Accuracy and Speed of Processing Verbal Stimuli Among Subjects With Low and High Ability in Mathematics

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the accuracy and processing speed of verbal stimuli among students with low and high ability in mathematics. A total of 60 native Greek students participated (30 boys and 30 girls), ranging in age from 15 to 18. A tachistoscopic technique was used to present the verbal stimuli: words were presented to either the left or the right visual field, and delivered to the contralateral hemisphere. Our results showed that students with high ability in mathematics gave faster responses and made fewer errors for the rhyme and semantic judgments they were asked to make than students with low ability in mathematics. This finding lends support to previous studies which claim an association between mathematical and language skills. Moreover, our data provide evidence for right hemisphere (RH) participation in making semantic judgments.     

The relationship of academic and social cognition to behaviour in bullying situations among Greek primary school children

This research explored links between cognition (both social and academic) and children's behaviour in a bullying situation (participant roles). Participants were 186 fourth to sixth grade boys and girls from four primary schools in central Greece. Six categories of social cognition (self-efficacy for assertion, self-efficacy for aggression, expectations that aggression will lead to rewards, expectations that aggression will lead to victim suffering, the value placed on rewards and the value placed on suffering in the victim) and two categories of academic cognition (self-efficacy for learning and performance and the self-regulatory strategies used while solving problems) were investigated in connection to six participant roles (bully, victim, assistant, reinforcer, defender and outsider). Results suggest that there are differential associations between cognitions and the roles that children take in bullying situations, according to gender. Academic self-efficacy combined with certain social cognitions predicted both victimisation and bullying behaviour. Self-regulatory strategies combined with social cognitions similar to victim's and bully's predicted both assistant and reinforcer behaviour, while none of the cognition measures predicted defender or outsider behaviour. Implications for interventions against bullying are briefly discussed.     

The Accidental Archivists: Lessons Learned from a Digital Archive Project

This article tells the story of the University of Colorado Law Library's successful effort to develop its first digital archive. The sudden death of the law school's dean was the catalyst for this project, with a goal to unveil the archive at a memorial symposium scheduled nine months in the future. The University of Colorado Law Library staff had never tackled a project of this type or scale before. This article discusses the technological, cataloging, and management issues that were encountered during the project. It also provides advice and tips on how librarians in their own institutions can accomplish such a project.     

Outcomes of a curriculum‐based anti‐bullying intervention program on students' attitudes and behavior

The aim of this paper was to examine the short‐term and long‐term effects of a curriculum‐based anti‐bullying intervention program on students' attitudes towards bullying, intentions to intervene in bully–victim problems, perceived efficacy of intervening and actual intervening behavior. The intervention program was applied in primary schools and was implemented by trained teachers within the classroom context. The sample consisted of 454 pupils drawn from fourth to sixth grade classrooms of 10 primary schools in central Greece. A quasi‐experimental pre‐test/post‐test design was used. The findings indicate positive short‐term program outcomes concerning students' attitudes towards bullies and victims, perceived efficacy of intervening in bully–victim incidents and actual rates of intervening behavior. However, the magnitude of the program effects was quite small, since the positive short‐term outcomes were not sustained in the long‐term (post‐test two measures). The results of the study also indicated clear time effects for attitudes towards bullies and victims, self‐efficacy of intervening and intention, as well as actual intervening behavior. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for anti‐bullying interventions.     

Achievement testing with the Wechsler Quicktest: an examination of its psychometric properties and applied utility with a Greek–Cypriot sample

The study aimed to field‐test a Greek version of the Wechsler Quicktest and to examine its psychometric properties. The Quicktest was individually administered to 208 students, aged 5–14 years, along with a reading test. Based on the Rasch analysis, data for the Quicktest subtests showed acceptable fit to the model. Also, correlations were found between the Quicktest subtests. Moreover, the Quicktest was significantly correlated to school grades, teachers’ predictions, scores on the Learning Disability Evaluation Scale (LDES) and Trigka’s Reading Test. A Spearman analysis indicated significant correlations between scores on the Quicktest subtests and the grade level of students. Also, a regression analysis indicated that scores on the Quicktest can predict the scores on the other measures. Results supported the Quicktest’s criterion‐related validity and construct validity and, also, its utility as part of a systematic diagnostic procedure for learning disabilities.     

Bully/victim problems among Greek pupils with special educational needs: associations with loneliness and self‐efficacy for peer interactions

This study explores the prevalence of different types of bullying and victimisation among Greek pupils receiving special education support provision. Associations of these types with feelings of loneliness and perceived social efficacy for peer interactions are also examined. The sample consisted of 178 students of fifth and sixth primary school grades who participated in pull‐out special education delivery programmes. Participants were found to be actively involved in both bullying and victimisation, with higher rates in victimisation. Statistically significant gender and disability differences in bullying and loneliness were identified. Both bullying and victimisation were associated with loneliness/social dissatisfaction, and self‐efficacy for peer interactions. Moreover, our data provided evidence that bully/victims may be a distinct group in terms of their increased levels of loneliness. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for promoting children with special educational needs and disabilities social inclusion.     

A kinematic comparison of the overhand throw and tennis serve in tennis players: How similar are they really?

Tennis coaches often use the fundamental throwing skill as a training tool to develop the service action. However, recent skill acquisition literature questions the efficacy of non-specific training drills for developing complex sporting movements. Thus, this study examined the mechanical analogy of the throw and the tennis serve at three different levels of development. A 500 Hz, 22-camera VICON MX motion capture system recorded 28 elite female tennis players (prepubescent (n = 10), pubescent (n = 10), adult (n = 8)) as they performed flat serves and overhand throws. Two-way ANOVAs with repeated measures and partial correlations (controlling for group) assessed the strength and nature of the mechanical associations between the tasks. Preparatory mechanics were similar between the two tasks, while during propulsion, peak trunk twist and elbow extension velocities were significantly higher in the throw, yet the peak shoulder internal rotation and wrist flexion angular velocities were significantly greater in the serve. Furthermore, all of these peak angular velocities occurred significantly earlier in the serve. Ultimately, although the throw may help to prime transverse trunk kinematics in the serve, mechanics in the two skills appear less similar than many coaches seem to believe. Practitioners should, therefore, be aware that the throw appears less useful for priming the specific arm kinematics and temporal phasing that typifies the tennis serve.     

Exercise-induced hypoalgesia: Pain tolerance,preference and tolerance for exercise intensity,and physiological correlates following dynamic circuit resistance exercise

Previous research has demonstrated significant decreases in pain perception in healthy individuals following both aerobic and upper body resistance exercise, but research on circuit training has been limited. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a strenuous bout of dynamic circuit resistance exercise on pain threshold and pain tolerance in conjunction with changes in blood lactate levels, heart rate (HR), and perceived exertion. A sample of 24 college-age students participated in 2 sessions: (1) a maximal strength testing session and (2) a circuit training bout of exercise that consisted of 3 sets of 12 repetitions with a 1:1 work to rest ratio at 60% one-repetition maximum (1-RM) predicted from a three-repetition maximum (3-RM) for 9 exercises. Participants exhibited increases in pain tolerance, blood lactate levels, HR and perceived exertion following resistance exercise. Preference for exercise intensity was positively correlated with lactate post exercise and tolerance for exercise intensity was positively correlated with pain tolerance and lactate post exercise. In conclusion, this is the first study to demonstrate increases in pain tolerance following a dynamic circuit resistance exercise protocol and disposition for exercise intensity may influence lactate and pain responses to circuit resistance exercise.