ERPs studies of cognitive processing during sleep

In the last few decades, several works on cognitive processing during sleep have emerged. The study of cognitive processing with event related potentials (ERPs) during sleep is a topic of great interest, since ERPs allow the study of stimulation with passive paradigms (without conscious response or behavioural response), opening multiple research possibilities during different sleep phases. We review ERPs modulated by cognitive processes during sleep: N1, Mismatch Negativity (MMN), P2, P3, N400-like, N300-N550, among others. The review shows that there are different cognitive discriminations during sleep related to the frequency, intensity, duration, saliency, novelty, proportion of appearance, meaning, and even sentential integration of stimuli. The fascinating results of cognitive processing during sleep imply serious challenges for cognitive models. The studies of ERPs, together with techniques of neuroimaging, have demonstrated the existence of cognitive processing during sleep. A fundamental question to be considered is if these cognitive phenomena are similar to processing that occurs during wakefulness. Based on this question we discussed the existence of possible mechanisms associated with sleep, as well as the specific cognitive and neurophysiologic differences of wakefulness and sleep. Much knowledge is still required to even understand the conjunction of dramatic changes in cerebral dynamics and the occurrence of cognitive processes. We propose some insights based on ERPs research for further construction of theoretical models for integrating both cognitive processing and specific brain sleep dynamics.     

The Integrated Acculturation Model: Expanding Acculturation to Cultural Identities in Addition to Race and Ethnicity

This article is an attempt to integrate existing conceptual knowledge on acculturation as well as to expand the use of the construct, which has traditionally had race and ethnicity as its focus, to also include cultural identities such as sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, and disability. The article begins with a review of existing theoretical contributions from both the United States and Europe. We then propose a model to update and expand the use of acculturation. Finally, we provide an assessment framework. Este artículo es un intento de integrar los conocimientos conceptuales existentes sobre la aculturación además de expandir el uso de este constructo, que tradicionalmente se ha enfocado hacia la raza y la etnicidad, para incluir también identidades culturales tales como la orientación sexual, la identidad de sexo, la nacionalidad y la discapacidad. El artículo comienza con una revisión de las contribuciones teóricas existentes tanto de Estados Unidos como de Europa. A continuación, proponemos un modelo para actualizar y expandir el uso de la aculturación. Por último, proporcionamos un marco de evaluación.     

Some characteristics of the aggressive behavior of mice after prolonged Isolation: Intraspecific and interspecific aspects

Experiments on mice have demonstrated changes in the relationships, interdependence and sequence of behavioral items following prolonged isolation. It was found that aggression in isolates was stereotyped and hardly amenable to the control not only by intraspecific but also by interspecific factors. Isolated mice, in contrast to the group-reared animals, spontaneously attacked adult rats. This finding was interpreted as being due to a disruption of behavioral plasticity under circumstances of prolonged isolation from conspecifics.     

Sex differences in relational and overt aggression in the late elementary school years

Sex differences in relational and overt aggression among 3rd (n=176), 4th (n=179), and 5th graders (n=145) from three public schools (n=500; 278 girls) were examined. Nominations of relational aggression increased over time among 4th and 5th grade girls, but not among boys or 3rd grade girls. Among 3rd graders, boys received more nominations for relational aggression than girls. By the end of the 5th grade, girls received more relational aggression nominations than boys. There was also a significant rise in nominations of overt aggression among 5th grade girls, but not among 5th grade boys or younger boys and girls. As expected, boys were more likely than girls to be nominated for overt aggression at all grade levels. The findings are helpful for explaining inconsistencies of earlier research pertaining to sex differences in relational aggression and for advancing our understanding of the causes of aggression. Aggr. Behav. 36:282–291, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

How vestibular stimulation interacts with illusory hand ownership

Artificial stimulation of the peripheral vestibular system has been shown to improve ownership of body parts in neurological patients, suggesting vestibular contributions to bodily self-consciousness. Here, we investigated whether galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) interferes with the mechanisms underlying ownership, touch, and the localization of one’s own hand in healthy participants by using the “rubber hand illusion” paradigm. Our results show that left anodal GVS increases illusory ownership of the fake hand and illusory location of touch. We propose that these changes are due to vestibular interference with spatial and/or temporal mechanisms of visual-tactile integration leading to an enhancement of visual capture. As only left anodal GVS lead to such changes, and based on neurological data on body part ownership, we suggest that this vestibular interference is mediated by the right temporo-parietal junction and the posterior insula.     

Intrapersonal and Ecodevelopmental Factors Associated with Smoking in Hispanic Adolescents

We examined how relationships among intrapersonal (i.e., attitudes and beliefs about smoking) and ecodevelopmental (i.e., family, school, and peer) factors influence risk for lifetime smoking in immigrant Hispanic adolescents. Our sample was comprised of 223 immigrant Hispanic adolescents and their families and was drawn from 3 middle schools in a single school district. Data collected is a result of adolescent and parent completed questionnaires as well as county school data (i.e., GPA, teacher reported effort and conduct, absences). Results indicated only poor school functioning, peer smoking, and lack of perceived harm concerning smoking were directly related to adolescent lifetime smoking. Poor school functioning and peer smoking mediated the relationship between family functioning and adolescent smoking. Implications of these results for the design of smoking preventive interventions for immigrant Hispanic adolescents are discussed.     

The Effect of Employee Trust of the Supervisor on Enterprising Behavior: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

This study examines the effects of an employee’s affect-based and cognition-based trust of the supervisor on that employee’s enterprising behavior. The extent to which two cultural dimensions, power distance and in-group collectivism, moderate the relationship between the trust measures and enterprising behavior is considered. Trust ratings were provided by 130 U.S. employees, 202 Turkish employees, 101 Polish employees, and 86 Russian employees. Their 519 supervisors then provided ratings of those employees’ enterprising behavior. The results show that both affect-based trust and cognition-based trust have a significant, but modest, effect on the employee’s enterprising behavior. Our findings indicate that both power distance and in-group collectivism do not moderate the proposed trust-behavior relationship although power distance almost reaches the level of significance. We call for further research on other moderating variables to explain the findings.