Privitera, Adam John

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Privitera, Adam John
Email
adam.privitera@nie.edu.sg
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Office of Education Research (OER)
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2024 - 20254
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Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    The P3 and academic performance in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis
    (Elsevier, 2024)
    Privitera, Adam John 
    ;
    Sun, Rui
    Globally, students demonstrate considerable heterogeneity in academic performance even under similar conditions. While previous systematic reviews have provided a more comprehensive picture of the relationship between different factors and academic performance, none have investigated its relationship with brain activity. Previous evidence supports that the P3, a positive deflection in the electroencephalogram reflecting higher order cognitive processes, may serve as a neuromarker for academic performance. The primary objective of this systematic review was to synthesize existing research on the P3 and academic performance in healthy adults. Searches were conducted using Web of Science, ProQuest, and Scopus databases. In total, four studies met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the present review. Results suggest that P3 latency can serve as a reliable neuromarker for academic performance in healthy adults. However, limited previous studies and methodological differences prevent strong conclusions from being drawn. Further research is needed to establish the predictive capability of the P3 on academic performance. This paper represents the first systematic review on this topic, illuminating our understanding of the relationship between brain activity and academic performance.
      17  11
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    Influence of cognitive control on the moral foreign language effect
    (Sage, 2024)
    Privitera, Adam John 

    Purpose: The Moral Foreign Language Effect (MFLE) is characterized by an increase in utilitarian responding when moral dilemmas are presented in a foreign language. Renewed interest in this psycholinguistic phenomenon has led to investigation of its boundary conditions and the modulatory influence of separable dimensions of foreign language experience. However, even when accounting for these additional differences, considerable variability in the MFLE is observed across participants. Recently, cognitive control, a set of mental processes that regulate thinking and behavior, has been identified as a potential modulator of the MFLE. To date, no studies have investigated whether differences in cognitive control influence the emergence of the MFLE. The present study aimed to directly explore this topic in a sample of Mandarin-English bilingual university students in Mainland China.

    Methodology: Participants responded to a set of moral dilemmas presented in either their native or foreign language and completed a Simon task to assess cognitive control.

    Findings: We report a dilemma and language context-specific modulatory role for cognitive control on the MFLE. Specifically, when presented in a foreign language, higher levels of cognitive control were associated with higher rates of utilitarian decisions on the classic Trolley dilemma.

    Originality: This study marks the first empirical investigation of the influence of cognitive control on the MFLE.

    Significance: Findings from this work highlight the role of cognitive control in moral decision-making and chart a course for future investigations on this topic.

      20  247
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    Time course of indirect reply processing in native and non-native Mandarin speakers: An ERP study
    (Cambridge University Press, 2024)
    Zhang, Xiuping
    ;
    Pan, Xiaoxi
    ;
    Wang, Yizhu
    ;
    Xu, Maoyao
    ;
    Privitera, Adam John 
    To communicate successfully, listeners must decode both the literal and intended meanings of a speaker’s message. This ability is especially crucial when processing indirect replies as intended meanings can differ significantly from what was said. How native and non-native speakers differ in this ability is an open question. The present study investigated differences in the time course of indirect reply processing in native and non-native Mandarin speakers. EEG signals were recorded while participants were presented with conversations that differed in their directness. For indirect replies, native speakers exhibited a larger left anterior N400 and posterior late positive component (LPC). Conversely, non-native speakers exhibited a larger left-distributed LPC and delayed LPC. Findings support that non-native speakers exhibit delayed processing of indirect replies, potentially because of cognitive resource limitations. Findings from the present study have implications for a broad range of investigations on human communication and second language processing.
      14
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    Assessing stroke-induced abnormal muscle coactivation in the upper limb using the surface EMG co-contraction index: A systematic review
    (Elsevier, 2025)
    Wang, Yong
    ;
    Zhong, Lingling
    ;
    Jin, Minxia
    ;
    Liao, Dantong
    ;
    Privitera, Adam John 
    ;
    Wong, Arnold Y. L.
    ;
    Fong, Gabriel C. H.
    ;
    Bao, Shi-Chun
    ;
    Sun, Rui
    Electromyography (EMG) is increasingly used in stroke assessment research, with studies showing that EMG co-contraction (EMG-CC) of upper limb muscles can differentiate stroke patients from healthy individuals and correlates with clinical scales assessing motor function. This suggests that EMG-CC has potential for both assessing motor impairments and monitoring recovery in stroke patients. However, systematic reviews on EMG-CC’s effectiveness in stroke assessment are lacking. To address this, the present study aims to synthesize recent evidence on EMG-CC’s use in evaluating stroke-induced muscle abnormality. Eighteen studies including a total of 308 stroke patients and 155 healthy controls were included. Fifteen out of Eighteen included studies used the EMG-CC to successfully differentiate abnormal muscle co-contraction performance of the affected upper limb, even in comparison to the unaffected side in static tasks (isometric maximal voluntary contractions) and dynamic tasks (movement-oriented or goal-oriented). The EMG-CC shows promise as a convenient and effective tool for evaluating the extent of abnormal muscle coactivation in the upper limbs of post-stroke patients with spasticity as well as assessing the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions. Further research is needed to validate these findings and establish standardized protocols for EMG-CC’s use in stroke assessment.
      16  20