Critical issues in experimental studies of prosociality in non-human species

Prosociality and acts of altruism are defined as behaviours which benefit another with either no gain or some immediate cost to the self. To understand the evolutionary origins of these behaviours, in recent years, studies have extended to primate species; however, studies on non-primates are still scarce. In light of the fact that phylogenetic closeness to humans does not appear to correlate with prosocial tendencies, but rather differences in the propensity towards prosociality may be linked to allomaternal care or collaborative foraging, it appears that convergent selection pressures may be at work in the evolution of prosociality. It would hence seem particularly important to extend such studies to species outside the primate clade, to allow for comparative hypothesis testing of the factors affecting the evolution of prosocial behaviours. In the current review, we focus on the experimental paradigms which have been used so far (i.e. the prosocial choice task, helping paradigms and food-sharing tests) and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each method. In line with the aim of encouraging a broader comparative approach to the topic of prosociality, particular emphasis is placed on the methodological issues that need to be taken into account. We conclude that although a number of the paradigms used so far may be successfully applied to non-primate species, there is a need to simplify the cognitive demands of the tasks and ensure task comprehension to allow for a ‘fair’ comparative approach of prosocial tendencies across species.     

The next generation of psychological autopsy studies. Part I. Interview content

The psychological autopsy (PA) is a systematic method to understand the psychological and contextual circumstances preceding suicide. The method requires interviews with one or more proxy respondents (i.e., informants) of decedents. The methodological challenges that need to be addressed when determining the content of these research interviews for PA studies are described and recommendations are made for meeting these challenges in future PA investigations. Ways to improve the data collected about mental disorders and life events--domains that are assessed in almost all PA studies--are discussed at length. Other understudied content areas considered include the role of personality traits, medical illness and functional limitations, availability of lethal agents, medications, and select distal variables including child maltreatment and family history of mental disorders and suicide. The benefits and challenges to using common protocols across studies are also discussed.     

The next generation of psychological autopsy studies: part 2. Interview procedures

The psychological autopsy (PA) is a systematic method of assessing the psychological and contextual circumstances preceding suicide. The method requires interviews with one or more proxy respondents (i.e., informants) of suicide decedents. Procedural challenges that need to be addressed to conduct PA interviews are described in this article and recommendations for meeting these challenges in future PA investigations are made. Procedures addressed include determining the timing of PA interviews after suicide, designing the structure and flow of interviews, selection of proxy respondents, integrating interview data with information gathered from records, and selecting and training interviewers. This methodological article is the second in a two-part series-the first article focused on interview content.     

Confidentiality issues in psychological research

There has been increased attention in recent years to the importance of individual privacy and professional confidentiality both in Australia and overseas. At the same time, psychologists' growing research interests in areas such as AIDS, child sexual abuse, and domestic violence have led to new ethical dilemmas over the contract of confidentiality between researchers and their research participants. The present paper discusses a number of issues regarding the ethics of confidentiality in psychological research. Following Bok (1989), the issues are highlighted within the context of four ethical principles that underlie researchers' obligations to preserve confidentiality. These principles are derived from considerations of privacy, loyalty, the pledge of silence, and professional codes of ethical standards. Each of these principles is illustrated with examples taken from recent research. We devote special attention to instances that appear to provide a clash between moral principles.     

Critical issues in interference theory

Critical issues in the theoretical and experimental analysis of interference processes in retention are reviewed. The evolution of classical two-factor theory is traced, and the strengths and weaknesses of the contemporary version of this p6sition are examined. Recent critiques of Current interference theories by Martin (1971a) and Greeno, James, and Da Polito (1971) are reviewed and examind. New conceptualizations of interference proposed by these authors, which place major emphasis on retrieval dependencies and on the role of encoding and retrieval processes, are considered and evaluated.     

Utah youth suicide study: psychological autopsy

We conducted a psychological autopsy study to further understand youth suicide in Utah. While traditional psychological autopsy studies primarily focus on the administration of psychometric measures to identify any underlying diagnosis of mental illness for the suicide decedent, we focused our interviews to identify which contacts in the decedent's life recognized risk factors for suicidal behavior, symptoms of mental illness, as well as barriers to mental health treatment for the decedent. Parents and friends recognized most symptoms universally, although friends better recognized symptoms of substance abuse than any other contact. The study results suggest that parents and friends are the most appropriate individuals for gatekeeper training and, in conjunction with other innovative screening programs, may be an effective strategy in reducing adolescent suicide.     

Some notes on conducting a psychological autopsy.

This paper outlines procedures for conducting interviews with relatives of suicide victims or survivors of equivocal deaths, by means of the "psychological autopsy." A number of methodological recommendations are made which deal with training interviewers, contacting survivors and using experimental controls.     

Standardizing the psychological autopsy: addressing the Daubert standard

The psychological autopsy, as a research, clinical, and forensic tool, has gained widespread usage in suicidology over the last half century. In forensic settings, the lack of standardization and problems determining the procedure's validity and reliability pose significant issues for the procedure's admissibility under the Daubert standard of evidence. The Daubert standard requires that evidence must be founded on scientific knowledge and established five guidelines for judicial decisions regarding the admissibility of expert testimony. In this paper we examine expert opinion regarding the psychological autopsy and recommend a standardized protocol or template regarding areas and lines of inquiry for a psychological autopsy used in legal cases.     

Ethical issues in psychological assessment in school settings.

It is especially important for psychologists providing assessment and testing services in schools to be able to recognize and negotiate the ethical challenges specific to academic settings. In this article I address ethical issues in the areas of informed consent, nondiscriminatory assessment, projective personality assessment, and computerized psychological testing. One of the most frequent ethical issues that confronts psychologists in the schools is the process of parental consent and involvement. Psychologists are also obligated to select nonbiased test instruments and use them in a way that is not racially or culturally biased. There are several factors to consider when using projective testing in a school setting, and the use of computerized psychological assessment measures raises significant ethical issues. Although concrete solutions are not always available for these complex situations, a basis for ethical decision making is presented.     

Ethical issues in psychological assessment in different settings.

In this article, we provide an introduction to the special series on ethical issues in assessment. We establish as its purpose the provision of some general principles and guidelines to help practitioners grapple with the ethical issues that may be characteristic of their particular settings. We provide a very brief synopsis of the articles that follow. The relationship between ethical practice and risk management is briefly discussed.     

Completed suicide among Sinhalese in Sri Lanka: a psychological autopsy study

Sri Lanka has the one of highest rates of suicide. Important factors associated with suicide were determined via the psychological autopsy approach (which had not been carried out previously in Sri Lanka). Over a 3-month period, in a catchment area, 31 suicides among Sinhalese were identified and 27 were investigated. Males were more likely to commit suicide and alcohol abuse and domestic violence were reported as contributory factors. We found it possible to use psychological autopsy methods to obtain information which can inform planned prevention measures.     

Research design issues for the use of magnetic resonance imaging machines in brain studies of psychological/psychiatric variables

The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine itself has an impact on the likelihood of obtaining successful measurements of brain size in certain groups of subjects. The differential selection and attrition in both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs, therefore, indicate that the MRI coincidentally serves as a screen for the anatomical structure of the brains that are successfully scanned. This screening effect introduces confounds in experiments whose very hypotheses are focused on comparing anatomical differences in subjects who differ, for example, in their reactions to anxiety-inducing situations. Here, behavioral interventions and possible statistical models are presented in order to reduce attrition and other effects of the confounds introduced by the MRI measurement process in research. Child and adolescent research—particularly in the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder research area—is used as an example to clarify and delineate the general research principles presented in the present article.     

Critical issues in the prevention of violence-related behavior in youth

Violence prevention programs with varying degrees of scientific support have proliferated in the United States and elsewhere. This paper previewed a broad range of programs involving youth, families, or systems that aimed to prevent or reduce violence-related behavior. The purpose of the review was to address critical issues concerning (1) target level of programming, (2) theory-driven versus problem-driven conceptualization, (3) cultural considerations, (4) developmental considerations, (5) intervention fidelity, and (6) outcome and impact assessment. Conclusions about these issues address tendencies and trends across programs.