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Semeraro C, Giofrè D, Coppola G, Verri V, Bottalico M, Cassibba R, Taurino A. The role of maladaptive personality traits on psychological stress the mediating effects of COVID-19-related worries and emotional dysregulation. Pers Individ Dif 2023; 213:112270. [PMID: 37333976 PMCID: PMC10229649 DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2023.112270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that dysfunctional personality traits, related to psychological maladjustment and psychopathology, can play an important role in a person's ability to cope with major stressful events. Relatively little is known about the specific effect of the emotional component on the relationship between maladaptive personality traits and psychological stress. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the maladaptive personality traits of psychoticism, detachment, and negative affect, and psychological stress, considering the effects of COVID-19-related worries and emotional dysregulation. An online survey was administered to 1172 adult participants. A series of path analysis models showed that maladaptive personality traits (psychoticism, detachment, and negative affect) are related to psychological stress. COVID-19-related worries and emotional dysregulation partially explained this association. The results suggest that in the early months of 2022, during the reduction of government restrictions, although the world population was no longer in nationwide lockdown, the COVID-19-related emotional component could still explain, at least in part, the association between maladaptive personality traits and psychological stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Semeraro
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Genova, Italy
| | - Gabrielle Coppola
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Veronica Verri
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Morena Bottalico
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Rosalinda Cassibba
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessandro Taurino
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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2
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Giofrè D, Boedker I, Cumming G, Rivella C, Tressoldi P. The influence of journal submission guidelines on authors' reporting of statistics and use of open research practices: Five years later. Behav Res Methods 2023; 55:3845-3854. [PMID: 36253598 PMCID: PMC10615932 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-022-01993-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Changes in statistical practices and reporting have been documented by Giofrè et al. PLOS ONE 12(4), e0175583 (2017), who investigated ten statistical and open practices in two high-ranking journals (Psychological Science [PS] and Journal of Experimental Psychology-General [JEPG]): null hypothesis significance testing; confidence or credible intervals; meta-analysis of the results of multiple experiments; confidence interval interpretation; effect size interpretation; sample size determination; data exclusion; data availability; materials availability; and preregistered design and analysis plan. The investigation was based on an analysis of all papers published in these journals between 2013 and 2015. The aim of the present study was to follow up changes in both PS and JEPG in subsequent years, from 2016 to 2020, adding code availability as a further open practice. We found improvement in most practices, with some exceptions (i.e., confidence interval interpretation and meta-analysis). Despite these positive changes, our results indicate a need for further improvements in statistical practices and adoption of open practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Giofrè
- DISFOR, University of Genoa, Corso Andrea Podestà, 2, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Ingrid Boedker
- DISFOR, University of Genoa, Corso Andrea Podestà, 2, Genoa, Italy
| | - Geoff Cumming
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Carlotta Rivella
- DISFOR, University of Genoa, Corso Andrea Podestà, 2, Genoa, Italy
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3
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Giofrè D, Toffalini E, Esposito L, Cornoldi C. Gender Differences in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children in a Large Group of Italian Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. J Intell 2023; 11:178. [PMID: 37754907 PMCID: PMC10532789 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence11090178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite being repeatedly investigated in children with typical development, research on gender differences in intellectual abilities in specific groups of children, including children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has been scarce. In this paper, we evaluated the performance of a large group of Italian children with ADHD using the WISC-IV. We aimed at investigating the presence of gender differences using a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis approach. Results showed that the WISC is largely gender-invariant. However, some tasks present non-invariant patterns (block design and coding). Differences at the latent level also showed some differences (favoring boys) in the verbal comprehension index. Conversely, differences at the latent level were not found in the full-scale IQ or in the other main indices. These results have theoretical and practical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Giofrè
- DISFOR, University of Genoa, 16128 Genova, Italy
| | - Enrico Toffalini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Esposito
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Cesare Cornoldi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
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Ikeda Y, Kita Y, Oi Y, Okuzumi H, Lanfranchi S, Pulina F, Mammarella IC, Allen K, Giofrè D. The Structure of Working Memory and Its Relationship with Intelligence in Japanese Children. J Intell 2023; 11:167. [PMID: 37623550 PMCID: PMC10455765 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence11080167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a host of research on the structure of working memory (WM) and its relationship with intelligence in adults, but only a few studies have involved children. In this paper, several different WM models were tested on 170 Japanese school children (from 7 years and 5 months to 11 years and 6 months). Results showed that a model distinguishing between modalities (i.e., verbal and spatial WM) fitted the data well and was therefore selected. Notably, a bi-factor model distinguishing between modalities, but also including a common WM factor, presented with a very good fit, but was less parsimonious. Subsequently, we tested the predictive power of the verbal and spatial WM factors on fluid and crystallized intelligence. Results indicated that the shared contribution of WM explained the largest portion of variance of fluid intelligence, with verbal and spatial WM independently explaining a residual portion of the variance. Concerning crystallized intelligence, however, verbal WM explained the largest portion of the variance, with the joint contribution of verbal and spatial WM explaining the residual part. The distinction between verbal and spatial WM could be important in clinical settings (e.g., children with atypical development might struggle selectively on some WM components) and in school settings (e.g., verbal and spatial WM might be differently implicated in mathematical achievement).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshifumi Ikeda
- Department of Special Needs Education, Joetsu University of Education, Niigata 943-8512, Japan;
| | - Yosuke Kita
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Letters, Keio University, Tokyo 108-8345, Japan
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit (CBRU), Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Yuhei Oi
- Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Chukyo University, Aichi 470-0393, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okuzumi
- Faculty of Education, Tokyo Gakugei University, Tokyo 184-8501, Japan
| | - Silvia Lanfranchi
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Francesca Pulina
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | | | - Katie Allen
- School of Education, University of Durham, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - David Giofrè
- DISFOR, University of Genoa, 16121 Genova, Italy
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5
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Cornoldi C, Giofrè D, Toffalini E. Cognitive characteristics of intellectually gifted children with a diagnosis of ADHD. Intelligence 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2023.101736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
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6
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Giofrè D, Allen K, Toffalini E, Caviola S. The Impasse on Gender Differences in Intelligence: a Meta-Analysis on WISC Batteries. Educ Psychol Rev 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10648-022-09705-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThis meta-analysis reviews 79 studies (N = 46,605) that examined the existence of gender difference on intelligence in school-aged children. To do so, we limited the literature search to works that assessed the construct of intelligence through the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC) batteries, evaluating eventual gender differences in indices and subtests. The theoretical framework we adopted is the cross-battery approach which locates cognitive abilities into different levels, also considering the possible mediating effect of the version of the WISC being used. As for broad abilities, a notable discrepancy emerged in favour of males for visual and crystallized intelligence, while female/male differences on fluid intelligence were negligible. Conversely, females’ performance on the processing speed factor was superior. Interesting results emerged at the subtest levels, albeit with less pronounced differences in performance. Results generally showed that older versions of WISC batteries displayed larger gender differences compared to the most recent ones.
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Toffalini E, Girardi P, Giofrè D, Altoè G. Entia Non Sunt Multiplicanda … Shall I look for clusters in my cognitive data? PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269584. [PMID: 35771764 PMCID: PMC9246139 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Unsupervised clustering methods are increasingly being applied in psychology. Researchers may use such methods on multivariate data to reveal previously undetected sub-populations of individuals within a larger population. Realistic research scenarios in the cognitive science may not be ideally suited for a successful use of these methods, however, as they are characterized by modest effect sizes, limited sample sizes, and non-orthogonal indicators. This combination of characteristics even presents a high risk of detecting non-existing clusters. A systematic review showed that, among 191 studies published in 2016–2020 that used different clustering methods to classify human participants, the median sample size was only 322, and a median of 3 latent classes/clusters were detected. None of them concluded in favor of a one-cluster solution, potentially giving rise to an extreme publication bias. Dimensionality reduction techniques are almost never used before clustering. In a subsequent simulation study, we examined the performance of popular clustering techniques, including Gaussian mixture model, a partitioning, and a hierarchical agglomerative algorithm. We focused on their ability to detect the correct number of clusters, and on their classification accuracy. Under a reasoned set of scenarios that we considered plausible for the cognitive research, none of the methods adequately discriminates between one vs two true clusters. In addition, non-orthogonal indicators lead to a high risk of incorrectly detecting multiple clusters where none existed, even in the presence of only modest correlation (a frequent case in psychology). In conclusion, it is hard for researchers to be in a condition to achieve a valid unsupervised clustering for inferential purposes with a view to classifying individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Toffalini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- * E-mail: (ET); (GA)
| | - Paolo Girardi
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Gianmarco Altoè
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- * E-mail: (ET); (GA)
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Carretti B, Giofrè D, Toffalini E, Cornoldi C, Pastore M, Lanfranchi S. Structure of working memory in children from 3 to 8 years old. Dev Psychol 2022; 58:1687-1701. [PMID: 35666924 DOI: 10.1037/dev0001385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Several models of working memory (WM) have been proposed in the literature. Most of the research on the architecture of WM is based on adults or older children, but less is known about younger children. In this study, we tested various models of WM on a sample of 739 Italian children, ranging in age from 3 to 8 years, primarily of European heritage and from medium to medium-high socioeconomic background. Participants were assessed with 12 WM tasks, systematically varying the modality and level of executive control required (based on the number of activities to be performed at once: retention alone, ignoring distractors, and dealing with dual tasks). We examined younger children (n = 501, Mage = 56.8 months, SD = 6.4, 48% boys) and older children (n = 238, Mage = 80.0 months, SD = 9.0, 58% boys) separately using multigroup confirmatory factor analyses. A Bayesian analytical approach was adopted. Our results suggested that a four-factor model distinguishing between verbal, visual, spatial-simultaneous, and spatial-sequential components of WM achieved the best fit. Overall, the WM structure was very similar in the two groups. We further explored this result with an additional model with a central executive factor loaded on high-control tasks only and found evidence for the presence of an executive control component. The contribution of this factor in terms of explained variance was only modest, however. Our findings demonstrate that it is important to distinguish between WM components in young children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Provazza S, Carretti B, Giofrè D, Adams AM, Montesano L, Roberts D. Shallow or deep? The impact of orthographic depth on visual processing impairments in developmental dyslexia. Ann Dyslexia 2022; 72:171-196. [PMID: 35286579 PMCID: PMC8942915 DOI: 10.1007/s11881-021-00249-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The extent to which impaired visual and phonological mechanisms may contribute to the manifestation of developmental dyslexia across orthographies of varying depth has yet to be fully established. By adopting a cross-linguistic approach, the current study aimed to explore the nature of visual and phonological processing in developmental dyslexic readers of shallow (Italian) and deep (English) orthographies, and specifically the characterisation of visual processing deficits in relation to orthographic depth. To achieve this aim, we administered a battery of non-reading visual and phonological tasks. Developmental dyslexics performed worse than typically developing readers on all visual and phonological tasks. Critically, readers of the shallow orthography were disproportionately impaired on visual processing tasks. Our results suggest that the impaired reading and associated deficits observed in developmental dyslexia are anchored by dual impairments to visual and phonological mechanisms that underpin reading, with the magnitude of the visual deficit varying according to orthographic depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Provazza
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Barbara Carretti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - David Giofrè
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Anne-Marie Adams
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Daniel Roberts
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Psychology, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK.
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10
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Tonizzi I, Giofrè D, Usai MC. Inhibitory Control in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Meta-analyses on Indirect and Direct Measures. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:4949-4965. [PMID: 34816341 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05353-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This manuscript aimed to advance our understanding of inhibitory control (IC) in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), adopting a meta-analytic multilevel approach. The first meta-analysis, on 164 studies adopting direct measures, indicated a significant small-to-medium (g = 0.484) deficit in the group with ASD (n = 5140) compared with controls (n = 6075). Similar effect sizes between response inhibition and interference control were found, but they were differentially affected by intellectual functioning and age. The second meta-analysis, on 24 studies using indirect measures, revealed a large deficit (g = 1.334) in the group with ASD (n = 985) compared with controls (n = 1300). Presentation format, intellectual functioning, and age were significant moderators. The effect of comorbidity with ADHD was not statistically significant. Implications are discussed for IC research and practice in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Tonizzi
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Genoa, Corso Podestà 2, 16128, Genoa, Italy
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Genoa, Corso Podestà 2, 16128, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Carmen Usai
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Genoa, Corso Podestà 2, 16128, Genoa, Italy.
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Caviola S, Toffalini E, Giofrè D, Ruiz JM, Szűcs D, Mammarella IC. Math Performance and Academic Anxiety Forms, from Sociodemographic to Cognitive Aspects: a Meta-analysis on 906,311 Participants. Educ Psychol Rev 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10648-021-09618-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe relationship between anxiety and mathematics has often been investigated in the literature. Different forms of anxiety have been evaluated, with math anxiety (MA) and test anxiety (TA) consistently being associated with various aspects of mathematics. In this meta-analysis, we have evaluated the impact of these forms of anxiety, distinguishing between different types of mathematical tasks. In investigating this relationship, we have also included potential moderators, such as age, gender, working memory, type of task, and type of material. One hundred seventy-seven studies met the inclusion criteria, providing an overall sample of 906,311 participants. Results showed that both MA and TA had a significant impact on mathematics. Sociodemographic factors had modest moderating effects. Working memory (WM) also mediated the relationship between MA and TA with mathematics; however, this indirect effect was weak. Theoretical and educational implications, as well as future directions for research in this field, are discussed.
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Rivella C, Cornoldi C, Caviola S, Giofrè D. Learning a new geometric concept: The role of working memory and of domain-specific abilities. Br J Educ Psychol 2021; 91:1537-1554. [PMID: 34148228 PMCID: PMC9290594 DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
It has been suggested that not only domain‐specific factors but also working memory (WM) may play a crucial role in mathematical learning included Geometry, but the issue has not been deeply explored. In the present study, we examined the role of domain‐specific factors and of verbal versus visuospatial WM on geometric learning of a new geometrical figure (trapezoid), never presented previously by the teachers participating to the study, after a lecture also involving manipulatives. Results on 105 children in their Year 4 indicated that not only some domain‐specific components (geometric declarative knowledge and calculation) but also visuospatial working memory had a significant specific impact on the ability of solving geometric problems requiring to calculate the perimeter and the area of the new figure. On the contrary, verbal WM and geometrical mental imagery did not offer a specific contribution. These findings could have important educational implications, stressing the importance of taking into account the main different aspects supporting the acquisition of geometry.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cesare Cornoldi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Italy
| | - Sara Caviola
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Italy.,School of Psychology, University of Leeds, UK
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy
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Grassi M, Crotti C, Giofrè D, Boedker I, Toffalini E. Two replications of Raymond, Shapiro, and Arnell (1992), The Attentional Blink. Behav Res Methods 2021; 53:656-668. [PMID: 32789661 PMCID: PMC8062350 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-020-01457-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In order to improve the trustworthiness of our science, several new research practices have been suggested, including preregistration, large statistical power, availability of research data and materials, new statistical standards, and the replication of experiments. We conducted a replication project on an original phenomenon that was discovered more than 25 years ago, namely the attentional blink (Raymond, Shapiro, & Arnell, Human Perception and Performance, 18(3), 849-860, 1992), which has been conceptually replicated hundreds of times with major variations. Here, we ran two identical experiments, adopting the new practices and closely reproducing the original experiment. The two experiments were run by different research groups in different countries and laboratories with different participants. Experiment 1 shared remarkable similarities (in magnitude and duration of the effect) with the original study, but also some differences (the overall accuracy of participants, the timing of the effect, and lag-1 sparing). Experts interviewed to evaluate our results stressed the similarities rather than the differences. Experiment 2 replicated nearly identically the results observed in Experiment 1. These findings show that the adoption of new research practices improves the replicability of experimental research and opens the door for a quantitative and direct comparison of the results collected across different laboratories and countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Grassi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padova, Italy.
| | - Camilla Crotti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | | | | | - Enrico Toffalini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padova, Italy
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Cardillo R, Mammarella IC, Demurie E, Giofrè D, Roeyers H. Pragmatic Language in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Do Theory of Mind and Executive Functions Have a Mediating Role? Autism Res 2020; 14:932-945. [PMID: 33111475 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Pragmatic language (PL) is defined as the ability to use language effectively in communicative exchanges. Previous findings showed that deficits in PL are a core characteristic of the communicative profile of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While different lines of research have revealed a close link between PL and theory of mind (ToM), and between PL and executive functions (EFs), to our knowledge, few studies have explored the relationship between these three domains in children with ASD, and their results have been contradictory. The present study thus aimed to contribute to our understanding of PL in children with ASD and to analyze the underlying mediating role of ToM and EFs. PL is a complex and multifaceted construct. In the present study, we focused on two specific aspects, such as the comprehension of nonliteral language, and the ability to make inferences. After testing 143 participants (73 with ASD), our results confirmed that impairments in PL are a crucial feature of the ASD profile. Children with ASD were also more impaired than their typically developing peers in both ToM and EFs. When the mediating role of ToM and EFs on PL was considered, it emerged that only ToM contributed significantly to the relationship between group and PL. We discussed the potential importance of interventions not focused exclusively on PL, but also involving ToM. LAY SUMMARY: In everyday life, we use pragmatic language to interact successfully with others. Individuals with autism experience significant difficulty in pragmatic language, showing consequent impairments in communication. This study compared the comprehension of nonliteral language, and the ability to make inferences of children with autism and children with typical development, focusing on the role of social and cognitive abilities. Children with autism had difficulties in pragmatic language compared to children with typical development. In addition, the capacity to consider the perspective, intentions and beliefs of other people contributed significantly to the pragmatic language. Autism Res 2021, 14: 932-945. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Cardillo
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
| | - Irene C Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
| | - Ellen Demurie
- Department of Experimental, Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy
| | - Herbert Roeyers
- Department of Experimental, Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
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Allen K, Giofrè D, Higgins S, Adams J. Using working memory performance to predict mathematics performance 2 years on. Psychol Res 2020; 85:1986-1996. [PMID: 32651687 PMCID: PMC8289789 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-020-01382-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A number of previous studies have used working memory components to predict mathematical performance in a variety of ways; however, there is no consideration of the contributions of the subcomponents of visuospatial working memory to this prediction. In this paper we conducted a 2-year follow-up to the data presented in Allen et al. (Q J Exp Psychol 73(2):239–248, 2020b) to ascertain how these subcomponents of visuospatial working memory related to later mathematical performance. 159 children (M age = 115.48 months) completed the maths test for this second wave of the study. Results show a shift from spatial–simultaneous influence to spatial–sequential influence, whilst verbal involvement remained relatively stable. Results are discussed in terms of their potential for education and future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Allen
- School of Education, University of Durham, Durham, UK.
| | - David Giofrè
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Formazione (DISFOR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Steve Higgins
- School of Education, University of Durham, Durham, UK
| | - John Adams
- Department of Psychology, University of Durham, Durham, UK
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16
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Semeraro C, Giofrè D, Coppola G, Lucangeli D, Cassibba R. The role of cognitive and non-cognitive factors in mathematics achievement: The importance of the quality of the student-teacher relationship in middle school. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231381. [PMID: 32310988 PMCID: PMC7170247 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that several factors, including both cognitive and non-cognitive ones, play an important role in mathematics achievement. Relatively little is known about how socio-emotional features and the quality of the student-teacher relationship correlate with mathematics achievement among adolescents in transition to middle school. The aim of the present study is to examine the role of cognitive factors (general cognitive abilities), non-cognitive factors (math anxiety and self-esteem), and the quality of the student-teacher relationship on mathematics achievement. A large sample of Italian sixth graders was evaluated upon entering middle school. The results showed that general cognitive ability was the best predictor of mathematics achievement. As regards non-cognitive factors, the level of math anxiety was effective in predicting mathematics achievement, after controlling for other measures including self-esteem and the quality of the student-teacher relationship. In particular, we found that the quality of the student-teacher relationship had an indirect influence on mathematics achievement through the mediation of math anxiety. Our findings seem to indicate that the quality of the student-teacher relationship may be related to mathematics achievement, through its effects on math anxiety. This may have important implications for practitioners and educators, as we can suggest that interventions devoted to improving the quality of the student-teacher relationship may play a positive role in both preventing math anxiety and promoting mathematics learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Semeraro
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Education, DISFOR University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Gabrielle Coppola
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Daniela Lucangeli
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Rosalinda Cassibba
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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17
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Allen K, Giofrè D, Higgins S, Adams J. Working memory predictors of mathematics across the middle primary school years. Br J Educ Psychol 2020; 90:848-869. [PMID: 31999851 PMCID: PMC7496726 DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Work surrounding the relationship between visuospatial working memory (WM) and mathematics performance is gaining significant traction as a result of a focus on improving academic attainment. AIMS This study examined the relative contributions of verbal and visuospatial simple and complex WM measures to mathematics in primary school children aged 6-10 years. SAMPLE A sample of 111 children in years 2-5 were assessed (Mage = 100.06 months, SD = 14.47). METHOD Children were tested individually on all memory measures, followed by a separate mathematics testing session as a class group in the same assessment wave. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Results revealed an age-dependent relationship, with a move towards visuospatial influence in older children. Further analyses demonstrated that backward word span and backward matrices contributed unique portions of variance of mathematics, regardless of the regression model specified. We discuss possible explanations for our preliminary findings in relation to the existing literature alongside their implications for educators and further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Allen
- School of Education, University of Durham, UK
| | - David Giofrè
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Formazione (DISFOR), University of Genoa, Italy
| | | | - John Adams
- Department of Psychology, University of Durham, UK
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18
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Provazza S, Adams AM, Giofrè D, Roberts DJ. Double Trouble: Visual and Phonological Impairments in English Dyslexic Readers. Front Psychol 2020; 10:2725. [PMID: 31920790 PMCID: PMC6927912 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia is a reading disorder characterized by problems in accurate or fluent reading. A deficiency in phonological processing is thought to underpin the reading difficulties of individuals with developmental dyslexia and a variety of explanations have been proposed including deficits in phonological awareness and verbal memory. Recent investigations have begun to suggest that developmental deficits in the acquisition of reading may also co-occur with visual processing deficits, which are particularly salient for visually complex stimuli, yet these deficits have received relatively little attention from researchers. To further explore the nature of phonological and visual processing in developmental dyslexia, we administered a series of non-reading tasks tapping both domains. Unsurprisingly, individuals with developmental dyslexia performed worse than typically developing readers in phonological tasks. More intriguingly, they also struggled with visual tasks, specifically when discriminating between novel visual patterns, and in visuo-spatial working memory, which requires greater attentional control. These findings highlight that individuals with developmental dyslexia present not only with phonological impairments but also difficulties in processing visual materials. This aspect has received limited attention in previous literature and represents an aspect of novelty of this study. The dual phonological and visual impairments suggest that developmental dyslexia is a complex disorder characterized by deficits in different cognitive mechanisms that underpin reading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Provazza
- Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Anne-Marie Adams
- Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - David Giofrè
- Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom.,Department of Educational Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Daniel John Roberts
- Division of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
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Abstract
In reading, length effects (LEs) are defined as an increment in the time taken to read as a function of word length and may indicate whether reading is proceeding in an efficient whole word fashion or by serial letter processing. LEs are generally considered to be a pathognomonic symptom of developmental dyslexia (DD) and predominantly have been investigated in transparent orthographies where reading impairment is characterized as slow and effortful. In the present study a sample of 18 adult participants with DD were compared to a matched sample of typical developing readers to investigate whether the LE is a critical aspect of DD in an opaque orthography, English. We expected that the DD group would present with marked LEs, in both words and non-words, compared to typical developing readers. The presence of LEs in the DD group confirmed our prediction. These effects were particularly strong in low frequency words and in non-words, as observed in reading speed. These preliminary findings may have important theoretical implications for current understanding of DD.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Provazza
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - D. Giofrè
- Department of Education Sciences, School of Social Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - A.-M. Adams
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - D. J. Roberts
- Division of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
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20
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Abstract
There is extensive evidence for the involvement of working memory in mathematical attainment. This study aims to identify the relative contributions of verbal, spatial-simultaneous, and spatial-sequential working memory measures in written mathematics. Year 3 children (7-8 years of age, n = 214) in the United Kingdom were administered a battery of working memory tasks alongside a standardised test of mathematics. Confirmatory factor analyses and variance partitioning were then performed on the data to identify the unique variance accounted for by verbal, spatial-simultaneous, and spatial-sequential measures. Results revealed the largest individual contribution was that of verbal working memory, followed by spatial-simultaneous factors. This suggests the components of working memory underpinning mathematical performance at this age are those concerning verbal-numeric and spatial-simultaneous working memory. Implications for educators and further research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Allen
- School of Education, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - John Adams
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK
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21
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Giofrè D, Toffalini E, Provazza S, Calcagnì A, Altoè G, Roberts DJ. Are children with developmental dyslexia all the same? A cluster analysis with more than 300 cases. Dyslexia 2019; 25:284-295. [PMID: 31332875 PMCID: PMC6771784 DOI: 10.1002/dys.1629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Reading is vital to every aspect of modern life, exacerbated by reliance of the internet, email, and social media on the written medium. Developmental dyslexia (DD) characterizes a disorder in which the core deficit involves reading. Traditionally, DD is thought to be associated with a phonological impairment. However, recent evidence has begun to suggest that the reading impairment in some individuals is provoked by a visual processing deficit. In this paper, we present WISC-IV data from more than 300 Italian children with a diagnosis of DD to investigate the manifestation of phonological and visual subtypes. Our results indicate the existence of two clusters of children with DD. In one cluster, the deficit was more pronounced in the phonological component, while both clusters were impaired in visual processing. These data indicate that DD may be an umbrella term that encompasses different profiles. From a theoretical perspective, our results demonstrate that dyslexia cannot be explained in terms of an isolated phonological deficit alone; visual impairment plays a crucial role. Moreover, general rather than specific accounts of DD are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Giofrè
- Department of Educational SciencesUniversity of GenoaGenoaItaly
| | | | - Serena Provazza
- Natural Sciences and PsychologyLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpoolUK
| | - Antonio Calcagnì
- Department of Developmental and Social PsychologyUniversity of PadovaPadovaItaly
| | - Gianmarco Altoè
- Department of Developmental and Social PsychologyUniversity of PadovaPadovaItaly
| | - Daniel J. Roberts
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Psychology, College of Health and Life SciencesBrunel University LondonUxbridgeUK
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22
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Giofrè D, Provazza S, Angione D, Cini A, Menazza C, Oppi F, Cornoldi C. The intellectual profile of children with autism spectrum disorders may be underestimated: A comparison between two different batteries in an Italian sample. Res Dev Disabil 2019; 90:72-79. [PMID: 31082681 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2019.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Intelligence measures are typically used in the assessment of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but there is a paucity of research on the implications of such testing. In the present study, we examined children with ASD using two of the most largely adopted instruments, i.e., the WISC-IV, arguably the most utilized scale in the world; and the Leiter-3, a nonverbal scale that also excludes, from the IQ calculation, working memory and processing speed, which are points of weakness in ASD. Results showed that IQ and indices of these two batteries are strongly correlated. However, the WISC-IV IQ might underestimates the potential of children with ASD, particularly in children with a low functioning profile. These hold true for both the full scale IQ and three out of four indices of the WISC-IV, with remarkable implications for both assessment and treatment of these children. Practitioners working with children with ASD should be aware that the battery that they are using might severely affect the estimation of these children's potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Giofrè
- Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.
| | - S Provazza
- Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - D Angione
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - A Cini
- Diagnosis and Research Center in Autism (CDCRA), ULSS 9, Scaligera, Italy
| | - C Menazza
- Center for Developmental Age and Autism, Polo Blu, Padova, Italy
| | - F Oppi
- Diagnosis and Research Center in Autism (CDCRA), ULSS 9, Scaligera, Italy
| | - C Cornoldi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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23
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Donolato E, Giofrè D, Mammarella IC. Working memory, negative affect and personal assets: How do they relate to mathematics and reading literacy? PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218921. [PMID: 31246987 PMCID: PMC6597163 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Research has recently focused on the relationships between working memory, negative affect (e.g., general anxiety, depressive symptoms) and personal assets (e.g., self-concept, academic and competence dimensions, and ego-resiliency), and their influence on mathematics and reading literacy. Although these variables have been amply explored, previous research has usually considered each of these aspects in isolation. Method In the present study, 143 schoolchildren in sixth to eighth grade were tested on general anxiety, depressive symptoms, working memory, self-concept (academic and competence scales), ego-resiliency, and mathematics and reading literacy. Results Variance partitioning showed that all predictors, i.e., working memory, negative affect (i.e., general anxiety and depressive symptoms), and personal assets (i.e., self-concept, academic and competence dimensions, and ego-resiliency) explained a unique and shared portion of the variance in mathematics and reading literacy. Conclusions Our findings point to the importance of investigating the relationship between these factors. Underlying implications and directions for future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrica Donolato
- Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Irene C Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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24
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Hamilton CJ, Mammarella IC, Giofrè D. Autistic-like traits in children are associated with enhanced performance in a qualitative visual working memory task. Autism Res 2018; 11:1494-1499. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.2028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Colin J. Hamilton
- Department of Psychology; Northumbria University; Newcastle upon Tyne UK
| | - Irene C. Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology; University of Padova; Padova Italy
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Natural Sciences and Psychology; Liverpool John Moores University; Liverpool UK
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25
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Giofrè D, Donolato E, Mammarella IC. The differential role of verbal and visuospatial working memory in mathematics and reading. Trends Neurosci Educ 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tine.2018.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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26
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Bizzaro M, Giofrè D, Girelli L, Cornoldi C. Arithmetic, working memory, and visuospatial imagery abilities in children with poor geometric learning. Learning and Individual Differences 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2018.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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27
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Mammarella IC, Caviola S, Giofrè D, Szűcs D. The underlying structure of visuospatial working memory in children with mathematical learning disability. Br J Dev Psychol 2017; 36:220-235. [DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Revised: 03/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Irene C. Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology; University of Padova; Italy
| | - Sara Caviola
- Department of Psychology; University of Cambridge; UK
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Natural Sciences and Psychology; Liverpool John Moores University; UK
| | - Dénes Szűcs
- Department of Psychology; University of Cambridge; UK
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28
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Mammarella IC, Caviola S, Giofrè D, Borella E. Separating math from anxiety: The role of inhibitory mechanisms. Applied Neuropsychology: Child 2017; 7:342-353. [DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2017.1341836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Irene C. Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Sara Caviola
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Erika Borella
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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29
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Donolato E, Giofrè D, Mammarella IC. Differences in Verbal and Visuospatial Forward and Backward Order Recall: A Review of the Literature. Front Psychol 2017; 8:663. [PMID: 28522982 PMCID: PMC5415597 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
How sequential, verbal and visuospatial stimuli are encoded and stored in memory is not clear in cognitive psychology. Studies with order recall tasks, such as the digit, and Corsi span, indicate that order of presentation is a crucial element for verbal memory, but not for visuospatial memory. This seems to be due to the different effects of forward and backward recall in verbal and visuospatial tasks. In verbal span tasks, performance is worse when recalling things in backward sequence rather than the original forward sequence. In contrast, when it comes to visuospatial tasks, performance is not always worse for a modified backward sequence. However, worse performance in backward visuospatial recall is evident in individuals with weak visuospatial abilities; such individuals perform worse in the backward version of visuospatial tasks than in the forward version. The main aim of the present review is to summarize findings on order recall in verbal and visuospatial materials by considering both cognitive and neural correlates. The results of this review will be considered in the light of the current models of WM, and will be used to make recommendations for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrica Donolato
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of PadovaPadova, Italy
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpool, UK
| | - Irene C Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of PadovaPadova, Italy
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30
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Giofrè D, Cumming G, Fresc L, Boedker I, Tressoldi P. The influence of journal submission guidelines on authors' reporting of statistics and use of open research practices. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0175583. [PMID: 28414751 PMCID: PMC5393581 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
From January 2014, Psychological Science introduced new submission guidelines that encouraged the use of effect sizes, estimation, and meta-analysis (the "new statistics"), required extra detail of methods, and offered badges for use of open science practices. We investigated the use of these practices in empirical articles published by Psychological Science and, for comparison, by the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, during the period of January 2013 to December 2015. The use of null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) was extremely high at all times and in both journals. In Psychological Science, the use of confidence intervals increased markedly overall, from 28% of articles in 2013 to 70% in 2015, as did the availability of open data (3 to 39%) and open materials (7 to 31%). The other journal showed smaller or much smaller changes. Our findings suggest that journal-specific submission guidelines may encourage desirable changes in authors' practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Giofrè
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Geoff Cumming
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Luca Fresc
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Ingrid Boedker
- Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Giofrè D, Borella E, Mammarella IC. The relationship between intelligence, working memory, academic self-esteem, and academic achievement. Journal of Cognitive Psychology 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2017.1310110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David Giofrè
- Department of Natural Science and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Erika Borella
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Giofrè D, Toffalini E, Altoè G, Cornoldi C. Intelligence measures as diagnostic tools for children with specific learning disabilities. Intelligence 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2017.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- David Giofrè
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Barbara Carretti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Carmen Belacchi
- Department of Communication Sciences, Humanities and International Studies, University of Urbino, Urbino, Italy
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Giofrè D, Stoppa E, Ferioli P, Pezzuti L, Cornoldi C. Forward and backward digit span difficulties in children with specific learning disorder. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2016; 38:478-86. [DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2015.1125454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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35
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Giofrè D, Cornoldi C. The structure of intelligence in children with specific learning disabilities is different as compared to typically development children. Intelligence 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2015.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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36
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Giofrè D, Cornoldi C, Schoemaker MM. Identifying developmental coordination disorder: MOQ-T validity as a fast screening instrument based on teachers' ratings and its relationship with praxic and visuospatial working memory deficits. Res Dev Disabil 2014; 35:3518-3525. [PMID: 25241112 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Revised: 08/25/2014] [Accepted: 08/28/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The present study was devoted to test the validity of the Italian adaptation of the Motor Observation Questionnaire for Teachers (MOQ-T, Schoemaker, Flapper, Reinders-Messelink, & De Kloet, 2008) as a fast screening instrument, based on teachers' ratings, for detecting developmental coordination disorders symptoms and to study its relationship with praxic and visuospatial working memory deficits. In a first study on a large sample of children, we assessed the reliability and structure of the Italian adaptation of the MOQ-T. Results showed a good reliability of the questionnaire and a hierarchical structure with two first-order factors (reflecting motor and handwriting skills), which are influenced by a second-order factor (general motor function) at the top. In a second study, we looked at the external validity of the MOQ-T and found that children with symptoms of Developmental Coordination Disorder (children with high scores on the MOQ-T) also had difficulty reproducing gestures, either imitating others or in response to verbal prompts. Our results also showed that children with high MOQ-T scores had visuospatial WM impairments. The theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Giofrè
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy.
| | - Cesare Cornoldi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
| | - Marina M Schoemaker
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands
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37
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38
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Cornoldi C, Giofrè D, Orsini A, Pezzuti L. Differences in the intellectual profile of children with intellectual vs. learning disability. Res Dev Disabil 2014; 35:2224-2230. [PMID: 24927516 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2014] [Revised: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 05/16/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The WISC-IV was used to compare the intellectual profile of two groups of children, one with specific learning disorders (SLDs), the other with intellectual disabilities (ID), with a view to identifying which of the four main factor indexes and two additional indexes can distinguish between the groups. We collected information on WISC-IV scores for 267 children (Mage=10.61 [SD=2.51], range 6-16 years, females=99) with a diagnosis of either SLD or ID. Children with SLD performed better than those with ID in all measures. Only the SLD children, not the ID children, revealed significant differences in the four main factor indexes, and their scores for the additional General Ability Index (GAI) were higher than for the Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI). Children with a diagnosis of SLD whose Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) was <85 showed a similar pattern. Our findings confirm the hypothesis that children with SLD generally obtain high GAI scores, but have specific deficiencies relating to working memory and processing speed, whereas children with ID have a general intellectual impairment. These findings have important diagnostic and clinical implications and should be considered when making diagnostic decisions in borderline cognitive cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesare Cornoldi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Italy; President of the Italian Association for Learning Disabilities (AIRIPA), Italy
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Italy.
| | - Arturo Orsini
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Lina Pezzuti
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
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Mammarella IC, Giofrè D, Caviola S, Cornoldi C, Hamilton C. Visuospatial working memory in children with autism: the effect of a semantic global organization. Res Dev Disabil 2014; 35:1349-1356. [PMID: 24705488 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2014] [Revised: 03/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
It has been reported that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) perceive visual scenes as a sparse set of details rather than as a congruent and meaningful unit, failing in the extraction of the global configuration of the scene. In the present study, children with ASD were compared with typically developing (TD) children, in a visuospatial working memory task, the Visual Patterns Test (VPT). The VPT array was manipulated to vary the semantic affordance of the pattern, high semantic (global) vs. low semantic; temporal parameters were also manipulated within the change detection protocol. Overall, there was no main effect associated with Group, however there was a significant effect associated with Semantics, which was further qualified by an interaction between the Group and Semantic factors; there was only a significant effect of semantics in the TD group. The findings are discussed in light of the weak central coherence theory where the ASD group are unable to make use of long term memory semantics in order to construct global representations of the array.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene C Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Italy.
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
| | - Sara Caviola
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
| | - Cesare Cornoldi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
| | - Colin Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK
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Abstract
Cognitive psychology offers an important contribution to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying intelligence. In this paper, we synthesize the research showing that, among the different cognitive mechanisms associated with intelligence, working memory has a particularly high explanatory power, especially when considered in its active component involving not only the maintenance (as in short-term memory) but also the manipulation of information. The paper considers two main implications of this finding for the applied and clinical fields. For a start, we examine how intelligence tests take into consideration working memory. Secondly, we consider the highly debated literature on the effects of working memory training on intellectual performance. Theoretical and applied implications for the relationship between working memory and intelligence are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesare Cornoldi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
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Cornoldi C, Orsini A, Cianci L, Giofrè D, Pezzuti L. Intelligence and working memory control: Evidence from the WISC-IV administration to Italian children. Learning and Individual Differences 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2013.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Mammarella IC, Giofrè D, Ferrara R, Cornoldi C. Intuitive geometry and visuospatial working memory in children showing symptoms of nonverbal learning disabilities. Child Neuropsychol 2013; 19:235-49. [DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2011.640931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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Giofrè D, Mammarella IC, Ronconi L, Cornoldi C. Visuospatial working memory in intuitive geometry, and in academic achievement in geometry. Learning and Individual Differences 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2012.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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Cornoldi C, Ficili P, Giofrè D, Mammarella IC, Mirandola C. Imaginative Representations of Two - and Three-Dimensional Matrices in Children with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.2190/ic.31.1-2.f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Children with non-verbal learning disabilities (NLD) are characterized by high verbal and poor non-verbal intelligence, poor cognitive abilities, school difficulties, and—sometimes—depressive symptoms. NLD children lack visuospatial working memory, but it is not clear whether they encounter difficulties in mental imagery tasks. In the present study, NLD adolescents without depressive symptoms, depressed adolescents without NLD symptoms, and a control group were administered a mental imagery task requiring them to imagine to move along the cells of a 2-D (5 × 5) or 3-D (3 × 3 × 3) matrix. Results showed that NLD adolescents had difficulty at performing the imagery task when a 3-D pattern was involved. It is suggested that 3-D mental imagery tasks tap visuospatial processes which are weak in NLD individuals. In addition, their poor cognitive performance cannot be attributed to a depressive state, as the depressed group had a performance similar to that of controls.
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Cornoldi C, Belacchi C, Giofrè D, Martini A, Tressoldi P. The mean Southern Italian children IQ is not particularly low: A reply to R. Lynn (2010). Intelligence 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2010.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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