The purpose of the current studies was to determine whether "matches", or fit, between actual task control and participants' desire for control over their environment lead to better stress and task performance outcomes than "mismatches", or misfit, in high work demand environments only. These studies also investigated the mediating effects of cognitive stressor appraisals and stress, as well as the moderating influence of hardiness on threat appraisals. Data were collected on 366 undergraduate students, who were asked to complete individual difference measures and engage in timed performance tasks. Results indicated no significant interactions between actual task control and desire for control for the outcomes of cognitive stressor appraisals, experienced stress, or task performance. No mediating influence was found for cognitive appraisals or stress, nor was there a buffering effect of hardiness on the cognitive appraisal process. Despite the non-significant results, the effects on task performance trended in the predicted direction in both studies, such that the highest task performance was found in cases of match between actual task control and desire for control, whereas the lowest task performance was found in cases of mismatch. These findings yield some support for Person-Environment Fit theory, demonstrating that actual task control and desire for control should be considered together when predicting task performance in workplace contexts.

Esse trabalho visa estudar a influência da vibração no desempenho de tarefas de pilotos de aeronaves. Para o seu desenvolvimento, foi montada uma bancada usando um assento de aeronave para avaliar a transmissibilidade da vibração vertical para os pilotos e verificar se níveis elevados de aceleração, como no caso de falha da turbina, podem prejudicar sua habilidade em desempenhar tarefas de leitura, escrita e digitação. Todos os experimentos foram realizados com sucesso, comprovando grande parte dos estudos anteriores sobre o assunto. Ainda são apresentadas comparações relacionando os mesmos níveis de aceleração usados no teste de transmissibilidade, com as normas ISO 2631-1 e ANSI S3.18 para avaliação da exposição humana à vibração de corpo inteiro, que são as mais apropriadas para a correlação com o mundo aeronáutico. / This work aims to study the influence of vibration in aircraft pilots task performance. For the study development, it was assembled a rig test using an aircraft pilot seat, in order to evaluate the transmissibility of vertical vibration to the pilots and to verify if high acceleration levels, as in the case of engine failure, are of significance to the pilots ability in performing tasks such as reading, writing and typing. All the experiments were accomplished successfully, confirming most of early studies about the subject. Comparisons are also presented, relating the same acceleration levels used in the transmissibility test with ISO 2631-1 and ANSI S3.18 standards for evaluation of human exposure to whole-body vibration which are the most appropriated for correlation with the aeronautical world.

Contextualização: Os testes de sensibilidade tátil da mão existentes não permitem considerar diferentes receptores, detectar variações na faixa de normalidade ou caracterizar o processo de desenvolvimento e envelhecimento. Objetivo: Elaborar um conjunto de atividades-testes para avaliar sensibilidade tátil da mão que forneça escore e tempo de execução das tarefas, com rotina de aplicação e coleta de dados detalhada em manual. Método: Para elaboração do teste foi realizada revisão da literatura e reuniões de grupo para criação de atividades-testes, seleção de materiais e elaboração do manual. Teste e manual foram submetidos à avaliação de 30 pareceristas, em 3 fases, cada uma com 10 examinadores. Resultado: O Teste de sensibilidade tátil da mão, denominado THPH (do inglês, test of haptic perception of hand) desenvolvido tem por objetivo graduar a sensibilidade tátil manual, considerando diferentes domínios sensoriais: depressão, elevação, textura, densidade, barognosia e reconhecimento de formas planas, tridimensionais de pequena e grande elevação. Cada atividade-teste possui um material específico. O escore pode variar de 0 a 57, sendo 0 a pior nota. Na primeira etapa foram sugeridas 12 modificações e aceitas 9 delas. As estruturas de teste de depressão, elevação, barognosia e reconhecimento de formas foram consideradas adequadas. Na segunda etapa foram sugeridas 3 modificações e aceita uma. As estruturas do teste de depressão foram modificadas novamente. Na terceira etapa foram dadas sugestões de continuidade do estudo. Conclusão: O processo metodológico escolhido permitiu a elaboração de um manual descritivo de atividades-testes específicas para avaliar seis diferentes domínios da sensibilidade tátil a partir da organização de grupo de trabalho e direcionamento fornecido por 30 pareceristas / Background: The tests of tactile sensitivity of hand do not allow considering different receptors, to detect variations in the range of normality or characterize the process of development and aging. Objective: To develop a set of activities-tests to assess tactile sensitivity of the hand to provide score and runtime, routine of application and collection of data. Method: It was performed a literature review, group meetings for test creation and materials testing and preparation of the manual. Test and its manual were submitted to 30 reviewers in 3 stages, each one with 10 examiners. Result: The Test of Haptic Perception of Hand (THPH) developed aims to graduate tactile sensitivity of hand according to the different sensory domains: depression, elevation, texture, density, weight perception and shape recognition, each one with the respective material. The score may range from 0 to 57, with 0 being the worst rating. In the first stage with participation of 10 examiners it was suggested 12 changes, of which 9 were accepted. The structures of the test domain depression, elevation, and shape recognition barognosis were considered adequate. In the second stage the structures of the depression were changed again. In the third step suggestions were given to continuity of the study. Conclusion: The chosen methodological process allowed the preparation of a manual illustrative and specific material to evaluate six different domains of tactile manual with the group organization and direction provided by 30 examiners in three phases

En la presente investigación se buscó determinar cuál es el impacto de la Inteligencia Emocional en el desempeño de los colaboradores de una empresa de tecnología en Lima Metropolitana. El método de la investigación es descriptiva – explicativa. Se aplicó una encuesta en una muestra de 300 colaboradores de diversas áreas y de los cuatro Business United de la organización, identificándose tres subvariables específicas para medir la inteligencia emocional: Atención Emocional, Claridad Emocional y Regulación Emocional y para el desempeño contextual y desempeño de tareas. En cuanto a los resultados encontramos que el coeficiente de Correlación de Spearman es 0.780, en consecuencia, se puede afirmar que, el manejo de la Inteligencia Emocional de los colaboradores impacta significativamente en su desempeño en una empresa de tecnología en Lima Metropolitana. Asimismo, considerando la tendencia creciente de los puntajes de dispersión y el signo positivo r=0.780, se puede afirmar que la relación es directa, es decir, si el puntaje de inteligencia emocional se incrementa, se estima que el puntaje de desempeño laboral también se incrementa. En conclusión, la inteligencia emocional fue categorizada en 3 niveles: bajo, medio y alto. Se observa que la mayoría de los colaboradores tienen alto nivel de inteligencia emocional, esta representa el 63.3% del total de colaboradores; le sigue el nivel medio con el 34.3% y solo el 2.3% tienen nivel bajo. En el caso del desempeño laboral fueron categorizados en 3 niveles: malo, regular y bueno; obteniendo como resultados de que la mayoría de los colaboradores tienen buen desempeño laboral, esta representa el 58.3% del total de colaboradores. El 41% de colaboradores tienen desempeño medio, y solo el 0.7% tienen un mal desempeño. / In this research, we sought to determine what is the impact of Emotional Intelligence on the performance of the collaborators of a technology company in Metropolitan Lima. The research method is descriptive - explanatory. A survey was applied in a sample of 300 collaborators from different areas and from the four Business Units of the organization, identifying three specific variables to measure emotional intelligence: Emotional Attention, Emotional Clarity and Emotional Regulation and for contextual performance and task performance. Regarding the results, we found that the Spearman correlation coefficient is 0.780, consequently, it can be affirmed that the management of the Emotional Intelligence of the employees has a significant impact on their performance in a technology company in Metropolitan Lima. Also, considering the increasing tendency of the dispersion scores and the positive sign r = 0.780, it can be affirmed that the relationship is direct, that is, if the emotional intelligence score is increased, it is estimated that the work performance score is also Increase In conclusion, emotional intelligence was categorized into 3 levels: low, medium and high. It is observed that most of the collaborators have a high level of emotional intelligence, this represents 63.3% of the total number of collaborators; the average level follows with 34.3% and only 2.3% have a low level. In the case of work performance, they were categorized into 3 levels: bad, regular and good; Obtaining as a result that most of the collaborators have good work performance, this represents 58.3% of the total of collaborators. 41% of employees have average performance, and only 0.7% have poor performance. / Trabajo de Investigación

Nursing assistants (NAs) provide the majority of daily care to older adults in nursing homes (NHs); NAs working in NHs are the focus of this study. This study examined the influence of participatory management (the independent variable), and mediating variables, burnout – measured as emotional exhaustion, task performance, and affective organizational commitment, on NA withdrawal behaviors (the dependent variables absenteeism and turnover). Most of the data come from a 113-item self-administered questionnaire designed to measure NAs' perceptions of their job and work environment. Turnover data were collected from the NA's NH, on average about 16 months later. The two dependent variables were examined in separate analyses with the samples consisting of 246 participants for the absenteeism analysis and 244 for the turnover analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25 and PROCESS 3.3, an SPSS macro add-in. Both ordinary least squares and logistic binary regression were used to examine the associations between variables. The results indicated that participatory management had statistically significant indirect effects on both outcomes. There were two significant mediation results for absenteeism: 1) participatory management increased NA task performance, which, in turn, decreased absenteeism and, 2) participatory management also decreased NA burnout, which, in turn, increased their performance and decreased absenteeism. There were four significant mediation results for turnover: 1) participatory management increased NA attachment to the NH, which, in turn, decreased turnover, 2) participatory management improved NAs' perceptions of their job performance, which, in turn, increased their turnover, 3) participatory management tended to decrease NA burnout, which, in turn, tended to increase attachment to the NH, and, then, tended to decrease turnover, and 4) participatory management tended to decrease NA burnout, which, in turn, tended to increase task performance, and, then, tended to increase turnover. These findings broaden the research on NAs' withdrawal behaviors and demonstrate the need to further explore this hypothesized model.

RATIONALE: Previous studies have shown that neonatal quinpirole treatment which results in long-term dopamine D2 receptor supersensitization (D2 receptor priming) produces cognitive deficits in preweanling and adult rats behaviorally tested on the Morris water task (MWT).OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to analyze whether pretraining administration of the D2 antagonist eticlopride alleviates cognitive deficits produced by neonatal quinpirole treatment.METHODS: Both male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with quinpirole HCl (1 mg/kg) or saline from postnatal days 1 to 21. From P22 to P24, rats were tested on the place version of the MWT in which a hidden platform remains stationary throughout training. From P25 to P28, rats were tested on the match-to-place version of the MWT, and rats are given a pair of daily training trials to locate the hidden platform that was moved to a new location each day. Fifteen minutes before each training session, rats were intraperitoneally administered with eticlopride (0.01 or 0.02 mg/kg) or saline.RESULTS: Pretraining eticlopride treatment alleviated cognitive deficits produced by neonatal quinpirole treatment in both male and female rats on the place version of the MWT, as well as in males tested on the match-to-place version of the MWT. However, there were no significant deficits produced by neonatal quinpirole treatment in females tested on the match-to-place version of the MWT, and control males demonstrated superiority over control females on this version of the task.CONCLUSIONS: Pretraining administration of the dopamine D2 antagonist eticlopride alleviated cognitive deficits produced by neonatal quinpirole treatment. However, it appears that the dopamine D2 receptor may have a more important influence on cognitive performance in males than in females, which may be related to increased sensitivity of the D2 receptor in males.

No description available.

No description available.

The purpose of this research was to examine operator workload and performance in a high risk, multi-task environment. Specifically, the research examined if a gunner of a Future Combat System, such as a Mounted Combat System, could effectively detect targets in the immediate environment while concurrently operating robotic assets in a remote environment. It also analyzed possible effects of individual difference factors, such as spatial ability and attentional control, on operator performance and workload. The experimental conditions included a gunner baseline and concurrent task conditions where participants simultaneously performed gunnery tasks and one of the following tasks: monitor an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) via a video feed (Monitor), manage a semi-autonomous UGV, and teleoperate a UGV (Teleop). The analysis showed that the asset condition significantly impacted gunnery performance with the gunner baseline having the highest number of targets detected (M = 13.600 , SD = 2.353), and concurrent Teleop condition the lowest (M = 9.325 , SD = 2.424). The research also found that high spatial ability participants tended to detect more targets than low spatial ability participants. Robotic task performance was also affect by the asset condition. The results showed that the robotic target detection rate was lower for the concurrent task conditions. A significant difference was seen between the UGV-baseline (80.1%) when participants performed UGV tasks only and UGV-concurrent conditions (67.5%) when the participants performed UGV tasks concurrently with gunnery tasks. Overall, this study revealed that there were performance decrements for the gunnery tasks as well as the robotic tasks when the tasks were performed concurrently.

The goal of this dissertation was to understand the issue of load in a more operationally realistic way, while examining underlying segmental relations and postural regulation related to functional capability. The ecological approach provides a foundation for this work, as its approach seeks understanding across nested relations and at the level of the Organism-Environment system. First, a landing task was used to examine transitions from movement to upright stance, evaluating the effects of load on changes relevant to prospective control of action. Greater negative head angles, reductions in the field of regard, and reduced variability in orienting coordination (trunk-head relations) under load all suggest reductions in the postural affordances for visual perception. The heaviest load was not the worst; as the asymmetrically loaded Vest configuration had greater negative effects on postural affordances. This was further supported by the increased power and frequency content in the Center of Pressure dynamics, suggesting much more difficult postural regulation in this configuration. The second study examined the effects of load on dynamic marksmanship performance using large loads on the torso and small loads on the extremities (night vision goggles and extremity armor on the arms) while establishing two different postures determined by target placement. Load and Posture both had negative impacts on the speed-accuracy trade-off, with larger loads affecting gross postural transitions and smaller loads degrading fine-aiming performance. The more challenging posture degraded accuracy on target substantially, suggesting that reorientation of multiple segments may be necessary for assessing the consequences of load on marksmanship performance. Increases in the total coordinative variability of Head-Trunk-Gun relations with load at a high target suggests that increased inertial and interactive forces during movement "push" the system out of the optimal segmental relations. Moreover, the results from Postural-Focal coupling suggest that load "freezes" previously available degrees of freedom, making the system more deterministic and less flexible in goal-directed achievement. The two previous paradigms are joined in the third study to understand perception-action coupling during movement cessation to marksmanship transitions, a ubiquitous task in combat. Increased time to discriminate targets was found with load and was related to peak head velocities and the inability to dissipate energy at the head/eyes under load. Again, Load and Posture had significant effects on the speed-accuracy trade-off, especially at the load most similar to that seen in current missions. Segmental coordination in this effort ballasts the findings in study 2, as significant shifts from optimal Head-Trunk-Gun relations were observed with load as well as increased variability that was detrimental to task performance. This dissertation demonstrates that science can be "Operationalized" in a way that maintains scientific integrity during complex task analysis; providing additional insight into the issue of load across multiple scales of analysis related to functional capability and survivability in combat and others encumbered by load.