Stress responses during aerobic exercise in relation to motivational dominance and state

We examined the hypothesis that congruence between motivational dominance and state results in optimal psychological responses and performance during exercise. Twenty participants (10 telic dominant and 10 paratelic dominant) rated their stress at 5 min intervals as they cycled on an ergometer at gas exchange threshold for 30 min in both telic and paratelic state manipulated conditions. Participants then performed a test to exhaustion at a resistance equivalent to 110% of VO(2max). The hypothesized interaction between condition and dominance was significant for internal tension stress, as paratelic dominants were more stressed than telic dominants when exercising in the telic state and telic dominants were more stressed than paratelic dominants when exercising in the paratelic state. Similarly, the condition × dominance interaction for internal stress discrepancy was significant, as paratelic dominants reported greater internal stress discrepancy exercising in the telic compared with the paratelic state. Findings are discussed in relation to the application of reversal theory for understanding stress responses during aerobic exercise.     

Training of elite cyclists: effects on mood state and selected hormonal responses

The psychobiological status of cyclists over a period of 8 months of training was assessed by measuring the sympatho-adrenal level, the central noradrenergic activity, and the cortisol?-?testosterone ratio status non-invasively. Alteration of these indices after a large increase in training load lasting 4 days (?+?187%) was also examined. Urinary excretion of methoxyamines (metanephrine, normetanephrine) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol sulphate (MHPG-S), and salivary concentrations of cortisol and testosterone, were measured in 12 national cyclists after a non-specific training period and 48 h before 4 days of increased training (T₁), after these 4 days (T₂) and at the end of 4 months of specific training (T₃). Urinary and salivary samples were also collected during a rest period (T₀). At each of these times, mood states and ratings of perceived muscle soreness were assessed, and a questionnaire of early clinical symptoms of the overtraining syndrome (Profile of Mood States) was administered. A significant increase in normetanephrine (P <?0.05) and a decrease in the testosterone?-?cortisol ratio (P <?0.05) were observed at T₂, while MHPG-S excretion remained unchanged. Over the same periods, increased training loads did not induce mood disturbances. Eight months of training were associated with significant alterations in metanephrine (P?<?0.05) and MHPG-S (P?<?0.05). These results suggest a dissociation between the neural and endocrine catecholaminergic components systems. Opposite responses between MHPG-S and Profile of Mood States scores show that further investigations are needed to understand the relationship between central noradrenergic function, which is recognized as a regulatory factor of mood, and psychological tests measuring mood.     

Training of elite cyclists: effects on mood state and selected hormonal responses

The psychobiological status of cyclists over a period of 8 months of training was assessed by measuring the sympatho-adrenal level, the central noradrenergic activity, and the cortisol-testosterone ratio status noninvasively. Alteration of these indices after a large increase in training load lasting 4 days (+ 187%) was also examined. Urinary excretion of methoxyamines (metanephrine, normetanephrine) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol sulphate (MHPG-S), and salivary concentrations of cortisol and testosterone, were measured in 12 national cyclists after a non-specific training period and 48 h before 4 days of increased training (T1), after these 4 days (T2) and at the end of 4 months of specific training (T3). Urinary and salivary samples were also collected during a rest period (T0). At each of these times, mood states and ratings of perceived muscle soreness were assessed, and a questionnaire of early clinical symptoms of the overtraining syndrome (Profile of Mood States) was administered. A significant increase in normetanephrine (P < 0.05) and a decrease in the testosterone-cortisol ratio (P < 0.05) were observed at T2, while MHPG-S excretion remained unchanged. Over the same periods, increased training loads did not induce mood disturbances. Eight months of training were associated with significant alterations in metanephrine (P < 0.05) and MHPG-S (P < 0.05). These results suggest a dissociation between the neural and endocrine catecholaminergic components systems. Opposite responses between MHPG-S and Profile of Mood States scores show that further investigations are needed to understand the relationship between central noradrenergic function, which is recognized as a regulatory factor of mood, and psychological tests measuring mood.     

A Twin and Adoption Study of Reading Achievement: Exploration of Shared-Environmental and Gene-Environment-Interaction Effects

Existing behavior-genetic research implicates substantial influence of heredity and modest influence of shared environment on reading achievement and reading disability. Applying DeFries-Fulker analysis to a combined sample of twins and adoptees (N = 4,886, including 266 reading-disabled probands), the present study replicates prior findings of considerable heritability for both reading achievement and reading disability. A simple biometric model adequately described parent and offspring data (combined N = 9,430 parents and offspring) across differing types of families present in the sample Analyses yielded a high heritability estimate (around 0.70) and a negligible shared-environmentality estimate for both reading achievement and reading disability. No evidence of gene × environment interaction was found for parental reading ability and parental educational attainment, the two moderators analyzed.     

Functional differences between two shock-induced aggressive behaviors of mice

Five groups of male mice were given either isolation or grouped housing conditions or fight training as manipulations of social backgrounds prior to 5 days of shock-induced aggression under conditions resembling the rat paradigm for shock aggression. Three groups were given similar fight training but different levels of shock intensity during the shock trials. Shocks moderate in intensity as compared to very low intensity shocks produced more biting attacks and upright postures and maintained aggressiveness. Raising the shock intensity further produced fewer biting attacks, more upright postures, and a decline in aggressiveness. Biting attacks proved to be a more discriminating measure of differences created by different social backgrounds than the upright postures.     

A teacher-implemented intervention program to promote finger use in numerical tasks

European Journal of Psychology of Education - What constitutes effective teaching of arithmetical skills in early school years is still uncertain. Finger use could play a crucial role in this...     

Recherches dans l'education en France

Sans résumé     

Le probleme des valeurs a l'ecole française aujourd'hui

Résumé Depuis les années soixante, l'école publique en France a pratiquement abandonné les réformes d'enseignement des valeurs morales, laissant les adolescents désorientés dans se domaine. L'auteur juge cette situation profondément malsaine et soutient que l'école se doit aussi d'enseigner aux élèves à opérer des choix moraux et à agir en conséquence. Il récuse le point de vue rationaliste selon lequel la science rend superflue la morale traditionnelle mais reconnaît parallèlement la valeur morale inhérente au principe scientifique de vérité et d'objectivité. Il argumente en faveur d'une forme d'éducation morale visant à inculquer le respect des diverses conceptions, normes culturelles et croyances religieuses, et qui serait en mesure d'aborder d'importants problèmes de société tels que drogue, violence, sexualité, justice sociale et pauvreté, racisme et pollution.

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Since the 1960s the French public school system has virtually abandoned the attempt to teach moral values, leaving students morally disoriented. The author finds this situation profoundly unhealthy and argues that schools have a responsibility to help in developing the ability of pupils to make moral choices and act accordingly. He rejects the rationalist view that science makes traditional morality unnecessary. At the same time, he recognizes the moral value of the scientific respect of truth and objectivity. He argues for a form of moral education which would inculcate respect for different points of view, cultural norms and religious beliefs, and which would not shy away from addressing morally important issues such as drag abuse, violence, sexuality, social justice, poverty, racism and environmental pollution.

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Zusammenfassung Seit den 60er Jahren hat das öffentliche französische Schulsystem den Versuch, moralische Wertvorstellungen zu unterrichten praktisch aufgegeben und damit die Studenten ohne moralische Orientierung gelassen. Der Autor bezeichnet diese Situation als höchst ungesund und argumentiert dahingehend, daß Schulen die Verantwortung für die Entwicklung von Fähigkeiten der Schüler zu moralischer Wahl und Handlung tragen. Er lehnt die rationale Ansicht ab, daß Wissenschaft die traditionelle Moralität überflüssig macht. Zur gleichen Zeit erkennt er jedoch den moralischen Wert wissenschaftlichen Respekts für Wahrheit und Objektivität an. Der Autor setzt sich für eine Form der moralischen Erziehung ein, die Respekt für unterschiedliche Ansichten, kulturelle Normen und religiöse Glaubensrichtungen beinhaltet und die auch vor einer Behandlung moralisch wichtiger Themen nicht zurückschreckt, wie z.B. Drogenmißbrauch, Gewalt, Sexualität, soziale Gerechtigkeit, Rassismus und Umweltverschmutzung.

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Sumario En Francia, a partir de los años sesenta el sistema de enseñanza pública prácticamente ha abandonado el intento de transmitir valores morales, dejando a los alumnos moralmente desorientados. El autor considera que esta situación es sumamente peligrosa, y sostiene que a las escuelas les corresponde la responsabilidad de ayudar a desarrollar la capacidad de los alumnos para tomar decisiones morales y actuar conforme a las mismas. Rechaza el punto de vista racionalista de que la ciencia hace innecesaria la moralidad traditional. Al mismo tiempo, reconoce el valor moral del respeto científico por la verdad y la objetividad. Aboga por una forma de educación moral que inculque el respeto de diferentes puntos de vista, normas culturales y creencias religiosas y que no eluda temas importantes de la moral como lo son la drogadicción, la violencia, la sexualidad, la justicia social, la pobreza, el racismo y la contaminación ambiental.

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Part of this article appeared in the Cahiers Binet-SimonNo. 3–4 1993, published by the Société Alfred Binet et Théodore Simon, Lyon.