Explicit and implicit memory biases in depression and panic disorder

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the presence of a bias for emotional information (panic-related, depression-related, positive and neutral) in explicit memory and implicit memory (by means of free recall and word-stem completion tasks, respectively) among depressed (N=20) and panic (N=20) patients. Three different encoding conditions (graphemic, semantic and self-reference) were used. The results of this study failed to show the existence of a mood-congruent memory bias for both implicit and explicit memory in these emotional disorders. According to the correlational analyses performed, differences among categories of emotional words meant less than the difference among various types of encoding and memory bias in order to differentiate among groups.     

Maternal Mind-Mindedness and Children’s Behavioral Difficulties: Mitigating the Impact of Low Socioeconomic Status

Relations between mothers’ tendency to comment appropriately on their 8-month-olds’ internal states (mind-mindedness) and children’s behavioral difficulties (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) at ages 44 and 61 months were investigated in a socially diverse sample (N?=?171, 88 boys). Controlling for maternal depressive symptoms, perceived social support, sensitivity, child language ability, and child gender, maternal mind-mindedness was negatively related to children’s externalizing and internalizing behaviors specifically in low socioeconomic status (SES) families. Furthermore, behavioral difficulties at age 44 months mediated the relation between maternal mind-mindedness and behavioral difficulties at age 61 months, but only for low SES families. These findings are discussed with reference to possible ways in which mind-mindedness could inform interventions targeted at at-risk groups.     

Order in the home: Family routines moderate the impact of financial hardship

The study examined whether frequency of adolescent reported family routines moderated the relation between caregivers' perceptions of financial resources and adolescents' behavioral and academic outcomes among a sample of inner-city African American families. The sample consisted of 115 adolescents (average age = 15.95) and their female caregivers participating in a large scale study on African American family life. The results revealed a significant main effect of financial resources and family routine on adolescent outcomes, such that an increase in both was related to less delinquency and more favorable academic outcomes. Family routines moderated the relation between financial resources and adolescent outcomes. Specifically, the study revealed that the link between lack of financial resources and negative adolescent outcomes was diminished for youth in high-routine homes. Alternatively, family routines did not have a significant impact on youth from high-resource homes. Results highlight the importance of organization and predictability for economically disadvantaged youth and families.     

Niveles socioeconómicos-culturales y ejecución lingüística

Resumen

En este artículo se realiza una aproximación al estudio y evaluación del lenguaje desde una perspectiva psicosocial. El objetivo prioritario de esta investigación es conocer y exporter la importancia y relevancia que poseen ciertas variables socioeconómicas culturales, tipificadas como indicadores sociales, sobre el rendimiento en lenguaje, evaluado a través del I.T.P.A., de una muestra de escolares del Ciclo Medio de la E.G.B, en Galicia.     

Developmentalism And The Child In Nineteenth-Century Science

In recent years, public science events have been designed as a means to foster a dialogue between science and the public and to contribute to ongoing policy processes. Regardless of their tangible outcome, such events rely on a certain framing, reconfigure scientific knowledge and conceptualise the public in specific ways. These constructs are exemplified by a science festival that was held in the train station hall in Zurich. Novel insights can be gained from a spatial, an object and an actor-related approach borrowed from the artistic context: the discussions about the White Cube can be adapted to contribute to the analysis of the science festival. When we look into the spatial situation created to foster exchange about scientific knowledge, we find how the exhibition display is taking care of minor details. While the organisers transformed the station hall into a laboratory, they created a kind of dialogic situation that filled an authority gap as it equally enabled exchange. The objects put in place in the exemplary case helped to design a customer–supplier relationship between the public and science. Under the umbrella of the science event, a range of diverse research endeavours was homogenised and unified. The audience, finally, was invited to familiarise itself with scientific knowledge. However, they were allocated a consumer role that obliged them to remain guests in the laboratory environment of the station hall. Thus, public science events may be successful in attracting large attendance and allowing more experiences with science, but while they create novel forms of familiarisation with science for visitors, they do not necessarily remedy public doubts about science and technology.     

Entrevista con Sandra Bern

RESUMEN

En esta entrevista Bem comenta la relación entre sus aportaciones científicas -el estudio psicológico de los roles sexuales a nivel tanto instrumental como conceptual- y su compromiso personal a favor de unas relaciones más igualitarias entre las personas, ofreciendo una visión comprehensiva de su evolución profesional y personal y repasando las cuestiones más interesantes de la etapa de estudios sobre androginia (1974–1979) y de su actual enfoque cognitivo. Tras comenzar explicando su formación y trayectoria científica, así como las motivaciones que han guiado su trabajo, la autora realiza un análisis crítico del Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). Seguidamente profundiza en diversos aspectos del concepto “androginia” acuñado por ella y explica las razones por las que a partir de 1979 los sujetos tipificados sexualmente se convierten en el blanco de su teoría sobre el esquema cognitivo del género, así como la caracterización de los conceptos masculinidad y/o feminidad como constructos cognitivos. La entrevista finaliza con algunas alusiones acerca de cómo educar a los niños de una “forma no esquemática” con respecto al género y señalando sus preocupaciones científicas más recientes en torno al concepto de género en los niños.     

The role of emotions arising from instability in investment behaviour / El papel de la carga emocional de la inestabilidad en el comportamiento de inversión

Abstract

Clear empirical evidence has been found on how significant changes to a person’s environment can alter their behaviour. This is important when considering investments made on the stock exchange as the variations that occur in stock market prices are frequent and continuous. This study analyses the role instability has on individual investors’ behaviour when investing in the stock market. The results suggest that instability in investment situations plays a significant role in individual investors’ behaviour, probably due to the emotional effect provoked by the possibility of suddenly losing savings. This would modify the perception investors have about investing as well as their intentions, attitudes and feelings of control in regards to investment in financial markets, thus hindering the capacity to predict their behaviour.     

La evaluación de la escritura

Resumen

En este estudio se realiza una revisión de los sistemas de evaluación de la escritura y de estudios relacionados. Se comienza con una visión de conjunto de las dificultades principales en el estudio de la evaluación de la escritura, y de la importancia y utilidad que tiene un sistema de evaluación de la escritura en distintas áreas de conocimiento. Posteriormente se analiza cuál es el objeto de evaluación de los diferentes sistemas y qué medidas se utilizan en las investigaciones acerca de la escritura. A este respecto se expone un modelo del producto de la escritura que permite organizar, de modo prácticamente exhaustivo, las medidas del producto escrito. Tras resumir los requisitos, que según distintos autores debería cumplir cualquier sistema de evaluación de la escritura, se clasifican los sistemas de evaluación en base a si el objeto de análisis es el proceso o el producto de la escritura, definiendo sus características generales. A su vez, se exponen diferentes clasificaciones de los sistemas de evaluación del producto escrito, realizadas principalmente en función de la estrategia de evaluación. Esta revisión muestra la falta de acuerdo existente entre los diferentes autores respecto al objeto y el modo de evalución, así como a la terminología utilizada.     

Reading between the lines: The child's fear of meaning

This paper explores the emotional factors that lie behind a child's failure to read. My observations are based on work as an educational therapist employed in a child guidance unit. In trying to understand the reasons for the child's neurotic reluctance to learn, the following sources have proved helpful: Klein on envy; Bowlby on the effect on the child of a relationship with an untrustworthy adult; and Bettelheim's Learning to Read. In conclusion some ways are examined in which the child can be helped to overcome his fear of the meaning of words.