عبدالحسین وهابی

In the contemporary landscape where innovative thinking is pivotal for competitive advantage, understanding and enhancing ideation processes is crucial. This study explores the combined impact of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and cognitive-behavioral coaching on ideation. While rTMS, a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, has shown promise in enhancing neural plasticity, coaching interventions are designed to foster cognitive and behavioral changes conducive to creativity. This research aims to bridge the gap by investigating the simultaneous application of these methods to improve idea generation. Ideation, the process of generating creative and innovative ideas, is essential for problem-solving, decision-making, and maintaining a competitive edge. Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, plays a critical role in ideation. rTMS is known to enhance neural plasticity, particularly in brain areas related to creativity and cognitive functions. Concurrently, cognitive-behavioral coaching focuses on developing creative thinking skills through structured training and supportive interactions. Despite their merits, the combined effects of rTMS and coaching on ideation have not been extensively studied.

Design/Methodology/Approach: 

This study employed a pre-test/post-test experimental design with 40 students from the University of Tehran, who were actively interested in idea generation. Participants were recruited through an open call and randomly assigned to four groups of 10: rTMS only, coaching only, combined rTMS and coaching, and a control group. Each participant underwent five sessions of rTMS and five sessions of cognitive-behavioral coaching. The ideation performance was assessed using pre-test and post-test evaluations, with expert evaluators rating the originality and feasibility of the ideas generated. rTMS sessions were conducted at a frequency of 10 Hz, targeting the left posterior prefrontal cortex. Parameters included a 45-degree coil angle, 100% resting motor threshold, 75 trains of 5 seconds with 15-second intervals, totaling 3750 pulses. These settings were based on established safety guidelines and aimed to enhance neural activity in areas associated with creativity. Coaching sessions followed the ABCDEF model, a well-known cognitive-behavioral approach, and were conducted weekly over eight weeks. Participants in the combined rTMS and coaching group first received rTMS, followed by coaching sessions. The coaching focused on developing creative thinking skills, fostering a supportive environment, and encouraging open communication.

The analysis revealed no significant improvement in ideation in the coaching-only or rTMS-only groups compared to the control group. However, a significant increase in ideation was observed in the combined rTMS and coaching group. The synergy between rTMS and coaching suggests that their combined application can effectively enhance innovative thinking.Discussion and

The findings underscore the potential of combining rTMS and coaching to improve ideation. While rTMS enhances neural plasticity and cognitive flexibility, coaching provides the structured support needed to harness these neuroplastic changes effectively. This synergy creates an environment conducive to generating high-quality and feasible ideas. The study aligns with previous research indicating the situational nature of creativity, suggesting that interventions like coaching can enhance neural flexibility and, consequently, ideation. However, the limited number of coaching sessions and the virtual format may have constrained the effectiveness of coaching alone. The lack of significant results in the rTMS-only group might be attributed to the fewer and more spaced-out sessions compared to typical protocols. This study highlights the importance of integrative approaches to enhancing ideation. The combined use of rTMS and cognitive-behavioral coaching shows promise in significantly improving idea generation. By targeting both neural flexibility and cognitive-behavioral aspects, this approach provides a comprehensive method to foster creativity and innovation. Future research should explore longer and more intensive coaching programs alongside rTMS to further understand the dynamics of these interventions. The findings offer valuable insights for educational and organizational settings, suggesting that a combination of brain stimulation and cognitive-behavioral interventions can enhance creative capabilities. This research contributes to developing innovative strategies for fostering creativity, which is essential for problem-solving and maintaining competitive advantage in various fields. Further studies are needed to explore the long-term effects of combined rTMS and coaching interventions. Research should also investigate the optimal number and spacing of sessions to maximize the benefits. Additionally, examining different coaching models and their integration with rTMS can provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying their synergistic effects on ideation.

Attachment style is a relatively stable trait throughout life that affects how a person interacts with the environment. So far, many neurological researches have been carried out to understand the neural basis of attachment. In order to compare the results of these studies with each other and obtain the common areas mentioned in the studies, after reviewing the published studies and selecting the articles that were eligable to enter the meta-analysis (11 articles out of 564 articles from the initial search). Published results in attachment studies were analyzed using activation likelihood estimation (ALE). The correction threshold applied for significant clusters was P < .05. In attachment anxiety, ALE analysis showed a positive correlation with activity in the insula, inferior gyrus of the frontal lobe, superior gyrus of the temporal lobe, putamen nuclei, hippocampus and globus pallidus. Also, a negative correlation was observed between attachment anxiety and activity in the middle temporal gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, and fusiform gyrus. In avoidance, ALE analysis showed a negative correlation with activity in the insula and superior temporal gyrus, and on the other hand, a positive correlation was observed with the middle frontal gyrus, the inferior gyrus of the frontal lobe, and the cingulate gyrus.

The aim of this research was to investigate the subjective experience of visual delight and abstract perception in Iranian culture as it relates to a variety of artistic genres. Furthermore, the objective of the study was to create a uniform repository of visual stimuli that could be utilized in scientific inquiries, with a particular focus on providing assistance to art therapy practitioners. The experimental and cross-sectional investigation, which spanned the academic year 2021-2022, centred on students and graduates of the faculties of engineering and fine arts at Tehran University. Six participants (two males and four females) were selected as a cohort using an available sampling technique. Every participant evaluated a total of 1045 paintings spanning across five distinct artistic movements: Impressionism, Cubism, Color Fields, and Abstract. The assessment duties comprised assigning ratings to the paintings according to their aesthetic appeal and tangible qualities. Statistical measures including the mean, standard deviation, analysis of variance, and mixed linear regression analysis were utilized in the data analysis. Utilizing Python 3, in conjunction with statistical utilities such as scipy and pingouin, enabled the execution of the analysis. The results indicated that there were notable variations in liking ratings among different artistic forms, with the exception of abstract cubism and abstract color fields. On the contrary, substantial disparities were noted across all genres in the concreteness-rating task, except for color fields, abstract, and cubism, which exhibited no noteworthy differentiation from one another.

The purpose of this study was to examine the diagnostic value of eye tracking technology in measuring adult attachment style. This investigation of diagnostic accuracy was cross-sectional and was one of the primary observational and quantitative analysis studies. The population of interest for this study included all healthy adults aged 20-45 years with higher education living in Tehran in 2021. For this purpose, 44 adults aged 20 to 45 years who met the criteria of the project were selected by random sampling. Of these 44 individuals, 36 were women and 8 were men. This study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, a researcher-made questionnaire along with the revised Adult Attachment Scale (R-AAS) as a reference test was created in the Google Form environment, and individuals who met the inclusion criteria were selected and included in the study. In the second phase, participants were presented with one minute and 39 seconds of Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) images as an activator of attachment, and their eye movements were simultaneously recorded with an eye-tracking device. For statistical analysis, the random forest test, logical regression, and ROC curves were calculated in RStudio 4.1.1. The variable “time to first fixation” in the child’s AOI in the ambulatory image predicted secure and insecure attachment (B = -1.95, sig. 0.01, p≤ 0.05). The correct percentage for classifying securely and insecurely attached adults was estimated to be 54.2% and 75%, respectively. Since the variables “duration of first fixation” and “number of fixations” were important according to the results of the random forest test, it is suggested that they be further investigated in future studies.

ObjectiveDue to the growing uncertain discounts in Iranian businesses, this study seeks to investigate the effect of discount uncertainty on the intention to buy among Iranian customers. Therefore, we initially attempt to compare uncertain discounts (ambiguity in the amount of discount) and certain discounts (a definite amount of discount) focusing on the source of uncertainty. Then, we should examine the effect of the design and introduction of uncertain discounts on the customers' preference. For this purpose, eight uncertain discounts were used, including four odds-based discounts (with probability of winning and different discount rates), three pull-down discounts (with different discount intervals), and one skill-based discount. In the third step, we will examine the effect of product type (utilitarianism and hedonism) on customers' preferences. Consequently, all decisions will be displayed once for a utilitarian product and then for a hedonistic product. MethodologyFor this purpose, an online within-subject full factorial experiment was designed and performed, where 59 people were faced with 72 decisions. In order to design this experiment, JavaScript programming language and jsPsych library 1.6 were used. Moreove, the JATOS platform 3.5.3 was employed in order to load the test and generate the link and run it on the server. Then, participants were asked to choose between one of the two types of discounts based on their preferences. Nine discounts (eight uncertain discounts and one certain discount) were used for two products: a powerbank (utilitarian) and tablecloth (hedonism). All participants were randomly assigned to those decisions. FindingsIranian customers acted based on risk-resisting ideology in choosing between discounts based on chance and skill compared to normal discounts; thus, they preferred certain discounts. However, there is no significant difference between the choice of individuals when facing tensile discounts. In odds-based discounts, people prefer to win less amount of discount compared to the lower chance of winning big discounts. In tensile discounts, the upper margine of the certain discount has a positive effect and the lower margine has a negative effect on the customets’ desire to choose a discount. Therefore, there was no difference between the type of product (hedonistic or utilitarian) in people's decisions. ConclusionIn designing discounts with uncertainty, marketers should consider customers' preferences over certain discounts and attempt to increase the attractiveness of such discounts by addressing other aspects of these discounts, such as creating a fun, exciting, and enjoyable experience. Regarding tensile discounts, marketers should be aware that the upper margine of the discount has a greater impact on customer attraction compared to the lower margine.

Short term load forecasting (STLF) plays an important role for the power system operational planners and also most of the participants in the nowadays power markets. With the importance of the STLF in power system operation and power markets, many methods for arriving careful results, are represented. In this paper, an approach for STLF is proposed. The proposed approach is based on finding similar days. This approach is much simple than intelligent methods such as artificial neural networks (ANN) and fuzzy expert system (FES). The results of this method for Iran National Power System (INPS) is compared with ANN and FES results for STLF. The results shows that the idea of finding similar days used for STLF, can improve greatly the performance of the STLF.