What Should A “Gibsonian Neuroscience” Look Like? Introduction to the Special Issue

Abstract

Ecological psychology has been criticized for ignoring the brain in its theory formation. In recent years, however, a number of researchers have started asking ecologically-inspired questions about the ways in which not only the embodied activity of the organism in its environment, but also the particulars of the organism's nervous system matter. This work has typically appeared in neuroscience journals, thereby potentially escaping the attention of ecological psychologists. The current article introduces a Special Issue of Ecological Psychology that aims to correct this problem. This issue brings together one empirical and six theoretical articles that develop ideas about the contributions of the nervous system to perception-action. We briefly review each of the articles, identify common themes, and point out the surprising variety in theoretical positions. It is hoped that this Special Issue will help guide discussions amongst ecological psychologists and (ecological) neuroscientists as they confront the question “What should a ‘Gibsonian neuroscience’ look like?”     

The staff observation aggression scale–revised (SOAS‐R)

Proper assessment of aggressive behavior is essential for an understanding of its causes. In 1987, Palmstierna and Wistedt [Acta Psychiatr Scand 76:657‐663] introduced the Staff Observation Aggression Scale (SOAS), an instrument for monitoring the frequency, nature, and severity of aggressive incidents. In the present study, the validity of the SOAS severity scoring system was examined, and the severity scores were refined. The SOAS was used to record aggression on six closed wards of three psychiatric hospitals. The SOAS severity scores of 556 aggressive incidents were compared with severity estimates given on Visual Analogue Scales (VASs) by staff members. The original SOAS scores were found to be moderately correlated with the estimates of severity given by staff on the VAS. The SOAS severity scoring system was refined on the basis of the staff severity estimates. The revised scoring method and other refinements in the contents of the instrument led to the construction of the SOAS‐R. The SOAS‐R seems to be a promising tool for monitoring a wide range of (self‐) destructive acts on psychiatric wards. Aggr. Behav. 25:197–209, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Recent Books on Protestant-Roman Catholic Dialogues,Relations and Common Practices

Baptism and Eucharist: Ecumenical Convergence in Celebration, eds Max Thurian and Geoffrey Wainwright. Geneva: WCC, and Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1983, 258pp. (Faith and Order Paper No. 117). The Churches as Peacemakers? An Analysis of Recent Church Statements on Peace, Disarmament and War. Rome: IDOC-International, 1985, 88pp. Congar, Yves: Diversity and Communion. London: SCM Press, 1984, 232pp. (Translated from the French Diversités et communion. Paris: Editions du Cerf, 1982). Derr, Thomas Sieger: Barriers to Ecumenism: the Holy See and the World Council of Churches on Social Questions. Maryknol, NY: Orbis Books, 1983, 102pp. Desseaux, Jacques Elisée: Dialogues théologiques et accords oecuméniques. Paris: Editions du Cerf, 1982, 199pp. Dialogi Ecumenici Ufficiali: Bilanci e Prospettive, a cura di Donato Valentini. Roma: Libreria Ateneo Salesiano, 1983, 168pp. (Biblioteca di Scienze Religiose, 53). Ecumenical Perspectives on Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry, ed. Max Thurian. Geneva: WCC, 1983, 246pp. (Faith and Order Paper, No. 116). Die Eucharistie der einen Kirche — Eucharistische Ekklesiologie: Perspektiven und Grenzen, eds. Albert Rauch and Paul Imhof. Munich: Verlagsgesellschaft Gerhard Kaffke, 1983, 231pp. (Koinonia. Schriftenreihe des Ostkirchlichen Instituts Regensburg, Band III). Fries, Heinrich and Rahner, Karl: Unity of the Churches: an Actual Possibility. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, and New York: Paulist Press, 1985, 146pp. (Translated from the German Einigung der Kirchen — Reale Möglichkeit. Freiburg: Herder, 1983). Huwyler, Christoph: Das Problem der Interkommunion: Dargestellt anhand kirchlicher Verlautbarungen, Ökumenischer Dokumente und der theologischen Diskussion. Bad Honneff: Bock und Herrchen Verlag, 1984, 2 volumes. Lazareth, William H.: Growing Together in Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry: a Study Guide. Geneva: WCC, 1982, 107pp. (Faith and Order Paper No. 114). Local Ecumenism: How Church Unity is Seen and Practised by Congregations, ed. André Birmelé. Geneva: WCC, 1984, 37pp. Peace and Disarmament: Documents of the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. Geneva: (WCC) Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, and Rome: Pontifical Commission “Iustitia et Pax”, 1983, 255pp. Wachsende Übereinstimmung in Taufe, Eucharistie und Amt: Hilfen zur Beschäftigung mit den Lima-Erklärungen. Im Auftrag der ökumenischen Kommission der katholischen Bistümer in Bayern, herausgegeben von Gerhard Voss. Freising: Kyrios-Verlag, and Paderborn: Verlag Bonifatius, 1984, 96pp. Wainwright, Geoffrey: The Ecumenical Moment: Crisis and Opportunity for the Church. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1983, 263pp.     

Making Sense of a New Employment Relationship: Psychological Contract‐Related Information Seeking and the Role of Work Values and Locus of Control

This paper explores the information‐seeking behaviors newcomers engage in relating to their psychological contract and addresses the impact of work values (autonomy, advancement, group orientation and economic rewards) and work locus of control (LOC). We propose that these individual characteristics could explain differences in the frequency with which newcomers search for information about the promises their employer has made to them. A two‐wave longitudinal study was conducted in which 527 newcomers from eight organizations participated. The results largely support the proposed relationships between work values and contract‐related information seeking, while the relation between work LOC and contract‐related information seeking is rather weak. Implications for psychological contract formation are discussed.     

Cultural and learning differences in the Judd illusion

In the present study, we examined whether individual differences in the perception of illusory Judd drawings point to variability in the pickup of informational variables. Two sources for these individual differences were addressed: culture and learning. East Asian (n = 24) and Western (n = 24) participants made perceptual judgments of the midpoint of the shaft of various Judd figures in a pretest–practice–posttest design. During practice, half of the participants received feedback about the actual midpoint after each trial, while the other half did not receive feedback. The results showed differences among perceivers of different cultures in judging the midpoints of the shafts of Judd figures, particularly with respect to their propensity to improve perceptual accuracy after repeated practice and feedback. For most participants, changes in illusory bias as a consequence of learning were shown to reflect either a change in what informational variable they exploited or a rescaling or calibration of the perception to the informational variable. However, the individual differences in illusory bias related to culture could not be unequivocally attributed to either of these perceptual-learning processes.