Social communication fears: Factor analysis and gender invariance of the short-form of the personal report of confidence as a speaker in Spain

Public speaking is a highly prevalent fear that prevents from successful social communication. The Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker (PRCS) is one of the most commonly used measures to assess people’s fear of public speaking. However, few studies have evaluated its factor structure. In this paper, two studies analyzed the psychometric properties of the short form of the PRCS (Hook, Smith, & Valentiner, 2008) and its convergent validity with the Self Statements During Public Speaking (SSPS) scale in Spain. Study 1 (N = 190) provided information about exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency. Study 2, with a different sample (N = 392), complemented Study 1 with confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency, convergent validity with SSPS and test of measurement invariance across gender groups. Results of exploratory factor analysis yielded a one factor solution. Different indices of the confirmatory factor analysis (CFI, TLI, SRMR, RMSEA) confirmed a good fit. Internal consistency was high in both studies and convergent validity with SSPS was found. Evidence of configural, metric and scalar invariance across gender groups was obtained. These findings support the use of the short form of the PRCS and suggest that it is a useful instrument for public speaking assessment.     

Neighborhood and community factors: effects on deviant behavior and social competence

Socialization in a neighborhood and community at risk, defined in terms of violence, social alienation, school failure, and disruptive behavior, is a risk factor for the acquisition of antisocial and delinquent behavior. In order to test this hypothesis and examine the underlying mechanisms involved, 346 participants, 155 high-risk and 191 low-risk, aged 11 to 13, that is, under the age of criminal responsibility as established by the Spanish Law 5/2000 were selected. The results reveal that high-risk youngsters had higher rates of antisocial behavior and lower levels of social skills (i.e., greater tendency to externalize attribution of responsibility, fewer conflict resolution strategies, lower self esteem, and a lower degrees of emotional intelligence) in comparison to the lower-risk group. Finally, the results and implications of the study are discussed in the light of designing prevention programs.     

Effects of SB-205384, a positive modulator of alpha3-subunit-containing GABA-A receptors, on isolation-induced aggression in male mice

GABA-A receptors are involved in the control of aggressive behaviour. Various studies suggest a role for a1-containing GABA-A receptors in modulating aggression. However, the possible involvement of a3 subunit of GABA-A receptors has not been examined. In this study, we analysed the effect of SB-205384 (0.5-4 mg/kg, i.p), a positive modulator of GABA-A receptors containing a3 subunit, on agonistic behaviour elicited by isolation in male mice. Half of the mice were housed during 30 days and employed as experimental or control animals; the remainder were used as and were temporally rendered anosmic by zinc sulphate. Individually housed mice were exposed to anosmic opponents in a neutral area 30 minutes after the drug administration and encounters were videotaped and evaluated using an ethopharmacologically-based analysis. The results indicated that SB-205384 did not produce any significant behavioural changes, suggesting that GABA-A receptors which contain the a3 subunit may not be involved in the modulation of aggression.     

Parenting styles

Parental educational styles constitute one of the key elements of family socialization. The aim of the present essay is to present the results of a research project carried out in the Principality of Asturias (Spain) among 2,965 families with children of infant and primary-school age (5-8 years old). This research attempts to analyse, among other aspects, parental behaviour tendencies in child upbringing. The analysis of the results obtained allows us to: 1) identify the most common attitudinal and behavioural tendencies of parents in the upbringing of their children; 2) determine how many people have a well defined parental style, and delimit their socio-educational characteristics. Lastly, we consider the need to change some parental behaviour patterns and stress the importance of family education programmes, with the aim of promoting appropriate parenting models and modifying or improving current practices.     

Uncomfortable images in art and nature

The ratings of discomfort from a wide variety of images can be predicted from the energy at different spatial scales in the image, as measured by the Fourier amplitude spectrum of the luminance. Whereas comfortable images show the regression of Fourier amplitude against spatial frequency common in natural scenes, uncomfortable images show a regression with disproportionately greater amplitude at spatial frequencies within two octaves of 3 cycles deg(-1). In six studies, the amplitude in this spatial frequency range relative to that elsewhere in the spectrum explains variance in judgments of discomfort from art, from images constructed from filtered noise, and from art in which the phase or amplitude spectra have been altered. Striped patterns with spatial frequency within the above range are known to be uncomfortable and capable of provoking headaches and seizures in susceptible persons. The present findings show for the first time that, even in more complex images, the energy in this spatial-frequency range is associated with aversion. We propose a simple measurement that can predict aversion to those works of art that have reached the national media because of negative public reaction.     

A quantitative review of overjustification effects in persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities

The overjustification hypothesis suggests that extrinsic rewards undermine intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic rewards are common in strengthening behavior in persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities; we examined overjustification effects in this context. A literature search yielded 65 data sets permitting comparison of responding during an initial no‐reinforcement phase to a subsequent no‐reinforcement phase, separated by a reinforcement phase. We used effect sizes to compare response levels in these two no‐reinforcement phases. Overall, the mean effect size did not differ from zero; levels in the second no‐reinforcement phase were equally likely to be higher or lower than in the first. However, in contrast to the overjustification hypothesis, levels were higher in the second no‐reinforcement phase when comparing the single no‐reinforcement sessions immediately before and after reinforcement. Outcomes consistent with the overjustification hypothesis were somewhat more likely when the target behavior occurred at relatively higher levels prior to reinforcement.     

Explaining the persistence of false memories: a proposal based on associative activation and thematic extraction

This study aimed to analyse the effect of retention intervals on associative and thematic false memories. Two experiments, using two types of critical items that were either associatively or thematically related to studied material, were conducted. In both experiments, one group of participants performed a recognition test immediately after the presentation of lists, and another group performed the task one week later. In Experiment 1, the recognition test consisted of pairs of items with four response alternatives (both items had been presented, only the left item had been presented, only the right item had been presented or none of the items had been presented). Critical items were also manipulated so that they were either presented in or absent from the list. In Experiment 2, a standard recognition test that differed in the mode of presentation was used: self-paced or speeded response. Both experiments showed that associative critical items were more recognised than thematic critical items in the immediate condition. However, whereas associative critical items decayed after a one-week delay, thematic critical items were similarly recognised at both retention intervals. The findings of the present study suggest that each type of process – associative and thematic – behave differently over time.     

Functions of the pointing gesture in mothers and their 12 to 36-month-old children during everyday activities

This study longitudinally examined the production of pointing in four Spanish 1-year-old and four Spanish 2-year-old children in interactive situations with their mothers at home over the course of one year. Three aspects were analyzed: a) the functions of the pointing gesture, their accurate comprehension by the interlocutor (mother or child), and their order of emergence in the child; b) whether or not there were differences in the production of pointing according to who initiated the interaction; and c) whether maternal and child speech were related to maternal and child pointing production. The results showed that the pointing function of showing is the most frequent for both children and mothers from groups 1 and 2, and the first to emerge followed by the informing, requesting object, requesting action, and requesting cooperation functions. The accuracy with which these intentions were comprehended was found to be very high for both mother and child. Pointing production was greater when the speaker initiated the interaction than when the other person did, indicating that gestures follow the turn-taking system. Finally, the production of pointing to showing in children and mothers was found to be related to maternal and child speech, while pointing to request cooperation triggered the process of joint activity between mother and child.