Disorientation and self-consciousness: a phenomenological inquiry

Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences - The present paper explores the phenomenology of disorientation and its relationship with self-consciousness. Section 1 discusses previous literature on...     

Dissociating controlled from automatic processing in temporal preparation

The aim of the present study was to investigate the controlled versus the automatic nature of temporal preparation. If temporal preparation involves controlled rather than automatic processing, it should be reduced by the addition of a concurrent demanding task. This hypothesis was tested by comparing participants' performance in a temporal preparation task that measured two main effects of temporal preparation (temporal orienting and sequential effects) between a single-task and a dual-task condition. In the single-task condition, participants responded to a visual target presented after symbolic cues that were highly predictive of the moment of target onset. In the dual-task condition, the temporal preparation task was performed concurrently with a working memory task. The results showed that sequential effects survived to dual-task interference, while temporal orienting was reduced as a function of the competition for executive resources required by both working memory and temporal preparation tasks. These findings provide direct behavioural evidence that temporal orienting and sequential effects involve dissociable cognitive processes.     

Using Intergroup Contact Theory to Reduce Stigma Against Transgender Individuals: Impact of a Transgender Speaker Panel Presentation

Sexual minorities experience significant stigma and prejudice. Much research has examined sexual stigma and prejudice impacting gay and lesbian individuals, but limited research has examined other sexual minorities, such as transgender persons or individuals whose gender identity or expression is incongruent with their assigned gender or anatomical sex. Research has found that interpersonal contact with sexual minorities is associated with lower sexual stigma and prejudice. Intergroup contact theory predicts that interaction between groups can reduce stereotyping and improve intergroup relationships. Using a randomized crossover design, this study compared the impact of exposure to a transgender speaker panel vs. a traditional transgender lecture presentation on transphobia. Results indicated greater immediate reductions of transphobia following the transgender speaker panel than traditional lecture.     

An evaluation of progressively increasing intertrial intervals on the acquisition and generalization of three social skills

We evaluated the effects of different intertrial intervals (ITIs; time between programmed learning opportunities) on the acquisition and generalization of 2 preschoolers' social skills. Independent and generalized skills were observed only when the daily ITI was gradually increased from short to progressively longer intervals.     

Reconstructing an Open Order from Its Closure, with Applications to Space-Time Physics and to Logic

In his logical papers, Leo Esakia studied corresponding ordered topological spaces and order-preserving mappings. Similar spaces and mappings appear in many other application areas such the analysis of causality in space-time. It is known that under reasonable conditions, both the topology and the original order relation ${\preccurlyeq}$ can be uniquely reconstructed if we know the “interior” ${\prec}$ of the order relation. It is also known that in some cases, we can uniquely reconstruct ${\prec}$ (and hence, topology) from ${\preccurlyeq}$ . In this paper, we show that, in general, under reasonable conditions, the open order ${\prec}$ (and hence, the corresponding topology) can be uniquely determined from its closure ${\preccurlyeq}$ .     

Conflict Transformation, Stigma, and HIV-Preventive Structural Change

Over the prior decade, structural change efforts have become an important component of community-based HIV prevention initiatives. However, these efforts may not succeed when structural change initiatives encounter political resistance or invoke conflicting values, which may be likely when changes are intended to benefit a stigmatized population. The current study sought to examine the impact of target population stigma on the ability of 13 community coalitions to achieve structural change objectives. Results indicated that coalitions working on behalf of highly stigmatized populations had to abandon objectives more often than did coalitions working for less stigmatized populations because of external opposition to coalition objectives and resultant internal conflict over goals. Those coalitions that were most successful in meeting external challenges used opposition and conflict as transformative occasions by targeting conflicts directly and attempting to neutralize oppositional groups or turn them into strategic allies; less successful coalitions working on behalf of stigmatized groups struggled to determine an appropriate response to opposition. The role of conflict transformation as a success strategy for working on behalf of stigmatized groups is discussed.     

Dopamine modulation affects the performance of parkinsonian patients in a precision motor task measured by an antropomorphic device

Several parameters related to the timing, grip force and load force involved in a precision grasping task were studied in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) at different moments of medication and healthy controls, using a sensorized anthropomorphic device which was totally adapted to the human hand. The aim of this work was to carry out an accurate study of the reach-load-grip-hold-place-release subtasks to identify any physical motor impairment, its relation to medication and Parkinsonian strategies. Twenty seven patients in ON and OFF-like medication moments, and twenty seven age-matched controls took part in the experiment, which consisted of using the index finger and the thumb to perform a precision motor task involving different experimental objects. Visual cues were used as distracting elements. Results showed several motor parameters impaired in OFF-like medication moment but attenuated in ON state, suggesting a medication effect on the performance of the task.     

Effect of auditory isolation on activity-based anorexia

The objective was to study male and female rats exposed to Activity-Based Anorexia (ABA; simultaneous exposition to food restriction and free access to an activity wheel) under two conditions of sound attenuation, by means of different arrangements of wheels (standard versus isolation) in the laboratory room. Regardless of the sound attenuation condition, all but one male and one female with access to wheels had to be removed from the experiment, but extended ABA endurance was found in rats in the sound attenuation condition. Furthermore, significantly lower levels of running were observed in both males and females under the sound attenuation arrangement in the isolation condition. The results suggest that external stimulation plays a role in the activity displayed by rats exposed to ABA, and that the reduction of external stimulation diminishes running but does not protect rats from developing ABA.     

Effects of (+) SKF 10,047, a sigma-1 receptor agonist, on anxiety,tested in two laboratory models in mice

Recently, sigma-1 receptor modulators have been considered drugs with an interesting therapeutic potential for the treatment of anxiety. However, there is no clear information in preclinical studies about the possible effects of sigma-1 ligands on anxiety in experimental animal models. Therefore, the present study examined the effects of (+)SKF 10,047 (2-8 mg/kg, ip), a sigma-1 agonist, on anxiety, tested in two classical laboratory models (social interaction test and elevated plus maze). (+)SKF 10,047 (8 mg/kg) produced a significant decrease of social investigation in the "social interaction test", whereas in the "elevated plus maze", the drug (4 and 8 mg/kg) provoked a significant reduction in the number of entries into open arms, as well as in the time spent in this area, as compared with the control group, without affecting motor activity. Overall, these findings indicate that (+)SKF 10,047 exhibits an anxiogenic-like profile in mice. It is suggested that anxiogenic effects of this sigma-1 ligand could be related to its potent ability to modulate diverse neurotransmitter systems involved in anxiety regulation.     

Spanish adaptation of a perceived Social Support Scale in sportspeople

Social support is a variable that has a great influence in the sport context. In fact, this variable not only affects the athlete's performance but it has also shown to be related to psychological disorders such as Burnout Syndrome. The aim of this paper was to illustrate the Spanish adaptation of a social support scale in the sport context. The normative group who took part in the final version of the research was composed of 397 athletes aged between 13 and 64 years old (mean= 19.23 and standard deviation= 6.67). The scale shows: adequate factorial and construct validity, acceptable fit indexes (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin= 0.785, Root Mean Square Residual= 0.078; Kelly's criterion= 0.075), a negative correlation with the dimensions of burnout and no relationship with respect to self-esteem. In addition, it also shows high reliability (a= 0.88). Furthermore, statistically significant differences have been found in relation to genders - where women require greater social support. In contrast, males tend to display a lower level of social support with team players and international athletes. Moreover, differential item functioning (DIF) was carried out to explore sex bias, however, none of the items exhibit DIF problems.