Introduction

Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences -     

The effects of three stimulus‐equivalence testing conditions on emergent US geography relations of children diagnosed with autism

Two children with autism were trained in US geography using a match to sample procedure. Different testing procedures commonly used in stimulus equivalence research were compared, including some conditions with reinforcement for responding to enhance motivation. Both children were able to master the trained geography relations and emergent stimulus relations were also noted. All three testing procedures produced similar effects, suggesting that incorporation of procedures to enhance motivation to respond does not invalidate testing in a stimulus equivalence preparation. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Symptoms of depression,relational quality,and loneliness in dating relationships

This study tested the hypothesis that symptoms of depression are negatively related to relational quality, which in turn is negatively related to feelings of loneliness among members of dating couples. Potential sex differences in the magnitude of association between depressive symptoms and relational quality, and potential emotional contagion of depressive symptoms within dyads, were also explored. One hundred and one dating couples completed the Oral History Interview along with other measures of relational quality, depressive symptoms, and loneliness. Results for both males and females indicated that depressive symptoms were negatively associated with relational quality and that relational quality was negatively associated with loneliness. The association between symptoms of depression and poor relational quality was similar for females and males. There was no evidence suggestive of emotional contagion in these dating couples. Implications of these findings and their potential limitations are discussed.     

Spiritual Formation for Ordained Ministry: An Ecumenical Approach

Abstract. Seminaries have a responsibility to engage students in reflecting upon the spiritual life, as well as providing opportunities to deepen their own spiritual journeys. It also is important that they consider the intentional ways that their understandings and experiences of the spiritual life influence their leadership in the Church. Spiritual formation of seminarians provides particular challenges to faculty of liberal, ecumenical seminaries. This article describes a course designed to address these issues and argues that spiritual formation can be effectively integrated into the curricula of liberal, ecumenical seminaries.     

Prosodic structure and syntactic acquisition: the case of the head‐direction parameter

We propose that infants may learn about the relative order of heads and complements in their language before they know many words, on the basis of prosodic information (relative prominence within phonological phrases). We present experimental evidence that 6–12‐week‐old infants can discriminate two languages that differ in their head direction and its prosodic correlate, but have otherwise similar phonological properties (i.e. French and Turkish). This result supports the hypothesis that infants may use this kind of prosodic information to bootstrap their acquisition of word order.     

Heidegger and Practical Philosophy

Continental Philosophy Review -     

The effects of message framing on behavioral prevalence assumptions

Based on attribution theory and the logic of conversational norms, we predicted that image‐based health communications can alter prevalence estimates for health behaviors. In two studies, participants were exposed either to a positively‐framed or negatively‐framed communication advocating for specific health behaviors. As predicted, participants who read a health communication rated healthy behaviors as less common when positive attributes were associated with healthy choices than when negative attributes were associated with unhealthy choices. The second study revealed that this pattern was most pronounced among participants who reported initial uncertainty about behavioral norms. These findings suggest that positively‐framed influence attempts can promote prevalence assumptions that work against the influence attempt. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Parents of the Battered Child: A Multidisciplinary Group Therapy Approach to Life-Threatening Behavior

ABSTRACT: This paper reports the demographic findings and the experience of a three-year, multidisciplinary group psychotherapy program, with 31 child-abusing families. No predictive demographic characteristics were identified. The abuse of children ranged from mild bruising to severe brain damage and multiple fractures. Group therapy as an intervention procedure had its successes and failures. The dynamics of male-female co-therapists, the peer group sharing, and the capacity to ultimately verbalize inadequacies in the parenting role were crucial factors in therapy. As an experiential encounter the study gives a poignant insight into the personal and family pathology of parents who abuse their children.