Raíz y abolengo universitario de Alcalá.

Alcalá es la más alegre de las ciudades universitarias españolas. La ciudad honrada de los reyes tiene en su vida tres momentos, que han dejado con orgullo influencia de su soberanía mundial: La Cortes reunidas por Alfonso XI, en 1348; la fundación de la Universidad, en 1498; y el nacimiento de Miguel de Cervantes, en 1547. Alcalá es a afirmación pétrea y espiritual de lo que vale España en el mundo del arte y de la cultura. En el reinado de los Reyes Católicos florecían allí todas las ramas del saber humano, que dieron luego brotes magníficos en los años siguientes a la creación de su Colegio Universitario. El Cardenal Cisneros fu un hombre extraordinario que realizó una gran labor cultural y política, pero fue muy mal visto. Todo empezó cuando Isabel la Católica lo llamó para que fuese su confesor y su consejero. Desde este momento comienza su influencia en la monarquía española. Cisneros hizo que el nombre de España sonase con gloria en Europa. El fundó la Universidad de Alcalá de Henares. Así, se inició uno de los periodos más importantes de la historia universitaria de España. En menos de medio siglo esta universidad había llegado a su apogeo, ya que tuvo eminentes profesores: Herrera, Nebrija, Prego, Ambrosio de Morales. La decadencia de Alcalá a lo largo de tres siglos, el que la capital de España se trasladase a Madrid y la afluencia a esta ciudad de los hombres más eminentes fueron causas que menoscabaron la importancia universitaria de la vecina villa. Así, por decreto se creaba, en 1821, una Universidad central en Madrid y sobre la base de la de Alcalá que cesaba. Todo se trasladó a la de Madrid y el edificio quedó como reliquia arquitectónica de su hermosura.

La UNED y sus alumnos.

Estudiar la dinámica social del alumnado de la UNED y actualizar los datos básicos del mismo durante el curso 1977-78. Concretamente, comprobar si se cumple el propósito inicial de la UNED de extender su acción educativa a sectores de la población que por razones diversas carecen de oportunidades o tienen dificultades graves para cursar estudios universitarios. 41748 alumnos matriculados en la UNED, curso 1977-78. Comienza con una introducción que sitúa la UNED dentro de la problemática universitaria (LRU). Posteriormente se describe la estructura actual de la UNED: datos académicos y distribución geográfica del alumnado, organización académico-territorial (Centros Asociados); para pasar a analizar las características sociales de los alumnos (edad, sexo, estado civil, niveles de hábitat, ocupación, ingresos, nivel de estudios). Por último, se evalúan los resultados de la UNED a través de sus índices de crecimiento. Cuestionarios dirigidos a los alumnos de la UNED. Información directa de los Centros Asociados. Cifras del Centro de Proceso de Datos del MEC. Porcentajes. El alumno típico de la UNED es varón, con una edad comprendida entre los 26 y los 40 años, no está soltero; vive en una ciudad de más de 100.000 habitantes aunque nació en una de menor tamaño; trabaja, es directivo, empresario, funcionario, cuadro medio o empleado; su padre no llegó a terminar el Bachillerato, pero él lo terminó o incluso hizo alguna carrera de Grado Medio. El alumno típico de la UNED es diferente del de la Universidad tradicional, éste es un gran logro para la UNED, que amplía la clientela universitaria con lo que potencia el nivel cultural del país.

Estudio de una teoría de la personalidad : investigación sobre el cuestionario VTC.

Descubrir los factores resultantes, definir y analizar su significado, así como especificar los diversos matices que un factor contiene y que lo distingue de otro. 224 mujeres cuya edad media es de 20 años, pertenecientes a segundo y tercero de Magisterio de Madrid. El paso fundamental de esta investigación estuvo dirigido a construir sendos cuestionarios de modo que se pudiera contener en sus variables las cualidades positivas o negativas que Remplein asignaba en sus tablas a cada uno de los aspectos específicos que proponía, referidos ya a la vitalidad, al temperamento o al carácter. Los cuestionarios no son complementarios ni paralelos pues su estructura es complementaria. Se opta por dos a fin de no construir uno que por su amplitud resultase fatigoso y difícilmente operativo. El cuestionario A mide la vitalidad y el carácter y consta de 565 ítem. El cuestionario B mide el temperamento y el carácter y contiene 548 ítem. La respuesta a cada ítem se concreta solamente en un si o un no. En la presente investigación el cuestionario objeto de estudio es el A, en concreto las variables que van desde la 713 a la 952, cuyo objeto es el carácter en alguna de las manifestaciones específicas que se describirán en cada caso. La suma de ambos cuestionarios da un total de 1115 ítem entre los que se reparte en total cuarenta y seis variables. Este cuestionario, conocido por nombre diversos, se denomina hoy cuestionario de personalidad (VTC). Para la elaboración estadística se ha utilizado el método Stadistical Sadeage of Social Sciencies (SPSS). 1) Existe una gran interconexión entre los diferentes elementos que componen la personalidad básica, lo que permite descubrir actitudes que, por su frecuencia y peso, son de vital importancia en la configuración de la personalidad. 2) Los elementos de análisis resultaron ser aquellos que contienen la tendencia a la independencia, a la subordinación, a la estima, al propio afianzamiento, a la autodefensa, a la hinchazón de yo, al propio valor y la tendencia a la asociación. 3) Estas tendencias no se configuran de modo independiente en la persona sino que se ven afectadas y corregidas por cualidades de diverso origen dando lugar a modelos de personalidad sumamente complejos como los que se derivan de la lectura de cada factor. 4) Se advierte que la tendencia al propio valer es una de las que más elementos aporta a la hora de configurar de modo positivo una personalidad. Las cualidades más operativas de esta tendencia disponen a la persona hacia su propia realización y contribuyen, mediante la contención, el gobierno y la autocrítica, a reducir en una notable medida algunas de las consecuencias más negativas que poseen ciertas tendencias como la de la estima o la hinchazón del yo. 5) Este estudio avala la tesis de Remplein de que el carácter es no sólo susceptible de ser valorado conforme a principios sino que puede ser también educable.

Noise exposure in the fire department

This paper discusses noise exposure to firefighters on the job and whether this contributes to noise induced hearing loss.

Combining representations in working memory: A brief report

A task combining both digit and Corsi memory tests was administered to a group of 75 children. The task is shown to share variance with standardized reading and maths attainments, even after partialling out performance on component tasks separately assessed. The emergent task property may reflect coordination skills, although several different refinements can be made to this general conclusion.

Earworms ("stuck song syndrome"): towards a natural history of intrusive thoughts

Two studies examine the experience of “earworms”, unwanted catchy tunes that repeat. Survey data show that the experience is widespread but earworms are not generally considered problematic, although those who consider music to be important to them report earworms as longer, and harder to control, than those who consider music as less important. The tunes which produce these experiences vary considerably between individuals but are always familiar to those who experience them. A diary study confirms these findings and also indicates that, although earworm recurrence is relatively uncommon and unlikely to persist for longer than 24 hours, the length of both the earworm and the earworm experience frequently exceed standard estimates of auditory memory capacity. Active attempts to block or eliminate the earworm are less successful than passive acceptance, consistent with Wegner’s (1994) theory of ironic mental control.

Parents' cognitions and expectations about their pre-school children: the contribution of parental anxiety and child anxiety

This study investigated the relative associations between parent and child anxiety and parents' cognitions about their children. One hundred and four parents of children aged 3-5 years completed questionnaires regarding their own anxiety level, their child's anxiety level and their cognitions about the child, specifically parents' expectations about child distress and avoidance, and parents' perceived control over child mood and behaviour. Both parent anxiety and parent report of child anxiety were significantly associated with parents' cognitions. Specifically, parent report of child anxiety correlated significantly with parent locus of control generally and, more specifically, with parental expectations and perceived control of child anxious mood and behaviour. Parent anxiety correlated significantly with locus of control and parents' expectations of child anxious mood and behaviour. Furthermore, when both child and parent anxiety were taken into account, only parental anxiety remained significantly associated with parental locus of control and perceived control of child anxious behaviour. For parents' perceived control of child anxious mood, only child anxiety remained significantly associated. The results suggest that parents' perceived control over their children's behaviour may primarily reflect parental anxiety, rather than child anxiety. Parental anxiety may, therefore, present an important target for interventions that aim to change parent's cognitions and behaviour.

Positive schizotypy and trait dissociation as vulnerability factors for post-traumatic distress

Objective. This study investigated whether trait positive schizotypy or trait dissociation was associated with increased levels of data-driven processing and symptoms of post-traumatic distress following a road traffic accident. Methods. Forty-five survivors of road traffic accidents were recruited from a London Accident and Emergency service. Each completed measures of trait positive schizotypy, trait dissociation, data-driven processing, and post-traumatic stress. Results. Trait positive schizotypy was associated with increased levels of data-driven processing and post-traumatic symptoms during a road traffic accident, whereas trait dissociation was not. Conclusions. Previous results which report a significant relationship between trait dissociation and post-traumatic symptoms may be an artefact of the relationship between trait positive schizotypy and trait dissociation.

Ranald Macdonald and statistical inference

Ranald Roderick Macdonald (1945-2007) was an important contributor to mathematical psychology in the UK, as a referee and action editor for British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology and as a participant and organizer at the British Psychological Society's Mathematics, statistics and computing section meetings. This appreciation argues that his most important contribution was to the foundations of significance testing, where his concern about what information was relevant in interpreting the results of significance tests led him to be a persuasive advocate for the 'Weak Fisherian' form of hypothesis testing.

Brief cognitive behavioural therapy for extreme shape concern: an evaluation

Objectives. This study was designed to evaluate a new brief cognitive-behavioural intervention to reduce concerns about body shape. Design. Women with high levels of shape concern (N = 50) were randomly assigned to cognitive behaviour therapy or applied relaxation (AR). Baseline assessments were made and then women received their treatment immediately after this assessment, ('immediate' treatment) or 5 weeks after this assessment, during which time no treatment was given ('delayed' treatment, DT). Methods. Shape concern and related cognitions and emotions were assessed at baseline, post-treatment and at 4 and 12 week follow-up (FU). Results. Immediate treatment was superior to DT in reducing shape concerns, and this difference was maintained at 4 week FU. The cognitive behavioural intervention was more effective than AR in changing shape concern and this difference was largely maintained for 3 months. Conclusions. These initial findings support the further investigation of this brief intervention.

Conversations around homework: links to parental mental health, family characteristics and child psychological functioning

Parents are increasingly expected to supplement their children's school-based learning by providing support for children's homework. However, parents' capacities to provide such support may vary and may be limited by the experience of depression. This may have implications for child development. In the course of a prospective, longitudinal study of children of postnatally depressed and healthy mothers, we observed mothers (N = 88) and fathers (N = 78) at home during maths homework interactions with their 8-year-old children. The quality of parental communication was rated and analysed in relation to child functioning. The quality of communication of each of the parents was related to their mental state, social class and IQ. While postnatal depression was not directly related to child development, there was some evidence of the influence of maternal depression occurring in the child's school years. Different aspects of parental communication with the child showed specific associations with different child outcomes, over and above the influence of family characteristics. In particular, child school attainment and IQ were associated with parental strategies to encourage representational thinking and mastery motivation, whereas child behavioural adjustment at school and self-esteem were linked to the degree of parental emotional support and low levels of coercion. Notably, the influence of maternal homework support was more strongly related to child outcome than was paternal support, a pattern reflected in mothers' greater involvement in children's schools and school-related activities. Some parents may need guidance in how to support their children's homework if it is to be of benefit to child functioning.

Health-related quality of life in Huntington's disease: a comparison of two generic instruments, SF-36 and SIP

Whereas several clinical endpoints in monitoring the response to treatment in patients with Huntington's disease (HD) have been explored, there has been a paucity of research in the quality of life in such patients. The aim of this study was to validate the use of two generic health-related quality of life instruments (the Short Form 36 health survey questionnaire [SF-36] and the Sickness Impact Profile [SIP]) and to evaluate their psychometric properties. We found that both instruments demonstrated acceptable convergent validity and reliability for patients and carers. However, there was an advantage in using the SF-36 because of its more robust construct validity and test-retest reliability; furthermore, motor symptoms appeared to influence some strictly nonmotor dimensions of the SIP. On a pragmatic level, the SF-36 is shorter and quicker to administer and, therefore, easier for patients at various stages of the disease to complete. Thus, the SF-36 would appear to be the recommended instrument of choice for patients with HD and their carers, although further work needs to be done to investigate the sensitivity of this instrument longitudinally. (C) 2004 Movement Disorder Society.

A preliminary evaluation of cognitive-behaviour therapy for clinical perfectionism: a case series

Objective: The construct of 'clinical perfectionism' has been developed in response to criticisms that other approaches have failed to yield advances in the treatment of the type of self-oriented perfectionism that poses a clinical problem. The primary aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation into the efficacy of a theory-driven, cognitive-behavioural intervention for 'clinical perfectionism'. Design. A multiple baseline single case series design was used. Method: A specific, 10-session cognitive-behavioural intervention to address clinical perfectionism in eating disorders was adapted to allow its use in nine patients referred with a range of axis I disorders and clinical perfectionism. Results: The intervention led to clinically significant improvements in self-referential perfectionism from pretreatment to follow-up for six of the nine participants on two perfectionism measures and for three of the nine participants on the measure of clinical perfectionism. Statistically significant improvements from pre- to post-intervention for the group as a whole were found on all three measures. The improvements were maintained at follow-up. Conclusions: The finding that clinical perfectionism is improved in the majority of participants is particularly encouraging given that perfectionism has traditionally been viewed as a personality characteristic resistant to change. These preliminary findings warrant replication in a larger study.