Slide
Centre Interdisciplinaire
de Recherche et d’Innovation
en Cybersécurité et Société
de Recherche et d’Innovation
en Cybersécurité et Société
1.
António, H.; Albuquerque, S.; de Castro, M. Vieira; Bouchard, S.; Gamito, P.; Pinto, R. J.
In: Psychiatry International, vol. 7, no. 4, 2026, ISSN: 26735318 (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: adult, Anxiety, article, cross-sectional study, decision making, Depression, DSM-5, female, Global Severity Index, hostility, human, human experiment, Latent Class Analysis, LEC-5, major clinical study, male, paranoia, phobia, police, Positive symptom distress index, Positive symptom total, posttraumatic stress disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder checklist, Proximal Traumatic Exposure, psychological distress, psychosis, PTSD, questionnaire, receiver operating characteristic, Security, security professionals, self report, sociodemographics, trauma exposure
@article{antonioLatentClassesProximal2026,
title = {Latent Classes of Proximal Traumatic Exposure Among Portuguese Police and Security Professionals: Associations with PTSD Symptoms and Psychological Distress},
author = {H. António and S. Albuquerque and M. Vieira de Castro and S. Bouchard and P. Gamito and R. J. Pinto},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105048524559?origin=resultslist},
doi = {10.3390/psychiatryint7040173},
issn = {26735318 (ISSN)},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-01},
journal = {Psychiatry International},
volume = {7},
number = {4},
publisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)},
abstract = {Background: Police and security professionals are routinely exposed to potentially traumatic events as part of occupational duties, placing them at increased risk for post-traumatic stress and broader psychological difficulties. This study aimed to identify latent classes of proximal traumatic exposure among Portuguese police/security professionals and examine their associations with PTSD symptoms and general psychological distress. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with Portuguese police/security professionals (N = 644). Latent class analysis (LCA) was applied to 17 indicators of potentially traumatic events coded as directly experienced or witnessed, derived from the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and general psychological distress was assessed using the Brief Symptom Inventory. Exploratory receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses examined whether counts of proximal traumatic events could approximate the LCA-derived classes. Results: A three-class solution was identified, comprising low proximal exposure (37.3%), moderate proximal exposure (40.7%), and high proximal/cumulative exposure (22.0%) classes. The classes reflected a graded cumulative pattern of exposure across traumatic event categories, rather than clearly distinct qualitative configurations defined by specific event types. Higher exposure classes were associated with progressively higher PTSD symptoms and psychological distress, and these associations remained significant after adjustment for sociodemographic and occupational variables. Exploratory receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses showed that a simple count of proximal traumatic event categories closely approximated the empirically derived class structure within the present sample. However, the resulting thresholds are sample-specific, exploratory, and should not be interpreted as validated screening cutoffs. Conclusions: Proximal traumatic exposure among police/security professionals appears to follow a graded cumulative structure associated with increased PTSD symptoms and psychological distress. The person-centered analysis provided an empirical test of whether exposure was organized according to qualitatively distinct event configurations or primarily along a cumulative gradient. In this sample, cumulative exposure burden emerged as the dominant organizing dimension. The count-based approximation requires external validation before any screening or decision-making application can be considered. © 2026 by the authors.},
keywords = {adult, Anxiety, article, cross-sectional study, decision making, Depression, DSM-5, female, Global Severity Index, hostility, human, human experiment, Latent Class Analysis, LEC-5, major clinical study, male, paranoia, phobia, police, Positive symptom distress index, Positive symptom total, posttraumatic stress disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder checklist, Proximal Traumatic Exposure, psychological distress, psychosis, PTSD, questionnaire, receiver operating characteristic, Security, security professionals, self report, sociodemographics, trauma exposure},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Background: Police and security professionals are routinely exposed to potentially traumatic events as part of occupational duties, placing them at increased risk for post-traumatic stress and broader psychological difficulties. This study aimed to identify latent classes of proximal traumatic exposure among Portuguese police/security professionals and examine their associations with PTSD symptoms and general psychological distress. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with Portuguese police/security professionals (N = 644). Latent class analysis (LCA) was applied to 17 indicators of potentially traumatic events coded as directly experienced or witnessed, derived from the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and general psychological distress was assessed using the Brief Symptom Inventory. Exploratory receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses examined whether counts of proximal traumatic events could approximate the LCA-derived classes. Results: A three-class solution was identified, comprising low proximal exposure (37.3%), moderate proximal exposure (40.7%), and high proximal/cumulative exposure (22.0%) classes. The classes reflected a graded cumulative pattern of exposure across traumatic event categories, rather than clearly distinct qualitative configurations defined by specific event types. Higher exposure classes were associated with progressively higher PTSD symptoms and psychological distress, and these associations remained significant after adjustment for sociodemographic and occupational variables. Exploratory receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses showed that a simple count of proximal traumatic event categories closely approximated the empirically derived class structure within the present sample. However, the resulting thresholds are sample-specific, exploratory, and should not be interpreted as validated screening cutoffs. Conclusions: Proximal traumatic exposure among police/security professionals appears to follow a graded cumulative structure associated with increased PTSD symptoms and psychological distress. The person-centered analysis provided an empirical test of whether exposure was organized according to qualitatively distinct event configurations or primarily along a cumulative gradient. In this sample, cumulative exposure burden emerged as the dominant organizing dimension. The count-based approximation requires external validation before any screening or decision-making application can be considered. © 2026 by the authors.
2.
Ledrou-Paquet, V.; Fiset, D.; Carré, M.; Guérette, J.; Blais, C.
The facial information underlying economic decision-making Journal Article
In: Perception, vol. 55, no. 3, pp. 243–265, 2026, ISSN: 03010066 (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Adolescent, adult, Bubbles, decision making, face evaluation, face perception, Facial Expression, Facial Recognition, facial trustworthiness, female, human, Humans, Judgment, male, perception, physiology, psychology, Social Perception, Trust, trust game, trustworthiness, Young Adult
@article{ledrou-paquetFacialInformationUnderlying2026,
title = {The facial information underlying economic decision-making},
author = {V. Ledrou-Paquet and D. Fiset and M. Carré and J. Guérette and C. Blais},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105020458633?origin=resultslist},
doi = {10.1177/03010066251387848},
issn = {03010066 (ISSN)},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-01},
journal = {Perception},
volume = {55},
number = {3},
pages = {243–265},
publisher = {SAGE Publications Ltd},
abstract = {Faces are rapidly and automatically assessed on multiple social dimensions, including trustworthiness. The high inter-rater agreement on this social judgment suggests a systematic association between facial appearance and perceived trustworthiness. The facial information used by observers during explicit trustworthiness judgments has been studied before. However, it remains unknown whether the same perceptual strategies are used during decisions that involve trusting another individual, without necessitating an explicit trustworthiness judgment. To explore this, 53 participants completed the Trust Game, an economic decision task, while facial information was randomly sampled using the Bubbles method. Our results show that economic decisions based on facial cues rely on similar visual information as that used during explicit trustworthiness judgments. We then manipulated facial features identified as diagnostic for trust to test their influence on perceived trustworthiness (Experiment 2) and on trust-related behaviors (Experiment 3). Across all experiments, subtle, targeted changes to facial features systematically shifted both impressions and monetary trust decisions. These findings demonstrate that the same perceptual strategies underlie explicit judgments and trust behaviors, highlighting the applied relevance of even minimal alterations in facial appearance. These findings should be replicated with real faces from diverse demographic backgrounds to confirm their generalizability. © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).},
keywords = {Adolescent, adult, Bubbles, decision making, face evaluation, face perception, Facial Expression, Facial Recognition, facial trustworthiness, female, human, Humans, Judgment, male, perception, physiology, psychology, Social Perception, Trust, trust game, trustworthiness, Young Adult},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Faces are rapidly and automatically assessed on multiple social dimensions, including trustworthiness. The high inter-rater agreement on this social judgment suggests a systematic association between facial appearance and perceived trustworthiness. The facial information used by observers during explicit trustworthiness judgments has been studied before. However, it remains unknown whether the same perceptual strategies are used during decisions that involve trusting another individual, without necessitating an explicit trustworthiness judgment. To explore this, 53 participants completed the Trust Game, an economic decision task, while facial information was randomly sampled using the Bubbles method. Our results show that economic decisions based on facial cues rely on similar visual information as that used during explicit trustworthiness judgments. We then manipulated facial features identified as diagnostic for trust to test their influence on perceived trustworthiness (Experiment 2) and on trust-related behaviors (Experiment 3). Across all experiments, subtle, targeted changes to facial features systematically shifted both impressions and monetary trust decisions. These findings demonstrate that the same perceptual strategies underlie explicit judgments and trust behaviors, highlighting the applied relevance of even minimal alterations in facial appearance. These findings should be replicated with real faces from diverse demographic backgrounds to confirm their generalizability. © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
3.
Abdollahzadeh, S.; Allili, M. S.; Boulmerka, A.; Lapointe, J. -F.
Visual Safety Mapping for UAV Landings Using Ordinal Regression Networks Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Artificial Intelligence, vol. 7, no. 6, pp. 3146–3159, 2026, ISSN: 26914581 (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Aerial vehicle, Air navigation, Aircraft landing, Antennas, Automatic uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) navigation, Automatic unmanned aerial vehicle navigation, Autonomous navigation, Behavioral research, Computer vision, decision making, Deep learning, deep ordinal regression, Emergency services, Landing zones, Learning systems, Ordinal regression, regression analysis, Safe landing, Safe landing zone, safe landing zones (SLZs), Semantic segmentation, Semantics, Textures, Three dimensional computer graphics, Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), Vehicle navigation, Visual servoing
@article{abdollahzadehVisualSafetyMapping2026,
title = {Visual Safety Mapping for UAV Landings Using Ordinal Regression Networks},
author = {S. Abdollahzadeh and M. S. Allili and A. Boulmerka and J. -F. Lapointe},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105023324811?origin=resultslist},
doi = {10.1109/TAI.2025.3635093},
issn = {26914581 (ISSN)},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-01},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Artificial Intelligence},
volume = {7},
number = {6},
pages = {3146–3159},
publisher = {Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.},
abstract = {As uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) see growing use in civilian applications, reliably identifying safe landing zones (SLZs) in varied environments is essential for autonomous navigation and emergency response. Passive vision sensors offer a low cost, lightweight solution for real-time terrain analysis and 3D scene reconstruction, making them ideal for onboard systems. We introduce ordinal regression safe landing zones netwrok (OR-SLZNet), an original deep learning model based on ordinal regression to predict SLZs from UAV imagery. Unlike prior approaches, OR-SLZNet produces dense, multilevel safety maps by jointly leveraging photometric (e.g., color and texture) and geometric cues (e.g., flatness, slope, and depth), assigning each pixel an ordinal safety score that reflects landing suitability. With real-time inference (textbackslashsim0.02 s/frame), the model supports onboard deployment and rapid decision-making in time-critical situations. Extensive experiments on five diverse datasets demonstrate OR-SLZNet effectiveness and strong generalization across a wide range of structural complexities. © 2020 IEEE.},
keywords = {Aerial vehicle, Air navigation, Aircraft landing, Antennas, Automatic uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) navigation, Automatic unmanned aerial vehicle navigation, Autonomous navigation, Behavioral research, Computer vision, decision making, Deep learning, deep ordinal regression, Emergency services, Landing zones, Learning systems, Ordinal regression, regression analysis, Safe landing, Safe landing zone, safe landing zones (SLZs), Semantic segmentation, Semantics, Textures, Three dimensional computer graphics, Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), Vehicle navigation, Visual servoing},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
As uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) see growing use in civilian applications, reliably identifying safe landing zones (SLZs) in varied environments is essential for autonomous navigation and emergency response. Passive vision sensors offer a low cost, lightweight solution for real-time terrain analysis and 3D scene reconstruction, making them ideal for onboard systems. We introduce ordinal regression safe landing zones netwrok (OR-SLZNet), an original deep learning model based on ordinal regression to predict SLZs from UAV imagery. Unlike prior approaches, OR-SLZNet produces dense, multilevel safety maps by jointly leveraging photometric (e.g., color and texture) and geometric cues (e.g., flatness, slope, and depth), assigning each pixel an ordinal safety score that reflects landing suitability. With real-time inference (textbackslashsim0.02 s/frame), the model supports onboard deployment and rapid decision-making in time-critical situations. Extensive experiments on five diverse datasets demonstrate OR-SLZNet effectiveness and strong generalization across a wide range of structural complexities. © 2020 IEEE.
4.
Sadfi, Y.; Amamou, H.; Davoust, A.; Avila, A. R.
Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning, LLMs, and RAG for Fake News Detection Proceedings Article
In: IEEE Conf. Artif. Intell., CAI, pp. 2128–2133, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2026, ISBN: 979-833156039-3 (ISBN), (Journal Abbreviation: IEEE Conf. Artif. Intell., CAI).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Classification (of information), Comparative analyzes, Comprehensive assessment, decision making, Decision-making process, Fake detection, Generalisation, High-accuracy, Language model, Learning algorithms, Learning systems, Machine learning, Machine learning algorithms, Machine-learning, Network platforms, Performance
@inproceedings{sadfiComparativeAnalysisMachine2026,
title = {Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning, LLMs, and RAG for Fake News Detection},
author = {Y. Sadfi and H. Amamou and A. Davoust and A. R. Avila},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105042025800?origin=resultslist},
doi = {10.1109/CAI68641.2026.11536343},
isbn = {979-833156039-3 (ISBN)},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-01},
booktitle = {IEEE Conf. Artif. Intell., CAI},
pages = {2128–2133},
publisher = {Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.},
abstract = {The rapid spread of misinformation on social network platforms poses a serious threat to the decision-making processes in democratic societies. To mitigate the problem and cope with new misinformation scenarios several datasets have been proposed, followed by the emergence of new methods for detecting fake news. While several comparative analyses have been proposed to benchmark these solutions, the ever-growing development of new methods requires up-to-date analysis. For instance, recent approaches based on retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) have yet to be assessed and compared to previous methods used for fake news detection. In this study, we aim to fill this gap by presenting a comprehensive assessment of classical machine learning (ML) algorithms, Transformer-based models, such as BERT, large language models (LLMs), and RAG-based classifiers. We adopt four traditional fake news datasets, including a Portuguese one. Results indicate that classical ML and BERT deliver strong performance on in-domain tasks, demonstrating efficiency and high accuracy. RAG-augmented LLMs, on the other hand, offer enhanced generalization and robustness in cross-domain and cross-dataset settings, but are outperformed by traditional approaches for in-domain evaluation. © 2026 IEEE.},
note = {Journal Abbreviation: IEEE Conf. Artif. Intell., CAI},
keywords = {Classification (of information), Comparative analyzes, Comprehensive assessment, decision making, Decision-making process, Fake detection, Generalisation, High-accuracy, Language model, Learning algorithms, Learning systems, Machine learning, Machine learning algorithms, Machine-learning, Network platforms, Performance},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
The rapid spread of misinformation on social network platforms poses a serious threat to the decision-making processes in democratic societies. To mitigate the problem and cope with new misinformation scenarios several datasets have been proposed, followed by the emergence of new methods for detecting fake news. While several comparative analyses have been proposed to benchmark these solutions, the ever-growing development of new methods requires up-to-date analysis. For instance, recent approaches based on retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) have yet to be assessed and compared to previous methods used for fake news detection. In this study, we aim to fill this gap by presenting a comprehensive assessment of classical machine learning (ML) algorithms, Transformer-based models, such as BERT, large language models (LLMs), and RAG-based classifiers. We adopt four traditional fake news datasets, including a Portuguese one. Results indicate that classical ML and BERT deliver strong performance on in-domain tasks, demonstrating efficiency and high accuracy. RAG-augmented LLMs, on the other hand, offer enhanced generalization and robustness in cross-domain and cross-dataset settings, but are outperformed by traditional approaches for in-domain evaluation. © 2026 IEEE.
5.
Onita, C. A.; Matei, D. -V.; Chelarasu, E.; Lupu, R. G.; Petrescu-Miron, D.; Visnevschi, A.; Vudu, S.; Corciova, C.; Fuior, R.; Tupita, N.; Bouchard, S.; Mocanu, V.
In: Nutrients, vol. 17, no. 24, 2025, ISSN: 20726643 (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: acute stress, Adolescent, Adolescents, adult, article, controlled study, craving, decision making, Eating, eating behavior, ecological validity, electrocardiogram, electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters, Electrocardiography, feeding behavior, female, food craving, food preference, Food Preferences, Heart Rate, human, Humans, hyperphagia, male, mental stress, motivation, normal human, overnutrition, pathophysiology, Perceived Stress Scale, personalized nutrition, physiological stress, physiology, PQ interval, Psychological, psychology, QTc interval, questionnaire, reward, simulation, social stress, Stress, supermarket, Surveys and Questionnaires, three-factor eating questionnaire (TFEQ), Three-Factor-Eating-Questionnaire, Trier Social Stress Test, virtual reality, virtual supermarket, visual analog scale
@article{onita_virtual_2025,
title = {Virtual Reality Trier Social Stress and Virtual Supermarket Exposure: Electrocardiogram Correlates of Food Craving and Eating Traits in Adolescents},
author = {C. A. Onita and D. -V. Matei and E. Chelarasu and R. G. Lupu and D. Petrescu-Miron and A. Visnevschi and S. Vudu and C. Corciova and R. Fuior and N. Tupita and S. Bouchard and V. Mocanu},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105026068857&doi=10.3390%2Fnu17243924&partnerID=40&md5=fde16e892b1a18284dc51ac869ba8ee9},
doi = {10.3390/nu17243924},
issn = {20726643 (ISSN)},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-01-01},
journal = {Nutrients},
volume = {17},
number = {24},
abstract = {Background/Objectives: Acute stress is known to influence food-related motivation and decision-making, often promoting a preference for energy-dense, palatable foods. However, traditional laboratory paradigms have limited ecological validity. This study examined the relationship between stress-induced physiological changes, eating behavior traits, and food cravings using a virtual reality (VR) adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test (VR-TSST) followed by a VR supermarket task in adolescents. Methods: Thirty-eight adolescents (mean age 15.8 ± 0.6 years) participated in the study. Physiological parameters (HR, QT, PQ intervals) were recorded pre- and post-stress using a portable ECG device (WIWE). Perceived stress and eating behavior traits were evaluated with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21C), respectively. Immediately after the VR-TSST, participants performed a VR supermarket task in which they rated cravings for sweet, fatty, and healthy foods using visual analog scales (VAS). Paired-samples t-tests examined pre–post changes in physiological parameters, partial correlations explored associations between ECG responses and eating traits, and a 2 × 3 mixed-model Repeated Measures ANOVA assessed the effects of food type (sweet, fatty, healthy) and uncontrolled eating (UE) group (low vs. high) on post-stress cravings. Results: Acute stress induced significant increases in HR and QTc intervals (p < 0.01), confirming a robust physiological stress response. The ANOVA revealed a strong main effect of food type (F(1.93, 435.41) = 168.98, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.43), indicating that stress-induced cravings differed across food categories, with sweet foods rated highest. A significant food type × UE group interaction (F(1.93, 435.41) = 16.49, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.07) showed that adolescents with high UE exhibited greater cravings for sweet and fatty foods than those with low UE. Overall, craving levels did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that acute stress selectively enhances cravings for high-reward foods, and that this effect is modulated by baseline uncontrolled eating tendencies. The combined use of VR-based stress induction and VR supermarket simulation offers an innovative, ecologically valid framework for studying stress-related eating behavior in adolescents, with potential implications for personalized nutrition and the prevention of stress-induced overeating. © 2025 by the authors.},
keywords = {acute stress, Adolescent, Adolescents, adult, article, controlled study, craving, decision making, Eating, eating behavior, ecological validity, electrocardiogram, electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters, Electrocardiography, feeding behavior, female, food craving, food preference, Food Preferences, Heart Rate, human, Humans, hyperphagia, male, mental stress, motivation, normal human, overnutrition, pathophysiology, Perceived Stress Scale, personalized nutrition, physiological stress, physiology, PQ interval, Psychological, psychology, QTc interval, questionnaire, reward, simulation, social stress, Stress, supermarket, Surveys and Questionnaires, three-factor eating questionnaire (TFEQ), Three-Factor-Eating-Questionnaire, Trier Social Stress Test, virtual reality, virtual supermarket, visual analog scale},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Background/Objectives: Acute stress is known to influence food-related motivation and decision-making, often promoting a preference for energy-dense, palatable foods. However, traditional laboratory paradigms have limited ecological validity. This study examined the relationship between stress-induced physiological changes, eating behavior traits, and food cravings using a virtual reality (VR) adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test (VR-TSST) followed by a VR supermarket task in adolescents. Methods: Thirty-eight adolescents (mean age 15.8 ± 0.6 years) participated in the study. Physiological parameters (HR, QT, PQ intervals) were recorded pre- and post-stress using a portable ECG device (WIWE). Perceived stress and eating behavior traits were evaluated with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21C), respectively. Immediately after the VR-TSST, participants performed a VR supermarket task in which they rated cravings for sweet, fatty, and healthy foods using visual analog scales (VAS). Paired-samples t-tests examined pre–post changes in physiological parameters, partial correlations explored associations between ECG responses and eating traits, and a 2 × 3 mixed-model Repeated Measures ANOVA assessed the effects of food type (sweet, fatty, healthy) and uncontrolled eating (UE) group (low vs. high) on post-stress cravings. Results: Acute stress induced significant increases in HR and QTc intervals (p < 0.01), confirming a robust physiological stress response. The ANOVA revealed a strong main effect of food type (F(1.93, 435.41) = 168.98, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.43), indicating that stress-induced cravings differed across food categories, with sweet foods rated highest. A significant food type × UE group interaction (F(1.93, 435.41) = 16.49, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.07) showed that adolescents with high UE exhibited greater cravings for sweet and fatty foods than those with low UE. Overall, craving levels did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that acute stress selectively enhances cravings for high-reward foods, and that this effect is modulated by baseline uncontrolled eating tendencies. The combined use of VR-based stress induction and VR supermarket simulation offers an innovative, ecologically valid framework for studying stress-related eating behavior in adolescents, with potential implications for personalized nutrition and the prevention of stress-induced overeating. © 2025 by the authors.
6.
Onita, C. A.; Matei, D. -V.; Chelarasu, E.; Lupu, R. G.; Petrescu-Miron, D.; Visnevschi, A.; Vudu, S.; Corciova, C.; Fuior, R.; Tupita, N.; Bouchard, S.; Mocanu, V.
In: Nutrients, vol. 17, no. 24, 2025, ISSN: 20726643 (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: acute stress, Adolescent, Adolescents, adult, article, controlled study, craving, decision making, Eating, eating behavior, ecological validity, electrocardiogram, electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters, Electrocardiography, feeding behavior, female, food craving, food preference, Food Preferences, Heart Rate, human, Humans, hyperphagia, male, mental stress, motivation, normal human, overnutrition, pathophysiology, Perceived Stress Scale, personalized nutrition, physiological stress, physiology, PQ interval, Psychological, psychology, QTc interval, questionnaire, reward, simulation, social stress, Stress, supermarket, Surveys and Questionnaires, three-factor eating questionnaire (TFEQ), Three-Factor-Eating-Questionnaire, Trier Social Stress Test, virtual reality, virtual supermarket, visual analog scale
@article{onitaVirtualRealityTrier2025,
title = {Virtual Reality Trier Social Stress and Virtual Supermarket Exposure: Electrocardiogram Correlates of Food Craving and Eating Traits in Adolescents},
author = {C. A. Onita and D. -V. Matei and E. Chelarasu and R. G. Lupu and D. Petrescu-Miron and A. Visnevschi and S. Vudu and C. Corciova and R. Fuior and N. Tupita and S. Bouchard and V. Mocanu},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105026068857?origin=resultslist},
doi = {10.3390/nu17243924},
issn = {20726643 (ISSN)},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-01-01},
journal = {Nutrients},
volume = {17},
number = {24},
publisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)},
abstract = {Background/Objectives: Acute stress is known to influence food-related motivation and decision-making, often promoting a preference for energy-dense, palatable foods. However, traditional laboratory paradigms have limited ecological validity. This study examined the relationship between stress-induced physiological changes, eating behavior traits, and food cravings using a virtual reality (VR) adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test (VR-TSST) followed by a VR supermarket task in adolescents. Methods: Thirty-eight adolescents (mean age 15.8 ± 0.6 years) participated in the study. Physiological parameters (HR, QT, PQ intervals) were recorded pre- and post-stress using a portable ECG device (WIWE). Perceived stress and eating behavior traits were evaluated with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21C), respectively. Immediately after the VR-TSST, participants performed a VR supermarket task in which they rated cravings for sweet, fatty, and healthy foods using visual analog scales (VAS). Paired-samples t-tests examined pre–post changes in physiological parameters, partial correlations explored associations between ECG responses and eating traits, and a 2 × 3 mixed-model Repeated Measures ANOVA assessed the effects of food type (sweet, fatty, healthy) and uncontrolled eating (UE) group (low vs. high) on post-stress cravings. Results: Acute stress induced significant increases in HR and QTc intervals (p < 0.01), confirming a robust physiological stress response. The ANOVA revealed a strong main effect of food type (F(1.93, 435.41) = 168.98, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.43), indicating that stress-induced cravings differed across food categories, with sweet foods rated highest. A significant food type × UE group interaction (F(1.93, 435.41) = 16.49, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.07) showed that adolescents with high UE exhibited greater cravings for sweet and fatty foods than those with low UE. Overall, craving levels did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that acute stress selectively enhances cravings for high-reward foods, and that this effect is modulated by baseline uncontrolled eating tendencies. The combined use of VR-based stress induction and VR supermarket simulation offers an innovative, ecologically valid framework for studying stress-related eating behavior in adolescents, with potential implications for personalized nutrition and the prevention of stress-induced overeating. © 2025 by the authors.},
keywords = {acute stress, Adolescent, Adolescents, adult, article, controlled study, craving, decision making, Eating, eating behavior, ecological validity, electrocardiogram, electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters, Electrocardiography, feeding behavior, female, food craving, food preference, Food Preferences, Heart Rate, human, Humans, hyperphagia, male, mental stress, motivation, normal human, overnutrition, pathophysiology, Perceived Stress Scale, personalized nutrition, physiological stress, physiology, PQ interval, Psychological, psychology, QTc interval, questionnaire, reward, simulation, social stress, Stress, supermarket, Surveys and Questionnaires, three-factor eating questionnaire (TFEQ), Three-Factor-Eating-Questionnaire, Trier Social Stress Test, virtual reality, virtual supermarket, visual analog scale},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Background/Objectives: Acute stress is known to influence food-related motivation and decision-making, often promoting a preference for energy-dense, palatable foods. However, traditional laboratory paradigms have limited ecological validity. This study examined the relationship between stress-induced physiological changes, eating behavior traits, and food cravings using a virtual reality (VR) adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test (VR-TSST) followed by a VR supermarket task in adolescents. Methods: Thirty-eight adolescents (mean age 15.8 ± 0.6 years) participated in the study. Physiological parameters (HR, QT, PQ intervals) were recorded pre- and post-stress using a portable ECG device (WIWE). Perceived stress and eating behavior traits were evaluated with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21C), respectively. Immediately after the VR-TSST, participants performed a VR supermarket task in which they rated cravings for sweet, fatty, and healthy foods using visual analog scales (VAS). Paired-samples t-tests examined pre–post changes in physiological parameters, partial correlations explored associations between ECG responses and eating traits, and a 2 × 3 mixed-model Repeated Measures ANOVA assessed the effects of food type (sweet, fatty, healthy) and uncontrolled eating (UE) group (low vs. high) on post-stress cravings. Results: Acute stress induced significant increases in HR and QTc intervals (p < 0.01), confirming a robust physiological stress response. The ANOVA revealed a strong main effect of food type (F(1.93, 435.41) = 168.98, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.43), indicating that stress-induced cravings differed across food categories, with sweet foods rated highest. A significant food type × UE group interaction (F(1.93, 435.41) = 16.49, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.07) showed that adolescents with high UE exhibited greater cravings for sweet and fatty foods than those with low UE. Overall, craving levels did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that acute stress selectively enhances cravings for high-reward foods, and that this effect is modulated by baseline uncontrolled eating tendencies. The combined use of VR-based stress induction and VR supermarket simulation offers an innovative, ecologically valid framework for studying stress-related eating behavior in adolescents, with potential implications for personalized nutrition and the prevention of stress-induced overeating. © 2025 by the authors.
7.
Onita, C. A.; Matei, D. -V.; Chelarasu, E.; Lupu, R. G.; Petrescu-Miron, D.; Visnevschi, A.; Vudu, S.; Corciova, C.; Fuior, R.; Tupita, N.; Bouchard, S.; Mocanu, V.
In: Nutrients, vol. 17, no. 24, 2025, ISSN: 20726643 (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: acute stress, Adolescent, Adolescents, adult, article, controlled study, craving, decision making, Eating, eating behavior, ecological validity, electrocardiogram, electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters, Electrocardiography, feeding behavior, female, food craving, food preference, Food Preferences, Heart Rate, human, Humans, hyperphagia, male, mental stress, motivation, normal human, overnutrition, pathophysiology, Perceived Stress Scale, personalized nutrition, physiological stress, physiology, PQ interval, Psychological, psychology, QTc interval, questionnaire, reward, simulation, social stress, Stress, supermarket, Surveys and Questionnaires, three-factor eating questionnaire (TFEQ), Three-Factor-Eating-Questionnaire, Trier Social Stress Test, virtual reality, virtual supermarket, visual analog scale
@article{onitaVirtualRealityTrier2025a,
title = {Virtual Reality Trier Social Stress and Virtual Supermarket Exposure: Electrocardiogram Correlates of Food Craving and Eating Traits in Adolescents},
author = {C. A. Onita and D. -V. Matei and E. Chelarasu and R. G. Lupu and D. Petrescu-Miron and A. Visnevschi and S. Vudu and C. Corciova and R. Fuior and N. Tupita and S. Bouchard and V. Mocanu},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105026068857&doi=10.3390%2Fnu17243924&partnerID=40&md5=fde16e892b1a18284dc51ac869ba8ee9},
doi = {10.3390/nu17243924},
issn = {20726643 (ISSN)},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-01-01},
journal = {Nutrients},
volume = {17},
number = {24},
abstract = {Background/Objectives: Acute stress is known to influence food-related motivation and decision-making, often promoting a preference for energy-dense, palatable foods. However, traditional laboratory paradigms have limited ecological validity. This study examined the relationship between stress-induced physiological changes, eating behavior traits, and food cravings using a virtual reality (VR) adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test (VR-TSST) followed by a VR supermarket task in adolescents. Methods: Thirty-eight adolescents (mean age 15.8 ± 0.6 years) participated in the study. Physiological parameters (HR, QT, PQ intervals) were recorded pre- and post-stress using a portable ECG device (WIWE). Perceived stress and eating behavior traits were evaluated with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21C), respectively. Immediately after the VR-TSST, participants performed a VR supermarket task in which they rated cravings for sweet, fatty, and healthy foods using visual analog scales (VAS). Paired-samples t-tests examined pre–post changes in physiological parameters, partial correlations explored associations between ECG responses and eating traits, and a 2 × 3 mixed-model Repeated Measures ANOVA assessed the effects of food type (sweet, fatty, healthy) and uncontrolled eating (UE) group (low vs. high) on post-stress cravings. Results: Acute stress induced significant increases in HR and QTc intervals (p < 0.01), confirming a robust physiological stress response. The ANOVA revealed a strong main effect of food type (F(1.93, 435.41) = 168.98, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.43), indicating that stress-induced cravings differed across food categories, with sweet foods rated highest. A significant food type × UE group interaction (F(1.93, 435.41) = 16.49, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.07) showed that adolescents with high UE exhibited greater cravings for sweet and fatty foods than those with low UE. Overall, craving levels did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that acute stress selectively enhances cravings for high-reward foods, and that this effect is modulated by baseline uncontrolled eating tendencies. The combined use of VR-based stress induction and VR supermarket simulation offers an innovative, ecologically valid framework for studying stress-related eating behavior in adolescents, with potential implications for personalized nutrition and the prevention of stress-induced overeating. © 2025 by the authors.},
keywords = {acute stress, Adolescent, Adolescents, adult, article, controlled study, craving, decision making, Eating, eating behavior, ecological validity, electrocardiogram, electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters, Electrocardiography, feeding behavior, female, food craving, food preference, Food Preferences, Heart Rate, human, Humans, hyperphagia, male, mental stress, motivation, normal human, overnutrition, pathophysiology, Perceived Stress Scale, personalized nutrition, physiological stress, physiology, PQ interval, Psychological, psychology, QTc interval, questionnaire, reward, simulation, social stress, Stress, supermarket, Surveys and Questionnaires, three-factor eating questionnaire (TFEQ), Three-Factor-Eating-Questionnaire, Trier Social Stress Test, virtual reality, virtual supermarket, visual analog scale},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Background/Objectives: Acute stress is known to influence food-related motivation and decision-making, often promoting a preference for energy-dense, palatable foods. However, traditional laboratory paradigms have limited ecological validity. This study examined the relationship between stress-induced physiological changes, eating behavior traits, and food cravings using a virtual reality (VR) adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test (VR-TSST) followed by a VR supermarket task in adolescents. Methods: Thirty-eight adolescents (mean age 15.8 ± 0.6 years) participated in the study. Physiological parameters (HR, QT, PQ intervals) were recorded pre- and post-stress using a portable ECG device (WIWE). Perceived stress and eating behavior traits were evaluated with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21C), respectively. Immediately after the VR-TSST, participants performed a VR supermarket task in which they rated cravings for sweet, fatty, and healthy foods using visual analog scales (VAS). Paired-samples t-tests examined pre–post changes in physiological parameters, partial correlations explored associations between ECG responses and eating traits, and a 2 × 3 mixed-model Repeated Measures ANOVA assessed the effects of food type (sweet, fatty, healthy) and uncontrolled eating (UE) group (low vs. high) on post-stress cravings. Results: Acute stress induced significant increases in HR and QTc intervals (p < 0.01), confirming a robust physiological stress response. The ANOVA revealed a strong main effect of food type (F(1.93, 435.41) = 168.98, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.43), indicating that stress-induced cravings differed across food categories, with sweet foods rated highest. A significant food type × UE group interaction (F(1.93, 435.41) = 16.49, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.07) showed that adolescents with high UE exhibited greater cravings for sweet and fatty foods than those with low UE. Overall, craving levels did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that acute stress selectively enhances cravings for high-reward foods, and that this effect is modulated by baseline uncontrolled eating tendencies. The combined use of VR-based stress induction and VR supermarket simulation offers an innovative, ecologically valid framework for studying stress-related eating behavior in adolescents, with potential implications for personalized nutrition and the prevention of stress-induced overeating. © 2025 by the authors.
8.
Guérette, J.; Blais, C.; Fiset, D.
Verbal Aggressions Against Major League Baseball Umpires Affect Their Decision Making Journal Article
In: Psychological Science, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 288–303, 2024, ISSN: 09567976 (ISSN), (Publisher: SAGE Publications Inc.).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: adult, aggression, aggressive behavior, Baseball, decision making, decision-making, human, Humans, open data, open materials, Performance, social influences, sport psychology, United States
@article{guerette_verbal_2024,
title = {Verbal Aggressions Against Major League Baseball Umpires Affect Their Decision Making},
author = {J. Guérette and C. Blais and D. Fiset},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85186437090&doi=10.1177%2f09567976241227411&partnerID=40&md5=966b63094c30e7194f2065ac7dd1b4fe},
doi = {10.1177/09567976241227411},
issn = {09567976 (ISSN)},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-01-01},
journal = {Psychological Science},
volume = {35},
number = {3},
pages = {288–303},
publisher = {SAGE Publications Inc.},
abstract = {Excessively criticizing a perceived unfair decision is considered to be common behavior among people seeking to restore fairness. However, the effectiveness of this strategy remains unclear. Using an ecological environment where excessive criticism is rampant—Major League Baseball—we assess the impact of verbal aggression on subsequent home-plate umpire decision making during the 2010 to 2019 seasons (N = 153,255 pitches). Results suggest a two-sided benefit of resorting to verbal abuse. After being excessively criticized, home-plate umpires (N = 110 adults, employed in the United States) were less likely to call strikes to batters from the complaining team and more prone to call strikes to batters on the opposing team. A series of additional analyses lead us to reject an alternative hypothesis, namely that umpires, after ejecting the aggressor, seek to compensate for the negative consequences brought on by the loss of a teammate. Rather, our findings support the hypothesis that, under certain conditions, verbal aggression may offer an advantage to complainants. © The Author(s) 2024.},
note = {Publisher: SAGE Publications Inc.},
keywords = {adult, aggression, aggressive behavior, Baseball, decision making, decision-making, human, Humans, open data, open materials, Performance, social influences, sport psychology, United States},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Excessively criticizing a perceived unfair decision is considered to be common behavior among people seeking to restore fairness. However, the effectiveness of this strategy remains unclear. Using an ecological environment where excessive criticism is rampant—Major League Baseball—we assess the impact of verbal aggression on subsequent home-plate umpire decision making during the 2010 to 2019 seasons (N = 153,255 pitches). Results suggest a two-sided benefit of resorting to verbal abuse. After being excessively criticized, home-plate umpires (N = 110 adults, employed in the United States) were less likely to call strikes to batters from the complaining team and more prone to call strikes to batters on the opposing team. A series of additional analyses lead us to reject an alternative hypothesis, namely that umpires, after ejecting the aggressor, seek to compensate for the negative consequences brought on by the loss of a teammate. Rather, our findings support the hypothesis that, under certain conditions, verbal aggression may offer an advantage to complainants. © The Author(s) 2024.
9.
Guérette, J.; Blais, C.; Fiset, D.
Verbal Aggressions Against Major League Baseball Umpires Affect Their Decision Making Journal Article
In: Psychological Science, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 288–303, 2024, ISSN: 09567976.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: adult, aggression, aggressive behavior, Baseball, decision making, decision-making, human, Humans, open data, open materials, Performance, social influences, sport psychology, United States
@article{guerette_verbal_2024-1,
title = {Verbal Aggressions Against Major League Baseball Umpires Affect Their Decision Making},
author = {J. Guérette and C. Blais and D. Fiset},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85186437090&doi=10.1177%2f09567976241227411&partnerID=40&md5=966b63094c30e7194f2065ac7dd1b4fe},
doi = {10.1177/09567976241227411},
issn = {09567976},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-01-01},
journal = {Psychological Science},
volume = {35},
number = {3},
pages = {288–303},
publisher = {SAGE Publications Inc.},
abstract = {Excessively criticizing a perceived unfair decision is considered to be common behavior among people seeking to restore fairness. However, the effectiveness of this strategy remains unclear. Using an ecological environment where excessive criticism is rampant—Major League Baseball—we assess the impact of verbal aggression on subsequent home-plate umpire decision making during the 2010 to 2019 seasons (N = 153,255 pitches). Results suggest a two-sided benefit of resorting to verbal abuse. After being excessively criticized, home-plate umpires (N = 110 adults, employed in the United States) were less likely to call strikes to batters from the complaining team and more prone to call strikes to batters on the opposing team. A series of additional analyses lead us to reject an alternative hypothesis, namely that umpires, after ejecting the aggressor, seek to compensate for the negative consequences brought on by the loss of a teammate. Rather, our findings support the hypothesis that, under certain conditions, verbal aggression may offer an advantage to complainants. © The Author(s) 2024.},
keywords = {adult, aggression, aggressive behavior, Baseball, decision making, decision-making, human, Humans, open data, open materials, Performance, social influences, sport psychology, United States},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Excessively criticizing a perceived unfair decision is considered to be common behavior among people seeking to restore fairness. However, the effectiveness of this strategy remains unclear. Using an ecological environment where excessive criticism is rampant—Major League Baseball—we assess the impact of verbal aggression on subsequent home-plate umpire decision making during the 2010 to 2019 seasons (N = 153,255 pitches). Results suggest a two-sided benefit of resorting to verbal abuse. After being excessively criticized, home-plate umpires (N = 110 adults, employed in the United States) were less likely to call strikes to batters from the complaining team and more prone to call strikes to batters on the opposing team. A series of additional analyses lead us to reject an alternative hypothesis, namely that umpires, after ejecting the aggressor, seek to compensate for the negative consequences brought on by the loss of a teammate. Rather, our findings support the hypothesis that, under certain conditions, verbal aggression may offer an advantage to complainants. © The Author(s) 2024.
10.
Guérette, J.; Blais, C.; Fiset, D.
Verbal Aggressions Against Major League Baseball Umpires Affect Their Decision Making Journal Article
In: Psychological Science, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 288–303, 2024, ISSN: 09567976 (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: adult, aggression, aggressive behavior, Baseball, decision making, decision-making, human, Humans, open data, open materials, Performance, social influences, sport psychology, United States
@article{gueretteVerbalAggressionsMajor2024a,
title = {Verbal Aggressions Against Major League Baseball Umpires Affect Their Decision Making},
author = {J. Guérette and C. Blais and D. Fiset},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85186437090&doi=10.1177%2f09567976241227411&partnerID=40&md5=966b63094c30e7194f2065ac7dd1b4fe},
doi = {10.1177/09567976241227411},
issn = {09567976 (ISSN)},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-01-01},
journal = {Psychological Science},
volume = {35},
number = {3},
pages = {288–303},
publisher = {SAGE Publications Inc.},
abstract = {Excessively criticizing a perceived unfair decision is considered to be common behavior among people seeking to restore fairness. However, the effectiveness of this strategy remains unclear. Using an ecological environment where excessive criticism is rampant—Major League Baseball—we assess the impact of verbal aggression on subsequent home-plate umpire decision making during the 2010 to 2019 seasons (N = 153,255 pitches). Results suggest a two-sided benefit of resorting to verbal abuse. After being excessively criticized, home-plate umpires (N = 110 adults, employed in the United States) were less likely to call strikes to batters from the complaining team and more prone to call strikes to batters on the opposing team. A series of additional analyses lead us to reject an alternative hypothesis, namely that umpires, after ejecting the aggressor, seek to compensate for the negative consequences brought on by the loss of a teammate. Rather, our findings support the hypothesis that, under certain conditions, verbal aggression may offer an advantage to complainants. © The Author(s) 2024.},
keywords = {adult, aggression, aggressive behavior, Baseball, decision making, decision-making, human, Humans, open data, open materials, Performance, social influences, sport psychology, United States},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Excessively criticizing a perceived unfair decision is considered to be common behavior among people seeking to restore fairness. However, the effectiveness of this strategy remains unclear. Using an ecological environment where excessive criticism is rampant—Major League Baseball—we assess the impact of verbal aggression on subsequent home-plate umpire decision making during the 2010 to 2019 seasons (N = 153,255 pitches). Results suggest a two-sided benefit of resorting to verbal abuse. After being excessively criticized, home-plate umpires (N = 110 adults, employed in the United States) were less likely to call strikes to batters from the complaining team and more prone to call strikes to batters on the opposing team. A series of additional analyses lead us to reject an alternative hypothesis, namely that umpires, after ejecting the aggressor, seek to compensate for the negative consequences brought on by the loss of a teammate. Rather, our findings support the hypothesis that, under certain conditions, verbal aggression may offer an advantage to complainants. © The Author(s) 2024.