Percorrer por autor "Rosa, Pedro J."

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    Exploring Hypersexuality Pathways From Eye Movements : The Role of (Sexual) Impulsivity
    (Oxford University Press, 2021-09) Carvalho, Joana; Rosa, Pedro J.; Štulhofer, Aleksandar; HEI-LAB - Human Environment Interaction Lab
    Background: Impulsivity is regarded as a key factor underpinning hypersexuality like-conditions. However, impulsivity is a multifaceted construct, and existing research has not been capturing such complexity, which includes the effects of domain-general and domain-specific impulsivity in hypersexuality. Aim: The aim of this study was to test the predictive role of specific impulsivity domains, ie, domain-general and domain-specific, in hypersexuality and its associated consequences. Methods: Fifty-five men and 58 women went through an emotional Go/-no-Go task (including sexual, high-valence positive, and neutral pictures), aimed at capturing domain-general and domain-specific impulsivity. Ocular metrics were further considered in order to increase the validity of the experimental task, and provide a metric of attention capturing. The study was carried out in a community sample. Outcomes: Self-reported (general)impulsivity and commission errors toward high-valence positive and sexual pictures (signaling domain-general and domain-specific impulsivity, respectively) were settled as independent variables, along with Time to First Fixation to stimuli, capturing early/uncontrolled attention. Scores on hypersexuality and negative consequences emerging from hypersexual behavior were settled as outcome variables. Results: Self-reported (general)impulsivity was the only predictor of hypersexuality scores, while negative consequences were best accounted by higher fixation time to sexual pictures. In all, findings did not support the role of domain-specific impulsivity (ie, sexual impulsivity) in hypersexuality. Clinical Translation: Findings tentatively suggest that hypersexuality, as captured at the community level, may be best positioned within the general spectrum of psychopathology, thus influencing educational and clinical intervention protocols aimed at addressing hypersexuality related complaints. Protocols would be expected to primarily target general psychopathology phenomena, rather than specific sexual aspects. Strengths & Limitations: This study implemented an innovative approach to capture different impulsivity domains, thus adding to previous literature in the field. However, the current study precludes the generalization of findings to clinical samples, where psychological comorbidities are expected to impact results. Further, findings must be read with caution given to limited effect sizes. Conclusion: While hypersexuality was related to self-reported (general) impulsivity, findings on the negative consequences associated with hypersexual behavior mirrored response patterns found in depression. Such evidence aligns with the assumption that hypersexuality related phenomena might be better positioned in the psychopathology domain, rather than simply framed as a specific sexual problem. Carvalho J, Rosa PJ, Štulhofer A. Exploring Hypersexuality Pathways From Eye Movements: The Role of (Sexual) Impulsivity. J Sex Med 2021;18:1607–1614.
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    Is pupil activity associated with the strength of memory signal for words in a continuous recognition memory paradigm?
    (Frontiers Media SA, 2021-11-23) Oliveira, Jorge; Fernandes, Marta; Rosa, Pedro J.; Gamito, Pedro; HEI-LAB - Human Environment Interaction Lab
    Research on pupillometry provides an increasing evidence for associations between pupil activity and memory processing. The most consistent finding is related to an increase in pupil size for old items compared with novel items, suggesting that pupil activity is associated with the strength of memory signal. However, the time course of these changes is not completely known, specifically, when items are presented in a running recognition task maximizing interference by requiring the recognition of the most recent items from a sequence of old/new items. The sample comprised 42 healthy participants who performed a visual word recognition task under varying conditions of retention interval. Recognition responses were evaluated using behavioral variables for discrimination accuracy, reaction time, and confidence in recognition decisions. Pupil activity was recorded continuously during the entire experiment. The results suggest a decrease in recognition performance with increasing study-test retention interval. Pupil size decreased across retention intervals, while pupil old/new effects were found only for words recognized at the shortest retention interval. Pupillary responses consisted of a pronounced early pupil constriction at retrieval under longer study-test lags corresponding to weaker memory signals. However, the pupil size was also sensitive to the subjective feeling of familiarity as shown by pupil dilation to false alarms (new items judged as old). These results suggest that the pupil size is related not only to the strength of memory signal but also to subjective familiarity decisions in a continuous recognition memory paradigm.
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    Ocular fixations modulate audiovisual semantic congruency when standing in an upright position
    (Konrad Lorenz Editores, 2021-06-02) Rodríguez-Martínez, Guillermo; Castillo-Parra, Henry; Rosa, Pedro J.; Marroquín-Ciendúa, Fernando; HEI-LAB - Human Environment Interaction Lab
    Introduction: Multisensory audiovisual semantic congruency is the process by which visual information is perceived as integrated to auditory stimuli, because both coincide in terms of simultaneity and semantic correspondence. This study was aimed at establishing whether visual percepts, which semantically correspond to auditory stimuli, are associated with ocular fixations in modulating bottom-up areas while keeping a body posture alignment between the up-direction and the idiotropic axes, as well as in another orientation corresponding to a vectorial opposition between the up-direction and the head idiotropic axis. Method: Two groups (one for each position) were selected from a sample of 88 people. A bistable image was presented on a screen of a fixed 120 Hz eye-tracker device, providing background auditory stimuli so as to establish semantic congruencies and their relations to ocular fixations. Results: It was found that audiovisual semantic congruency is associated with fixations when idiotropic vectors are aligned with the up direction. Fixations manifested in bottom-up modulating areas are not associated with multisensory audiovisual semantic congruency when the head idiotropic vector is parallel with the gravity vector. Eye fixations decrease significantly if the head idiotropic axis is aligned with the gravity vector. Conclusion: It is concluded that body position can affect visual perceptual processes involved in the occurrence of semantic congruency.
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    Perceptual reversals and time-response analyses within the scope of decoding a bistable image
    (Centro Interamericano de Investigaciones Psicologicas y Ciencias Afines, 2022) Rodríguez-Martínez, Guillermo; Marroquín-Ciendúa, Fernando; Rosa, Pedro J.; Castillo-Parra, Henry; HEI-LAB - Human Environment Interaction Lab
    A bistable image admits two possible interpretations, so that the observer can recognize the two percepts, but never at the same time. The alternations between percepts are called “perceptual reversals”. When the observer’s position is different from the upright position, the ability to make perceptual alternations may be impaired. Besides, the recognition of the percepts of a bistable image can be a complex reaction time visual task, if it involves recognizing two different conceptual units, added to the fact of having to make a subsequent report. A visual task was performed by 88 people in order to establish whether the perception of Boring’s bistable image My girlfriend or my mother-in-law is associated with areas that condition its interpretation. It was assumed that decoding the image and reporting the perceived percept implied a complex reaction time. The task itself was done in front of a fixed 120 Hz eye-tracker, in two opposite body positions. Analyses were made reviewing the association of the percepts with bottom-up modulation areas of the image, and considering ocular fixations made 200 and 250 milliseconds before the time of the report. The records of these fixations were obtained so as to establish which of the two reaction times (200 ms or 250 ms) was involved in the bottom-up modulation process from the moment of ocular fixation to the reports given by the participants. It was concluded that perceptual reversals decrease significantly when head idiotropic axis points in the gravity vector direction, in comparison to the upright position. Likewise, associations between visual percepts and bottom-up modulating areas of the image were found when analyses were done by considering ocular fixations made 250 ms before the moment of the report. Interpreting Boring’s bistable image implies a complex visual task in accordance with the results obtained.
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    Pupil dilation reflects the authenticity of received nonverbal vocalizations
    (Nature Publishing Group, 2021-12) Cosme, Gonçalo; Rosa, Pedro J.; Lima, César F.; Tavares, Vânia; Scott, Sophie; Chen, Sinead; Wilcockson, Thomas D.W.; Crawford, Trevor J.; Prata, Diana; HEI-LAB - Human Environment Interaction Lab
    The ability to infer the authenticity of other’s emotional expressions is a social cognitive process taking place in all human interactions. Although the neurocognitive correlates of authenticity recognition have been probed, its potential recruitment of the peripheral autonomic nervous system is not known. In this work, we asked participants to rate the authenticity of authentic and acted laughs and cries, while simultaneously recording their pupil size, taken as proxy of cognitive efort and arousal. We report, for the frst time, that acted laughs elicited higher pupil dilation than authentic ones and, reversely, authentic cries elicited higher pupil dilation than acted ones. We tentatively suggest the lack of authenticity in others’ laughs elicits increased pupil dilation through demanding higher cognitive efort; and that, reversely, authenticity in cries increases pupil dilation, through eliciting higher emotional arousal. We also show authentic vocalizations and laughs (i.e. main efects of authenticity and emotion) to be perceived as more authentic, arousing and contagious than acted vocalizations and cries, respectively. In conclusion, we show new evidence that the recognition of emotional authenticity can be manifested at the level of the autonomic nervous system in humans. Notwithstanding, given its novelty, further independent research is warranted to ascertain its psychological meaning.
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    Sexual distress with partnered face-to-face sexual activity : an exploratory qualitative study with heterosexual cis people who seek and 2 do not seek professional help
    (Frontiers Media SA, 2025-08-06) Pascoal, Patrícia M.; Andersson, Gerhard; Fischer, Vinicius J.; Manão, Andreia A.; Oliveira, Cátia; Raposo, Catarina F.; Rosa, Pedro J.; Roberto, Magda Sofia; Santos, Graça; Tomada, Nuno; Giraldi, Annamaria; HEI-LAB - Human Environment Interaction Lab; EPCV - School of Psychology and Life Sciences
    Introduction: Sexual distress is interrelated with mental health and relationship quality and is fundamental for establishing a diagnosis of sexual dysfunction, even though it also affects people who do not seek professional clinical help. Research on sexual distress related to partnered sexual activity is limited, and no comprehensive model exists to guide research or clinical interventions. We conducted an online cross-sectional qualitative study to: 1) explore the reasons why people experiencing sexual distress in partnered face-to-face sexual activity do not seek professional clinical help; 2) analyze the experiences of participants’ of sexual distress in partnered sexual activity; 3) reflexively compare the experiences reported by participants who seek and do not seek professional help; and 4) reflexively compare experiences across genders. Methods: We performed reflexive thematic analysis on 438 heterosexual people answers (Mage = 41.06, SD = 12.19), including 306 women (69.7%) and 132 men (30.1%). Results: Most participants (54.1%) had not sought professional clinical help but wanted to do so. Some participants (13.2%) expressed a desire for clinical consultations but reported financial or time constraints. Using the reflexive thematic analysis on the qualitative data provided, we created three themes: (1) Sexual (dys)function (It’s the function), which focuses on sexual function and lack of pleasure; (2) Intimacy dynamics (It’s us!), which discusses relationship challenges; (3) Intrapersonal struggles (It’s me!), which highlight individual factors, some influenced by social messages. Comparison across groups revealed that people who sought professional clinical help emphasise genital function and negative emotions, and women highlighted experiencing sexual pain, while men emphasised desire discrepancies and erectile disorder. Discussion: Our results demonstrate that difficulties related to sexual pleasure and with penetrative sex are important sources of distress in partnered sexual activity, which is in line with DSM and ICD frameworks of sexual dysfunction. Participants’ accounts show that pre-existing psychological characteristics, partnered communication, cognitive, and emotional factors are key factors to shape the experience of sexual distress related to sexual dysfunctions. This has implications for clinical work as interventions should target transdiagnostic individual factors that may not be sexual specific (e.g., repetitive negative thinking) as well as couple-level factors (e.g., communication). Internet-based integrative therapies directed at these factors may be a promising venue for those who experience sexual distress with partnered sexual activity and are reluctant to seek in-person sexual healthcare.