Event-related potentials related to normal and morphed emotional faces

S. Bentin and L. Y. Deouell (2000) have suggested that face recognition is achieved through a special-purpose neural mechanism, and its existence can be identified by a specific event-related potential (ERP) correlate, the N170 effect. In the present study, the authors explored the structural significance of N170 by comparing normal vs. morphed stimuli. They used a morphing procedure that allows a fine modification of some perceptual details (first-order relations). The authors also aimed to verify the independence of face identification from other cognitive mechanisms, such as comprehension of emotional facial expressions, by applying an emotion-by-emotion analysis to examine the emotional effect on N170 ERP variation. They analyzed the peak amplitude and latency variables in the temporal window of 120-180 ms. The ERP correlate showed a classic N170 ERP effect, more negative and more posteriorly distributed for morphed faces compared with normal faces. In addition, they found a lateralization effect, with a greater right-side distribution of the N170, but not directly correlated to the morphed or normal conditions. Two cognitive codes, structural and expression, are discussed, and the results are compared with the multilevel model proposed by V. Bruce and A. W. Young (1986, 1998).     

Italian version of the Task and Ego Orientation in physical education questionnaire

The 1992 Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire developed by Duda and Nicholls was modified by Walling and Duda in 1995 to assess task and ego orientation in physical education. The modified version was translated into Italian and administered to 1,547 students, 786 girls and 761 boys ages 14 to 19 years, to examine the factor structure. To evaluate the goodness of fit of the expected two-factor solution as in the original questionnaire, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on four samples of boys and girls of two classes of age (14-16 and 17-19 years). Across sex and age, chi-squared/df ratios were less than 5.0, fit indices (GFI, NNFI, and CFI) not less than .90, and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) below .10. Thus, the two-factor solution of the questionnaire was supported. In the total sample, the two scales showed good internal consistency, with Cronbach alpha values of .92 for the Ego factor and .83 for the Task factor. The Ego factor accounted for 34.1% of variance and the Task factor accounted for 21.0% of variance.     

Treatment of menopause-related mood disturbances

More than 1.7 million American women are expected to reach menopause each year. Recent Canadian statistics show that a 50-year-old woman can now expect to live until her mid-80s, which implies living at least one-third of her life after menopause. The menopausal transition is typically marked by intense hormonal fluctuations, accompanied by vasomotor symptoms (eg, hot flashes, night sweats), sleeps disturbance, and changes in sexual function, as well as increased risk for osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decline. More importantly, recent studies have demonstrated a significant association between menopausal transition and a higher risk for developing depression. In the post-Women's Health Initiative Study era, physicians and patients are questioning the safety and efficacy of long-term hormone therapy use. This article reviews the current literature on the benefits and risks of using hormone therapy for the treatment of menopause-related mood disturbances and alternate strategies currently available for the management of menopause-related problems, including antidepressants, complementary and alternative medicine, and selective estrogen receptor modulators.     

Reactions to Sexual Harassment Charges Between North Americans and Brazilians

This investigation examined the impact of genderand culture on reactions to sexual harassment charges.Specifically, we explored the degree of the punishmentrecommended in response to allegations of sexual harassment in an academic context. NorthAmerican (n = 330, average age = 20.57 years, 90%Caucasian) and Brazilian (n = 214, average age = 21.62years, 95% Caucasian) undergraduates read a fictitiousnewspaper article that described an alleged case of sexualharassment involving a male instructor and a femaleundergraduate. The alleged perpetrator's power, hisprofessed romantic interest in the target, and the salience of discrimination concerns weremanipulated. Participants rated the degree to which hisactions were punishable. Overall, women and NorthAmericans advocated more punishment to the allegedharasser than men and Brazilians, respectively.Conditions that increase or reduce the punishment ratingsare discussed.     

Translating the hypergame paradox: Remarks on the set of founded elements of a relation

In Zwicker (1987) the hypergame paradox is introduced and studied. In this paper we continue this investigation, comparing the hypergame argument with the diagonal one, in order to find a proof schema. In particular, in Theorems 9 and 10 we discuss the complexity of the set of founded elements in a recursively enumerable relation on the set N of natural numbers, in the framework of reduction between relations. We also find an application in the theory of diagonalizable algebras and construct an undecidable formula.     

A PERSPECTIVAL DEFINITION OF KNOWLEDGE

In this paper an improved formulation of the classical tripartite view of knowledge is proposed and defended. This formulation solves Gettier's problem by making explicit what is concealed by the symbolic version of the tripartite definition, namely, the perspectival context in which concrete knowledge claims are evaluated.     

Emergent literacy and early writing skills

In the present study, the authors aimed to assess the short- and long-term predictive power of the various components of an emergent literacy model on early writing abilities in a language with a mainly transparent orthography (Italian). Emergent literacy skills were assessed in 72 children (M age = 5.05 years, SD = +/- .03) who were followed longitudinally from preschool to the end of the first grade of primary school. Their early writing abilities (orthographic correctness in writing individual words) and their advanced writing abilities (orthographic correctness in text writing) were tested at the beginning and at the end of the school year. Multiple stepwise and logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the predictive capacities of emergent literacy abilities on early and advanced writing competences. Results show that notational competence is a strong predictor of early writing skills and that phonological competence only has an effect insofar as it is integrated with notational competence. Emergent literacy competences do not significantly predict orthographic errors in advanced text writing. This research allows for reconsideration of the importance of phonological awareness and gives a central role to notational competence in predicting early writing competence.     

Age-related differences in actual and perceived levels of physical activity in adolescent girls

Age-related differences in actual and perceived physical activity were investigated in a sample of adolescent girls, also considering the relationship between physical activity and motor abilities. Self-reported physical activity was measured in 11-year-old (n=66) and 13-year-old (n=52) girls by means of the physical activity questionnaire-children form, and actual levels of activity were assessed by means of the Lifecorder uniaxial accelerometer. The Sit-and-Reach Test was employed to estimate flexibility, while lower limb strength was measured by squat jump and counter-movement jump tests. Weight and height were measured, and sex-specific age-related body mass index cutoff points were used to identify overweight and obesity. Findings showed a drop in objective vigorous physical activity in older girls, which was also reflected in the physical activity questionnaire. Contrary to expectations, no association was found between motor abilities and measured physical activity. Results highlight the need to understand the reasons why girls progressively reduce their involvement in physical activity as they get older, so as to plan interventions aimed at preventing this decline.     

Gender differences in the Big Five personality development: A longitudinal investigation from late adolescence to emerging adulthood

The present study aims to investigate gender differences in the mean-level change of the Big Five from late adolescence to emerging adulthood. We analyzed longitudinal self-report data from 192 males and 211 females, using multigroup Latent Growth Modeling. Gender differences were found in the shape of the trajectory, as well as in the mean and in the variance of the growth curve parameters (i.e. the initial level and the rate of change). At time 1 (Age 16), females scored significantly higher on measures of Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness. Males, in contrast, scored higher than females on a measure of Emotional stability. In both males and females, Conscientiousness and Openness increased linearly from age 16 to age 20, whereas Energy/Extraversion remained stable. Emotional stability slightly increased in males and remained stable in females. Agreeableness increased linearly in males and showed a quadratic trend in females, first increasing and then declining over time. Finally, females showed higher interindividual variability than males on the trajectories of Conscientiousness and Emotional stability.