Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida
Repositório do ISPANot a member yet
10030 research outputs found
Sort by
Neural mechanisms of learned suppression uncovered by probing the hidden attentional priority map
No full textAttentional capture by an irrelevant salient distractor is attenuated when the distractor
appears more frequently in one location, suggesting learned suppression of that location. However,
it remains unclear whether suppression is proactive (before attention is directed) or reactive (after
attention is allocated). Here, we investigated this using a ‘pinging’ technique to probe the attentional distribution before search onset. In an EEG experiment, participants searched for a shape
singleton while ignoring a color singleton distractor at a high-probability location. To reveal the
hidden attentional priority map, participants also performed a continuous recall spatial memory task,
with a neutral placeholder display presented before search onset. Behaviorally, search was more
efficient when the distractor appeared at the high-probability location. Inverted encoding analysis
of EEG data showed tuning profiles that decayed during memory maintenance but were revived by
the placeholder display. Notably, tuning was most pronounced at the to-be-suppressed location,
suggesting initial spatial selection followed by suppression. These findings suggest that learned
distractor suppression is a reactive process, providing new insights into learned spatial distractor
suppression mechanisms
Metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma in a grey seal Halichoerus grypus: Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical characterization
No full textA 33 yr old female grey seal. Halichoerus grypus presented with inappetence and progressive weight loss. Medical management included blood analysis, imaging, and fecal evaluation, along with multimodal supportive therapy, which periodically improved the overall medical condition. Six months after the initial presentation, the clinical condition deteriorated significantly, including severe hyporexia, hematemesis, and marked neutrophilic leukocytosis, which led to the decision to euthanise based on welfare grounds. Necropsy findings included severe thickening of the distal esophagus, cardia, and proximal gastric fundus, as well as multiple nodular to cystic structures over the stomach’s serosa, omentum, and mesentery. Histologically, a mucinous gastric adenocarcinoma was diagnosed, with metastasis to the gastric lymph nodes and prominent carcinomatosis involving the omentum, mesentery, and diaphragm. Immunohistochemically, the gastric adenocarcinoma was positive for cytokeratin AE1/AE3, weakly positive for COX-2 and E-cadherin, and negative for vimentin. The Ki-67 proliferative index was low (0.8). Although rare, this case offers further insights into the clinical presentation, histopathology, and immunohistochemical profile of gastric tumors in pinnipeds
Liderança robótica e satisfação no trabalho: O papel da segurança psicológica e da confiança
No full textDissertação de Mestrado apresentada no ISPA – Instituto Universitário para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Psicologia Social e das OrganizaçõesA evolução tecnológica tem levado a um crescente interesse pela forma como os indivíduos interagem com robôs, nomeadamente em contextos de trabalho. Em ambiente laboral, os robôs já são percecionados pelos trabalhadores como promotores de bem-estar psicológico e como parceiros de trabalho. O presente trabalho teve como principal objetivo compreender as atitudes e perceções dos indivíduos que são liderados por um líder robô em contexto laboral. Variáveis como a confiança no robô, o estilo de liderança, a segurança psicológica e a satisfação no trabalho foram analisadas. Este estudo, de carácter correlacional, teve uma amostra de 178 participantes, que leram um cenário que descrevia uma situação de trabalho em que o robô assumia o papel de líder. No que toca aos resultados, foi esperado que, perante a existência de um líder robô, a segurança psicológica mediasse a relação entre o estilo de liderança transformacional do robô e a satisfação no trabalho. Foi também esperado que o nível de confiança no robô moderasse a relação entre o estilo de liderança e a segurança psicológica. Por último, previu-se que existiriam diferenças entre indivíduos em relação à literacia tecnológica, bem como ao nível de aceitação dos robôs nos locais de trabalho. As descobertas desta investigação contribuíram para compreender a forma como os indivíduos percecionam a liderança robótica, que, por sua vez, pode ter relevantes implicações práticas, nomeadamente em contextos organizacionais onde maior precisão e menor enviesamentos na tomada de decisão são essenciais.Technological developments have led to a growing interest in how individuals interact with robots, particularly in work contexts. In the workplace, robots are already perceived by workers as promoting psychological well-being and as work partners. The main aim of this study was to understand the attitudes and perceptions of individuals who are led by a robot leader in a work context. Variables such as trust in the robot, leadership style, psychological safety and job satisfaction were analysed. This correlational study had a sample of 178 participants who read a scenario describing a work situation in which the robot took on the role of leader. As far as the results are concerned, it was expected that in the presence of a robot leader, psychological safety would mediate the relationship between transformational leadership style and job satisfaction. The level of trust in the robot was also expected to moderate the relationship between leadership style and psychological safety. Finally, differences between individuals are expected in relation to technological literacy as well as the level of acceptance of robots in the workplace. The findings of this research have contributed to understanding how individuals perceive robotic leadership which, in turn, can have relevant practical implications, particularly in organisational contexts where greater precision and less bias in decision-making are essential
Psychometric properties of the hypoglycemia fear survey—Parents (HFS-P) in the Portuguese Context
No full textBackground/Objectives: Hypoglycemia occurs when blood glucose levels drop significantly below the normal range leading to unpleasant symptoms and a greater risk of acute complications. Fear of hypoglycemia (FH) is a conditioned psychological response to hypoglycemia frequently experienced by people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their loved ones. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of a Portuguese translation of the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey—Parents (HFS-P) for the parents of youths with T1D. Methods: The sample consisted of 102 parents (M = 44.58 years old; SD = 5.01; mothers = 92.2%) of youths with T1D (8 to 17 years of age; M = 12.67; SD = 2.58). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and convergent validity were performed to examine the factor structure and the construct validity of the HFS-P. Results: CFA supports a refined two-factor 18-item version of the HFS-P. The results indicate good psychometric properties (χ2 [129] = 220.47.; p ≤ 0.001; χ2/DF = 1.71; RMSEA = 0.08; SRMR = 0.07; CFI = 0.93; TLI = 0.91; GFI = 0.93) along with good to excellent internal consistency coefficients (behavior subscale: α = 0.81, total: α = 0.93, and worry: α = 0.94). Conclusions: Our Portuguese version of the HFS-P appears reliable for assessing FH in parents of youths with T1D, and is ready for use in clinical research and to evaluate psychological interventions targeting parental FH in the Portuguese context
Investigative interviews with individuals who perpetrated sex crimes: A scoping review
No full textSex crimes (CS) are a global public health problem with profound negative consequences for victims, their families, and society. The perpetrator's testimony is crucial for case outcomes because sexual offenses are frequently underreported, often due to limited evidence and lack of victim testimonies. Therefore, perpetrator investigative interviews play a decisive role in criminal investigations. The aim of this scoping review is to identify and describe evidence-based investigative interview techniques for gathering testimony from SC perpetrators using a structured methodology. Studies were identified through manual reference checking and in five electronic databases: Scopus, B-On, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and PubMed. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies focused on rape and child sexual abuse. Five studies presented interview protocols, while three focused on interview techniques that interviewers should employ to elicit more information. It was possible to conclude that both the presented interviews and the techniques share a similar general structure. Clinical, forensic, and criminal implications are elaborated.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FC
Avaliação do controlo inibitório e viés atencional através de eye-tracking: Um novo paradigma stop-signal emocional
No full textDissertação de Mestrado apresentada no ISPA - Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida, para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Neurociências Cognitivas e Comportamentais.O objetivo desta tese foi desenvolver e validar uma Tarefa Stop-Signal Emocional
Modificada (MESST), com recurso à tecnologia de rastreio ocular (Eye-tracking), para avaliar
a resposta inibitória e os vieses atencionais em resposta a estímulos emocionais. Embora o
estudo tenha sido conduzido numa amostra normativa, esta validação inicial visa, futuramente,
aplicar o paradigma em populações clínicas, como a Perturbação Obsessivo-Compulsiva
(POC), dado que a tarefa inclui estímulos idiossincráticos com potencial para explorar
marcadores cognitivos relevantes para esta condição. A amostra foi composta por 33
participantes normativos (18-29 anos), sendo que o estudo avaliou variáveis como o StopSignal Reaction Time (SSRT) e métricas de Eye-tracking, incluindo a latência à primeira
fixação e o tempo total de permanência no estímulo. Também se explorou como os traços de
impulsividade e ansiedade da amostra influenciam o desempenho na MESST. Os resultados
indicam que estímulos emocionalmente carregados aumentam, significativamente, as
dificuldades inibitórias e induzem vieses atencionais, sobretudo na manutenção do olhar.
Embora não tenha sido observada uma correlação significativa entre os traços de ansiedade e
impulsividade nos marcadores centrais como o SSRT, latência à primeira fixação e tempo total
de permanência do olhar nas funções cognitivas avaliadas, foi identificado que níveis mais
elevados de impulsividade estão associados a uma menor precisão na avaliação emocional de
estímulos aversivos genéricos. A tecnologia de Eye-tracking permitiu uma análise contínua e
detalhada do comportamento visual atencional, fornecendo uma compreensão mais
aprofundada dos processos cognitivos associados à inibição e ao processamento emocional.
Esta validação inicial fornece uma base sólida para continuar a validação e aplicação futura do
paradigma em populações clínicas com POC.The aim of this thesis was to develop and validate a Modified Emotional Stop-Signal
Task (MESST), utilizing Eye-tracking technology to assess inhibitory control and attentional
biases in response to emotional stimuli. Although the study was conducted on a normative
sample, this initial validation is intended to support the future application of the paradigm in
clinical populations, such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), as the task includes
idiosyncratic stimuli with the potential to explore relevant cognitive markers for this condition.
The sample consisted of 33 normative participants (aged 18-29), and the study examined
variables such as Stop-Signal Reaction Time (SSRT) and Eye-tracking metrics, including
latency to first fixation and total dwell time on the stimulus. The study also explored how
impulsivity and anxiety traits influenced MESST performance. The results indicated that
emotionally charged stimuli significantly increased inhibitory difficulties and induced
attentional biases, particularly in gaze maintenance. Although no significant correlation was
observed between anxiety traits and impulsivity in central markers such as the SSRT, latency
to first fixation and total gaze duration in the cognitive functions assessed, it was identified that
higher levels of impulsivity are associated with lower accuracy in the emotional evaluation of
generic aversive stimuli. The use of Eye-tracking technology provided a continuous and
detailed analysis of attentional visual behavior, offering deeper insight into cognitive processes
associated with inhibition and emotional processing. This initial validation provides a solid
basis for further validation and future application of the paradigm in clinical populations with
OCD
Perceived parental emotional availability, emotion regulation, and health-related quality of life in adolescents
No full textThis study examines differences in perceived parental emotional availability, emotion regulation (ER), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among adolescents, considering gender, age, and family structure. It also assesses contextual differences in ER (at home vs. at school) and investigates the mediating role of ER in the relationship between perceived parental emotional availability and HRQoL. The sample consisted of 202 Portuguese adolescents (M age = 13.44 years, SD = 1.01; 52.5% girls) who participated in this cross-sectional study. Self-report scales were used to assess perceived emotional availability, ER, and HRQoL, with data collected during classes using a paper-and-pencil procedure. The results showed that girls’ perceptions of mother and father emotional availability were smaller than perceptions reported by boys; girls reported lower HRQoL. Also, adolescents from divorced/separated families reported higher levels of expressive suppression at home and lower HRQoL. Both maternal and paternal perceived emotional availability were positively associated with better HRQoL in adolescents. Furthermore, expressive suppression (within the home context) and cognitive reappraisal (within the school context) partially explained these associations. These findings have important implications for both practice and research, highlighting the significance of perceived parental emotional availability and the role of ER in enhancing adolescents’ HRQoL
Acolher para aprender: O papel da dinâmica de acolhimento no currículo HighScope
No full textRelatório da Prática de Ensino Supervisionada realizado sob a orientação da Prof. Doutora Liliana Salvador, apresentada no ISPA – Instituto Universitário para obtenção de grau de Mestre em Educação Pré-Escolar e Primeiro Ciclo do Ensino BásicoO presente relatório emerge de um trabalho de investigação de natureza qualitativa, realizado ao longo de um estágio curricular numa turma de 1.º ano, inserida num contexto educativo privado que se rege pela abordagem HighScope.
O estudo foca-se na análise da dinâmica de acolhimento, mais especificamente, o quadro de mensagens e o check-in emocional, enquanto estratégias pedagógicas que promovem a aprendizagem ativa, o sentido de pertença e o desenvolvimento socioemocional das crianças – tendo como ponto de partida, as seguintes questões de investigação: 1) “De que forma ocorre
a dinâmica inicial de acolhimento, mais especificamente, o quadro de mensagens e qual a sua intencionalidade educativa?”, 2) “De que forma o check-in das emoções promove o desenvolvimento de competências socioemocionais nas crianças?” e, por fim, 3) “Qual o
contributo da dinâmica de acolhimento para o ambiente de sala de aula e para a aprendizagem, tanto na perspetiva do docente como das crianças?”.
Através da observação participante, entrevistas, conversas focus group e análise reflexiva, procurou-se compreender a intencionalidade pedagógica subjacente a estes momentos e o seu papel na promoção de competências sociais, emocionais e cognitivas.
Este estudo evidenciou que o momento de quadro de mensagens deve ser intencionalmente planeado, de forma a estimular o pensamento das crianças e acolhê-las emocionalmente. Por sua vez, o check-in, enquanto prática da instituição educativa, revelou-se um espaço privilegiado de aprendizagem socioemocional. Desta forma, constatou-se que o momento de acolhimento é perspetivado por profissionais e crianças, como um momento imprescindível da rotina diária, uma vez que promove um clima emocionalmente seguro,
fortalecendo os vínculos entre os membros do grupo e potenciando a participação ativa no processo de aprendizagem dos alunos.This report is the result of qualitative research carried out during a curricular internship in a first-year class in a private educational context governed by the HighScope approach.
The study focuses on analysing the dynamics of welcoming children, more specifically, the message board and emotional check-in, as pedagogical strategies that promote active learning, a sense of belonging, and the socio-emotional development of children. It takes the following research questions as its starting point: 1) "How does the initial welcoming dynamic occur, more specifically, the message board and its educational intent?“, 2) ”How does the emotional check-in promote the development of socio-emotional skills in children?“ and,
finally, 3) ”What is the contribution of the welcoming dynamic to the classroom environment and learning, both from the perspective of the teacher and the children?" Through participant observation, interviews, focus group conversations, and reflective analysis, we sought to understand the pedagogical intent underlying these moments and their role in promoting social, emotional, and cognitive skills.
This study showed that the message board moment should be intentionally planned in order to stimulate children's thinking and welcome them emotionally. In turn, the check-in, as a practice of the educational institution, proved to be a privileged space for social-emotional learning. Thus, it was found that professionals and children view the welcoming moment as an essential part of the daily routine, as it promotes an emotionally safe environment, strengthening the bonds between group members and enhancing active participation in the students' learning process
Da quebra e violação do contrato psicológico ao desvio no trabalho: O papel do cinismo organizacional
No full textDissertação de Mestrado apresentada no Ispa – Instituto Universitário para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Psicologia Social e das Organizações.Num contexto organizacional cada vez mais exigente e imprevisível, compreender os fatores que influenciam os comportamentos dos colaboradores torna-se essencial para promover ambientes de trabalho mais saudáveis e produtivos. Neste contexto, o presente estudo pretende perceber a relação entre a quebra e violação do contrato psicológico e os comportamentos desviantes no local de trabalho, considerando o cinismo organizacional como mediador desta relação. A literatura demonstra que a perceção de injustiça e a falta de reciprocidade na relação empregador-empregado promovem atitudes cínicas, que, por sua vez, aumentam a predisposição para comportamentos desviantes. Embora existam estudos sobre o impacto da quebra do contrato psicológico e dos comportamentos desviantes, poucos analisam o papel mediador do cinismo organizacional nessa relação, especialmente no contexto português. Foi recolhida uma amostra por conveniência (n=424) de trabalhadores português. Os resultados revelam que todas as dimensões em estudo estão significativamente associadas, com valores abaixo do ponto central da escala. Confirma-se ainda mediações do cinismo nas relações entre a quebra e a violação do contrato psicológico com os comportamentos desviantes interpessoais e organizacionais. Esta investigação aprofunda o conhecimento sobre os mecanismos subjacentes às respostas negativas dos colaboradores, reforçando o papel explicativo do cinismo organizacional e destacando a importância de práticas que promovam confiança, comunicação e alinhamento de expetativas na relação empregador-empregado.In an increasingly demanding and unpredictable organisational context, understanding the factors that influence employee behaviour is essential to promoting healthier and more productive work environments. In this context, the present study aims to understand the relationship between the breach and violation of the psychological contract and deviant behaviour in the workplace, considering organisational cynicism as a mediator of this relationship. The literature shows that the perception of injustice and lack of reciprocity in the employer-employee relationship promotes cynical attitudes, which, in turn, increase the predisposition to deviant behaviour. Although there are studies on the impact of the breach of the psychological contract and deviant behaviour, few analyse the mediating role of organisational cynicism in this relationship, especially in the Portuguese context. A convenience sample (n=424) of Portuguese workers was collected. The results reveal that all dimensions under study are significantly associated, with values below the midpoint of the scale. Mediations of cynicism in the relationships between the breach and violation of the psychological contract with interpersonal and organisational deviant behaviours are also confirmed. This research deepens our understanding of the mechanisms underlying employees' negative responses, reinforcing the explanatory role of organisational cynicism and highlighting the importance of practices that promote trust, communication and alignment of expectations in the employer-employee relationship
Genetic susceptibility to the environment moderates the impact of childhood experiences on psychotic, depressive, and anxiety dimensions
No full textBackground and Hypothesis: Consistent with diathesisstress models, psychosis research has focused on genetic moderation of adverse environmental exposures. In contrast, the Differential Susceptibility (DS) model suggests that the same genetic variants that increase risk-inducing effects of adverse experiences also enhance beneficial effects from positive experiences. This study examined whether individuals with high genetic susceptibility to the environment showed differential psychotic-like and affective reactivity in response to positive and negative events in daily life. Study Design: Experience sampling methodology assessed context (positive and stressful) and momentary levels of paranoia, psychotic-like experiences (PLE), and positive (PA) and negative affect (NA) in 217 non-clinical adults oversampled for schizotypy. Linear mixed models examined whether Polygenic Risk Scores of Environmental Sensitivity (PRS-ES) moderated the impact of current context on subsequent experiences. Study Results: PRS-ES moderated positive, but not stressful, context on subsequent levels of momentary paranoia, NA, and PA, but not PLE. Genetic and environmental (G × E) interactions indicated diathesis-stress at lower thresholds of PRS-ES, but a DS model at the highest threshold of the PRS-ES. Participants with elevated PRS-ES showed increased paranoia and NA and decreased PA in subsequent assessments when reporting low levels of positive situations, but also decreased paranoia and NA and increased PA when rating contexts as positive. Conclusions: Findings support the influence of genetic sensitivity to the environment on psychotic-like and affective reactivity in daily life, particularly in response to positive contexts. This highlights the transdiagnostic protective role of positive experiences and informs ecological momentary interventions.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; Generalitat de Catalunya; Centro Nacional de Genotipado; Agencia de Gestión de Ayudas Universitarias y de
Investigació