Esta dissertação de mestrado apresenta os principais resultados de uma pesquisa que se dedicou a comparar e confrontar as concepções de linguagem e significado da linguística cognitiva com as formulações da segunda fase da filosofia de Ludwig Wittgenstein. A partir da leitura e interpretação de textos fundamentais da linguística cognitiva e de importantes publicações de Wittgenstein, e do cotejo das ideias extraídas daí, esta dissertação pretende salientar as semelhanças e colocar em evidência as diferenças dessas linhas de pensamento, para indicar caminhos promissores de diálogo. Além disso, esta dissertação pretende comunicar-se com um domínio mais amplo de pensamento, incluindo no debate outras correntes e disciplinas das ciências cognitivas, o que respeita a vocação interdisciplinar dessas concepções de linguagem e que orientou esta pesquisa. Embora as discussões desta dissertação se deem, principalmente, em torno da noção de significado e linguagem, elas dizem respeito a concepções de racionalidade e cognição que tocam em temas largamente presentes no pensamento ocidental. Por isso, elas são apresentadas, nos primeiros capítulos, em um contexto mais amplo de pensamento, posicionadas no mesmo lado de um debate entre amplos paradigmas de pensamento, o paradigma objetivista e o paradigma experiencialista. A linguística cognitiva e Wittgenstein, assim como esta pesquisa, assumem, igualmente, que a linguagem humana não deve ser abordada como algo isolado do seu uso concreto. O confronto entre elas se dá a partir do momento que temos, de um lado, uma concepção de significado ancorada na experiência com o corpo enquanto organismo biológico, e, de outro lado, uma abordagem da linguagem que exclui a preocupação com qualquer fundamento causal do uso da linguagem. Essa diferença foi abordada em termos, em parte, de uma diferença entre ciência, mas principalmente levando em conta o aspecto internalista da concepção da linguística cognitiva e externalista da de Wittgenstein. Depois de aproximar os modelos explicativos da linguística cognitiva e particularidades do uso da linguagem cotidiana notadas por Wittgenstein, no capítulo 3, eu investigo as noções de jogo-de-linguagem e de forma de vida de Wittgenstein, propondo uma interpretação com foco na ideia do uso da linguagem como uma ação humana. Essa interpretação conduz à proposta de que a noção de forma de vida deve ser abordada com referência à ideia de interação, o que tem consequências para a concepção de significado trazida de Wittgenstein e para a aproximação a ser feita com a linguística cognitiva. As perspectivas de diálogo que a linguística cognitiva tem com Wittgenstein são delineadas no capítulo 6, a partir da posição teórica assumida por correntes recentes das ciências cognitivas. Por fim, as questões de pesquisa são recolocadas e abordadas com novo foco: os problemas sugeridos pela diferença entre filosofia e ciência são deixados de lado e a oposição entre significado corporeado e significado público é reformulada para aquela que dá título a este trabalho: significado corporeado e significado como uso. Essa reformulação chama a atenção para a necessidade de não colocar em oposição uma concepção de significado corporeada com uma visão interacional e focada na ação, como é o caso daquela encontrada na segunda filosofia de Wittgenstein. / This thesis presents the main results of a research dedicated to comparing and confronting Cognitive Linguistics conceptions of language and meaning with the formulations of the second phase of Ludwig Wittgensteins philosophy. Based on the reading and interpretation of fundamental texts in Cognitive Linguistics and of important publications of Wittgenstein, this thesis aims at highlighting the similarities and differences between these two lines of thought, in order to suggest promising lines of dialogue between them. It also intends to include in the debate other trends of Cognitive Sciences, respecting the interdisciplinary view of the language conceptions which have oriented this research. Although the discussions especially concern the notions of meaning and language, they also involve conceptions of rationality and cognition that touch several contemporary themes of relevance in western thought. In the early chapters, these notions appear in a wider context of thought, side by side in a debate between two paradigms: the objectivist and the experientialist paradigms. Cognitive Linguistics and late Wittgensteins philosophy likewise assume that human language cannot be considered as something isolated from its concrete use. The conflict between them begins when we have, on the one hand, a conception of meaning grounded in the experience with the body as a biological organism, and, on the other hand, an approach to language that excludes the concern with any causal fundament of language use. This difference has been partially presented in terms of a difference between Science and Philosophy, but mainly taking into account the internalist aspect of Cognitive Linguistics and the externalist aspect of Wittgensteins conceptions. After discussing the models of Cognitive Linguistics to explain certain particularities of language use, which Wittgenstein has likewise noted, the notions of language-game and form of life are investigated; an interpretation focused on the idea of language as human action has been proposed. This interpretation suggests that the notion of form of life should be seen from an interactionist point of view, which has consequences to the conception of meaning brought from Wittgenstein and to its approximation with Cognitive Linguistics. Finally, the original research questions are reset with a new focus: the problems suggested by the difference between Science and Philosophy are left aside and the opposition between embodied meaning and public meaning is reformulated to the one that gives title of this thesis: embodied meaning and meaning as use. This reformulation points to the necessity of not opposing an embodied conception of meaning and an interactional and action oriented view, as found in the second philosophy of Wittgenstein.

Esta dissertação de mestrado apresenta os principais resultados de uma pesquisa que se dedicou a comparar e confrontar as concepções de linguagem e significado da linguística cognitiva com as formulações da segunda fase da filosofia de Ludwig Wittgenstein. A partir da leitura e interpretação de textos fundamentais da linguística cognitiva e de importantes publicações de Wittgenstein, e do cotejo das ideias extraídas daí, esta dissertação pretende salientar as semelhanças e colocar em evidência as diferenças dessas linhas de pensamento, para indicar caminhos promissores de diálogo. Além disso, esta dissertação pretende comunicar-se com um domínio mais amplo de pensamento, incluindo no debate outras correntes e disciplinas das ciências cognitivas, o que respeita a vocação interdisciplinar dessas concepções de linguagem e que orientou esta pesquisa. Embora as discussões desta dissertação se deem, principalmente, em torno da noção de significado e linguagem, elas dizem respeito a concepções de racionalidade e cognição que tocam em temas largamente presentes no pensamento ocidental. Por isso, elas são apresentadas, nos primeiros capítulos, em um contexto mais amplo de pensamento, posicionadas no mesmo lado de um debate entre amplos paradigmas de pensamento, o paradigma objetivista e o paradigma experiencialista. A linguística cognitiva e Wittgenstein, assim como esta pesquisa, assumem, igualmente, que a linguagem humana não deve ser abordada como algo isolado do seu uso concreto. O confronto entre elas se dá a partir do momento que temos, de um lado, uma concepção de significado ancorada na experiência com o corpo enquanto organismo biológico, e, de outro lado, uma abordagem da linguagem que exclui a preocupação com qualquer fundamento causal do uso da linguagem. Essa diferença foi abordada em termos, em parte, de uma diferença entre ciência, mas principalmente levando em conta o aspecto internalista da concepção da linguística cognitiva e externalista da de Wittgenstein. Depois de aproximar os modelos explicativos da linguística cognitiva e particularidades do uso da linguagem cotidiana notadas por Wittgenstein, no capítulo 3, eu investigo as noções de jogo-de-linguagem e de forma de vida de Wittgenstein, propondo uma interpretação com foco na ideia do uso da linguagem como uma ação humana. Essa interpretação conduz à proposta de que a noção de forma de vida deve ser abordada com referência à ideia de interação, o que tem consequências para a concepção de significado trazida de Wittgenstein e para a aproximação a ser feita com a linguística cognitiva. As perspectivas de diálogo que a linguística cognitiva tem com Wittgenstein são delineadas no capítulo 6, a partir da posição teórica assumida por correntes recentes das ciências cognitivas. Por fim, as questões de pesquisa são recolocadas e abordadas com novo foco: os problemas sugeridos pela diferença entre filosofia e ciência são deixados de lado e a oposição entre significado corporeado e significado público é reformulada para aquela que dá título a este trabalho: significado corporeado e significado como uso. Essa reformulação chama a atenção para a necessidade de não colocar em oposição uma concepção de significado corporeada com uma visão interacional e focada na ação, como é o caso daquela encontrada na segunda filosofia de Wittgenstein. / This thesis presents the main results of a research dedicated to comparing and confronting Cognitive Linguistics conceptions of language and meaning with the formulations of the second phase of Ludwig Wittgensteins philosophy. Based on the reading and interpretation of fundamental texts in Cognitive Linguistics and of important publications of Wittgenstein, this thesis aims at highlighting the similarities and differences between these two lines of thought, in order to suggest promising lines of dialogue between them. It also intends to include in the debate other trends of Cognitive Sciences, respecting the interdisciplinary view of the language conceptions which have oriented this research. Although the discussions especially concern the notions of meaning and language, they also involve conceptions of rationality and cognition that touch several contemporary themes of relevance in western thought. In the early chapters, these notions appear in a wider context of thought, side by side in a debate between two paradigms: the objectivist and the experientialist paradigms. Cognitive Linguistics and late Wittgensteins philosophy likewise assume that human language cannot be considered as something isolated from its concrete use. The conflict between them begins when we have, on the one hand, a conception of meaning grounded in the experience with the body as a biological organism, and, on the other hand, an approach to language that excludes the concern with any causal fundament of language use. This difference has been partially presented in terms of a difference between Science and Philosophy, but mainly taking into account the internalist aspect of Cognitive Linguistics and the externalist aspect of Wittgensteins conceptions. After discussing the models of Cognitive Linguistics to explain certain particularities of language use, which Wittgenstein has likewise noted, the notions of language-game and form of life are investigated; an interpretation focused on the idea of language as human action has been proposed. This interpretation suggests that the notion of form of life should be seen from an interactionist point of view, which has consequences to the conception of meaning brought from Wittgenstein and to its approximation with Cognitive Linguistics. Finally, the original research questions are reset with a new focus: the problems suggested by the difference between Science and Philosophy are left aside and the opposition between embodied meaning and public meaning is reformulated to the one that gives title of this thesis: embodied meaning and meaning as use. This reformulation points to the necessity of not opposing an embodied conception of meaning and an interactional and action oriented view, as found in the second philosophy of Wittgenstein.

Ce travail thématique et historique a pour objectif de mettre en lumière les difficultés que l'on peut rencontrer lorsque nous tentons de saisir ce que signifie la vie de l'ego d'un point de vue phénoménologique et scientifique. Les questions qui nous animent sont les suivantes et rythment le travail présent : que signifie précisément dire « Je » ? ; Quelle est la caractérisation de l'ego dans la phénoménologie husserlienne ? Dans quelle mesure la vie de l'ego peut-elle être naturalisée ?Notre cheminement suit les traces du corpus husserlien, en ce que nous considérons qu'il est tout d'abord nécessaire d'éclaircir le sens du terme ego dans l'optique d'une « phénoménologie analytique ». Cela nous a permis de comprendre que l'indexical « Je » peut être la marque d'une « ingénuité descriptive » qui consiste en une incapacité à décrire pleinement une situation ou la subjectivité exprimant un indexical. Seule une entente phénoménologique du « Je » peut modifier cette conception en ce qu'elle induit la présence d'une subjectivité en chair et en os, un Nullpunkt irréductible à quelque réification que ce soit. Le langage phénoménologique, en plus de valoriser la part subjective du vécu (Ichrede), permet en outre de modifier notre conception ontique du sens des termes usités afin de décrire un état de chose d'un point de vue eidétique – la chose comme corrélat.En reprenant cette idée cardinale, nous avons par la suite tenté de résoudre l'énigme du Je d'un point de historique à partir d'une étude comparée entre la phénoménologie husserlienne et celle de ses disciples (Reinach, Ingarden, Sartre). À partir de là, nous étions en mesure d'appréhender le bienfondé des critiques apportées à l'égard du tournant transcendantal de la phénoménologie. Pourtant, ces critiques ne sauraient dépasser ni compromettre la pensée de Husserl en ce qu'elle déborde selon nous le cadre formel et stérile d'une binarité idéalisme-réalisme. Nous avons ainsi voulu mettre en exergue le renouvellement, dès le tournant génétique, de la phénoménologie à partir de ce que nous nommons le « naturalisme phénoménologique » de Husserl, en particulier en ce qui concerne le traitement qu'il a accordé aux sujets comme la naissance, la mort, l'anomalité et l'animalité. Ce faisant, nous avions tous les éléments pour démontrer que Husserl n'était idéaliste qu'en apparence et que son œuvre contenait les germes de l'entreprise naturaliste en développement depuis quelques dizaines d'années.Il fallut dès lors montrer les corrélations entre la phénoménologie « classique » et la naturalisation de la phénoménologie à travers une étude des textes contemporains présentés par des auteurs comme F.Varela, N.Depraz ou J-L Petit. Il nous apparut ainsi que la naturalisation en restait à l'état embryonnaire, mais qu'elle pouvait dans un avenir proche, grâce à des recherches sur l'agentivité, la dépression, ou sur la phénophysique, éclairer les sciences cognitives dans l'optique d'une étude cogénérative et fertile en ce qu'elle joint les perspectives à la première et la troisième personne. Or, il nous semble malgré tout que la naturalisation de la phénoménologie demeure davantage asubjective, au sens que donne Patocka, que pleinement phénoménologique. Nous concluons de la sorte en affirmant qu'il faut distinguer deux types de phénoménologie de même que deux types de naturalisation, tout en avançant qu'il serait judicieux de prendre également en considération le rôle du système nerveux entérique, en plus du cerveau, dans la caractérisation de la vie subjective. / This thematic and historical work aims to highlight the difficulties that can be encountered when we try to grasp what the egological life means from a phenomenological and scientific point of view. The questions that animate us are the following and rhythm the present work: what exactly does it mean to say "I"? ; What is the characterization of the egological life in Husserlian phenomenology? To what extent can the egological life be naturalized?Our path follows the Husserlian corpus for we consider that it is first necessary to clarify the meaning of the term “ego” in the perspective of an “analytic phenomenology”. This allowed us to understand that the indexical “I” can be the mark of a “descriptive ingenuity” which consists in an inability to fully describe a situation or a subjectivity expressing itself. Only a phenomenological understanding of the “I” may modify this conception by inducing that the presence of a subjectivity made of flesh and bones is an irreducible Nullpunkt. The phenomenological language, in addition to valuing the subjective part of live experience (Ichrede), also allows to modify our ontic conception of the meaning of termes used in order to describe a state of things from an eidetic point of view – a thing as correlate.By taking up this cardinal idea, we have subsequently attempted to solve the enigma around the I from a historical point of view on the basis a comparative study between Husserlian phenomenology and what critics made by Husserls disciples such as Reinach, Ingarden and Sartre. From then on, we were able to grasp the depth and validity of some critics made against the transcendental turn of phenomenology. Yet, these critics cannot go beyond or compromise Husserl'sthinking for this latter one overflows in our view the formal and sterile framework of an idealistic-realistic binarity. In this way, we wanted to highlight the renewal of phenomenology from the genetic point of view, starting with what we call the “phenomenological naturalism”, especially in regard to the treatment Husserl accorded to subjects such as birth, death, a(b)no(r)mality and animality. In doing so, we had the evidence to show that Husserl was only apparently an idealist and that his work contains the seeds of the naturalistic enterprise under developent for some decades.It was therefore necessary to show the correlations between the “classical” phenomenology and the naturalization of phenomenology through a study of contempory texts presented by authors such as F. Varela, N. Depraz or J-L Petit. It appeared to us that naturalization was still embryonic, but that it may in the near future, through researches on agentivity, depression or phenophysics, illuminate cognitive sciences from the perspective of a cogenerative and fertile study for it joins the first and third person perspectives. However, it seems to us that the naturalization of phenomenology remains more asubjective, in the sense given by Patocka, than fully phenomenological. In conclusion, we affirm that two types of phenomenology must be distinguished, as well as two types of naturalization, while arguing that it would be also wise to take into consideration the role of the enteric nervous system, in addition to the brain, in the characterization of subjective life.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:15:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SandraMeyerNunes.pdf: 2302020 bytes, checksum: 1540016b9c27f59d6a9f3261233adcca (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-03-20 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This thesis analyzes metaphors that guide the concept of physical action in the work of an actor through the perspective of the cognitive sciences and the theory of body-media elaborated by professors Helena Katz and Christine Greiner in the graduate program of Communications and Semiotics at the Catholic University of São Paulo. The notion of action is essential to studies about the communication of the actor and is present in the genesis of theories of representation and in the modern concept of action. The pedagogy proposed by Constantin Stanislavski (1863-1938) by means of a method of physical actions, and later developed by Jerzy Grotowski (1933-1999), altered the processes of research and education for the actor. This study is based on the hypothesis that the approach to physical actions, proposed by both authors, revises the body-mind dualism in the work of the actor and points to issues now present in the cognitive sciences. By relating the system of physical actions of the actor with he studies of the body in the contemporary world, this study considers action as a procedural and dynamic system, from the perspective of a body-mind theory. The studies of philosophers and scientists António Damásio, Daniel Wegner, George Lakoff, Mark Johnson and Alain Berthoz are the foundations for the hypotheses presented about the metaphors that spark the action of the body and strengthen the theoretical-practical articulation needed to approach the problem of scenic action / Esta tese propõe uma revisão das metáforas que orientam o conceito de ação física no trabalho do ator à luz das ciências cognitivas e da teoria do corpomídia desenvolvida pelas professoras Helena Katz e Christine Greiner no Programa de Estudos Pós-graduados em Comunicação e Semiótica da Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo. Presente na gênese das teorias de representação e no conceito moderno de atuação, a noção de ação é fundamental para os estudos acerca da comunicação do ator. A pedagogia proposta por Constantin Stanislavski (1863-1938) por meio do método das ações físicas, e posteriormente desenvolvida por Jerzy Grotowski (1933-1999), alterou os processos de pesquisa e formação do ator. O trabalho parte da hipótese de que a abordagem da ação física, proposta por ambos, realiza uma revisão do dualismo corpo-mente no trabalho do ator, apontando para questões presentes, hoje, nas teorias das ciências cognitivas. Ao relacionar o sistema de ações físicas do ator com os estudos do corpo na contemporaneidade, este estudo aborda a ação, considerada um sistema processual e dinâmico, na perspectiva de uma teoria do corpomente. As pesquisas dos filósofos-cientistas António Damásio, Daniel Wegner, George Lakoff, Mark Johnson e Alain Berthoz fundamentam as hipóteses apresentadas a respeito das metáforas que dão ignição à ação do corpo e fortalecem a articulação teórica-prática necessária para a abordagem do problema da ação cênica

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:22:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tercio Onofre de Lira.pdf: 889975 bytes, checksum: 1f8480bb851ad586dbe743a69bb72b95 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-06-02 / Currently there is a wide range of applications in Artificial Intelligence, but progress goes in short steps regarding the development of a strong artificial intelligence. This thesis aims to elucidate the multidisciplinary character of cognitive science to which the studies of artificial intelligence are linked. The objective is to describe succinctly, but panoramically, the history of each area such as cognitive neuroscience, philosophy of mind, cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence, among others) as well as to describe the main questions and barriers of actual researches. The major effort of this project is to make explicit the state of the art of artificial intelligence focusing on the goals of cognitive science towards strong artificial intelligence. Therefore, this dissertation includes a bibliography of evolutionary concepts, and the role of the various disciplines involved in current developments of strong artificial intelligence. It will also highlight the great contribution that is being given in cognitive sciences to the study of cognitive semiotics. As much as the area is evolving, it is noted the need for a new doctrine to develop an "artificial being". Algorithmic issues, new architectural arrangements of machine and interpretations of signs / symbols could be useful to achieve this goal / Atualmente existe uma vasta gama de aplicações na área da Inteligência Artificial, porém os progressos caminham a passos curtos no que diz respeito ao desenvolvimento de uma inteligência artificial forte. Esta dissertação busca elucidar a multidisciplinaridade das ciências cognitivas, à qual os estudos da inteligência artificial estão atrelados, por meio da apresentação sucinta, porém panorâmica, do histórico de cada especialidade ou área: neurociência cognitiva, filosofia da mente, psicologia cognitiva, a própria inteligência artificial, entre outras. Visa também levantar os principais questionamentos e entraves existentes nas pesquisas atuais. Focado nos objetivos das ciências cognitivas, o esforço maior deste projeto é deixar explícito o estado da arte da inteligência artificial e seu propósito de desenvolvimento de uma inteligência artificial forte. Portanto esta dissertação contempla a bibliografia evolutiva dos conceitos implicados, assim como o papel das diversas disciplinas envolvidas nos desenvolvimentos atuais da inteligência artificial forte. Será também destacada a grande contribuição que está sendo dada às ciências cognitivas com o estudo da semiótica cognitiva. Por mais que a área esteja evoluindo, nota-se a necessidade de uma nova doutrina para a questão de se desenvolver um ser artificial , de modo que questões algorítmicas, novos arranjos arquitetônicos de máquina e interpretações dos signos / símbolos poderiam ser úteis para atingir esse objetivo

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2016-11-17T11:27:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Arildo Luiz Marconatto_.pdf: 456462 bytes, checksum: ada4d37f03c42f006380ee1936b971c9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-11-17T11:27:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Arildo Luiz Marconatto_.pdf: 456462 bytes, checksum: ada4d37f03c42f006380ee1936b971c9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-31 / SEDUC - Secretaria de Estado de Educação de Mato Grosso / Esta dissertação é uma síntese das principais teses defendidas pelo filósofo Daniel Clement Dennett ao longo de sua trajetória intelectual. A finalidade da dissertação é entender a relação entre as diversas teorias de Dennett e tentar interpretá-la como um todo coerente. Os conceitos que fundamentam a teoria do autor serão apresentados de forma sucinta e sequencial, buscando uma linha de ligação entre si. Ao final, argumenta-se que Dennett apresenta uma das mais importantes concepções teóricas para as ciências cognitivas contemporâneas, conectando o processo de surgimento e evolução da vida ao aparecimento da mente. / This paper is a summary of the main arguments put forward by the philosopher Daniel Dennett Clement over his intellectual trajectory. The purpose of the dissertation is to understand the relationship between the various theories of Dennett and try to interpret it as a coherent whole. The concepts underlying the author's theory will be presented in a succinct and sequentially, seeking a connecting line between them. Finally, it is argued that Dennett has one of the most important theoretical concepts for contemporary cognitive science, connecting the process of emergence and evolution of life to the appearance of mind .

In recent years it has become widely accepted that the natural systems on which we depend for survival are being degraded by human activity. It is no longer a question of if we need to reduce our impact upon the planet, but of the extent to which we need to change our behaviour, and how soon we need to act. Such change will depend upon the support of voters, governments, and the international community and will require wide spread changes in attitudes and behaviour. Using the social identity approach as a framework, the current programme of research focuses on rural land users in Australia and the effectiveness of sustainable land use campaigns directed at them from both urban and rural sources. The studies provide a novel contribution to the area by demonstrating the effects of intergroup threat on group-based communication, in particular, the perception of threat to rural identity and the effect on urban and rural messages aimed at changing land use behaviour. Conclusions about broader social influence processes were also made by assessing rural participants’ perceptions of the degree to which others are influenced. Although the studies are based in the context of rural Australian land users, the results and theoretical implications can be applied to any situation wherein one group is attempting to change the attitudes and behaviours of another group. This could range from local interest groups trying to convince each other of the merits of their ideas through to political parties and nations calling for united and decisive action on global issues. Such groups ignore issues of power and status at the risk of ineffective communications or even a backlash in opinion and behaviour. Six studies were conducted, including five survey studies with rural landholders and one experiment with students at a rural campus. Study 1 (N = 251) was an evaluation of sustainable land use campaigns in general, comparing those from urban sources to those from rural sources. Study 2 (N = 585) extended this by assessing the moderating role of intergroup threat perceptions. This study also measured the perceptions of influence of urban and rural messages on urban people and other rural people. Study 3 (N = 98) assessed the influence of an actual land use campaign delivered by an ingroup source on individuals’ attitudes and behaviours and the perceived influence on others. Study 4 (N = 249) built upon Study 2 but included additional measures to address some of the inconsistencies between Studies 1 and 2. To address the psychological underpinnings of group-based influence, Study 5 (N = 124) included measures of trust in urban and rural sources as well as reports of influence, agreement, and past behaviour. To conclude, Study 6 (N = 64) provided an experimental test of persuasion by manipulating the source of the message. Self-reported identification and intergroup threat were examined as moderators of group-based persuasion. Furthermore, attributions of constructiveness were explored as a possible reason for the superior influence of ingroups. Across the six studies it was found that ingroup messages were consistently more influential than outgroup messages. Attributions of trust and constructiveness helped to explain the superior influence of ingroups. In terms of perceptions of influence on others, there was a third-person effect for urban messages but rural people did not differentiate between themselves and other rural people in response to rural messages. Furthermore, rural identification was associated with greater reported influence from the ingroup source and perceived threat was associated with increased influence of rural messages compared to urban messages. These findings have clear implications for attempts at changing attitudes between groups, particularly where there is a salient and competitive intergroup context. Outgroups operate at a distinct disadvantage in delivering persuasive communications, especially if ingroup identification is high or there is a perception of threat stemming from the communicating group. Evidence of the persuasiveness of ingroups compared to outgroups is further strengthened by the perceptions of similarity in influence of rural sources for self and other ingroup members. The findings on trust and constructiveness hint at the possibility of overcoming barriers to outgroup persuasion if positive motives for the messages can be established. Of course, this depends on the severity of the intergroup context and the nature of communication. Recommendations are made for a collaborative approach to achieving change.

Depuis la découverte, fruit du hasard des neuroleptiques pour traiter la schizophrénie, de nombreuses molécules ont été développées pour une meilleure tolérance et une meilleure efficacité. Toutefois, bien avant la prescription de ces molécules, à l'essence même de la pathologie, le concept de résistance a été évoqué. La variabilité interindividuelle de réponse aux antipsychotiques des sujets schizophrènes a pu être ainsi conceptualisée grâce à des échelles spécifiques d'évaluation. Il apparait que ces sujets non répondeurs se caractérisent par une symptomatologie clinique plus bruyante qui n'est pas toujours évaluée de manière spécifique par ce type d'échelles. Les psychotropes empruntent des voies bien définies et il est reconnu que les effets physiologiques et biochimiques de ces substances sont soumis à certaines influences. Ainsi, le type d'alimentation, l'alcool et le tabac sont autant de facteurs extrinsèques influant la réponse aux traitements tandis que l'âge, le sexe, le poids ou d'autres facteurs physiopathologiques (incluant les facteurs héréditaires) sont d'importants facteurs intrinsèques. L'hypothèse d'un sous bassement génétique de la schizophrénie est étayé par plusieurs travaux comme les études épidémiologiques, de liaison génétique et des gènes candidats. Toutefois, l'hétérogénéité phénotypique de la maladie amène à des résultats variables. De fait, le cloisonnement phénotypique à la non réponse aux antipsychotiques chez les patients schizophrènes, pourrait être contributif à ce type d'approche. La pharmacogénétique se base sur les connaissances pharmacologiques des antipsychotiques et des gènes candidats des récepteurs cibles de ces molécules. Se basant sur l'hypothèse sérotoninergique de la schizophrénie et le tropisme préférentiel des antipsychotiques atypiques pour le récepteur sérotoninergique 5-HT2A, les premières études dans ce domaine ont testé la qualité de la réponse à la clozapine avec les polymorphismes T102C -1438A/G de la région promotrice et du gène du récepteur 5-HT2A. On peut toutefois noter l'inconsistance des résultats. L'hétérogénéité phénotypique de la maladie pourrait, au travers de symptômes cliniques, souligner ces différences. Par exemple, les symptômes négatifs dont la constance au cours de la maladie et l'association avec une moins bonne réponse thérapeutique sont reconnus. Notre hypothèse était que la disparité des résultats des études pharmacogénétiques testant le gène du récepteur 5-HT2A était liée à l'interférence des symptômes négatifs eux-mêmes sous influence génétique. Nous avons donc choisi de tester le polymorphisme -1438A/G de la région promotrice du gène codant pour le récepteur 5-HT2A et la réponse aux antipsychotiques, évaluant de manière parallèle les variables cliniques pouvant aggraver la réponse aux traitements. Dans ce premier travail, nous avons constaté que les sujets mauvais répondeurs se définissent surtout par la gravité des symptômes négatifs. Nous ne retrouvons pas d'association positive entre le polymorphisme génétique -1438A/G et la réponse aux antipsychotiques atypiques. Toutefois, l'allèle A et le génotype AA semblent être significativement associés à l'intensité des symptômes négatifs intervenant ainsi comme potentiel facteur confusionnant dans les études pharmacogénétiques testant le récepteur 5-HT2A. Les théories dopaminergiques et sérotoninergiques dans la schizophrénie ont été enrichies d'autres hypothèses pharmacologiques comme l'implication des systèmes adrénergiques, histaminiques, muscariniques ou cannabinoides. Plusieurs arguments permettaient d'envisager le gène du récepteur CB1 comme potentiellement impliqué dans la réponse médicamenteuse chez les patients schizophrènes. La plupart des études épidémiologiques montrent que les patients schizophrènes consomment jusqu'à deux fois plus de cannabis que dans la population générale. Les études post mortem réalisées chez les patients schizophrènes montrent une augmentation de la densité de ces récepteurs au niveau du cortex préfrontal dorsolatéral et cela de manière indépendante à la consommation récente de cannabis. La localisation cérébrale des récepteurs CB1, leur rôle interactif avec d'autres neurotransmetteurs en particulier la dopamine ou le glutamate ont permis d'envisager l'hypothèse endocannabinoide de la schizophrénie. Le gène du récepteur CB1 est localisé sur la région chromosomique 6q14-15, une région potentiellement impliquée dans la schizophrénie. Dans un second travail, nous avons analysé le polymorphisme 1359G/A du récepteur CB1 (étant donné sa caractéristique de tag-SNP) dans la réponse aux antipsychotiques. Parallèlement, nous avons choisi de tester trois autres polymorphismes couvrant environ 14kb du gène du CB1. Nous trouvons une association significative entre l'allèle G et la mauvaise réponse aux antipsychotiques mais pas d'association avec la maladie. Les travaux de recherche en pharmacogénétique semblent pertinents dans la prédiction de la qualité de la réponse aux traitements chez les patients schizophrènes. Dans la mesure où les mécanismes d'actions des antipsychotiques sont connus, il semble aisé de tester les gènes des récepteurs cibles dans la prédiction de la réponse médicamenteuse. Ce type d'approche pourrait être contributive comme outil complémentaire au psychiatre afin d'améliorer le confort des patients à travers une meilleure compliance.

The 'model minority' label given to Chinese populations in New Zealand and other Western countries have made it difficult to truly comprehend the difficulties faced by some Chinese ethnic minorities. Despite comparable rates and types of mental health problems to their European counterparts, identifiable barriers have led to Chinese ethnic minorities underutilising mental health services. The present study investigated the mental health service utilisation in native- and foreign-born Chinese youth in New Zealand, paying particular attention to barriers to service utilisation and viable solutions for these difficulties. It consisted of three individual projects and explored the views of Chinese community and mental health professionals and Chinese university students, comparing their perspectives to university students of other ethnicities. Findings showed that despite a willingness to seek help from their family and mental health professionals (e.g., psychologists, school counsellors), respondents identified a myriad of obstacles to the help seeking of Chinese youth. These included physical barriers (e.g., financial and transport constraints), personal barriers (e.g., stigma, problems accepting their difficulties), service barriers (e.g., paucity of knowledge regarding mental health problems and available services) and family barriers (e.g., obstruction from family members). Family and service barriers distinguished the difficulties faced by Chinese in comparison to European youth, particularly with regards to the adherence of professionals to stereotypes of Chinese youth, a unique finding of this study. In order to reduce such barriers, the Chinese university students and professionals advocated for greater education regarding mental health problems and services in the Chinese community, education for Chinese parents regarding adolescent issues, an increase in the number of practicing Chinese professionals that is coupled with improved cross-cultural training for non-Chinese professionals, as well as individual assessment and treatment approaches with Chinese youth and their families. / Whole document restricted, but available by request, use the feedback form to request access.

Do Christian missionaries who exhibit good person-job fit, (‘aligned’ with host nation colleagues and ‘in harmony’ with expatriate colleagues), experience more positive work attitudes? Personjob fit was conceptualized in terms of competencies. Perspectives on what competencies the role of missionary requires were obtained from 3 groups of subject matter experts: host nation colleagues, missionaries, and mission agency leaders. In Study I, subject matter experts (host nation colleagues, n=22, missionaries, n=25, and agency leaders, n=23) rated the ‘Universal Competency Framework’ (SHL) 20-level competencies. Host nation colleagues differed significantly on 3 of the competencies, suggesting that in this sample, the perspective of expatriates on the role of a missionary was not fully aligned with that of host nation colleagues. In Study 2, a sample of 130 current overseas missionaries self-assessed their performance and provided their own ratings of the importance of the competencies used in Study 1. Measures of Person-Job fit (Demands-Abilities fit, Supplies-Values fit and Perceived Performance) were regressed against outcome variables (job satisfaction, work engagement and satisfaction with life). Results indicated that a person’s fit with the job as described by both host nation colleagues (Alignment) and other expatriates (Harmonization) is positively associated with job satisfaction, work engagement and satisfaction with life. These results offer support for competencies as an effective method of describing missionary roles. Possible implications for enhancing the effectiveness and well-being of missionaries, and other aid and development workers, are discussed.