The relationship of attributional style to anxiety and depression in children and adolescents has received little attention in comparison to studies conducted with adult populations. However, preliminary studies suggest that children and adolescents evidence similar attributional style patterns to those expressed by adults. This study further examines the relationship of anxiety and depression to attributional style to determine the utility and applicability of the adult model to children and adolescents. In addition, this study examines the accuracy of obtaining attributional style ratings using hypothetical events (i.e., questionnaire method) versus real-life events. Further, this study was designed to study the relationship of emotional measures of anxiety and depression (Le., Children's Depression Inventory and Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale) versus cognitive measures of anxiety and depression (Negative Affect Self-Statement Questionnaire). It was hypothesized that real life events (as measured by the Specific Life Events Schedule; SLES) would prove to be a concurrently valid measure of attributional style in relation to hypothetical events presented through a questionnaire method (as measured by the Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire; CASQ). As well, it was predicted that real life events of the SLES would prove to be a more accurate measure of attributional style than hypothetical life events of the CASQ, in relation to achieved depression scores. Furthermore, it was predicted that certain indices of attributional style and negative self-statements would prove to be significant predictors of depression (as measured by the CDI) and anxiety scores (as measured by the RCMAS). / Master of Science

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2017-04-04T15:30:23Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Jose B Damasceno Junior.pdf: 1891815 bytes, checksum: 03363a3789637e84b97afceb57e7fcb7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-04T15:30:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jose B Damasceno Junior.pdf: 1891815 bytes, checksum: 03363a3789637e84b97afceb57e7fcb7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-26 / The subject lessons learned in projects has been more and more relevant nowadays, considering the adoption on institutions and a growing number of academic researches. Models for lessons learned management have been developed, supported by processes and tools such as social software (eg, Wikis, Blogs, Microblogging ...). Considering the software adoption problem or the lack of processes and tools for managing lessons learned in institutions and carrying on Rose’s research project (2015) whom developed a model for management of lessons learned, the Target 2.0, this study’s main objective is to validate such a model in action on a public safety government institution. A Wiki page has been developed to promote the management of lessons learned in a project at this institution. This work was developed based on the Design Science Research (DSR) paradigm and the Technical Action Research (TAR) method. The results suggests increments to the validated artifact on the lessons learned list of processes during the phases of the project’s life cycle, while the usefulness and ease of use of the Wiki were recognized by those involved they also pointed to the positive effect on the efficiency and effectiveness of the processes and project activities. This research presents itself as unique and useful. The uniqueness is because the Target 2.0 had not yet been validated on the field, so it is unprecedented. Its usefulness is shown by the fact that the public safety government institution will make use of this Wiki in the upcoming issues of the Quality Award project. The contribution to the theory happens as it is confirmed that investing into the adoption of tools and techniques is essential, and that it is also possible to innovate in the Brazilian’s public safety sector by using good practices, that keeping people aligned is fundamental to the lessons learned management in projects. It shows that: 1. the implementation phase of the project life cycle allows for a greater collection of lessons learned; 2. the perception of the existence of new tools can promote greater social collaboration of information about projects; and 3. beyond the importance of raising awareness, a lessons learned policy is needed. The practical contribution lies on the adoption of a model of lessons learned management in projects, which was pioneered in that institution. / Cada vez mais o tema lições aprendidas em projetos vem se fazendo presente, haja vista a sua abordagem nas instituições e a crescente produção de pesquisas acadêmicas. Modelos para gestão de lições aprendidas vêm sendo desenvolvidos, apoiados em processos e ferramentas como os softwares sociais (e.g. Wikis, Blogues, Microblogues...). Considerando o problema do desuso ou desconhecimento de processos e ferramentas para a gestão de lições aprendidas em instituições, e dando continuidade ao projeto de pesquisa de Rosa (2015), que desenvolveu um modelo Target para gestão de lições aprendidas, este trabalho tem como objetivo principal validar tal modelo na prática em uma instituição governamental de segurança pública. Uma página Wiki foi desenvolvida para promover a gestão de lições aprendidas em um projeto nesta instituição. Este trabalho foi desenvolvido baseado no paradigma de pesquisa Design Science Research (DSR) e no método de pesquisa Technical Action Research (TAR). Os resultados sugerem incrementos ao artefato validado nos processos de liçoes aprendidas por fase do ciclo de vida do projeto, enquanto a utilidade e facilidade no uso da Wiki foram reconhecidos pelos envolvidos que, também, consideram haver efeito positivo na eficácia nos processos e atividades do projeto. Este trabalho de pesquisa se apresenta como original e útil. A originalidade se caracteriza pelo fato que o Target não havia sido ainda validado na prática, portanto, inédito. Já a sua utilidade se comprova pelo fato que a instituição governamental de segurança pública fará uso da Wiki nas próximas edições do projeto no qual o Target foi validado. A contribuição para a teoria ocorre à medida que se confirma que investir na adoção de técnicas e ferramentas em projetos é fundamental, que é possível inovar na segurança pública brasileira por meio das boas práticas de projetos, que o alinhamento das pessoas é fundamental para a gestão de lições aprendidas em projetos, que a fase de execução do ciclo de vida do projeto permite uma maior coleta de lições aprendidas em projetos, que a percepção da existência de novas ferramentas podem promover uma maior colaboraçao social de informações sobre projetos e que além da importância do processo de conscientizar, uma política para a prática de lições aprendidas se faz necessária. Já a contribuição para a prática se apresenta na adoção de uma sistemática para gestão de lições aprendidas em projetos, inédita naquela instituição.

Theoretical models of sexual selection assume that female mating preferences are fixed and variation found between individuals resulting solely from allelic variation at specific loci coding for sexual preferences. For the last decade, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that individual phenotypic variation in preferences was common across a wide range of taxa and induced by the environmental context and the females’ condition. Further, developmental stages of life are crucial in the formation of behaviours in general and have proven to be determinant to learn sexual preferences in some species that dispense care for their young. However, very little studies have analysed how the early social and physical environments shape female mate choice in species that lack parental care. In this thesis, I used guppies (Poecilia reticulata), firstly, to investigate the influence of various aspects of the social environment provided by males during two ontogenetic phases. Secondly, I explored whether learned preferences in a foraging context during development could be transferred into a mating context. Considering the early social environment, I explored three distinctive features potentially displayed by males and that females might experience while growing. Females were reared with different values of a sexual trait not genetically preferred in the population (orange colour) and different values of a trait for which they had innate predisposition (total colour area). In both cases, females were exposed to the different treatments for the whole developmental period or for its later phase. My results indicated that females changed their sexual behaviours in response to both type of traits experienced, reversing sometimes their genetic preferences. Moreover, the timing of exposure seemed to be a key factor in the acquisition of preferences as females exposed only to the later part of development with different values of total colour didn’t rely anymore on colour patterns to discriminate among males. In a third body of experiment, I examined whether the overall phenotypic variance exhibited by males during whole development, independently of the values of a specific sexual cue, mediated female’s behaviours. In a context of high variance, female became choosier relatively to those experiencing less variance. As a response, males switched mating tactics and attempted more forced copulations. In its final part, my thesis searched for a link that might have arisen, owing to developmental conditions, between preferences using the same sensory modality in two behavioural contexts. Maturing females were given food that was associated to a certain colour and subsequently tested for both their coloured preference in a foraging and a sexual context. Although no foraging preference for the corresponding colour was detected, females that experienced a yellow stimulus preferred yellower males compared to females with other experiences. Taken together these results suggest that developmental conditions and especially the social environment play a pivotal role in the process of mate choice. Under some circumstances, learned mate preferences override genetically-based preferences highlighting the importance of non-genetic mechanisms. Accordingly, it is urgent to integrate in the study of sexual selection and reproductive isolation this dimension. In guppies, for instance, the effect of early social life might contribute to the maintenance of colour pattern polymorphism found in males.

This study investigated the possible differential effects of a series of soluble discrimination problems on internal versus external locus of control subjects. It was hypothesized that externals exposed to a series of discrimination problems would perform better on a test task than external controls, while internals exposed to the same problems would not perform better on the test task relative to their controls. As anticipated, the internals were not affected by the discrimination problems. However, contrary to expectations, the externals were not facilitated by exposure to the soluble problems. Since many external subjects failed to solve all of the soluble problems, a facilitative effect may depend upon the problems being solved.

The response deficit following exposure to inescapable shock has been termed "learned helplessness." This experiment was designed (a) to determine whether learned helplessness following an inescapable footshock induction procedure extends to 48 hours, and (b) to test the hypothesis that electroconvulsive shock (ECS) reverses learned helplessness in rats. Subjects were tested for helplessness in a bar-press shock-escape task. Results indicated that helplessness was not present 48 hours after exposure to inescapable shock. A slight indication of helplessness was observed in the first 10 trials of the 60-trial task. In addition, ECS was shown to enhance performance in the test task; however, this facilitation effect was seen only in control animals that were not previously exposed to inescapable footshock.

To determine the relationship among learned helplessness, locus of control, and academic achievement, data from 86 sixth graders were gathered and intercorrelated. Contingency of teacher-administered rewards and punishments as perceived by school children, and helpless behavior of students as judged by their teachers were measured. The Children's Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale was used to measure locus of control orientation. A positive relationship between academic achievement and locus of control was found. The contingency of reward scale was found to be predictive of academic achievement and helpless behavior. Virtually no significant relationships were found between any of the other variables and the contingency of punishment scale. Helpless behavior was found to be predictive of low academic success and an external locus of control.

A hipótese do desamparo aprendido foi apresentada por Seligman & Maier em 1976 com uma suposta generalidade para todas as condições de estímulo, aversivos ou não e também como um modelo explicativo para a depressão humana. Esta proposição permitiu algumas manipulações experimentais no sentido de reverter o efeito do desamparo, utilizando, inclusive, reforçamento positivo na fase de \"terapia\". A partir dessas questões, o presente trabalho investigou: (a) se animais que apresentaram desamparo em teste de fuga também apresentam dificuldade de aprendizagem reforçada positivamente, envolvendo ou não controle de estímulos; (b) se a exposição ao reforço positivo elimina o desamparo e (c) se o desamparo interfere na resistência à mudança, medida sobre uma segunda aprendizagem discriminativa, reforçada positivamente, que envolve inversão do controle de estímulos. Ratos foram expostos a choques controláveis (C), incontroláveis (I) ou nenhum choque (N), e posteriormente submetidos ao teste de fuga. Foram selecionados três grupos (n=4) de animais que apresentaram desamparo (grupo I) ou aprendizagem de fuga no teste (grupos C e N). Em seguida, todos foram submetidos a (1) reforçamento positivo da resposta de pressão à barra (modelagem, CRF e 10 sessões de treino discriminativo FR/extinção), (2) re-teste de fuga, (3) 10 sessões de treino discriminativo com inversão dos estímulos sinalizadores. Outros quatro animais receberam apenas as sessões de reforçamento positivo. Obteve-se que todos os sujeitos aprenderam igualmente a discriminação e sua reversão, e que 3/4 dos animais do grupo I mantiveram o desamparo no segundo teste de fuga. Esses resultados indicam que o desamparo não se generalizou para a aprendizagem reforçada positivamente e que a exposição ao reforçamento positivo não aboliu o desamparo para a maioria dos sujeitos. Os dados foram discutidos considerando-se o efeito seletivo do desamparo, que ocorre apenas frente a algumas contingências, mas não a todas. Quanto ao fato da \"terapia\" com reforço positivo não ter modificado a dificuldade de aprender uma resposta mediante reforçamento negativo isso sugere que, se o desamparo decorre da aprendizagem de impossibilidade de controle sobre o ambiente, essa aprendizagem não abrange todos os estímulos do ambiente de forma generalizada, mas apenas a uma (ou algumas) determinada classe de estímulos. A identificação das características que definem essa(s) classe (ser choque, ser aversivo ou outras) também deve ser objeto de futuras investigações. / The learned helplessness hypothesis was put forward by Seligman & Maier in 1976 under the assumption of generality among all stimulus conditions, aversive or otherwise, and as an explanatory model of human depression. This proposition allowed for some experimental manipulations aimed at reversing the effect, using, among others things, positive reinforcement during a \"therapy\" phase. With that in mind, the present research attempted to investigate whether: (a) animals that showed signs of helplessness in an escape test also show a learning deficit with positive reinforcement, whether or not involving stimulus control; (b) the exposure to positive reinforcement may cancel out helplessness and (c) helplessness interferes with resistance to change, measured during a second, positively reinforced, discrimination learning (reversal). Rats were first exposed to controllable (C), uncontrollable (I) or no shocks (N) and then to an escape test. Three groups (n=4) were selected: one that displayed helplessness (group I) and two that learned to escape (groups C and N). After that, all subjects were exposed to (1) positive reinforcement of lever pressing (shaping, CRF and ten sessions of discrimination between FR and extinction), (2) the same escape test, (3) ten sessions of discrimination learning with reversed discriminative stimuli. Other four animals were exposed only to sessions of positive reinforcement. All animals learned discrimination and reversal, and three out of four animals of group I remained helplessness in the second escape test. These results suggest that helplessness did not generalize to a positively reinforced task and that exposure to positive reinforcement did not cancel out helplessness for most subjects. Results are discussed considering the selective effect of helplessness, which occurs under some conditions, but not under all. The fact that therapy with positive reinforcement did not reduce the learning deficit observed with negative reinforcement suggest that if helplessness result from learning that it is impossible to control the environment, this knowledge does not include all stimuli in a generalized manner, but only one (or some) certain stimuli class. The identification of the characteristics that define these classes (electric shocks, aversive stimuli, among others) should also be the purpose of future research.

A depressão se constitui um transtorno de alta frequência mundial, apresentando como um dos fatores etiológicos, a exposição a eventos estressores. Em termos neurobiológicos, vários trabalhos da literatura sugerem a importância das projeções serotoninérgicas que partem do Núcleo Mediano da Rafe (NMnR) para o Hipocampo Dorsal (HD) na adaptação ao estresse, a partir da desconexão das associações aversivas previamente aprendidas de suas consequências comportamentais. Assim, o presente trabalho apresenta como objetivo investigar o envolvimento dos receptores tipo 5-HT1a localizados no Núcleo Mediano da Rafe no processo de evocação de memórias aversivas. Para isso, ratos Wistar foram submetidos a cirurgia estereotáxica para a implantação de uma cânula-guia direcionada ao Núcleo Mediano da Rafe (NMnR). Passado o período de recuperação, os animais foram expostos a 40 choques inescapáveis (0,6mA; 10) (condição experimental) em uma caixa de vai-e-vem. Após 24 h, os animais receberam duas injeções intracerebrais de Salina (Sal), 8OHDPAT (DPAT; 3nmoles/0,2µl; agonista de 5-HT1aR) e/ou WAY100635 (WAY; 0,3nmoles/0,2µl; antagonista de 5-HT1aR) combinadas de forma a compor os seguintes grupos experimentais: Sal+Sal, WAY+Sal, Sal+DPAT e WAY+DPAT. Cinco minutos após as injeções, todos animais foram submetidos a uma sessão de teste, na qual foram apresentados 30 choques elétricos escapáveis (0,4mA; 10) nas patas, sinalizados por uma luz (15W; 20) que permanecia acesa durante a apresentação dos choques. Durante a sessão teste foram registrados a latência, o número de esquivas, fugas, falhas e o total de cruzamentos. Um grupo controle também foi realizado, sendo que os animais foram apenas colocados na caixa, sem exposição a choques inescapáveis, sendo testados 24 h após. Os resultados foram analisados pela ANOVA de medidas repetidas. Também foi calculada porcentagem de animais desamparados (%DA) em cada condição, analisada pelo teste do Qui-quadrado. A pré-exposição a choques inescapáveis levou ao desenvolvimento de desamparo aprendido, efeito esse não atenuado pelo tratamento com DPAT, o que pode ser observado na elevada %DA em todos os grupos. Por outro lado, na condição controle, observou-se uma reduzida %DA para todos os tratamentos. Nossos resultados sugerem que a ativação de receptores de tipo 5-HT1a do NMnR não está envolvida na evocação de memórias aversivas. / The depression is a high-frequency disorder in the world, having as one of the etiological causes the exposure to stressful events. In neurobiological terms, several studies of literature suggest the importance of serononinergic projections from the Median Raphe Nucleus for dorsal hipocampus in adaptation to stress, from the disconnection of aversive associations previously learnead of its behavioral consequences. Thus, the aim of this work is to investigate the involvement of 5-HT1a receptors located in the Median Raphe Nucleus in the aversive memory recall process. For this, Wistar rats were submitted to sterioc surgery for the implantation of a guided cannula aimed to MnRN. After the recovery period, the animals were exposed to 40 inescapable shocks (0,6mA; 10 \") (experimental condition) in a shuttled box. After 24 h, the animals received two intracerebral injections of saline (Sal), 8OHDPAT (DPAT; 3nmoles / 0,2l; 5-HT1aR agonist) and / or WAY100635 (WAY; 0,3nmoles / 0,2l; antagonist 5 -HT1aR) combined to compose the following groups: Salt + Salt + WAY Sal, Sal + DPAT and WAY + DPAT. Five minutes after the injections, all animals were submitted to a test session in which were presented 30 escapable eletric footshocks (0,4mA; 10 \") sinilized by a light (15W, 20\") which remained on during the presentation of shock. During the test session were recorded latency for these responses, the number of avoidance, escape, failure and the total crossings. A control group was performed, and the animals just placed in the shuttle box, without exposing inescapable shocks. The results were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA. It was also calculated percentage of helpless animals (%HA) in each condition analyzed by chi-square test. The pre-exposure to inescapable shocks led to the development of learned helplessness, this effect does not attenuated by treatment with DPAT, which can be observed in high % of all groups. On the other hand, in the control condition, there is a reduced % of all treatments. Our results suggest that activation of 5-HT 1a of NMnR is not involved in the evocation of aversive memories.

A hipótese do desamparo aprendido foi apresentada por Seligman & Maier em 1976 com uma suposta generalidade para todas as condições de estímulo, aversivos ou não e também como um modelo explicativo para a depressão humana. Esta proposição permitiu algumas manipulações experimentais no sentido de reverter o efeito do desamparo, utilizando, inclusive, reforçamento positivo na fase de \"terapia\". A partir dessas questões, o presente trabalho investigou: (a) se animais que apresentaram desamparo em teste de fuga também apresentam dificuldade de aprendizagem reforçada positivamente, envolvendo ou não controle de estímulos; (b) se a exposição ao reforço positivo elimina o desamparo e (c) se o desamparo interfere na resistência à mudança, medida sobre uma segunda aprendizagem discriminativa, reforçada positivamente, que envolve inversão do controle de estímulos. Ratos foram expostos a choques controláveis (C), incontroláveis (I) ou nenhum choque (N), e posteriormente submetidos ao teste de fuga. Foram selecionados três grupos (n=4) de animais que apresentaram desamparo (grupo I) ou aprendizagem de fuga no teste (grupos C e N). Em seguida, todos foram submetidos a (1) reforçamento positivo da resposta de pressão à barra (modelagem, CRF e 10 sessões de treino discriminativo FR/extinção), (2) re-teste de fuga, (3) 10 sessões de treino discriminativo com inversão dos estímulos sinalizadores. Outros quatro animais receberam apenas as sessões de reforçamento positivo. Obteve-se que todos os sujeitos aprenderam igualmente a discriminação e sua reversão, e que 3/4 dos animais do grupo I mantiveram o desamparo no segundo teste de fuga. Esses resultados indicam que o desamparo não se generalizou para a aprendizagem reforçada positivamente e que a exposição ao reforçamento positivo não aboliu o desamparo para a maioria dos sujeitos. Os dados foram discutidos considerando-se o efeito seletivo do desamparo, que ocorre apenas frente a algumas contingências, mas não a todas. Quanto ao fato da \"terapia\" com reforço positivo não ter modificado a dificuldade de aprender uma resposta mediante reforçamento negativo isso sugere que, se o desamparo decorre da aprendizagem de impossibilidade de controle sobre o ambiente, essa aprendizagem não abrange todos os estímulos do ambiente de forma generalizada, mas apenas a uma (ou algumas) determinada classe de estímulos. A identificação das características que definem essa(s) classe (ser choque, ser aversivo ou outras) também deve ser objeto de futuras investigações. / The learned helplessness hypothesis was put forward by Seligman & Maier in 1976 under the assumption of generality among all stimulus conditions, aversive or otherwise, and as an explanatory model of human depression. This proposition allowed for some experimental manipulations aimed at reversing the effect, using, among others things, positive reinforcement during a \"therapy\" phase. With that in mind, the present research attempted to investigate whether: (a) animals that showed signs of helplessness in an escape test also show a learning deficit with positive reinforcement, whether or not involving stimulus control; (b) the exposure to positive reinforcement may cancel out helplessness and (c) helplessness interferes with resistance to change, measured during a second, positively reinforced, discrimination learning (reversal). Rats were first exposed to controllable (C), uncontrollable (I) or no shocks (N) and then to an escape test. Three groups (n=4) were selected: one that displayed helplessness (group I) and two that learned to escape (groups C and N). After that, all subjects were exposed to (1) positive reinforcement of lever pressing (shaping, CRF and ten sessions of discrimination between FR and extinction), (2) the same escape test, (3) ten sessions of discrimination learning with reversed discriminative stimuli. Other four animals were exposed only to sessions of positive reinforcement. All animals learned discrimination and reversal, and three out of four animals of group I remained helplessness in the second escape test. These results suggest that helplessness did not generalize to a positively reinforced task and that exposure to positive reinforcement did not cancel out helplessness for most subjects. Results are discussed considering the selective effect of helplessness, which occurs under some conditions, but not under all. The fact that therapy with positive reinforcement did not reduce the learning deficit observed with negative reinforcement suggest that if helplessness result from learning that it is impossible to control the environment, this knowledge does not include all stimuli in a generalized manner, but only one (or some) certain stimuli class. The identification of the characteristics that define these classes (electric shocks, aversive stimuli, among others) should also be the purpose of future research.

No description available.