The Hero-Villain-Fool Narrative Construction Method: Assessing hidden organizational phenomena.

In the following paper, I present the hero-villain-fool narrative construction method in order to assess hidden organizational phenomena. Psychologists can analyze organizations in two ways either by focusing upon formal networks (e.g. organigram) or by taking a closer look into informal networks. The present paper tries to help organizational psychologists to generate meaning making within informal networks. These informal networks are important semiotic spaces where knowledge is generated that lies in the taboo zone of talking for the formal networks. Thus, my open interview guide proposes a flexible method that can reverse the taboo zone of talking and expand the talkability zone. As a consequence, meaning making is generated that bears conflicts showing urgent - yet not fulfilled - needs within the organization. The proposed method is instanced by a microgenetic analysis of a single case study showing that the hero works as a meta-organizer for adaptive trajectories that lead into a multilateral negotiation of concrete strategies fulfilling urgent pressing needs within organizations. Limitations are made explicit such as by arguing for expanding the research design into focus groups inviting various employees and leaders to the generation of meaning making that operates between the talkability and taboo zone of talking.

Microgenetic Analysis of Thought Trajectories: A Mixed Design.

This article reports the results of an investigation that used a mixed methodology with microgenetic orientation, to observe the genetic development of small acts of thought and their bodily manifestations. A qualitative design was carried out through a videographic record with 10 participants to explore thought trajectories and their genetic unfolding in gestures. In a second moment, a quantitative sequential analysis was conducted with 50 participants, who were invited to the laboratory to participate in a tachistoscopic presentation. The procedure was videotaped and coded, identifying categories of thought and their respective gestural expressions. An analysis of different trajectories was carried out to observe the transitions that thought takes and its gestural movements. The results show trajectories in the forms of thought that are investigated through a qualitative microgenetic analysis, which shows the anticipation of verbal meaning through gestures and the transitions backwards to then advance into more integrated forms of thought. On the other hand, trajectories between voluntary and involuntary forms of thought, as well as transitions in verbal and imaginative forms of thought are detected in a quantitative sequence analysis. Finally, the results are integrated and the utility of mixed designs to study the microgenesis of the consciousness phenomenon is discussed.

Account of consciousness by Christof Koch: Review and questions.

This review is set to present the gist of the theoretical account of consciousness recently presented by Christof Koch and pose a couple of questions instigated by this account. The expected answers to these questions would hopefully help to advance our understanding of the basic nature of the conscious mind.

First gender, then attractiveness: Indications of gender-specific attractiveness processing via ERP onsets.

We followed an ERP-based approach to gain knowledge on the dependence and temporal order of two essential processes of face perception: attractiveness and gender. By combining a dual-choice task with a go/nogo-paradigm focusing on the LRP and N200-effect, we could estimate the processing times and onsets of both types of face processing. The analyses of the LRP revealed that gender aspects were processed much earlier than attractiveness. Whereas gender was already analysed 243.9 ms post-stimulus onset, attractiveness came into play 58.6 ms later, i.e. after a post-stimulus onset delay of 302.5 ms. This resulting pattern was mirrored by the analyses of the N200-effect, an effect available mainly frontally which is supposed to correlate with the inhibition of inappropriate responses. Taking the onset of the N200 effect as an estimator for the moment at which information has been processed sufficiently for task decision, we could trace the N200 effect at 152.0 ms for go/nogo-decision on gender, while not as early as 206.7 ms on attractiveness. In sum, processing of facial attractiveness seems to be based on gender-specific aesthetic pre-processing, for instance via activating gender-specific attractiveness prototypes which show focused processing of certain facial aspects.

Beauty in the blink of an eye: The time course of aesthetic experiences.

Under normal circumstances, perception runs very fast and seemingly automatic. In just a few ms, we go from sensory features to perceiving objects. This fast time course does not only apply to general perceptual aspects but also to what we call higher-level judgements. Inspired by the study on 'very first impressions' by Bar, Neta, and Linz (2006, Emotion, 6, 269) the current research examined the speed and time course of three aspects of the aesthetic experience, namely beauty, specialness, and impressiveness. Participants were presented with 54 reproductions of paintings that covered a wide variety of artistic styles and contents. Presentation times were 10, 50, 100 and 500 ms in Experiment 1 and 20, 30 and 40 ms in Experiment 2. Our results not only show that consistent aesthetic judgements can be formed based on very brief glances of information, but that this speed of aesthetic impression formation also differs between different aesthetic judgements. Apparently, impressiveness judgements require longer exposure times than impressions of beauty or specialness. The results provide important evidence for our understanding of the time course of aesthetic experiences.

Microgénesis y la psicología de la totalidad (ganzheitspsychologie): un retorno al estudio de la diferenciación y el desarrollo / Microgenesis and wholeness psychology (ganzheitspsychologie): a return to the study of differentiation and development

Este artículo profundiza la noción de microgénesis y su relevancia para el estudio de los fenómenos humanos. A través de una revisión histórica y una delimitación teórica del concepto se presenta el trasfondo fenomenológico que le da origen. Con este objetivo se revisan los inicios del concepto realizando una descripción exhaustiva del despliegue microgenético como dimensión primera de la experiencia humana. Además, se realiza una revisión de los principales estudios microgenéticos de la historia de la psicología que han establecido una tendencia para estudios contemporáneos en microgénesis, diferenciándolos de estudios microanalíticos en psicología moderna, no genéticos en su orientación. Finalmente se enfatiza la importancia de reflotar la noción de microgénesis en investigación contemporánea destacando las importantes contribuciones que puede brindar al estudio de los procesos psicológicos.

This article attempts to delve into the notion of microgenesis and its relevance for the study of human phenomena. Through a historical revision and a theoretical delimitation of the concept, this article intends to present the phenomenological background that gives rise to the concept. To this end, we review the beginnings of the concept by means of an exhaustive description of the microgenetic deployment as the first dimension of the human experience. Moreover, we carry out a revision of the main microgenetic studies in the history of psychology that have established a tendency for contemporary studies in microgenesis, and point out differences from micro-analytical studies in modern psychology, non-genetic in their orientation. Finally, we emphasize the importance to refloat the notion of microgenesis in contemporary research, highlighting the important contributions that can offer to the study of human phenomena.

Micro-trayectorias de pensamiento científico y colaboración en estudiantes de primaria interactuando con un videojuego / Micro-trajectories of scientific thought and collaboration in primary school students interacting with a video game

Objetivo: Caracterizar las trayectorias de la colaboración entre estudiantes en segundo y tercer grado de primaria, al resolver un videojuego que demanda pensamiento científico. Método: Se realizó un estudio cuantitativo de diseño microgenético, a través de la aplicación de un videojuego de resolución de problema multivariado durante 9 sesiones a 4 diadas de niños entre 8 y 10 años de edad. Resultados: Se categorizaron las diadas de acuerdo a su colaboración, una diada mostró una tendencia a colaborar, dos diadas oscilaron en los tipos de colaboración (trabajo colaborativo, trabajo paralelo, trabajo pasivo y no trabajo) y la última diada se concentró en el trabajo pasivo. El desempeño en pensamiento científico varió dependiendo de la categoría de la colaboración, dos diadas mostraron mejora en el desempeño, mientras que en los dos restantes el desempeño osciló en niveles altos y bajos. Conclusiones: Las diadas que presentaron un tipo de interacción organizada (trabajo colaborativo y trabajo pasivo) mostraron un mejor desempeño en pensamiento científico, comparadas con las diadas que mostraron una colaboración más oscilante

Objective: To characterize the trajectories of collaboration among students of 2nd and 3rd grade of elementary school when solving a videogame that demands scientific thinking. Method: A quantitative study (using microgenetic design) was carried out. Four dyads of children between ages 8 and 10 played during 9 sessions, solving a multivariable problem videogame. Results: The dyads were categorized according to their level of collaboration: one dyad showed a tendency to collaborate; two dyads oscillated between the following types of collaboration: collaborative work, parallel work, passive work and no-work; the last dyad focused on passive work. Performance in scientific thinking varied depending on the category of collaboration: two dyads showed improvement regarding performance, while the performance of other two oscillated between high and low levels. Conclusions: The dyads that presented a type of organized interaction (collaborative work and passive work) showed a better performance in scientific thinking compared to the dyads that showed a more oscillating collaboration.

The Sense of Being Watched Is Modulated by Arousal and Duration of the Perceptual Episode.

The mere presence of a depiction of eyes can elicit a sense of being watched in the perceiver. To this date, the factors affecting the intensity of this sense of being watched, however, have not been investigated. In the present experiment, we tested the impact of two potentially relevant variables: arousal (manipulated using specific musical pieces) and duration of the perceptual episode (manipulated using presentation times of 200 ms and 10 s, respectively). We asked participants to report how intensely they felt being watched while we exposed them to various observation cues ranging from human eyes to surveillance cameras. We found that, on average, reported intensities were higher if participants were in a state of relatively higher arousal and if the perceptual episode during which the respective observation cues were presented lasted long enough (10 s) to allow more than a first glance. Scientific and practical implications are briefly discussed.

Análisis semiótico en secuencias de interacción empáticas y no empáticas: un estudio microgenético / Análise semiótica de sequências de interação empáticas e não empáticas: um estudo microgenético / Analyse sémiotique de séquences d’interaction empathique et non-empathique: une étude microgénétique

Este estudio tuvo por objetivo explorar y describir el proceso de regulación dialógica en interacciones conversacionales. Se registraron en video treinta díadas de estudiantes desconocidos entre sí en interacciones que tuvieron una manipulación orientada a generar una situación empática o bien no-empática. Se seleccionaron cuatro segmentos de conversación, dos por cada tipo de interacción. El texto fue analizado con un protocolo de análisis semiótico basado en el modelo de análisis propuesto por (Molina, 2007). Los resultados muestran que las interacciones empáticas se caracterizan por un proceso de coconstrucción de significados, con una adecuada administración de la tensión y una identificación con el signo lingüístico. Por otra parte, las interacciones no empáticas se caracterizan por la emergencia de signos lingüísticos que no continúan la secuencia de construcción de significados; con una alta tensión dialógica, y una estrategia de distanciamiento o abandono del campo de significado. (AU)

Cette étude vise à explorer et décrire le processus de régulation dialogique dans les interactions conversationnelles. On a enregistré sur vidéo 30 paires d’étudiants inconnus à l’autre dans des interactions ensemble, qui ont été orientés pour générer une situation de manipulation non-empathique ou empathique. Quatre segments de conversation, deux pour chaque type d’interaction, ont été sélectionnés. Le texte a été analysé avec un protocole d’analyse sémiotique basé sur le modèle d’analyse proposé par María Elisa Molina. Les résultats montrent que les interactions empathiques sont caractérisées par un processus de co-construction du sens, avec une bonne gestion du stress et une identification avec le signe linguistique. Par ailleurs, les interactions non-empathiques sont caractérisées par l’émergence de signes linguistiques qui ne poursuivent pas la séquence de la construction des significations, avec la tension dialogique haute et une stratégie de séparation ou de l’abandon du champ de sens. (AU)

Este estudo teve como objetivo explorar e descrever o processo de regulação dialógica em interações conversacionais. Foram filmadas trinta duplas de alunos, desconhecidos entre si, em interações em conjunto, orientadas a gerar uma situação de manipulação não empática ou empática. Foram selecionados quatro segmentos de conversação, dois para cada tipo de interação. O texto foi analisado com um protocolo de análise semiótica com base no modelo de análise proposto por María Elisa Molina. Os resultados mostraram que as interações empáticas são caracterizadas por um processo de construção conjunta de sentido com uma adequada administração da tensão e identificação com o signo linguístico. Além disso, as interações não empáticas são caracterizadas pelo surgimento de signos linguísticos que não continuam a sequência de construção de significados, com alta tensão dialógica e uma estratégia de distanciamento ou abandono do campo de significado. (AU)

Análisis semiótico en secuencias de interacción empáticas y no empáticas: un estudio microgenético / Análise semiótica de sequências de interação empáticas e não empáticas: um estudo microgenético / Analyse sémiotique de séquences d’interaction empathique et non-empathique: une étude microgénétique / Semiotic analysis of empathic and non-empathic interaction sequences: microgenetic study

Este estudio tuvo por objetivo explorar y describir el proceso de regulación dialógica en interacciones conversacionales. Se registraron en video treinta díadas de estudiantes desconocidos entre sí en interacciones que tuvieron una manipulación orientada a generar una situación empática o bien no-empática. Se seleccionaron cuatro segmentos de conversación, dos por cada tipo de interacción. El texto fue analizado con un protocolo de análisis semiótico basado en el modelo de análisis propuesto por (Molina, 2007). Los resultados muestran que las interacciones empáticas se caracterizan por un proceso de coconstrucción de significados, con una adecuada administración de la tensión y una identificación con el signo lingüístico. Por otra parte, las interacciones no empáticas se caracterizan por la emergencia de signos lingüísticos que no continúan la secuencia de construcción de significados; con una alta tensión dialógica, y una estrategia de distanciamiento o abandono del campo de significado.

Cette étude vise à explorer et décrire le processus de régulation dialogique dans les interactions conversationnelles. On a enregistré sur vidéo 30 paires d’étudiants inconnus à l’autre dans des interactions ensemble, qui ont été orientés pour générer une situation de manipulation non-empathique ou empathique. Quatre segments de conversation, deux pour chaque type d’interaction, ont été sélectionnés. Le texte a été analysé avec un protocole d’analyse sémiotique basé sur le modèle d’analyse proposé par María Elisa Molina. Les résultats montrent que les interactions empathiques sont caractérisées par un processus de co-construction du sens, avec une bonne gestion du stress et une identification avec le signe linguistique. Par ailleurs, les interactions non-empathiques sont caractérisées par l’émergence de signes linguistiques qui ne poursuivent pas la séquence de la construction des significations, avec la tension dialogique haute et une stratégie de séparation ou de l’abandon du champ de sens.

Este estudo teve como objetivo explorar e descrever o processo de regulação dialógica em interações conversacionais. Foram filmadas trinta duplas de alunos, desconhecidos entre si, em interações em conjunto, orientadas a gerar uma situação de manipulação não empática ou empática. Foram selecionados quatro segmentos de conversação, dois para cada tipo de interação. O texto foi analisado com um protocolo de análise semiótica com base no modelo de análise proposto por María Elisa Molina. Os resultados mostraram que as interações empáticas são caracterizadas por um processo de construção conjunta de sentido com uma adequada administração da tensão e identificação com o signo linguístico. Além disso, as interações não empáticas são caracterizadas pelo surgimento de signos linguísticos que não continuam a sequência de construção de significados, com alta tensão dialógica e uma estratégia de distanciamento ou abandono do campo de significado.

This study aimed to explore and describe the process of dialogic regulation in conversational interactions. It were recorded on video 30 pairs of students together in unknown interactions that were oriented to generate a nonempathic or sympathetic handling situation, and four segments of conversation, two for each type of interaction, were selected. The text was analyzed with a protocol of semiotic analysis based on the analysis model proposed by (Molina, 2007). The results show that empathic interactions are characterized by a process of co-construction of meaning, with proper management of stress and an identification with the linguistic sign. Moreover, non-empathic interactions are characterized by the emergence of linguistic signs that do not continue the construction sequence of meanings, with high dialogic tension, and a strategy of distancing or abandonment of the meaning field.

Created unequal: Temporal dynamics of modal and amodal boundary interpolation.

In this study we manipulate the distribution of contrast polarity reversals in inducing configurations to create novel variants of modal and amodal completion. The novel variants, better equated in their geometric and photometric characteristics offer a superior way to probe similarities and differences in the temporal dynamics that underlie different forms of perceptual completion. We use dot localisation to directly compare the spatial characteristics of modally and amodally interpolated contours at presentation durations ranging from 120 to 300ms and find robust differences in the spatiotemporal formation of modally and amodally completed boundaries. Modally completed contours are localised more accurately and with better spatial precision across all presentation durations. Our results challenge the assumption that the boundary interpolation system depends solely on the geometrical relatability of inducing fragments and suggest that boundary interpolation depends on the spatial distribution of local luminance relationships. As an alternative to the strong version of the identity hypothesis, we propose that modal and amodal completion are mediated by different mechanisms, triggered by particular configurations of contrast polarity.

A relação linguagem, pensamento e ação na microgênese das funções psíquicas superiores / The relationship between language, thought, and action in the microgenesis of higher mental functions

O objetivo deste artigo é demonstrar, de forma concreta, a mediação da fala na constituição das funções psíquicas superiores do sujeito, buscando articular autores da vertente histórico-cultural, como Vigotski,1 com a perspectiva metodológica de Heloisa Marinho, pesquisadora brasileira que centrou na linguagem sua contribuição pioneira no âmbito do desenvolvimento infantil. A metodologia utilizada fundamentou-se no estudo da relação oral-gráfica (MARINHO; WERNER, 1982), em amostra constituída por três mil crianças, foi realizada a análise microgenética-indiciária (WERNER, 1999, 2001) da atividade gráfica de menino de dois anos de idade cronológica, oriundo da creche UFF. Como resultado, foi possível ilustrar como, na vigência de processo de interação-interlocução adulto-criança e criança-crianças, ocorrem transformações qualitativas nas funções psíquicas (microgênese), nas quais a mediação, por meio dos signos da linguagem (mediação semiótica), reveste-se de papel fundante e constitutivo.(AU)

Objective to concretely illustrate the role of language mediation in the constitution of the subject’s higher mental functions, seeking to articulate authors of a cultural-historical background, such as Vygotsky, along with the methodological perspective of Heloisa Marinho, a Brazilian researcher who focused on language and was a pioneering contributor to the area of child development. Methodology based on the study of the relationship between the oral and graphic mode of communication (MARINHO; WERNER,1982) and using Werner’s (2012) observation script, a microgenetic analysis of graphic activity (WERNER,1999,2001) was conducted with a sample of 3000 children on a two-year-old boy from the university nursery. Result it was possible to illustrate the way in which, in the setting of adult-child and child-child interactions, qualitative transformations occur in psychological functions in which semiotic mediation has a foundational and constitutional role. .(AU)

A relação linguagem, pensamento e ação na microgênese das funções psíquicas superiores / The relationship between language, thought, and action in the microgenesis of higher mental functions

O objetivo deste artigo é demonstrar, de forma concreta, a mediação da fala na constituição das funções psíquicas superiores do sujeito, buscando articular autores da vertente histórico-cultural, como Vigotski,1 com a perspectiva metodológica de Heloisa Marinho, pesquisadora brasileira que centrou na linguagem sua contribuição pioneira no âmbito do desenvolvimento infantil. A metodologia utilizada fundamentou-se no estudo da relação oral-gráfica (MARINHO; WERNER, 1982), em amostra constituída por três mil crianças, foi realizada a análise microgenética-indiciária (WERNER, 1999, 2001) da atividade gráfica de menino de dois anos de idade cronológica, oriundo da creche UFF. Como resultado, foi possível ilustrar como, na vigência de processo de interação-interlocução adulto-criança e criança-crianças, ocorrem transformações qualitativas nas funções psíquicas (microgênese), nas quais a mediação, por meio dos signos da linguagem (mediação semiótica), reveste-se de papel fundante e constitutivo

Objective: to concretely illustrate the role of language mediation in the constitution of the subject's higher mental functions, seeking to articulate authors of a cultural-historical background, such as Vygotsky, along with the methodological perspective of Heloisa Marinho, a Brazilian researcher who focused on language and was a pioneering contributor to the area of child development. Methodology: based on the study of the relationship between the oral and graphic mode of communication (MARINHO; WERNER,1982) and using Werner's (2012) observation script, a microgenetic analysis of graphic activity(WERNER,1999,2001) was conducted with a sample of 3000 children on a two-year-old boy from the university nursery. Result: it was possible to illustrate the way in which, in the setting of adult-child and child-child interactions, qualitative transformations occur in psychological functions in which semiotic mediation has a foundational and constitutional role

Hue Contrast and the Sense of Space.

Does human vision deploy a generic template for open landscapes that might fit the gist of current optical input? In an experiment, participants judged depth order in split-field images in which the two fuzzily delineated half-images were filled with different hues. For the majority of observers, we find a systematic dependence of depth order of these half-images on their hue and/or brightness difference. After minor cleaning of the data, we are left with two mutually well-separated clusters. Correlation with the statistical distribution of hue and brightness in generic "open landscape" photographs reveals that one cluster correlates with hue, the other with brightness. This suggests that human observers indeed at least partly rely on "generic landscape" templates in the psychogenesis of their visual awareness.

The microgenesis of the watercolor effect.

The "watercolor effect" is the wash of illusory color that fills in between two enclosing bichromatic contours. We studied the microgenesis of this illusion by varying the duration of the eliciting stimulus (a yellow/purple contour outlining the Mediterranean Sea) and by varying the duration of a blank interval from stimulus offset to an after-coming mask (the ISI). The illusory wash was rated in strength and also matched to a comparison disk of adjustable color but similar luminance. Results indicate that the watercolor effect grows rapidly as stimulus duration is increased to 100 ms and then grows much more slowly. Increasing the ISI beyond 10 ms had no effect, suggesting that the wash arises only during stimulation. Participants who recognized that the bounding contour depicted the Mediterranean reported twice as strong an illusory effect as those who did not, indicating that visual long-term memory modulates the watercolor effect despite the rapidity of its generation.

Microcognitive science: bridging experiential and neuronal microdynamics.

Neurophenomenology, as an attempt to combine and mutually enlighten neural and experiential descriptions of cognitive processes, has met practical difficulties which have limited its implementation into actual research projects. The main difficulty seems to be the disparity of the levels of description: while neurophenomenology strongly emphasizes the micro-dynamics of experience, at the level of brief mental events with very specific content, most neural measures have much coarser functional selectivity, because they mix functionally heterogeneous neural processes either in space or in time. We propose a new starting point for this neurophenomenology, based on (a) the recent development of human intra-cerebral EEG (iEEG) research to highlight the neural micro-dynamics of human cognition, with millimetric and millisecond precision and (b) a disciplined access to the experiential micro-dynamics, through specific elicitation techniques. This lays the foundation for a microcognitive science, the practical implementation of neurophenomenology to combine the neural and experiential investigations of human cognition at the subsecond level.

Exploring the subjective experience of the "rubber hand" illusion.

Despite the fact that the rubber hand illusion (RHI) is an experimental paradigm that has been widely used in the last 14 years to investigate different aspects of the sense of bodily self, very few studies have sought to investigate the subjective nature of the experience that the RHI evokes. The present study investigates the phenomenology of the RHI through a specific elicitation method. More particularly, this study aims at assessing whether the conditions usually used as control in the RHI have an impact in the sense of body ownership and at determining whether there are different stages in the emergence of the illusion. The results indicate that far from being "all or nothing," the illusion induced by the RHI protocol involves nuances in the type of perceptual changes that it creates. These perceptual changes affect not only the participants' perception of the rubber hand but also the perception of their real hand. In addition, perceptual effects may vary greatly between participants and, importantly, they evolve over time.

El estudio de los procedimientos en psicología genética / Studies on genetic psychology procedings

En los últimos años, los procedimientos de resolución de problemas han ocupado un lugar central en las psicologías cognitivas. Este trabajo, en primer lugar, pretende caracterizarlos sintéticamente desde las teorizaciones más recientes que se están realizando dentro de la Psicología Genética, señalando sus continuidades y sus diferencias con los estudios más clásicos. En segundo lugar, intentará dar cuenta de la originalidad y potencialidad de la perspectiva de esta disciplina en el panorama de las psicologías cognitivas.