The goal of this article is to map out public perceptions of animal experimentation in 28 European countries. Postulating cross-cultural differences, this study mixes country-level variables (from the Eurostat database) and individual-level variables (from Eurobarometer Science and Technology 2010). It is shown that experimentation on animals such as mice is generally accepted in European countries, but perceptions are divided on dogs and monkeys. Between 2005 and 2010, we observe globally a change of approval on dogs and monkeys, with a significant decrease in nine countries. Multilevel analysis results show differences at country level (related to a post-industrialism model) and at individual level (related to gender, age, education, proximity and perceptions of science and the environment). These results may have consequences for public perceptions of science and we call for more cross-cultural research on press coverage of animal research and on the level of public engagement of scientists doing animal research.

“We are all in the same boat” are words heard from young climate activists, suggesting that all generations must engage together in the fight against climate change. However, because of their age and life situation, some young people may feel unable to change the situation and attribute the moral obligation to do so to older generations. Whether such attributions restrict young people from engaging in pro-environmental behaviours remains largely unstudied. To fill this gap, the present study incorporated perceptions of self-efficacy, feelings of external control, and intergenerational obligation (i.e., believing that all generations should act) into the Value–Belief–Norm model. Data from high school (n = 639) and bachelor (n = 1509) students in French-speaking Switzerland showed that perceptions of self-efficacy and intergenerational obligation predicted the probability of engaging in both an actual behaviour (Study 1) and a costly educational commitment (Study 2), while perceiving that the fate of the Earth lies in the hands of powerful others did not. These results suggest that educational programs on climate change should integrate intergenerational components.

The goal of this article is to map out attitudes towards animal experimentation in Europe (EU15 plus Switzerland), more specifically, to document the current attitudes, perform cross-national comparison of the trends of attitudes towards animal experimentation and of the explanatory factors of these attitudes. We assume that the conception of nature and science influences the perception of animal research. This study analyses a series of surveys that measure European public attitudes towards science and technology, the Eurobarometer (EB) 2001 and 2005. The majority of European countries refused animal experimentation in 2005 and we observe downward trend in every country, except Belgium and Spain. If the trend is similar among the countries the patterns of explanation of these attitudes are quite heterogeneous. Attitudes towards animal testing are explained in every country by attitudes towards science and nature, and by sociodemographic variables (except in Spain and Austria), and in very few countries by scientific knowledge (Belgium) or by values (Sweden and Switzerland). These results may have consequences for science and contribute therefore to the public understanding of science (PUS) research.

The effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for rehabilitation is proportional to the evoked torque. The progressive increase in torque (extra torque) that may develop in response to low intensity wide-pulse high-frequency (WPHF) NMES holds great promise for rehabilitation as it overcomes the main limitation of NMES, namely discomfort. WPHF NMES extra torque is thought to result from reflexively recruited motor units at the spinal level. However, whether WPHF NMES evoked force can be modulated is unknown. Therefore, we examined the effect of two interventions known to change the state of spinal circuitry in opposite ways on evoked torque and motor unit recruitment by WPHF NMES. The interventions were high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and anodal transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS). We show that TENS performed before a bout of WPHF NMES results in lower evoked torque (median change in torque time-integral: − 56%) indicating that WPHF NMES-evoked torque might be modulated. In contrast, the anodal tsDCS protocol used had no effect on any measured parameter. Our results demonstrate that WPHF NMES extra torque can be modulated and although the TENS intervention blunted extra torque production, the finding that central contribution to WPHF NMES-evoked torques can be modulated opens new avenues for designing interventions to enhance WPHF NMES.

This study aimed at validating the psychometric properties of the French version of the 40-item revised Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI-R). The certified French version was used and answered by 211 student musicians (aged 16–65 years, SD = 9.58) from different music schools and music colleges in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The K-MPAI-R is based on Barlow’s model of anxiety and was designed to measure performance anxiety in musicians. Through descriptive statistics and confirmatory factor analysis, the correlation matrix and the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy and Bartlett’s test of sphericity were performed. The confirmatory factor analysis showed evidence of validity (Cronbach’s α, Factor G = .91) with internal reliabilities going from α = .78 to .86. Nine items present low factor loading (<.30). Given the adequate psychometric properties of the French K-MPAI-R, this instrument is valid and reliable for the measurement of performance anxiety among French-speaking musicians. When accompanying musicians in mental preparation (e.g., psychologists, mental trainer), the total score should be taken as a general information, but factors and their associated lowest items could be interesting to work on pertinent aspects with the musician.

<!--field: Resume-->Objet. — Face à la demande pressante d’engagement des scientifiques envers la société, le versant « scientifique » de la relation science-société devint un objet d’étude au croisement de la sociologie des sciences et de la sociologie de la communication scientifique. Cet article analyse comment les scientifiques se représentent leurs relations avec la société et cerne leurs pratiques ainsi que le poids des perceptions dans les pratiques. Méthode. — Cet article porte sur les résultats d’une enquête réalisée en 2007 auprès de 810 scientifiques de l’Université de Lausanne (Suisse) qui comporte sept facultés des sciences humaines et naturelles. Le questionnaire comportait 36 questions relatives aux perceptions de l’engagement, au niveau d’engagement, aux motivations et barrières à l’engagement, aux incitations et aux caractéristiques sociodémographiques. Résultats — L’inventaire des activités d’engagement des scientifiques est positif bien que contrasté : seule une minorité n’a mené aucune activité d’engagement (12 %), mais une minorité d’assidus (20 %) a entrepris plus de la moitié des activités d’engagement (55 %). Le niveau d’engagement varie selon le sexe, l’âge et le statut des scientifiques. Des variations similaires sont constatées au niveau du choix des scientifiques sollicités par les journalistes. Les scientifiques engagés sont également plus actifs envers leurs pairs. L’analyse des représentations des répondants montre une vision globalement sociétale de la science et une inscription de l’engagement dans une visée informative plutôt que dialogique. L’hypothèse d’un lien entre les perceptions et les pratiques des scientifiques est vérifiée par un modèle linéaire généralisé. Conclusion. — Ces résultats, et plus largement la multiplication des recherches sur l’engagement des scientifiques, peuvent certainement avoir des effets constructifs sur l’image de l’engagement dans le monde académique et sur sa mise en œuvre. Annexes électroniques consultables en ligne sur http://sociologie.revues.org/217 <!--field: -->