Paris West University Nanterre La Défense

About: Paris West University Nanterre La Défense is a education organization based out in Paris, France. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Computer science & Politics. The organization has 895 authors who have published 1430 publications receiving 21712 citations.

The Liberating Role of Conflict in Group Creativity: A Cross Cultural Study

Abstract: Researchers of group creativity have noted problems such as social loafing, "production blocking," and especially, evaluation apprehension (Paulus, 2000). Thus, brainstorming techniques have specifically admonished people "not to criticize" their own and others' ideas, a tenet that has gone unexamined. In contrast, there is research showing that dissent, debate and competing views have positive value, stimulating divergent and creative thought (Nemeth, 2002, in press). In this experimental study, traditional brainstorming instructions admonishing people not to criticize were compared with instructions encouraging people to debate and even criticize. A third condition offered no specific instructions. This study was conducted both in the United States and in France. Results show the value of both types of instructions, but, in general, debate instructions were superior to traditional brainstorming instructions. Further, these findings hold across both cultures. Results are discussed in terms of the positive value of encouraging debate and controversy for idea generation.

Bankable Pollution Permits Under Uncertainty and Optimal Risk Management Rules: Theory and Empirical Evidence

Abstract: The well known economic advantage of tradable permits over command and control obviously vanishes if firms do not trade because of regulatory uncertainty. In fact, uncertainty about political decision changes in the permits program could make firms reluctant to participate in tradable permits markets. Based on a two-period partial equilibrium framework, our results suggest that the banking provisions may be used as a tool of policy risk control and that it is possible to define optimal risk sharing rules in order to respond to political decision changes. Finally, our empirical discussion attempts to put the theoretical results concerning firms' banking and pooling behaviors in the context of the recent development of the European Union Emisions Trading scheme (EU ETS).

Influence of bilateral motor actions on judgements: Additional evidence for the motor congruence hypothesis

Abstract: One experiment was conducted to examine the influence of bilateral motor actions involving two parameters of movement (flexion vs extension of the arm and laterality as bodily activation of different motivational systems) on judgements. Arm flexion or unilateral right contraction (involving the positive and approach motivational system) has been shown to determine positive evaluations, whereas arm extension or unilateral left contraction (involving the negative and withdrawal motivational system) has led to negative evaluations. Participants (N = 72) had to evaluate neutral Chinese ideographs after performing one of four combined bilateral motor actions (right flexion/left extension, bilateral flexion, bilateral extension, and left flexion/right extension). Results showed that bilateral congruent motor action (right flexion/left extension as two activations of the positive or approach motivational system) and bilateral non-congruent motor action (left flexion/right extension as two activations of the negative or withdrawal motivational system) led respectively to positive and negative judgements, whereas bilateral flexion and bilateral extension determined neutral judgements. These results help understanding of how the motor system operates to process affective cues.

« Femme au volant… » : effet de la menace du stéréotype et de la colère sur les performances des femmes à une tâche liée à la conduite automobile

Abstract: Au regard de la theorie de la menace du stereotype (Steele & Aronson, 1995), cet article examine le role mediateur des emotions de peur et de colere dans la chute de performance des groupes stigmatises. En se basant sur les theories fonctionnelles et cognitives des emotions (Mackie & Worth, 1989 ; Oatley & Johnson-Laird, 1987), les auteurs postulent que la peur et la colere, par le traitement non adapte de la tâche qu’elles generent, interviendraient dans l’effet deletere observe sur les performances. Une etude realisee sur une tâche liee a la conduite automobile met en evidence, par une tâche de decision lexicale, l’implication de la colere dans la chute de performance de femmes en situation de menace du stereotype. Conformement a nos hypotheses, les resultats montrent d’une part que les femmes en situation diagnostique des capacites de conduite obtiennent des performances inferieures au test de conduite qu’en non diagnostique, et d’autre part que cette chute de performance s’explique par une plus grande intensite de colere chez les femmes menacees. Ces resultats sont discutes en termes de consequences du traitement cognitif resultant de l’apparition de colere.

Melatonin supplementation ameliorates oxidative stress, antioxidant status and physical performances recovery during a soccer training camp

Abstract: It is well established that intensive physical training induces oxidative stress and muscle damage that can contribute to fatigue and injuries. Melatonin (MEL) has been used as an ergogenic aid (i....