Some Issues with ‘Some Issues in Human Sexuality’

Abstract

In December 2003 the House of Bishops' Group on Issues in Human Sexuality published their ‘discussion document’, Some Issues in Human Sexuality: A Guide to the Debate (London: Church House Publishing, 2003). The document is a guide to the theological debate on questions that have arisen in response to the 1991 House of Bishops report, Issues in Human Sexuality (see p. ix). This article is a contribution to the discussion. I first question whether the document is a ‘guide’ and whether the quarrels between Anglicans are best designated a ‘debate’. Then within the limits of a single article I illustrate from the first three chapters grave problems of omission, of biblical interpretation, and of ethical development.     

Issues in Museum Management Policies: Evidence from Xi’an,China

ABSTRACT

This article is based on a survey of 493 visitors to Shaanxi History Museum, Xi’an, China. The purpose of the research was to assess attitudes toward the exhibitions and the sources of visitor satisfaction, and the consequences of a free entry policy adopted by the Museum in response to the directive of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and State Administration of Cultural Heritage of January 23, 2008. Three dimensions for visitor satisfaction were found—an affective reaction to the modes of presentation, a cognitive reaction to learning about Chinese history, and an affective reaction of a sense of awe and pride in that history. As part of the pricing policy, additional charges are made for special exhibitions, and evidence exists of a consumer surplus for significant groups of visitors at current entry prices that are normally 20 RMB. In this article the authors discussed issues related to a need to adopt merchandising, the provision of better ancillary services, and the role that such services can play in enhancing visitor satisfaction.     

Ethical Issues in Neuromarketing: “I Consume,Therefore I am!”

Neuromarketing is a recent interdisciplinary field which crosses traditional boundaries between neuroscience, neuroeconomics and marketing research. Since this nascent field is primarily concerned with improving marketing strategies and promoting sales, there has been an increasing public aversion and protest against it. These protests can be exemplified by the reactions observed lately in Baylor School of Medicine and Emory University in the United States. The most recent attempt to stop ongoing neuromarketing research in France is also remarkable. The pertaining ethical issues have been continuously attracting much attention, especially since the number of neuromarketing companies has exceeded 300 world-wide. This paper begins with a brief introduction to the field of neurotechnology by presenting its current capabilities and limitations. Then, it will focus on the ethical issues and debates most related with the recent applications of this technology. The French Parliament’s revision of rules on bioethics in 2004 has an exemplary role in our discussion. The proposal by Murphy et al. (2008) has attracted attention to the necessity of ethical codes structuring this field. A code has recently been declared by the Neuromarketing Science and Business Association. In this paper, it is argued that these technologies should be sufficiently discussed in public spheres and its use on humans should be fully carried out according to the ethical principles and legal regulations designed in line with human rights and human dignity. There is an urgent need in the interdisciplinary scientific bodies like ethics committees monitoring the research regarding the scientific and ethical values of nonmaleficence, beneficence, autonomy, confidentiality, right to privacy and protection of vulnerable groups.     

How should multifaceted personality constructs be tested? Issues illustrated by self-monitoring, attributional style, and hardiness

Two or more dimensions unintentionally varied simultaneously are said to be confounded, but several theories in personality intentionally combine 3 or more distinct qualities. Researchers using these theories sum the qualities before testing predictions. How wise is this practice? The practice appears to derive from 2 distinct lines of reasoning. One of them assumes that the component dimensions converge on a single underlying quality (latent variable) that each reflects imperfectly. The other assumes a synergy among dimensions. Issues arising from each line of reasoning are illustrated by examining self-monitoring, attributional style, and hardiness. Conclusions are that (a) information is lost whenever a latent variable theory is tested solely by a composite and (b) a synergistic theory can be tested only through a statistical interaction.     

The Balancing Act—Ethical Issues in Parent Training Research: Confidentiality,Harm Reduction,and Methodology

Attention and disruptive behavior disorders present considerable challenges for children and their parents. These challenges have led to the development of parenting programs; however, there is a paucity of literature that discusses the ethical dilemmas parent training researchers face. This article reviews ethical principles and professional standards relevant to parent training research and provides case material to illustrate the challenge of balancing ethical adherence and empirical rigor using three ethical issues that commonly arise in parent training research. In particular, this article focuses on ethical issues surrounding confidentiality in a group setting, use of control groups, and limiting changes in medication/treatment status outside of the treatment protocol.     

Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation: Existentialism,Aging, and Newly Emerging Issues in Group Therapy

This paper seeks to generate existentialist ideas about emerging issues of aging and its treatment in group therapy for the generations now entering their 60s and 70s. Group therapy had its heyday in the 1970s, and one could say that group therapy has never returned to the level of popularity that it had at that time. Using existential concepts, this paper will explore ways of rejuvenating work with this population now that they are growing older. Rather than just focusing on the common existential themes of death and dread, this article will focus on time, overcoming isolation, finding meaning, and what it means to be in the world now that we are older.     

Voluntary Agencies’ Responses to,and Attitudes toward Male Rape: Issues and Concerns

This paper critically explores voluntary agencies’ responses to, and attitudes toward male survivors of rape in England and Wales. There has been a gap in this area, so this paper attempts to fill this gap in knowledge by examining how these survivors experience service delivery and by examining what contributions feminist theory and research has made to understand ‘male rape’. This paper argues that feminist theory and research neglects male rape and this negligence can also be seen in voluntary organisations for survivors. Therefore, through the neglect of male rape, the gender roles of men and women are reinforced instead of being tackled. This paper contributes to knowledge by opening up a discussion on male rape in the academic setting, in feminist theory and research debates, and in research surrounding voluntary agencies. This, in turn, helps to raise awareness of such a ‘hidden’ phenomenon in policy and practice and helps to form a better understanding not only of male rape, but also of the responses and attitudes toward it by voluntary provisions and the wider society.     

People's Perceptions of Women's and Men's Worry about Life Issues: Worrying about Love, Accomplishment, or Money?

The study was designed to examine people's perceptions of women's and men's worry about life issues and self-perceptions of worry. Some undergraduates (n = 498) rated typical women's or men's worry, and others (n = 396) rated significant others' worry based on the Worry Domain Questionnaire (Tallis, Eysenck, & Mathews, 1992). As expected, participants perceived women as worrying more than men do about relationships, when they rated typical or significant others. As well, they rated typical men as worrying more than typical women about achievement and finances. Participants who rated significant others' worry also rated their own worry and parallel findings were expected. However, women tended to report more worry about achievement than men did. Overall, the findings indicate that the better people know their targets, the less likely they are to perceive their worry in gender stereotypical terms. This article is partially based on Wendy-Jo Wood's Master's thesis.     

Explaining Muslim Americans’ Opinions on Salient Issues

Despite numerous individual success stories of living the American dream, the Muslim American community still remains one of the most misunderstood and underrepresented minorities in the United States. This study investigates the views of this community by mapping and explaining members' investigates on a number of issues of social and political import. It shows that the issue attitudes of Muslim Americans are rather uniform on some social and non-social issues but very diverse on others. Moreover, it also shows that the differences of opinion that were uncovered can be explained by a variety of factors including a respondent's ethnic or national origin and how committed a respondent is to the practice of Islam, defined by the frequency of mosque attendance. While these results are temporally limited, they do show that this is a very diverse community and set a strong foundation for further quantitative and qualitative investigations of how Muslim Americans' religious practices, ethnic backgrounds, and socio-economic characteristics affect their essential social and political beliefs.     

Teacher–Practitioner Multiple-Role Issues in Sport Psychology

The potential for the occurrence of multiple-role relationships is increased when professors also consult with athletic teams on their campuses. Such multiple-role relationships have potential ethical implications that are unclear and largely unexplored, and consultants may find multiple-role relationships both difficult to deal with and unavoidable. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the nature of teacher–practitioner multiple-role relationships. Participants (N = 35) were recruited from Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP) certified consultants (CCs) who were also affiliated with a university (N = 68). All participants completed a 28-item survey exploring the incidence and relevant issues pertaining to multiple-role relationships. Chi-square analyses revealed that licensed mental health practitioners (i.e., psychologists and counselors) were more likely than nonlicensed AAASP CCs to believe that multiple-role relationships were never appropriate in sport psychology, χ²(1, N = 30) = 12.80, p < .001, and to have never taken part in a multiple-role relationship, χ²(1, N = 33) = 12.44, p < .001. Independent samples t tests revealed that mental health practitioners also reported that they would have higher levels of concern for both the practitioner, t(30) = –2.77, p = .009, and the client, t(30) = –2.50, p = .018, in such a relationship.     

Issues in replicating the Trauma—Stren conversion

The Trauma--Stren (T-S) conversion procedure was examined at a large state university and the construct related to personality and cognitive process variables. Significantly more respondents reported T-S conversion than in the original studies. Conversion was not significantly correlated with personal variables. The presence of experiences in which an event was reported as simultaneously traumatic and strenful is reported, and the criteria for clearly identifying the conversion phenomenon are questioned.     

Concept Mapping of Issues of Students’ Life in University

The undergraduate student body forms around 85.9 % of the total number of students enrolled in India, which is a significant population. It has become imperative to understand the issues that these students face during their undergraduate years as a precursor to developing mechanisms and strategies to enable student progress, both academically and developmentally. This study aimed at developing a concept map to outline the various aspects and issues of the undergraduate students’ life in India utilizing the concept mapping method. Data from participants (n?=?141) at different phases was analysed resulting in 49 unique life issues and aspects and 8 clusters. The emerging issues have relevance and implications for teachers, parents, administrators and other stakeholders in structuring and developing services targeted towards undergraduate students in India.     

A Wake-Up Call? Issues With Plagiarism in Transnational Higher Education

The views on plagiarism of 574 students at four Australian universities operating in Singapore were investigated through a survey and interviews. Analysis of students’ responses to different plagiarism scenarios revealed misconceptions and uncertainties about many aspects of plagiarism. Self-plagiarism and reuse of a friend’s work were acceptable to more than one quarter of the students, and nearly half considered collusion to be a legitimate form of collaboration. One quarter of the students also indicated that they would knowingly plagiarize. This should serve as a wake-up call regarding plagiarism in transnational higher education. Seven measures are recommended to curb plagiarism and foster academic integrity.