Individual differences in semantic priming and inhibitory control predict performance in the Remote Associates Test (RAT)

Creative thinking is a complex cognitive ability that requires the combination and integration of information in the memory to produce original ideas. Previous creativity research has suggested that semantic memory, attentional focus or inhibitory control might be engaged when performing creativity tasks. In the present study, we tested whether stronger global attention, larger semantic priming and better ability to inhibit interfering information were related to performance in a creativity task such as the Remote Associate test (RAT). With this aim, 124 participants performed a lexical decision task in which the degree of semantic association (strong and weak) was manipulated. They also performed Navon's global-local task, in which global precedence and global/local interference indexes were calculated, and an adapted selective retrieval procedure from which an inhibition index was obtained. The results indicated that better creative performance was predicted by larger semantic priming between strong associates and by larger inhibitory effects, while attentional style was not associated with performance in the RAT. These findings support the role of semantic activation and inhibition during creativity

Inhibitory control during selective retrieval may hinder subsequent analogical thinking

Analogical reasoning is a complex cognitive activity that involves access and retrieval of pre-existing knowledge in order to find a suitable solution. Prior work has shown that analogical transfer and reasoning can be influenced by unconscious activation of relevant information. Based on this idea, we report two experiments that examine whether reduced access to relevant information in memory may further disrupt analogical reasoning unwittingly. In both experiments, we use an adaptation of the retrieval practice paradigm [1] to modulate memory accessibility of potential solutions to a subsequent set of analogy problems of the type ‘A is to B as C is to ?’. Experiment 1 showed a retrieval-induced impairment in analogical problem solving. Experiment 2 replicated this finding and demonstrated that it cannot be due to the deliberative episodic retrieval of the solutions to the analogies. These findings, predictable from an inhibitory framework of memory control, provide a new focus for theories of analogical transfer and highlight the importance of unconscious memory processes that may modulate problem solving.The study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science and Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness grants FPU014/07066 to TMV, PSI2015-65502-C2-1-P to TB, PSI2015-65502-C2-2-P to CJGA and PCIN- 2015-165-C02-01 to TMV, TB and CJG

Forgetting “Novel” but Not “Dragon”: The Role of Age of Acquisition on Intentional and Incidental Forgetting

Two experiments studied how the age at which words are acquired (Age of Acquisition, AoA) modulates forgetting. Experiment 1 employed the retrieval-practice paradigm to test the effect of AoA on the incidental forgetting that emerges after solving competition during retrieval (i.e., retrieval-induced forgetting, RIF). Standard RIF appeared with late-acquired words, but this effect disappeared with early-acquired words. Experiment 2 evaluated the effect of AoA on intentional forgetting by employing the list-method directed forgetting paradigm. Results showed a standard directed forgetting effect only when the to-be-forgotten words were late-acquired words. These findings point to the prominent role of AoA in forgetting processes.This research was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (http://www.mineco.gob.es/portal/site/mineco/?lang_choosen=en) to AM (PSI2013-46033-P), TB (PSI2012-33625), and CJG-A (PSI2011-25797), and from the Ministry of Science (http://www.mineco.gob.es/portal/site/mineco/?lang_choosen=en) (EDU2008-01111) and the Andalusian Government (http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/) (P12-CTS-2369) to TB

PBL in Programming Subjects at Engineering

This paper presents the PBL learning methodology applied to the subject of Programming in Engineering. We show two different perspectives, teacher and student. First, the point of view of the teacher considers the design of the project, and secondly student that considers its implementation

Una década de la Revista Española de Orientación y Psicopedagogía: un análisis bibliométrico de su evolución

With the purpose of analyzing the evolution of the Revista Española de Orientación y Psicopedagogía during the last ten years, a bibliometric analysis based on its scientific productivity was performed. One hundred and ninety three papers, published between 2000 and 2009, were analyzed based on a set of indicators: type of paper, year of publication, number of citations, number of references, type of population, general and specific topic, research context, authorship index, authors’ nationality, university and language of publication. Information was accessed through the electronic version of the journal, while some indicators were obtained from IN-RECS database. Results showed specific information about this journal as well as its strengths and weaknesses. Some relevant points that need to be promoted and others that need to be improved are discussed. The paper ends with some guidelines so the journal can improve its impact.Se realiza un estudio bibliométrico de las características de la producción científica de la Revista Española de Orientación y Psicopedagogía (REOP) para conocer su evolución en diez años. Se analizan 193 artículos publicados entre 2000 y 2009 a partir de una serie de indicadores: tipo de artículo, año de publicación, número de citas, número de referencias, tipo de población, temática general y específica, contexto de la investigación, índice de autoría, nacionalidad de los autores, universidad de procedencia e idioma de publicación. La información se ha consultado en la versión electrónica de la revista y para conocer algunos indicadores se ha obtenido de la base de datos IN-RECS. Los resultados de esta investigación muestran información específica sobre sus publicaciones así como sus puntos fuertes y debilidades. Se discuten los aspectos más relevantes que hay que potenciar y otros que es necesario mejorar. Se concluye con una serie de orientaciones que la revista puede considerar para conseguir una mayor difusión.Palabras clave: análisis bibliométrico, orientación educativa, base de datos IN-RECS, índice de actualización, indicadores, producción científica, factor de impacto. With the purpose of analyzing the evolution of the Revista Española de Orientación y Psicopedagogía during the last ten years, a bibliometric analysis based on its scientific productivity was performed. One hundred and ninety three papers, published between 2000 and 2009, were analyzed based on a set of indicators: type of paper, year of publication, number of citations, number of references, type of population, general and specific topic, research context, authorship index, authors’ nationality, university and language of publication. Information was accessed through the electronic version of the journal, while some indicators were obtained from IN-RECS database. Results showed specific information about this journal as well as its strengths and weaknesses. Some relevant points that need to be promoted and others that need to be improved are discussed. The paper ends with some guidelines so the journal can improve its impact. 

Exploring Mechanisms of Selective Directed Forgetting

While some studies have shown that providing a cue to selectively forget one subset of previously learned facts may cause specific forgetting of this information, little is known about the mechanisms underlying this memory phenomenon. In three experiments, we aimed to better understand the nature of the selective directed forgetting (SDF) effect. Participants studied a List 1 consisting of 18 sentences regarding two (or three) different characters and a List 2 consisting of sentences regarding an additional character. In Experiment 1, we explored the role of rehearsal as the mechanism producing SDF by examining the effect of articulatory suppression after List 1 and during List 2 presentation. In Experiments 2 and 3, we explored the role of attentional control mechanisms by introducing a concurrent updating task after List 1 and during List 2 (Experiment 2) and by manipulating the number of characters to be selectively forgotten (1 out of 3 vs. 2 out of 3). Results from the three experiments suggest that neither rehearsal nor context change seem to be the mechanisms underlying SDF, while the pattern of results is consistent with an inhibitory account. In addition, whatever the responsible mechanism is, SDF seems to rely on the available attentional resources and the demands of the task. Our results join other findings to show that SDF is a robust phenomenon and suggest boundary conditions for the effect to be observed.The current research was completed thanks to financial aid provided by the doctoral research grant FPI BES-2009-026811 to CA, and by grants from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad to MB (PSI2012-33625, PSI2015-65502, and PCIN-2015-132), and to CG-A (PSI2011-25797 and PSI2015-65502-C2-2-P), and by the Andalusian Government to MB (P12-CTS-2369-Fondos Feder)

A methodology for structured ontology construction applied to intelligent transportation systems

The number of computers installed in urban and transport networks has grown tremendously in recent years, also the local processing capabilities and digital networking currently available. However, the heterogeneity of existing equipment in the field of ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) and the large volume of information they handle, greatly hinder the interoperability of the equipment and the design of cooperative applications between devices currently installed in urban networks. While the dynamic discovery of information, composition and invocation of services through intelligent agents are a potential solution to these problems, all these technologies require intelligent management of information flows. In particular, it is necessary to wean these information flows of the technologies used, enabling universal interoperability between computers, regardless of the context in which they are located. The main objective of this paper is to propose a systematic methodology to create ontologies, using methods such as a semantic clustering algorithms for retrieval and representation of information. Using the proposed methodology, an ontology will be developed in the ITS domain. This ontology will serve as the basis of semantic information to a SS (Semantic Service) that allows the connection of new equipment to an urban network. The SS uses the CORBA standard as distributed communication architecture

Software architecture for customized physical exercise prescription

En la actualidad existe una gran cantidad de aplicaciones para la realización de ejercicio físico. En este artículo se presenta una arquitectura software para una aplicación que permite la prescripción de ejercicios físicos personalizados. Esta arquitectura incluye dos funcionalidades, la funcionalidad para el especialista que prescribe el ejercicio y la funcionalidad para el usuario que debe seguir esta prescripción. La interacción entre el especialista y el usuario se realiza mediante el envío de eventos. Especialistas (médicos/fisioterapeutas/educadores físicos) pueden indicar los ejercicios adecuados en cada caso. Esta aplicación permitirá a los usuarios con demanda de atención personalizada mejorar la condición física y la calidad de vida. Los usuarios podrán realizar el ejercicio físico de forma autónoma, sin tener que realizar desplazamientos y en un horario flexible.Currently there is a lot of available applications to do physical exercise. This article describes the software architecture for an application that allows customized exercise prescription. This architecture includes two functionalities, the functionality that allows specialists to prescribe physical exercises and the functionality for users who must follow this prescription. Interactions between specialists and users are allowed by means of sending events. Specialists (doctors, physiotherapists and physical educators) can indicate appropriate exercises in each case. This application will allow users with demand for personalized attention to improve their fitness and quality of life. Users can perform physical exercise autonomously, without having to travel and in a flexible schedule

Computer labs on virtual environments: A flexible, portable and multidisciplinary model

Teaching of computer-aided practical subjects in engineering education creates new challenges. Computers have to be configured to support particular requirements of each subject. Virtual Environments allows the building of a Virtual Machine (VM) tailored to requirements of each subject, allowing flexible, versatile and low cost laboratories. However, the use of multiple VM at a shared computing facility creates new problems, both technical and related to the performance of the class sessions. To solve these challenges, we have developed the Virtual Machine on-Demand (VMoD) tool. It automates the adaptation of each VM to the environment in which it is deployed and simplifies its use to students. As a result, the creation of computer-aided engineering laboratories on a shared computing facility using VM is possible and profitable

Discourse Analysis and Terminology in Languages for Specific Purposes

Aquest importantíssim recull conté estudis i reflexions sobre temes rellevants en la recerca sobre LSP: anglès mèdic, el llenguatge de la publicitat i periodístic, telecomunicacions i terminologia informàtica, llenguatge comercial i jurídic... Malgrat que gran part dels treballs aplegats es refereixen a l'anglès, també hi ha que tracten l'alemany, francès i altres llengües. Conté textos en anglès, francés, portuguès i castellà