Embodied Experience in Educational Practice and Research

The intention of this article is to make an educational analysis of Merleau-Ponty??s theory of experience in order to see what it implicates for educational practice as well as educational research. In this way, we can attain an understanding what embodied experience might mean both in schools and other educational settings and in researching educational activities. The analysis will take its point of departure in Merleau-Ponty??s analysis and criticism of empiricist and neokantian theories of experience. This will be followed up by an introduction of some central concepts in Merleau-Ponty??s own understanding of experience with emphasis on their relevance for educational analysis. This way of presenting the theory of embodied experience has the advantage of being able to indicate the difference it makes in the field of theories of experience.     

The logical investigations of jan kalicki

This paper describes the work of the Polish logician Jan Kalicki (1922–1953). After a biographical introduction, his work on logical matrices and equational logic is appraised. A bibliography of his papers and reviews is also included.     

Neural correlates of stimulus response and stimulus outcome shifting in healthy participants and MS patients

Introduction

Adaptation to changing situations can be mediated by two strategies: (1) Evaluation of a response and (2) Evaluation of outcome values in relation to objects. Previous studies indicate that response shifting is associated with a network comprising the left frontal cortex and parietal cortex connected by the superior longitudinal fascicle, whereas outcome evaluation is associated with a network consisting of the orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala and uncinate fascicle. However, these studies rarely compared both kinds of adaptation directly and existing fMRI studies with healthy subjects are not informative about the role of the two fiber systems.

Methods

We analyzed stimulus response shifting and stimulus outcome shifting in two studies, one fMRI-study on healthy participants and one study on patients with MS involving structural MRI (Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Voxel Based Morphometry, Ventricular volumetry). Two tasks were used, identical in presentation but different in instruction, controlling for effects of lower level processing. In the SRS task, participants had to perform a “Go” or “NoGo” response depending on a stimulus change: if the stimulus remained the same, they had to continue with the former type of response, if it changed they had to adapt their response pattern. In the SOS task they had to perform a “Go” response only if the presented stimulus corresponded to that of an internal alternating series.

Results

fMRI findings showed that SRS is related to a bilateral parietal-premotor network. In the left hemisphere the prefrontal cortex was also involved. SOS was lateralized to the right hemisphere, particularly to the anterior temporal pole and amygdala, and the inferior parietal cortex. MS patients impaired on this task suffered from lesions in the right uncinate fascicle and showed an enlarged right frontal lateral ventricle.

Conclusion

With physically identical tasks, a functional neuronal segregation can be demonstrated for stimulus response shifting (bilateral activations with a focus in the left prefrontal cortex) and stimulus outcome shifting (right anterior temporal lobe and right supramarginal gyrus).     

Developmental coordination disorder and internalizing problems in children: The environmental stress hypothesis elaborated

There is a growing literature connecting poor motor coordination to physical and mental health outcomes in children and adolescents. These studies suggest that children with disorders such as developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are at greater risk for depression and anxiety, as well as obesity, and poor physical fitness. With regard to internalizing problems (symptoms of depression and anxiety), there is also evidence to suggest that the environment may play an important role in the etiology of psychological distress in this population. Cairney, Veldhuizen, & Szatmari, 2010 used the phrase “environmental stress hypothesis” to highlight the role that negative exposure to personal and interpersonal stressors might play in accounting for higher rates of internalizing symptoms in children with DCD. In this paper, we elaborate further on this basic premise, offering a model linking DCD to internalizing problems based on Pearlin’s stress process framework. In addition to stressors (risk) and protective factors, we incorporate both physical activity and obesity into our stress model. Next, we review the existing literature to see if there is evidence supporting specific components (pathways) of the model. In doing so, areas in need of further research are identified. Implications for intervention are also provided.     

Adolescents’ movement towards cessation of smoking: Role and relative value of the processes of change and nicotine dependence

The present study addresses the applicability of the Transtheoretical Model's processes of change in explaining adolescents’ readiness to quit smoking. Furthermore, the association between nicotine dependence and readiness to quit was assessed both directly, as well as indirectly through the processes of change. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, identifying 1547 weekly smokers aged 14–18 years. Structural equation modelling showed that the processes of change were only marginally associated with readiness to quit. Adding nicotine dependence to the model showed a direct association between nicotine dependence and readiness to quit. Only one process of change, self-liberation (i.e. choice/commitment to change and belief in the ability to change), was found to mediate this association. Nicotine dependence appeared to be highly important in adolescents’ readiness to quit.