Rolf Degen summarizing... Long after memories have been consolidated, the hippocampus acts as a librarian in the brain, picking up the traces of the past from their storage places

Inquiring the librarian about the location of memory. Gabriel Berdugo-Vega &Johannes Graeff. Cognitive Neuroscience, May 26 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/17588928.2022.2076075

Abstract: Where memories are stored in the brain is an age-old question in psychology and neuroscience alike. In particular, whether hippocampus-encoded memories are transferred to the cortex or remain hippocampus-dependent over time has not been definitely answered. New evidence from fMRI studies in humans suggest that while hippocampo-cortical connections lose weight during declarative memory consolidation, the hippocampus – alongside corticocortical connections – stays equally engaged between recent and remote memory recall. These findings lend experimental support for the indexing theory of memory consolidation, which postulates the hippocampus to act as a librarian to retrieve the cortical books of memory.

Keywords: MemoryConsolidationIndexingfMRIHippocampus

Common pathway models support strong heritability for the five moral foundations

Testing heritability of moral foundations: Common pathway models support strong heritability for the five moral foundations. Michael Zakharin, Timothy C Bates. European Journal of Personality, May 26, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1177/08902070221103957

Abstract: Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) predicts that moral behaviour reflects at least five foundational traits, each hypothesised to be heritable. Here, we report two independent twin studies (total n = 2020), using multivariate multi-group common pathway models to test the following three predictions from the MFT: (1) The moral foundations will show significant heritability; (2) The moral foundations will each be genetically distinct and (3) The clustering of moral concerns around individualising and binding domains will show significant heritability. Supporting predictions 1 and 3, Study 1 showed evidence for significant heritability of two broad moral factors corresponding to individualising and binding domains. In Study 2, we added the second dataset, testing replication of the Study 1 model in a joint approach. This further corroborated evidence for heritable influence, showed strong influences on the individualising and binding domains (h2 = 49% and 66%, respectively) and, partially supporting prediction 2, showed foundation-specific, heritable influences on Harm/Care, Fairness/Reciprocity and Purity/Sanctity foundations. A general morality factor was required, also showing substantial genetic effects (40%). These findings indicate that moral foundations have significant genetic bases. These influenced the individual foundations themselves as well as a general concern for the individual, for the group, and overall moral concern.

Keywords: morality, moral foundations, Haidt, twin study, heritability

Does Muting Notifications Reduce Phone Use? Data suggest that users tend to pick up their phones and check for messages more often when it is in silent mode than when it is on audio-alert or vibrate modes.

Sound of silence: Does Muting Notifications Reduce Phone Use? Mengqi Liao, S. Shyam Sundar. Computers in Human Behavior, May 26 2022, 107338, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107338

Highlights

• Silencing mobile phones (no sound or vibrations) predicts more mobile phone use and phone-checking behaviors in general.

• Users with high FoMO will use their mobile phone significantly more when it is in silent mode.

• Users with higher NtB will use their mobile phone significantly more when it is muted.

Abstract: Smartphone users often feel disturbed by the constant rings and buzzes coming from their phones. As a solution, many try to silence notifications to avoid distractions. But, will silencing notifications help users feel less distracted or more preoccupied with what they will be missing out? To answer this question, we drew upon the Uses & Gratifications (U&G) approach in the field of communication and conducted a study of objective behavioral data collected from the Screen Time tool of 138 iPhone users. Data suggest that users tend to pick up their phones and check for messages more often when it is in silent mode than when it is on audio-alert or vibrate modes. This tendency is especially true for individuals who have high Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and Need to Belong (NtB). Silencing notifications for them appears to be more, rather than less, psychologically distressing. Our findings offer new insights into understanding the relationship between notifications and mobile phone usage, especially how the sound and vibration cues of notifications assuage users’ uncertainty and fulfil their informational, social and environmental surveillance gratifications. Results also suggest that many current solutions for mobile phone overuse, like the “Do not disturb” function, may be counter-productive.

Keywords: Fear of missing outMobile phone useNeed to belongNotificationsScreen time