Infants’ grip strength predicts mu rhythm attenuation during observation of lifting actions with weighted blocks

Research has established that the body is fundamentally involved in perception: bodily experience influences activation of the shared neural system underlying action perception and production during action observation, and bodily characteristics influence perception of the spatial environment. However, whether bodily characteristics influence action perception and its underlying neural system is unknown, particularly in early ontogeny. We measured grip strength in 12‐month‐old infants and investigated relations with mu rhythm attenuation, an electroencephalographic correlate of the neural system underlying action perception, during observation of lifting actions performed with differently weighted blocks. We found that infants with higher grip strength exhibited significant mu attenuation during observation of lifting actions, whereas infants with lower grip strength did not. Moreover, a progressively strong relation between grip strength and mu attenuation during observation of lifts was found with increased block weight. We propose that this relation is attributable to differences in infants’ ability to recognize the effort associated with lifting objects of different weights, as a consequence of their developing strength. Together, our results extend the body's role in perception by demonstrating that bodily characteristics influence action perception by shaping the activation of its underlying neural system.     

Selective scanpath repetition during memory-guided visual search

Visual search efficiency improves with repetition of a search display, yet the mechanisms behind these processing gains remain unclear. According to Scanpath Theory, memory retrieval is mediated by repetition of the pattern of eye movements or “scanpath” elicited during stimulus encoding. Using this framework, we tested the prediction that scanpath recapitulation reflects relational memory guidance during repeated search events. Younger and older subjects were instructed to find changing targets within flickering naturalistic scenes. Search efficiency (search time, number of fixations, fixation duration) and scanpath similarity (repetition) were compared across age groups for novel (V1) and repeated (V2) search events. Younger adults outperformed older adults on all efficiency measures at both V1 and V2, while the search time benefit for repeated viewing (V1–V2) did not differ by age. Fixation-binned scanpath similarity analyses revealed repetition of initial and final (but not middle) V1 fixations at V2, with older adults repeating more initial V1 fixations than young adults. In young adults only, early scanpath similarity correlated negatively with search time at test, indicating increased efficiency, whereas the similarity of V2 fixations to middle V1 fixations predicted poor search performance. We conclude that scanpath compression mediates increased search efficiency by selectively recapitulating encoding fixations that provide goal-relevant input. Extending Scanpath Theory, results suggest that scanpath repetition varies as a function of time and memory integrity.     

Children’s and Adolescents’ Conceptions of Happiness

Previous research on children’s and adolescents’ happiness has mainly focused on the different variables that may contribute to it. However, very few studies have investigated the beliefs that children and adolescents hold about happiness. It is important to study developmental and gender differences in the conceptions of happiness as beliefs affect people’s emotions and behaviors, and they may help explain how children and adolescents strive for their own (and potentially others’) happiness. To that aim, we conducted two different studies. In Study 1a 20 people (lay judges) completed two categorization tasks to obtain categorization systems that may include all the relevant content categories identified in previous literature with adults, adolescents and children. In Study 1b, we asked 162 children and adolescents to define—in their own words—what happiness meant for them. Their responses were coded according to two different systems derived from previous finding with adults and children and to an alternative coding system derived from the qualitative analyses of children’s and adolescents’ responses. Overall, results showed that hedonic conceptualization of happiness were mainly present in late childhood; whereas eudaimonic conceptualizations were mainly present in adolescence. No significant gender differences were found.     

The Impact of Religiosity on Suicidal Ideation Among Youth in Central Mexico

Although over 100 years of research has been dedicated to understanding the connection between religiosity and suicide, many questions still remain. This is especially true among adolescent populations in countries outside the US. In 2008, over 700 students attending eight alternative high school centers in central Mexico completed a health survey designed to provide a comprehensive overview of their physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. This article reports on the findings of a secondary analysis study of those data and focuses on the protective influence of religiosity on suicidal ideation. The findings of this study are discussed in light of the network theory’s assertion that there is a belonging aspect to religion, and also to the idea that in religiously homogeneous communities of Mexico, religion can have a protective effect on the suicidal ideation of its members.     

A Dose-Ranging Study of Behavioral and Pharmacological Treatment in Social Settings for Children with ADHD

Placebo and three doses of methylphenidate (MPH) were crossed with 3 levels of behavioral modification (no behavioral modification, NBM; low-intensity behavioral modification, LBM; and high-intensity behavior modification, HBM) in the context of a summer treatment program (STP). Participants were 48 children with ADHD, aged 5–12. Behavior was examined in a variety of social settings (sports activities, art class, lunch) that are typical of elementary school, neighborhood, and after-school settings. Children received each behavioral condition for 3 weeks, order counterbalanced across groups. Children concurrently received in random order placebo, 0.15 mg/kg/dose, 0.3 mg/kg/dose, or 0.6 mg/kg/dose MPH, 3 times daily with dose manipulated on a daily basis in random order for each child. Both behavioral and medication treatments produced highly significant and positive effects on children’s behavior. The treatment modalities also interacted significantly. Whereas there was a linear dose–response curve for medication in NBM, the dose–response curves flattened considerably in LBM and HBM. Behavior modification produced effects as large as moderate doses, and on some measures, high doses of medication. These results replicate and extend to social-recreational settings previously reported results in a classroom setting from the same sample (Fabiano et al., School Psychology Review, 36, 195–216, 2007). Results illustrate the importance of taking dosage/intensity into account when evaluating combined treatments; there were no benefits of combined treatments when the dosage of either treatment was high but combination of the low-dose treatments produced substantial incremental improvement over unimodal treatment.     

Outcomes of Peak,Typical, and Variability in Performance of College Football Teams

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the typical, peak, and variability in performance of both the offensive and defensive units of college football teams over the course of a season in predicting three objective team-level outcomes (win percentage, fan home game attendance, and bowl game payout).

Design/Methodology/Approach

Data were obtained from an archival sports database for 193 Bowl Subdivision college football teams for three separate seasons.

Findings

When all three types of performance were considered simultaneously, only typical performance significantly predicted win percentage and bowl game payout outcomes, and it explained between 19 % (for bowl game payout) and 49 % (for record) of the variance. All interactions between typical performance and performance variability were non-significant.

Implications

These null results point to a boundary condition in the relationship between performance variability and outcomes: whether the outcome is subject to evaluator attributional processes (e.g., raises, performance evaluations) or is more objective in nature. Although null, the present results question a sometimes implicit assumption that performance inconsistency is detrimental to organizational functioning.

Originality/Value

This is one of the first studies to examine outcomes of peak performance, typical performance, and performance variability at the team level. Additionally, most studies examining the outcomes of such performance use subjective outcomes such as performance ratings, whereas this study provides one of the first examinations using objective outcomes such as bowl game payout.     

ePortfolio as a tool for reflection and self-reflection

The request and promotion of reflection begins with an analysis of one’s own understanding of education and learning as well as the connection of reflection and self-reflection and the competence development of students. A self-reflective attitude should be promoted early on by encouraging students to understand (reflection), to evaluate (evaluation), and, if necessary, to adapt (regulation) their own learning behavior. To encourage reflection, self-reflection, and competence development, the use of an ePortfolio can provide a valuable contribution. However, the implementation process of an ePortfolio for pre-service teachers remains a debated method. This research paper investigates the impact and sustainability of an ePortfolio-implementation regarding students’ competence development and reflection skills in a Master’s Program for Business Education and Development (BED). The survey was conducted between October 2011 and June 2014 (n = 811) and consists of six sequential questionnaires. The students assessed the positive impact on their (self-)reflection. When being asked about their most distinctive competences, students’ responses emphasize their previous ePortfolio-sessions, thus indicating a positive impact of the ePortfolio on students’ self-perceived competences.     

Before He Becomes a Man: The Adolescence of Shakespeare’s Prince Hal1

This essay discusses Shakespeare’s adolescent Prince Hal, his relationship to his father, Henry IV, his rebellion, which included a turn to an anti-social mentor, a substitute father, Falstaff. This study explores Shakespeare’s portrayal of the evolution of the complex father-son relationship. Eventually, Prince Hal gives up his rebellion and takes on his adult role, becoming Henry V. Relevant aspects of adolescence are highlighted, including the transition from an adolescence dominated by a narcissistic object choice to an adulthood in which the ego ideal is the most prominent driving force of his behavior.