Vol. 2 No. 2 (2015)

This study examined how well self-reported sensation seeking, empathy and resistance to peer influence, and performance on the computer-based measure to evaluate risk-taking behavior (Balloon Analogue Risk Task, BART) predicted the risk decision-making process on the computer-based Social Context Decision Task (SCDT). Participants were 256 early, mid- and late adolescents and young adults, distributed by age and gender. Early adolescents scored lower on sensation seeking and empathy than late adolescents and young adults. Men scored higher on sensation seeking whereas women scored higher on empathy and resistance to peer influence. Regression models showed that riskiness on the BART was positively related to the percentage of risk elections and shorter decision times in the SCDT task, with the BART parameters accounting for variance in these measures beyond that accounted for by age, gender and Disinhibition. These results contributed to a more comprehensive multimethod assessment of the process of risk decision making in social situations.

The present study aims to find out whether there are differences in amount of homework completed, in the time spent on doing homework and in homework time management, among students with various levels of achievement. Findings suggest that students improve their level of involvement relating to the amount of homework completed and the quality of homework time management when the more students achieve higher. Although no statistic significant differences have been found concerning the relation between achievement and time spent on homework, students who achieve lower tend to spend more time completing homework compared to those achieving higher who prove to spend less time completing the assignments. Therefore, the results of this study show that more achievement more amount of homework and more time spent. However, this positive and linear relationship is not maintained with regard to the time spent on homework.

At present, quality of life and self-determination begin to position itself as a key axis in interventions aimed at students with disabilities, motivating the interest of researchers and professionals to know their general well-being. This article evaluates the quality of life and self-determination of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities enrolled in regular schools. A case study methodology, descriptive-interpretative, is used through mixed data collection methods. The instruments used are Questionnaire for Assessment the Quality of Life in Teen Students (CCVA) and ARC-INICO Scale for Assessment Self-Determination (for 14 students) and interviews (for four teachers). A descriptive statistical analysis, contextualized by the extracted information from the interviews, was conducted. The results show high scores in different domains of quality of life, apart from emotional well-being, community inclusion and self-determination that are improvable. Adequate perception of students is observed about their ability to make decisions, choices and a good predisposition take control in different areas of their life. It is necessary to continue inquiring about the impact of educational environment, attitude and perception of teachers and the opportunities offered to students to act self-determined and increase their quality of life.

They are shown here the results of an ICT-mediated education experience, where the employ of social tagging; i.e, sets of tags made by multiple users in a web 2.0 environment, played an important role. It served as a vehicle of textual utterance, related to online available contents, and it proved to be useful in class through three learning strategies: in the taxonomic sorting and categorization of the contents worked in class, in his capacity for synthetically emphasize key concepts, and finally by facilitating to the student an easy way for expressing his subjectivity and attitudes towards the content they worked with.

In this paper we present a test for the difficulties in written expression in Galician for students of second of Primary Education (EXEGA2), serving both content and some superficial aspects. This test is part of a broader set of instruments, in Castilian and Galician, which aims to assess performance in reading and writing at the beginning of this academic course. There is described the theoretical framework of test, the process followed for the production of the same, its main characteristics and some results obtained. The application of EXEGA2 can offer useful information with regard to the intervention.

 

Published works demonstrate that faith in the possibility of inmate rehabilitation and social reinsertion is a positive factor for the occupational health of correctional employees, by preventing burnout syndrome. The present study investigates the effects of attitude regarding inmate rehabilitation and social reinsertion on the psychosocial health of correctional employees. 536 correctional employees from Peruvian prisons participated in the study. We collected personal information and work descriptions and assessed the employees for burnout syndrome, work satisfaction, problems conciliating work and family life, role conflict, and role ambiguity. We found that correctional employees who believed that inmate rehabilitation and social reinsertion was possible had better occupational health: increased job satisfaction, lower burnout, and greater conciliation between work and family life. However, these employees also experienced greater role ambiguity and role conflict, which decreases psychosocial health. The three variables that predicted a positive attitude towards inmate rehabilitation and reinsertion were job satisfaction, negative work-family interaction, and role ambiguity. Need for programs that clearly define the tasks of correctional workers in order to prevent role ambiguity are discussed.

 

Intelligence is one of the most studied concepts in the field of research in psychology, but still one of the most controversial. Its importance in school relies in its association to the basic processes of cognition and learning, and, therefore, in the academic success of students. Based on research and reflection on this theme, this article aims to contribute to the discussion around three axes: (i) concept and structure of intelligence; (ii) its relationship with social-familial variables, assuming in this case the intelligence as a psychological dimension shaped by contextual variables of psychosocial development of individuals; and (iii) impact on learning and academic performance of children and adolescents. Arguing that intelligence is an essential variable to learning, even if not only, this article aims to expose some forms of profitability and promotion of cognitive skills of the students by the education system.

The current features require to be creative and innovative. Everyone can intentionally develop their creative potential and the university should play an important role in this development. However, there are perceptions of barriers to creative expression in university students, although there is very little research about this subject. This study, wants to analyze perceptions of barriers to creativity in Portuguese university students, and were considered 582 students from three subject areas (Arts and Humanities; Science and Technology; Social Sciences and Humanities) and from graduation and post-graduation levels. It was used the Inventory of Personal Barriers to Creative Expression, adapted to the Portuguese reality. Differences were evaluated considering the dimensions of the inventory, but also its items in a more detailed analysis. Significant statistical differences were found in the inventory dimensions for the subject area; in the case of items, they were found for both variables. Some reflections are appointed in order to reconsider practices in the academic daily life.

Review of: Touriñán, J.M. (2015). Mesoaxiological pedagogy and concept of education. Santiago de Compostela: Andavira. 382 pp. ISBN: 978-84-8408 -796-0. Depósito legal: C 14-2015.

The thesis exposed in this work by professor Touriñán defend that the competence of the Pedagogy is the evaluation of every cultural area like education. It shall construct an educational field. We must highlight the character and sense traits and the importance of the temporary formative orientation. All this demands us to think on education as an area of knowledge, that it can be taught, it is possible to attain and it can be investigated from specific concepts. Precisely therefore, specific pedagogical mentality, specialised pedagogical approach and pedagogical intervention are related through Pedagogy. All this allows us to know and attain the education. It also let us build education fields adjusted to the meaning of education and respond in curricular architecture, to the educational requirements derived from the individual, social, historical and species-being human condition, through the temporary formative orientation.

Review of: Harris. J.R. (2006). No Two Alike. Human Nature and Human Individuality. [Trad.: No hay dos iguales. Individualidad humana y naturaleza humana (2015). Madrid: Funambulista. 482 pp. ISBN: 978-84-943026-6-4. Depósito legal: M -36933-2041.]

Judith Rich Harris’ book “No two alike” tries to answer one difficult question: why are we how we are, why even siblings who have been similarly educated and share similar gens are different. If someone had ever asked this, the author, working almost like a detective, will offer him or her some answers based in our gens, in our unique interactions with others and in the way we elaborate all the information we get from those around us.