Development and validity of the Emotion and Motivation Self-Regulation Questionnaire (EMSR-Q)

Subject to file availability and provided the posting includes a prominent statement of the full bibliographical details, a copyright notice in the name of the copyright holder (Cambridge University Press or the sponsoring Society, as appropriate), and a link to the online edition of the journal at Cambridge Journals Online.This study has two objectives, first, to develop and validate the “Emotion and Motivation Self-regulation Questionnaire” (EMSR-Q), and second, to analyze (in the context of the questionnaire validation process) the relationships between self-regulation styles (SRS) rooted in goal orientations, and classroom motivational climate (CMC). A total of 664 Secondary Education students from Madrid (Spain) formed the sample of the study. It was divided randomly in two groups to perform confirmatory factor analysis and to cross-validate the results. Both analyses supported a five first-order factor structure, organized around two second-order factors, “Learning self-regulation style” (LSR) and “Avoidance self-regulation style” (ASR): (χ2/df = 2.71; GFI = .89; IFI = .84; CFI = .84; RMSEA = .07). Hypotheses concerning the relationships between SRS, goal orientations and expectancies are supported by additional correlation and factor analyses. Moreover, several regression analyses supported for the most part of the remaining hypotheses concerning the role of self-regulation styles as predictors of classroom motivational climate (CMC) perception, of change in self-regulation attributed to teacher work, and of students’ satisfaction with this same work. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Measuring subjective resilience despite adversity due to family, peers and teachers

The objective of this study is to develop and validate a scale of subjective resilience for students 12–17 years old. Items covered adverse situations due to parents’, peers’ and teachers’ actions. The validation process included the analysis on the generalizability of the factor structure and of relationships of resilience scores with different kinds of protective and vulnerability factors -goal orientations and learning-oriented classroom motivational climate (CMC)-. A total of 471 students answered four questionnaires. Confirmatory factor analyses, reliability analysis and correlation and regression analyses were carried out. Results showed: (a) that factor structure was well defined; (b) that resilience scale had good reliability; (c) that scores correlated as expected with protective-vulnerability factors such as goal orientations and CMC defined by teachers’ teaching-patterns, and (d) that students’ attribution of perceived change in resilience to teachers’ work depended on the degree in which CMC was learning oriented. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.This research was supported by the grant of the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, DU 2009-11765 / EDUC

Sobre la configuración constructiva de la cúpula del crucero de la Catedral de Segovia

El crucero de la catedral de Segovia está cubierto con una cúpula semiesférica, elevada sobre un tambor cilíndrico sobre pechinas, aunque inicialmente se proyectó con un cimborrio cuadrado cerrado por bóveda de crucería. Su construcción ocupó durante veinticuatro años a Francisco Viadero, quien la concluye en 1686, siglo y medio después de que Juan Gil de Hontañón diera las trazas iniciales del cimborrio, en 1524. Este cambio aparece reflejado en la colección de planos relacionados con la construcción del templo que guarda el archivo catedralicio. Son dibujos que abarcan desde la segunda década del siglo XVI hasta la mitad del siglo XVII y entre ellos hay siete proyectos para el crucero, lo que indica el interés y la preocupación por tan singular elemento de la catedral. La comunicación aborda el estudio de la configuración del crucero a partir de estos dibujos, con especial atención a un dibujo preparatorio para una traza de montea, poco estudiado hasta el momento, que resulta de especial interés para conocer la forma definitiva del cimborrio y las técnicas de construcción en piedra en la España de la Edad ModernaMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovació

Generalizing Programs via Subsumption

In this paper we present a class of operators for Machine Learning based on Logic Programming which represents a characterization of the subsumption relation in the following sense: The clause C 1 subsumes the clause C 2 iff C 1 can be reached from C 2 by applying these operators. We give a formalization of the closeness among clauses based on these operators and an algorithm to compute it as well as a bound for a quick estimation. We extend the operator to programs and we also get a characterization of the subsumption between programs. Finally, a weak metric is presented to compute the closeness among programs based on subsumption.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC 2000-1368-C03-0Junta de Andalucía TIC-13

A Quasi-Metric for Machine Learning

The subsumption relation is crucial in the Machine Learning systems based on a clausal representation. In this paper we present a class of operators for Machine Learning based on clauses which is a characterization of the subsumption relation in the following sense: The clause C 1 subsumes the clause C 2 iff C 1 can be reached from C 2 by applying these operators. In the second part of the paper we give a formalization of the closeness among clauses based on these operators and an algorithm to compute it as well as a bound for a quick estimation.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC 2000-1368-C03-0Junta de Andalucía TIC-13

On the nature of motivational orientations: implications of assessed goals and gender differences for motivational goal theory

In a historical revision of the achievement goal construct, Elliot (2005) recognized that there is little consensus on whether the term “goal” in “achievement goal orientations” (GO) is best represented as an “aim”, as an overarching orientation encompassing several “aims”, or as a combination of aims and other processes -self-regulation, etc.-. Elliot pointed also that goal theory research provides evidence for different models of GO. As there were no consensus on these issues, we decided to get evidence about the nature and structure of GO, about the role of gender differences in the configuration of such structure, and about relations between GO, expectancies, volitional processes and achievement. A total of 382 university students from different faculties of two public universities of Madrid (Spain) that voluntarily accepted to fill in a questionnaire that assessed different goals, expectancies and self-regulatory processes participated in the study. Scales reliability, confirmatory factor analyses, multiple-group analyses, and correlation and regression analyses were carried out. Results support the trichotomous model of GO, the consideration of GO as a combination of aims and other psychological processes, showed some gender differences and favour the adoption of a multiple goal perspective for explaining students’ motivationThis research was supported by the grant of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, SEJ2005-0099

The Irregular Ribbed Vault of the Sacristy of the Cathedral of Saint-Jean Baptiste in Perpignan

The vault of the sacristy of the Cathedral of Saint-Jean Baptiste in Perpignan (France), constructed by the Majorcan architect Guillem Sagrera between 1433 and 1447, is an outstanding, yet strikingly unknown, example of rib vaulting. This paper analyzes the overall construction of the form of the vault, characterized by its highly irregular perimeter, with particular attention to an isolated decorated corbel which solves the problem of the wall support of a group of six ribs and is in stark contrast with the rest of the supports, which are completely unadorned. Given the extreme rigour of Sagrera in all his works (and this one in particular), this apparent “capriccio” must be justified not only by decorative or formal requirements, but also by the constructive logic of Gothic vaulting syste

Evaluación de estrategias de afrontamiento desde la perspectiva de la interacción persona-situación: desarrollo y validación del Cuestionario Situado de Afrontamiento para Adultos

Background: Although coping strategies are considered to contribute to resilience to adversity, their use is not stable, but varies depending on the specifi c adversity. However, to date, most of the questionnaires assessing coping do not consider its situational character. The objective of this study is to develop and validate the Situated Coping Questionnaire for Adults (SCQA), which assesses coping in the face of fi ve different kinds of adverse contexts to take into account its situational dimension. Methods: A total of 430 Spanish adults (256 from the general population, 77 people suffering from cancer or HIV, and 97 parents of children with cancer or developmental problems) completed the SCQA and two resilience questionnaires (the Brief Resilience Scale and the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale) for validation purposes. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses showed the superiority of the personsituation model; the situation infl uences the degree to which people use specific coping strategies; however, coping is also stable to some extent. Regression analyses showed that coping strategies contribute to predict resilience, supporting the validity of the SCQA. The questionnaire and its sub-scales showed adequate reliability. Conclusion: The SCQA is deemed a reliable and valid means of situated coping assessment for use in several populationsAntecedentes: aunque se considera que las estrategias de afrontamiento contribuyen a la resiliencia frente a la adversidad, su uso no es estable, sino que varía en función del tipo de adversidad. Sin embargo, la mayoría de los cuestionarios de afrontamiento no tienen en cuenta su carácter situacional. El objetivo de este estudio es desarrollar y validar el Cuestionario Situado de Afrontamiento para Adultos (SCQA por sus siglas en inglés), que evalúa afrontamiento en cinco contextos diferentes. Método: 430 adultos españoles (256 población general, 77 personas con VIH o cáncer y 97 padres de niños con cáncer o problemas de desarrollo) completaron el SCQA y dos cuestionarios de resiliencia (Brief Resilience Scale y Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10) con propósitos de validación. Resultados: los análisis factoriales confirmatorios mostraron la superioridad del modelo persona-situación; la situación influye en la utilización de distintas estrategias de afrontamiento, sin embargo, estas también son relativamente estables. Los análisis de regresión mostraron que las estrategias de afrontamiento contribuyeron a predecir resiliencia en la dirección esperada, aportando evidencias de validez. El cuestionario y sus subescalas mostraron adecuada fiabilidad. Conclusión: el SCQA ha mostrado ser un cuestionario fiable y válido para evaluar afrontamiento desde una perspectiva situacional y en múltiples poblacione

Functionalism and Caprice in Stonecutting. The Case of the Nativity Chapel in Burgos Cathedral

Starting from the inaugural text of Philibert de L'Orme, stereotomic treatises and manuscripts are subject to the opposing forces of reason and fancy. The Nativity Chapel in Burgos Cathedral provides an outstanding case study on this subject. It was built in 1571-1582 by Martín de Bérriz and Martín de la Haya, using an oval vault resting on trumpet squinches to span a rectangular bay. Bed joints and rib axes are not planar curves, as usual in oval vaults. This warping is not capricious; we shall argue that it is the outcome of a systematic tracing method. As a result of this process, the slope of the bed joints increases slightly in the first courses, but stays fairly constant after the third course; this solution prevents the upper courses from slipping. Thus, in the Nativity Chapel of Burgos Cathedral, the constraints of masonry construction fostered a singular solution verging on capriccio. It is also worthwhile to remark that the warping of the joints is not easily appreciable to the eye and that the tracing process does not seem to start from a previous conception of the resulting form. All this suggests that we should be quite careful when talking about the whimsical character of Late Gothic and Early Renaissance; in some occasions, apparent caprice is the offspring of practical thinking