Publications

Semantic priming has been studied for nearly 50 years across various experimental manipulations and theoretical frameworks. Although previous studies provide insight into the cognitive underpinnings of semantic representations, they have suffered from small sample sizes and a lack of linguistic and cultural diversity. In this Registered Report, we measured the size and the variability of the semantic priming effect across 19 languages (n = 25,163 participants analysed) by creating the largest available database of semantic priming values using an adaptive sampling procedure. We found evidence for semantic priming in terms of differences in response latencies between related word-pair conditions and unrelated word-pair conditions. Model comparisons showed that the inclusion of a random intercept for language improved model fit, providing support for variability in semantic priming across languages. This study highlights the robustness and variability of semantic priming across languages and provides a rich, linguistically diverse dataset for further analysis. The Stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 15 July 2022. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at https://osf.io/u5bp6 (registration) or https://osf.io/q4fjy (preprint version 6, 31 May 2022).

While statistical word learning has been the focus of many studies on monolinguals, it has received little attention in bilinguals. The results of existing studies on statistical word learning in bilinguals are inconsistent, with some research reporting a bilingual advantage over monolinguals but others finding no difference between groups. Thus, our study investigated statistical learning using the cross-situational word learning (CSWL) paradigm between two groups: English–German bilinguals and English monolinguals. Participants (N = 201) learned 1 : 1 mappings (one word maps onto one object) and 1 : 2 mappings (one word maps onto two objects). In contrast to previous studies, we measured learning continuously and analysed trial-by-trial behaviour closely to understand fine-grained learning differences across language groups. Against our predictions, monolinguals generally outperformed bilinguals in word learning regardless of mapping type, and trial-by-trial analyses did not reveal differences in learning as expected. Moreover, language balancedness of bilinguals (operationalized via language entropy) did not account for differences in CSWL performance. These results suggest that any existing word learning advantages may be highly paradigm- and population-specific.

While statistical word learning has been the focus of many studies on monolinguals, it has received little attention in bilinguals. The results of existing studies on statistical word learning in bilinguals are inconsistent, with some research reporting a bilingual advantage over monolinguals but others finding no difference between groups. Thus, our study investigated statistical learning using the cross-situational word learning (CSWL) paradigm between two groups: English–German bilinguals and English monolinguals. Participants (N = 201) learned 1 : 1 mappings (one word maps onto one object) and 1 : 2 mappings (one word maps onto two objects). In contrast to previous studies, we measured learning continuously and analysed trial-by-trial behaviour closely to understand fine-grained learning differences across language groups. Against our predictions, monolinguals generally outperformed bilinguals in word learning regardless of mapping type, and trial-by-trial analyses did not reveal differences in learning as expected. Moreover, language balancedness of bilinguals (operationalized via language entropy) did not account for differences in CSWL performance. These results suggest that any existing word learning advantages may be highly paradigm- and population-specific.

In psychology, researchers often rely on face photographs to study face perception. However, finding suitable face stimuli for experiments is often challenging. Computer-generated (CG) faces have emerged as a potential solution due to their flexibility and controllability. However, it has been suggested that these stimuli are evaluated and processed differently from real faces, and their suitability as alternatives in experimental settings remains unclear. To address this, two studies were conducted to examine the impact of CG faces' realism and observers’ self-reported exposure to CG faces on faces appraisals (Study 1) and processing (Study 2). In Study 1 (n = 97), we assessed perceptions of both real and CG faces. Findings indicated that participants generally viewed CG faces less favourably, especially when these faces lacked realism. This trend was particularly pronounced among individuals less exposed to digital characters. In Study 2 (n = 33), we examined the recognition accuracy of these faces in a memory task. The data revealed that CG faces, especially those less realistic, were less accurately recognized. However, this discrepancy was primarily observed among individuals with limited exposure to digital characters, while those more familiar with such characters showed no significant difference in recognition. Overall, this work confirmed that, to date, CG faces are not an adequate alternative to real faces and that researchers should be cautious when using these stimuli in experiments involving face processing. However, as digital graphics improve and as digital characters become more commonplace in daily life, the perceptual gap between CG and real faces may diminish.

Introduction: Elaborated intrusion theory suggests that imagery is central to craving; however, the possibility that cue-elicited multisensory imagery produces such urges has not been studied enough in the literature. Thus, we investigated the role of cue-elicited multisensory imagery on alcohol craving in individuals who are hazardous and social drinkers compared to mental and neutral imagery conditions. Methods: In an online experiment, hazardous and social drinkers (N = 348) between 18 and 45 years old were randomised to multisensory, mental, and neutral imagery exposure. The level of craving intensity was measured before and after imagery exposure. Also, participants rated vividness and sensory features scales after the exposure. Results: The level of craving was significantly higher in multisensory imagery condition compared to neutral condition (b = 1.94, p < 0.001, SE = 0.30, t(344) = 6.52, standardised mean difference [SMD] = 0.89) and in mental imagery condition compared to neutral condition (b = 1.82, SE = 0.30, t(344) = 6.52, p < 0.001, SMD = 0.83). The difference between the level of craving intensity between the multisensory and mental was not significant (b = 0.12, SE = 0.22, t(344) = 0.53, p = 0.594, SMD = 0.06). Moreover, craving intensity in response to multisensory versus neutral imagery was significantly stronger among hazardous drinkers (b = −2.90, SE = 0.83, t(341) = −3.50, p < 0.001). The level of vividness was not significantly different between any conditions. The difference between levels of sensory features was higher in multisensory imagery condition compared to neutral (b = 0.95, SE = 0.30, t(345) = 3.17, p = 0.002, SMD = 0.49) and mental imagery condition (b = 0.67, SE = 0.23, t(345) = 2.36, p = 0.004, SMD = 0.35). Conclusion: Results suggest that cue-elicited multisensory imagery may be a useful tool for eliciting alcohol craving responses and provide an additional means for better understanding the multi-layered mechanism of craving.

In 2007 and 2008, Yu and Smith published their seminal studies on cross-situational word learning (CSWL) in adults and infants, showing that word-object-mappings can be acquired from distributed statistics despite in-the-moment uncertainty. Since then, the CSWL paradigm has been used extensively to better understand (statistical) word learning in different language learners and under different learning conditions. The goal of this review is to provide an entry-level overview of findings and themes that have emerged in 15 years of research on CSWL across three topic areas (mechanisms of CSWL, CSWL across different learner and task characteristics) and to highlight the questions that remain to be answered.

Recently, virtual faces are often used as stimuli to replace traditional photographs in human face perception studies. However, despite being increasingly human-like and realistic, they still present flaws in their aspects that might elicit eerie feelings in the observers, known as the Uncanny Valley (UV) effect. The current systematic review offers a qualitative synthesis of empirical studies investigating observers’ subjective experience with virtual compared to real faces to discuss the possible challenges that the UV effect poses when virtual faces are used as stimuli to study face perception. Results revealed that virtual faces are judged eerier than real faces. Perception of uncanniness represents a challenge in face perception research as it has been associated with negative emotions and avoidance behaviors that might influence observers’ responses to these stimuli. Also, observers perceive virtual faces as more deviating from familiar patterns than real faces. Lower perceptual familiarity might have several implications in face perception research, as virtual faces might be considered as a category of stimuli distinct from real faces and therefore processed less efficiently. In conclusion, our findings suggest that researchers should be cautious in using these stimuli to study face perception.

Background: Cue exposure therapy (CET) techniques involves repeated and controlled exposures to alcohol stimuli which rest upon the well-established principles of Pavlovian extinction (Byrne et al., 2019). However, the efficacy of CET while treating alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is still a matter of debate. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of CET on AUDs by using previous meta-analysis study on the same topic from Mellentin et al. (2017) as a base. Methods: A computer-assisted search of relevant articles identified 879 studies in Medline, PsycInfo and Embase, of which 11 studies (published between 1992 and 2019) were selected. Three outcome measures were extracted: alcohol consumption defined as drinks per day (drinking intensity) and alcohol reduction defined as drinking days and relapse (drinking frequency). This study is registered with PROSPERO (Registration no: #CRD42021259077). Results: The present meta-analytical review found small to medium effect on drinks per day (g = -0.35; 95 %CI -0.72 to 0.03), drinking days (g = -0.30; 95 %CI -0.54 to -0.06) and relapse (OR = -0.58; 95 %CI 0.29 to 1.15) while investigating the efficacy of CET on AUDs. GRADE assessment was used to evaluate the overall quality, and it was assessed as low. Regarding Risk of Bias, the studies in this systematic review were evaluated with “some concerns”. Conclusion: The present meta-analysis demonstrated that CET has small to medium effect on drinks per day, drinking days and relapse. Future research should strive to conduct larger scale multi-site CET trials with additional methodological innovations and increase retention.

Words can be learned in situations of referential ambiguity and in the absence of feedback based on their above baseline co-occurrence with their meanings. This type of learning is called cross-situational word learning (CSWL; sometimes called cross-situational statistical learning, CSSL, or XSWL). CSWL has been studied widely within the last 15+ years and has been shown in a range of age groups and populations. This chapter will explore different CSWL paradigms and mechanisms and then focus on differences in CSWL across the life span and language histories.