• When do generics lead to social essentialism: Developmental evidence from Iran

    stage 1Bronzeverified

    Abstract Generic descriptions (e.g., ‘girls are emotional’) are argued to play a major role in the development of essentialist reasoning about social categories. Although generics are prevalent across languages, studies exploring if and how generic language leads to essentialism have almost exclusively been conducted in English‐speaking communities and among Western samples. This is a significant limitation as scholars posit that generic language is a universal cue that signals which categories are culturally relevant. However, without research asking whether generics have similar consequences across diverse cultural and linguistic contexts, it is impossible to make a claim of universality. Here, we will fill this gap, by replicating and extending a previous U.S.‐based study assessing the effects of generic language in a sample of Persian‐speaking 6 to 9‐year‐old children ( N = 160) and adults ( N = 160) in Iran. Participants will hear generic (‘Foolies’) or specific (‘This Foolie’) statements (between subjects) that ascribe biological or cultural features to the novel social category of Foolies. We will measure the degree to which exposure to these statements leads to kindhood reasoning (i.e., offering formal explanations for category features) and essentialist reasoning in terms of inheritability. Identifying similar patterns in the Iranian sample as in prior US‐based work will support the hypothesis that generic language signals category importance and licences kindhood but does not contribute directly to reasoning about social categories as biologically inheritable. This work contributes to diversifying the field and critically informs theories of social essentialism.

    Ghazaleh Shahbazi, Hossein Samani, Tara M Mandalaywala, Khatereh Borhani, Telli Davoodi·2024·Infant and Child Development
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  • Caries Detection in Primary Teeth Using Intraoral Scanners Featuring Fluorescence: Protocol for a Diagnostic Agreement Study

    stage 1verified

    Background: Digital methods that enable early caries identification can streamline data collection in research and optimize dental examinations for young children. Intraoral scanners are devices used for creating 3D models of teeth in dentistry and are being rapidly adopted into clinical workflows. Integrating fluorescence technology into scanner hardware can support early caries detection. However, the performance of caries detection methods using 3D models featuring color and fluorescence in primary teeth is unknown. Objective: This study aims to assess the diagnostic agreement between visual examination (VE), on-screen assessment of 3D models in approximate natural colors with and without fluorescence, and application of an automated caries scoring system to the 3D models with fluorescence for caries detection in primary teeth. Methods: The study sample will be drawn from eligible participants in a randomized controlled trial at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, where a dental assessment was conducted, including VE using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) and intraoral scan using the TRIOS 4 (3Shape TRIOS A/S). Participant clinical records will be collected, and all records meeting eligibility criteria will be subject to an on-screen assessment of 3D models by 4 dental practitioners. First, all primary tooth surfaces will be examined for caries based on 3D geometry and color, using a merged ICDAS index. Second, the on-screen assessment of 3D models will include fluorescence, where caries will be classified using a merged ICDAS index that has been modified to incorporate fluorescence criteria. After 4 weeks, all examiners will repeat the on-screen assessment for all 3D models. Finally, an automated caries scoring system will be used to classify caries on primary occlusal surfaces. The agreement in the total number of caries detected per person between methods will be assessed using a Bland-Altman analysis and intraclass correlation coefficients. At a tooth surface level, agreement between methods will be estimated using multilevel models to account for the clustering of dental data. Results: Automated caries scoring of 3D models was completed as of October 2023, with the publication of results expected by July 2024. On-screen assessment has commenced, with the expected completion of scoring and data analysis by March 2024. Results will be disseminated by the end of 2024. Conclusions: The study outcomes may inform new practices that use digital models to facilitate dental assessments. Novel approaches that enable remote dental examination without compromising the accuracy of VE have wide applications in the research environment, clinical practice, and the provision of teledentistry. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12622001237774; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=384632

    Bree Jones, Stavroula Michou, Tong Chen, Margarita Moreno-Betancur, Nicky Kilpatrick, David Burgner, Christoph Vannahme, Mihiri Silva·2023·JMIR Research Protocols
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  • Testing Intuition-Based and Market-Based Forecasting: A Stage 1 Registered Report Using Financial Prediction Tasks

    stage 1verified

    This Stage 1 Registered Report proposes a preregistered replication and extension of prior exploratory work comparing an Intuition Market (IM) with a traditional Prediction Market (PM) in forecasting binary financial outcomes. Previous exploratory analyses suggested that IM performance may equal or exceed that of PM under specific conditions, particularly when predictions are expressed with moderate-to-high confidence and when both methods converge on the same outcome. However, these findings require confirmation using independent data and preregistered analyses. The present study evaluates these patterns using a new set of 30 future financial events. Primary objectives are to test whether (i) IM predictions exceed chance accuracy when confidence is ≥60%, (ii) concordant IM–PM predictions yield higher-than-chance accuracy. All hypotheses, inclusion criteria, outcome measures, and analyses are specified a priori. Primary outcomes are predictive accuracy percentages. This study aims to assess whether intuition-based forecasting provides reliable information beyond standard prediction markets, while ensuring full transparency, reproducibility, and protection against analytical flexibility.

    Patrizio Tressoldi, Riccardo Boscariol·2026·PsychArchives
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  • Do mobile phone-based reminders and conditional financial transfers improve the timeliness of childhood vaccinations in Tanzania? Study protocol for a quasi-randomized controlled trial

    stage 1verified
    preregistered

    Vaccination is a cost-effective strategy for reducing morbidity and mortality among children under 5 years old. To be fully protected from diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, and polio, children must receive all recommended vaccinations in a timely manner. In many countries, including Tanzania, high overall vaccination rates mask substantial regional variation in vaccination coverage and low rates of vaccination timeliness. This study evaluates the efficacy of mobile phone-based (mHealth) reminders and incentives for improving vaccination timeliness in the first year of life.

    Jan Ostermann, Lavanya Vasudevan, Joy Noel Baumgartner, Esther Ngadaya, Sayoki Godfrey Mfinanga·2019·Trials
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