Factors related to attitudes toward organ donation after death in the immigrant population in Spain.

Considering the relevance of the migratory processes in Western societies, the attitudes toward organ donation after death are analyzed by means of a survey applied to a representative random sample of the resident immigrant population in Spain, comprising 1202 subjects (estimated margin of error of ± 2.88%, p = q, p < 0.05). Considered variables were disposition toward own organ donation, disposition toward deceased relatives' donation in different situations, arguments against donation, socio-demographic indicators, religious beliefs, social integration, and information about organ donation and transplantation. Predisposition to donate varies strongly across geographical origin and religious beliefs and also shows relationships with additional socio-demographic, social integration, and informative variables. In turn, the relationship between religious beliefs and attitude toward donation varies as a function of the degree of social integration. In Spain, the immigrant population is a heterogeneous collective that requires differential strategies to promote donation. Such strategies should be aimed at reinforcing the existing positive attitudes of citizens from West Europe and Latin America, and at familiarizing and informing about donation in citizens from the East, and at making specific efforts to break down the cultural and religious barriers toward donation in African citizens, with special emphasis on people of the Muslim faith.

Analysis of the attitudes and motivations of the Spanish population towards organ donation after death.

Starting with the relevance of the Spanish experience, this study analyses the population's disposition towards organ donation after death by means of a representative survey of the adult Spanish population (N = 1206, estimated error ±2.87%, P < 0.05). Of the participants, 8.1% were declared donors, 59.3% were likely to donate, 14.5% were against donating and 18.1% did not know or did not respond; 87.3% would donate relative's organs if the deceased favoured donation, 50.2% if the deceased's wishes were unknown and 13.1% even if the deceased opposed donation. Among people who were favourable towards donation, the main motives expressed were the will to save other people's lives, solidarity and knowing they might someday need a donation. The most important motives for not donating among participants who were against it were the fear of premature organ extraction, of premature pronouncement of death and of mutilation. Reticence to donate is associated with low socio-economic and cultural level, advanced age and high religious commitment; it is also associated with a low perception of transplant efficacy, not directly knowing any transplanted people and the lack of qualified information. The results support diverse potentially effective strategies for promoting donation in the general population.

[Development and validation of a questionnaire about the main variables affecting the individual investor's behavior in the Stock Exchange]. / Elaboración y validación de una escala sobre las principales variables que afectan a la conducta de los inversores individuales en los mercados bursátiles.

Development and validation of a questionnaire about the main variables affecting the individual investor's behavior in the Stock Exchange. There is a considerable lack of information about the methodology usually used in most of the studies about individual investor's behavior. The studies reviewed do not show the method used in the selection of the items or the psychometric properties of the questionnaires. Because of the importance of investment in the Stock Exchange nowadays, it seems relevant to obtain a reliable instrument to understand individual investor's behavior in the Stock Exchange. Therefore, the goal of the present work is to validate a questionnaire about the main variables involved in individual investors' behavior in the Stock Exchange. Based on previous studies, we elaborated a questionnaire using the Delphi methodology with a group of experts. The internal consistency (Cronbach alpha=.934) and validity evidence of the questionnaire show that it may be an effective instrument and can be applied with some assurance.

[Social Identity Theory: a critical synthesis of its bases, evidence and controversies]. / La Teoría de la Identidad Social: una síntesis crítica de sus fundamentos, evidencias y controversias.

The social identity theory (SIT) and the self-categorization theory have had considerable influence on contemporary Social Psychology, making notable contributions to our understanding of the social dimension of behaviour. In the present work, we summarise the bases of these theories and critically review the most controversial elements of SIT, exploring its limits and potential. As shown here, the literature offers a heterogeneous body of research that includes outstanding efforts of synthesis and integration, but also numerous fragmentary studies and decontextualized interpretations that have generated distorted views of group behaviour. Taking into account the multidimensional, contextually mediated, dynamic and functional nature of identitary processes, which clearly emerge in the most serious works in the field, there is obviously a need to review the epistemological and methodological tools currently employed, with a view to developing practices that allow the study of group phenomena in a manner more suited to their complexity.

Family perception of the process of organ donation. Qualitative psychosocial analysis of the subjective interpretation of donor and nondonor families.

Family perception of organ donation has been explored by numerous authors using statements by the people who decided whether or not to donate the organs of a relative in a situation of brain death. Within this tradition, in this work, we analyze the discourse of six families who granted permission for organ donation and three who refused. We describe the process-based interpretation of this experience and identify psychosocial variables and processes that further our understanding of the decision finally adopted. We have identified two heuristics that guide family decision when organ donation is requested: the explicit or inferred will of the deceased and family attitudes to organ donation and transplant. It is postulated that the interaction of these two factors explains a large amount of the decisions made. We also hypothesize that a marked discrepancy between these two factors increases the importance of other aspects, especially the role of the transplant coordinator and of other healthcare personnel. These results support, at a social level, the implementation of transplant promotion programs; and at a healthcare level, the combined use of techniques of crisis intervention and attitude change.

Can we predict individual investors' behavior in stock markets? A psychological approach / ¿Es posible predecir el comportamiento de los inversionistas en los mercados bursátiles? Una aproximación psicológica

Understanding financial markets and investors' behavior is one of the biggest objectives in finance. However, most of the research obtained conclusions about individual investors, but they are not studying real individual investors' behavior: they analyzed stock price evolution or used aggregate investor data that essentially belongs to founds and big investors. Psychology has improved financial knowledge and solved many of those financial limitations. Because of that, we decided to apply one of the most valid psychological models to study human behavior, in order to better understand real individual investors' behavior: the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; Ajzen, 1991). The model was applied to 127 real investors obtained by the "snowball" technique. According to results, TPB seems to be a good model to understand individual investor's behavior, while explaining 63% of the investments' intentions and 48% of the investments' behavior.

Entender los mercados financieros y el comportamiento de los inversionistas es uno de los objetivos principales en materia de finanzas. Sin embargo, se encuentra que la mayor parte de las conclusiones de estas investigaciones sobre los inversionistas no estudian el comportamiento de los mismos: normalmente se encuentra un análisis de la evolución de los precios de las acciones o datos utilizados de inversionistas que pertenecen esencialmente a los grandes mercados. La psicología ha mejorado el conocimiento financiero y ha resuelto muchas de las limitaciones en finanzas. Debido a esto, se ha decidido aplicar uno de los modelos psicológicos más válidos para estudiar el comportamiento humano, con el fin de comprender mejor el comportamiento de los inversionistas. Este modelo es la Teoría del Comportamiento Planeado ([TPB]; Ajzen, 1991). El modelo se aplicó a 127 inversionistas reclutados por la técnica de "bola de nieve". Según los resultados, el TPB parece ser un buen modelo para comprender el comportamiento de los individuos, al tiempo que explicó el 63 % de la intención de inversión y el 48 % de la conducta de inversión.