Análisis de los factores psicosociales que inciden en la difusión y proyección de la actividad científica española. Informe del estudio cualitativo previo

In this first phase of a longer study, we identify a number of psycho-social factors which are affecting science in Spain: attitudes, stereotypes, prejudices, values, beliefs, and attribution processes. We also examine how these factors might help or hinder Spanish science's greater impact in the international scientific community. This study falls within the framework of the Social Psychology of Science, the main principle of which is to explain scientific work by appeal to psycho-social variables and processes. We use qualitative methods to analyse a wide sample of material gleaned from the Spanish scientific community, and report on those elements that construct and perpetuate the perceptions, images and representations of current Spanish science research.En esta primera fase se ha tratado de identificar e interpretar los factores psico-sociales que están interviniendo e incidiendo en el desarrollo de la actividad científica española, (actitudes, estereotipos y prejuicios, valores y creencias, procesos de atribución), así como el impedimento o la facilitación que pueden suponer para la difusión e inserción de la ciencia española en un contexto internacional. Así pues, desde el marco de la Psicología Social de la Ciencia, cuya pretensión principal es explicar la producción de la actividad y el conocimiento científicos incorporando variables y procesos psicosociales, y con el empleo de técnicas cualitativas de análisis textual y de enunciación sobre un corpus discursivo generado a partir de la confección de una muestra opinática y heterogénea de la comunidad científica española, se ha conseguido un análisis que identifica los elementos que construyen y sustentan las percepciones, imágenes y representaciones del presente de la investigación científica en el estado español

Sphenoid bone is more asymmetrical than palatine bone among small ruminants

A sample comprised by 53 dry modern skulls of adult small ruminants (sheep n = 36 and goat n = 17) from a comparative collection, absent of bony pathologies, was studied on their basal craniofacial aspect. A total of 26 points (2 sagittal landmarks and 24 semilandmarks) and 32 points (4 landmarks and 28 semilandmarks) were chosen on the sphenoid bone and palatine bone respectively and analysed by means of geometric morphometric techniques. The interaction of individuals and sides (fluctuating asymmetry) showed a highly significant difference for both bones, as well as side effect (directional asymmetry), being levels of detected fluctuating asymmetry higher in sphenoid (25.4%) than in palate (12.8%). Asymmetric component differentiated sheep and goats. Detected basicranial asymmetry can be viewed as a common finding among small ruminants

Children’s imaginaries of human-robot interaction in healthcare

This paper analyzes children’s imaginaries of Human-Robots Interaction (HRI) in the context of social robots in healthcare, and it explores ethical and social issues when designing a social robot for a children’s hospital. Based on approaches that emphasize the reciprocal relationship between society and technology, the analytical force of imaginaries lies in their capacity to be embedded in practices and interactions as well as to affect the construction and applications of surrounding technologies. The study is based on a participatory process carried out with six-year-old children for the design of a robot. Imaginaries of HRI are analyzed from a care-centered approach focusing on children’s values and practices as related to their representation of care. The conceptualization of HRI as an assemblage of interactions, the prospective bidirectional care relationships with robots, and the engagement with the robot as an entity of multiple potential robots are the major findings of this study. The study shows the potential of studying imaginaries of HRI, and it concludes that their integration in the final design of robots is a way of including ethical values in itPeer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Percepciones de los ciudadanos catalanes acerca de la participación del público y los expertos en las controversias sobre el agua

La gestión sostenible del agua ha aparecido en España como el centro de una controversia de primera magnitud. En ella, la participación ciudadana es un eje fundamental. A partir del análisis de grupos de discusión realizados en seis ciudades de Cataluña, este trabajo reflexiona sobre la percepción de la participación en los debates sobre el agua. Se presentan cinco actores que aparecen en el discurso de los entrevistados: los «expertos», los «perjudicados », los «beneficiados», los «interesados» y los «concienciados». Posteriormente, se examinan los criterios que permiten identificar, entre estos actores, los que son considerados legítimos en las controversias hidrológicas.Sustainable water management has become the focal point of a highly important issue in Spain. Citizens’ participation in this controversy it is fundamental. Having carried out the analysis of several focus groups in six Catalonian cities (Spain), this study reflects on the perception of participating in discussions on water. Five actors mentioned in interviewees’ discourse are presented: the «experts», the «affected», the «benefited», the «interested», and the «conscious». Then, the criteria permitting to identify among these actors those considered to be legitimate participants in hydrological controversies are examined

Emotion is consumption: Subjectification and assemblages

Este artigo se propõe a entender que a emoção, nos dias de hoje, é o próprio consumo e os processos de subjetivação atravessados nessa relação. Para isso, começa mapeando as transformações de uma sociedade industrial para uma sociedade pósindustrial, e a captura da vida por parte do capitalismo. Aponta, ainda, como a idéia de agenciamento, de Deleuze e Guattari, tem sido uma potente ferramenta, na medida em que problematiza os aspectos materiais, sociais e semióticos envolvidos nessa sensibilidade.In this article we argue that the concept of emotion has mutated into mere consumption, and we explore the processes of subjectification involved. We start by outlining the transformation of an industrial society into a postindustrial one. We then show the usefulness of Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of ‘assemblage’, insofar as it problematizes the material, social and semiotic aspects involved

Teleasistencia publica en España: consideraciones de sus efectos en los servicios sociales y sanitarios

L’article analitza un servei destinat a l’assistència domiciliària a la gent gran implementat a Espanya al llarg de la dècada dels noranta: la teleassistència. L’objectiu és esmentar alguns efectes de la seva oferta pública sobre els serveis socials i sanitaris, tot cridant l’atenció a formuladors de polítiques i gestors sobre aspectes clau pel que fa a l’organització d’aquests serveis a la cartera de prestacions sociosanitàries. Per tal de perfeccionar l’actual model de telecura i identificar possibles conseqüències no previstes en els sistemes social i sanitari, se suggereix l’ampliació del debat públic i l’adopció de models participatius d’avaluació d’aquestes tecnologies.The article analyzes the home health assistance for the elderly implemented in Spain during the 1990s: the virtual home health assistance. The aim is to state its impact on the social and health service public offer, underlining key aspects to policy makers and managers about the organization of those services in social and health benefits. In order to improve the existing virtual home health assistance and being able to identify unexpected impact in the social and health system, we recommend developing public debate and to implement participatory models for the evaluation of those technologies.El artículo analiza un servicio destinado a la asistencia domiciliaria a la gente mayor implementado en España a lo largo de la década de los noventa: la teleasistencia. El objetivo es hacer constar algunos efectos de su oferta pública sobre los servicios sociales y sani tarios, llamando la atención a formuladores de políticas y gestores sobre aspectos clave respecto a la organización de esos servicios en la cartera de prestaciones sociosanitarias. Para perfeccionar el actual modelo de telecuidado e identificar posibles consecuencias no previstas en los sistemas social y sanitario, se sugiere la ampliación del debate público y la adopción de modelos participativos de evaluación de esas tecnología

La desinstitucionalización y la crisis de las instituciones

.Hablar de instituciones se ha convertido en hablar de crisis de las instituciones. En este sentido, la noción de desinstitucionalización ocupa un lugar relevante en la reflexión institucional. Por este motivo, en este artículo se lleva a cabo una revisión del concepto de institución y de las principales críticas que ha recibido como paso previo al análisis más detallado del fenómeno desinstitucionalizador en la práctica psiquiátrica. Tal análisis lleva a la elaboración de una propuesta alternativa que cuestiona la pertinencia de seguir hablando de instituciones así como de procesos desinstitucionalizadores. Concretamente, se plantea que las especiales características de algunas prácticas psiquiátricas contemporáneas se ajustan mejor a la noción de ex-titución tomada de la obra de Serres

What DNA barcodes reveal : microhabitat preference, hunting strategy and dispersal ability drive genetic variation across Iberian spider species

1. The current rate of species loss calls for immediate actions to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Cataloguing species richness and composition, and revealing how diversity is geographically distributed are the first steps towards designing efficient conservation strategies. 2. Here, we aim to determine diversity patterns and potential drivers of taxonomic and genetic diversity and population structure of Iberian spiders. We used a community level perspective, analysing more than 3000 DNA barcode sequences representing similar to 370 spider species dwelling in white-oak forest habitats across the Spanish National Park network. 3. By combining and comparing morphological and DNA barcode-based species delimitation methods, we assessed their performance and identified putative factors behind cases of incongruence. Our findings uncovered potential overlooked diversity as suggested by the geographic patterns of genetic variation and put a red flag on those taxa that may be undergoing overlooked evolutionary or ecological processes. 4. Spider functional traits associated with foraging strategy, microhabitat preference, ballooning ability and circadian activity explained the observed patterns of population structure across species but did not explain variation in genetic diversity. Overall, our study represents a major step forward in the understanding of large-scale diversity patterns in Iberian spiders at the community level and provides relevant information to guide future conservation strategies of the so-far largely overlooked invertebrate diversity.Peer reviewe