The establishment of communication systems depends on the scale of competition

How communication systems emerge and remain stable is an important question in both cognitive science and evolutionary biology. For communication to arise, not only must individuals cooperate by signaling reliable information, but they must also coordinate and perpetuate signals. Most studies on the emergence of communication in humans typically consider scenarios where individuals implicitly share the same interests. Likewise, most studies on human cooperation consider scenarios where shared conventions of signals and meanings cannot be developed de novo. Here, we combined both approaches with an economic experiment where participants could develop a common language, but under different conditions fostering or hindering cooperation. Participants endeavored to acquire a resource through a learning task in a computer-based environment. After this task, participants had the option to transmit a signal (a color) to a fellow group member, who would subsequently play the same learning task. We varied the way participants competed with each other (either global scale or local scale) and the cost of transmitting a signal (either costly or noncostly) and tracked the way in which signals were used as communication among players. Under global competition, players signaled more often and more consistently, scored higher individual payoffs, and established shared associations of signals and meanings. In addition, costly signals were also more likely to be used under global competition; whereas under local competition, fewer signals were sent and no effective communication system was developed. Our results demonstrate that communication involves both a coordination and a cooperative dilemma and show the importance of studying language evolution under different conditions influencing human cooperation.

Attitudes and beliefs of palliative care physicians regarding communication with terminally ill cancer patients.

The subject of communication between palliative care physicians and their patients regarding their diagnosis and prognosis has not been extensively researched. The purpose of this survey was to compare the attitudes and beliefs of palliative care specialists regarding communication with the terminally ill in Europe, South America, and Canada. A sample of palliative care physicians from South America (Argentina and Brazil), French-speaking Europe, and Canada were identified, and posted a questionnaire. Physicians who stated that they practised palliative care at least 30% of their time were considered evaluable as palliative care specialists. Of a total of 272 questionnaires, 228 were returned (84%); and 182/228 (81%) respondents were considered to be palliative care specialists. Palliative care physicians in all three regions believed that cancer patients should be informed of their diagnosis and the terminal nature of their illness. Physicians reported that at least 60% of their patients knew their diagnosis and the terminal stage of their illness in 52% and 24% of cases in South America, and 69% and 38% of cases in Europe, respectively. All physicians agreed that 'do not resuscitate' orders should be present, and should be discussed with the patient in all cases. While 93% of Canadian physicians stated that at least 60% of their patients wanted to know about the terminal stage of their illness, only 18% of South American, and 26% of European physicians said this (P < 0.001). Similar results were found when the physicians were asked the percentage of families who want patients to know the terminal stage of their illness. However, almost all of the physicians agreed that if they had terminal cancer they would like to know. There was a significant association between patient based decision-making and female sex (P = 0.007), older age (P = 0.04), and physicians from Canada and South America (P < 0.001). Finally, in their daily decision making, South American physicians were significantly more likely to support beneficence and justice as compared with autonomy. Canadian physicians were more likely to support autonomy as compared with beneficence. In summary, our findings suggest that there are major regional differences in the attitudes and beliefs of physicians regarding communication at the end of life. More research is badly needed on the attitudes and beliefs of patients, families, and health care professionals in different regions of the world.

Infant's triangular communication in "two for one" versus "two against one" family triangles: Case illustrations

Infants use their social competence very early to communicate not only in dyads but also in triads, in particular in the triangle they form with their mother and father. The development of this triangular communication is largely shaped by the ways the parents support or undermine each other in relation to their child. Whereas triangular communication is facilitated in "two for one" alliances, it is recruited in the service of regulating the parents' conflicts in "two against one" coalitions. These processes are manifest in toddlerhood and may be traced back to the coparenting alliance in formation during pregnancy.

Protéger la main au travail : une exposition itinérante ou l'utilisation d'un moyen de communication dans les actions de prévention

Après une revue de la littérature concernant les médias utilisés dans le cadre de campagne de prévention, le matériel d'exposition est présenté. Le contenu et les moyens mis en oeuvre ne sont traités que dans la mesure où ils influencent directement la présentation du matériel. Enfin pour clore ce travail, une discussion concernant les possibilités et difficultés d'évaluation de ces actions de diffusion de l'information. [Auteur, p. 2]

Epître dédicatoire à M. le Président du Conseil des ministres. [Signé : Henry Saint-Simon. - Première opinion politique des industriels. - Premier chant des industriels, signé Rouget de Lisle.]

Comprend : Premier chant des industriels