Mixed Emotions to Near-Miss Outcomes: A Psychophysiological Study with Facial Electromyography

Near-misses occur across many forms of gambling and are rated as unpleasant while simultaneously increasing the motivation to continue playing. On slot machines, the icon position relative to the payline moderates the effects of near-misses, with near-misses before the payline increasing motivation, and near-misses after the payline being rated as aversive. Near-misses are also known to increase physiological arousal compared to full-misses, but physiological measures to date have not been able to dissociate positive and negative emotional responses. The present study measured facial electromyography at the corrugator (brow) and zygomaticus (cheek) sites, as well as electrodermal activity (EDA), following gambling outcomes on a two-reel slot machine simulation in 77 novice gamblers. Behavioral data was collected using trial-by-trial ratings of motivation and valence. Wins were rated as more pleasant and increased motivation to continue playing, compared to non-win outcomes. Wins were also accompanied by increased EDA and zygomaticus activity. Near-misses after the payline were rated as more aversive than other non-wins, and this was accompanied by increased EDA and zygomaticus activity. Near-misses before the payline increased motivation to continue playing, and were accompanied by increased EDA. Thus, both subjective and physiological responses to near-misses differ for events falling either side of the payline. The ‘near-miss effect’ is not a unitary phenomenon. Facial EMG has differential sensitivity to positive and negative valence and may be a useful measure for future studies of gambling behavior.     

Estimating the change in soccer’s home advantage during the Covid-19 pandemic using bivariate Poisson regression

AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis - In wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, 2019–2020 soccer seasons across the world were postponed and eventually made up during the summer months of 2020....     

The Minimal Model of Argumentation: Qualitative data analysis for epistemic speech,text and policy

Social scientific work on argumentation is yet to address the perennial tension between social cognition and social constructionism. Moreover, argumentation-based qualitative analysis protocols are needed for interview and textual data. Nonetheless, argumentation models remain too complex to reflect everyday argumentation and are not necessarily reflective of underlying cognitive processes. This presents the need for further theorising social behaviour, with a view to formulating a model of argumentation that (a) is parsimonious, and (b) aligns with the literature on joint projects, due to the fact that in social cognition terms, argumentation is for doing. In this paper, we draw upon interdisciplinary literature on argumentation, noting convergences among different approaches. We then proceed to consider the socio-cognitive bedding provided by Lay Epistemic Theory, to present our Minimal Model of Argumentation (MMA). In MMA, interlocutors are held to make claims concerning an issue of concern, and defend them using warrants, evidence and qualifiers. We end by providing empirical examples supporting the utility of our model in qualitative research.     

Age-related differences in reasoning about the acceptability of eating animals

Children in the western world often are socialized as meat-eaters, while caring much about animals. Yet we know little about how children think about eating animals and animal products, which will have important consequences for global meat consumption. Participants (n = 479, 80% White British, 57% female; children n = 119, Mage = 10.03, SD = 0.72; young adults n = 181, Mage = 19.09, SD = 0.85; adults n = 179, Mage = 40.97, SD = 8.18) reasoned about the acceptability of eating animals and animal products. Using the framework of social domain theory, we found that that children focused on moral concerns (p < .001, ηp2 = .01), whereas adults referenced conventions about the natural and necessary components of eating meat. Participants across age groups reported eating animal products (e.g., milk) to be acceptable because animals were not harmed. Together these results indicate that attempts to reduce meat consumption ought to be tailored in a domain-specific manner to age groups.