The Impact Of Socio-Demographic Factors And Political Perceptions On Consumer Attitudes Towards Genetically Modified Foods: An Econometric Investigation

This survey-based paper investigates the impact of socio-demographic factors, along with political perceptions, as expressed by attitudes towards globalization, on consumer attitudes towards GM foods, in Greece. Different aspects of consumer attitudes regarding GM foods are examined, such as general preference, banning, labeling, intention to purchase them at a sufficiently low price, the nutritional category of food product and the proximity of the genetic modification to the final product. Econometric analysis using Logit and Probit models was conducted. Estimates clearly show that in general, attitudes towards GM foods are not affected by socio-demographic characteristics. However, political perceptions are a significant influential factor.Globalization, political, genetically modified food, econometric, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, D12, M31, R22,

The words of the body: psychophysiological patterns in dissociative narratives

Trauma has severe consequences on both psychological and somatic levels, even affecting the genetic expression and the cell\u2019s DNA repair ability. A key mechanism in the understanding of clinical disorders deriving from trauma is identified in dissociation, as a primitive defense against the fragmentation of the self originated by overwhelming experiences. The dysregulation of the interpersonal patterns due to the traumatic experience and its detrimental effects on the body are supported by influent neuroscientific models such as Damasio\u2019s somatic markers and Porges\u2019 polyvagal theory. On the basis of these premises, and supported by our previous empirical observations on 40 simulated clinical sessions, we will discuss the longitudinal process of a brief psychodynamic psychotherapy (16 sessions, weekly frequency) with a patient who suffered a relational trauma. The research design consists of the collection of self-report and projective tests, pre-post therapy and after each clinical session, in order to assess personality, empathy, clinical alliance and clinical progress, along with the verbatim analysis of the transcripts trough the Psychotherapy Process Q-Set and the Collaborative Interactions Scale. Furthermore, we collected simultaneous psychophysiological measures of the therapeutic dyad: skin conductance and hearth rate. Lastly, we employed a computerized analysis of non-verbal behaviors to assess synchrony in posture and gestures. These automated measures are able to highlight moments of affective concordance and discordance, allowing for a deep understanding of the mutual regulations between the patient and the therapist. Preliminary results showed that psychophysiological changes in dyadic synchrony, observed in body movements, skin conductance and hearth rate, occurred within sessions during the discussion of traumatic experiences, with levels of attunement that changed in both therapist and the patient depending on the quality of the emotional representation of the experience. These results go in the direction of understanding the relational process in trauma therapy, using an integrative language in which both clinical and neurophysiological knowledge may take advantage of each other

Temas polémicos y su impacto en la construcción y reestructuración del habitus de estudiantes de EFL

The following study aims to explore Bourdieu’s notion of habitus and its shaping and re-shaping through exposure of authentic oral input. The study used podcasts as an EFL teaching strategy where learners were expected to confront their dispositions. For the purpose of this study, the mental illness issue was employed as a controversial topic. The research used a grounded theory approach and multi-case study design where three unstructured interviews were implemented in each case along the teaching process. Content analysis was applied and research generated categories emerged from the coding process.  The results reveal that the EFL learning process has the potential to become a subversive form of defying culturally dominant dispositions and to enhance the learners’ probabilities of re-shaping habitus as well as learning a foreign language. According to the findings of this study, the inclusion of authentic controversial podcasts as listening comprehension tasks, which challenge EFL students’ habitus, can become a successful strategy to modify their cultural dispositions along with learning English as a foreign language. El siguiente estudio pretende explorar la noción del habitus de Bordieu y su estructuración y reestructuración a través de la exposición a material oral auténtico en un curso avanzado de EFL (enseñanza del inglés como lengua extranjera, por sus siglas en inglés) en un instituto de idiomas de Chile. Este trabajo utilizó podcasts como estrategia de enseñanza de EFL, donde se esperaba que los estudiantes confrontaran sus disposiciones culturales. Para este estudio se emplearon las enfermedades mentales como tema controversial. Utilizamos un enfoque de muestreo teórico y un diseño de estudio de casos múltiples, en el cual aplicamos tres entrevistas no estructuradas a lo largo del proceso de enseñanza para cada caso. La investigación generó categorías que emergieron del proceso de codificación. Los resultados revelan que el proceso de aprendizaje de EFL y la inclusión de temas polémicos puede convertirse en una forma subversiva de desafiar disposiciones culturalmente dominantes y aumentar las probabilidades de que los estudiantes reestructuren su habitus mientras aprenden una lengua extranjera

Caregiving is also thinking: Maternal cognitions in child abuse and neglect

Child-maltreatment has long been recognized as a serious and prevalent social problem with multiple and long-term consequences for child development. This work examines child-maltreatment based on a Social Information Processing model, emphasizing the role of cognitive representations, and errors and biases in processing caregiving-related information on parental responses. Six articles present (a) a set of meta-analyses about the relation between parents’ socio-cognitive variables and child-maltreatment, (b) a systematic review of implicit measures to assess parental cognitions in the context of maltreatment; (c) map and compare cognitive representations about parenting of referred and non-referred mothers; and (d) examine the association of implicit and explicit parental attitudes and (e) errors in emotion recognition, with self- and professionals-reported child abuse and neglect. The results of the reviews indicated that the associations of parental schemata and biased information processing with child maltreatment are significant, as well as that the potential of implicit measures in assessing parental cognitions may be valuable. Moreover, the empirical studies support the hypothesis that maladaptive parenting is characterized by rigidity schemata and associated with inadequate parental attitudes and errors in perceiving children’s emotional signals, but mostly for neglect and particularly when hetero-reported. Theoretically, these findings support the SIP model and emphasize the potential utility of socio-cognitive approaches in the evaluation and explanation of child maltreatment. The reported studies also represent a valuable methodological approach for assessing both maltreatment and parental cognitions. Overall, this work presents a contribution to the still emerging research about parental cognitions in the context of child maltreatment, with important implications for research and intervention.O mau-trato infantil é amplamente reconhecido como um problema social prevalente, com consequências múltiplas e a longo-prazo para o desenvolvimento da criança. O presente trabalho examina o mau-trato à luz do modelo de Processamento de Informação Social (SIP), acentuando o papel das representações cognitivas, e de erros e enviesamentos no processamento da informação relativa ao cuidar, nas respostas parentais. Seis artigos apresentam (a) um conjunto de meta-análises sobre a relação entre variáveis sociocognitivas dos pais e o mau-trato, (b) uma revisão sistemática de medidas implícitas utilizadas para avaliar essas cognições em contextos de mau-trato; (c) mapeiam e comparam representações sobre parentalidade de mães sinalizadas e não-sinalizadas; e (d) examinam a relação entre atitudes parentais implícitas e explícitas e (e) erros no reconhecimento de emoções das crianças, e o abuso e negligência, auto e hétero-reportados. Os resultados dos estudos de revisão indicam que as associações entre esquemas cognitivos parentais e enviesamentos no processamento da informação e o mau-trato são significativas, assim como o potencial das medidas implícitas na avaliação das cognições parentais. Os estudos empíricos sugerem especificamente que a parentalidade desadaptativa é caracterizada por esquemas cognitivos rígidos, atitudes parentais inadequadas e erros na perceção dos sinais emocionais da criança, sobretudo na negligência, e quando reportada pelos profissionais. Teoricamente, estes resultados suportam o modelo SIP e enfatizam o potencial das abordagens sociocognitivas na avaliação e explicação do mau-trato. Os estudos reportados representam também um importante contributo metodológico para a avaliação do mau-trato e das cognições parentais. Este trabalho apresenta assim uma contribuição para a emergente pesquisa sobre cognições parentais no contexto do mau-trato, com implicações importantes para a investigação e intervenção

The ability model of emotional intelligence: Principles and updates

This article presents seven principles that have guided our thinking about emotional intelligence, some of them new. We have reformulated our original ability model here guided by these principles, clarified earlier statements of the model that were unclear, and revised portions of it in response to current research. In this revision, we also positioned emotional intelligence amidst other hot intelligences including personal and social intelligences, and examined the implications of the changes to the model. We discuss the present and future of the concept of emotional intelligence as a mental ability

Emotional Competence and Affective Computing as Factors of Formation of Individual and Social Identity

This experience of psycho-emotional education is part of more extensive international researches based on the hypothesis that the “emotional experience”, if inserted in the daily conduct of the school curriculum, especially in the nursery school one, represents an excellent training opportunity, since it fosters the learners' best perception of the self, thus strengthening their expressive and communicative attitude. On the basis of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) principles and inspired by a previous experience carried out by the Department of Human Science for training, this experimental project has been put into practice by some nursery schools in RC, thus providing very interesting data for the confirmation of the hypothesis. It has been also developed a study on the affective computing and the cognitive computing pursuing a new perspective that exceeds the traditional vision of what is defined as artificial intelligence and analyzes intelligence and aspects of perceptions, often neglected, with a methodological approach considering the emotional processes as important as the cognitive ones

Reframing the Master Narratives of Dis/ability at my Intersections: An Outline of an Educational Equity Research Agenda

This article outlines a call for a renewed research agenda on the social and emotional dimensions of Learning Disabilities (LD). This research agenda reframes LD by interrogating the academic, social and emotional master narratives of LD through the talk of Latina/o students with LD using an interdisciplinary and socio-cultural historical developmental perspective. In particular, this reframing entails exploring the social and emotional construction of LD at the intersections of the Latina/o student population. Interweaving my own history with LD, I describe the overwhelming feelings of discomfort and anxiety from wrestling with the label. I came to see the label as an imposed identity from the educational system in response to my unique constellation of differences. Examining LD through the lens of emotion and from the perspectives of those living under the label helps us better recognize that it cannot be detached from the other socio-cultural identities that are part of being and becoming a whole person.KeywordsLearning disabilities; intersectionality; Disability Studies in Education; emotionality; race Redéfinir les principaux récits sur le handicap à mes intersections:  Un aperçu d'un programme de recherche sur l'équité en éducation RésuméCet article présente un appel pour un programme de recherche renouvelé sur les dimensions sociales et émotionnelles des troubles d’apprentissage (TA).   Ce programme de recherche redéfinit le TA en interrogeant le monde académiques, sociaux et émotionnels de TA à travers une discussion d'étudiant (e) latino avec TA en utilisant une perspective de développement socioculturel historique et interdisciplinaire. En particulier, ce recadrage implique l'exploration de la construction sociale et émotionnelle des TA aux intersections de la population étudiante latino. Entremêlant ma propre histoire avec TA, je décris les sentiments accablants d'inconfort et d'anxiété de la lutte contre l'étiquette.  Je suis venu à voir l'étiquette comme une identité imposée du système éducatif en réponse à ma constellation unique de différences. En examinant le TA à travers une lentille d’émotion et du point de vue de ceux qui vivent sous l’étiquette nous aide à mieux reconnaître qu'il ne peut être détaché des autres identités socioculturelles qui font partie de l'être et qui aident à devenir une personne entière.Mots clefs Troubles d'apprentissage; intersectionnalité; études sur le handicap dans l'éducation; émotivité; rac

The university social responsibility (RSU): an inter-university research project

La responsabilidad de las universidades en la educación para la ciudadanía y su desarrollo, así como la responsabilidad civil, son los objetivos a perseguir y monitorear con mucho cuidado. El proyecto interuniversitario, patrocinado por el CEPES (Centro de Estudios para el Perfeccionamiento de la Educación Superior) de la Universidad de La Habana (Cuba), ha permitido y promovido la primera fase de investigación, una fase exploratoria utilizando una pequeña muestra de profesores y estudiantes de Sapienza (Universidad de Roma, estudios de italiano). La investigación analiza las opiniones de profesores y estudiantes, su experiencia, expectativas y perspectivas. Los diferentes resultados que surgieron de los cuestionarios ofrecen la oportunidad de analizar los diferentes puntos de vista y su triangulación. Las universidades están planeando cada vez más en la dirección de una tercera misión, pero solo una fuerte intencionalidad política y una visión global e interuniversitaria pueden mejorar las intervenciones y calificarlas para un desarrollo atento a los valores de lo cívico y la sostenibilidad.The responsibility of universities in education for citizenship and its development, as well as civil responsibility, are the objectives to be pursued and monitored very carefully.The interuniversity project, sponsored by CEPES (Center for Studies for the Improvement of Higher Education) of the University of Havana (Cuba), has allowed and promoted the first phase of research, an exploratory phase using a small sample of professors and Sapienza students (University of Rome, Italian studies). The research investigates the opinions of teachers and students, their experience, expectations, self-assessments, and perspectives. The different results that emerged from the questionnaires offer the opportunity to analyze the different points of view and their triangulation. The world's universities are increasingly planning in the direction of a third mission, but only a strong political intent and a global and interuniversity vision can improve interventions and qualify them for a development attentive to the values of civics and sustainability