Relationships between intrinsic motivation, physical self-concept and satisfaction with life: a longitudinal study

In this study, we examined the relationships between intrinsic motivation, physical self-concept, and satisfaction with life using cross-lagged panel models analysed via structural equation models. The sample consisted of 293 participants (148 men, 145 women) aged 18-70 years who performed diverse types of physical exercise. Three alternative models were tested. The data were better represented by a model in which physical self-concept mediates the relationships between intrinsic motivation and satisfaction with life. Specifically, the direct effects of intrinsic motivation on physical self-concept, and of physical self-concept on satisfaction with life were significant, with the amount of explained variance increasing over time. In conclusion, people who perform physical exercise regularly, and who have fun over time will tend to have a better physical self-perception and, consequently, more psychological well-being.     

Effects of replica running shoes upon external forces and muscle activity during running

Twelve participants ran (9 km · h(-1)) to test two types of running shoes: replica and original shoes. Ground reaction force, plantar pressure and electromyographic activity were recorded. The shoes were tested randomly and on different days. Comparisons between the two experimental conditions were made by analysis of variance (ANOVA) test (P ≤ 0.05). The time to first peak, loading rate of the first peak and impulse of the first 75 ms of stance were significantly different between the shoes (P ≤ 0.05), revealing an increase of impact forces for the replica shoes. The peak plantar pressure values were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) when wearing replica shoes. During running, the contact area was significantly smaller (P ≤ 0.05) for the replica shoe. The electromyographic activity of the analysed muscles did not show changes between the two shoes in running. These findings suggest that the use of replica running shoes can increase the external load applied to the human body, but may not change the muscle activity pattern during locomotion. This new mechanical situation may increase the risk of injuries in these movements.     

Atribución de la causalidad y motivación de logro desde una perspectiva evolutiva. Evidencia empírica

Resumen

En el presente trabajo se revisan los principales estudios realzados sobre el desarrollo de las condiciones que determinan la motivación de logro: percepción de los resultados como éxitos o fracasos; capacidad para distinguir distintos niveles de incentivo; comprensión de los conceptos de habilidad, esfuerzo, dificultad de la tarea y suerte, así como de las relaciones compensatorias existentes entre ellos, J capacidad para formar expectativas realistas. También se revisan los estudios sobre las atribuciones que los niños realizan espontáneamente. Se indican tanto las implicaciones psicológicas y pedagógicas de los cambios evolutivos observados como los aspectos evolutivos que necesitan ser investigados.     

Higher education and unemployment in Europe: an analysis of the academic subject and national effects

This paper examines the impact of an academic degree and field of study on short and longterm unemployment across Europe (EU15). Labour Force Survey (LFS) data on over half a million individuals are utilised for that purpose. The harmonized LFS classification of level of education and field of study overcomes past problems of comparability across Europe. The study analyses (1) the effect of an academic degree at a European level, (2) the specific effect of 14 academic subjects and (3) country specific effects. The results indicate that an academic degree is more effective on reducing the likelihood of short-term than long-term unemployment. This general pattern even though it is observed for most of the academic subjects its levels show significant variation across disciplines and countries.     

Working with mathematics teachers and immigrant students: an empowerment perspective

This article centers on a professional development project with a group of high school mathematics teachers in Barcelona. The eight participating teachers taught in low-income schools with a high percentage of immigrant students. Our model of professional development is based on the involvement of the teachers as co-researchers of their local contexts and practices. In this approach, our concept of social justice is tied to the notion of empowerment, both for teachers and for their immigrant students. Our analysis of data from twelve sessions with the teachers shows the development of a shared awareness of their local situation that leads to their questioning of their practices followed by a reconstruction of those. Teachers worked together to move from talking to action. Our analysis of data from the implementation of one lesson in a classroom shows that action, and illustrates signs of empowerment in the teacher and the students, such as students’ challenging of aspects of the task and taking on a more participatory role and the teacher’s reflection on the overall experience.     

The relationship between drawing and oral language in deaf students aged three to five

This study examines the relationship between drawing and oral language acquisition in deaf students aged three to five. The sample is made up of one hundred participants: fifty deaf and fifty hearing children. Goodenough's Human Figure Drawing Test and the WPPSI Scale of Intelligence geometric design subtest have been used to evaluate graphic representation. The deaf participants' oral language has been assessed using the GAEL-P test. The main findings were that there were no significant differences between the populations studied in terms of graphic representation. The oral language level of the deaf population does not correlate with the level of their geometric designs, but does with the complexity of the drawing of the human figure at the age of 5. The main conclusion with respect to the relationship between oral language and figurative drawings suggests that different representations of symbolic functions should be integrated into children's education, especially in the case of deaf children.     

Social representations as mediators of practice in mathematics classrooms with immigrant students

This article suggests that a critical perspective of the notion of social representations can offer useful insights into understanding practices of teaching and learning in mathematics classrooms with immigrant students. Drawing on literature using social representations, previous empirical studies are revisited to examine three specific questions: what are the dominant social representations that permeate the mathematics classroom with immigrant students? What impact do these social representations have on classroom practices? What are the spaces for changing these practices through becoming reflective and critically aware of these representations? These questions are addressed mostly in relation to teachers’ representations, though the article also draws on data from research with students and parents to illustrate the diversity of representations and to argue for a critical and reflective perspective.     

Widely linear estimation for multisensor quaternion systems with mixed uncertainties in the observations

The optimal widely linear state estimation problem for quaternion systems with multiple sensors and mixed uncertainties in the observations is solved in a unified framework. For that, we devise a unified model to describe the mixed uncertainties of sensor delays, packet dropouts and uncertain observations by using three Bernoulli distributed quaternion random processes. The proposed model is valid for linear discrete-time quaternion stochastic systems measured by multiple sensors and it allows us to provide filtering, prediction and smoothing algorithms for estimating the quaternion state through a widely linear processing. Simulation results are employed to show the superior performance of such algorithms in comparison to standard widely linear methods when mixed uncertainties are present in the observations.