated Acute Exposure to Very High Altitude Among Altitude-Experienced Workers at 5050 m

Pun

Guadagni

Drogos

et al. 2019

High Altitude Medicine & Biology

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Background: We investigated altitude effects on different cognitive domains among perennial shift-workers at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Observatory (5050 m), Chile. Materials and Methods: Twenty healthy male workers were recruited and assigned to either a moderate-altitude first (MAF group, Test 1: 2900 m and Test 2: 5050 m) or to a high-altitude first (HAF group, Test 1: 5050 m and Test 2: 2900 m). Test 1 was conducted at the beginning and Test 2 at the end of the shift-work week. Processing speed (RTI, reaction time), attention (AST, attention-switching task, and RVP, rapid visual processing), and executive function (OTS, One Touch Stockings of Cambridge) were assessed. Results: Of the three cognitive domains assessed, only processing speed showed altitude-attest group interaction (RTI median five choice reaction time: F 1, 17 = 6.980, g 2 p = 0.291, p = 0.017). With acclimatization, there was a decrease in AST reaction latency mean (t 17 =-2.155, d z = 1.086, p = 0.046), an increase in RVP accuracy (t 17 = 2.733, d z = 1.398, p = 0.014), and a decrease in OTS mean latency first choice (t 17 =-2.375, d z = 1.211, p = 0.03). Decreased variability in cognitive function was observed in AST reaction latency standard deviation (t 17 =-2.524, d z = 1.282, p = 0.022) and in RVP response latency standard deviation (t 17 =-2.35, d z = 1.177, p = 0.03) with acclimatization. At 5050 m of elevation, SpO 2 was positively correlated with executive function in the MAF group (OTS problems solved on first choice: r (5) = 0.839, p = 0.018) and negatively correlated with executive function latency standard deviations in the HAF group (OTS latency to first choice standard deviation: r (10) =-0.618, p = 0.032). Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of acclimatization and improvement of blood oxygen level, even among high altitude-experienced workers, to optimize performance of cognitively demanding work and reduce high altitude-associated health risks.

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Does higher education hone cognitive functioning and learning efficacy? Findings from a large and diverse sample

Cited by 96 publications

References 27 publications

Directing versus Attracting Attention: Exploring the Effectiveness of Central and Peripheral Cues in Panoramic Videos

Directing versus Attracting Attention: Exploring the Effectiveness of Central and Peripheral Cues in Panoramic Videos

Comparing language samples of Bangla speakers using a colour photograph and a black‐and‐white line drawing

Cognitive Effects of Repeated Acute Exposure to Very High Altitude Among Altitude-Experienced Workers at 5050 m

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