Resumen El estudio se cuestiona sobre un abordaje fructífero en el estudio de los efectos de la modalidad lingüística (de señas versus oral) en la organización de la memoria semántica. Para responder la pregunta de investigación, un aspecto central es definir criterios y procedimientos capaces de distinguir entre los factores transportados por la modalidad lingüística de los que le son propios. Entre los primeros, se encuentran la edad de exposición a la lengua natural y su distribución funcional, etaria o geográfica. Entre los aspectos propios de la modalidad se incluyen la iconicidad y el grado de concreción/abstracción de las piezas léxicas. Se sugiere centrarse en el uso de dicho gradiente para evocar dominios conceptuales. Si lo concreto/abstracto es un continuo, entonces hay que preguntarse qué forma de organización es predominante en el léxico mental de las poblaciones señantes u oyentes y qué factores modulan el perfil de esa organización.

Abstract The efforts to understand the relationship of the meaning of a lexical piece to the object to which it refers, the relationship between the lexical pieces and the concepts, and the understanding of the meanings shared between two speakers who use the same lexical pieces have all constituted major problems for the semantic memory models. According to contemporary literature, perceptual-motor, linguistic, and social information have different weights in the formation of concepts, whether concrete or abstract, stored in the aforementioned memory. Regardless of the models developed so far, it is interesting to note that semantic knowledge is represented by various ways of relating the concepts and the types of relationships between them. In this context, studies in sign languages and comparative studies between spoken and sign languages are scarce. Thus, little is known about the effect of linguistic modality on the semantic networks. After all, the theory on semantic networks and norms for the production of features has been grounded on theories of language and its processing adjusted to spoken languages. As the incorporation of the sign language and the Deaf population has shown in other psycholinguistic and linguistic topics, the importance of including these languages and populations, and comparatives with spoken languages, might increase the explanatory power of the theory to account for the universal and contextual aspects of language and its processing. In this effort, there is a latent risk: the linguistic modality can be only a vehicle for more well-known or studied cross-modal variables (e. g., age of acquisition, functional distribution of language, size of the available lexicon, etc.). If it is considered that languages are not stored together, but similar processes can occur in them, it is essential to find out what may be a singular feature of each modality (spoken versus sign) that might ground differentiated processes. Considering the high iconicity of the sign languages and the possibility of a high concreteness of the lexical pieces in the sign language as distinctive features –not collapsible into well-known variables such as the aforementioned–, this article suggests a careful approach to avoid the aforementioned risk in the study of the effects of the linguistic modality (sign versus oral) in the organization of semantic memory. Since perceptual-motor and social information are the main sources of iconicity, a balanced instrument is necessary in the evocation of perceptual-motor, social, and linguistic information. Repeated free word association tasks seem like an appropriate paradigm for a suggested approach. The reasons for this are that, by not censoring the types of response, then free association tasks allow capturing all kinds of concepts (concrete or abstract), all kinds of semantic relationships/organization (paradigmatic versus thematic) and all kinds of processes (comparison versus interaction). This type of task therefore makes it possible to collect meanings related to linguistic information and non-linguistic experience because affective and experiential information is accessible by doing the task in different repetitions. The approach and the tool are exemplified by an ongoing comparative study between Deaf signing and hearing populations. The partial findings of this study also serve to focus on the expected effects of the difference in iconicity and the level of concreteness/abstractness of the lexical pieces of each linguistic modality; namely, the differences between an abstract and a concrete conceptualization of the conceptual domains. Taxonomic and introspective labels might appear as indicative of paradigmatic relationships, of a taxonomic organization, and of underlying comparison processes. On the other hand, the situational and entity labels, indicative of syntagmatic relationships, of a thematic organization and of underlying interaction processes, might suggest a predominantly concrete organization.

Resumen En los últimos años, se ha producido una profusa investigación en torno a la memoria semántica en la vejez. En ese marco, el presente trabajo abordó la producción de atributos semánticos y las variaciones en la fluencia verbal en el envejecimiento cognitivo normal. Existen numerosos estudios sobre fluencia, pero son exiguos los que comparan la distancia semántica entre conceptos en poblaciones de personas jóvenes y mayores de una misma región. El objeto de este trabajo fue comparar y analizar la distancia semántica entre ambos grupos etarios y la riqueza semántica por medio de la fluencia dada a 130 conceptos por 90 adultos mayores de 65 años, cognitivamente conservados, con los atributos producidos por 120 adultos jóvenes, tal como se hallan en las Normas de Producción de Atributos Semánticos en Español. Estos atributos fueron empíricamente recolectados en forma escrita y corresponden a los dominios 'seres vivos' y 'no vivos'. Se encontraron diferencias significativas en fluencia verbal a favor de los más jóvenes, en coincidencia con lo expresado en la literatura, y estabilidad en la constitución semántica entre los conceptos dados por ambos grupos etarios, como aspecto novedoso.

Abstract In recent years, there has been a profuse research on semantic memory in old age. In this framework, this paper addressed the production of semantic features and the variations in verbal fluency in normal cognitive aging. There are numerous studies on fluency, but there are fewer that compare the semantic distance between concepts in populations of young people and seniors in the same region. The purpose of this paper is to compare and analyze the semantic distance between both age groups, and the semantic richness measured by the fluency, given to 130 concepts by 90 cognitively conserved adults over 65 years old, with the features produced by 120 young adults, as found in the Normas de Producción de Atributos Semánticos en Español. Semantic features were empirically collected in written form and correspond to the domains living and non-living beings. Significant differences were found in verbal fluency in favor of the youngest, in coincidence with what was expressed in the literature, and stability in the semantic constitution between the concepts given by both age groups, as a novel aspect.

Resumo Nos últimos anos se tem produzido uma profunda pesquisa em torno ao tema da memória semântica na velhice. Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho abordou a produção de atributos semânticos e as variações na fluência verbal no envelhecimento cognitivo normal. Existem numerosos estudos sobre fluência, mas são exíguos os estudos que comparam a distância semântica entre conceitos em populações de jovens e de idosos de uma mesma região. O objetivo deste trabalho é comparar e analisar a distância semântica entre ambos os grupos etários e a riqueza semântica medida por meio da fluência, dada para 130 conceitos por 90 idosos de 65 anos cognitivamente conservados, com os atributos produzidos por 120 adultos jovens, tal como encontram-se nas Normas de Produção de Atributos Semânticos em Espanhol. Os atributos semânticos foram empíricamente coletados em forma escrita e correspondem aos domínios seres vivos e não vivos. Se encontraram diferenças significativas em fluência verbal a favor dos mais jovens, em coincidência com o expressado na literatura, e estabilidade na constituição semântica entre os conceitos dados por ambos os grupos etários, como aspeto inovador.

The Project for a Scientific Psychology is Freud's most forceful attempt to formulate a model of psychic functioning within the framework of the natural sciences. In order to do this he defines the psychism as a system constituted by specifiable material particles, the neurons, particles subject to changes of state according to an operator of change of state conceived as an amount (Q) and on which the laws of Newton validly operate. In this way, he studies the composition of the mental system, differentiating the existence of three neuronal subsystems (Fi, Psi and Omega) and analyzing the avatars of the quantity Q as a state change operator, which is essentially the motor of the Psychicdynamics and foundation of the Ego organization organization, taking this organization as a particular state of the distribution of Q in the system. The purpose of this work is to make explicit the use of the concepts coming from the physics of that time and the form they took in the Project. This paper presents four axes: 1) The notion of system, state and change of state. Freud advocates for a Psychology defined as natural science as capable of representing phenomena as quantitatively determined states of specifiable material particles. The system is subject to state changes according toa physical and measurable change of state operator, which corresponds to the notion of quantity (Q). 2) The support of psychic dynamics in the first and second principles of thermodynamics. The tendency described in the Project as an impulse tothe discharge of the neuronal tension to zero, is heiress of a model constructed according to the first two principles of the thermodynamics. The notion of the general irreversibility of the psychic process, despite the mechanisms that retard, and even partially reverse the direction of the process, is an implicit idea on which all repetitive phenomena are based. The concept of facilitation itself involves the irreversibility of the process since it does not contemplate the possibility that mechanisms exist that may allow the reverse operation, except in the exceptional situation in which, for different reasons, the expected spontaneous sense is reversed, generating the process of regression. 3) The analogy of electrodynamics notions in the functioning of the psychic apparatus. Neurons, as conductors charged by a current flowing in a given direction, are also capable of storing a quantity of excitation, cathexis, neologism derived from the word cathode, used in physics. The idea of gradual local differences in potential is the only possible justification within the model for explaining psychic work as a product of the interrelationship between energy and work. Thus, it is difficult to say that when Freud developed his project he was not thinking of an electrodynamics model, it is difficult to imagine that he did not think of current (electron flow) when he spoke of current, or tha the did not think of physical resistances when he spoke of resistances, or that he did not think about tension when he described the storage of potential excitation, or else that he did not seek, finally, to formulate an Ohm law of neural function, when he spoke of their relations. 4) The study of the wave characteristics as the basis of the third neuronal subsystem of the model. The Project solves the problem of the quality by assigning to the currents in flow another property, the periodicity, independent of the quantity. This periodicity refers to frequency and frequency changes, which only in the Omega system become significant, because in the Psi system they do not exist, neither in Fi. These are, in Freud's words, monotonous, that is to say of uniform and constant frequency so as to give a unique tone.

El Proyecto de Psicología para Neurólogos constituye el más enérgico intento de Freud de formular un modelo de funcionamiento psíquico en el marco de las Ciencias Naturales. Así, estudia la composición del sistema mental llegando a diferenciar la existencia de tres subsistemas neuronales y analiza los avatares de la cantidad Q, esencia de la dinámica psíquica y fundamento de la organización Yoica. El propósito de este trabajo es explicitar el uso de los conceptos provenientes de la Física de su época y la forma que tomaron en el Proyecto. Se presentan cuatro ejes: (1) La noción de sistema, estado y cambio de estado, para analizar las proposiciones metateóricas. (2) La sustentación dela dinámica psíquica en el primer y segundo principio de la Termodinámica. (3) El símil de las nociones electrodinámicas en el funcionamiento del aparato psíquico. (4) El estudio de las características ondulatorias como sustento del tercer subsistema neuronal del modelo.

The Extended Theory of the Propagation of the Activation is one of the more accepted models to represent the information stored in the long term memory. In this model isolated concepts do not have meaning but they acquire it by their relation with the others. The aim of this paper is to communicate the results of an experience in which it was applied a method to estimate the semantic distances (Distsem) between nine concepts of the subject cognitive psychology in three instances, individual initial, group and individual final. The participants were 225 students from third year of the career of psychology (National University of Mar del Plata) that were taking the course of cognitive psychology. Subjects were asked to estimate the proximity between random pairs of concepts and then it was applied a set of Social Network Analyses routines. The results show that the student´s semantic networks changed positively in the second individual instance thank to group interaction. The conclusions suggest an association between initial knowledge and the influence exerted in the group product and allow describing the evolution of the networks

La Teoría Extendida de la Propagación de la Activación es uno de los modelos más aceptados para representar la información almacenada en la memoria a largo plazo. En dicho modelo los conceptos no poseen significado de manera aislada sino que lo adquieren por su posición en la estructura reticular. El objetivo de este trabajo es comunicar los resultados de la aplicación del método de evaluación de distancias semánticas (Distsem) sobre nueve conceptos de la asignatura psicología cognitiva en tres instancias, individual inicial, grupal e individual final. Participaron 225 estudiantes del 3er año de psicología (UNMDP) que cursaban la asignatura. Se solicitó a los alumnos estimar la proximidad entre pares aleatorizados de dichos conceptos y luego se aplicó un conjunto de procedimientos de análisis de redes sociales. Los resultados mostraron que las redes semánticas de los alumnos evolucionaron favorablemente en la segunda instancia individual gracias a la interacción grupal. Las conclusiones sugieren una fuerte asociación entre conocimiento inicial y la influencia ejercida en el producto grupal y permiten describir la evolución de las redes.

This paper examines the benefits of using Social Network Analysis in the field of sociobibliometric exploration. There are considered practical and conceptual limits and reaches. The proposal is illustrated through a study about a journals network of behavior modification by Peiró and Carpintero (1981). In this context it is shown the utility of using reticular properties of Density, Centrality, Betweenness, Power and Clusterig as indicators that allow obtaining novel and complementary information to the one extracted by the classic methods of bibliometric exploration.

El presente trabajo examina los beneficios de utilizar Análisis de Redes Sociales en el campo de la exploración sociobibliométrica. Se consideran los límites y alcances prácticos y conceptuales. La propuesta es ilustrada utilizando un estudio realizado por Peiró y Carpintero (1981) sobre una red de revistas de modificación de la conducta. En este contexto se muestra la utilidad de usar las propiedades reticulares de Densidad, Centralidad, Intermediación, Poder y Agrupamiento como indicadores que permiten obtener información novedosa y complementaria a la extraída por los métodos clásicos de exploración bibliométrica.

The growing interest on the open and distance education mediated by new technologies is one of the most remarkable phenomenon in educational field. Although the gain as regards accessibility of the actors is undeniable when they are free of time and space limitations in electronic mediated interaction, the emergent consequences of the social presence restrictions are not so well known. This paper suggested that the access and the distribution of the actor’s participation are affected as a product of intrinsic properties of the communication media. There are reported results of an observation of student groups working face to face and computer mediated in a making decision task called Moon Survival. Significant differences in the level of activity, participation and communication network cohesion, for each medium, were established by the use of social network analysis.The distribution of the agents’ participation in computer mediated communication reveals that this medium increases and expands the differences in the use of the resources by the different actors who are involved in the task.

Uno de los fenómenos más notables en el campo de la educación y la capacitación ha sido el creciente interés por el aprendizaje abierto y a distancia mediado por nuevas tecnologías. Si bien resulta innegable una ganancia en cuanto a la accesibilidad de los actores al liberarlos de las limitaciones de tiempo y espacio en la interacción electrónicamente mediada, no resultan tan bien conocidas las consecuencias emergentes de las restricciones en la presencia social. En este trabajo se sugiere que como producto de propiedades intrínsecas del medio de comunicación queda afectado el acceso y distribución de la participación de los actores. Se reportan los resultados de una observación de grupos de alumnos trabajando en forma presencial y mediada por computadora en una tarea de toma de decisión denominada Moon Survival. Utilizando análisis de redes sociales se pudo establecer diferencias significativas en el nivel de actividad, la participación y la cohesión de las redes de comunicación para cada medio. La distribución de la participación de los agentes en comunicación mediada por computadora pone de manifiesto que este medio replica y magnifica las desigualdades en la utilización del recurso por parte de los diferentes actores implicados en la tarea.