Status-based rejection sensitivity among asian americans: implications for psychological distress

We examined whether anxious expectations of discrimination among Asian Americans can help explain this group's elevated levels of internalizing symptomatology, such as lower self-esteem (Twenge & Crocker, 2002) and higher depressive symptoms (Okazaki, 1997, 2002) relative to European Americans. Study 1 reports on the development and validation of a scale measuring status-based rejection sensitivity among Asian Americans (RS-A). In Study 2, scores on the RS-A were related to spontaneous discrimination attributions specifically in situations where discrimination is both applicable and possible for Asian Americans. Study 3 revealed that shame mediated the relationship between RS-A and internalizing symptomatology. Implications for well-being and intergroup interactions are discussed.     

A new formulation of the Principle of Indifference

The idea of a probabilistic logic of inductive inference based on some form of the principle of indifference has always retained a powerful appeal. However, up to now all modifications of the principle failed. In this paper, a new formulation of such a principle is provided that avoids generating paradoxes and inconsistencies. Because of these results, the thesis that probabilities cannot be logical quantities, determined in an objective way through some form of the principle of indifference, is no longer supportable. Later, the paper investigates some implications of the new principle of indifference. To conclude, a re-examination of the foundations of the so-called objective Bayesian inference is called for.     

Efficient personality questionnaire for professional training

This study falls within the theoretical framework of the construct of the Efficient Personality. In this work, we present the study of validity and reliability of an original questionnaire made up of 60 items, applied to students from formative cycles of higher Professional Training. The questionnaire was reduced to 24 items, surpassing its initial .84 Cronbach alpha coefficient. Six first-order factors were obtained: Social Self-concept, Academic Self-concept, Solving Ability, Self-esteem, and Problem Coping. One second-order factor was obtained: Efficient Personality. The six-component factorial solution is similar both to the Spanish version for secondary school and to the Chilean versions for secondary and university populations, dividing the initial dimension of Self-concept into Self-concept and Self-esteem.     

Customer Satisfaction and Switching Barriers: Effects on Repurchase Intentions,Positive Recommendations,and Price Tolerance1

The current article attempts to extend previous research by testing the effects of customer satisfaction and 2 types of switching barriers—negative and positive—on key manifestations of attitudinal loyalty (repurchase intentions, positive recommendations, and price tolerance). The work also studies whether the effect of customer satisfaction is linear or nonlinear. Finally, the paper analyzes whether switching barriers moderate the relative strength of the customer satisfaction/attitudinal loyalty relation. To this end, a total of 554 private mobile‐phone customers were surveyed. The distinction between negative and positive switching barriers is important to draw theoretical and managerial implications.     

Cognitive changes following subthalamic nucleus stimulation in two patients with Parkinson disease

The limits of a drug therapy in severe forms of Parkinson disease have led to refining neurosurgery on the basal ganglia. Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus has been recognized as one of the most promising techniques to decrease "off" motor symptoms and motor fluctuations, allowing a reduction of drug therapy and limiting side effects of the drugs. There is still open debate on the possible consequences of chronic subthalamic stimulation in other ways, apart from motor symptoms, of general cognitive performance. We examined and followed two patients with Parkinson disease for 9 mo. after surgery for deep stimulation, studying their cognitive performances. There is a general amelioration of cognitive performances, in particular as far as linguistic capabilities is concerned. We discuss the possible significance of these results, reminding strenuously that only two patients were involved, so the potential for generalization is seriously limited.     

Experiencing extinction within a task makes nonextinguished information learned within a different task context-dependent

In two experiments with rats, we analyzed the effect of experiencing extinction in one task on the context specificity of a new association learned within a different task. Rats were trained to run in a runway for water in Task 1, and received taste aversion conditioning in Task 2 (the tasks were reversed in Exp. 2). Half of the rats received conditioning and extinction of Task 1 in Context A, whereas the other half received no extinction. Then all animals received training in the alternate task in Context B, prior to testing in Context C. When they were tested in Context C, Task 2 performance was attenuated if Task 1 had been extinguished prior to Task 2. These results are similar to those we have reported in humans, and consistent with the idea that extinction prompts attention to contexts, regardless of whether or not the contexts were involved in extinction.     

Brain lateralization of complex movement: Neuropsychological evidence from unilateral stroke

Complex movement (CM) refers to the representation of a goal-oriented action and is classified as either transitive (use of tools) or intransitive (communication gestures). Both types of CM have three specific components: temporal, spatial, and content, which are subdivided into specific error types (SET). Since there is debate regarding the contribution of each brain hemisphere for the types of CM, our objective was to describe the brain lateralization of components and SET of transitive and intransitive CM. We studied 14 patients with a left hemisphere stroke (LH), 12 patients with a right hemisphere stroke (RH), and 16 control subjects. The Florida Apraxia Screening Test-Revised (FAST-R, Rothi et al., 1988) was used for the assessment of CM. Both clinical groups showed a worse performance than the control group on the total FAST-R and transitive movement scores (p < 0.001). Failures in Spatial and Temporal components were found in both clinical groups, but only LH patients showed significantly more Content errors (p < 0.01) than the control group. Also, only the LH group showed a higher number of errors for intransitive movements score (p = 0.017), due to lower scores in the content component, compared to the control group (p = 0.04). Transitive and intransitive CMs differ in their neurocognitive representation; transitive CM shows a bilateral distribution of its components when compared to intransitive CM, which shows a preferential left hemisphere representation. This could result from higher neurocognitive demands for movements that require use of tools, compared with more automatic communication gestures.     

Aggressive interactions among female,semi-captive pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) increase within the hierarchy and after short-term removal of the male

Two trials were carried out to determine: (a) if there is a positive relation between the frequency of aggressive interactions among female pampas deer and their position within the hierarchy (HI), (b) if short-term removal of the male triggers an increase in the frequency of aggression, and (c) if the magnitude of this increase is related to the individual rank position of the female. Each of 19 breeding groups comprised one adult male and from four to six adult females. The HI was determined for each female and all aggressive interactions were recorded. These were recorded while the male was present (i.e., all of Trial 1 and the “with male” period in Trial 2) and after removal of the male (i.e., the “without male” period in Trial 2). The individual percentage change in the frequency of aggressive interactions after male removal was calculated. In Trial 1 the HI, the frequency of different types of aggressive interaction and the total of aggressive interactions were positively related (all: p < .001; General Linear Mixed Model [GLMM]). In Trial 2, the frequency of total aggressive interactions increased after male removal (F(1, 27) = 3.5; p < .001; GLMM). The individual percentage changes in aggressive interaction between periods were positively related to HI (F(6, 24) = 2.56; p = .05; GLMM). For female pampas deer maintained in breeding groups, we conclude that the frequency of aggressive interactions increases within the hierarchy. Aggression also increases after the short-term removal of the male, mainly among females of higher social status.     

“They’ve Always Been Good Mothers”: An Ethnographic Study of Early Childhood Intervention in Dublin

Randomized Controlled Trials are considered the “gold standard” in the evaluation of early childhood intervention (ECI) initiatives. These trials, however, do not illustrate the internal mechanisms of the intervention. Ethnography is better positioned to observe the long-term, intimate relationships among the actors involved and the process of program delivery. Preparing for Life is one of the few ECI initiatives to be studied with a combination of both methodologies. In so doing and looking ethnographically at the “logical model” illustrates how it does not reflect the “good relationship,” which is better explained with a blend of relational theories.