Preconscious Foundations of Human Experience by Trigant Burrow

Abstract

Based upon observations indicating decreasing attractiveness of groups within and outside the clinical field, the present study aimed to determine attitudes toward, and expectations of, groups in a representative sample of 2512 German citizens. The survey also included questions specifically related to group psychotherapy and its acceptance. In addition, psychological characteristics of respondents (measures of narcissism, psychological impairment, and emotion regulation) and socio-demographic variables were assessed to examine their potential association with group-related attitudes. In total, the survey revealed a relatively positive picture of attitudes and expectations toward groups in general and psychotherapy groups in particular. Those with more open attitudes towards groups were comparatively less distressed, anxious, and depressed; they favored emotional reappraisal instead of suppression as the dominant strategy to regulate their emotions. Contrary to prediction, narcissism did not influence attitudes towards groups. The results are related to current discussions of the attractiveness of groups and to implications for the practice of group psychotherapy.     

Science and Man's Behavior: The Contribution of Phylobiology by Trigant Burrow

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examined anticipated reactions to group participation among Asian international students (ISs). Structural equation modeling confirmed that Asian ISs’ (n = 180) level of acculturation was associated with their attitude toward joining group counseling, which is partially mediated by their stigma toward help-seeking. The results of multiple regression analyses indicated that ISs who reported higher place dependence, stigma toward help-seeking, and fear of negative evaluation reported more fear about disclosing emotional parts of themselves to other group members in the presence of a group member from the same country of origin. The results showed that ISs’ perceived difficulties in providing feedback to a group member in the presence of an IS from the same country of origin were predicted by low place identity, high place dependence, and more stigma. International students’ willingness to disclose and provide feedback in a group counseling setting was compared in three different hypothetical situations based on other group members’ demographics, and the results showed that ISs are more afraid of self-disclosure in the presence of an international student from the same country.     

On Human Survival: Reflections on Survival Research and Survival Policies

A new academic discipline, Survival Research, is proposed to investigate how the survival of the human species and its civilizations can be assured. Today nuclear weapons, overpopulation, and the deteriorating environment threaten our future. These phenomena are interconnected, and must be considered together in their complexity in an interdisciplinary manner. Some major obstacles to a wider awareness of the problems and solutions are described. Survival issues, primarily ecological ones, have lately lost ground, especially in the United States. It is essential that those still concerned, especially teachers and journalists, be informed about the problems and the urgency for finding solutions.     

Sanity and madness

The author sets out a schema with some underlying principles aimed at illuminating the nature of madness, how it sabotages our freedom and the deepest reasons why patients want to be sane. He claims that this is not possible without revising Freud's pleasure principle and determinism and replacing it with desire for freedom as the dominant motivating principle.     

Toward a Value-Laden Theory: Feminism and Social Science

Marjorie Shostak's ethnography, Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman, is analyzed as a case study of feminist social science. Three principles of feminist research are suggested as standards for evaluation. After discussion of the principles and analysis of the text, I raise a criticism of the principles as currently sketched. The entire project is framed by the question of how best to resolve conflict between researcher and participant accounts.     

Toward a Social Psychology of Social Support

An analysis of social psychological aspects of social support examined several stages of the interaction between provider and recipient. In the first stage, the provider may offer support, respond positively to requests for support, or decline requests for support, whereas the recipient may seek, accept, or reject support. In the second stage, after support is exchanged, attributions about its effect may occur for each member, which in turn affects the extent to which the support is continued and the nature of its effect. Attributional errors about the effect may occur, especially if factors other than support—such as external factors—alter the problem status. The final stage follows the resolution of the problem and may involve reciprocation of support when roles are reversed, although such reciprocity may not be a necessary condition for social support. Possible mechanisms for both positive as well as negative effects of support were postulated. Assessing the effects of support is complicated by factors such as individual differences, the degree of match between social support beliefs held by provider and recipient, type of problem, and the timing of support.     

Attitudes Toward Private Practice in Social Work:

This article, based upon a study examining attitudes of social workers toward private practice, describes social work educators and nonprivate clinical social workers as having some inaccurate perceptions of the private practitioner. Private practitioners do want to remain identified with social work although they are frequently dissatisfied with the profession. Findings are also described which reveal a "tension" all social workers may feel in their attempt to integrate personal goals with professional values and beliefs.     

Autonomy,Sanity and Moral Theory

The concept of autonomy plays atleast two roles in moral theory. First, itprovides a source of constraints upon action:because I am autonomous you may not interferewith me, even for my own good. Second, itprovides a foundation for moral theory: humanautonomy has been thought by some to producemoral principles of a more general kind.This paper seeks to understand what autonomyis, and whether the autonomy of which we arecapable is able to serve these roles. We wouldnaturally hope for a concept of autonomy thatis value-neutral rather than value-laden. Thatis to say, we would want the judgement that Iam autonomous to depend wholly on, say,structural features of my psychology, and in noway to require us to make ethical judgements, orother value judgements. Being value-neutral isperhaps desirable in a concept of autonomyserving the first role, and plausiblyindispensible in one playing the second. Ishall argue, however, that value-neutral conceptionsof autonomy are impoverished and out of linewith our intuitions; set out and defendan explicitly value-laden conception ofautonomy; and explore the implications of such a view for theability of autonomy to play the rolesmentioned above.     

迈向证据为基础的社会政策研究

社会科学知识的生产,不仅有赖于逻辑自明的"以理论为导向的经验研究"(theory-oriented empirical research),有时候也来自针对特定社会干预方案及其后效的实证评估。本文首先给出了一个关于"社会政策"的广义界定,认为在一般性社会干预的视野下,任何一个企图提升人类,或其内部特定人口组群(population segments)之总体福利的公共知识行动(public knowledge action),都具有社会性,因此都是社会政策的一个有机组成部分。在引入作者亲身经历和关注的三个政策案例并见证了社会行动者对特定政策的适应性回应之后,论文提出了迈向"证据为基础的社会政策研究"这样一个倡议,将其看作当代社会知识生产的一个主要来源,并强调指出,对社会政策证据生产之时序性的完整把握在这一知识生产过程中所扮演的核心角色。文章还将该生产时序分解为三个阶段进行细致说明:(1)对嵌入性政策场域(embedded policy field)的定性把控;(2)操作化、多点测量和评估证据的系统采集;(3)作为包容性解释的理论叙事(theoretical narrative[s] as accommodating explanation)的生产和提炼。     

Human/nature: Toward a critical ecology

Abstract

Gadamer's notion of statements, distinguished from the otherwise speculative nature of language, is explored with regard to its implications for reflexivity in qualitative research. After reviewing the importance of ‘speculative’ language for phenomenological research, this paper discusses the problem that statements pose for phenomenological methods. The methodological challenges faced in trying to facilitate experiential accounts rather than statements are examined, with particular attention to the central role of the researcher‐participant conversation. The methodological implications of a conversational approach to phenomenological research are then presented, and this approach is discussed in terms of reflexivity.     

现代迷信与大学生心理健康

一 所谓现代迷信,是指在现代社会将封建迷信、骗术、巫术或伪气功等混为一体,盗用一些科学的名词,而其语言和内容又不科学的歪理邪说,是一种具有短暂性、爆发性、群众性和流行性特点的现代反科学思潮.     

Economics Weak and Strong: Ecological Economics and Human Survival

Mounting evidence suggests that the human impact on the planet is reaching the point where the Earth's ecosystems will not be able to support the level of human occupation. The global economy also seems to be generating income disparities that threaten the social stability of even the most developed economies. Although both these trends are rooted in the operation of the global market economy, standard economics has surprisingly little to offer in the way of policies that might allow us to survive the twenty-first century with our current social and environmental systems intact. This article examines our current predicament from the point of view of neoclassical welfare economics and the alternative framework of ecological economics. We argue that ecological economics, by placing the study of economics squarely within human society and ecosystems, can lead the way to make economics both scientifically credible and policy relevant.     

Social Desirability and Attitudes Toward the Disabled

This study explored the influence of social desirability (SD) on responses of non-handicapped persons to three attitude-toward-disability scales under conditions that varied the personally evaluative nature of the testing situation. The design of the study was based on an adaptation-level model. 280 undergraduates were divided into 3 experimental groups. All were administered the SD scale. Each group was then exposed to one of 3 sets of instructions that varied the emphasis on personal evaluation. Subjects were then administered 3 attitude-toward-disability scales that differed in degree of test structure. Results indicate that those who had high SD needs responded with significantly more positive attitudes toward the disabled on each of the attitude scales. Variations in test instructions were effective in modifying responses of high SD subjects on two of the scales.     

Children's Use of Social Conceptions: Toward a Dynamic Model of Social Cognition

For developmental social psychology to be clinically practical, it must use categories of experience similar to categories that counselors, clinicians, and other practitioners find useful. Knowledge of the developmental forms or levels, conceptions of critical issues in intrapsychic (individual), friendship, and peer group relationships provide such a map of how individuals at different ages view their social relations. The article also describes how individuals may function at different levels depending on the context in which they are expressing their understanding (e.g., spontaneous discussion, reflective thought).     

Understanding the Complexity of Human Aggression: Affective,Cognitive, and Social Dimensions of Individual Differences in Propensity Toward Aggression

Human aggression is a complex phenomenon operating at multiple levels. Converging evidence distinguishes ‘hot’ aggression, impulsive and emotionally-centered, from ‘cool’ aggression, cognitively based and instrumental. The correspondence of these aggressive response patterns with individual differences in Propensity toward Aggression was investigated. Our data (from 477 Italian adults) map ten of these aggression indicators into the personality space defined by the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality. The quadrant containing most of these variables is defined by Emotional Instability (the negative pole of Emotional Stability) and Hostility (the negative pole of Friendliness). Factor analysis uncovered two factors that accounted for nearly 60 percent of the variance in Propensity toward Aggression: Emotional Responsivity and Positive Evaluation of Violence. Practical implications for issues of health and disease, violence, and interventions for different forms of adults' and children's aggression are outlined.