Neurobiologia e cognição na aprendizagem simultânea de línguas estrangeiras : aquisição multilingue do léxico

Na sociedade moderna, constata-se que os indivíduos multilingues compreendem e falam várias línguas e que essa proficiência tem despertado, ao longo de várias décadas, a curiosidade de numerosos especialistas no assunto (neurolinguistas, psicolinguistas). Sobre este assunto, Dijkstra (2003:11) preconiza que os falantes multilingues devem ter armazenado um vasto número de palavras no seu léxico mental no qual parece ser difícil recuperar uma palavra. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho, que se enquadra no Mestrado em Português Língua Não Materna, oferece uma revisão da literatura sobre o conhecimento neurolinguístico e psicolinguístico da aquisição multilingue do léxico em sujeitos bi / multilingues ; tendo como ponto nevrálgico o controlo inibitório e o acesso lexical. No decorrer desta pesquisa, a qual pôde contar com a participação de trinta e três informantes falantes de português europeu (3 monolingues, 3 bilingues, 5 trilingues e 22 multilingues), procurou-se averiguar se os informantes bi / multilingues seriam mais rápidos e precisos do que os monolingues, aquando da realização de tarefas trilingues de nomeação oral de imagens e de decisão lexical. A investigação realizada fornece dados para uma reflexão sobre o modo como falantes com estas particularidades acedem ao (s) seu (s) reportório (s) linguístico (s), bem como sobre a forma como exercem o controlo inibitório sobre o seu vasto campo linguístico.

When do dialects become languages? A cognitive perspective

Several definitions exist that offer to identify the boundaries between languages and dialects, yet these distinctions are inconsistent and are often as political as they are linguistic (Chambers & Trudgill, 1998). A different perspective is offered in this thesis, by investigating how closely related linguistic varieties are represented in the brain and whether they engender similar cognitive effects as is often reported for bilingual speakers of recognised independent languages, based on the principles of Green’s (1998) model of bilingual language control. Study 1 investigated whether bidialectal speakers exhibit similar benefits in non-linguistic inhibitory control as a result of the maintenance and use of two dialects, as has been proposed for bilinguals who regularly employ inhibitory control mechanisms, in order to suppress one language while speaking the other. The results revealed virtually identical performance across all monolingual, bidialectal and bilingual participant groups, thereby not just failing to find a cognitive control advantage in bidialectal speakers over monodialectals/monolinguals, but also in bilinguals; adding to a growing body of evidence which challenges this bilingual advantage in non-linguistic inhibitory control. Study 2 investigated the cognitive representation of dialects using an adaptation of a Language Switching Paradigm to determine if the effort required to switch between dialects is similar to the effort required to switch between languages. The results closely replicated what is typically shown for bilinguals: Bidialectal speakers exhibited a symmetrical switch cost like balanced bilinguals while monodialectal speakers, who were taught to use the dialect words before the experiment, showed the asymmetrical switch cost typically displayed by second language learners. These findings augment Green’s (1998) model by suggesting that words from different dialects are also tagged in the mental lexicon, just like words from different languages, and as a consequence, it takes cognitive effort to switch between these mental settings. Study 3 explored an additional explanation for language switching costs by investigating whether changes in articulatory settings when switching between different linguistic varieties could - at least in part – be responsible for these previously reported switching costs. Using a paradigm which required participants to switch between using different articulatory settings, e.g. glottal stops/aspirated /t/ and whispers/normal phonation, the results also demonstrated the presence of switch costs, suggesting that switching between linguistic varieties has a motor task-switching component which is independent of representations in the mental lexicon. Finally, Study 4 investigated how much exposure is needed to be able to distinguish between different varieties using two novel language categorisation tasks which compared German vs Russian cognates, and Standard Scottish English vs Dundonian Scots cognates. The results showed that even a small amount of exposure (i.e. a couple of days’ worth) is required to enable listeners to distinguish between different languages, dialects or accents based on general phonetic and phonological characteristics, suggesting that the general sound template of a language variety can be represented before exact lexical representations have been formed. Overall, these results show that bidialectal use of typologically closely related linguistic varieties employs similar cognitive mechanisms as bilingual language use. This thesis is the first to explore the cognitive representations and mechanisms that underpin the use of typologically closely related varieties. It offers a few novel insights and serves as the starting point for a research agenda that can yield a more fine-grained understanding of the cognitive mechanisms that may operate when speakers use closely related varieties. In doing so, it urges caution when making assumptions about differences in the mechanisms used by individuals commonly categorised as monolinguals, to avoid potentially confounding any comparisons made with bilinguals.

An investigation of pretend play, mental state terms and false belief understanding: In search of a metarepresentational link

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between false belief comprehension, the exhibition of pretend play and the use of mental state terms in pre-school children. Ferry children, aged between 36 and 54 months were videotaped engaging in free play with each parent. The exhibit-ion of six distinct acts of pretend play and the expression of 16 mental sr:ate terms were coded during play. Each child was also administered a pantomime task and three standard false belief casks. Reliable associations were also found between false belief performance and the pretence categories of object substitution and role assignment, and the exhibition of imaginary object pantomimes. Moreover, the use of mental state terms was positively correlated with false belief and the pretence categories of object substitution, imaginary play and role assignment, and negatively correlated with the exhibition of body part object pantomimes. These findings indicate that the development of a mental state lexicon and some, bur not all, components of pretend play are dependent on the capacity for metarepresentational cognition.

History of the eighteenth century and of the nineteenth till the overthrow of the French empire. With particular reference to mental cultivation and progress.

Vol. 7 based on articles first published in the "Archiv für geschichte und literatur" under the title "Ueber Napoleon und dessen lobredner und tadler": published at Frankfort. 1832, under title "Zur beurtheilung Napoleons und seiner neuesten tadler und lobredner", 3 vols., 8'. Pref., v. 7; also Kayser. Neues bücher-lexicon.

Interface Between Intellectual Disability And Mental Health: Hermeneutic Review.

A literature review was conducted aiming to understand the interface between the Intellectual Disability and Mental Health fields and to contribute to mitigating the path of institutionalizing individuals with intellectual deficiencies. The so-called dual diagnosis phenomenon remains underestimated in Brazil but is the object of research and specific public policy internationally. This phenomenon alerts us to the prevalence of mental health problems in those with intellectual disabilities, limiting their social inclusion. The findings reinforce the importance of this theme and indicate possible diagnostic invisibility of the development of mental illness in those with intellectual disabilities in Brazil, which may contribute to sustaining psychiatric institutionalization of this population. 

The Biopsychosocial Spiritual Model Applied To The Treatment Of women With Breast Cancer, Through Rime Intervention (relaxation, mental Images, Spirituality).

This postdoctoral study on the application of the RIME intervention in women that had undergone mastectomy and were in treatment, aimed to promote psychospiritual and social transformations to improve the quality of life, self-esteem and hope. A total of 28 women participated and were randomized into two groups. Brief Psychotherapy (PB) (average of six sessions) was administered in the Control Group, and RIME (three sessions) and BP (average of five sessions) were applied in the RIME Group. The quantitative results indicated a significant improvement (38.3%) in the Perception of Quality of Life after RIME according to the WHOQOL, compared both to the BP of the Control Group (12.5%), and the BP of the RIME Group (16.2%). There was a significant improvement in Self-esteem (Rosenberg) after RIME (14.6%) compared to the BP of the Control Group (worsened 35.9%), and the BP of the RIME Group (8.3%). The improvement in well-being, considering the focus worked on (Visual Analog Scale), was significant in the RIME Group (bad to good), as well as in the Control Group (unpleasant to good). The qualitative results indicated that RIME promotes creative transformations in the intrapsychic and interpersonal dimensions, so that new meanings and/or new attitudes emerge into the consciousness. It was observed that RIME has more strength of psychic structure, ego strengthening and provides a faster transformation that BP, therefore it can be indicated for crisis treatment in the hospital environment.

Brazilian multicentre study of common mental disorders in primary care: rates and related social and demographic factors

Mental health problems are common in primary health care, particularly anxiety and depression. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of common mental disorders and their associations with socio-demographic characteristics in primary care in Brazil (Family Health Strategy). It involved a multicenter cross-sectional study with patients from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Fortaleza (Ceará State) and Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul State), assessed using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). The rate of mental disorders in patients from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Fortaleza and Porto Alegre were found to be, respectively, 51.9%, 53.3%, 64.3% and 57.7% with significant differences between Porto Alegre and Fortaleza compared to Rio de Janeiro after adjusting for confounders. Prevalence proportions of mental problems were especially common for females, the unemployed, those with less education and those with lower incomes. In the context of the Brazilian government's moves towards developing primary health care and reorganizing mental health policies it is relevant to consider common mental disorders as a priority alongside other chronic health conditions.

Desenvolvimento de equações generalizadas para estimativa da coordenação motora em crianças e adolescentes portadores de deficiencia mental

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Avaliações autonômicas e cardiovasculares em pessoas com lesão da medula espinhal nas situações de repouso, em um teste de estresse mental e durante exercício físico

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Motivação intrinseca e o estado mental flow em corredores de rua

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Avaliação motora para a pessoa deficiente mental nas APAEs da região de Campinas-SP : um estudo de caso

Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Educação Física

Lazer e deficiencia mental : o papel da familia e da escola em uma proposta de educação pelo e para o lazer

Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Educação Física

Aspectos de formação e transição em programas para adolescentes e adultos portadores de deficiencia mental em instituições especializadas

Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Educação Física

Coordenação motora de portadores de deficiencia mental : avaliação e intervenção

Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Educação Física

Inconsciente e cotidiano na prática da atenção psicossocial em saúde mental

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar as concepções sobre o inconsciente ligadas ao cotidiano da prática terapêutica de rede, como contribuição à clínica em saúde mental. A pesquisa participante foi realizada em um Centro de Atenção Psicossocial (CAPS) na cidade de São Paulo. Os resultados mostraram as concepções mais frequentes: o inconsciente como inconsciência, o inconsciente como desconhecimento e o inconsciente como método de escuta do sujeito e das relações na instituição. Demonstram uma flexibilidade teórica que pode permitir articulações complexas nas diversas intervenções no cotidiano da equipe referentes às subjetividades e saberes sobre o inconsciente, psicanalíticos ou não. Conclui-se que a elucidação desse saber prático sobre o inconsciente contribui para o aprofundamento dessa temática no campo da reforma psiquiátrica.