Myths in psychology: psychological misconceptions among Spanish psychology students.

Myths in Psychology are beliefs that are widely spread and inconsistent with the empirical evidence available within this field of knowledge. They are characterized by being relatively stable, resistant to change, and prevalent both among the non-academic population and among students and professionals within this discipline. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of these myths among Spanish psychology students and the influence of three variables: the type of university, face-to-face (UAM) and online (UNED), the academic year in which participants were enrolled and familiarity with scientific dissemination. Results show that participants from the face-to-face university, enrolled in higher academic years and that reports familiarity with scientific dissemination believe less in myths than those from the online university, enrolled in lower years and that report no familiarity with scientific dissemination.

Unconscious or underpowered? Probabilistic cuing of visual attention.

Recent debate about the reliability of psychological research has raised concerns about the prevalence of false positives in our discipline. However, false negatives can be just as concerning in areas of research that depend on finding support for the absence of an effect. This risk is particularly high in unconscious learning experiments, where researchers commonly seek to demonstrate that people can learn to perform a task in the absence of any explicit knowledge of the information that drives performance. The fact that some unconscious learning effects are typically studied with small samples and unreliable awareness measures makes false negatives especially likely. In the present article we focus on a popular unconscious learning paradigm, probabilistic cuing of visual attention, as a case study. First, we show that, at the meta-analytic level, previous experiments reveal positive signs of participant awareness, although individual studies are severely underpowered to detect this. Second, we report the results of 2 empirical studies in which participants' awareness was tested with alternative and more sensitive dependent measures, both of which manifest positive evidence of awareness. We also show that, based on the predictions of a formal model of probabilistic cuing and given the reliabilities of the dependent measures collected in these experiments, any statistical test aimed at detecting a significant correlation between learning and awareness is doomed to return a nonsignificant result, even if at the latent level both constructs are actually related and participants' knowledge is completely explicit. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Cambio de técnica de punción de la fístula arteriovenosa nativa a partir de los hallazgos ecográficos / Changing the arteriovenous fistula (avf) needling technique based on the ultrasound findings

Introducción: La técnica de punción en área debe evitarse siendo la técnica escalonada de primera elección en la mayoría de los casos. Objetivo: Identificar a los pacientes portadores de una fístula arteriovenosa nativa que se puncionan mediante la técnica del área y que son susceptibles de cambiarla por la técnica escalonada a partir de los hallazgos obtenidos mediante la exploración mediante ecografía doppler. Pacientes y métodos: Los enfermos del estudio son enfermos tratados mediante hemodiálisis asistida (HD) tres veces por semana que cumplen los siguientes criterios de inclusión: Edad superior a 18 años, prevalentes en programa de HD crónica, con acceso vascular permanente tipo fístula arteriovenosa nativa humeral o radial y puncionado mediante la técnica del área. El método de exploración de la fístula arteriovenosa nativa fue la ecografía doppler portátil. Los parámetros ecográficos se determinaron por duplicado y fueron los siguientes: flujo sanguíneo de arteria nutricia (ml/min), diámetro y profundidad del segmento de vena arterializada que no se punciona (cm). Se diseñó un estudio transversal y observacional que se efectuó durante el mes de enero de 2016. Resultados: De un total de 63 pacientes prevalentes en HD crónica, se registraron: 24 fistulas arteriovenosas protésicas o catéteres y 39 fístula arteriovenosa nativa. De éstas, sólo 9 se puncionaban mediante la técnica de área (14,4%): 6 humerobasílicas y 3 humeroperforantes (edad media 73,0±13,3 años, 77,7% con alguna comorbilidad). Respecto al resultado de los parámetros ecográficos, se objetivó una media de 0.7± 0.3 cm de diámetro y 0.5± 0.3 cm de profundidad en el segmento de vena arterializada que no se punciona y el flujo medio de la arteria humeral fue de 1309,9± 966 ml/minuto. En la mayoría de los mismos fue posible utilizar directamente la técnica escalonada gracias a la ampliación de la zona puncionable de la vena arterializada utilizando la ecografía doppler. Y en dos enfermos, fue imprescindible la superficialización previa de la misma. Por tanto, todos los casos de técnica del área pueden ser potencialmente cambiados por la punción escalonada. Conclusión: 1) Se ha registrado una baja incidencia de utilización de la técnica de punción en área en nuestra Unidad de HD. 2) Según los resultados de nuestro estudio, es factible cambiar la técnica de punción en área por escalonada en todos los casos a partir de los parámetros morfológicos y funcionales obtenidos en la fístula arteriovenosa nativa. 3) La ecografía doppler portátil utilizada 'in situ' en la sala de HD es una herramienta valiosa que permite optimizar la técnica de punción de la fístula arteriovenosa nativa (AU)

Introduction: Most AVFs for hemodialysis (HD) should be punctured by the rope-ladder method. The area technique for AVF cannulation should be avoided whenever possible. On the other hand, cannulation guided by Doppler ultrasound (DU) can increase the success of difficult cannulation procedures. Objective: Identify the patients dialyzed through an AVF using the area technique for cannulation that are susceptible for changing to the rope-ladder technique based on the DU findings. Patients and methods: • During January-2016 we have performed a crosssectional observational study in the prevalent HD patients dialyzed through an AVF with two needles using the area technique for cannulation. • All patients were explorer by DU using GE Logic E(linear array 7.5 MHz) device. The following parameters were explored by DU: blood flow rate of the feeding artery (ml/min), diameter and depth of the arterialized vein segment that never was punctured (cm). All parameters by DU were measured in duplicated and the results were averaged. All determinations by DU were performed by the same explorer. Results: From 63 prevalent HD patients, 39 patients had AVF (61.9%) and, of them, only 9 patients (14.3%) were dialyzed through an AVF using the area technique for cannulation (mean age 73.0±13.3 years, 11.1% diabetic nephropathy, time on HD 53.6±26.9 months). All AVF were brachial artery-based AVF (6 brachiobasilic and 3 braquioperforating). The ultrasongraphic findings were the following: mean diameter 0.7± 0.3 cm, mean depth 0.5± 0.3 cm and mean flow 1309.9± 966 ml/min. Only two cases had the arterialized vein in more than 0.6 cm of depth and, therefore, they will need will perform a vein transposition procedure for apply the rope-ladder technique for cannulation. In the remaining cases (n=7), is possible to perform the rope-ladder technique immediately using DU by increasing the puncture zone extension in the arterialized vein. Conclusions: 1. It has been recorded a low incidence of area technique for AVF needling in our HD Unit. 2. It is feasible to change the needling AVF technique from area to rope-ladder technique in all cases by means of the morphological and functional parameters recorded in the AVF. 3. The portable DU used 'in situ' in the HD Unit is a valuable tool that allows to change the technique for AVF cannulation (AU)

Ambiguity produces attention shifts in category learning.

It has been suggested that people and nonhuman animals protect their knowledge from interference by shifting attention toward the context when presented with information that contradicts their previous beliefs. Despite that suggestion, no studies have directly measured changes in attention while participants are exposed to an interference treatment. In the present experiments, we adapted a dot-probe task to track participants' attention to cues and contexts while they were completing a simple category learning task. The results support the hypothesis that interference produces a change in the allocation of attention to cues and contexts.

Punción del acceso vascular mediante catéter-fístula: efecto sobre el dolor del paciente y la adecuación de hemodiálisis / Vascular access puncture using fistula catheter: effect on the patient´s pain and adequacy of hemodialysis

Introducción: El uso de los nuevos diseños de agujas para la punción del acceso vascular puede mejorar la calidad de vida de los pacientes y los parámetros de eficacia hemodiálisis. Objetivos: Evaluar si hay diferencias en la intensidad del dolor percibido por los pacientes y la adecuación de hemodiálisis (índice Kt) después de la punción de la fístula arteriovenosa interna humeral a través de catéter-fístula o aguja estándar. Pacientes y métodos: Se realizó un estudio controlado, prospectivo, randomizado durante 4 meses (48 sesiones) para comparar la punción con catéter fistula (casos) versus a aguja estándard (controles) en pacientes en hemodiálisis prevalentes dializados por fístula arteriovenosa humeral. El mismo paciente era el caso y el control cuando se utilizó el catéter fístula (24 sesiones) y la aguja estandard de calibres equivalentes 15G (24 sesiones), respectivamente. El catéter fístula es una cánula de punción biocompatible compuesto por una aguja de metal interna destinado al pinchazo de la fístula humeral y un catéter de fluroplastico externa, de calibre15G, que permanece en el interior de la vena arterializada. El dolor relacionado, ya sea con punción o con la retirada de la aguja, se cuantificó mediante una escala validada visual analógica (EVA) y la escala McGill Pain Questionnaire Short Form (SF-MPQ). Resultados: Analizamos 14 pacientes prevalentes en hemodiálisis (edad media 68,4 ± 10,43 años; 71% hombres; 28,6% nefropatía diabética, tiempo medio en hemodiálisis 36,57 ± 18,28 meses) a través de fístula humerocefalica (50%), humerobasilica (21%) o humeroperforante (29%). Durante la punción y despunción de la fístula humeral, la EVA fue significativamente menor para el catéter fístula (2,07 ± 0,73 y 0,76 ± 0,39) en comparación con AS (2,88 ± 0,99 y 1,85 ± 0,95) (para ambas comparaciones, p <0,001). No se encontraron diferencias significativas en la escala SF-MPQ durante la sesión de hemodiálisis entre catéter fístula y aguja estandard (0,03 ± 0,07 frente a 0,11 ± 0,26, p = 0,13). La presión venosa (mmHg) registrada durante la primera y la última hora de la sesión de hemodiálisis fue significativa inferior para catéter fístula (171,2 ± 15,5 y 174,4 ± 16,7) en comparación con aguja estandard (194.9 ± 15.1 y 198.0 ± 20.1) (para ambas comparaciones, p <0,001). El índice Kt obtenido fue significativamente mayor para catéter fístula (51,1 ± 3,6 L) en comparación con aguja estandard (48,4 ± 3,1 L) (con p <0,001). No hubo episodios de extravasación con el catéter fístula y sólo uno con la aguja estandard (p = NS). Conclusiones: En relación con la aguja estandard, la utilización del catéter fístula disminuye el dolor percibido durante la punción o la retirada de la aguja (escala analógica visual), y la mejora la adecuación de la hemodiálisis (índice Kt) (AU)

Introduction: The use of new needle designs for VA puncture may improve the quality of life of patients (pts) and the parameters of HD efficacy. Objectives: To evaluate whether there are differences in the intensity of the pain perceived by the pts and HD adequacy (Kt Index) after brachial arteriovenous fistula (AVF) puncture through catheter-fistula (CF) or standard needling (SN). Patients and methods: We performed a prospective, controlled, nonrandomized study during 2 months (24 HD sessions) to compare needling by CF (cases) versus SN (controls) in prevalent HD pts dialyzed by brachial AVF. The same patient was the case and the control when the CF (12 sessions) and the conventional 15G needle (12 sessions) were used, respectively. The CF is a biocompatible puncture cannula composed by an internal metal needle intended to AVF puncture and an external fluroplastic catheter (15G) that remains inside the arterialized vein. The pain related either with needling or with needle withdrawal was quantified using a validated visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ). Results: We analyzed 14 prevalent HD pts (mean age 68.4 +/- 10.43 years; 71% male; 28.6 % diabetic nephropathy; mean time on HD 36.57 +/- 18.28 months) dialyzed by brachiocephalic (50%), brachiobasilic (21%) or brachioperforating (29%) fistula. During both needling and needle withdrawal, the VAS was significant lower for CF (2.07 +/- 0.73 and 0,76 +/- 0,39) compared to SN (2.88 +/- 0.99 and 1.85 +/- 0.95) (for both comparisons, p < 0,001). No significant difference was found when comparing the SF-MPQ score during HD session between CF and SN (0.03 +/- 0.07 versus 0.11 +/- 0.26, p = 0.13). The venous pressure (mmHg) recorded during the first and last hour of HD session was significant lower for CF (171.2 +/- 15.5 and 174.4 +/- 16.7) compared to SN (194.9 +/- 15.1 and 198.0 +/- 20.1) (for both comparisons, p < 0,001). The Kt index obtained was significantly higher for CF (51,1 +/- 3,6 L) compared to SN (48.4 +/- 3,1 L) (p < 0.001). No AVF leakage episodes were recorded with CF and only one by SN (p = NS). Conclusions: In relation to the standard needle, the use of fistula catheter decreases perceived pain in the puncture and removal of the needle (visual analog scale), and improving the adequacy of hemodialysis (Kt index) (AU)

Pathological gamblers are more vulnerable to the illusion of control in a standard associative learning task.

An illusion of control is said to occur when a person believes that he or she controls an outcome that is uncontrollable. Pathological gambling has often been related to an illusion of control, but the assessment of the illusion has generally used introspective methods in domain-specific (i.e., gambling) situations. The illusion of control of pathological gamblers, however, could be a more general problem, affecting other aspects of their daily life. Thus, we tested them using a standard associative learning task which is known to produce illusions of control in most people under certain conditions. The results showed that the illusion was significantly stronger in pathological gamblers than in a control undiagnosed sample. This suggests (1) that the experimental tasks used in basic associative learning research could be used to detect illusions of control in gamblers in a more indirect way, as compared to introspective and domain-specific questionnaires; and (2), that in addition to gambling-specific problems, pathological gamblers may have a higher-than-normal illusion of control in their daily life.

The role of outcome inhibition in interference between outcomes: a contingency-learning analogue of retrieval-induced forgetting.

Current associative theories of contingency learning assume that inhibitory learning plays a part in the interference between outcomes. However, it is unclear whether this inhibitory learning results in the inhibition of the outcome representation or whether it simply counteracts previous excitatory learning so that the outcome representation is neither activated nor inhibited. Additionally, these models tend to conceptualize inhibition as a relatively transient and cue-dependent state. However, research on retrieval-induced forgetting suggests that the inhibition of representations is a real process that can be relatively independent of the retrieval cue used to access the inhibited information. Consistent with this alternative view, we found that interference between outcomes reduces the retrievability of the target outcome even when the outcome is associated with a novel (non-inhibitory) cue. This result has important theoretical implications for associative models of interference and shows that the empirical facts and theories developed in studies of retrieval-induced forgetting might be relevant in contingency learning and vice versa.