Open Access

There is an increasingly urgent need for societal change towards sustainability as it is vital to maintain an environmental situation that supports human life. A highly impact-relevant field is agriculture and therefore this need also entails a sustainable transformation of this field. However, there has been insufficient progress towards the SDG targets and it seems unrealistic that they will be reached in 2030. Some barriers lie in the attitude-behavior gap, and some in the hindering characteristics of land use conflicts as well as assumed urban-rural conflicts. Understanding the points of view of others substantially contributes to the finding of joint solutions. This is especially necessary in the context of complex challenges such as sustainable development, where diverse knowledge, experience, and opinions can either hinder or constructively facilitate appropriate solutions. Thus, understanding might be a key construct for constructive handling of land-use conflicts and therefore essential for sustainable development. In the literature, there is as yet no clearly defined core construct of understanding, especially related to sustainable agriculture change. This will be addressed here as the main research gap. Therefore, this thesis aims to theoretically derive and empirically test the construct of the understanding of the agriculturally shaped environment as a key to sustainable land use change at the societal level. In addition, socio-demographic and spatial aspects related to the distribution of understanding in society will be examined. The aim is for this key construct of the understanding of the agriculturally shaped environment to be applicable in research and practice to be able to capture and evaluate the status quo and then lead to appropriate interventions to facilitate and grow a breeding ground for sustainable agriculture. In order to be able to capture the complexity of this research object, the approach applied is interdisciplinary, integrating in particular (rural) geography and (environmental) psychology, not only theories but also methods. Thus, another central research gap is addressed; the need for interdisciplinary cooperation and approaches as (potential) complex answers for complex challenges in the context of sustainable development. Therefore, in Study I, as a result of the literature review, the multidimensional construct of the understanding of the agriculturally shaped environment has been theoretically derived. It makes a substantial contribution towards closing the attitude-behavior gap by including not only a cognitive and attitudinal component but also an emotional one. Additionally, understanding is an important prerequisite for solving (land-use) conflicts. For this construct, empirical evidence was found by using structural equation modeling for four understanding dimensions: one cognitive, two emotional, and an attitudinal dimension. Furthermore, in Study II, cluster analysis was performed as it had been suspected that there are different groups in society with respect to the expressions of the understanding dimensions. The analysis revealed three groups: 1. The alienated from the agriculturally shaped environment cluster, 2. the knowledge about sustainable agriculture cluster, and 3. the conventional agriculture cluster. Testing with multinomial logistic regressions was also performed; these understanding profiles are significantly influenced by socio-demographic, spatial, and regional characteristics (Studies II and III). Thus, it appears that there is spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of understanding profiles rather than the often assumed urban-rural gradient (Study III). In this way, specific insights into society and spatial and regional patterns have been gained and an applicable indicator for practitioners has been derived to evaluate the status quo. Thus, there is now a basis for practitioners to derive appropriate measures to foster the breeding ground in society for sustainable agriculture. More specifically, the understanding level of people who tend to be in Cluster One, in particular, is a challenge because of their general indifference and lack of access to the agriculturally shaped environment. An appropriate measure can be farm visits to provide contact with this kind of environment and related issues. There is a great need to implement measures to overcome the alienation from nature in general and more specifically alienation from agriculture. In order to overcome (potential) social polarization resulting from a focus on urban versus rural characteristics or such labels, it makes a lot of sense to foster contact between different social and spatial groups to bring about an exchange, as well as taking different experiences and knowledge and opinions into account and then utilizing them to find complex solutions regarding climate change. A central takeaway is that understanding is an important prerequisite for constructive handling of land-use conflicts and therefore for sustainable development. Additionally, in order to find complex solutions for complex contemporary challenges (e.g. climate change) and thus overcome disciplinary shortcomings it is extremely useful to apply interdisciplinary approaches (in specific the combination of rural geography and environmental psychology). To meet the complex, global challenges of climate change subsequent studies should focus on high-impact behavior: e.g. agriculture, which can take advantage of latent construct development in the context of sustainable development, furthermore, in order to counteract social polarization, studies should also consider the effect on different groups (e.g. the rural population) of scientists reproducing destructive one-sided narratives. In future research, the construct of understanding developed here can be improved by using psychometric items and it can also be extended through adaptation for other issues e.g. Dust Bowl syndrome. The empirical data were collected through a large-scale population survey in Western Pomerania, Germany, which serves as an example of a predominantly rural and comparatively structurally weak region with manifold land-use conflicts.

Performing two tasks at the same time leads to dual-task costs. One kind of dual-task cost that arises due to processing interactions between the tasks is referred to as crosstalk. Specifically, when the characteristics of Task 2 interfere with the processing of Task 1, a backward crosstalk effect is observed (BCE). A dimensional overlap between the tasks leads to compatibility-based BCE, whereas a go/no-go in Task 2 leads to no-go BCE. The compatibility-based BCE is due to an automatic activation of Task 2 response interfering with Task 1 response selection. Whereas, no-go BCE is due to the spillover of response inhibition from Task 2 to Task 1. This dissertation investigated the mechanisms and adaptability of the less explored no-go BCE. Study 1 examined the affective consequences of response inhibition on no-go BCE. To this end, affective stimuli were introduced in Task 1, and the results revealed a strong influence of Task 2 negative affective consequences on Task 1 processing. A large no-go BCE was observed when Task 1 was positive, which was absent or even inversed when Task 1 was negative. These findings show that not only response inhibition but also the respective affective consequences are central to no-go BCE, indicating distinct interference mechanisms. The second study investigated the specificity of this interference mechanism, particularly in the presence of another kind of BCE. For this, a dual-task paradigm was designed to accommodate compatibility-based and no-go BCE. A strong dimensional overlap and advanced Task 2 preparation were crucial for both BCEs to co-exist. Further, the results showed that each BCE recruited its own conflict processing mechanisms in a conflict-specific manner. These findings additionally dissociate no-go BCE from compatibility-based BCE and further confirm the role of response inhibition and advanced Task 2 preparation in triggering a no-go BCE. The next two studies examined the adaptability of these mechanisms leading up to the prospect of performance optimization by controlling for crosstalk. For this, Study 3 investigated the influence of prospective reward on no-go BCE. Surprisingly, even though participants were faster in responding to Task 1 and Task 2 with reward, the no-go BCE was not modulated. In addition, reward also led to increased Task 2 commission errors. These results hint at a complex interplay of response initiation along with inhibition in triggering the no-go BCE. Thus, even potent motivators, such as rewards, are not always beneficial to optimize behavior. Therefore it could be worthwhile to explore other methods, such as neuromodulation techniques, to modulate behavior. Study 4 employed one such technique, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), to optimize dual-task performance by controlling for BCE. Limitations in the current understanding of no-go BCE prevent tDCS implementation and therefore, the study investigated the influence of tDCS on compatibility-based BCE. Anodal tDCS on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) upregulated Task 1 shielding resulting in a smaller compatibility-based BCE, especially at high temporal overlap between the tasks. To control for no-go BCE, anodal tDCS stimulation of the right inferior frontal gyrus is planned. Taken together, these results reveal that response initiation along with inhibition plays an important role in driving the no-go BCE. Consequently, the underlying mechanism of this BCE is quite distinct, which has consequences on its adaptability and processing strategies. Furthermore, the results of this dissertation raise two important concerns regarding its mechanism: the locus and the simplistic approach employed towards explaining the no-go BCE. Inspired by the findings from this dissertation, a novel approach is introduced which accounts for a dynamic fluctuation of response initiation and inhibition to explain the no-go BCE. Thus, the unique stature of no-go BCE invites caution when generalizing findings from other kinds of BCEs and therefore requires special consideration.

Die Expositionstherapie ist die Methode der Wahl zur Behandlung von Angsterkrankungen. Die Mechanismen, die einer erfolgreichen Expositionstherapie zugrunde liegen, sind allerdings noch nicht ausreichend geklärt. Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich zum Einen mit Optimierungsstrategien zur Verbesserung der Expositionstherapie und analysiert zum Anderen in grundlagenexperimentellen Untersuchungen sowohl Rekonsolidierungsprozesse als auch die Mechanismen von Extinktionslernen als dem derzeit angenommenen primären Wirkfaktor von Expositionstherapie.

Objective Alexithymia is associated with various mental and physical disorders. Some rare evidence also suggested high alexithymia to affect the HPA axis based on small and selective samples. It was aimed to investigate the impact of alexithymia on basal cortisol levels in a large population-based cohort. Methods In a sample of N = 3444 individuals from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-TREND-0), the effect of alexithymia on basal serum cortisol levels was investigated in a cross-sectional design. Multiple linear regressions utilizing cortisol levels as the response variable and alexithymia as the predictor of interest were calculated, while adjusting for conven-tional confounding covariates including depression. Multiple stratified, moderation and mediation analyses were performed to validate the results. Results Alexithymia was not significantly associated with basal cortisol levels (b = 0.23, 95 percent confidence interval (CI) of [-0.24, 0.69]; sr2 = 0.00, CI: [-0.00, 0.00]). Sex- and age-stratified regression analyses as well as dichotomized models of non-alexithymic and alexithymic individuals substantiated the non-significance. Additional mediation analyses with (1) depression and (2) physical health (R2 > 1 in both cases) and moderation analysis regarding the interaction of physical health and alexithymia (b = -1.45, 95 percent confidence interval (CI) of [-6.13, 3.32]; sr2 = 0.00, CI: [-0.00, 0.00]) corroborated the results. Conclusion This study does not support previous findings as it shows no association between alexithymia and basal cortisol; however, a consideration of the circadian rhythm, stress exposure or specific sample compositions heeding the methodological design should be the subject of further research.

Die zunehmende Digitalisierung und Technologisierung sorgt branchenübergreifend für eine Verlagerung der subjektiv erlebten Beanspruchung von physischer hin zu mentaler Beanspruchung. Um Arbeitsabläufe hinsichtlich auftretender Schwankungen mentaler Beanspruchung optimierbar zu machen, muss diese in Echtzeit am Arbeitsplatz erfassbar sein. Die Verwendung physiologischer Messinstrumente wie Elektrokardiogramm, Eye Tracking und Hautleitfähigkeit bieten dabei eine Möglichkeit der objektiven Quantifizierung der auftretenden Schwankungen. Im Rahmen verschiedener Feld- und Laborstudien konnte gezeigt werden, dass, in Abhängigkeit der Analyseeinheit (gesamter Prozess oder einzelne beanspruchungsinduzierende Events), unterschiedliche physiologische Parameter in der Lage sind Veränderungen der mentalen Beanspruchung nachzuweisen. Insgesamt erwiesen sich dabei die Herzfrequenz sowie die Ausdehnung der Pupille als sensitivste Indikatoren. Für eine live Erfassung im Arbeitsprozess bedarf es zukünftig, neben der Weiterentwicklung von tragbarer Messmethodik (Wearables), eine Entwicklung neuer Algorithmen zur Kombination verschiedener Parameter zu einem allgemeinen Indikator für mentale Beanspruchung, sowie der Bearbeitung einiger theoretischer Probleme, wie unter anderem der Definition von Grenzwerten der mentalen Beanspruchung. Um abseits bestehender Probleme Veränderungen der Beanspruchung am konkreten Arbeitsplatz einschätzbar zu machen, wurde eine alternative Auswertungsstrategie basierend auf kurzfristigen Peaks und längerfristigen Plateaus vorgeschlagen.