The purpose of the present study was to identify the effect of acoustic neurofeedback on brain activity during consecutive stages of mental rotation of 3D objects. Given the fact that the process of mental rotation of objects is associated with desynchronisation of beta rhythm (beta ERD), it was expected that suppression in this band would be greater in the experimental group than in the controls. Thirty-three participants were randomly allocated to two groups performing the classic Shepard–Metzler mental rotation task (1971). The experimental group received auditory stimuli when the level of concentration fell below the threshold value determined separately for each participant based on the engagement index [β/(α + Θ)]. The level of concentration in the control group was not stimulated. Compared to the controls, the experimental group was found with greater beta-band suppression recorded above the left parietal cortex during the early stage and above the right parietal cortex during the late stage of mental rotation task. At the late stage of mental rotation, only the experimental group was found with differences in beta ERD related to varied degrees of the rotation angle and the control condition (zero angles, no rotation) recorded above the right parietal cortex and the central area of cerebral cortex. The present findings suggest that acoustic feedback might improve the process of mental rotation.

Are there differences in divergent thinking and personality traits between students who attend art-based high schools and non-art-based high schools? The main goal of this exploratory study was to focus on this question and to explore the factors that might differentiate a sample of art and non-art high school students. We addressed these questions by exploring a convenience sample (N = 167) of students from art schools (N = 79) and students from non-art high schools (N = 88). We used three divergent-thinking measures (i.e., Sketches Test, Brick Uses Test, and Consequences Test) and the five-factor personality inventory (NEO-FFI) to explore potential differences. The results showed that the type of school was positively associated with fluency, flexibly, and originality and negatively with openness. We also explored differences using discriminant analysis. It was found that students who attended art high schools have a lower level of originality and a high level of flexibility and openness compared to students attending regular high schools. Our findings may indicate that these factors can help to understand the differences between art and non-art high school students.

Personality is a cognitive-affective processing system, which, according to the socio-cognitive theory, creates four dimensions. They are reflected in the skills, beliefs, standards and goals of the individual, which are consistent and consistent patterns of behaviour. Self-efficacy judgments and self-patterns determine the choice of goals and persistence in achieving them. On the other hand, the emotions preceding and accompanying the achievement of goals affect coping with stress and problems. The review of the clinical and therapeutic applications of this theory included stress inoculation training, REBT rational emotive therapy, Beck's cognitive depression therapy, schema therapy and modelling methods. The great advantage of this theory is the possibility of verifying its theoretical assumptions and confirming their huge amount of research. Besides, it has a practical application as many types of cognitive-behavioural therapies have been developed on its basis.