Development of the body image concern inventory

Development of the Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI), a measure designed to assess dysmorphic concern, is described. A panel of expert raters supported the construct validity of the measure, and four college student samples (Ns=184, 200, 56, 40) supported the internal consistency of the BICI. In addition, in studies 1 and 3, concurrent validity was established through comparison of the BICI to extant self-report and interview measures of dysmorphic symptomatology. Convergent validity patterns were assessed through comparison with measures of obsessive-compulsive and eating disorder symptomatology in studies 2 and 4. Finally, the results of study 4 supported that the BICI discriminated individuals with a diagnosis of Body Dysmorphic Disorder or bulimia (disorders that frequently involve high levels of dysmorphic concern) from those with subclinical symptoms. Results suggest that the BICI is a reliable, valid, and user-friendly tool for assessing dysmorphic concern, with utility in both research and clinical settings.     

The ethics of enforced medical treatment: the balance model

ABSTRACT When is it right to enforce medical treatment on a patient who is refusing that treatment? English law recognises two ethical principles as of paramount importance: the autonomy of the patient; and the consequences of not treating compared with treating. The law, by and large, operates these principles in succession. Thus, in the case of a patient refusing treatment, the law asks first, is the patient competent? Only if the answer is no, are the consequences considered. We criticise the position taken by English law and argue, first, that competence is a graded and not a binary concept, and secondly, that the two ethical principles should be applied not sequentially but at the same time. These two ideas form what we have called the balance model. This model could be used for an empirical study of individuals’ ethical beliefs, and in particular to test the hypothesis that the ethical beliefs of most individuals conform to the balance model rather than to the position taken by English law.     

An outcomes model of medical decision making

In the traditional fix-it model of medical decision making, the identified problem is typically characterized by a diagnosis that indicates a deviation from normalcy. When a medical problem is multifaceted and the available interventions are only partially effective, a broader vision of the health care endeavor is needed. What matters to the patient, and what should matter to the practitioner, is the patient's future possibilities. More specifically, what is important is the character of the alternative futures that the patient could have and choosing among them so as to achieve the best future possible, with the ranking of outcomes determined by the patient's preferences. This paper describes the fix-it model, presents and defends the outcomes-based model, and demonstrates that the latter is useful in developing normative conceptions of informed consent and decision making and in establishing a basis for societal involvement in the decision making process. Finally, several shortcomings of the model will be acknowledged.     

Concerning the psychophysical power law

It is fortunate that, despite our theorizings, most of our facts manage to stay stubbornly as they were. I am encouraged by that thought as it bears on a recent theoretical attempt by Treisman (1964) to do over the psychophysical law. I should like, more in explication than in rebuttal, to comment on three major points relating to the law in question.     

Joint car ownership and car type preference model considering engagement in online activities and environmental concern

We investigate young people’s attitudes to own a car. Our dependent variable is the desire to purchase any type of car as well as specific car types, such as small cars, sports cars or hybrid cars. We focus on Japanese aged 18 to 25 and obtain a valid sample of 1125 from Tokyo residents, Kyoto residents as well as people living in rural areas of Japan. As expected we find significant differences according to the city or rural living context. We control further for a number of attitudinal aspects that have been found significant in previous studies. We find that the perceived fun one gains from owning a car is an important factor and that more expensive and prestigious cars appear to be still desired. Our main focus and contribution is the inclusion of car’s “usefulness to avoid pollution” and “online lifestyle”. We find that those spending more time alone with online activities, have less desire to purchase cars. We discuss that there might be cyclic relationships which call for careful discussion on the implication of car ownership reduction in rural Explanatory variables areas. Furthermore, there is some weak evidence for an “environmental dilemma” where pollution in fact encourages more car usage in order to avoid this pollution.