Emotional Intelligence and Executive Functions in the Prediction of Prosocial Behavior in High School Students. An InterDisciplinary Approach between Neuroscience and Education.

One of the most analyzed variables in educational research is prosocial behavior, given its relevance and its application in favor of a culture of peace, the construction of solid democratic societies and the development of social justice. For this reason, it is necessary to extend the knowledge of predictors of prosocial behavior so that they can be transferred to teaching practice. The research reported here was carried out using a quantitative methodology through a survey, based on data collection instruments, whose data were treated statistically by means of descriptive, correlational and predictive analyses. The results obtained suggest that emotional intelligence has a strong predictive capacity for prosocial behavior while executive functions show a mild-moderate predictive behavior. In the conclusions and discussion, we provide a series of arguments on some of the results obtained in contrast with previous literature, as well as incorporating limitations of the study and prospects for future research.

Check-list and questionnaire datasets on diversity in Spain's higher education.

Universities around the world, and particularly Spanish universities, are involved in the process of implementing diversity policies and practices, although productivity rankings have not yet considered inclusion indicators in their quality approaches. The current paper, which is a result of a national research project (No. EDU2017-82,862-R), describes two rich datasets on the issue of diversity in Spain's universities. Data were obtained by using a check-list and a questionnaire, collected in samples of 81 and 33 institutions, respectively. In particular, the paper provides extended descriptive data on institutionalisation of diversity indicators corresponding to philosophy and policy, and practices, that have been analysed in the article entitled 'Exploring the Status of Diversity in Policies and Practices of Spanish Universities. An Asymmetric Dual Model' [1]. It also reports descriptive statistics for indicators and areas by type of university (public vs. private). In addition, it shows graphical comparative data on standard scores of policies and practices vs. productivity indicators (global and partial U-Ranking indexes). Researchers, policy makers and practitioners could benefit from datasets, as they provide information on a good number of indicators reflecting strengths and weaknesses in university policies and practices in the field of diversity.

Exploring the status of diversity in policies and practices of Spanish universities. An asymmetric dual model.

Higher education across the world is currently in the throes of assuming a commitment to diversity. However, certain critical positions maintain that such evolution is still guided by market principles. Within such a context, this paper explores what attention is given to diversity in Spanish university policies and practices and how it relates to key productivity indicators. To do so, a study with a descriptive and correlational design was conducted, based on analysing institutional documents and surveying chief diversity officers, techniques which provided evidence about diversity philosophy and practices, respectively. The results revealed at least an average level of institutionalisation of diversity, although it did not demonstrate, in most of the areas, any association with indicators derived from a consolidated ranking by productivity in Spain. The conclusion is that Spanish universities have adopted an asymmetric dual model, in which neo-liberal ideas maintain their hegemony while, although subordinately, certain innovations have been consolidated in parallel in order to protect a number of vulnerable groups under the rhetoric of equity and social justice.

Evaluation of Physical Activity and Lifestyle Interventions Focused on School Children with Obesity Using Accelerometry: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Despite the existence of global recommendations for physical activity and lifestyle to avoid childhood obesity, there are no specific recommendations for school-age children. The aim of this meta-analysis was to measure the effects of current interventions with a physical activity component on body mass index (BMI) Z-score and on the moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) time, measured by accelerometry, and focused on children with obesity. Randomized controlled trial studies (RCTs) based on physical activity interventions focused on children with obesity (6 to 12 years old) from January 1991 to August 2018 were included. The post-intervention mean and standard deviation of the BMI Z-score and MVPA engaged time were extracted to calculate the results using random effects models. Of a total of 229 studies considered potentially eligible, only 10 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. There were improvements in the BMI Z-score for physical activity intervention groups, compared with non-intervention children in addition to a significant increase in time engaged in MVPA. In conclusion, interventions with a physical activity component in school-children with obesity seem to be effective at reducing BMI and producing an increase in time spent engaged in physical activity. Therefore, interventions based on physical activity should be considered one of the main strategies in treating childhood obesity.

Evaluating the institutionalisation of diversity outreach in top universities worldwide.

The participation of diverse demographics in higher education has risen over the last half-century; meanwhile, different political and social tiers have been assigning a more active role to institutions in terms of equality and social justice. This change in circumstances has led to the roll out of processes to institutionalise diversity outreach. This study was conducted for the clear purpose of assessing the current institutionalisation status of diversity outreach in 127 key universities from the Academic Ranking of World Universities based on the opinions of diversity outreach managers and the information published on institutional websites, in turn measuring compliance with various indicators. A qualitative analysis of the institutional statements, the goals sought through strategic plans and the definitions of diversity itself was also conducted. The evidence reveals the early stage of the institutionalisation process in universities on account of the low percentage obtained for the proposed indicators. Furthermore, the study failed to exhibit significant differences in this process in terms of the institutional ownership or position held in the ranking; however, more prominent progress was noted in the North-American region when geographical differences were taken into account, likely as a result of the historical background in the advocacy for equal opportunities. Lastly, a change of approach to the conceptualisation of diversity is suggested in favour of equality and social justice.

Is empathy one of the Big Three? Identifying its role in a dual-process model of ideology and blatant and subtle prejudice.

In the field of the social psychology of prejudice, John Duckitt's Dual-Process Cognitive-Motivational Model of Ideology and Prejudice has gained a firm grounding over the past decade and a half, while empathy has become one of the most powerful predictors of prejudice, alongside right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation. This study integrates empathy into the dual-process model, exploring the effects of this variable, along with the impact of personality and ideological attitudes, on prejudice in both its blatant and subtle forms. A cross-sectional research design was used to collect data from 260 university students by self-report measures. Despite its cross-sectional nature, a pattern of causal relationships was hypothesized according to experimental and longitudinal findings from previous studies. The path analysis results show that in the model fitted to the data, empathy does not have any direct impact on prejudice, although it plays a significant role in the prediction of prejudice towards a particular immigrant group. On the other hand, the dual-process model is confirmed in the explanation of blatant prejudice and, in a weaker and indirect way, of subtle prejudice; sustaining the distinctive nature of these constructs on some differential predictors and paths. In the discussion, this study proposes that when ideological and personality-based variables are both included in the model, general empathy is not so robust in the explanation of prejudice, since some of the empathetic components might become diluted among other covariates. But even so, its indirect effectiveness through personality and ideological attitudes remains relevant.

The fight against prejudice in older adults: perspective taking effectiveness / Combatiendo el prejuicio en personas mayores: efectividad de la toma de perspectiva

Inhibition of prejudice appears to be more problematic for older adults, hence the need to develop programs to reduce intergroup bias at later stages in life. Perspective taking was analyzed in this study, as one of various cognitive strategies that have been shown to reduce such bias. Data on a sample of 63 Spanish participants with a mean age of 64.1 years was gathered after an intervention based on mental imagery, aimed at reducing explicit prejudice. A wide array of variables was measured (personality traits, values, empathy, and attribution) which may moderate effectiveness in perspective taking. Despite no main effect was found, effects due to interaction of perspective taking found in OLS regression analysis revealed that perspective taking based intervention was effective for some older adults, particularly those who had low scores on agreeableness, empathy, and universalism, and high scores on conformity. The conclusions suggest that perspective taking might be successfully applied to some profiles of older people albeit it is not as strong and transferable strategy as it used to be thought.

La inhibición del prejuicio resulta más problemática en personas mayores, de lo que se deriva la necesidad de desarrollar programas que reduzcan el sesgo intergrupal en los estadios avanzados de la vida. En el presente estudio se analizó la toma de perspectiva como una de las estrategias capaces de reducir este tipo de sesgo. Se recogieron datos en una muestra de 63 participantes españoles con una edad media de 64.1 años, en la que se implementó una intervención basada en imaginería mental, dirigida a la reducción del prejuicio. Asimismo, se midieron diversas variables que podían modular la efectividad de la toma de perspectiva (personalidad, valores, empatía y atribución). Aunque no se encontró ningún efecto principal, los debidos a la interacción de la toma de perspectiva y los moduladores, hallados en el análisis de regresión por mínimos cuadrados ordinarios, revelaron que la intervención basada en la inducción de toma de perspectiva fue efectiva en determinadas personas mayores, particularmente en aquellas que puntuaron bajo en amabilidad, empatía y universalismo, y alto en conformismo. En las conclusiones se sugiere que la toma de perspectiva podría ser aplicada con éxito en determinados perfiles de adultos mayores, aunque no se trata de una estrategia tan potente y transferible como se pensaba.