The physician-patient relationship: Models and criticisms

A review of the philosophical debate on theoretical models for the physician-patient relationship over the past fifteen years may point to some of the more productive questions for future research. Contractual models have been criticized for promoting a legalistic and minimalistic image of the relationship, such that another form of model (such as “convenant”) is required. Shifting from a contractual to a contractarian model (in keeping with Rawls' notion of an original position) provides an adequate response to many criticisms of this type. A deeper criticism, however, is one that advocates a shift to a virtue-based approach. A creative amalgam between a contractarian model and elements of the virtue-based approach, combined with appropriate empirical investigation, may yield richer models in the future.     

Effects of physical exercise on peripheral vision and learning in children with spina bifida manifesta

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of active exercise of the arms on various physiological, perceptual, and cognitive parameters of children with spina bifida manifesta who were aged 9 to 12 yr. Following a 5-min. rest interval, subjects were either not exercised (control days) for a 6-min. period or were exercised (experimental days) for a 6-min. period. Cardiac measures, respiratory function, peripheral vision, and figural learning trials were recorded after exercise. Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank tests were computed on the means of the exercise and no-exercise conditions for each measure. Six minutes of active exercise resulted in significant increases in peripheral vision, respiratory and cardiac measures and significant decreases in figural learning trials for these children. A floor effect was noted for the figural learning test. It was concluded that exercise increased blood flow through the lungs allowing for greater oxygen diffusion in the brain and other facilitatory effects resulting in more effective cerebral activity. Curriculum revisions for such children seem to indicate the importance of activity in facilitating subsequent learning.     

What day is today? An inquiry into the process of time orientation

In each of the 6 work days of a 2-week period, approximately equal numbers of passers-by were presented with the question “What day is today?” The experiment took place in Israel, using a total of 273 Ss. Average RT for the production of a correct response revealed a clear curvilinear relationship with the ordinal position of the day of the week, with longest RTs obtained with midweek target days. Errors revealed a similar curvilinear relationship, being most frequent in the middle of the week. These results are discussed in terms of the utilization of temporal landmarks (e.g., the Sabbath) in the process of time orientation. Additional data regarding the distribution of errors and Ss’ introspective reports are presented and speculations regarding the mechanism involved are offered.     

One little boy

Pastoral Psychology -     

‘BORN AGAIN’ JEWS IN ISRAEL: THE DYNAMICS OF AN IDENTITY CHANGE*

Fifty-nine Israeli men who had switched to Orthodox Judaism and fifty-nine Israeli men who remained secular were the experimental and control groups of this study. The two groups, matched for several personal background variables, were interviewed and then filled out a biographical inventory and two questionnaires. Thirty measures were extracted and the two groups were compared on them. Significant differences were found in 14 of the measures. Those who had turned Orthodox showed higher scores on the F scale, and less identification with their parents. They were also lower in self-esteem and level of aspirations, and higher in their readiness to seek help. The findings are mostly consistent with results of research in other times and places, as reported by other authors.     

Women's involvement in multiple roles and psychological distress

Women's involvement in multiple roles was examined in relation to three stress indices: role overload, role conflict, and anxiety. Using hierarchical multiple regression analyses, effects of number of roles occupied; occupancy of the particular roles of paid worker, wife, and mother; and the quality of a woman's experience in her roles were analyzed. Data were from a disproportionate stratified random sample (N = 238) of Caucasian women between 35 and 55 years of age. For the total sample and for employed women, occupancy of the role of mother was related to two stress indices; occupancy of the role of paid worker was related to none. The quality of experience in the work and parental roles was a significant predictor of role overload; quality of parental role experience was a significant predictor of role conflict and of anxiety.