Salvi, Carola

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Professor Salvi researches neural mechanisms underlying insight problem-solving, creativity, and cognitive flexibility. Her theoretical questions expand from cognitive neuro- and behavioral sciences to social psychology and psychophysiology. She approaches the field of creativity by investigating its relationship with the sensory system, its association with the right temporal lobe, the dopamine system, as well as the effects of insight’s emotional component (the Aha! experience). Recently she began investigating the relationship between cognitive flexibility, social reasoning, and beliefs (e.g., believing in fake news and conspiracy theories). Her work counts the first Italian versions of the several sets of problems enabling researchers to investigate the insight among Italian speakers. Prior to joining JCU, Professor Salvi was a postdoctoral fellow at UT Austin, Northwestern University, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (Shirley Ryan AbilityLab). In parallel to her scientific career, in 2021 Professor Salvi started working on the theme of domestic violence, creating an art collection to raise awareness and funds to support this cause. In 2022 her paintings were exposed at the Witte Museum of San Antonio, TX. Professor Salvi pioneered several breakthroughs in the field of creativity, her scientific work has been quoted in several media outlets such as the Washington Post, BBC, Time.com, The New York Times, Forbes, RAI Italian national TV, and Redbull TV.

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    Gestalt’s Perspective on Insight: A Recap Based on Recent Behavioral and Neuroscientific Evidence
    (2023) Vitello, Mary; Salvi, Carola
    The Gestalt psychologists’ theory of insight problem-solving was based on a direct parallelism between perceptual experience and higher-order forms of cognition (e.g., problem-solving). Similarly, albeit not exclusively, to the sudden recognition of bistable figures, these psychologists contended that problem-solving involves a restructuring of one’s initial representation of the problem’s elements, leading to a sudden leap of understanding phenomenologically indexed by the “Aha!” feeling. Over the last century, different scholars have discussed the validity of the Gestalt psychologists’ perspective, foremost using the behavioral measures available at the time. However, in the last two decades, scientists have gained a deeper understanding of insight problem-solving due to the advancements in cognitive neuroscience. This review aims to provide a retrospective reading of Gestalt theory based on the knowledge accrued by adopting novel paradigms of research and investigating their neurophysiological correlates. Among several key points that the Gestalt psychologists underscored, we focus specifically on the role of the visual system in marking a discrete switch of knowledge into awareness, as well as the perceptual experience and holistic standpoints. While the main goal of this paper is to read the previous theory in light of new evidence, we also hope to initiate an academic discussion and encourage further research about the points we raise.
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    Awe in the metaverse: Designing and validating a novel online virtual-reality awe-inspiring training
    (2023) Pizzolante, Marta; Borghesi, Francesca; Sarcinella, Eleonora; Bartolotta, Sabrina; Salvi, Carola; Cipresso, Pietro; Gaggioli, Andrea; Chirico, Alice
    An increasing number of studies have unveiled the nuanced nature of awe - a complex emotion stemming from stimuli so perceptually and conceptually vast to impact individuals’ current mental frames. Its positive impact on human wellbeing and health have been reported even after a single short exposure to awe-inspiring stimuli. Recently, Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a suitable technique for eliciting brief moments of intense awe. Moreover, nowadays, the Metaverse has increased the opportunity to access even complex experiences, such as awe, for a prolonged period. However, the impact of a prolonged exposure to an awe-inspiring simulated experience still must be investigated. Here, in the first study, we designed and tested usability, user experience and preliminary effectiveness of the first VR awe-inspiring training vs. an equivalent neutral training in VR. We relied on an immersive virtual reality online social platform- Altspace VR - for designing the training. In the second study, we investigated whether a prolonged exposure to awe could hold the same effect on creative thinking as it was demonstrated for brief exposure to awe in VR. Specifically, we tested the impact of a long-lasting exposure to awe on creative thinking in the short and on the long run (after the training and in a one-week follow-up) and vs. an equivalent neutral condition (the same as the first study). Creativity thinking, was assessed through Alternative Uses Task (AUT). Additionally, measures related to the disposition to feel positive emotions, social desirability and level of curiosity were collected. The first study supported the feasibility of the training together with the usability of the platform as well as its effectiveness in eliciting awe (vs. neutral condition). Moreover, for the second study, there was a main effect of time on some of the dimensions of creative thinking. Participants scored higher in fluency, originality, and flexibility one week after the training compared to the pre-training phase. These results suggested preliminary design guidelines for creating awe experiences in the Metaverse, unveiling the role of time exposure and duration of their effects on individuals.
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    States of epistemic curiosity interfere with memory for incidental scholastic facts
    (2024) Keller, Nicole E.; Salvi, Carola; Leiker, Emily K.; Gruber, Matthias J.; Dunsmoor, Joseph E.
    Curiosity can be a powerful motivator to learn and retain new information. Evidence shows that high states of curiosity elicited by a specific source (i.e., a trivia question) can promote memory for incidental stimuli (non-target) presented close in time. The spreading effect of curiosity states on memory for other information has potential for educational applications. Specifically, it could provide techniques to improve learning for information that did not spark a sense of curiosity on its own. Here, we investigated how high states of curiosity induced through trivia questions affect memory performance for unrelated scholastic facts (e.g., scientific, English, or historical facts) presented in close temporal proximity to the trivia question. Across three task versions, participants viewed trivia questions closely followed in time by a scholastic fact unrelated to the trivia question, either just prior to or immediately following the answer to the trivia question. Participants then completed a surprise multiple-choice memory test (akin to a pop quiz) for the scholastic material. In all three task versions, memory performance was poorer for scholastic facts presented after trivia questions that had elicited high versus low levels of curiosity. These results contradict previous findings showing curiosity-enhanced memory for incidentally presented visual stimuli and suggest that target information that generates a high-curiosity state interferes with encoding complex and unrelated scholastic facts presented close in time.