Does theory have value in clinical child psychology?

Examines the value and importance of theory in child psychology, particularly with respect to clinical practice. Although it is readily apparent that theory is not an essential element of treatment, the role of theory is to provide a coherent framework for clinical intervention. Theory provides a foundation for understanding the presenting pathology, the factors that affect it, the patient's and therapist's roles within the context of treatment, and the specific intervention strategies to be utilized. Therapeutic commonalities are considered as they may affect treatment outcome, but they are not viewed as the essential factors in efficacy. The value and meaning of eclecticism are also discussed.     

Does reliabilism have a temporality problem?

Philosophical Studies - Matthew Frise claims that reliabilist theories of justification have a temporality problem—the problem of providing a principled account of the temporal parameters of...     

Does luck have a place in epistemology?

Some epistemologists hold that exploration and elaboration of the nature of luck will allow us to better understand knowledge. I argue this is a mistake.     

Does the chimpanzee have a theory of mind? 30 years later

On the 30th anniversary of Premack and Woodruff's seminal paper asking whether chimpanzees have a theory of mind, we review recent evidence that suggests in many respects they do, whereas in other respects they might not. Specifically, there is solid evidence from several different experimental paradigms that chimpanzees understand the goals and intentions of others, as well as the perception and knowledge of others. Nevertheless, despite several seemingly valid attempts, there is currently no evidence that chimpanzees understand false beliefs. Our conclusion for the moment is, thus, that chimpanzees understand others in terms of a perception-goal psychology, as opposed to a full-fledged, human-like belief-desire psychology.     

Does Han Fei have a conception of justice?

Han Fei’s political theory is widely characterized as eschewing any connection with morality; so, can he have any conception of justice? In this paper, I accept the interpretation of Han Fei jettisoning any moral commitment, but I argue that he gives heed to an understanding of justice. This conception of justice arises naturally from the ordinary human sentiment of resentment for wrongs done and becomes a moral staple in the consciousness of ordinary people. Such a conception of justice has these features: all and only the guilty receive punishment, and the punishments are in some sense proportionate to the crime. Since disregarding this popular conception of justice results in resentment and political instability, Han Fei, without any moral commitment to it, accepts the popular conception of justice on prudential and consequentialist grounds.     

Does visual short-term memory have a high-capacity stage?

Visual short-term memory (VSTM) has long been considered a durable, limited-capacity system for the brief retention of visual information. However, a recent work by Sligte et al. (Plos One 3:e1699, 2008) reported that, relatively early after the removal of a memory array, a cue allowed participants to access a fragile, high-capacity stage of VSTM that is distinct from iconic memory. In the present study, we examined whether this stage division is warranted by attempting to corroborate the existence of an early, high-capacity form of VSTM. The results of four experiments did not support Sligte et al.’s claim, since we did not obtain evidence for VSTM retention that exceeded traditional estimates of capacity. However, performance approaching that observed in Sligte et al. can be achieved through extensive practice, providing a clear explanation for their findings. Our evidence favors the standard view of VSTM as a limited-capacity system that maintains a few object representations in a relatively durable form.     

Does the Total Principle have any Repugnant Implications?

On the Total Principle, the best state of affairs ( ceteris paribus ) is the one with the greatest net sum of welfare value. Parfit rejects this principle, because he believes that it implies the Repugnant Conclusion, the conclusion that for any large population of people, all with lives well worth living, there will be some much larger population whose existence would be better, even though its members all have lives that are only barely worth living. Recently, however, a number of philosophers have suggested that the Total Principle does not imply the Repugnant Conclusion provided that a certain axiological view (namely, the 'Discontinuity View') is correct. Nevertheless, as I point out, there are three different versions of the Repugnant Conclusion, and it appears that the Total Principle will imply two of the three even if the Discontinuity View is correct. I then go on to argue that one of the two remaining versions turns out not to be repugnant after all. Second, I argue that the last remaining version is not, as it turns out, implied by the Total Principle. Thus, my arguments show that the Total Principle has no repugnant implications.     

Does the repugnant conclusion have any probative force?

In engaging with the repugnant conclusion many contemporary philosophers, economists and social scientists make claims about what a minimally good life is like. For example, some claim that such a life is quite good by contemporary standards, and use this to defend classical utilitarianism, whereas others claim that it is not, and use this to uphold the challenge that the repugnant conclusion poses to classical utilitarianism. I argue that many of these claims—by both sides—are not well-founded. We have no sufficiently clear sense of what a minimally good life is like. It is a result of this that the repugnant conclusion doesn’t license us in drawing any interesting conclusions.     

Are autistic traits autistic?

According to the extreme male brain theory of autism ( Baron‐Cohen, 2002 ), autistic traits would be extreme manifestations of typical male behaviours. The Auyeung et al. (2009) paper establishes a link between autistic traits and higher fetal testosterone (fT) levels in typically developing children. We argue that the construct behind this relationship needs further investigation. First, the link between fT levels and sexually dimorphic traits, that are for example, associated with empathizing and systemizing, is controversial. Likewise, describing autistic behaviours as being extreme male‐like is debatable. The cerebral hemisphere laterality pattern of individuals with autism also seems to differ from the pattern typically observed in males. Moreover, the parallel that should exist, according to the fT theory, between individuals with autism and individuals with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), because of their high fT levels, is unclear. The theory implying fT levels in autism fails to account for a big part of autism, and the link between fT and normal ‘autistic traits’ hardly demonstrates the causal link between fT and autism.     

Does guidance have a future?: Notes towards a distinctive position

Recent developments have raised questions about the distinctiveness of guidance and whether its practice can be separated from that of related professions. Those developments are reviewed. It is suggested that a distinctive position may be found by an examination of certain key features of guidance practice. One of these features is the role of information. Information is distinguished from informing. Its nature is discussed, as is its use in practice by both clients and guidance practitioners.     

Does training have consequences for the walk-run transition speed?

A number of authors when studying the walk-run transition phenomenon focused either on the mechanical or energy expenditure whilst only a few used both parameters concurrently. Moreover the literature demonstrates that the contribution of these variables changes along with the level and method of training. Consequently the purpose of this study is to find, by analyzing concurrently these two variables, if the walk-run transition speed is linked to the type of training. To this end we calculated two theoretical transition speeds: one based on the metabolic energy expenditure St(1) and the second one based on the internal work St(2). Subjects were divided into three groups (untrained, sprint and endurance-trained men) who were required to walk and run on a treadmill at increasing speeds. Firstly we show that the relationship between St(1) and St(2) differs depending on the groups. Sprinters have a significantly lower St(2) than St(1) whereas the opposite is found for untrained subjects. We also show that the transition speed is linked to the subject's type of training. To conclude it seems that acquiring running techniques through specific training has consequences for the walk-run transition phenomenon.     

Mirror,mirror - Does the fitness club industry have a body image problem?

The primary aim of the present study was to report longitudinal data on body image across the first year of gym engagement. Second, we aimed to compare body image among those who reported regular use of the fitness club (≥2 sessions/week) with those who did not (≤1exercise session/week or no exercise/dropout), as well as between genders and Body Mass Index groups (BMI<25 and BMI≥25) at membership start-up. Novice exercisers (n = 250) from 25 fitness clubs in Oslo (Norway) responded to an online questionnaire at start-up, three, six and 12-months follow-up, with a high response rate (100%, 89.6%, 85.2% and 74.8%). The questionnaire covered background/health information and exercise involvement. A modified Multidimensional Body Self Relations Questionnaire Appearance Scales (MBSRQ-AS), comprising five subscales (appearance satisfaction, appearance investment, weight-related attitude, self-classified weight and Body Areas Satisfaction Scale (BASS), was used to gather repeated measures of body image. Data were analysed separately for each subscale and as a body image total score, using a linear mixed model adjusted for baseline, gender and BMI. We found differences in body image total score reported at six months when compared with onset (0.04, 95% CI 0.005–0.078, p = 0.024), whereas the subscale appearance satisfaction was different at three (0.08, 95% CI 0.015–0.164, p = 0.018), six (0.11, 95% CI 0.039–0.197, p = 0.003) and twelve (0.10, 95% CI 0.021–0.179, p = 0.013) months when compared with onset. Also the subscale BASS was different at three (0.17, 95% CI 0.009–0.255, p < 0.001), six (0.21, 95% CI 0.127–0.301, p < 0.001) and twelve (0.26, 95% CI 0.143–0.388, p < 0.001). Participants adhering to regular exercise (≥2 times weekly) had better outcomes on total body image than those who exercised less frequently or irregularly (three: 2.94 vs. 2.83, p = 0.027 and 12-months: 2.97 vs. 2.85, p = 0.028).At membership start-up, being male (p < 0.001) and having a BMI<25 (p = 0.003), were the strongest factors associated with reporting a higher score on total body image. In conclusion, we found improved body area and appearance satisfaction in novice exercisers across the first year of fitness club membership.     

Does retinal size have a unique correlate in perceived size?

Subjects estimated the size and distance of a single electroluminescent disc in the absence of distance cues and without the use of visual comparators. For different groups of Ss the disc subtended a visual angle of 1, 2, 4, or 8 deg. The size estimates varied directly with visual angle and the distance estimates varied inversely with visual angle. These results were considered in relation to the question of whether or not retinal size hasa direct correlate in perceived size.     

Does sport have intrinsic value?

This paper considers the suggestion, central to McFee's (2004 Mcfee, Graham. 2004. Sport, Rules and Values: Philosophical Investigations into the Nature of Sports, London: Routledge. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]) moral laboratory argument, that sport is intrinsically valuable. McFee's position is outlined and critiqued and various interpretations of intrinsic value found in the philosophical literature are considered. In addition, Morgan's (2007 Morgan, William J. 2007. Caring, final ends and sports. Sport, Ethics and Philosophy, 1(1): 7–21. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) claim that sport is an appropriate final end is considered and partially accepted. The paper draws a number of terminological distinctions and concludes that sport does not have intrinsic value as traditionally conceived, but that this is of little consequence with regard to the role of sport as a moral laboratory.