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        <title>Frontiers in Cognition | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cognition</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Cognition | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-08-10T20:37:04.985+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1826442</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1826442</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Effects of imagery training on cognitive function among collegiate athletes: a randomized controlled trial]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yingke Li</author><author>Nurwina Anuar</author><author>Simon B. Cooper</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Cognitive functions are essential for athletic performance but are often compromised by fatigue, stress, and the combined demands of sport and academic study. Both physical exercise and motor imagery shown to influence cognition, but, their comparative acute effects remain underexplored in collegiate athletes. This study compared the effects of squat imagery, squat execution, and quiet rest on cognitive performance. Ninety-eight collegiate athletes were randomly assigned to a squat imagery group (30-min seated squat imagery; n = 36), a squat execution group (five sets of 1-min squats separated by 10-s rests; n = 32), or a control group (30-min seated rest; n = 30). Cognitive performance was assessed before and after the interventions using the Stroop, Flanker, Sternberg, and Visual Search tasks. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (group × time) was conducted, and the Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) procedure was applied to 18 primary interaction tests. Both squat imagery and execution improved cognitive performance, particularly inhibitory control and working memory. Significant group × time interactions were found for Stroop response time (simple and complex) and Sternberg response time (one- and three-item conditions; all p < 0.01, partial η2 = 0.10–0.14). Follow-up analyses showed these improvements were primarily driven by the squat imagery group. Compared with squat execution, squat imagery produced greater reductions in response time for the Stroop simple and Sternberg three-item conditions, while improvements in the Stroop complex and Sternberg one-item conditions were comparable. Squat imagery also produced greater improvements in Visual Search congruent response time than both squat execution and control. A significant group × time interaction was observed for Visual Search incongruent accuracy (p < 0.05, partial η2 = 0.08–0.14), reflecting reduced accuracy following squat execution, whereas performance remained stable in the squat imagery and control groups. Although Flanker incongruent accuracy initially showed a significant interaction (p = 0.032, partial η2 = 0.07), this effect did not survive FDR correction (pFDR = 0.082). These findings demonstrate that acute squat imaging enhances inhibitory control and working memory without the drawbacks of physical activity. Squat visualization serves as a low-intensity, pragmatic cognitive improvement for collegiate athletes.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1868072</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1868072</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Disrupting emotional memory: PASER as a potential reconsolidation-based intervention in stressful experiences]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Jonathan Emanuel Petrone</author><author>Lucía Daniela Romero</author><author>Antonella Oliva Montaudo</author><author>Lorna A. Evans</author><author>Diego Raúl Piñeyro</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionStressful experiences may generate persistent emotional distress that could interfere with daily life. Early intervention is key to reducing those emotional disturbances and potentially preventing the development of more severe pyschopathology. The present research consists of two studies that evaluate the effects of the PASER technique on levels of emotional disturbance.MethodologyIn study 1, a quasi-experimental repeated-measures within-group design was used, with four assessments conducted through the APEEM inventory in relation to a non-pathological stressful situation selected by each participant. The first three measurements were mediated solely by brief imaginal exposure (inherent to the APEEM instrument) in order to control for the cumulative effects of exposure and habituation over time. Following each of these assessments, a 15-min distractor task was administered. The fourth measurement was conducted after the group application of the PASER technique. In study 2, an experimental design was conducted, assessing the effects of the variables “measurement time point” (baseline and post-test), “sex” and “intervention condition” (control vs. PASER).ResultsThe results showed a progressive reduction in emotional disturbance as time progressed in both studies. Participants receiving PASER exhibited a significantly greater reduction in emotional disturbance than those in the control condition. These findings support the effectiveness of PASER in reducing emotional disturbance beyond the effects attributable to repeated exposure and the passage of time.ConclusionsThese results suggest that PASER produces an effect greater than simple exposure-based desensitization, potentially promoting memory reconsolidation processes. Longitudinal studies are recommended to confirm the stability of these effects.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1871042</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1871042</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Separating early and intermediate vision EEG signatures of facial emotion recognition in a fast divided attention task to eye and mouth features]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-05T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Diana Costa</author><author>Camila Dias</author><author>Teresa Sousa</author><author>João Estiveira</author><author>João Castelhano</author><author>Verónica Figueiredo</author><author>Andreia Pereira</author><author>Miguel Castelo-Branco</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionFace emotion recognition is a core component of social cognition. The N170 event-related potential (ERP) is a well-known neural marker of face perception. However, the sensitivity of the N170 and other early and intermediate ERP components, such as the P100 and P250, to the emotional content of facial expressions remains debated, possibly due to the influence of attentional mechanisms. We investigated whether early facial emotion perception can be tracked by modulation of these EEG signatures when participants are required to selectively process both eye gaze and mouth emotional cues within a very short time frame.MethodsEEG data were recorded while 20 participants performed an emotion recognition task involving neutral, happy, and sad facial expressions. The task required the integration of gaze and expression cues within a brief 350-ms presentation, ensuring focused attentional deployment. We tested three hypotheses: (1) the P100 does not encode emotional expressions despite being modulated by attention; (2) the N170 is sensitive to emotional facial expressions; and (3) the P250 reflects higher-level emotional processing.ResultsThe P100 was not sensitive to facial emotional content. In contrast, both the amplitude and latency of the N170 were modulated by emotional expression, with larger amplitudes for happy compared with neutral and sad expressions, and longer latencies for happy and sad than for neutral faces. The P250 was also modulated by emotion, with sad faces eliciting lower amplitudes than happy and neutral faces.DiscussionThese findings indicate that the P100 does not encode emotional face recognition when selective attention is controlled for. In contrast, emotional facial expressions elicit distinct N170 and P250 responses, supporting the involvement of early and intermediate neural systems in emotional face processing.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1827978</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1827978</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Dyadic interaction enhances sensitivity and shifts decision criterion in a change detection task]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-03T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Tatsuru Kawachi</author><author>Yousuke Kawachi</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionCan two-person decision-making change performance in detecting a change in the scene? Observers sometimes fail to detect visual changes that occur during a coincident visual transient or other disruption, a phenomenon known as change blindness. Although change blindness has been extensively studied, relatively little is known about whether collaborative decision-making can reduce such failures. Research on collective decision-making suggests that dyads make more accurate judgments than individuals, and recent findings show that they also adopt a more liberal decision criterion. This study examined whether dyads exhibit differences in sensitivity and decision criteria in a change detection task.MethodsParticipants in a dyad judged individually and collectively whether the pair of flickering images contained a change. We also conducted a follow-up independent repeated decision-making experiment, in which individuals responded twice with a period of time between two judgments, to confirm whether the second judgment without social input differed from the first judgment.ResultsResults from the dyadic decision-making experiment showed that dyads demonstrated enhanced sensitivity to detect changes and were more likely to respond “change present” than better individuals, suggesting the dyadic decisions were not simply based on the judgment of the more sensitive member. Results from the follow-up experiment supported the effect of dyadic decision-making by indicating no difference in sensitivity and decision criterion between first and second judgments.DiscussionThese findings suggest that dyadic decision-making may help reduce the failure of change detection by improving sensitivity and shifting the decision criterion to minimize missed detections.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1880462</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1880462</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Post-traumatic amnesia is associated with increased arousal and reactivity symptoms following acquired brain injury]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Alessia Quinzi</author><author>Valentina Bandiera</author><author>Gaia Galluzzi</author><author>Alessandro von Gal</author><author>Maria De Luca</author><author>Nicoletta Fallarino</author><author>Paola Ciurli</author><author>Dolores Villalobos</author><author>Benedetta Ferrazza</author><author>Virginia Sordi</author><author>Elisa Berardi</author><author>Rita Formisano</author><author>Cecilia Guariglia</author><author>Umberto Bivona</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundPost-traumatic amnesia is a common consequence of acquired brain injury and is characterized by impaired autobiographical memory for the traumatic event. For this reason, post-traumatic amnesia has traditionally been considered to reduce the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder, particularly symptoms based on explicit recollection of the trauma. However, post-traumatic stress symptoms may also emerge in the absence of conscious memory of the event.ObjectivesTo examine whether post-traumatic amnesia is associated with different patterns of post-traumatic stress symptoms following acquired brain injury.MethodsFifty-six patients with acquired brain injury were divided into two groups: patients with post-traumatic amnesia (n = 31) and patients without post-traumatic amnesia (n = 25). Post-traumatic stress symptoms were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Clinician Version. Functional disability and self-awareness were also evaluated.ResultsPost-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses were rare in both groups. However, patients with post-traumatic amnesia showed significantly higher arousal/reactivity symptoms than patients without post-traumatic amnesia, whereas no significant group differences emerged with regard to the dimension of intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood, or general anxiety levels. Time since injury was positively associated with arousal symptoms in both groups. Functional disability predicted arousal only in patients without post-traumatic amnesia, while impaired self-awareness was negatively associated with arousal in the overall sample.ConclusionThe present findings challenge the traditional “amnesia-protection” hypothesis and support a more nuanced understanding of post-traumatic stress symptoms following acquired brain injury. Trauma-related emotional responses may persist despite impaired autobiographical memory for the traumatic event, highlighting the need for multidimensional approaches to the assessment of post-traumatic stress symptoms in this population.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1842241</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1842241</link>
        <title><![CDATA[An adjustable wave model for attention restoration]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Hypothesis and Theory</category>
        <author>Richard J. Jagacinski</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Attention Restoration Theory has provided a framework for investigating how experiencing natural scenes can be especially helpful in overcoming attentional fatigue. If the structure of attention were better understood, it might facilitate experimental investigations of this theory and possibly expand its domain. The present paper reviews experiments that demonstrate that sustained focal attention is characterized by 3–8 Hz. oscillations that are interpreted as temporally sampling the environment. A traveling wave model is proposed as a generalization of this finding for distributed attention in which there is sampling of the environment over both time and space. Temporal and spatial sampling frequencies are assumed to be adjustable together from low to high. This model provides a frequency based interpretation of Attention Restoration Theory. Low frequency attention waves can occur in expansive natural environments with slow temporal rhythms and fractal structure and are restorative. In contrast, high frequency attention waves can occur in modern technological environments with high event rates and are fatiguing. This model of distributed attention will be helpful in researching attention restoration in relation to the spatio-temporal frequency content of natural and constructed environments. Attention restoration is discussed in the context of monitoring and vehicular control tasks, attentional aspects of religious practice, and music.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1824836</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1824836</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Age and generational differences in anthropomorphism and trust in large language models]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-20T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Michelle Cohn</author><author>Mahima Pushkarna</author><author>Mark Díaz</author><author>Joscelin Cooper</author><author>Gbolahan O. Olanubi</author><author>Joseph M. Moran</author><author>Zion Mengesha</author><author>Courtney Heldreth</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionAs large language models (LLMs) increasingly mediate everyday information seeking, a fundamental question emerges: do people conceptualize these systems as social agents, and does this tendency vary by age?MethodsWe investigated how individuals anthropomorphize and trust a pseudo-LLM, examining English-speaking adults from the United States (n = 1,485) across four generations: Gen Z (age 18–26), Millennials (age 27–42), Gen X (age 43–57), and Baby Boomers (age 58–77). We experimentally manipulated anthropomorphic cues (text versus text+speech; first-person “I” versus third-person “the system” framing).ResultsAge and generational differences were observed: Gen Z (the youngest age group) showed consistently lower anthropomorphism, reduced trust ratings of the system, and lower ratings of accuracy for responses generated by the LLM. Anthropomorphic voice cues increased perceived human-likeness and accuracy uniformly across age groups. Qualitative analyses further revealed age and generational differences in how participants conceptualized the system.DiscussionTogether, these findings suggest that age and generational differences shape how people attribute mind and agency to artificial systems.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1790789</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1790789</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Beyond symbolic algebra with quantum picturalism]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Selma Dündar-Coecke</author><author>Lia Yeh</author><author>Emmanuel Pothos</author><author>Muhammad Hamza Waseem</author><author>Bob Coecke</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The more advanced the symbolic mathematics, the more impenetrable the meaning. This is particularly evident in quantum theory, where symbolic formalisms foreground states and objects. An alternative diagrammatic approach, Quantum Picturalism (QPic), privileges structure, relation, and transformation. As a category theoretic formalism, it supports reasoning through the composition of visually represented quantum processes, a distinction that not only concerns representation but also shapes how quantum phenomena are conceptualized, opening new educational possibilities and ways of knowing. The choice of formalism—algebraic or diagrammatic—is not neutral, but embodies underlying ontological commitments that shape which structural features of quantum phenomena—such as states vs. relations; objects vs. transformations—are made accessible. This paper examines the epistemological, cognitive, and educational significance of non-symbolic thought in mathematics, and in quantum mechanics in particular, using QPic as a guiding example. We raise a central question: can quantum processes be represented in ways that align more naturally with human cognition? What is new here is showing how the epistemological and cognitive aspects of non-symbolic formalism are brought into pedagogical practice. Such paradigm largely benefits from the language of thought hypothesis alongside theories of embodied cognition, dual coding, and conceptual metaphor theory to articulate a holistic framework in which multiple, interacting conceptual systems underpin understanding. Drawing on historical precedents—from Euclidean geometry to Leibniz's universal calculus of thought—we contend that human intuition works more naturally within relational and visual frameworks, particularly those that help complex ideas to be seen and manipulated as structured wholes. The broader impact of this paradigm lies in democratizing access to quantum innovation and rethinking what it means to understand the quantum world, offering an inclusive entry point into it.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1815906</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1815906</link>
        <title><![CDATA[When less is more: single selfhood-related cues elicit higher selfhood ratings than multiple cues]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jan Pohl</author><author>Kristina Nikolovska</author><author>Francesco Maurelli</author><author>Arvid Kappas</author><author>Bernhard Hommel</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionIn everyday social cognition, people reliably tend to anthropomorphize non-human agents or ascribe to them features associated with selfhood. In prior research, we showed that individuals often (over-)generalize from a single behavioral indicator of selfhood, such as learning ability or attentional sharing, to the assumption that other, unobserved indicators of selfhood are also present. This suggests that even minimal cues may be sufficient to activate a broader selfhood concept and its associated implications.MethodHere, we tested the prediction that single selfhood cues are as effective as multiple selfhood cues in eliciting selfhood- attributions to an artificial agent. In three experiments, we compared selfhood ratings for a robot exhibiting behavioral cues of efficiency, learning sensitivity, and equifinality with ratings for a robot exhibiting only one of these cues.ResultsContrary to our expectations, participants did not attribute the same degree of selfhood to both robots. They attributed more selfhood to the single-cue robot in Experiments 1 (single efficiency cue) and 3 (single equifinality cue), whereas in Experiment 2 (single learning cue), the multiple-cue robot received higher ratings on the manipulated characteristics as well as on context sensitivity (results for selfhood-attribution were negligible).DiscussionIn sum, we conclude that a single selfhood cue tends to elicit stronger selfhood-attributions overall than multiple cues. We discuss this finding in relation to the literature on cognitive bootstrapping (i.e., developing new and complex knowledge from a limited starting set), concluding that consistently applying a single skill to an apparent problem may reflect more human-like behavior.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1839153</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1839153</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A standardized non-linear approach to studying menstrual cycle effects on brain and behavior]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-23T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Methods</category>
        <author>Mateja Perović</author><author>Michael L. Mack</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Menstrual cycles are major biological events with extensive effects on the brain and cognition, experienced by half of the human population. To develop a comprehensive account of human cognition, it is necessary to successfully integrate and characterize menstrual cycle effects in cognitive science research. However, current approaches to menstrual cycle analysis suffer from low data resolution and are not well-equipped to capture the highly variable, non-linear changes in outcomes of interest across the cycle. We present a validated standardized method remedying these issues, demonstrate its utility using hormonal, behavioral, and neuroimaging data, and provide an open-source toolkit to facilitate its use.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1826820</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1826820</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Incorporation of a dual-task cognitive exercise during unsupported seated balance in collegiate para athletes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ryan N. Moran</author><author>Alexandra C. Curry</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionBalance remains a critical element in the evaluation and management of sports injury, with recent recommendations to integrate dual-task cognitive exercises into balancing to further challenge the body's vestibular and somatosensory systems. Dual-task balancing has yet to be examined in a sample of para-athletes. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a dual-task cognitive exercise on unsupported, seated balance in a sample of healthy, collegiate para-athletes. A secondary objective was to investigate the role of sex, concussion history, and functional classification.MethodsA total of 52 participants completed a seated balance battery, with their eyes open and closed, on a stable and unstable surface, under both single and dual-task conditions. Measures consisted of human-scored biomechanical errors of coming out of the seated positions.ResultsBetween 90 and 94% of participants committed 0 errors during stable and unstable single-task, along with stable dual-task, while only 86.5% had 0 errors for unstable, dual-task balancing. No sex differences were observed during single and dual-task balancing. Concussion history and functional classification did not affect performance.DiscussionThe lack of differences between single and dual-task indicates that dual-task cognitive exercises or human-scored errors may not appropriately affect and assess upright seated balance and may require more dynamic tasks to further challenge balance and postural stability.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1814611</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1814611</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Preliminary evidence that remembering together can help younger adults recall the positive]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Marie C. Diagne</author><author>Leonard Faul</author><author>Suparna Rajaram</author><author>Elizabeth A. Kensinger</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Emotional information is often more likely to be recalled than neutral information. Among emotional information, there can also be valence biases in memory, with negative content remembered better than positive content or vice-versa. With regard to whether collaborating with others enhances negative memory biases or positive ones, findings in young adults are mixed. Moreover, little is known about how collaboration affects valence biases in older adults' memories, even though it is well documented that older adults often show positive memory biases on individual recall tasks. The present study examined the effect of collaborative retrieval on young and older adults' valence memory biases, by assigning young and older adults to individual-recall or collaborative-recall conditions prior to completing an individual recall task. In the collaborative recall condition, groups were composed of same age-group partners, all young adults or all older adults. Importantly, the recall tasks gave participants three category labels to recall at once, to cue memories in a manner that encouraged the intermixing of differently valenced content. Collaborative retrieval enhanced young adults' memories for all valences, but enhanced memory for positive valence to the greatest extent, resulting in a strong positive memory bias after collaboration. Older adults showed a positive memory bias regardless of whether or not they collaborated. These results emphasize that the positive memory biases typically seen in older adults can be elicited in young adults, if they collaborate with one another.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1838176</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1838176</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Does retrieval practice protect memories against the amnesic effects of stress? An evaluation of the role of stimulus difficulty]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Cadu Klier</author><author>Luciano Grüdtner Buratto</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionPrevious research suggests that the protective effect of retrieval practice against acute stress may be modulated by item difficulty, with difficult items showing distinct vulnerability patterns compared to easy items. The present study aimed to replicate and extend these findings by strictly controlling for initial memory strength—a potential confound in prior work.MethodsUsing a 2 (Stress: Control vs. Stress) × 3 (Difficulty: E4, D4, D8) mixed factorial design, 56 male participants encoded 48 Swahili-Portuguese word pairs via retrieval practice. Items were manipulated by memorability and practice dosage to equalize initial strength between Easy (E4) and Difficult-Extended (D8) conditions. Forty-eight hours after encoding, participants underwent the modified Socially-Evaluated Cold Pressor Test (SECPT) or a control procedure before a final cued-recall test.ResultsAlthough the stress manipulation successfully elevated salivary cortisol and autonomic measures, the previously observed Stress × Difficulty interaction was not replicated. Results indicated a main effect of Difficulty, but stress did not impair retrieval performance across conditions. Notably, difficult items subjected to extended practice (D8) achieved recall rates comparable to easy items (E4), and both were unaffected by stress.DiscussionThese findings suggest that when memory traces are strengthened via repeated retrieval practice, they may become resistant to the deleterious effects of acute stress, regardless of intrinsic item difficulty.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1810330</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1810330</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Coordination dynamics in singing with human and artificial partners: the role of visual information]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-15T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Rina Nishiyama</author><author>Tetsushi Nonaka</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThis study examined whether coordination dynamics in singing differ when a person sings along with a human partner vs. an artificial partner generated by voice synthesis software (VOCALOID 6). We further investigated how the presence or absence of visual information shapes these coordination patterns.MethodsThirteen female participants sang a chorus excerpt of Silent Night in unison with a partner heard through earphones. The task crossed two partner types (a human singer and an artificial VOCALOID 6 singer) with two visual conditions (with and without partner video). Artificial-partner videos were created using an AI video platform (Hedra Character 3) that combined the artificial partner's synthesized voice with a still image of the human partner. Coordination was assessed through cross-correlation and Granger causality analyses of vocal amplitude envelopes, evaluated using linear mixed-effects models.ResultsSinging with a human partner elicited stronger anticipatory synchronization and greater similarity in amplitude envelopes than singing with an artificial partner. With the human partner, participants tended to sing slightly ahead of their partner, indicative of anticipatory coordination. Notably, this tendency was further strengthened when visual information was available.DiscussionThese findings indicate that the temporal variability of the human singing voice, together with the fine-grained bodily movements characteristic of naturalistic vocal production, provides perceptual information that supports anticipation and synchronization in joint singing.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1783852</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1783852</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Quality over quantity: joint group dance strengthens schoolchildren's social connections and wellbeing]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Bahar Tunçgenç</author><author>Chloe Wider</author><author>Katie Spreadborough</author><author>Kaleab A. Kinfu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundChildren are experiencing high levels of loneliness and mental health problems around the globe, with those from underserved communities being affected disproportionately. Group dance programmes, which facilitate social connections and wellbeing, can buffer against loneliness. However, we know little about the mechanisms behind the effectiveness of these programmes and their long-term and group-level effects. This study examined whether it is mere engagement in group dance or better individual dance performance that fosters social connections and wellbeing.MethodsA pre-post design was used to assess the social connection and wellbeing effects of a 10-week-long group dance programme in schoolchildren (N = 25) from a low-income background. Social connection was measured at peer-to-peer and whole-class network levels. Dance performance was measured using state-of-the-art motion tracking techniques. Wellbeing was measured using the well-established KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaire.ResultsLinear mixed effects models and Social Network Analysis were conducted to examine change over time. Participation in group dance, but not dance performance, was associated with significant increases in reciprocal friendships and reciprocal best friends. Wellbeing improved over time, and an increase in friendship quality (i.e., reciprocal friendships), but not just quantity (i.e., social network size), predicted improvements in wellbeing.ConclusionsJoint group dance in a school setting can enhance wellbeing at individual-level and strengthen friendship quality at peer-level and whole-class level. These positive changes are observed regardless of individuals' performance, indicating that the joint nature of group dance can be sufficient to elicit social and wellbeing benefits.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1786256</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1786256</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Humanlikeness as design, anthropomorphism as inference: a conceptual framework for human–robot interaction]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-03T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Elizabeth K. Phillips</author><author>Ewart J. de Visser</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Humanlike robots are increasingly deployed in public and private settings, yet research and design efforts are hindered by persistent conceptual conflation between robots' humanlikeness and individuals' anthropomorphism, as well as by a hyperfocus on appearance-based definitions. This paper distinguishes humanlikeness as a multidimensional design property–the extent to which the design of an agent intentionally mimics human characteristics, traits, processes, or behaviors—from anthropomorphism as a psychological attribution process in which people ascribe human properties to non-human agents. We argue that treating these constructs as analytically distinct, while recognizing their reciprocal and dynamic interaction over time, enables more precise theorizing, clearer operationalization, and more actionable design guidance. To support cumulative interdisciplinary work, we situate both constructs within an integrated framework that organizes adjacent constructs (e.g., humanness, machinelikeness, animism, personification, and dehumanization) and provide curated measurement resources to facilitate principled study design and evaluation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1878705</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1878705</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Correction: Attentional capture effects are modulated by the number of concurrently maintained search goals]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Correction</category>
        <author>Katherine Sledge Moore</author><author>Ariel M. Kershner</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1857956</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1857956</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Nature nurtures our wellbeing: primary emotions and attachment mediate our psychological adjustment via connectedness to nature]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Amadeu Quelhas Martins</author><author>Júlia Fonte</author><author>Nuno Torres</author><author>Paulo Ferrajão</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionResearch suggests that the psychological benefits of natural environments are not uniformly experienced, with individual differences in nature connectedness potentially shaped by temperament traits and attachment patterns moderating their impact on psychological wellbeing. Drawing on Affective Neuroscience theory, which conceptualizes basic human motivational tendencies as primary emotional systems (CARE, SEEKING, PLAY, FEAR, ANGER, PANIC), we examined whether these systems are linked to anxiety and depression symptoms through attachment patterns and nature connectedness.MethodsA non-clinical sample of 592 Portuguese adults, aged 18 or older, completed self-report measures of primary emotional systems, attachment, nature connectedness, and psychological symptoms. A multiple step mediation was tested through Structural Equation Modeling, employing bootstrapped confidence intervals to test for indirect effects.ResultsFour association pathways emerged from the data, namely (1) a Biophilic Connection path, in which positive emotional systems were associated with lower anxiety and depression via greater connectedness to nature; (2) an Attachment to Nature path, whereby secure attachment tendencies supported wellbeing through enhanced nature connectedness; (3) an Anger-Nature Disconnection path, in which anger-related tendencies were linked to poorer outcomes through reduced connection to nature; and (4) a Fear-Nature Disconnection path, whereby fear-related emotions and attachment insecurity contributed to worse mental health via diminished nature connectedness.DiscussionOur findings highlight distinct emotional and relational trajectories through which connectedness to nature may influence psychological wellbeing, offering an integrative framework for understanding individual variability in nature's psychological benefits.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1806052</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1806052</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Psychophysiological effects of low-frequency sound mediated by room size, room shape, and stimulus duration]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-20T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Paul Oomen</author><author>Rona Geffen</author><author>Daniela Gentile</author><author>Nour Atassi</author><author>Bashar Farran</author><author>Christoph Braun</author><author>Veronica Cuevas Villanueva</author><author>Luka Nadiradze</author><author>Máté Csanád</author><author>Amira Val Baker</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Music and sounds elicit a wide range of emotions and activate numerous psychological and physiological effects associated with the functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and involved in the maintenance of homeostasis. As such, sound interventions can play an important role in supporting human wellbeing and improve outcomes in medical patients. Psychophysiological responses are dependent on the stimulus type, frequency, duration, and spatial conditions of the acoustic environment. To arrive at a more articulate understanding of these dependencies, the effects of singing bowl sounds at 40 Hz, 73 Hz, and 110 Hz were investigated by monitoring physiological, behavioral and emotional responses in healthy adult subjects (n = 59). Singing bowl sounds were spatially projected in three virtual room sizes (small, medium, large) and eight virtual room shapes (pyramid, tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, icosahedron, cuboctahedron, and sphere). Overall, exposure to low-frequency singing bowl sounds resulted in a significant increase in positive emotions and a significant decrease in negative emotions across all conditions. Contrary to other studies, we found no discrete effects related to the stimulus type or frequency. Significant differences in electroencephalography (EEG), heart rate variability (HRV) and electromyography (EMG) were consistently dependent on a combination of stimulus frequency and spatial condition, i.e. the resonance of a sound in a room with a particular size and shape. Significant differences in localized EEG power were strongly correlated to localized amplitude deviations of sound waves, while the phase shift of sound wave frequency was predictive of EEG frequency. Significant differences in HR and EMG were strongly correlated to the mean, variability and standard deviation of phase distortions of sound waves. Discrete effects of room shape were observed in galvanic skin response (GSR). Arousal was significantly decreased in a cube and cubeoctahedron, regardless of the frequency. Discrete effects of stimulus duration were observed in GSR and EMG. Arousal was significantly increased during the first 15 min of exposure and significantly decreased until 40 min, regardless of the frequency and spatial condition. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research and therapeutic practices.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1727422</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2026.1727422</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Beyond the left-right brain divide: a framework for dual-domain cognitive fluency]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Hypothesis and Theory</category>
        <author>Don A. Affognon</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Longstanding distinctions between “verbal” and “mathematical” minds continue to shape educational assessment, curriculum design, and how learners are categorized by perceived cognitive strengths. Yet plenty of evidence from psychology and cognitive neuroscience points to a more unified model of intelligence that refutes the false dichotomy. In this article, I propose dual-domain cognitive fluency (DDCF) as a way to describe how the human mind can move fluidly between words and numbers and derive meaning from both. Building on research in symbolic cognition, executive function, and cognitive flexibility, this article identifies three dimensions: symbolic translation between modalities, cognitive flexibility across task demands, and layered reasoning, which integrates propositional logic with linguistic abstraction. DDCF captures the symbolic agility now required in knowledge-based environments where the integration of representational systems matters more than isolated domain expertise. Examples range from data storytelling in journalism to algebraic modeling in the social sciences—contexts in which verbal and quantitative reasoning operate in tandem. These insights matter for pedagogy, curriculum design, and the evolving demands of data-intensive workplaces. Far from a niche ability, dual-domain fluency reflects a generalizable cognitive capacity that existing models of intelligence have struggled to measure, reward, or systematically support.]]></description>
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