Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Education and mind in the knowledge age: By C. Bereiter Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder — A practical guide for teachers: By P. Cooper & K.M. Bilton Dyslexia and inclusion: Assessment and support in higher education: By M. Farmer, B. Riddick & C. Sterling Special educational needs, inclusion and diversity: A textbook: By N. Frederickson & T. Cline Learning and child development: A cultural‐historical study: By M. Hedegaard Dyslexia and literacy: Edited by E. Hjelmquist & C. von Euler Technology applications in education: A learning view: Edited by H. O'Neil & R. Perez Intentional conceptual change: Edited by G.M. Sinatra & P.R. Pintrich     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Supporting effective learning: By Eileen Carnell & Caroline Lodge Dyslexia. Theory and practice: Edited by Angela Fawcett Internet research methods: By C. Hewson, P. Yule, D. Laurent & C. Vogel Scaling procedures — Issues and applications: By Richard G. Netemeyer, William O. Bearden & Subhash Sharma Early intervention practices around the world: Edited by S.L. Odom, M.J. Hanson, J.A. Blackman & S. Kaul Perspectives on object‐centred learning in museums: Edited by Scott G. Paris Essentials of behavioural assessment: By Michael C. Ramsay, Cecil R. Reynolds & R.W. Kamphaus Reading through colour: By Arnold Wilkins     

Blame Game Triangulation between Parents,Teachers and Children with Academic Problems

This cross-sectional survey on a sample of parent, teacher and child respondents (n = 195) elicited their perceptions on or about the ‘reasons/causes’ for academic problems in school students. A semi-structured ‘Demographic Data Sheet’ and another open ended exploratory ‘Causes of Academic Problems Interview Schedule’ (CAPIS) exclusively developed for this study was used. A classification of the ‘causes’ for academic problems into four categories by two independent observers revealed preponderance of ‘child-centered’ causes (N: 937), followed by ‘teacher-centered’ causes (N: 751), ‘parent-centered’ (N: 643) and ‘environment centered’ causes (N: 362). Analysis of trends show significant statistical differences in reported perceptions between the three respondents (p: < 0.04); with highest disparity between ‘teacher-centered’ causative perceptions (p: < 0.001). Concordance rates as measured by Cohen’s Kappa Coefficient is reflected by greater agreements on or about the reasons for academic problems between parent-teacher respondents (0.34) and least for child-teacher reports (−0.08). The results suggest an attitudinal triangulation on or about the reasons attributed for academic problems between parents, teachers and the children. This opens up the need for stepping up measures to de-triangulate or harmonize these varying inter personal perceptions for optimum benefit of such children.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: The Measurement of Work Performance: Methods, Theory and Applications. By Frank J. Lanvy & James L. Farr. Performance Measurement and Theory. Edited by Frank Lanvy, Shelwn Zeveck & Jeanette Cleveland. Human Performance and Productivity. Edited by Bdwin A. Fleishman. Volume 1: Human Capability Assessment. Edited by M. D. Dunnette & E. A. Fleishman. Volume 2: Information Processing and Decision Making. Edited by W. C. Howell & E. A. Fleishman. Volume 3: Stress and Performance Effectiveness. Edited by E. A. Alluisi & E. A. Fleishman. Stress Research: Issues for the Eighties. Edited by Cary L. Cooper. Stress and Fatigue in Human Performance. Edited by Robert Hockey. Employee—Organization Linkages. The Psychology of Commitment, Absenteeism and Turnover. By R. T. Mowday, L. W. Porter & R. M. Steers. Mass Unemployment: Plant Closing and Community Mental Health. By T. F. Buss & F. Stevens Redburn With J. Waldron. White Collar Unemployment: Impact and Stress. By Stephen Fineman. How to Survive Unemployment, By Robert Nathan & Michael Syrett. Work and Retirement. By Stanley Parker. Interviewing for Selection Decisions. By G. M. Bolton. Testing in Selection Decisions. By G. M. Bolton.     

Book Reviews

Dana, Richard H., Foundations of clinical psychology: problems in personality and adjustment, Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand, 1966, 322 pp. Reviewed by Vincent Glaudin

Goldstein, Arnold P., Heller, Kenneth, and Sechrest, Lee B., Psychotherapy and the psychology of behavior change. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1966, 492 p., $8.95. Reviewed by Sohan Lal Sharma

Phillips, Herbert P., Thai peasant personality, Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1965, Pp. 231, $6.00. Reviewed by Irving R. Stone

Hudson, Liam. Contrary imaginations: A psychological study of the young student. New York: Schocken Books, Inc., 1966, 181 pp., $4.95. Reviewed by Dale D. Simmons, Ph.D.

Kantor, Robert E., & Herron, William G., Reactive and process schizophrenia. Palo Alto: Science & Behavior, 1966, 184 pp. Reviewed by Ernest Kramer

Atkinson, John W. & Feather, Norman T. A theory of achievement motivation. New York: John Wiley, 1966, 392 + x. Reviewed by Clifford H. Swensen

Goldberg, Miriam, L., Passow, Harry, A., & Justman, Joseph. The effects of ability grouping. New York: Teachers College Press, 1966, 254 pp. Reviewed by Samuel I. Goldstein

White, Mary Alice & Charry, June. School disorder, intelligence, and social class. New York: Teachers College Press, 1966, 92 pp., $2.25. Reviewed by Kevin M. Mitchell

Raychaudhuri, Manas. Studies in artistic creativity: Personality structure of the musician. Calcutta: Rabindra Bharati, 1966, 256 pp., Rs. $15.00. Reviewed by Dell Lebo

Glasser, Alan J. & Zimmerman, Irla Lee, Clinical interpretation of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. New York & London: Grune & Stratton, 1967. pp. 152. Reviewed by Ronald E. Smith     

Intentional Binding is independent of the validity of the action effect's identity

When an action produces an effect, both events are perceived to be shifted in time toward each other. This shift is called Intentional Binding (IB) effect. First evidence shows that this shift does not depend on the statistical predictability of the produced effect's identity (Desantis, Hughes, & Waszak, 2012). We confirm this result by comparing the perceived duration of action–effect intervals before valid and invalid action effects using the method of constant stimuli. The perceived duration of action–effect intervals did not differ for valid and invalid effects. This result was true for different durations of the action–effect interval (Experiments 1–4: 250 ms, Experiments 1 & 2: 400 ms), different effect modalities (Experiments 1 & 3: visual, Experiments 2–4: auditive), and two types of validity variations (Experiments 1 & 2: 80% valid, Experiments 3 & 4: 100% valid vs. random). We validated our results by using a clock paradigm and a numerical duration estimation task (Experiment 4). We conclude that the IB effect is not the result of internal prediction due to action–effect bindings, but might rely on higher-order processes.     

先秦儒家美学之"美"的边界

“Beauty” is a very important concept in Pre-Qin Confucian aesthetics. Pre-Qin Confucian aesthetics generally had two viewpoints when defining beauty: Negatively, by stressing that “beauty” in the aesthetic sense was not “good”; and positively, by stressing two factors: one, that beauty was related to “feeling” which was not an animal instinct, the other was that “beauty” was a special texture with a particular meaning. “Beauty” in Pre-Qin Confucian aesthetics may be defined as “texture (or form)” capable of communicating feeling or triggering a reaction of feeling. __________ Translated from Shanghai shifan daxue xuebao 上海师范大学学报 (Journal of Shanghai Normal University), 2007, (7): 80–85     

Book reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Issues and Approaches in Personal Construct Theory. Edited by D. Bannister. Behavioral Decision Making. Edited by G. Wright. Personality and Individual Differences. By H. J. Eysenck & M. W. Eysenck. Play in Animals and Humans. Edited by Peter K. Smith. Motives and Mechanisms: An Introduction to the Psychology of Action. By R. Harré, D. Clarke & N. De Carlo. Distributive Justice: A Social-Psychological Perspective. By M. Deutsch. Varieties of Attention. Edited by R. Parasuraman & D. R. Davies. Understanding Personal Relationships: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Edited by S. Duck & D. Perlman. Structure in Thought and Feeling. By S. Aylwin. Computers at Work. By D. J. Oborne. Chichester: Wiley. 1985. Visual Perception: Physiology, Psychology and Ecology. By V. Bruce & P. Green. Brain and Mind. Edited by D. A. Oakley. London: Methuen. 1985.     

The big bad bug bites anti-realists about chance

David Lewis’s ‘Humean Supervenience’ (henceforth ‘HS’) combines realism about laws, chances, and dispositions with a sparse ontology according to which everything supervenes on the overall spatiotemporal distribution of non-dispositional properties (Lewis 1986a, Philosophical papers: Volume II, pp. ix–xvii, New York: Oxford Univesity Press, 1994, Mind 103:473–490). HS faces a serious problem—a “big bad bug” (Lewis 1986a, p. xiv): it contradicts the Principal Principle, a seemingly obvious norm of rational credence. Two authors have tried to rescue Lewis’s ontology from the ‘big bad bug’ (henceforth ‘the Bug’) by rejecting realism about laws, chances, and dispositions (Halpin 1994, Aust J Phil 72:317–338, 1998, Phil Sci 65:349–360; Ward 2005, Phil Sci 71:241–261). I will argue that this strategy cannot possibly work: it is the ontology, not the realist thesis, that lies at the root of the problem.     

Reliability and validity of the PL-C Quest,a scale designed to assess children’s self-reported physical literacy

BackgroundThe Physical Literacy in Children Questionnaire (PL-C Quest) was developed to assess children’s perceived physical literacy. Pictorial items assess 30 elements within four domains (Physical - 12 items, Psychological - 7 items, Social - 4 items and Cognitive - 7 items). The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and construct validity of the PL-C Quest in Australian children aged 7–12 years.MethodsIn 2020, Australian parents and children were recruited via social media (Sample 1: n = 80) and panel sampling (Sample 2: n = 589). Parents consented online, completed demographic details and children completed the PL-C Quest online. Test-retest reliability was assessed in a sub-group of Sample 1 (n = 59). Internal consistency and construct validity [Structural Equation Modelling (SEM)] were assessed using combined samples. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) SEM was tested based on the hypothesized structure of four subdomains and a higher order factor of physical literacy.ResultsMost parents were born in Australia (78%) and had a university education [University (61%), Trade (16%), High school (15%) and less than High school (8%)]. Children (59% boys; 40% girls; 1% other) had a mean age of 10.1 years (SD = 1.7). Physical literacy did not differ by age, but children of tertiary educated parents had higher physical literacy levels. Test-retest values (Mean = 15.8 days apart) were adequate to good [overall: ICC = 0.83, physical: ICC = 0.80, psychological: ICC = 0.76, social: ICC = 0.66, cognitive: ICC = 0.75]. Internal consistency values were as follows: overall: α = 0.92; physical: α = 0.82; psychological: α = 0.75; social: α = 0.72; cognitive: α = 0.77. All items except two loaded on sub-domains above 0.45. The final model had an adequate fit (SRMR = 0.043, CFI = 0.92, TLI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.045).ConclusionsResults indicate the PL-C Quest has acceptable test-retest reliability and construct validity. Further research could seek to explore validity in children aged 5 and 6 years of age and in other cultural contexts.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Eleanor Jackson, ed., The Question of Woman: The Collected Writings of Charlotte von Kirschbaum. Translated by John Shepherd. Charles Caspers, Gerard Lukken & Gerard Rouwhorst, eds, Bread of Heaven: Customs and Practices Surrounding Holy Communion Karl Lehmann, Michael Root & William Rusch, eds, Justification by Faith: Do the Sixteenth-Century Condemnations Still Apply?     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Powerful learning environments: Unravelling basic components and dimensions Edited by E. de Corte, L. Verschaffel, N. Entwistle & J. van Merriënboer Amsterdam: Elsevier Science BV, 2003. Hardback h85. ISBN 0‐08‐044275‐7 The dynamic assessment of cognitive modifiability. The Learning Propensity Assessment Device: Theory, instruments and techniques By R. Feuerstein, L.H. Falik & Y. Rand Jerusalem: International Centre for the Enhancement of Learning, 2003. Hardback $75.00. ISBN 965‐90490‐0‐5 Beyond constructivism: Models and modeling perspectives on mathematics problem solving, learning and teaching Edited by R. Lesh & H.M. Doerr Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003, Paperback $65.00. ISBN: 0‐8058‐3822‐8 The scientific study of general intelligence: Tribute to Arthur R. Jensen Edited by H. Nyborg Amsterdam: Elsevier Science BV, 2003. Hardback $125.00. ISBN 0‐08‐043793‐1 Curriculum instruction for all learners ‐ Blending systematic and constructivist approaches in inclusive elementary schools Edited by B. Rainforth & J.W. Kugelmass Baltimore, MD: Paul Brookes, 2003. Paperback £27.95. ISBN 1‐55766‐610‐5 Understanding Williams syndrome ‐ Behavioral patterns and interventions By E. Semel & S.R. Rosner Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003. Paperback $45.00 ISBN: 0‐8058‐2618‐1     

Upward perturbations trigger a stumbling effect

BackgroundVertical perturbations are one major cause of falling. Incidentally, while conducting a comprehensive study comparing effects of vertical versus horizontal perturbations, we commonly observed a stumbling-like response induced by upward perturbations. The present study describes and characterizes this stumbling effect.MethodsFourteen individuals (10 male; 27 ± 4 yr) walked self-paced on a treadmill embedded in a moveable platform and synchronized to a virtual reality system. Participants experienced 36 perturbations (12 types). Here, we report only on upward perturbations. We determined stumbling based on visual inspection of recorded videos, and calculated stride time and anteroposterior, whole-body center of mass (COM) distance relative to the heel, i.e., COM-to-heel distance, extrapolated COM (xCOM) and margin of stability (MOS) before and after perturbation.ResultsFrom 68 upward perturbations across 14 participants, 75% provoked stumbling. During the first gait cycle post-perturbation, stride time decreased in the perturbed foot and the unperturbed foot (perturbed = 1.004 s vs. baseline = 1.119 s and unperturbed = 1.017 s vs. baseline = 1.125 s, p < 0.001). In the perturbed foot, the difference was larger in stumbling-provoking perturbations (stumbling: 0.15 s vs. non-stumbling: 0.020 s, p = 0.004). In addition, the COM-to-heel distance decreased during the first and second gait cycles after perturbation in both feet (first cycle: 0.58 m, second cycle: 0.665 m vs. baseline: 0.72 m, p-values<0.001). During the first gait cycle, COM-to-heel distance was larger in the perturbed foot compared to the unperturbed foot (perturbed foot: 0.61 m vs. unperturbed foot: 0.55 m, p < 0.001). MOS decreased during the first gait cycle, whereas the xCOM increased during the second through fourth gait cycles post-perturbation (maximal xCOM at baseline: 0.5 m, second cycle: 0.63 m, third cycle: 0.66 m, fourth cycle: 0.64 m, p < 0.001).ConclusionsOur results show that upward perturbations can induce a stumbling effect, which – with further testing – has the potential to be translated into balance training to reduce fall risk, and for method standardization in research and clinical practice.     

REVIEWS

THE MIDDLE ENGLISH MYSTICS by Wolfgang Riehls. Routledge & Kegan Paul . London, 1981. pp
LETTERS FROM A "MODERNIST": The Letters of George Tyrrell to Wilfrid Ward 1893–1908. Introduced and annotated by Maw Jo Weaver. Patmos/Sheed & Wad . pp
VIEWPOINTS: POETS IN CONVERSATION WITH JOHN HAFFENDEN. Faber & Faber , 1981. pp
AN APPROACH TO CHRISTIANITY by Bishop Christopher Butler. Collins 1981 pp     

The effect of prenatal androgen exposure on the development of neural reactivity systems: A study of the HEXACO Personality Inventory

The ratio of the lengths of the second and fourth digits of hands (2D:4D) seems to vary as a function of systematic differences in prenatal androgen exposure (Hönekopp & Watson, 2010). The 2D:4D ratio has been shown to be related to a variety of personality attributes. This study predicted that 2D:4D would covary with scores on the emotionality dimension of the six-facet HEXACO personality assessment, due to emotionality’s relationship with neural reactivity systems controlled by the amygdala (Hines, Allen, & Gorski, 1992), but that 2D:4D would relate to no other facet. Consistent with hypotheses, data showed that men had smaller ratios than women on both the right, t(405) = 2.84, p < .05, d = .28, and left hands, t(405) = 4.51, p < .05, d = .45, and the relationship between 2D:4D and emotionality was outside of sampling error of zero, r = .18, p < .001. Additionally, 2D:4D was unrelated to the remaining HEXACO facets. Findings suggest that prenatal testosterone exposure has an organizing effect on personality traits.     

Reward and number of choices in children's probability learning: An attempt to reconcile conflicting findings

Five event schedules (75:0, 75:25, 75:0:0, 72:25:0, 75:12.5:12.5) were examined in a size discrimination task with penny rewards and plastic token markers. The subjects were 100 fourth graders (mean age = 9.4 years) and 100 undergraduates of both sexes. Whether or not the event probabilities summed to unity proved to be a more important determiner of terminal performance than the number of response alternatives in the task (p < .01). Females maximized more than males (p < .001) and college students more than fourth graders (p < .001). Greater maximization was exhibited by fourth graders in the reward condition (p < .01). These reward effects appeared to be more consistent with a detrimental-effects-of-reward interpretation than either utility or expectancy interpretations.     

后现代自由主义:罗蒂政治哲学批判

Richard Rorty’s philosophy has two basic commitments: one to postmodernism and the other to liberalism. However, these commitments generate tension. As a postmodernist, he sharply criticizes the Enlightenment; as a liberal, he forcefully defends it. His postmodernist liberalism actually explains liberalism using irrationalism. Translated by Xiang Yunhua from Jianghai Xuekan 江海学刊 (Jianghai Academic Journal), 2007, (1): 57–61     

Bootstrapping and Content Parts

Christensen [Philosophy of Science, 50: 471–481, 1983] and [Philosophy of Science, 57: 644–662, 1990] provides two sets of counter-examples to the versions of bootstrap confirmation for standard first-order languages presented in Glymour [Theory and Evidence, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1980] and [Philosophy of Science, 50: 626–629, 1983]. This paper responds to the counter-examples of Christensen [Philosophy of Science, 50: 471–481, 1983] by utilizing a new notion of content introduced in Gemes [Journal of Philosophical Logic, 26, 449–476, 1997]. It is claimed that this response is better motivated and more effective than that presented in Glymour [Philosophy of Science, 50: 626–629, 1983]. It is then argued that while this response meets some of the counter-examples of Christensen [Philosophy of Science, 57: 644–662, 1990] two of those counter-examples, though not unanswerable, suggest the need for a substantial reformulation of the formal versions of bootstrapping. The essay proceeds with such a reformulation, arguing that this new formulation better fits the philosophical insights that originally motivated bootstrapping than do Glymour’s earlier formulations. In the concluding sections some alternative solutions to the problem posed by the Christensen counter-examples are discussed.     

Autonomy support and control within mother-father parenting structures: A person-centered approach in youth sport

In the youth sport context, parents play an important role in the motivation of adolescent athletes. From a self-determination theory viewpoint, the provision of autonomy support versus control by parents is an essential part of this socialization process. The purpose of the present study was threefold: (a) identify distinct mother-father parenting profiles of autonomy support and control based on perceptions of adolescent athletes, (b) examine the unique influence of mother-father parenting profiles on adolescent athletes' motivational responses (i.e., parent-to-child effects), and (c) understand the contribution of adolescent athletes' motivation to the emergence of these mother-father parenting profiles (i.e., child-to-parent effects). To test our hypotheses, a person-centered approach (latent profile analysis) was employed to analyze data collected from a sample of high school athletes (N = 264; Mage = 15.7 years, 64% female). Results provided evidence supporting a four-profile solution: Strong Autonomy Support Dominant: Both Parents (n = 26, 9.8%), Weak Control Dominant: Both Parents (n = 111, 42.0%), Moderate Autonomy Support and Control: Both Parents (n = 21, 8.0%), and Weak Autonomy Support Dominant: Both Parents (n = 106, 40.2%). The four mother-father parenting profiles were found to be differentially predicted by, and predictive of, adolescent athletes' adaptive and maladaptive motivational responses (i.e., basic psychological needs satisfaction, autonomous and controlled motivation). This study illuminated a general pattern of congruency in the provision of autonomy support and control by parents within mother-father parenting structures and contributed empirical evidence pointing to the reciprocal nature of interpersonal processes in parent-athlete relationships.     

Antenatal depressive symptoms are strongly predicted by the severity of pre-menstrual syndrome: results of partial least squares analysis

Background/Objective: Antenatal depression (AD) is the commonest morbidity during pregnancy. There is evidence that premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and AD share common immune-inflammatory and sex hormonal pathways. This study aims to evaluate the association between the severity of depressive PMS and AD in early and late pregnancy. Method: Participants were followed from early (<=16 weeks) to late pregnancy (>=20 weeks). The Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) was used to assess PMS and AD symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Results: Up to 57.6% of the variance in the early EPDS score was explained by the regression on the first factor extracted from 10 depression and anxiety PSST items (dubbed the DepAnx PSST), insomnia PSST, relation dissatisfaction, and partner abuse. There were specific indirect effects of DepAnx PSST (p < 0.001), insomnia PSST (p = 0.041), relation dissatisfaction (p = 0.023) and partner abuse (p = 0.007) on the late EPDS which were mediated by the early EPDS score. Conclusion: The affective, but not psychosomatic, symptoms of PMS strongly predict AD symptoms suggesting that the pathophysiology of affective PMS symptoms overlap with those of AD.