A relational view of Psychological Empowerment and Sense of Community in academic contexts: a preliminary study

Scholars need to pay attention to understand the factors that shape the interactions between individuals and social groups. Constructs like Psychological Sense of Community (PSoC) and Psychological Empowerment (PE) are powerful constructs used to evaluate the antecedents and the consequences of individual attachment to social settings. In parallel, recent advances in network analysis show that the position occupied within whole networks and ego-centric networks are relational factors that affect the subjective perception of membership to social groups. Studies that are conducted in organizational and community settings show strong associations between PSoC and PE. However, these connections have rarely been evaluated within natural settings such as the classroom context. On the other hand, although the theoretic basis of PSoC and PE claims that both processes are formed in a relational way, there are few studies that empirically evaluate the effects of social connectedness on the emergence of PSoC—referred to the classroom—and PE referred to academic-task development. The aim of this research is to determine the effects that the position occupied in formal and informal exchange networks induce on PSoC and PE dimensions. Sixty-four students enrolled in a master degree program (women = 68.8%, Mean age = 26.09, SD = 3.88) participated in this cross-sectional study. Multivariate analyses and network analyses were performed to test the hypotheses under study. The main research finding is that PSoC and PE are synergistic constructs that mutually shape to each other. In relational terms, by sending several nominations in informal networks, it is possible to generate notable impacts on some PSoC dimensions, while receipt of a wide number of nominations in formal contact networks is associated with high levels of PE. In addition, individuals who present high levels of PE are located in the core of formal exchange networks. These results are discussed in order to design actions to increase PSoC and PE in postgraduate academic settings

On the structure of a reversible entanglement generating set for tripartite states

We show that Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen–Bohm (EPR) and Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger–Mermin (GHZ) states can not generate, through local manipulation and in the asymptotic limit, all forms of three–partite pure–state entanglement in a reversible way. The techniques that we use suggest that there may be a connection between this result and the irreversibility that occurs in the asymptotic preparation and distillation of bipartite mixed states

Operational criterion and constructive checks for the separability of low rank density matrices

We consider low rank density operators $\varrho$ supported on a $M\times N$ Hilbert space for arbitrary $M$ and $N$ ($M\leq N$) and with a positive partial transpose (PPT) $\varrho^{T_A}\ge 0$. For rank $r(\varrho) \leq N$ we prove that having a PPT is necessary and sufficient for $\varrho$ to be separable; in this case we also provide its minimal decomposition in terms of pure product states. It follows from this result that there is no rank 3 bound entangled states having a PPT. We also present a necessary and sufficient condition for the separability of generic density matrices for which the sum of the ranks of $\varrho$ and $\varrho^{T_A}$ satisfies $r(\varrho)+r(\varrho^{T_A}) \le 2MN-M-N+2$. This separability condition has the form of a constructive check, providing thus also a pure product state decomposition for separable states, and it works in those cases where a system of couple polynomial equations has a finite number of solutions, as expected in most cases.Comment: RevTex, 10 pages, no figure

Determinants of inter-organizational network formation in the cultural sector

En los últimos años se han incrementado las investigaciones que aplican el Análisis de Redes Sociales (ARS) para estudiar la formación de redes interorganizativas. Para determinar estos factores hemos analizado la red sociocéntrica de 32 organizaciones culturales en Andalucía. El procedimiento de asignación cuadrática de regresión múltiple a nivel diádico muestra que la percepción de afinidad (i.e., homofilia) y la posibilidad de establecer contactos en el futuro influyen en el establecimiento de contactos informales. A nivel interno, factores como el volumen de actividad y la antigüedad de la organización en el sector se relacionan con el grado de intermediación de las entidades en la red de colaboración en proyectos. Finalmente discutimos los resultados para optimizar el funcionamiento de redes interorganizativas y fortalecer la implementación de políticas públicas.Nos últimos anos, tem aumentado a pesquisa com aplicação de análise de redes sociais para estudar a formação de redes interorganizacionais. Para determinar esses fatores, analisamos a rede sociocêntrica de 32 organizações culturais na Andaluzia. O Problema Quadrático de Alocação de regressão diática múltipla mostrou que a afinidade entre o nível de percepção (homofilia) e a possibilidade de estabelecer contatos no futuro influencia o estabelecimento de contatos informais. Internamente, fatores como volume de atividade e idade da organização no setor associam-se ao grau de intermediação de entidades na rede de colaboração em projetos. Por fim, discutimos os resultados para otimizar o funcionamento das redes interorganizacionais e fortalecer a implementação de políticas públicas.In recent years, the number of studies applying Social Network Analysis to the formation of inter-organizational networks has increased. This paper analyzed a socio-centric network composed of 32 cultural organizations in Andalusia to measure this increase. Multiple Regression Quadratic Assignment Procedure (MR-QAP) at the dyadic level, showed that perceptions of affinity (i.e., homophily) and the possibility of establishing contacts in the future, can exert influence on the establishment of informal contacts. At the internal level, an organization’s brokerage position in collaboration project networks is related to the volume of business and the old in the sector. Finally, this article discusses applications for the management of inter-organizational networks in order to strengthen the implementation of public policies

Curso de Análisis de Redes Sociales : metodología y estudios de caso

J.A. PANIAGUA LÓPEZ, Curso de Análisis de Redes Sociales : metodología y estudios de caso. Granada : Editorial Universidad de Granada, 2013

Underlying dimensions of social cohesion in a rural community affected by wartime violence in Colombia

War deteriorates the quality of life of the population and profoundly alters social dynamics. We discuss a rural community in northern Colombia whose population was the victim of a massacre and examine the main components that model social cohesion: (a) positive attitudes towards the community, (b) prosocial behaviours and (c) interpersonal relationships. This investigation is a cross-sectional empirical study that includes an analysis of social support networks. The research involved 106 residents, (81.1%, women), with an average age of 42.5 years (standard deviation (SD) = 16.4), who have lived in the community an average 28.8 years (SD = 18.75). Cluster analysis shows that there are two types of personal networks based on homophily and the duration of the ego-alter relationship. The networks that provide the most types of social support shows a moderate level of homophily according to the type of relationship and place of origin and in which the duration of the ego-alter relationship is shorter, compared to networks characterized by high homophily and in which the duration of the ego-alter relationship is longer (χ2 = 5.609, p < 0.018). Homophily based on place of residence actively affects the sense of community and social cohesion. Moreover, the sense of community is the variable that most affects social cohesion (β = 0.650; p < 0.001) and is, in turn, determined by prosocial behaviour (β = 0.267; p < 0.006). However, prosocial behaviours do not significantly affect interpersonal relationships or community cohesion. The results are discussed to promote social development strategies aimed at building individual, organizational and community capacity to foster psychosocial well-being in post-war contexts.e Centro para la Investigación, el Desarrollo y la Innovación, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana 202-01/17/G-00

Structural Cohesion, Role Equivalence, or Homophily: Which Process Best Explains Social Homogeneity?

Social homogeneity, understood as the similarity of perceptions and attitudes that individuals display toward the environment around them, is explained by the relational context in which they are immersed. However, there is no consensus about which relational mechanism best explains social homogeneity. The purpose of this research is to find out which of the three classical relational processes most studied in network analysis (structural cohesion, role equivalence, or homophily) is more determinant in explaining social homogeneity. To achieve the research objective, 110 professionals (psychologists, social workers, and community facilitators) implementing a psychosocial care program in three regions of Northwest Colombia were interviewed. Different types of relationships among professionals were analyzed using network analysis techniques. To examine the structural cohesion hypothesis, interveners were categorized according to the level of structural cohesion by performing core-periphery analysis in the networks evaluated; to test the role equivalence hypothesis, participants were categorized according to their level of degree centrality in the networks examined; to test the homophily hypothesis, participants were grouped according to the level of homophily in terms of professional profile. The non-parametric tests showed that role equivalence was the most powerful mechanism for explaining social homogeneity in the sample of psychosocial interveners evaluated.Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana 203-01/17/G-003Universidad Tecnológica de Bolivar 2301139

在校青少年样本中感知受欢迎程度的关系预测因素：多层次分析

Popularity is a key construct to understand social influence processes among peers during adolescence. Popular individuals are socially visible, their behavior is imitated, and they occupy central positions in the peer system. Literature differentiates between sociometric popularity (individuals who like others and develop prosocial behaviors) and perceived popularity (reputable individuals who develop disruptive behaviors). The objective of the study is to identify the relational determinants of perceived popularity in a sample of Mexican high school students, including the effect of the mean age of the classrooms to which participants are assigned. Participants are 407 students (n = 273 women; 67.1%) aged between 14 and 22 years (M = 15.55; SD = .99). Network analysis and multilevel techniques were used. Results shows that the mean age of the class is an explanatory factor for the variability of the dependent and the analysis of the fixed effects parameters indicates that being central in the network of positive links is the relational predictor that best explains perceived popularity (γ02= .65; t= 16.820; p &lt; .00001; CI95%: .58 – .73). Perceived popularity is a complex and dual phenomenon in which features of perceived and sociometric popularity overlap. Understanding the factors that determine perceived popularity is crucial to ensure the psychosocial adjustment of young people in educational contexts.La popularidad es clave para comprender los procesos de influencia entre iguales durante la adolescencia. Los individuos populares son visibles socialmente, su conducta es imitada y ocupan posiciones centrales dentro del sistema de pares. La literatura diferencia entre popularidad sociométrica (individuos que agradan y desarrollan conductas prosociales) y popularidad percibida (individuos reputados y que desarrollan conductas disruptivas). El objetivo del estudio es identificar los determinantes relacionales de la popularidad percibida en una muestra de estudiantes mexicanos de educación secundaria, incluyendo el efecto de la edad media de las clases a las que están asignados los participantes. Los participantes son 407 estudiantes (n= 273 mujeres; 67.1%) con edades comprendidas entre 14 y 22 años (M= 15.55; DT= .99). Se emplearon técnicas de análisis de redes y análisis multinivel. Los resultados muestran que la edad media de la clase es un factor explicativo de la variabilidad de la dependiente y el análisis de los parámetros de efectos fijos del modelo multinivel indica que ser central en la red de vínculos positivos es el predictor relacional que mejor explica la popularidad percibida (γ02= .65; t= 16.820; p &lt; .00001; IC95%: .58 – .73). La popularidad percibida es un fenómeno complejo y dual en el que se solapan rasgos de la popularidad percibida y sociométrica. Comprender los factores que determinan la popularidad percibida es crucial para garantizar el ajuste psicosocial de los jóvenes en contextos educativos.Популярность имеет ключевое значение для понимания процессов взаимного влияния сверстников в подростковом возрасте. Популярные личности социально заметны, их поведению подражают, и они занимают центральные позиции в системе отношений со сверстниками. В литературе проводится различие между социометрической популярностью (индивиды, которые нравятся и развивают просоциальное поведение) и воспринимаемой популярностью (индивиды, которые пользуются репутацией и развивают деструктивное поведение). Цель исследования - выявить реляционные детерминанты воспринимаемой популярности в выборке мексиканских старшеклассников, в том числе влияние среднего возраста классов, в которые распределены участники. В исследовании приняли участие 407 студентов (n= 273 девушки; 67.1%) в возрасте от 14 до 22 лет (M= 15.55; SD= .99). Использовались методы сетевого анализа и многоуровневого анализа. результаты показывают, что средний возраст класса является объясняющим фактором для изменчивости зависимого показателя, а параметрический анализ многоуровневой модели с фиксированными эффектами показывает, что центральное место в сети положительных связей является реляционным предиктором, который лучше всего объясняет воспринимаемую популярность (γ02 = .65; t = 16.820; p &lt; .00001; 95%CI: .58 - .73). Воспринимаемая популярность - сложный и двойственный феномен, в котором пересекаются черты воспринимаемой и социометрической популярности. Понимание детерминант воспринимаемой популярности имеет решающее значение для обеспечения психосоциальной адаптации молодых людей в образовательных контекстах.受欢迎程度是理解青春期同伴影响过程的关键。受欢迎的个人在社会上是可见的，他们的行为会被模仿，并且他们在同侪体系中占据中心地位。文献区分了社会受欢迎度（受到喜爱并发展出亲社会行为的个人）和感知受欢迎度（享有盛誉并发展出破坏性行为的个人）。该研究的目的是确定墨西哥中学学生样本中受欢迎程度的相关决定因素，包括参与者所分配班级的平均年龄的影响。 参与者为 407 名学生（ 273 名女性；67.1%），年龄在 14 至 22 岁之间（M = 15.55；SD = .99）。研究使用了网络分析和多层次分析技术。 结果表明，班级的平均年龄是依赖者变异性的一个解释因素，并且对多水平模型的固定效应参数的分析表明，处于正关系网络的中心是最好的关系预测因子。解释了感知受欢迎程度（γ02= .65；t= 16.820；p &lt; .00001；95% CI： .58 £ .73）。 感知受欢迎度是一种复杂的双重现象，其中感知受欢迎度和社会计量学受欢迎度的特征重叠。了解决定受欢迎程度的因素对于确保年轻人在教育环境中进行社会心理调整至关重要

Bilingualism. Learning of English in two cases.

This final master project study, what is the present relevance of English in different European education systems. Via this literature review focuses mainly on the study and comparison of different cases, through the study of various factors that affect the acquisition of the level of a second foreign language, English. Differentiating different parts that allow a better study of the cases, through the exposition of those theoretical concepts on bilingualism, which will be used throughout the work. Moreover, the importance of those factors that will determine the comparative analysis between both cases, for the subsequent drawing of conclusions of these educational systems. This will allow us to know in greater depth the importance and presence of the most widely spoken language in the world in two non-English-speaking countries.pre-print1150 K