Response to geometrical visual illusions in non-human animals: a meta-analysis.

Visual illusions have been studied in many non-human species, spanning a wide range of biological and methodological variables. While early reviews have proved useful in providing an overview of the field, they have not been accompanied by quantitative analysis to systematically evaluate the contribution of biological and methodological moderators on the proportion of illusory choice. In the current meta-analytical study, we confirm that geometrical visual illusion perception is a general phenomenon among non-human animals. Additionally, we found that studies testing birds report stronger illusion perception compared to other classes, as do those on animals with lateral-positioned eyes compared to animals with forward-facing eyes. In terms of methodological choices, we found a positive correlation between the number of trials during training or testing and the effect sizes, while studies with larger samples report smaller effect sizes. Despite studies that trained animals with artificial stimuli showing larger effect sizes compared with those using spontaneous testing with naturalistic stimuli, like food, we found more recent studies prefer spontaneous choice over training. We discuss the challenges and bottlenecks in this area of study, which, if addressed, could lead to more successful advances in the future.

Brain health in diverse settings: How age, demographics and cognition shape brain function.

Diversity in brain health is influenced by individual differences in demographics and cognition. However, most studies on brain health and diseases have typically controlled for these factors rather than explored their potential to predict brain signals. Here, we assessed the role of individual differences in demographics (age, sex, and education; n = 1298) and cognition (n = 725) as predictors of different metrics usually used in case-control studies. These included power spectrum and aperiodic (1/f slope, knee, offset) metrics, as well as complexity (fractal dimension estimation, permutation entropy, Wiener entropy, spectral structure variability) and connectivity (graph-theoretic mutual information, conditional mutual information, organizational information) from the source space resting-state EEG activity in a diverse sample from the global south and north populations. Brain-phenotype models were computed using EEG metrics reflecting local activity (power spectrum and aperiodic components) and brain dynamics and interactions (complexity and graph-theoretic measures). Electrophysiological brain dynamics were modulated by individual differences despite the varied methods of data acquisition and assessments across multiple centers, indicating that results were unlikely to be accounted for by methodological discrepancies. Variations in brain signals were mainly influenced by age and cognition, while education and sex exhibited less importance. Power spectrum activity and graph-theoretic measures were the most sensitive in capturing individual differences. Older age, poorer cognition, and being male were associated with reduced alpha power, whereas older age and less education were associated with reduced network integration and segregation. Findings suggest that basic individual differences impact core metrics of brain function that are used in standard case-control studies. Considering individual variability and diversity in global settings would contribute to a more tailored understanding of brain function.

Teoria da história de vida: uma perspectiva evolucionista para a compreensão do desenvolvimento humano / Life history theory: an evolutionary perspective for understanding human development / Théorie de l'histoire de vie : perspective évolutionniste pour comprendre le développement humain / Teoría del ciclo de vida: una perspectiva evolutiva para comprender el desarrollo humano

Resumo Desenvolvida na biologia para entender a evolução das espécies, a teoria da história de vida passou a ser aplicada na psicologia para compreender as diferenças individuais no desenvolvimento em resposta a condições ambientais específicas. Devido ao seu potencial heurístico para compreensão do comportamento humano, o objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever a incorporação da THV pela psicologia, apresentando seus fundamentos teóricos e conceituais nesse novo campo, tais como contínuo rápido-lento, covariação entre traços psicológicos e estratégias de história de vida. Discutimos com base em trabalhos empíricos as previsões da teoria sobre a influência da imprevisibilidade e severidade ambientais nos traços psicológicos. São revisados trabalhos nas áreas do desenvolvimento, comportamento sexual e antissocial, personalidade e psicopatologia. São apresentadas críticas e contracríticas do seu uso na psicologia. Finalmente, abordamos limitações dos estudos de THV na psicologia. Argumentamos que estudos nessa área podem contribuir para o desenvolvimento de soluções aos problemas sociais atuais.

Abstract Although developed in biology to comprehend how organisms evolve, life history theory (LHT) has come to be applied in psychology to understand individual differences in development in response to specific environmental conditions. Due to its heuristic potential for understanding human behavior, this work aimed to describe the assimilation of LHT by psychology, presenting its theoretical and conceptual foundations in this new field, such as the fast-slow continuum, the covariation among psychological traits, and the life history strategies. We discuss, based on empirical works, the theory's predictions about the influence of environmental unpredictability and harshness on psychological traits. We review studies in the field of development, sexual and antisocial behavior, personality, and psychopathology. Criticisms and counter-criticisms of its use in psychology are also presented. Finally, we list some of the limitations of LHT studies in psychology. We argue that studies in this area can contribute to the development of solutions to current social problems.

Résumé Développée en biologie pour comprendre l'évolution des espèces, la théorie de l'histoire de vie (THV) a été appliquée en psychologie pour comprendre les différences individuelles dans le développement en réponse à des conditions environnementales spécifiques. Grace à son potentiel heuristique pour comprendre le comportement humain, l'objectif de cet essai était de décrire l'incorporation de la THV par la psychologie, en présentant ses fondements théoriques et conceptuels dans ce nouveau domaine, tels que le continuum rapide-lent, la covariation entre des traits psychologiques et les stratégies de l'histoire de vie. Nous discutons, basés sur des travails empiriques, des pronostics de la théorie concernant l'influence de l'imprévisibilité et de la sévérité de l'environnement sur les traits psychologiques. Nous révisons des travaux dans les domaines du développement, du comportement sexuel et antisocial, de la personnalité et de la psychopathologie. Les critiques et contre-critiques de son utilisation en psychologie sont également présentées. Enfin, nous énumérons des limites théoriques et méthodologiques des études de THV en psychologie. Nous soutenons que les études dans ce domaine peuvent contribuer à l'élaboration de solutions aux problèmes sociaux actuels.

Resumen La teoría de la historia de la vida (THV) ha sido desarrollada en la biología para comprender la evolución de las especies y ha sido aplicada en la psicología para comprender las diferencias individuales en el desarrollo humano en respuesta a condiciones ambientales específicas. Dado este potencial heurístico para comprender el comportamiento humano, el objetivo de este trabajo fue describir la incorporación de la THV por la psicología, presentando su marco teórico y conceptual en este nuevo campo, como el continuo rápido-lento, la covariación entre rasgos psicológicos y las estrategias de historia vital. Se discuten las predicciones de esta teoría sobre la influencia de la imprevisibilidad y la severidad ambiental en los rasgos psicológicos. Se realizó una revisión de los trabajos en los campos de desarrollo, comportamiento sexual y antisocial, personalidad y psicopatología. Además, se presentan críticas y contracríticas a su uso en la psicología. Por último, se exponen limitaciones de los estudios de la THV en este campo. Esta discusión permite constatar que los estudios en este campo pueden contribuir al desarrollo de soluciones a algunos de los problemas sociales actuales.

Development of "personality" in the domestic cat: A longitudinal study.

Although individual differences in the behavior of animals, sometimes referred to as personality, have recently received considerable attention, the development of such differences remains understudied. We previously found consistent individual differences in behavior in four tests simulating everyday contexts in 74 preweaning age kittens from 16 litters of the domestic cat. To study the development of consistent among-individual differences in four behavioral traits in cats, we followed a subset of these same individuals and repeated the same tests at 6 and 12 months of age. Some individual differences in behavior became increasingly repeatable with age due to a combination of decreased individual-level variance (canalization) and increased among-individual variance; these changes in variance and repeatability continued into adulthood (12 months). We did not observe behavioral syndromes at any age, in contrast to our previous reports in a different population of adult cats. The mechanisms that underlie increased repeatability with age and the possibility of personality structure differing between populations in this species remain to be studied.

Ecological Meanings: A Consensus Paper on Individual Differences and Contextual Influences in Embodied Language.

Embodied theories of cognition consider many aspects of language and other cognitive domains as the result of sensory and motor processes. In this view, the appraisal and the use of concepts are based on mechanisms of simulation grounded on prior sensorimotor experiences. Even though these theories continue receiving attention and support, increasing evidence indicates the need to consider the flexible nature of the simulation process, and to accordingly refine embodied accounts. In this consensus paper, we discuss two potential sources of variability in experimental studies on embodiment of language: individual differences and context. Specifically, we show how factors contributing to individual differences may explain inconsistent findings in embodied language phenomena. These factors include sensorimotor or cultural experiences, imagery, context-related factors, and cognitive strategies. We also analyze the different contextual modulations, from single words to sentences and narratives, as well as the top-down and bottom-up influences. Similarly, we review recent efforts to include cultural and language diversity, aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and brain disorders, as well as bilingual evidence into the embodiment framework. We address the importance of considering individual differences and context in clinical studies to drive translational research more efficiently, and we indicate recommendations on how to correctly address these issues in future research. Systematically investigating individual differences and context may contribute to understanding the dynamic nature of simulation in language processes, refining embodied theories of cognition, and ultimately filling the gap between cognition in artificial experimental settings and cognition in the wild (i.e., in everyday life).

Differences in decisions affected by cognitive biases: examining human values, need for cognition, and numeracy.

A better understanding of factors that can affect preferences and choices may contribute to more accurate decision-making. Several studies have investigated the effects of cognitive biases on decision-making and their relationship with cognitive abilities and thinking dispositions. While studies on behaviour, attitude, personality, and health worries have examined their relationship with human values, research on cognitive bias has not investigated its relationship to individual differences in human values. The purpose of this study was to explore individual differences in biased choices, examining the relationships of the human values self-direction, conformity, power, and universalism with the anchoring effect, the framing effect, the certainty effect, and the outcome bias, as well as the mediation of need for cognition and the moderation of numeracy in these relationships. We measured individual differences and within-participant effects with an online questionnaire completed by 409 Brazilian participants, with an age range from 18 to 80 years, 56.7% female, and 43.3% male. The cognitive biases studied consistently influenced choices and preferences. However, the biases showed distinct relationships with the individual differences investigated, indicating the involvement of diverse psychological mechanisms. For example, people who value more self-direction were less affected only by anchoring. Hence, people more susceptible to one bias were not similarly susceptible to another. This can help in research on how to weaken or strengthen cognitive biases and heuristics.

Time Perspective and Decision-Making: A Study on Decisional Patterns in Argentinian Adults / Perspectiva temporal y toma de decisión: un estudio sobre patrones decisionales en adultos argentinos / Perspectiva temporal e tomada de decisão: um estudo sobre padrões decisórios em adultos argentinos

The first aim of this study was to adapt the mdmq to Argentinian Spanish and to collect evidence of its va-lidity and reliability; the second was to determine if time perspectives were adequate predictors of decision-making styles. A first sample of 536 participants served in the validation process; a second sample of 209 individuals who completed the mdmq and the Brief Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ztpi) was used to conduct descriptive-correlational and regression analyses. Confirmatory factor analysis corroborated a fourfactor model with adequate internal consistency for each subscale. Regression analyses showed that future time perspective positively predicted the display of higher vigilant coping patterns ­adaptive and ratio-nal decision-making style­. Meanwhile, less future- time-oriented people were more likely to engage in defensive avoidance mechanisms to reach a decision. Past-negative and present-fatalistic time perspectives were positive predictors of non-vigilant decision-making style. It indicates that individuals with an aversive vision over their past experiences and present situation are more likely to engage in emotionally based and avoidant decision-making patterns. These findings support the reliability and construct-related validity of the mdmq for assessing decision-making styles among Argentinian individuals and set a step for con-ducting more in-depth research in the field of decision-making and time perspective.

El primer objetivo de este estudio fue adaptar el mdmq al español argentino y recolectar evidencia de su validez y confiabilidad; el segundo fue determinar si las perspectivas temporales eran predictores adecuados de los estilos de toma de decisiones. Una primera muestra de 536 participantes sirvió para el proceso de validación y una segunda muestra de 209 individuos completó el mdmq y el Brief Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ztpi), para un análisis descriptivo-correlacional y de regresión. El análisis factorial confirmatorio corroboró un modelo de cuatro factores con adecuada consistencia interna para cada subescala. Los análisis de regresión mostraron que la perspectiva del tiempo futuro predijo positivamente la aparición de patrones de afrontamiento más vigilantes ­estilo de toma de decisiones adaptativo y racional­, mientras que las personas que estaban menos orientadas al tiempo futuro tenían más probabilidades de involucrarse en mecanismos de evitación defensiva para tomar una decisión. Las perspectivas temporales negativas del pasado y fatalistas del presente fueron predictores positivos del estilo de toma de decisiones no vigilante, lo que indicaría que las personas con una visión aversiva sobre sus experiencias pasadas y la situación presente, son más propensas a involucrarse en tipos de toma de decisiones basadas en emociones y evasivas. Estos hallazgos respaldan la confiabilidad y la validez relacionada con el constructo del mdmq para evaluar los estilos de toma de decisiones entre los argentinos y marcan un paso para realizar investigaciones más profundas en el campo de la toma de decisiones y la perspectiva temporal.

O primeiro objetivo deste estudo foi adaptar o mdmqpara o espanhol argentino e coletar evidências de sua validade e confiabilidade; a segunda foi determinar se as perspectivas de tempo eram preditores adequados dos estilos de tomada de decisão. Uma primeira amostra de 536 participantes foi usada para o processo de va-lidação e uma segunda amostra de 209 indivíduos completarou o mdmq e o Brief Zimbardo Time Perspec-tive Inventory (ztpi) e foi usada para realizar análises descritivas-correlacionais e de regressão. A análise fatorial confirmatória corroborou um modelo de quatro fatores com consistência interna adequada para cada subescala. As análises de regressão mostraram que a perspectiva do tempo futuro previu positivamente o surgimento de padrões de enfrentamento mais vigilantes ­estilos de tomada de decisão racionais e adaptativos­ enquanto as pessoas menos orientadas para o futuro eram mais propensas a se envolver em mecanismos de enfrentamento de evasão defensiva para tomar uma decisão. Perspectivas temporais negativas do passado e fatalistas do presente foram preditores positivos do estilo de tomada de decisão não vigilante, indicando que pessoas com uma visão aversiva de suas experiências passadas e da situação presente são mais propensas a se envolver em tipos de tomada de decisão baseadas em emoções e padrões evasivos. Essas descobertas apoiam a confiabilidade e a validade relacionada ao construto do mdmq para avaliar os estilos de tomada de decisão entre os argentinos e marcam um importante passo para realizar pesquisas mais profundas no campo da tomada de decisão e perspectiva de tempo.

The test-retest reliability of the retrieval practice effect.

Retrieving information from memory, compared with different control conditions, improves subsequent retention of that information. Given the ubiquitous demonstration of this retrieval practice effect, researchers have asked whether such benefit is moderated by individual-difference variables. An implicit assumption in individual-difference research is that the retrieval practice effect at the participant level is reliable across participants. In this study, we tested this reliability assumption. In two sessions, 54 participants studied foreign-native word pairs, repeatedly restudied half of the word pairs, repeatedly retrieval-practised the other half, and, finally, took a final test for all pairs. Different word pairs were used in each session. We replicated the retrieval practice effect at the group level in Sessions 1 (d = 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.27, 0.80]) and 2 (d = 0.79 [0.53, 1.05]). In addition, we found that the retrieval practice effect at the participant level was reliable over a 1-week span both for absolute agreement, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = .33 [.12, .51], and for consistency estimates, ICC = .35 [.14, .53]. The result bridges a gap in the literature of individual differences on the retrieval practice effect. We suggest that future studies identify whether, and under which experimental conditions, the retrieval practice effect at the participant level may show even greater reliability estimates than the ones reported here. The finding may also pave the way for studies assessing whether the magnitude of the retrieval practice effect is domain-general or paradigm-specific.

Individual differences in numerical representations of risk in health decision making: A fuzzy-trace theory approach.

Fuzzy-trace theory predicts that decisionmakers process numerical information about risk at multiple levels in parallel: the simplest level, nominal (categorical some-none) gist, and at more fine-grained levels, involving relative comparison (ordinal less-more gist) and exact quantities (verbatim representations). However, little is known about how individual differences in these numerical representations relate to judgments and decisions, especially involving health tradeoffs and relative risks. To investigate these differences, we administered measures of categorical and ordinal gist representations of number, objective numeracy, and intelligence in two studies (Ns = 978 and 956). In both studies, categorical and ordinal gist representations of number predicted risk judgments and decisions beyond objective numeracy and intelligence. Participants with higher scores in categorical gist were more likely to choose options to avoid cancer recurrence risks; those who were higher in ordinal gist of numbers were more likely to discriminate relative risk of skin cancer; and those with higher scores in objective numeracy were more likely to choose options that were numerically superior overall in terms of relative risk of skin cancer and of genetic risks of breast cancer (e.g., lower numerical probability of cancer). Results support parallel-processing models that assume multiple representations of numerical information about risk, which vary in precision, and illustrate how individual differences in numerical representations are relevant to tradeoffs and risk comparisons in health decisions. These representations cannot be reduced to one another and explain psychological variations in risk processing that go beyond low versus high levels of objective numeracy.

Differences in decisions affected by cognitive biases: examining human values, need for cognition, and numeracy

Abstract A better understanding of factors that can affect preferences and choices may contribute to more accurate decision-making. Several studies have investigated the effects of cognitive biases on decision-making and their relationship with cognitive abilities and thinking dispositions. While studies on behaviour, attitude, personality, and health worries have examined their relationship with human values, research on cognitive bias has not investigated its relationship to individual differences in human values. The purpose of this study was to explore individual differences in biased choices, examining the relationships of the human values self-direction, conformity, power, and universalism with the anchoring effect, the framing effect, the certainty effect, and the outcome bias, as well as the mediation of need for cognition and the moderation of numeracy in these relationships. We measured individual differences and within-participant effects with an online questionnaire completed by 409 Brazilian participants, with an age range from 18 to 80 years, 56.7% female, and 43.3% male. The cognitive biases studied consistently influenced choices and preferences. However, the biases showed distinct relationships with the individual differences investigated, indicating the involvement of diverse psychological mechanisms. For example, people who value more self-direction were less affected only by anchoring. Hence, people more susceptible to one bias were not similarly susceptible to another. This can help in research on how to weaken or strengthen cognitive biases and heuristics.

O estudo das diferenças individuais por alfred binet e sua circulação em minas gerais (1925-1940)1 / The study of individual differences by alfred binet and its circulation in minas gerais (1925-1940)

RESUMO Este estudo analisa os pressupostos do pesquisador francês Alfred Binet (1857-1911) sobre as diferenças individuais a partir de livros e artigos que produziu a respeito do assunto entre 1895 e 1909 e que fundamentaram a elaboração da primeira escala métrica Binet-Simon em 1905. Em seguida, identifica quais elementos de suas elaborações circularam e como foram apropriados, no contexto das reformas educacionais em Minas Gerais nas décadas de 1920 a 1940. A pesquisa se desenvolveu no diálogo entre a História da Psicologia e a História da Educação, mobilizando conceitos da historiografia, como o de intelectuais, redes de sociabilidade e apropriação. A pesquisa documental envolveu a análise dos primeiros livros publicados por Binet e as matérias publicadas na Revista do Ensino, órgão oficial do governo de Minais Gerais, nas quais se tratava sobre as diferenças individuais e sobre o uso dos testes nas escolas. Foi observada a tensão envolvendo a desconfiança e o entusiasmo em relação aos novos métodos para aferir as diferenças individuais; a apropriação da escala métrica adaptada nos Estado Unidos, cujos princípios eram criticados por Binet; a pouca ênfase nas dimensões sociais e culturais dos diferentes grupos sociais, que estava entre as preocupações centrais do autor.

ABSTRACT This study analyzes the assumptions of the French researcher Alfred Binet (1857-1911) about individual differences from his books and articles about the topic between 1895 and 1909, which grounded the elaboration of the first Binet-Simon metric scale in 1905. Next, it identifies which elements of their elaborations circulated and how they were appropriated, in the context of educational reforms in Minas Gerais, Brazil, in the decades from 1920 to 1940. The research was developed in the dialog between the History of Psychology and the History of Education, mobilizing concepts from the historiography, such as intellectuals, sociability networks and appropriation. The documental research involved the analysis of the first books published by Binet and the articles published at Revista do Ensino, an official body of the Minas Gerais government, which dealt with the individual differences and the use of tests in schools. It was observed the tension involving distrust and enthusiasm regarding the new methods to measure individual differences; the appropriation of the metric scale adapted in the United States, whose principles were criticized by Binet; and the little emphasis given to social and cultural dimensions of different social groups, which was among the author's main concerns.

Educação física que não escolhe, acolhe / La educación física que no elige, da la bienvenida / Physical education that does not choose welcomes

O objetivo deste estudo é compreender como professores de Educação Física que atuam inspirados pelo currículo cultural abordam as diferenças em suas práticas pedagógicas. Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo, com enfoque etnometodológico e norteado pela teoria queer. Participaram da pesquisa quatro professores de Educação Física do Colégio Pedro II. O método de coleta de dados foi a entrevista semiestruturada. Utilizaram-se os cinco conceitos-chave da etnometodologia como categorias a priori para auxiliar na compreensão e análise dos dados. Justifica-se este estudo em função dos vários caminhos didático-pedagógicos culturalmente orientados que impedem o devir da imprevisibilidade das diferenças. Concluímos que o aporte teórico queer potencializa o poder de reflexão e contestação do currículo cultural de Educação Física, pois evita que ações docentes a favor de identidades e grupos marginalizados se transformem em novos essencialismos.(AU)

El objetivo de este estudio es comprender cómo los profesores de Educación Física que trabajan inspirados en el currículo cultural abordan las diferencias en sus prácticas pedagógicas. Se trata de un estudio cualitativo, con enfoque etnometodológico, guiado por la teoría queer. Participaron en la investigación cuatro profesores de Educación Física del Colegio Pedro II. El método de recogida de datos fue la entrevista semiestructurada. Los cinco conceptos clave de la etnometodología se utilizaron como categorías a priori para ayudar a comprender y analizar los datos. Este estudio se justifica por el hecho de que varias vías didáctico-pedagógicas culturalmente orientadas impiden el devenir de la imprevisibilidad de las diferencias. Concluimos que el aporte teórico queer potencia el poder de reflexión y contestación del currículo cultural de la Educación Física, porque evita que las acciones docentes a favor de las identidades y grupos marginados se conviertan en nuevos esencialismos.(AU)

The objective of this study is to understand how Physical Education teachers who work inspired by the cultural curriculum approach the differences in their pedagogical practices. This is a qualitative study, with an ethnomethodological approach and guided by queer theory. Four Physical Education teachers from Colégio Pedro II participated in the research. The data collection method was a semi-structured interview. The five key concepts of ethnomethodology were used as a priori categories to help understand and analyze the data. This study is justified by the fact that several culturally oriented didactic-pedagogical paths impede the becoming of unpredictability of differences. We conclude that the queer theoretical framework enhances the power of reflection and contestation of the cultural curriculum of Physical Education, because it prevents that teaching actions in favor of marginalized identities and groups become new essentialisms.(AU)

Associação entre temperamento e o uso de práticas da medicina alternativa e complementar / Association between temperament and the use of complementary and alternative medicine practices / Asociación entre temperamento y uso de prácticas de medicina alternativa y complementaria

Trata-se de um estudo brasileiro, transversal, mediado pela Internet com o objetivo de descrever como diferenças temperamentais associam-se ao uso de oito práticas de medicina alternativa e complementar (MAC): ioga, meditação, reiki, acupuntura, massagem, tai chi chuan, homeopatia e floral. A amostra foi composta por 22.415 indivíduos, sendo 69,5% mulheres, com idade média de 28,8 anos (DP = 9,1). As práticas mais utilizadas foram massagem e ioga e as variáveis sexo, idade, renda e diagnóstico psicopatológico ao longo da vida associaram-se a todas as práticas, exceto com tai chi chuan. Análise inferencial se baseou em modelo de regressão logística e os resultados foram calculados com base na razão de chances com intervalo de confiança de 95%. Observou-se que manifestações adaptativas de traços e de tipos psicológicos, associaram-se a maiores chances de praticar MAC. Resultados sugerem que perfis com maior regulação emocional tendem a utilizar mais frequentemente MAC e, possivelmente, obter benefícios. (AU)

The present study is a cross-sectional web-based survey conducted in Brazil aiming to describe how individual differences in temperament traits and types could predict the use of the following eight categories of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM): yoga, meditation, reiki, acupuncture, massage, tai chi chuan, homeopathy, and flower remedies. The sample consisted of 22,415 individuals, 69.5% of whom were women, with a mean age of 28.8 years (SD= 9.1). The most commonly used practices were massage and yoga and the variables sex, age, income, and psychopathological diagnosis throughout life were associated with all practices, except tai chi chuan. The inferential analysis relied on logistic regressions and results were calculated based on the odd ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Adaptive manifestations of psychological traits and types were associated with greater use of complementary and alternative medicine practices. Results suggested that profiles with greater emotional regulation tend to use CAM more frequently and possibly obtain benefits. (AU)

Se trata de un estudio brasileño, transversal, mediado por Internet, con el objetivo de describir cómo las diferencias temperamentales se asocian con el uso de ocho prácticas de medicina alternativa y complementaria (MAC): yoga, meditación, reiki, acupuntura, masaje, tai chi chuan, homeopatía y floral. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 22.415 individuos, de los cuales 69,5 % eran mujeres, con una edad media de 28,8 años (DS= 9,1). Las prácticas más utilizadas fueron el masaje y el yoga, y las variables sexo, edad, renta y diagnóstico psicopatológico a lo largo de la vida se asociaron a todas las prácticas, excepto al tai chi chuan. El análisis inferencial se basó en un modelo de regresión logística y los resultados se calcularon con base en la odds ratio con un intervalo de confianza del 95 %. Se observó que las manifestaciones adaptativas de rasgos y tipos psicológicos se asociaron con mayores posibilidades de practicar MAC. Los resultados sugieren que los perfiles con mayor regulación emocional tienden a usar MAC con mayor frecuencia y, posiblemente, obtienen beneficios. (AU)

O efeito moderador do sexo na correlação entre acurácia de percepção de emoções e sintomas depressivos / The moderate role of sex in the relationship between accuracy of perception of emotions and depressive symptoms

O interesse científico pelo processamento de informações emocionais cresceu nos últimos anos, indicando uma relação importante entre percepção de emoções e diversos transtornos mentais, dentre eles a depressão, além de estar relacionado a diferenças individuais em função do sexo. Dessa forma, o presente estudo teve por objetivo avaliar o papel moderador do sexo na relação entre sintomas depressivos e déficits na percepção de emoções de jovens adultos. Para tanto, participaram deste estudo 217 universitários, com idades entre 18 e 43 anos (M = 20,8; DP = 5,6), sendo 61,3% do sexo feminino. Foram aplicados um questionário sociodemográfico, Inventários de Depressão de Beck (BDI) e imagens do Picture of Facial Affects (PoFA). Os resultados indicaram correlações negativas fracas entre sintomas depressivos e déficits na acurácia de percepção de alegria, raiva, surpresa, expressões neutras e na acurácia total, com o sexo exercendo efeito moderador nas relações observadas. O conjunto dos resultados corroboram com achados da literatura internacional indicando a necessidade de se levar em consideração o sexo como importante variável durante a avaliação de déficits na percepção de emoções associados a sintomas depressivos.

Scientific interest in the processing of emotional information has grown in recent years, indicating an important relationship between the perception of emotions and various mental disorders, including depression, associated with being related to individual differences due to sex. In this way, the present study aimed to assess the moderating role of sex in the relationship between depressive symptoms and deficits in the perception of emotions in young adults. To this end, 217 university students, aged between 18 and 43 years (M = 20.8; SD = 5 A sociodemographic questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventories (BDI), and images from the Picture of Facial Affects (PoFA) were applied. The results indicated weak negative correlations between depressive symptoms and deficits in the accuracy of perception of joy, anger, surprise, neutral expressions, and in total accuracy, with sex having a moderating effect on the observed relationships. The set of results corroborates findings from the international literature indicating the need to take gender into account as a significant variable when assessing deficits in the perception of emotions are associated with depressive symptoms.

Emergence of personality in weaning-age kittens of the domestic cat?

Individual differences in behavior (animal personality) have recently received much attention although less so in young mammals. We tested 74 preweaning-age kittens from 16 litters of domestic cats in five everyday contexts repeated three times each across a 3-week period: a handling test where an experimenter held the kitten, a test where a piece of raw beef was given to the kitten and gradually withdrawn, a test where the kitten was presented with a live mouse in a jar, a test where the kitten was briefly confined in a pet carrier, and an encounter with an unfamiliar human who first remained passive and then attempted to stroke the kitten. We found consistent individual differences in behavior in all tests except with the mouse, although less marked than in equivalent tests with adult cats. Differences in behavior were unrelated to sex, body mass, litter size, or maternal identity. We found only weak correlations in results among the tests (behavioral syndromes), again unlike findings in adult cats. We conclude that weanling kittens show consistent individual differences in behavior but in a different manner to adults. If and how the pattern of such differences changes across development remains to be studied.

A Machine Learning Approach to Personalize Computerized Cognitive Training Interventions.

Executive functions are a class of cognitive processes critical for purposeful goal-directed behavior. Cognitive training is the adequate stimulation of executive functions and has been extensively studied and applied for more than 20 years. However, there is still a lack of solid consensus in the scientific community about its potential to elicit consistent improvements in untrained domains. Individual differences are considered one of the most important factors of inconsistent reports on cognitive training benefits, as differences in cognitive functioning are both genetic and context-dependent, and might be affected by age and socioeconomic status. We here present a proof of concept based on the hypothesis that baseline individual differences among subjects would provide valuable information to predict the individual effectiveness of a cognitive training intervention. With a dataset from an investigation in which 73 6-year-olds trained their executive functions using an online software with a fixed protocol, freely available at www.matemarote.org.ar, we trained a support vector classifier that successfully predicted (average accuracy = 0.67, AUC = 0.707) whether a child would improve, or not, after the cognitive stimulation, using baseline individual differences as features. We also performed a permutation feature importance analysis that suggested that all features contribute equally to the model's performance. In the long term, this results might allow us to design better training strategies for those players who are less likely to benefit from the current training protocols in order to maximize the stimulation for each child.

Impact of an individualized and adaptive cognitive intervention on working memory, planning and fluid reasoning processing in preschoolers from poor homes.

Contemporary evidence shows that different intervention approaches can be effective in improving executive cognitive performance in preschoolers from poor homes. However, several aspects about the role of individual and contextual differences in intervention effects remain to be elucidated. The present study aimed to explore the impact of a computerized executive cognitive intervention with lab-based tasks in preschoolers from Unsatisfied Basic Needs (UBN) homes. In the context of a randomized controlled design, different activities were administered to children according to their baseline performance in a variety of cognitive tasks tapping inhibitory control, working memory, and planning demands (i.e., high- and low-performance intervention and control groups). Results suggested that the impact of the intervention was shown preferentially by high-performers in Tower of London and K-Bit tasks, who increased their performances in the posttest assessment. This finding supports the importance of considering individual and contextual differences in the design of interventions aimed at changing the cognitive performance of children from poor homes.

Variability in Behavioral Phenotypes after Forced Swimming-Induced Stress in Rats Is Associated with Expression of the Glucocorticoid Receptor, Nurr1, and IL-1ß in the Hippocampus.

Individual differences in coping with stress may determine either a vulnerable or resilient phenotype. Therefore, it is important to better understand the biology underlying the behavioral phenotype. We assessed whether individual behavioral phenotype to acute stress is related with the hippocampal expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), Nurr1, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) or brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Wistar male rats were exposed to forced swimming for 15 min and sacrificed at different times. Behavioral response was analyzed, and it was compared with the gene and protein expression of GR, Nurr1, IL-1ß and BDNF in the hippocampus for each time point. Behavioral phenotyping showed a group with high immobility (vulnerable) while another had low immobility (resilient). No significant differences were found in the Nurr1, IL-1ß and BDNF mRNA levels between resilient and vulnerable rats at different recovery times except for Nr3c1 (gene for GR). However, exposure to stress caused significantly higher levels of GR, Nurr1 and IL-1ß proteins of vulnerable compared to resilient rats. This variability of behavioral phenotypes is associated with a differential molecular response to stress that involves GR, Nurr1, and IL-1ß as mediators in coping with stress. This contributes to identifying biomarkers of susceptibility to stress.