Von der Professur Stochastik der Fakultät für Mathematik der Technischen Universität Chemnitz werden seit 1995 regelmäßig jedes Jahr im Herbst die Workshops "Stochastische Analysis" organisiert. Ausgewählte Beiträge werden seit 2003 in Form eines Tagungsbandes veröffentlicht. Der 10. Workshop "Stochastische Analysis" fand vom 27.09.2004 bis zum 29.09.2004 in Klingenthal statt.

Von der Professur Stochastik der Fakultät für Mathematik der Technischen Universität Chemnitz werden seit 1995 regelmäßig jedes Jahr im Herbst die Workshops "Stochastische Analysis" organisiert. Ausgewählte Beiträge werden in Form eines Tagungsbandes veröffentlicht. Der 12. Workshop "Stochastische Analysis" fand vom 20.09.2006 bis zum 22.09.2006 in Schöneck/Vogtland statt.

Warum sollten wir mehr lesen? Wie kann das Lesen unsere Wirklichkeit mitgestalten? Im Rahmen des Beitrags wird zuerst der Prozess des Lesens beschrieben. Zweitens, wird auf die Veränderung der Anforderungen an das Lesen in der Informationsgesellschaft eingegangen. Drittens, wird die Ersetzbarkeit der Funktionen des Lesens unter die Luppe genommen. Das Augenmerk gilt dabei der Veränderungen des Lesens in der multi-medialen Informationskultur. / Why should we read more? How can reading influence our perception of the reality? Good question, hard to answer. The first aim of this analysis is to describe the actual process of reading. Secondly, the text sheds some light on the evolving role of reading in media society. Thirdly, the replacement of reading by other means of perception offered by different media is discussed. The analysis focuses on the changing functions of reading in the multi-media information culture.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2004--Würzburg. / Erscheinungsjahr an der Haupttitelstelle: 2003.

Die Mathematiksoftware Mathcad hat sich bereits seit mehreren Jahren als Standardsoftware insbesondere in der Ausbildung an Universitäten, Fachhochschulen, Berufsschulen und Gymnasien etabliert. Die Vorteile liegen u.a. in der einfachen und mathematisch richtigen Darstellung von Gleichungen. Ebenso können Funktionsgraphen und Diagramme bequem und direkt im Arbeitsblatt erzeugt werden. Dies ist vor allem in der Ausbildung ein wesentlicher Vorteil gegenüber anderen Produkten, da auf diese Weise selbst umfangreiche Dokumentationen und Arbeitsblätter mit geringem Aufwand sehr anschaulich erstellt werden können. Im Gegensatz z.B. zu Matlab existierte allerdings in Mathcad bisher keine Möglichkeit, in Diagrammen oder an Funktionsgraphen Kommentare anzubringen, um beispielsweise bestimmte Punkte einer Funktion zu beschriften. Des Weiteren fehlte bis jetzt auch eine Möglichkeit, in Mathcad grafisch dargestellte Prinzipskizzen schnell und einfach zu bemaßen. Im Rahmen des Vortrags wird eine Möglichkeit aufgezeigt, in Diagrammen Beschriftungen einzufügen sowie grafische Darstellungen mit Bemaßungen unmittelbar in Mathcad zu erzeugen. Anhand mehrerer Beispiele werden die Funktionen erläutert und deren Anwendung live demonstriert.

The 21st century world is characterized by globalization, optimization, high performance demands, and continuous acceleration of processes. Not surprisingly, stress has steadily become more prevalent over the past years and has become a permanent challenge for many of us. Still we are always expected to perform at our best, and an impairment of cognitive performance can be devastating, particularly in the professional world. This ubiquity in daily life of chronic stress, cognitive demands, and their potential interactions was the motivation for this dissertation. Among cognitive processes executive functioning (EF) are of particular interest, as they represent set of fundamental cognitive abilities for mastering daily life. More precisely, EF is described as higher-order cognitive processes that control and coordinate complex cognitive tasks (Diamond, 2013; Miyake et al., 2000). The primary aim of this dissertation was to investigate the interplay between chronic stress and EF in detail. A three-year longitudinal cohort, the StressCog cohort, was established for this purpose. In order to understand the longitudinal interplay between chronic stress and EF, methodological foundations and cross-sectional matters had to be investigated first. As a result, this dissertation encompasses the following three studies: With classical laboratory designs, the estimation of generalizable and robust effects on the relationship between chronic stress and EF is impaired. Therefore, the StressCog study was set up to make use of internet-based data assessment within domestic environments. Study 1 addressed the feasibility of internet-based response time data, including the common concern that internet-based response time data collected in domestic environments is subject to increased data variability (Chetverikov & Upravitelev, 2016; Reips, 2002). To this end, performance measures collected in the laboratory were compared with measures collected in domestic environments. We found that a setting-related difference in the variability of conventional performance measures (i.e., response times and error rates), as well as diffusion model-based measures is only of small size. An overall increase of variance of approximately 5% was visible in domestic environments. However, as internet-based assessments allow for the recruitment of larger sample sizes (Reips, 2002) the loss of static power can be easily compensated. Therefore, the findings of Study 1 support the use of internet-based cognitive data collection in domestic environments. This formed a valuable basis regarding the collection and interpretation of the StressCog data used in Study 2 and Study 3. In order to get a broad picture of chronic stress the StressCog study aimed for multimethod assessment. The subjective (i.e., perceived) extent of chronic stress and conceptually related constructs were assessed by multiple self-reported measures. The objective (i.e., physiological) extent of chronic stress was assessed via hair cortisol concentration, which has been established as a widely accepted biological marker of chronic stress (E. Russell et al., 2012; Stalder & Kirschbaum, 2012). Surprisingly, however, multiple studies have shown that hair cortisol concentration is, at best, only weakly correlated with subjective chronic stress (Stalder et al., 2017; Staufenbiel et al., 2013; Weckesser et al., 2019). This lack of psychoendocrine covariance was addressed in Study 2 by investigating the construct validity of commonly used chronic stress instruments. A multidimensional item response theory approach was applied in order to display the overlap between items of commonly used measures of chronic stress, depressiveness, and neuroticism. A common latent scale covered the major amount of variance (40% to 48%). It appeared that the overlap of content is mainly based on fatigue, which is a core symptom of depressiveness. Similar to previously reported findings, the common latent scale displayed only a weak association with hair cortisol concentration. It can therefore be argued that items of self-reported chronic stress do not reflect the physiological (i.e., endocrine) aspect of chronic stress to a satisfactory extent. Thus, the results of Study 2 were a valuable basis for the interpretation of chronic stress data in Study 3. In Study 3, we investigated the cross-sectional association between chronic stress and EF. The study made use of data from the baseline assessment of the StressCog cohort (N = 514). Using structural equation modelling, we found no evidence for a meaningful association between chronic stress (i.e., self-reported measures and hair cortisol concentration) and a common latent EF factor. The results found in Study 3 were further supported by unpublished longitudinal StressCog data and analyses making use of diffusion model performance measures. Considering the mainstream of existing findings, which suggests chronic stress to be negatively associated with EF (e.g., Deligkaris et al., 2014; Sandi, 2013), an absence of an association between chronic stress and EF seems surprising. However, other existing findings support this perspective (Castaneda et al., 2011a; McLennan et al., 2016). Beyond this, the results of Study 1 and 2 help to explain why a lack of an association between chronic stress and EF is quite plausible. As within traditional, laboratory-based settings a recruitment of larger samples sizes is difficult and costly, most existing studies lack large, representative samples. In consequence, many findings are based on narrow sample characteristics. Supported by the findings of Study 1, the StressCog study made use of internet-based data collection, which led to the establishment of one the largest, population-based cohorts in the field. Thus, the results presented in this dissertation can be seen as much more robust and representative than many other studies that suggest opposing results. The findings of Study 2 allow for the assumption that many studies in the field make use of questionable self-report instruments and that subjective (i.e., self-reported) measures of chronic stress are only weakly related to objective (i.e., HCC) measures. In consequence, results always depend on the operationalization of the chronic stress measures being used. Caution is advised when comparing opposing results of different measures. With regard to our daily life demands, it may appear quite promising that no association between chronic stress and EF was found in this dissertation. However, these results should not be misunderstood. It has been demonstrated countless times that chronic stress can severely affect the human organism, causing various negative effects that go far beyond a possible impairment of cognitive abilities. Knowing that chronic stress can impair EF under certain circumstances leads to the central question of what conditions make stress toxic. In order to answer this question further systematic research is needed, in which representative samples and experimental study designs will be of crucial help. As long as these questions are not satisfactorily clarified, it seems best to deal with the challenges of chronic stress in a conscious and responsible manner.

In our presentation we will show how technology enables us to improve the teaching and learning of linear functions at the middle school level. Through various classroom activities that involve technology such as dynamic geometry software, graphing calculators and Excel, students explore functions and discover basic facts about them on their own. Students then work with real life data and on real life problems to draw graphs and form linear models that correspond to given situations as well as draw inferences based on their models. Participants will receive complete classroom materials for the unit on linear functions.

Objective: Binge-eating disorder (BED) is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating and is associated with eating disorder and general psychopathology and overweight/obesity. Deficits in cognitive and emotional functioning for eating disorders or obesity have been reported. However, a systematic review on cognitive and emotional functioning for individuals with BED is lacking. Method: A systematic literature search was conducted across three databases (Medline, PubMed, and PsycINFO). Overall, n = 57 studies were included in the present review. Results: Regarding cognitive functioning, individuals with BED consistently demonstrated higher information processing biases compared to obese and normal-weight controls in the context of disorder-related stimuli (i.e., food and body cues), whereas cognitive functioning in the context of neutral stimuli appeared to be less affected. Thus, results suggest disorder-related rather than general difficulties in cognitive functioning in BED. With respect to emotional functioning, individuals with BED reported difficulties similar to individuals with other eating disorders, with a tendency to show less severe difficulties in some domains. In addition, individuals with BED reported greater emotional deficits when compared to obese and normal-weight controls. Findings suggest general difficulties in emotional functioning in BED. Thus far, however, investigations of emotional functioning in disorder-relevant situations are lacking. Discussion: Overall, the cross-sectional findings indicate BED to be associated with difficulties in cognitive and emotional functioning. Future research should determine the nature of these difficulties, in regards to general and disorder-related stimuli, and consider interactions of both domains to foster the development and improvement of appropriate interventions in BED.

In our presentation we will show how technology enables us to improve the teaching and learning of linear functions at the middle school level. Through various classroom activities that involve technology such as dynamic geometry software, graphing calculators and Excel, students explore functions and discover basic facts about them on their own. Students then work with real life data and on real life problems to draw graphs and form linear models that correspond to given situations as well as draw inferences based on their models. Participants will receive complete classroom materials for the unit on linear functions.

Zur Beschreibung von realen Prozessen werden oft Differentialgleichungen herangezogen. Liegen nun Messdaten von diesen Prozessen vor, so sollen auch die Parameter im mathematischen Modell so gewählt werden, dass diese den Messungen entsprechen. Dieser Vortrag zeigt, wie dies in Mathcad mit der Funktion genfit realisiert werden kann.