Towards a Framework for Human-Robot Co-creation

Poster (2022, August)

Projet « Plus-value de l’apprentissage » - Rapport synthétique

Report (2022)

Creativity in Humans, Robots, Humbots

in Creativity: Theories – Research – Applications (2021), 8(1),

What Factors Contribute to the Meaning of Work? A Validation of Morin’s Meaning of Work Questionnaire

in Psicologia, Reflexão e Crítica (2021), 34(1),

Background: Considering the recent and current evolution of work and the work context, the meaning of work is becoming an increasingly relevant topic in research in the social sciences and humanities ... [more ▼]

Background: Considering the recent and current evolution of work and the work context, the meaning of work is becoming an increasingly relevant topic in research in the social sciences and humanities, particularly in psychology. In order to understand and measure what contributes to the meaning of work, Morin (2003) constructed a 30-item questionnaire that has become predominant and has repeatedly been used in research in occupational psychology and by practitioners in the field. Nevertheless, it has been validated only in part. Method: Meaning of work questionnaire was conducted in French with 366 people (51.3% of women; age: (M = 39.11, SD = 11.25); 99.2% of whom were employed with the remainder retired). Three sets of statistical analyses were run on the data. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted on independent samples. Results: The questionnaire described a five-factor structure. These dimensions (Success and Recognition at work and of work, α= .90; Usefulness, α= .88; Respect for work, α= .88; Value from and through work, α= .83; Remuneration, α= .85) are all attached to a general second-order latent meaning of work factor (α= .96). Conclusions: Validation of the scale, and implications for health in the workplace and career counseling practices, are discussed. [less ▲]

Educational Robotics and Robot Creativity: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue

in Frontiers in Robotics and AI (2021)

There is a growing literature concerning robotics and creativity. Although some authors claim that robotics in classrooms may be a promising new tool to address the creativity crisis in school, we often ... [more ▼]

There is a growing literature concerning robotics and creativity. Although some authors claim that robotics in classrooms may be a promising new tool to address the creativity crisis in school, we often face a lack of theoretical development of the concept of creativity and the mechanisms involved. In this article, we will first provide an overview of existing research using educational robotics to foster creativity. We show that in this line of work the exact mechanisms promoted by robotics activities are rarely discussed. We use a confluence model of creativity to account for the positive effect of designing and coding robots on students' creative output. We focus on the cognitive components of the process of constructing and programming robots within the context of existing models of creative cognition. We address as well the question of the role of meta-reasoning and emergent strategies in the creative process. Then, in the second part of the article, we discuss how the notion of creativity applies to robots themselves in terms of the creative processes that can be embodied in these artificial agents. Ultimately, we argue that considering how robots and humans deal with novelty and solve open-ended tasks could help us to understand better some aspects of the essence of creativity. [less ▲]

Investigating the student’s learning satisfaction, wellbeing, and mental health in the context of imposed remote teaching during the COVID-19 crisis

in Mein, Georg; Pause, Johannes (Eds.) Self and Society in the Corona Crisis (2021)

As a first response to the COVID‐19 pandemic, Luxembourg, as many other countries, chose a strategy of minimized physical and social contacts. The educational system implemented these measures by ... [more ▼]

As a first response to the COVID‐19 pandemic, Luxembourg, as many other countries, chose a strategy of minimized physical and social contacts. The educational system implemented these measures by introducing quick changes in their teaching modalities. At the onset of the lockdown in spring 2020, the University of Luxembourg, unlike other higher‐education institutions, has managed to rapidly transition to exclusive remote teaching for all offered study programs. There are good reasons to believe that the rapid change in teaching modalities in addition to the manifold challenges surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic have had an impact on the University students’ learning satisfaction, personal wellbeing, and mental health, and possibly even affected their educational outcomes. In this article, we present the results from a survey that we administered during the first weeks of the lockdown situation to assess the magnitude of COVID‐19’s impact on the academic domain. The central aim of the survey is to understand how students have been able to adapt to an abrupt change in teaching and learning modalities, and to which degree the exclusive e‐learning practice has affected their learning satisfaction and subsequent personal wellbeing. Besides investigating the impact of the student’s learning satisfaction on personal wellbeing and mental health, the present study explores the influence of pedagogical aspects, with a present focus on teaching creativity, on learning satisfaction within an e‐learning environment. [less ▲]

Normalization as a mediator of emotion during unemployment

in Anxiety, Stress and Coping (2021)

Meta-analyses indicated detrimental effects on some psychological dimensions from job loss and extended periods of unemployment. This study analyses three phenomena: causes attributed to unemployment ... [more ▼]

Meta-analyses indicated detrimental effects on some psychological dimensions from job loss and extended periods of unemployment. This study analyses three phenomena: causes attributed to unemployment; processes for coping with unemployment; and the emotional impact of joblessness. Using an SEM approach, a model is created in which unemployment normalization acts as a mediator between locus of control and emotions. Method: questionnaires from 260 unemployed people in Luxembourg provided data on perceived control, coping, and emotions. Participants who attribute their situation to bad luck, believe more strongly that unemployment is due to external factors beyond their control, and recognize unemployment as being a common occurrence in life. Such cognitive attribution of unemployment has effects on job seekers’ emotions. Those who perceive unemployment in a more positive light experience more positive emotions and fewer negative affects. Negative perceptions of unemployment have no effect on the generation of positive emotion, but have an influence on negative affects. Finally, the influence of perceived-control on emotion is not direct, but is mediated by processes of unemployment normalization. Understanding how unemployed people perceive and experience their situations could help them be more effective in their search for new employment [less ▲]

Effects of meaning in life and of work on health in unemployment

in Health Psychology Open (2020)

In line with the meaning making theory, people experience a discrepancy when their appraised meaning of a situation is in conflict with their general meaning framework. We wanted to replicate this result ... [more ▼]

In line with the meaning making theory, people experience a discrepancy when their appraised meaning of a situation is in conflict with their general meaning framework. We wanted to replicate this result in the context of unemployment. Heren the meaning of work and meaning in life influenced the perception of unemployment and consequently had an impact on mental health. This study points to new ways of thinking about unemployment and career transitions. Whereas the COVID-19-induced economic crisis will see millions of people losing their jobs, these results could assist counselors in helping unemployed people better understand the experiences they are going through. [less ▲]

Le processus de médiation et son issue à la croisée des dimensions psychologiques et sociales : pistes de recherche

in Négociations (2020), 34(2), 171-192

Les pratiques de médiation sont promues de façon croissante par les sociétés occidentales, avec un nombre grandissant de centres et de praticiens qui offrent leurs services. La recherche sur les ... [more ▼]

Les pratiques de médiation sont promues de façon croissante par les sociétés occidentales, avec un nombre grandissant de centres et de praticiens qui offrent leurs services. La recherche sur les déterminants, les mécanismes et les résultats de la médiation en est cependant encore à ses débuts en Europe francophone, alors que déjà beaucoup plus avancée dans les pays anglo-saxons. Une analyse de la littérature internationale est ici proposée afin d’inspirer la recherche dans nos pays. Elle permet de faire émerger deux principales priorités de recherche, concernant les ressources et stratégies utilisées par les médiateurs et l’évaluation de la médiation et ses effets à moyen et long termes.Mediation is increasingly promoted by Western societies, with a growing number of centers and practitioners offering their services. Research on the determinants, mechanisms, and results of mediation are nevertheless still in their infancy in French-speaking Europe, though they are more advanced in English-speaking countries. An analysis of the international literature is here proposed in order to guide research in our countries. Two subjects should be research priorities: the resources and strategies used by mediators; and the evaluation of mediation by establishing precise criteria and by studying, through longitudinal research designs, the link between the initial characteristics of mediation and its medium- and long-term effects. [less ▲]

Adaptation and Validation of the Perceived Control in Unemployment Scale

in Frontiers in Psychology (2019)

Perceived control plays an important role in the understanding of people's experiences with unemployment and reemployment. Yet, no scale has been designed specifically to measure people's perceived ... [more ▼]

Perceived control plays an important role in the understanding of people's experiences with unemployment and reemployment. Yet, no scale has been designed specifically to measure people's perceived control in an unemployment situation. In the current study, using two independent samples with 1,009 and 831 unemployed people in France and Luxembourg, respectively, we created and tested a three-dimensional Perceived Control in Unemployment Scale that was based on Levenson's (1973, 1981) theory. An exploratory factor analysis (Study 1) and a confirmatory factor analysis (Study 2) showed that the data were consistent with the theoretically postulated three-factor model. In addition, we established convergent and discriminant validity with several adaptive and non-adaptive dimensions in two independent samples of 141 unemployed people and 384 recently unemployed people in Luxembourg (Studies 3 and 4, respectively). Perceived control did not change over a period of 6 months of unemployment, yet the three types of perceived control measured at the beginning of unemployment predicted employment status 6 months later. Unemployed people with perceptions of internal control or control from powerful others found jobs more quickly, whereas the perception that chance was the controlling factor predicted longer unemployment. [less ▲]