The contribution of shape features and demographic variables to disembedding abilities

Humans typically perceive visual patterns in a global manner, and are remarkably capable of extracting object shapes based on properties such as proximity, closure, symmetry, and good continuation. Notwithstanding people’s attitude toward perceptual grouping, the research highlighted differences in disembedding performance across individuals, summarized by the field dependence/independence dimension. Previous studies revealed that age and educational attainment explain part of this variability, whereas the role of sex is still highly debated. Also, which stimulus features primarily influence inter-individual variations in perceptual grouping has to be fully determined.Building upon these premises, we assessed the role of age, level of education and sex on performance at the Leuven-Embedded Figure Test - a proxy of disembedding abilities - in a sample of 391 cisgender individuals. We also investigated whether stimulus symmetry, closure, complexity, and continuation relate to task accuracy as a function of personal characteristics.Overall, target asymmetry and continuation with the embedding context increase task difficulty, whereas target complexity demonstrates a U-shaped relationship with disembedding performance. Further, results unveil sex differences that have not been reported so far in adults and support the association between age, educational attainment, and disembedding abilities. Male individuals also benefit more from target symmetry and closure and are better at recognizing shapes when the embedding context is challenging. Lastly, highly educated adults better recognize asymmetrical and open targets, as well as shapes embedded in complex contexts. Taken together, our findings show how shape features relate to individual characteristics in explaining field independence.

Structural Validity of an ICF-Based Measure of Activity and Participation for Children in Taiwan’s Disability Eligibility Determination System

To assess activity and participation for children in Taiwan’s Disability Eligibility Determination System (DEDS), we developed a questionnaire, the Functioning Disability Evaluation Scale (FUNDES-Child), based on the Child and Adolescent Scale of Participation (CASP). The study follows a methodology research design to investigate the construct validity of the frequency and independence dimensions of FUNDES-Child 7.0. Two samples were randomly stratified from the databank of 13,835 children and youth with disabilities aged 6.0–17.9 years to examine structural validity by exploratory factor analysis (EFA, n = 4111, mean age of 11.3 ± 3.5) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA, n = 4823, mean age of 11.4 ± 3.5)). EFA indicated a 4-factor structure for the frequency dimension (51.3% variance explained) and a 2-factor structure for the independence dimension (53.6% variance explained). The CFA indicated that the second-order factor structures of both dimensions were more parsimonious with adequate fit indices (Goodness fit Index, GFI; Normed Fit Index, NFI; Comparative Fit Index, CFI; and Tucker-Lewis Index, TLI ≥ 0.95, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, RMSEA < 0.06). Results provide evidence that the participation part of FUNDES-Child 7.0 has acceptable structural validity for use in Taiwan’s DEDS. Utility of FUNDES-Child 7.0 in rehabilitation, welfare, and educational services needs further study.

Pamięć rewolucji 1905 roku po upadku PRL: wykluczanie z narodowej tradycji i próby nowej interpretacji

From the outset, the 1905 revolution was a place of conflict of memory revealing the political and social divisions existing in the Polish society. In the interwar period (1918–1939), three “legends” were formed: the left assessed the revolution positively and highlighted the relevance of its experiences, the ruling camp emphasized the independence dimension, and the right strongly criticized the revolution. After 1989 the conflict was renewed. The objective of the right-wing communities and parties influencing the historical policy of the state is to exclude the 1905 revolution from the national tradition and remove its symbols from public space. For the left-wing representatives, who are the minority, the years 1905–1907 are an important collective experience that requires a new interpretation and commemorating.

Influence of a Metacognitive Scaffolding for Information Search in B-learning Courses on Learning Achievement and Its Relationship With Cognitive and Learning Style

The research’s objective is to evaluate the differential effect that a metacognitive scaffolding for information web searches has on learning achievement of high school students with different cognitive style in the field dependence and independence dimension and on learning style in the dimension proposed by Honey and Alonso known as CHAEA. One hundred and four students from a school in the city of Bogotá, Colombia participated in the study. The research was quasi-experimental and was conducted with three 10th-grade groups, which worked with three scaffolding versions: fixed, optional, and without scaffolding. A multivariate analysis of covariance established that the fixed scaffolding favored learning achievement. Regarding cognitive style in the field dependence and independence dimension, the findings allow to conclude that the field independent students exhibited better academic performances in the presence of a fixed scaffolding when compared with the field dependent students. In addition, a positive interaction was identified between cognitive style and the scaffolding that drives learning achievement. However, learning style did not have any effect on academic achievement.

EVALUASI EMPIRIS TERHADAP PERSEPSI PEMAKAI ATAS BENTUK LAPORAN AUDIT YANG BERUBAH

This research aims to evaluate empirically on how the user’s perception of the changed of auditing report form (from NPA to SPAP) to increase user’s audited report conception and check or investigate expectation gap between auditor and audit report user (credit analyst) based on message communicated through auditing report. The user conception of auditing report will be observed in 16 dimensions which are: Auditor’s Independence, Auditor’s Judgement and Discretion, Decision Usefulness, Auditing Goals, Management’s Representation, Specific versus Whole, Performance Monitoring, Credibility, Auditor-Management Conflict, Accounting Standards, Viability of Company, and Proper Accounting Records. This expectation gap will be viewed from three factors which are Auditor’s Responsibility, Reliability of Audited Financial Statement, and Benefit of Audited Report in Decision Making. Based on research data collecting which was done by survey where some of data were sent by post and the others were given to respondent directly, it has reached as many as 38 independent auditors and 61 credits analyst. Data analysis was done by Mann-Whitney U test method. This research result explains that there are different perceptions between independent auditors and credit analyst related with the independent auditor’s responsibility and reliability of audit report, but both of groups have the same perceptions on the benefit of audit report. Related with the user perception on the change of auditing report form, it is showed that conception differences between credit analyst which is given standard audit report based on SPAP and credit analyst which is given standard audit report based on NPA only occur in three dimensions which are independence dimension, auditing goals dimension, and proper accounting record dimension. So, it can be outlined that the change of auditing report form (NPA to SPAP) does not produce conception change significantly on audit report user.

Independence, dimension and continuity in non-forking frames

The notion J is independent in (M, M0, N) was established by Shelah, for an AEC (abstract elementary class) which is stable in some cardinal λ and has a non-forking relation, satisfying the good λ-frame axioms and some additional hypotheses. Shelah uses independence to define dimension.Here, we show the connection between the continuity property and dimension: if a non-forking satisfies natural conditions and the continuity property, then the dimension is well-behaved.As a corollary, we weaken the stability hypothesis and two additional hypotheses, that appear in Shelah's theorem.

Nepriklausomas centrinis bankas

Straipsnyje analizuojama centrinio banko nepriklausomumo problema istoriniu, teoriniu ir taikomuoju požiūriais. Iškeliami nepriklausomumo argumentai, atskleidžiama jo esmė, apibrėžiamos nepriklauso­mumo ribos, aptariamas veiklos skaidrumas. Prieinama prie išvados, kad centrinis bankas turėtų būti nepriklausomas nuo vyriausybės, kartu jo veiklą derinant su įstatymų leidžiamuoju ir vykdomuoju vals­tybės institutais. Tyrimo kontekste nagrinėjami pokyčiai, susiję su Europos ekonominės ir pinigų sąjun­gos susikūrimu, nepriklausomumo dimensija Europos centrinių bankų sistemos formate. Nustatoma, kad šiomis sąlygomis kai kuriose srityse nacionaliniai centriniai bankai turi savarankiškumą, kitose – Eu­ropos centrinis bankas naudojasi nacionalinių centrinių bankų paslaugomis, be to, Europos centrinis bankas veikia visiškai savarankiškai. The article analyzes the problem of central bank independence a historical, theoretical, and practice terms. The independence of the arguments raised, disclosed in its essence, defines the limits of inde­pendence, the transparency of the operation in question. Accessible to the conclusion that the central bank should be independent from the government, while its activity in combination with the legislative and executive state institutions. The study examined the context of changes in European economic and monetary union within the independence dimension of the European System of Central Banks in format. Determined that under these conditions in some areas of the national central banks have independence, the other – the European Central Bank uses the services of national central banks, in addition to an­other – the European Central Bank is fully independent.

EL ESTILO COGNITIVO Y SU INFLUENCIA EN LA SOLUCIÓN DE PROBLEMAS EN QUIMICA. Un estudio en el aula de clase

The experimental study was made to get additional empirical evidence to show how thecognitive style in its field dependence-independence dimension differentiate studentswith different aptitude to solve chemistry problems. Twenty eight students participated,11 female and 17 male, average age seventeen. The test used was a set of simpleproblems, to obtain information about level of perception and selected strategy to get anappropriate solution.

Field-Dependence/Independence: Ability in Relation to Mobility-Fixity

Previous authors have pointed out that, while the classic Rod-and-Frame Test (RFT) yields a measure of ability to perform field-independently, it is unsuitable for identifying stylistic preference, such as mobility-fixity within the field-dependence/independence dimension. To relate mobility-fixity and ability aspects of field-dependence/independence, we compared data obtained from two versions of the test: one with a “free” instruction, on which the subjects were invited to adjust the rod to any position(s) they preferred on each of 10 trials and a process-oriented version (RFT-P), involving 20 trials with the standard instruction but with a constant rod-and-frame configuration, making possible analysis of the process of adaptation. Mobility versus fixity was defined in terms of more or less frequent changes of rod positions and choice of a high or a low proportion of nongeometrical positions in the RFT-Free. 38 female and 23 male university students completed first the RFT-Free and thereafter the RFT-Process. Women were more field-dependent than men throughout the RFT-Process trials; there were no differences between the sexes over trials or in choice of positions in the RFT-Free. Compared with field-dependent subjects, field-independent subjects mote often changed rod positions in the RFT-Free and preferred nongeometrical positions somewhat more. Among field-independent subjects, those with consistently low deviations in RFT-Process more often preferred a variety of nongeometrical positions in RFT-Free than did those with gradually increasing deviations. We conclude that field-independence is associated with mobility and field-dependence with fixity, as defined by the RFT-Free variables, and that a prerequisite for high mobility is a relative stability of field-independence as reflected on the RFT-Process. Theoretical implications of this conclusion are discussed.

Relationship between Field-Dependence/Independence and Personality in Older Adult Females

To investigate the relationship between field-dependence/independence and personality in older adults, the Group Embedded Figures Test and the Hand Test were administered to 64 community-living, female, older adults ranging from 60 to 81 yr. ( M = 69.05 yr.; SD = 5.98). Seven low but significant correlations (Spearman rhos) were obtained between personality variables and the field-dependence/independence dimension. In general, findings were both consistent and inconsistent with the theoretical assumptions with personality/behavioral characteristics that underlie the field-dependence/independence construct which suggests the personality relationships appear to change with old age.