Mario I Suárez , Kamden K Strunk , Kelly N Furr , Kristen L Tuxbury , Cammie Justus-Smith , Korinthia D Nicolai , Thea L Racelis , Michelle Frierson , Edgar Díaz , Obed Amoakoh Boateng , Jared P Grigg
{"title":"QuantCrit at the intersections: a systematic review of gender and sexuality in QuantCrit research","authors":"Mario I Suárez , Kamden K Strunk , Kelly N Furr , Kristen L Tuxbury , Cammie Justus-Smith , Korinthia D Nicolai , Thea L Racelis , Michelle Frierson , Edgar Díaz , Obed Amoakoh Boateng , Jared P Grigg","doi":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101549","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101549","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of QuantCrit and other approaches to centering racism in quantitative educational research has rapidly expanded. While both QuantCrit and Critical Race Theory call for intersectional analyses that account for multiple systems of marginalization, such as racism, white supremacism, genderism, misogyny, trans-antagonism, and heterosexism, gender and sexuality have tended to be emphasized less often. As a result, our research questions concerned whether and how QuantCrit researchers took up gender and sexuality in their work. We found that most authors relied on large-scale datasets, which limited their ability to critically engage with these concepts. We further found that when authors engaged gender, they most often conflated gender and legal sex. We further found relatively few examples that considered sexuality at all. We offer recommendations for QuantCrit scholars to better account for gender and sexuality and the intersecting systems of oppression that overlap at LGBTQ+ social locations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56191,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 101549"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144321299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Functions of the posterior cingulate cortex and default network","authors":"Brett L Foster, Seth R Koslov","doi":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101560","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101560","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) is an intriguing yet understudied brain region implicated in diverse cognitive functions and neurological disorders. Progress in understanding the human PCC has been hindered by the absence of a clear rodent homolog, inconsistent lesion-behavior deficits in humans, and limitations in studying the region with noninvasive electrophysiological methods. However, the advent of functional neuroimaging has highlighted the PCC’s central role within the default mode network (DMN) and its broader functional role as an associative, transmodal, cortical region. Recent advances in precision imaging have further refined the functional neuroanatomy of the PCC, revealing its complex subregional organization and network connectivity profiles. For example, the PCC is a convergence point for dorsal executive and ventral mnemonic systems, with distinct subregions (dorsal PCC and ventral PCC) differentially contributing to cognitive control, decision-making, and episodic memory. This emphasis on higher-order cognition highlights the often-striking dissociation of the PCC/DMN from primary sensory-motor processing. However, emerging evidence suggests that the PCC operates at the apex of cortical processing hierarchies, supporting temporally extended cognitive behaviors while also integrating sensory updates relevant to ongoing tasks. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding the human PCC, emphasizing its functional connections to various cognitive systems beyond the DMN and its relative separation, though not isolation, from primary sensory-motor systems. Together, these facets allow the PCC to support the representation of past and future behavioral scenarios by integrating prior experience with ongoing sensory feedback.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56191,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 101560"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144330203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reflections on my engagement with QuantCrit: operating as a lens or corrective surgery?","authors":"Michael Russell","doi":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101548","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101548","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This reflection critiques shortcomings in conceptualization and theorization in prior studies undertaken by the author in which the lens of QuantCrit was applied. The reflection identifies two aspects of the conceptualization and theorization that were underdeveloped in this prior work. The first aspect focuses on the conceptualization of identity categories and the complexity of their formation and operations. The second aspect addresses the complexity of various theories of oppression and the resulting challenges this complexity presents when an identity category, such as race, is used as a proxy for oppression. The reflection highlights recent efforts that move beyond the use of socially constructed identity categories as a proxy for oppression and instead develop and apply measures of various mechanisms of structural racism. The reflection highlights the need for clarity in the theorization one applies to a study in which socially constructed identity categories are included as part of the analysis, the mechanisms of oppression that are theorized to influence outcomes of interest, and the alignment between the measures and modeling techniques and this theorization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56191,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 101548"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144306794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The default mode network and the complex dynamics of ongoing experience: an attractor-state perspective","authors":"Giulia L Poerio, Theodoros Karapanagiotidis","doi":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101546","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101546","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ongoing experiences are a defining feature of the human condition, encompassing the thoughts, feelings, and sensations that underscore how we experience the world and our subjective sense of self from moment to moment. In this review, we show how the Default Mode Network’s structural and functional properties make it uniquely suited to supporting ongoing experiences as a system capable of abstraction, integration, and flexibility. We chart recent methodological advances that use dimensionality reduction techniques to map both neural and experiential states, demonstrating that they are most powerfully leveraged when applied together across both domains. Building on these insights, we propose an attractor-state framework to capture how stable and flexible mental states emerge from complex brain dynamics. Finally, we discuss the implications of our framework for psychopathology, offering a dynamic systems perspective on the interplay between brain function, ongoing experience, and mental health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56191,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 101546"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144254175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A review of critical race mixed methodology in education: current trends and future directions","authors":"Jessica T DeCuir-Gunby , Royel M Johnson","doi":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101544","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101544","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Critical race mixed methodology (CRMM), which combines critical race theory (CRT) with mixed methods research, is an emerging approach in education research. As an extension of CRT’s qualitative traditions and the newer quantitative CRT research movement, CRMM offers a comprehensive framework for examining racial inequities. This article explores the emergence of CRMM, reviewing its application in education research. We also discuss the challenges associated with CRMM, including methodological complexity and institutional resistance, while highlighting opportunities for its growth and broader application beyond education.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56191,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 101544"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144263822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exposure/isolation measures of segregation through a QuantCrit lens: implications for education research","authors":"Vandeen A Campbell , Darnell Leatherwood","doi":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101543","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101543","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We briefly reflect on a current study that examined how exposure measures of segregation relate to access to an accelerated math pathway in which we proposed, using a QuantCrit lens, that exposure/isolation measures can function as proxies for shedding light on how structural and systemic racism influence the distribution of important educational resources. We refine our initial conceptualization by applying that lens to proposed models in Reardon and Owens's 2014 review of segregation research and demonstrate that exposure/isolation measures within the proposed modeling framework can illuminate mechanisms of systemic racism in resource allocation. Although it can be argued that these measures are established and useful, we caution against using them uncritically. Understanding these mechanisms can help policymakers, practitioners, advocates, and others design more effective strategies to address educational inequalities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56191,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 101543"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144254176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Quantitative rigor through critical consciousness: bridging methods in education research","authors":"Ben Van Dusen , Jayson Nissen","doi":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101542","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101542","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article explores how critical theory informs quantitative methods to tackle systemic inequities in education. We critique traditional quantitative training that prioritizes procedural rigor without examining assumptions and advocate for intersectional regression models, specifically Multilevel Analysis of Individual Heterogeneity and Discriminant Analysis (MAIHDA) and Bayesian approaches. We also address challenges like missing data and model uncertainty through strategies like multiple imputation and compatibility intervals, enhancing methodological robustness, and ethical integrity. We introduce the concept of educational debts to shift the focus from individual deficits to systemic responsibilities, highlighting the practical and theoretical benefits of these approaches. Ultimately, this article guides researchers in using quantitative tools that acknowledge identity and power dynamics, aiming to foster more equitable scientific inquiry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56191,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 101542"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144239927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Leveraging AI to advance psychological research for climate policy","authors":"Dhara Yu , Bill D Thompson , Rachit Dubey","doi":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101547","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101547","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Addressing climate change requires passing ambitious green policies, yet these policies often face significant public resistance. In this article, we highlight the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to help overcome this challenge by deepening our understanding of the psychological factors influencing reasoning and decision-making about climate policy. We explore how AI can be leveraged as a tool to gain deeper insights into the factors driving public resistance, improve communication about policies, and aid the design of more effective, human-centered policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56191,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 101547"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144231015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Core of consciousness: the default mode network as nexus of convergence and divergence in the human brain","authors":"Andrea I Luppi , Dian Lyu , Emmanuel A Stamatakis","doi":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101545","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cobeha.2025.101545","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We propose an integrative view of the default mode network (DMN) as the anatomical and functional nexus for the interplay of convergence and divergence in the human brain. A growing body of evidence indicates that both DMN convergence and divergence are compromised across pharmacological and pathological perturbations of consciousness. Breakdown of DMN spatiotemporal continuity induces a collapse of the cortical functional hierarchy and failure to integrate self and world into a coherent stream of consciousness. Looking ahead, there is exciting potential for pharmacological and brain stimulation interventions that may be able to rebalance DMN functioning to restore consciousness. Altogether, an integrative understanding of the DMN’s functional role in terms of convergence and divergence sheds light on the mechanisms underlying both normal and perturbed states of consciousness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56191,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 101545"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144212269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}