Le TASC200, une épreuve d’attention et de saillance visuelle : fidélité, validité et normes préliminaires

In the clinical setting, attention is classically assessed by tasks that do not take into account theoretically important aspects, such as the salience-based guidance of visual search. The aim of this study was to develop a paced paper-and-pencil task for clinical use based on strong theoretical accounts that would assess salience-based visual search and that would meet the psychometric requirements for the assessment of attention. Participants were required to search and cancel targets of varying visual saliences as quickly and as accurately as possible during a predefined short period of time. The targets were intermixed with distractors. In agreement with theories of salience-based visual search, the results showed that the most salient targets were detected more easily than less salient targets. The task exhibited a quite acceptable test-retest reliability, and two construct validity studies showed that different scores involve different processes. This new task fully complies with the major theories of salience-based guidance of attention during visual search. It also meets the requirements of a plausible clinical task since its psychometric qualities are quite good. Preliminary normative data (n = 863) are presented for clinical use.     

Représentations des pratiques éducatives parentales et estime de soi chez des enfants placés en fratrie versus séparément

Despite abuse, children placed in childcare homes have parental representations which are marked by ambivalence. This ambivalence is characterized by the coexistence of negative and positive representation towards their biological parents. However, the fact that positive representations towards neglecting parents persist can possibly harm self-esteem. Placement aims not only to protect the child, but also to offer him the possibility of reconstructing his self-image with more secure attachment figures. When a placement is decided, the children are entrusted to Child Welfare and are placed either with their siblings or separately. This study aims to examine the parental representations and the self-esteem of 33 children that are placed with siblings and 25 children that are placed alone; all children were between the ages of 10 and 18. Then, the relation between parental representations and self-esteem was examined in each group. Those two dimensions have been respectively measured with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale and the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). The results show that participants placed with their siblings were less depressed and had a better self-esteem than participants placed separately. Moreover, although the two groups had neglecting parents, the participants placed with their siblings had significantly better parental care representations. This study also put into light that the links between parental representations and self-esteem are significantly different whether the participant is placed with his siblings or not. Among children placed with siblings, the more positive the images of the father and the mother, the lower the self-esteem level. These results confirm the hypothesis according to which a positive parental care representation could reinforce the negative image those children have of themselves. The results also question the effects (positive or negative) of the defensive exclusion process on the evolution of self-representations among placed children. Finally, from a therapeutic point of view, they stress the importance of working on self-esteem with placed children.     

Dynamique des processus de développement de carrière en contexte contre-stéréotypique : modélisation de la réussite des femmes militaires aux formations professionnelles

Careers in the French Navy are determined by successive certifications allowed military to have more and more managerial responsibilities. Women are unequally represented in the hierarchy. Military identity is deeply associated with male characteristics (Sorin, 2003). Women encounter difficulties to be perceived as military in their own right (Héritier, 2011), but also to articulate their identity as women with their professional identity, de facto in opposition (Toulgoat, 2002). On the one hand women's family life is seen as incompatible with service life (Caraire & Léger, 2000), on the other hand, within the crews of warships, their skills are underestimated (Matthews, Ender, Laurence, & Rohall, 2009). The objective of this study is to model the effects of professional identifications and self-assessment of competences on the success of military women in professional certifications. We interviewed 154 students in training to become “experienced operators” (including 73 women) with an average of 3.32 years of duty (SD = 2.11) and 61 students in training to become “team leader” (including 20 women) with an average of 9.28 years of duty (SD = 3.30). The questionnaire measures self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977), performance expectations compared to their colleagues (Rosenthal, Crisp, & Suen, 2007), identification to the professional group (Laplante & Tougas, 2011) and identification to the organization (Tougas, Rinfret, Beaton, & de la Sablonniere, 2005). The final score at the end of the training is considered as an indicator of success. While women are as successful as men in the certification “operator”, they are less successful in the certification “team leader”. The structural equation model (path analysis) (χ²(15, n = 215) = 21.32, p = .13; CFI = .982, GFI = .976, RMSEA = .044) emphasizes the centrality of professional identifications to succeed in training. Women are less identified with sailor than men and feel less able to succeed, they develop lower performance expectations and they underestimate their performance compared to their colleagues, which has a negative effect on their success in training. In parallel, changes in family life are associated with reduced professional identifications, but this effect is independent of the sex of the individuals. Women are therefore exposed to two independent sources of influence limiting their career development: gender, which leads to less professional identifications and to compare unfavorably with their colleagues, and family status. These results highlight the importance of the dynamic of self-realization processes throughout the career.     

Validation française du Caregiving Strain Questionnaire sur une population de parents d’enfants avec troubles du spectre de l’autisme

The Caregiving Strain Questionnaire (CGSQ-21) allows the assessment of the burden of family caregivers. The objective of this study is to present a validation of a French translation of this questionnaire (FCGSQ-21) to parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A literature review from 2002 to 2012 highlighted that five scales measured caregivers’ burden regarding children and only one English scale examined parents of children with ASD's burden. The CGSQ-21 was chosen for this study and has been validated with 167 French parents who completed an online survey. Those parents filled out a total of six questionnaires measuring optimism, perceived social support, care satisfaction, anxiety, depression and perceived burden. The factorial and convergent validities as well as the internal consistency of the FCGSQ-21 have been tested with an exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). A three factors model was found to best fit the structure of this scale, those include the objective burden as well as the internalized and externalized subjective burdens. The convergent validity brings to light significant correlations between many scales of the protocol. In the present study, the FCGSQ-21's homogeneity is excellent with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.90. The FCGSQ-21 is a valid and useful tool to measure the burden perceived by parents of children with ASD. This study's objective was to confirm the tool's validity in order to improve clinical practice with children and their parents. This scale evaluates parents’ levels of burden perceived for the purpose of adapting interventions given to the children while taking into account parental well-being's specificities highlighted by the FCGSQ-21.     

The Greek Roots of the Ad Hominem-Argument

In this paper, I discuss the current thesis on the modern origin of the ad hominem-argument, by analysing the Aristotelian conception of it. In view of the recent accounts which consider it a relative argument, i.e., acceptable only by the particular respondent, I maintain that there are two Aristotelian versions of the ad hominem, that have identifiable characteristics, and both correspond to the standard variants distinguished in the contemporary treatments of the famous informal fallacy: the abusive and the circumstancial or tu quoque types. I propose to reconstruct the two Aristotelian versions (see sections 1 and 2), which have been recognized again in the ninteenth century (sec. 3). Finally, I examine whether or not it was considered as a fallacious dialogue device by Aristotle and by A. Schopenhauer (sec. 4).     

Intuitive physics and cognitive algebra: A review

IntroductionIntuitive physics explores how people without a formal instruction in physics intuitively understand physical phenomena. After a general overview of the topics of current research in intuitive physics and a discussion of current debates, this paper provides an introduction to Information Integration Theory (IIT).ObjectiveBy means of examples, it is shown how IIT can be used to directly compare the algebraic structure of physical laws and the algebraic structure of cognitive representations of these laws.MethodThe review considers about 40 years of research on the application of IIT in the field of intuitive physics. Occasionally, reference is also made to intuitive physics studies outside this theoretical framework.ResultsThe reviewed studies highlight four main factors that affect the degree of consistency between physical laws and cognitive algebraic laws: the participants’ age, their familiarity with the event under study, the type of task, and possible learning processes.ConclusionThe last part of the article discusses the implications of the results of the reviewed studies for the two main current hypotheses on the nature of intuitive physics, namely, that intuitive physics may be based on sub-optimal heuristics or may be based on the internalization of physical laws.     

Mindfulness,resilience, emotional exhaustion,and turnover intention in secondary physical education teaching

IntroductionResults from the broader psychology literature indicate that mindfulness may be a highly valuable personal resource. However, the construct has enjoyed far less attention in the field of school psychology, specifically within the context of physical education. The stressful nature of physical educators’ work warrants inquiry focused on the interplay between the psychologically supportive constructs of mindfulness and resilience and the psychologically depletive constructs of emotional exhaustion on turnover intention.ObjectiveThis study examined the relationships between secondary physical educators’ trait mindfulness, resilience, emotional exhaustion, and turnover intention.MethodA total of 246 physical educators across the United States completed an online questionnaire measuring trait mindfulness, resilience, emotional exhaustion, and turnover intention. Data were analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.ResultsAfter verifying the factor structure, results of structural equation modeling indicated that trait mindfulness was positively associated with resilience, and negatively associated with emotional exhaustion and turnover intention. Resilience was negatively associated with emotional exhaustion, which in turn was positively associated with turnover intention. Resilience partially mediated the trait mindfulness-emotional exhaustion relationship while emotional exhaustion fully mediated the resilience-turnover intention relationship.ConclusionGiven their ability to impact students’ experiences in physical education through the class culture they create, it is crucial that physical educators feel as though they can manage the emotional demands of their work. This study highlights the importance of trait mindfulness and resilience in efforts of enhancing physical educators’ wellbeing and job-related attitudes.     

Improving mindfulness through self-connection

IntroductionMindfulness-based practices have received significant attention recently due to the numerous benefits that result from increased mindfulness. One construct, self-connection, is less well-known but appears to relate to mindfulness.ObjectiveThe current study experimentally manipulated self-connection in an attempt to increase people's mindfulness.MethodA sample of 66 participants journaled for one week. Half of them discussed their days while the other half wrote about aspects of their day that related to self-connection.ResultsNo significant difference in mindfulness emerged between groups after the week of journaling. However, those who journaled about self-connection were significantly more mindful a month later. In contrast, no sustained or significant increase in mindfulness emerged in the control group.ConclusionAlthough limited by its sample size, this study provides initial support for self-connection and its ability to improve mindfulness. More studies are needed to further examine self-connection and its relationship to mindfulness for both researchers and practitioners.     

The relationship between purposiveness and information integration: The effect of metamotivational states on cognitive rules in sport

IntroductionInformation integration theory is based on an axiom of purposiveness (i.e. cognition is goal-motivated) and on an axiom of integration (i.e. an action or thought depends on the integration of several stimuli). The relationship between the two axioms has not previously been studied.ObjectiveTo explore the influence of metamotivational states on information integration. We looked at how 70 athletes combined four factors (autonomy, relatedness, competence, and the natural environment) when deciding whether or not to get involved in running under paratelic (activity-oriented) and telic (goal-oriented) conditions.MethodThe participants recorded their decision-making processes for two sets of 24 scenarios built from combinations of the four factors. Repeated-measures ANOVAs were applied to the data.ResultsAll four factors were taken into consideration by the participants when deciding whether or not to get involved in running. The participants used a conjunctive rule under the paratelic condition and an additive rule under the telic condition.ConclusionAn individual's metamotivational state may modify the cognitive algebra in information integration. Further research is required to confirm these initial findings.