Barnard College

When making decisions under uncertainty, we rely on the information we currently have. Presumably, the more information we have, the better our decisions turn out to be. What, though, drives our motivation to seek more information? The current research investigated people's confidence judgments in one's current information and their relationship to seeking more information when making diagnoses when presented with a sequence of medical symptoms. In Experiment 1, we explored people’s confidence judgments in relation to the accumulation of information they received. In Experiment 2, we tested whether a participant’s confidence levels would guide the decision to seek more information. The results showed that (1) people had the most overconfidence with a short period of exposure to medical knowledge (as opposed to a long period or none at all) and (2) that overconfidence was associated with choosing not to seek more information. In short, a "blip of knowledge" can lead to an illusion of knowing, which, in turn, could lead to a sub-optimal decision when it comes to medical diagnosing.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41235-026-00717-x.

Abstract Political theory has, until recently, exhibited a telling lack of interest in Indigenous thinkers and ideas. Remapping Sovereignty is an impressive history of twentieth-century political thought that follows recent efforts to correct this tendency. Remapping Sovereignty’s unique strength lies in its focus on individual Indigenous political theorists. Temin presents these figures as sophisticated, systematic thinkers with specific, context-motivated agendas and stakes animating the ideas they articulated. Remapping Sovereignty balances careful historicism with an edifying showcase of how twentieth-century Indigenous political thinkers’ situated ideas continue to offer generally valuable contributions to contemporary political theory. Temin’s textual expositions and the historical context he provides for the conceptual lineage he reconstructs will, hopefully, push readers to exercise and demand more precision when invoking the still sometimes vague category of “Indigenous political theory.”

Without intentional integration of disability justice principles, teacher preparation programs (TPPs) may perpetuate the appearance of inclusion without the structural transformation needed to center students’ agency, perspectives, and rights (Freedman et al., 2019). While some special education programs have started this integration (Ko et al., 2023), there are still limitations in general education programs. Inspired by the Salamanca Statement’s vision for inclusion, we explored how infusing disability justice principles in the context of a general education literacy methods course contributed to dismantling traditional inclusion barriers, while priming teacher candidates (TCs) for work in inclusive settings. Our study was framed by the principles of disability justice (Berne et al., 2018), complemented by Kafer’s (2013) and Mingus’s (2011) lens. Gathering data from class discussions and journals of undergraduate teacher candidates (n = 78), we highlighted the transformative, positive impact of incorporating disability justice in general education. TCs celebrated disability as an identity and critically questioned the role of ableism in education and their professional lives. Becoming more confident, TCs felt more prepared and committed to working in inclusive settings. Recommendations were provided for general education faculty and programs to consider incorporating disability justice principles as a first step toward meaningful work with diverse populations.

Abstract In the United States, Virginia has been reported as a state with notable disparities in school disciplinary actions, particularly affecting Black students. This study utilizes publicly available data from the Virginia Department of Education’s Safe Schools Information Resource to examine variation in the use of exclusionary discipline across divisions from 2016 to 2020. By calculating a Discipline Disparity Index, the analysis compares suspension rates of Black and White students and considers how these patterns relate to student demographics, per-pupil expenditure, and poverty levels. In addition to quantitative analysis, the study situates these disparities within existing research on exclusionary discipline and the school-to-prison pipeline, emphasizing the long-term harms associated with exclusionary discipline. The aim is to provide a better understanding of how inequities in school discipline emerge and what structural factors may contribute to them, highlighting the role of schools as potential gateways to or barriers against social mobility.

This poster examines the legal and ethical complexities of international repatriation through a focused study of nine Brazilian Indigenous human remains currently housed at the American Museum of Natural History. While the United States’ NAGPRA provides a domestic framework for repatriating Indigenous ancestors, it does not extend to remains of non-U.S. origin, leaving international cases such as Brazil’s in a legal vacuum. To address this gap, the study employs a three-part methodology: coding AMNH’s Repatriation Policy Constitution, process-tracing of three comparative case studies (Haida Nation, Pasqua Yaqui and Tribu Yaqui, and Te Papa Tongarewa), and ethical principle assessments measuring the degree of justice, autonomy, and wellbeing afforded to descendant communities, museums, researchers, and the public. Findings reveal that while AMNH’s internal policies nominally allow for international repatriation, the language is vague and highly discretionary, creating significant barriers for Brazil. Among the comparative cases, the Te Papa Tongarewa framework emerges as the most ethically robust and legally adaptable, offering a model for Brazil to pursue repatriation through governmental leadership, UNESCO conventions, and culturally grounded protocols. Ultimately, this paper argues that the return of the nine Brazilian Indigenous remains demands not only legal negotiation but also ethical accountability, situating repatriation as a process of decolonization that restores dignity, cultural integrity, and historical justice to Indigenous peoples.

Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) causes greater weight loss (WL) compared with low-calorie diet (LCD) that may be due to changes in appetite and gut hormones. The objective of this study was to quantify appetitive sensations in individuals who underwent LCD or MBS at equivalent weight loss (T2) and at one year (T3). Visual analog scales (VAS) and the food craving inventory were used to assess appetite. Glucagon-like peptid-1 (GLP-1) levels were quantified by ELISA. Participants available for both T1 and T2 were as follows: LCD (n = 15), surgery (n = 24). By T3, LCD (n = 12) and surgery (n = 15). At T2, percent total WL (%TWL) was similar between LCD vs surgery (14.9% vs 14.6%; p = 0.94). At T3, there was greater %TWL after surgery compared with LCD (30.2% vs 14.6%; p < 0.0001). At T2, there was a significant increase in postprandial fullness and decreases in hunger and prospective eating only after surgery. Cravings decreased in both groups at T2 but remained decreased at T3 only after surgery. There was almost a two-fold increase from T1 to T2 in postprandial GLP-1 after surgery (p < 0.0001) that correlated with the increase in fullness (r = 0.69; p = 0.038); no change was noted after LCD (p = 0.34). After equivalent WL, MBS results in favorable changes in appetitive sensations and GLP-1 levels compared with LCD. Such changes may support the ability to achieve greater reduction in body weight after MBS.

Degenerative cerebellar disorders (DCDs) are a group of conditions that involve deterioration of neurons in the cerebellum. People with DCDs (PwDCD) present with multifaceted symptoms across motor (e.g., ataxia, imbalance, impaired gait) and cognitive systems (e.g., altered executive functioning, communication, emotional regulation, and visuospatial skills). The impact of exercise and physical activity on improving cognitive deficits has been investigated in many neurodegenerative conditions including DCDs; however, there is limited evidence for the impact of cognitive impairments in PwDCD on the ability to engage in regular exercise. This narrative review explores literature related to cognition and exercise in PwDCD, as well as a wider range of neurodegenerative disorders. We discuss potential cognitive factors contributing to barriers in exercise engagement in PwDCD, as well as highlighting current research regarding the importance of exercise engagement, and ways to overcome barriers to exercise in PwDCD. While evidence is limited, we highlight the effects of cognition on exercise and suggest future directions to foster multidisciplinary collaboration in DCD management.

This pilot study investigates how different digital prompting strategies and immediate incentives affect adherence to daily health habits among autistic children using a mobile application. Specifically, we examine whether: 1) Targeted reminders for high-motivation habits produce spillover effects to other tracked habits. 2) Blanket reminding across all habit lapses creates alert overload and reduces engagement. 3) Small, immediate incentives enhance adherence and interact with prompting strategy