Aaron Drummond

Registered Replication Report

Trying to remember something now typically improves your ability to remember it later. However, after watching a video of a simulated bank robbery, participants who verbally described the robber were 25% worse at identifying the robber in a lineup than were participants who instead listed U.S. states and capitals—this has been termed the “verbal overshadowing” effect (Schooler & Engstler-Schooler, 1990). More recent studies suggested that this effect might be substantially smaller than first reported. Given uncertainty about the effect size, the influence of this finding in the memory literature, and its practical importance for police procedures, we conducted two collections of preregistered direct replications (RRR1 and RRR2) that differed only in the order of the description task and a filler task. In RRR1, when the description task immediately followed the robbery, participants who provided a description were 4% less likely to select the robber than were those in the control condition. In RRR2, when the description was delayed by 20 min, they were 16% less likely to select the robber. These findings reveal a robust verbal overshadowing effect that is strongly influenced by the relative timing of the tasks. The discussion considers further implications of these replications for our understanding of verbal overshadowing.

Video-Games Do Not Negatively Impact Adolescent Academic Performance in Science, Mathematics or Reading

Video-gaming is a common pastime among adolescents, particularly adolescent males in industrialized nations. Despite widespread suggestions that video-gaming negatively affects academic achievement, the evidence is inconclusive. We reanalyzed data from over 192,000 students in 22 countries involved in the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to estimate the true effect size of frequency of videogame use on adolescent academic achievement in science, mathematics and reading. Contrary to claims that increased video-gaming can impair academic performance, differences in academic performance were negligible across the relative frequencies of videogame use. Videogame use had little impact on adolescent academic achievement.

Violent video games: The effects of narrative context and reward structure on in-game and postgame aggression.

The potential influence of video game violence on real-world aggression has generated considerable public and scientific interest. Some previous research suggests that playing violent video games can increase postgame aggression. The generalized aggression model (GAM) attributes this to the generalized activation of aggressive schemata. However, it is unclear whether game mechanics that contextualize and encourage or inhibit in-game violence moderate this relationship. Thus, we examined the effects of reward structures and narrative context in a violent video game on in-game and postgame aggression. Contrary to GAM-based predictions, our manipulations differentially affected in-game and postgame aggression. Reward structures selectively affected in-game aggression, whereas narrative context selectively affected postgame aggression. Players who enacted in-game violence through a heroic character exhibited less postgame aggression than players who enacted comparable levels of in-game violence through an antiheroic character. Effects were not attributable to self-activation or character-identification mechanisms, but were consistent with social-cognitive context effects on the interpretation of behavior. These results contradict the GAMs assertion that violent video games affect aggression through a generalized activation mechanism. From an applied perspective, consumer choices may be aided by considering not just game content, but the context in which content is portrayed.

Exploring the measurement structure of the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS) in treatment-seekers: A Bayesian structural equation modelling approach

Knowledge of a problem gamblers underlying gambling related cognitions plays an important role in treatment planning. The Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS) is therefore frequently used in clinical settings for screening and evaluation of treatment outcomes. However, GRCS validation studies have generated conflicting results regarding its latent structure using traditional confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). This may partly be due to the rigid constraints imposed on cross-factor loadings with traditional CFA. The aim of this investigation was to determine whether a Bayesian structural equation modelling (BSEM) approach to examination of the GRCS factor structure would better replicate substantive theory and also inform model re-specifications. Participants were 454 treatment-seekers at first presentation to a gambling treatment centre between January 2012 and December 2014. Model fit indices were well below acceptable standards for CFA. In contrast, the BSEM model which included small informative priors for the residual covariance matrix in addition to cross-loadings produced excellent model fit for the original hypothesised factor structure. The results also informed re-specification of the CFA model which provided more reasonable model fit. These conclusions have implications that should be useful to both clinicians and researchers evaluating measurement models relating to gambling related cognitions in treatment-seekers.

NewAccess for depression and anxiety: adapting the UK Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Program across Australia

Objective: NewAccess is a Low Intensity Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (LiCBT) early intervention pilot, for mild to moderate depression and anxiety. In November 2015 the Australian Government Review of Mental Health Programmes and Services specifically highlighted the program, stating, “Primary Health Networks will.…be encouraged and supported to work towards better utilisation of low intensity ‘coaching’ services for people with lesser needs, building on evaluations of programmes such as the NewAccess model of care, and the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies model of stepped care implemented in the United Kingdom.” NewAccess runs in three sites (Adelaide, Canberra and North Coast New South Wales) based on the successful UK Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) model. NewAccess involves training in evidence-based interventions, regular clinical supervision and recording outcome measures every session. Key performance indicators include functional recovery,loss of diagnosis, return to employment and early intervention. Conclusions: Adaptation to Australia accommodated contextual issues such as geographical isolation and infrastructure of the healthcare system. Initial recovery rates and projected economic viability for NewAccess are very promising, supporting wider adoption of an IAPT model across Australia. In addition it has resulted in the emergence of a new Australian workforce in community mental health with the LiCBT ‘Coach’.

Vertical representational biases in healthy university students

In line bisection tasks neurologically intact individuals tend to bisect lines slightly left of their midpoint for horizontal lines, and above centre for vertical lines, a phenomenon known as perceptual pseudoneglect (Bowers & Heilman, 1980; Van Vugt, Fransen, Creten, & Paquiner, 2000). Recent investigations have demonstrated the leftward bias to extend to mental imagery, a finding known as representational pseudoneglect (McGeorge, Beschin, Colnaghi, Rusconi, & Della Sala, 2007). This paper examined whether the upward bias found in perceptual tasks extended to mental imagery in healthy individuals. University students studied a diagram depicting a central character and target objects that were located in six positions relative to the person in the diagram (left/right, up/down, and front/back). Following learning, participants recalled the locations of the objects from several imagined orientations. Performance on the recall task revealed faster response latencies for upward targets, providing evidence for vertical representational biases in healthy individuals.

Large reductions in depression and anxiety via low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy delivered by novice coach

We describe a case of severe depression with comorbid anxiety which quickly remitted following low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (LiCBT) delivered by novice coach. ‘SR’, an elderly male, presented to NewAccess, a LiCBT service based on the United Kingdom’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (www.iapt.nhs.uk/aboutiapt/). Coaches without formal mental health qualifications initially undertake 6 weeks’ LiCBT training, followed by 1 year’s supervised practice (by qualified CBT practitioner). NewAccess ensures treatment fidelity by only treating common mental health problems (anxiety; depression) using highly structured LiCBT. SR was coach BK’s first client following training. SR gave informed consent (following institutional review board [IRB] ethics approval) to participate in the research. SR presented with severe depression, suicidal ideation and severe comorbid anxiety. SR disclosed an adolescent suicide attempt and expressed current generalised suicidal ideation without detailed plans. Concordant with NewAccess procedure, BK elicited protective factors, provided crisis support information and reviewed risk every session. SR was offered in situ or telephone treatment. SR consented to in situ workbook-supplemented LiCBT treating his depression using Behavioural Activation (Martell et al., 2001). Assessment and initial treatment sessions were supervised in situ, with subsequent weekly supervision delivered remotely. Figure 1 shows large reductions in SR’s depression severity (Cohen’s d = 8.68, Percentage of Non-Overlapping Data (PND) = 1001), anxiety severity (d = 7.22, PND = 100 [see Note 1]) and functional impairment (d = 2.27, PND = 67 [see Note 1]) over five treatment sessions. Psychological distress also reduced (see Note 1). At treatment completion, SR’s symptoms were subclinical and lacking suicidal ideation. Despite BK targeting depression, treatment gains generalised to SR’s comorbid anxiety. At follow-up, SR was in full remission. SR expressed satisfaction with the service. Cases like SR’s are typically treated by mental health professionals with extensive training. As full remission is ideal, SR’s case demonstrates that LiCBT delivered by novice coach can be effective for severe depression and anxiety. Creating a new workforce of LiCBT coaches could act as an early intervention service, and free highly qualified mental health professionals to treat complex cases where LiCBT is less effective. SR’s case suggests that Australian LiCBT programmes are effective, acceptable to service users and may help reduce untreated depression and anxiety.

How Hard Can It Be? the Relative Job Demands of Rural, Regional and Remote Australian Educational Leaders

The demands placed upon employees in their roles have long been thought to be important in predicting employee well-being and in reducing the risk of anxiety and depression, increasing cardiovascular functioning and reducing employee burnout. The present study sought to examine the job demands of rural, regional and remote educational leaders. Demand ratings were generally lower for regional areas than rural areas and lower for rural areas than remote areas. Higher qualifications and experience were associated with lower demand ratings. Participants in desired areas rated themselves under lower demand than participants in undesired areas and participants who were undecided about the desirability of their locations. These findings have important implications for the selection, preparation and support of leaders in non-metropolitan contexts.

Video game loot boxes are psychologically akin to gambling

Video games are increasingly exposing young players to randomized in-game reward mechanisms, purchasable for real money — so-called loot boxes. Do loot boxes constitute a form of gambling?

Enhancing endorsement of scientific inquiry increases support for pro-environment policies

Pro-environment policies require public support and engagement, but in countries such as the USA, public support for pro-environment policies remains low. Increasing public scientific literacy is unlikely to solve this, because increased scientific literacy does not guarantee increased acceptance of critical environmental issues (e.g. that climate change is occurring). We distinguish between scientific literacy (basic scientific knowledge) and endorsement of scientific inquiry (perceiving science as a valuable way of accumulating knowledge), and examine the relationship between peoples endorsement of scientific inquiry and their support for pro-environment policy. Analysis of a large, publicly available dataset shows that support for pro-environment policies is more strongly related to endorsement of scientific inquiry than to scientific literacy among adolescents. An experiment demonstrates that a brief intervention can increase support for pro-environment policies via increased endorsement of scientific inquiry among adults. Public education about the merits of scientific inquiry may facilitate increased support for pro-environment policies.