The role of human body movements in mate selection

It is common scientific knowledge, that most of what we say within a conversation is not only expressed by the words meaning alone, but also through our gestures, postures, and body movements. This non-verbal mode is possibly rooted firmly in our human evolutionary heritage, and as such, some scientists argue that it serves as a fundamental assessment and expression tool for our inner qualities. Studies of nonverbal communication have established that a universal, culture-free, non-verbal sign system exists, that is available to all individuals for negotiating social encounters. Thus, it is not only the kind of gestures and expressions humans use in social communication, but also the way these movements are performed, as this seems to convey key information about an individuals quality. Dance, for example, is a special form of movement, which can be observed in human courtship displays. Recent research suggests that people are sensitive to the variation in dance movements, and that dance performance provides information about an individuals mate quality in terms of health and strength. This article reviews the role of body movement in human non-verbal communication, and highlights its significance in human mate preferences in order to promote future work in this research area within the evolutionary psychology framework

¿Cómo se representan la historia y las ciencias sociales los alumnos de la Suiza francófona?

Dos encuestas realizadas en la Suiza francófona han pretendido conocer mejor cómo percibían los alumnos la historia escolar. Se ha pasado un cuestionario, se han hecho entrevistas semidirigidas y se ha realizado un ejercicio de clasificación de un corpus de fotografías que debían asociarse con las diversas disciplinas que integran el área de las ciencias sociales. Algunos análisis cuantitativos y cualitativos realizados con el programa Alceste se siguen utilizando para explorar una segunda encuesta, y los resultados provisionales obtenidos confirman los resultados anteriores. Ambas encuestas muestran la amplia gama de percepciones de los alumnos y la fuerte relación que establecen entre historia y cultura general. Parece que la mayoría de los alumnos tienen muy asumido su «oficio de alumno» tradicional y, en ocasiones, se muestran desorientados ante una enseñanza de la historia innovadora que les reclama participación y reflexión. Sería aconsejable realizar con los alumnos de historia un trabajo previo que consistiría en precisar y explicitar los objetivos de la enseñanza de la historia y las cuestiones que dicha enseñanza plantea, ello contribuiría a que desparecieran los posibles errores conceptuales y los malentendidos. Dicho trabajo haría que la enseñanza de la historia respondiera mejor a sus propias finalidades, dado que muchos alumnos parecen mostrar potencialmente buena disposición para ello.Two different surveys made in francophone Switzerland try to better know how students perceive school history. A questionnaire was passed, half oriented interviews were made and then the students made an exercise of classification of a body of photographs that they had to match with the different disciplines that form the area of social science. Some quantitative and qualitative analyses made with the programme Alcestes are still being used to explore a second survey. The results therein obtained confirm those obtained before. Both surveys show the wide range of perceptions in students and the strong bond that they establish between history and «general culture». It seems that most students have deeply assumed a traditional «role of student» and at times are confused in front of an innovative teaching of history that requires participation and reflection. It would be advisable to effect a previous task with the students, consisting of specifying and making explicit the goals of history teaching and the problems that such a teaching presents. That would contribute to the disappearance of possible conceptual errors and misunderstandings. Such a piece of work would make history teaching be more according to its own goals, as many students seem to present a good attitude.Dos encuestas realizadas en la Suiza francófona han pretendido conocer mejor cómo percibían los alumnos la historia escolar. Se ha pasado un cuestionario, se han hecho entrevistas semidirigidas y se ha realizado un ejercicio de clasificación de un corpus de fotografías que debían asociarse con las diversas disciplinas que integran el área de las ciencias sociales. Algunos análisis cuantitativos y cualitativos realizados con el programa Alceste se siguen utilizando para explorar una segunda encuesta, y los resultados provisionales obtenidos confirman los resultados anteriores. Ambas encuestas muestran la amplia gama de percepciones de los alumnos y la fuerte relación que establecen entre historia y cultura general. Parece que la mayoría de los alumnos tienen muy asumido su «oficio de alumno» tradicional y, en ocasiones, se muestran desorientados ante una enseñanza de la historia innovadora que les reclama participación y reflexión. Sería aconsejable realizar con los alumnos de historia un trabajo previo que consistiría en precisar y explicitar los objetivos de la enseñanza de la historia y las cuestiones que dicha enseñanza plantea, ello contribuiría a que desparecieran los posibles errores conceptuales y los malentendidos. Dicho trabajo haría que la enseñanza de la historia respondiera mejor a sus propias finalidades, dado que muchos alumnos parecen mostrar potencialmente buena disposición para ello

Interference and facilitation effects of semantic and phonological contextual priming: A treatment case study

We report a case study of a treatment for naming using contextual production priming, a technique that combines massed repetition priming and naming with context defined by the linguistic relationship among words being trained. Our participant, 402, presented with primarily a phonological impairment, but semantic deficits were also present. Both semantic and phonological training contexts resulted in interference during training but only the semantic context facilitated learning. Additionally, each context influenced the prevalence of error type in that context (fewer semantic errors in the phonological context and fewer semantic errors in the phonological context). Implications of these findings are discussed

Associations among maternal representations at birth and at tachment in portuguese dyads with preterm and full term infants

Este estudio longitudinal investigó la relación entre: representaciones maternas al nacer, representaciones maternas del temperamento de sus bebés (a los 9 meses) y el apego madre-hijo a los 57 díadas con bebés nacidos prematuramente y 60 días con bebés recién nacidos a término. Cuarenta y ocho horas después del nacimiento, una entrevista fue preformada para recoger las representaciones de las madres de su embarazo, el parto, y de sus recién nacidos. Nuestros resultados indican que las madres que dan a luz prematuramente tenían más percepciones negativas acerca de su embarazo y parto. Estas madres estaban más preocupadas por la salud y el desarrollo de su bebé. Sin embargo, estaban tan seguras como las madres de a término de su capacidad para entablar en una relación positiva con su niño. A los nueve meses, las representaciones maternales positivas del temperamento de niños nacidos prematuramente se asociaron en positivo con expectativas sobre el desarrollo de sus bebés y el apoyo social de la familia al nacer. A los 12 meses, el apego seguro estaba relacionado con las representaciones maternas a los nueve meses.This longitudinal study investigated the relation between: maternal representations at birth; maternal representations of their infants’ temperament (at 9 months); and mother-infant attachment in 57 dyads with infants prematurely born and 60 dyads with infants born at term. Forty eight hours after birth, an interview was preformed to collect mothers’ representations of their pregnancy, labor, and about their newborns. Our findings indicate that mothers that delivered prematurely had more negative perceptions about their pregnancy and labor. These mothers were more concerned about their infant’s health and development. Nonetheless, they were as confident as mothers of at term infants in their ability to engage in a positive relationship with their infant. At nine months, maternal positive representations of prematurely born infants’ temperament were associated with positive expectations about their babies’ development and family social support at birth. At 12 months, secure attachment was related with maternal representations at nine months.peerReviewe

Associations among maternal representations at birth and at tachment in portuguese dyads with preterm and full term infants

Este estudio longitudinal investigó la relación entre: representaciones maternas al nacer, representaciones maternas del temperamento de sus bebés (a los 9 meses) y el apego madre-hijo a los 57 díadas con bebés nacidos prematuramente y 60 días con bebés recién nacidos a término. Cuarenta y ocho horas después del nacimiento, una entrevista fue preformada para recoger las representaciones de las madres de su embarazo, el parto, y de sus recién nacidos. Nuestros resultados indican que las madres que dan a luz prematuramente tenían más percepciones negativas acerca de su embarazo y parto. Estas madres estaban más preocupadas por la salud y el desarrollo de su bebé. Sin embargo, estaban tan seguras como las madres de a término de su capacidad para entablar en una relación positiva con su niño. A los nueve meses, las representaciones maternales positivas del temperamento de niños nacidos prematuramente se asociaron en positivo con expectativas sobre el desarrollo de sus bebés y el apoyo social de la familia al nacer. A los 12 meses, el apego seguro estaba relacionado con las representaciones maternas a los nueve meses.This longitudinal study investigated the relation between: maternal representations at birth; maternal representations of their infants’ temperament (at 9 months); and mother-infant attachment in 57 dyads with infants prematurely born and 60 dyads with infants born at term. Forty eight hours after birth, an interview was preformed to collect mothers’ representations of their pregnancy, labor, and about their newborns. Our findings indicate that mothers that delivered prematurely had more negative perceptions about their pregnancy and labor. These mothers were more concerned about their infant’s health and development. Nonetheless, they were as confident as mothers of at term infants in their ability to engage in a positive relationship with their infant. At nine months, maternal positive representations of prematurely born infants’ temperament were associated with positive expectations about their babies’ development and family social support at birth. At 12 months, secure attachment was related with maternal representations at nine months.peerReviewe

Response to Induced Relaxation During Pregnancy: Comparison of Women with High Versus Low Levels of Anxiety

Relaxation exercises have become a standard intervention for individuals with anxiety disorders but little is known about their potential for anxiety relief during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to examine psychoendocrine (i) baseline differences and (ii) changes after a standardized relaxation period in pregnant women with high versus low levels of anxiety. Thirty-nine third-trimester high and low anxious pregnant women performed active or passive relaxation while levels of anxiety, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) system activity were assessed before and after the relaxation period. In women with high levels of trait anxiety, state anxiety (F(1,36)=8.3, p=.007) and negative affect (F(1,36)=7.99, p=.008) as well as ACTH (F(1,35)=9.24, p=.002) remained elevated over the entire course of the experimental procedure, the last indicating increased HPA axis activity. In addition, norepinephrine showed a constricted decrease of relaxation reflecting lower response of the SAM-system (F(1,37)=4.41, p=.043). Although relaxation exercises have become a standard intervention for individuals with anxiety, pregnant women with high levels of trait anxiety benefited less than women with low levels from a single standardized relaxation perio

«Ich kam mir extrem allein gelassen vor» : eine Bedarfsanalyse für Gruppenangebote für young adult carers von Personen mit Schlaganfall in der Schweiz

Darstellung des Themas: Die Zahl der von einem Schlaganfall betroffenen Personen ist in den letzten Jahren weltweit gestiegen. Durch die plötzliche Erkrankung verändert sich nicht nur das Leben der Betroffenen, sondern das gesamte Familienleben. Besonders junge Erwachsene, die ihr Elternteil betreuen, nehmen die Betreuungsaufgaben als eine starke Belastung wahr. Ziel: Ziel der Arbeit war es, Bedürfnisse für ein Gruppenangebot für young adult carers zu eruieren, die ein von Schlaganfall betroffenes Elternteil unterstützen. Methode: Es wurden drei semistrukturierte Einzelinterviews durchgeführt. Die Datenauswertung erfolgte mit der Thematic Analysis nach Braun und Clarke. Relevante Ergebnisse: Es wurden fünf Themen identifiziert, welche die Zielgruppe besonders beschäftigen: «Ein Schlaganfall verändert alles», «Ich bin komplett überfordert», «Gesund bleiben als Angehörige*r», «Ich kam mir extrem allein gelassen vor» und «Mit anderen das Schicksal teilen». Schlussfolgerung: Es besteht Bedarf für ein geleitetes Gruppenangebot. Das am häufigsten gewünschte Angebot ist ein Erfahrungsaustausch mit Gleichaltrigen. Auch wird eine Vermittlung von Fachwissen im Umgang mit dem betroffenen Elternteil gewünscht. Die ideale Gruppengrösse beträgt vier bis zehn Personen. Die bevorzugten Regelmässigkeiten variieren stark. Die Kosten des Angebotes müssen für die Teilnehmenden tragbar sein

Identification of antenatal depression in obstetric care

Purpose: Detection rates of depression in obstetric care are generally low, and many women remain undiagnosed and do not receive adequate support. In many obstetric settings, screening tools for depression are not applied routinely and there is a great need to sensitize health care professionals for the patient at risk for enhanced levels of depression. The present study aimed at identifying commonly assessed patient characteristics that are associated with antenatal depression. Methods: One hundred and thirty seven women were screened using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at the beginning of the second trimester at the outpatient department of a Tertiary University Hospital. Women were identified as at high risk for depression if scores were above a cut-off score of twelve. Obstetric history and outcome were extracted from patient files after delivery. Results: Twenty one percent of the sample screened as depression positive. Logistic regression with backwards elimination showed that the triad of nausea during pregnancy, reports of (premature) contractions and consumption of analgesics during pregnancy significantly predicted high depression scores with a positive predictive value of 84.3%. The relative risk for a depressed pregnant woman to regularly take analgesics during pregnancy was fourfold higher than for non-depressed women. Conclusions: If depression screening is not part of routine prenatal care, systematic assessment of depression should be targeted for patients presenting with the markers identified in this stud

Facilitation of Verb Retrieval Skills in Aphasia: A Comparison of Two Approaches

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