Jacobsen, Thomas

Cyber sickness (CS) is considered a major challenge in the use of virtual reality (VR). This impacts the planned implementation of VR in the training of operational forces. The present work aimed to investigate the prevalence and onset of CS during virtually supported military training using head-mounted displays (HMDs) and explore related predictor variables. For this purpose, a quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in which German soldiers (N = 100) were exposed to an immersive fifteen-minute VR scenario. We measured CS severity, age, heart rate (HR), and skin conductance (SC). Using newly developed categories to classify CS severity, the results showed a small prevalence (4%) of CS in the studied sample. Susceptibility to CS was the only predictor of the occurrence of CS symptoms. Accordingly, the present work provides evidence that CS may play a minor role in affecting virtually supported operational training. At the same time, the easily detectable susceptibility to CS promises rapid detection of vulnerable users. Implications and further research are discussed to detect, control, and mitigate CS.

Scientific interest in body modifications continues to grow, and tattoos have recently become a subject of empirical aesthetics. While conceptual structures of tattoo aesthetics have been studied, the question of how tattoos are aesthetically appreciated has not yet been studied. In this study, we examined how tattoos influence the aesthetic appreciation of human stimuli and uncovered differences in beauty perceived by individuals older and younger than 50, which we consider indicative of different internalized social norms, experts (tattoo artists) and nonexperts, and tattooed and nontattooed individuals. Images of a male and a female model were manipulated to vary in the amount of tattoo coverage across six manipulation conditions: Baseline (none), Light, Moderate, Heavy, Extreme, and Extreme + Face. N = 487 participants rated the beauty of these stimuli. The results suggest overall group differences (experts vs. nonexperts; tattooed vs. nontattooed; older vs. younger). The perceived beauty of the stimuli decreased as the extent of tattoos increased, with the Extreme + Face condition standing out as the lowest rated condition. These findings confirm that tattoos influence aesthetic appreciation, which is highly dependent on expertise and social norms as indicated by age. We also discuss the generalizability and implications of the findings.

Beauty judgments are common in daily life, but rarely studied in cognitive neuroscience. Here, in three studies, we searched for the neural mechanisms of musical beauty using a naturalistic free-listening paradigm applied to behavioral and neuroimaging recordings and validated by experts’ judgments. In Study 1, 30 adults continuously rated the perceived beauty of three musical pieces using a motion sensor. This served to identify the musical passages that were inter-subjectively judged as more or less beautiful (‘beautiful’ vs. ‘not-beautiful’ passages). For identifying the consistent neural determinants of the perception of musical beauty, we utilized these ratings in Study 2, where 36 adults were recorded with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they listened attentively to the same pieces of Study 1. In Study 3, to identify the musicological features characterizing the beautiful and not-beautiful passages of Studies 1–2, we collected post-hoc questionnaires from 12 music-composition experts. Results from Study 2 evidenced focal activity in the orbitofrontal cortex when listening to beautiful passages whereas the not-beautiful passages were associated with bilateral supratemporal activity. Effective connectivity analysis discovered inhibition of auditory activation and neural communication with the right orbitofrontal cortex for listening to beautiful passages vs. intrinsic activation of auditory cortices and decreased coupling to orbitofrontal cortex for not-beautiful passages. Experts’ questionnaires indicated that the beautiful passages were more melodic, calm, sad, slow, tonal, traditional, and simple than the ones rated negatively. In sum, we identified neural and psychological underpinnings of musical beauty, irrespectively of individual taste and listening biography.

Attention can be directed to the global or local level of a visual stimulus (i.e., Navon figure). Previous studies yielded reliable trial-to-trial level switch costs (i.e., worse performance when responding to the other level than on a previous trial), even though level cueing effects indicated anticipatory deployment of attention to the upcoming target level. To investigate the interplay of attentional preparation and persistence, we applied a probe trial method assumed to ensure a high degree of preparation for the upcoming target level and minimizing stimulus-specific proactive interference. Mirroring previous findings obtained in the domain of spatial attention, we found evidence for anticipatory attentional focusing on global/local target levels but not for persistence of the attentional set adopted on the previous trial. In a second experiment, we prevented preparation for upcoming attentional demands (in both global-local and spatial attention tasks). This resulted in the modulation of performance (in critical probe trials) by the attentional demands of the predecessor trial. Together, our findings demonstrate sensitivity of the probe trial method for attentional persistence and raise the possibility that such persistence can be completely eliminated by sufficiently strong preparation for the attentional demands of the following trial.

Purpose: Research supports physical activity as a method to heighten stress resistance and resilience through positive metabolic alterations mostly affecting the neuroendocrine system. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been proposed as a highly effective time-saving method to induce those changes. However, existing literature relies heavily on cross-sectional analyses, with few randomised controlled trials highlighting the necessity for more exercise interventions. Thus, this study aims to investigate the effects of HIIT versus an active control group on the stress response to an acute psychosocial stressor in emotionally impulsive humans (suggested as being strong stress responders). Methods: The study protocol was registered online (DRKS00016589) before data collection. Sedentary, emotionally impulsive adults (30.69 ± 8.20 y) were recruited for a supervised intervention of 8 weeks and randomly allocated to either a HIIT (n = 25) or a stretching group (n = 19, acting as active controls). Participants were submitted to a test battery, including saliva samples, questionnaires (self-efficacy- and perceived stress-related), visual analogue scales (physical exercise- and stress-related), and resting electroencephalography and electrocardiography assessing their reaction to an acute psychological stressor (Trier Social Stress Test) before and after the exercise intervention. Results: HIIT increased aerobic fitness in all participants, whereas stretching did not. Participants from the HIIT group reported perceiving exercising more intensively than those from the active control group (ƞp2 = 0.108, p = 0.038). No further group differences were detected. Both interventions largely increased levels of joy post-TSST (ƞp2 = 0.209, p = 0.003) whilst decreasing tension (ƞp2 = 0.262, p < 0.001) and worries (ƞp2 = 0.113, p = 0.037). Finally, both interventions largely increased perceived levels of general self-efficacy (ƞp2 = 0.120, p = 0.029). Conclusion: This study suggests that 8 weeks of HIIT does not change the psychoneuroendocrine response to an acute psychological stress test compared to an active control group in emotionally impulsive humans. Further replications of supervised exercise studies highly powered with active and passive controls are warranted.

Beauty surrounds us in many ways every day. In three experience sampling (ESM) studies we investigated frequency, category of eliciting stimuli (natural vs human-made) and, the potential moderating role of several individual difference measures on such everyday experiences of beauty in an ecologically valid manner. Further, we explored the impact of such experiences on valence & arousal. Study 1 re-analysed data from a previous study, in line with the current aims. In Studies 2 and 3, we asked participants to report daily experiences of beauty using a mixed random and event-contingent sampling schedule. Mobile notifications (random sampling) prompted participants to take a photo and rate the beauty of their surroundings. Further, current valence and arousal were assessed. Notification frequency and total days of participation differed between these two studies. Participants were able to report additional experiences outside of the notification windows (event-contingent sampling). Our results indicate that we frequently encounter beauty in everyday life and that we find it in nature, in particular. Our results further suggest a mood-boosting effect of encounters with beauty. Lastly, our results indicate influences of individual differences however, these were inconclusive and require further attention.

Decorating the body as well as (semi-)permanent bodily modifications are a longstanding human practice, together with spending a great amount of time and effort on such body alterations. The present article reviews the mental functions of body-altering behavior. The primary aim is to identify and elucidate the predominant mental function underpinning these body alterations. Following several guidelines for reviews, we synthesized the literature, including several categories of body-altering entities from different eras. We argue that there are two crucial commonalities for individuals engaging in body-altering behavior that comprise the mental functions for doing so: aesthetics and group affiliation (dynamics), including the latter’s subfunctions of supporting individuality, resistance, personal narrative, physical endurance, and sexual motivation. Incorporating the existing literature, we find that aesthetic motivation takes precedence over group affiliation, thereby establishing aesthetics as the primary mental function of body-altering behavior; factors substantiating this conclusion are explored in detail within the article.