Situation awareness (SA) is a mental state that is instrumental to performance of complex dynamic... more Situation awareness (SA) is a mental state that is instrumental to performance of complex dynamic tasks. SA within teams is thought to be supported by favorable social conditions within the team. The present study was organized in two parts: (a) causal relationships among SA, group cohesion, and autonomic synchrony, the latter being a fundamentally nonlinear process, and (b) the combined impact of the three variables on performance in a dynamic decisions task. Experimental conditions assessed changes in task difficulty, group size, and method of obtaining SA measures. Participants were 136 undergraduates organized into 32 teams of three to five members engaged in two matches of a first-person shooter computer game. They completed self-report measures of cohesion and SA. Synchrony was determined through time series analysis of electrodermal responses using the driver-empath framework. ANOVA results showed that cohesion and SA improved over the two matches, and SA was better in smaller groups during the second match. Synchrony was stronger in larger groups. Granger regression indicated no causal or circular relationship between SA and cohesion. Synchrony had a small positive effect on cohesion during the first match. SA had a strong negative impact on synchrony early on and dissipated afterwards. The best performing teams during the first match were those that: were larger, were measured for SA without pausing the simulation, were less synchronized, showed more accurate SA, and reported stronger cohesion. The study opens new questions concerning the role of synchrony in volatile situations and the role of automated team members operating alongside humans.
Objective This study evaluated the causal relationships among situation awareness (SA), cohesion,... more Objective This study evaluated the causal relationships among situation awareness (SA), cohesion, and autonomic synchrony ( S E) within teams. SA is often a team effort and should be more accurate in better-functioning teams. Background Cohesive teams perform better overall, although the relationship appears reciprocal; the relationship to SA has not been considered previously. S E is a collective neurocognitive activity that has been connected to team coordination, communication, and performance in some circumstances. Method In this experiment, 71 undergraduates, organized into 16 teams, played two matches of a first-person shooter computer game and completed self-report measures of cohesion and SA. S E was determined through time series analysis of electrodermal responses using the driver-empath framework. Results Empaths and those who came from more synchronized teams reported less cohesion in the team. Granger causality regression showed reciprocal relations among SA, S E , and cohesion that were both positive and negative after controlling for match difficulty. Conclusion The cohesion-SA relationship is similar to the reciprocal cohesion-performance relationship. S E plays an important and independent role in both the social and cognitive aspects of team behavior. It is possible, furthermore, that individuals who are more attuned to their co-workers reported a more accurate, and less obliging, social situation. Application Results are applicable to situations requiring teamwork in a dynamic environment.
This study investigated the stationarity of electrodermal time series collected in situations whe... more This study investigated the stationarity of electrodermal time series collected in situations where turn taking in human interactions are involved. In this context, the stationarity of the time series is the extent to which a simple model can be used to fit the entire time series. The experiment involved seven participants in an emergency response simulation against one opponent. They generated 48 time series across six simulations, which were split and re-spliced to separate the team's turns and the opponent's turns. Significant differences in R2 coefficients were found for both linear and nonlinear statistical models between experimental conditions, but the difference only amounted to 3% of the accuracy of those models relative to the original data. It was thus concluded that the impact of turn taking on stationarity was a small effect at most. A comparison of synchronization coefficients for the team data, which rely on the collective accuracy of the individual time series models, indicated stronger synchronization during periods when the team was watching the opponent's actions compared to when they took their own turns. It was thus concluded, furthermore, that the common focus of attention prevailed against any non-stationarity that was introduced by turn taking.
Behavioral and physiological synchronization have important implications for work teams with rega... more Behavioral and physiological synchronization have important implications for work teams with regard to workload management, coordinated behavior and overall functioning. This study extended previous work on the nonlinear statistical structure of GSR series in dyads to larger teams and included subjective ratings of workload and contributions to problem solving. Eleven teams of 3 or 4 people played a series of six emergency response (ER) games against a single opponent. Seven of the groups worked under a time pressure instruction at the beginning of the first game. The other four groups were not given that instruction until the beginning of the fourth game. The optimal lag length for the teams, which appeared to be phase-locked, was substantially shorter than that obtained previously for loosely-coupled dyads. There was a complex nonlinear effect from the time pressure manipulation on the autocorrelation over time that reflected workload and fatigue dynamics that were operating. The R2 values for linear and nonlinear statistical models differed by less than .01. The average amount of influence from one ER team member to another was 4.5-4.7% of the variance in GSR readings. ER team members were classified as drivers and empaths, based on the autocorrelations and transfer influences to and from other players in the GSR time series. Empaths were rated by their peers as making more types of positive contributions to the problem solving discussions than others, and drivers received the lowest ratings. Larger Lyapunov exponents that were calculated from the GSR time series were positively correlated with individuals' ratings of subjective workload and were negatively correlated with leadership indicators. Several directions for further research are outlined.
Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, Mar 1, 2008
I critically examine confirmational holism as it pertains to the indispensability arguments for m... more I critically examine confirmational holism as it pertains to the indispensability arguments for mathematical Platonism. I employ a distinction between pure and applied mathematics that grows out of the often overlooked symbiotic relationship between mathematics and science. I argue that this distinction undercuts the notion that (pure) mathematical theories fall under the holistic scope of the confirmation of our scientific
With respect to the confirmation of mathematical propositions, proof possesses an epistemological... more With respect to the confirmation of mathematical propositions, proof possesses an epistemological authority unmatched by other means of confirmation. This paper is an investigation into why this is the case. I make use of an analysis drawn from an early reliability perspective on knowledge to help make sense of mathematical proofs singular epistemological status.
1. Introduction The indispensability argument for mathematical realism in its current form derive... more 1. Introduction The indispensability argument for mathematical realism in its current form derives from Quine ([1948], pp. 13-18; [1951], pp. 44-45; [1960], p. 121; [1978], pp. 149-50) and Putnam ([1971], pp. 345-356; [1975], pp. 72-75). A standard version of the argument is that since ...
Although accounts of evolutionary altruism which leave the question of whether altruism can evolv... more Although accounts of evolutionary altruism which leave the question of whether altruism can evolve in nature open to empirical confirmation/refutation have been worked out for special (two-trait) cases, no real effort has been made to work out such accounts for general (N-trait) cases. It is tempting to take this lack of attention as evidence for an inextricably conventional element, which precludes such accounts from being of practical scientific value. I argue that such accounts do generalize in a natural way. As is often the case in science, generalizing theoretically simplified notions is not straightforward because of issues hidden in the special case. These issues do not, however, turn out to be essentially conventional.
In this paper we explore how the naturalistic perspective in philosophy of mathematics and the si... more In this paper we explore how the naturalistic perspective in philosophy of mathematics and the situative perspective in mathematics education, while on one level are at odds, might be reconciled by paying attention to actual mathematical practice and activity. We begin by examining how each approaches mathematical knowledge, and then how mathematical practice manifest itself in these distinct research areas and gives rise to apparently contrary perspectives. Finally we argue for a deeper agreement and a reconciliation in the perspectives based on the different projects of justification and explanation in mathematics.
This paper critiques philosophical efforts to biologize race as racial projects (Omi and Winant, ... more This paper critiques philosophical efforts to biologize race as racial projects (Omi and Winant, Racial Formation in the United States). The paper argues that the deeply social phenomenon of race defies the analytic schema employed by biologizing philosophers. The very (social) act of theorizing race is already in an involuted relationship with its target concept: analyzing race must be seen as a racial project, in that it simultaneously helps to manage how race is represented in society and helps organize society’s resources along particular racial lines. Such biologizing projects are rife with moral and political dimensions and have a depoliticizing effect that has the potential to camouflage, defuse, or explain away the social‐structural reproduction of white power/privilege. The paper begins by considering two recent philosophic‐scientific biologizations of race, showing how they conform to the analytic schema, reviewing received critical points, and offering several novel ones.
Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology, and Life Sciences, Jul 1, 2021
To further the understanding of how to build or reduce synchrony in a work team, we examined two ... more To further the understanding of how to build or reduce synchrony in a work team, we examined two principles for defining the optimal condition to produce or limit synchrony: (a) the empath-driver ratio (relative strength of the stronger influencer compared to the receptive strength of any member in the group), and (b) the balance between autocorrelated autonomic arousal (degree to which members' signals are independent of other group members) and the degree of influence that transfers from each group member to other group members. In study 1, we employed a series of computational simulations designed to manipulate the four variables. The results indicated that there is a four-way balance between driver strength, empath strength, autocorrelational and transfer effects among team members. The relationship between the synchronization coefficient and the empath-driver ratio was moderated by whether the group adopted a network structure for group problem solving or command-and-control. In study 2 we analyzed autonomic arousal (electrodermal response) in four teams of five participants playing a first-person shooter computer game. The correlation between the synchronization coefficient and the empath-driver ratio was 0.280 (p < .001) based on 64 pairs of observations. The relationship was moderated by both the network structure and the statistical model that one adopted to analyze dyadic relationships within the group. The implications of these relationships for a growing theory of team synchrony are discussed.
Situation awareness (SA) is a mental state that is instrumental to performance of complex dynamic... more Situation awareness (SA) is a mental state that is instrumental to performance of complex dynamic tasks. SA within teams is thought to be supported by favorable social conditions within the team. The present study was organized in two parts: (a) causal relationships among SA, group cohesion, and autonomic synchrony, the latter being a fundamentally nonlinear process, and (b) the combined impact of the three variables on performance in a dynamic decisions task. Experimental conditions assessed changes in task difficulty, group size, and method of obtaining SA measures. Participants were 136 undergraduates organized into 32 teams of three to five members engaged in two matches of a first-person shooter computer game. They completed self-report measures of cohesion and SA. Synchrony was determined through time series analysis of electrodermal responses using the driver-empath framework. ANOVA results showed that cohesion and SA improved over the two matches, and SA was better in smaller groups during the second match. Synchrony was stronger in larger groups. Granger regression indicated no causal or circular relationship between SA and cohesion. Synchrony had a small positive effect on cohesion during the first match. SA had a strong negative impact on synchrony early on and dissipated afterwards. The best performing teams during the first match were those that: were larger, were measured for SA without pausing the simulation, were less synchronized, showed more accurate SA, and reported stronger cohesion. The study opens new questions concerning the role of synchrony in volatile situations and the role of automated team members operating alongside humans.
Objective This study evaluated the causal relationships among situation awareness (SA), cohesion,... more Objective This study evaluated the causal relationships among situation awareness (SA), cohesion, and autonomic synchrony ( S E) within teams. SA is often a team effort and should be more accurate in better-functioning teams. Background Cohesive teams perform better overall, although the relationship appears reciprocal; the relationship to SA has not been considered previously. S E is a collective neurocognitive activity that has been connected to team coordination, communication, and performance in some circumstances. Method In this experiment, 71 undergraduates, organized into 16 teams, played two matches of a first-person shooter computer game and completed self-report measures of cohesion and SA. S E was determined through time series analysis of electrodermal responses using the driver-empath framework. Results Empaths and those who came from more synchronized teams reported less cohesion in the team. Granger causality regression showed reciprocal relations among SA, S E , and cohesion that were both positive and negative after controlling for match difficulty. Conclusion The cohesion-SA relationship is similar to the reciprocal cohesion-performance relationship. S E plays an important and independent role in both the social and cognitive aspects of team behavior. It is possible, furthermore, that individuals who are more attuned to their co-workers reported a more accurate, and less obliging, social situation. Application Results are applicable to situations requiring teamwork in a dynamic environment.
This study investigated the stationarity of electrodermal time series collected in situations whe... more This study investigated the stationarity of electrodermal time series collected in situations where turn taking in human interactions are involved. In this context, the stationarity of the time series is the extent to which a simple model can be used to fit the entire time series. The experiment involved seven participants in an emergency response simulation against one opponent. They generated 48 time series across six simulations, which were split and re-spliced to separate the team's turns and the opponent's turns. Significant differences in R2 coefficients were found for both linear and nonlinear statistical models between experimental conditions, but the difference only amounted to 3% of the accuracy of those models relative to the original data. It was thus concluded that the impact of turn taking on stationarity was a small effect at most. A comparison of synchronization coefficients for the team data, which rely on the collective accuracy of the individual time series models, indicated stronger synchronization during periods when the team was watching the opponent's actions compared to when they took their own turns. It was thus concluded, furthermore, that the common focus of attention prevailed against any non-stationarity that was introduced by turn taking.
Behavioral and physiological synchronization have important implications for work teams with rega... more Behavioral and physiological synchronization have important implications for work teams with regard to workload management, coordinated behavior and overall functioning. This study extended previous work on the nonlinear statistical structure of GSR series in dyads to larger teams and included subjective ratings of workload and contributions to problem solving. Eleven teams of 3 or 4 people played a series of six emergency response (ER) games against a single opponent. Seven of the groups worked under a time pressure instruction at the beginning of the first game. The other four groups were not given that instruction until the beginning of the fourth game. The optimal lag length for the teams, which appeared to be phase-locked, was substantially shorter than that obtained previously for loosely-coupled dyads. There was a complex nonlinear effect from the time pressure manipulation on the autocorrelation over time that reflected workload and fatigue dynamics that were operating. The R2 values for linear and nonlinear statistical models differed by less than .01. The average amount of influence from one ER team member to another was 4.5-4.7% of the variance in GSR readings. ER team members were classified as drivers and empaths, based on the autocorrelations and transfer influences to and from other players in the GSR time series. Empaths were rated by their peers as making more types of positive contributions to the problem solving discussions than others, and drivers received the lowest ratings. Larger Lyapunov exponents that were calculated from the GSR time series were positively correlated with individuals' ratings of subjective workload and were negatively correlated with leadership indicators. Several directions for further research are outlined.
Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, Mar 1, 2008
I critically examine confirmational holism as it pertains to the indispensability arguments for m... more I critically examine confirmational holism as it pertains to the indispensability arguments for mathematical Platonism. I employ a distinction between pure and applied mathematics that grows out of the often overlooked symbiotic relationship between mathematics and science. I argue that this distinction undercuts the notion that (pure) mathematical theories fall under the holistic scope of the confirmation of our scientific
With respect to the confirmation of mathematical propositions, proof possesses an epistemological... more With respect to the confirmation of mathematical propositions, proof possesses an epistemological authority unmatched by other means of confirmation. This paper is an investigation into why this is the case. I make use of an analysis drawn from an early reliability perspective on knowledge to help make sense of mathematical proofs singular epistemological status.
1. Introduction The indispensability argument for mathematical realism in its current form derive... more 1. Introduction The indispensability argument for mathematical realism in its current form derives from Quine ([1948], pp. 13-18; [1951], pp. 44-45; [1960], p. 121; [1978], pp. 149-50) and Putnam ([1971], pp. 345-356; [1975], pp. 72-75). A standard version of the argument is that since ...
Although accounts of evolutionary altruism which leave the question of whether altruism can evolv... more Although accounts of evolutionary altruism which leave the question of whether altruism can evolve in nature open to empirical confirmation/refutation have been worked out for special (two-trait) cases, no real effort has been made to work out such accounts for general (N-trait) cases. It is tempting to take this lack of attention as evidence for an inextricably conventional element, which precludes such accounts from being of practical scientific value. I argue that such accounts do generalize in a natural way. As is often the case in science, generalizing theoretically simplified notions is not straightforward because of issues hidden in the special case. These issues do not, however, turn out to be essentially conventional.
In this paper we explore how the naturalistic perspective in philosophy of mathematics and the si... more In this paper we explore how the naturalistic perspective in philosophy of mathematics and the situative perspective in mathematics education, while on one level are at odds, might be reconciled by paying attention to actual mathematical practice and activity. We begin by examining how each approaches mathematical knowledge, and then how mathematical practice manifest itself in these distinct research areas and gives rise to apparently contrary perspectives. Finally we argue for a deeper agreement and a reconciliation in the perspectives based on the different projects of justification and explanation in mathematics.
This paper critiques philosophical efforts to biologize race as racial projects (Omi and Winant, ... more This paper critiques philosophical efforts to biologize race as racial projects (Omi and Winant, Racial Formation in the United States). The paper argues that the deeply social phenomenon of race defies the analytic schema employed by biologizing philosophers. The very (social) act of theorizing race is already in an involuted relationship with its target concept: analyzing race must be seen as a racial project, in that it simultaneously helps to manage how race is represented in society and helps organize society’s resources along particular racial lines. Such biologizing projects are rife with moral and political dimensions and have a depoliticizing effect that has the potential to camouflage, defuse, or explain away the social‐structural reproduction of white power/privilege. The paper begins by considering two recent philosophic‐scientific biologizations of race, showing how they conform to the analytic schema, reviewing received critical points, and offering several novel ones.
Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology, and Life Sciences, Jul 1, 2021
To further the understanding of how to build or reduce synchrony in a work team, we examined two ... more To further the understanding of how to build or reduce synchrony in a work team, we examined two principles for defining the optimal condition to produce or limit synchrony: (a) the empath-driver ratio (relative strength of the stronger influencer compared to the receptive strength of any member in the group), and (b) the balance between autocorrelated autonomic arousal (degree to which members' signals are independent of other group members) and the degree of influence that transfers from each group member to other group members. In study 1, we employed a series of computational simulations designed to manipulate the four variables. The results indicated that there is a four-way balance between driver strength, empath strength, autocorrelational and transfer effects among team members. The relationship between the synchronization coefficient and the empath-driver ratio was moderated by whether the group adopted a network structure for group problem solving or command-and-control. In study 2 we analyzed autonomic arousal (electrodermal response) in four teams of five participants playing a first-person shooter computer game. The correlation between the synchronization coefficient and the empath-driver ratio was 0.280 (p < .001) based on 64 pairs of observations. The relationship was moderated by both the network structure and the statistical model that one adopted to analyze dyadic relationships within the group. The implications of these relationships for a growing theory of team synchrony are discussed.
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