Perceived distance and the perceived speed of self-motion: Linear vs. angular velocity?

Experiments are reported in which it was found that, with the angular speed of a visual surround held constant, the perceived speed of rotary self-motion increased linearly with increasing perceived distance of this surround. This finding was in agreement with a motion constancy equation derived from a consideration of object-referred motion perception. Since information concerning distance is necessary for the perception of linear but not angular speed, this finding supports the conclusion that visually perceived rotary self-motion perception is dependent upon perceived linear surround motion at least in the horizontal plane. The visual motion constancy mechanism which operates for object-referred motion can apparently not be switched off for the special case of self-motion perception.     

The value of confession and forgiveness according to Jung

This article represents a broad survey of the views of C. G. Jung regarding confession and for giveness. Man, a naturally religious being, has a need to confess his wrong and to gain forgiveness of one sanctioned to absolve. The curative effect of confession has been known for centuries. Without confession, man remains in moral isolation. Priests, ministers, and rabbis, as well as psychotherapists, attest to the universality of this human phenomenon. Confession is located in that place where psychology and religion meet-guilt. Jung's views on confession bridge the chasm between psychology and religion.     

Psychoanalytic approaches to biblical religion

A brief look at four studies of biblical religion from a psychoanalytic point of view (spanning the time from Freud'sMoses and Monotheism to the present) alerts us to the many ways biblical religion both reflects and mediates the dawning realization that for the well-being of humanity it is of decisive importance that sons do (in spite of all emotional obstacles) identify with their fathers and fathers do find ways of loving and caring for their sons (the eldest son in particular).     

Personality traits and job characteristics as predictors of job experiences

This study investigates the relationships of personality traits and job characteristics (predictors) with job experiences (criteria) in a sample of job incumbents working in a broad variety of occupations. Subjects were 181 job applicants, who participated in a personnel selection procedure carried out by a Dutch staffing organization. As a part of this procedure, subjects completed a number of personality questionnaires. Personality scale scores were factor-analysed, and four orthogonal trait dimensions were identified: Emotional Stability, Extraversion, Sensation Seeking, and Achievement Motivation. Between l½ and 2 years after the selection, subjects rated their current jobs on four job characteristics dimensions, namely dynamicity, autonomy, external–internal, and structure. At the same time, they completed a questionnaire measuring job experiences, namely job satisfaction, job-induced tension, propensity to leave the job, and self-appraised performance. The results indicated that personality traits had several significant and hypothesized longitudinal effects on the job experience criteria. Personality contributed to the prediction of the criteria even when the effects of job characteristics were taken into account. No significant Personality X Job Characteristics interactions were found, although subgroup analysis revealed a number of interesting differences among the various categories of occupations. For example, Sensation Seeking predicted job strain and propensity to leave, especially in highly structured and not very autonomous jobs. It is concluded that work experiences are clearly determined by person and job characteristics, although in an additive rather than in an interactional way.     

Personal reflections on participant observation as a methodology in the social sciences

The author discusses the value of participant observation as a methodology in the social sciences. From ten years of experience he has culled both academic and personal reflections. The author discusses participant observation as anthropological fieldwork, alterations in perceptions and internalization of methodology, increased self awareness and an increased sense of finiteness.Dr. Paul F. Bauer is Dean of Student Services and Professor of Philosophy at Cecil Community College North East, MD 21901. This article is revised from a guest lecture at the Iliff School of Theology, March 11, 1982.     

Dreaming,religion, and health

Summary Dreaming has been presented as a universal human phenomenon. Ancient as contrasted with modern peoples have viewed the dream as a mysterious, powerful, yet comprehensible experience within the context of their theological world view. After hypothesizing that our contemporary state of alienation and fragmentation is related to our tendency to dichotomize experience into real and unreal, I reviewed psychoanalytic and depth psychological approaches to dreaming, concluding that an ego-analytic-depth approach is most compatible with theological perspectives. Following a review of empirical dream research supporting the hypothesis that dream process is related to health, I presented a structural model linking six ego and theologically analogous constructs: integration-creation, synthesis-dependence, selection-choice, cognitionincarnation, regulation-redemption, and anticipation-eschatology. Finally, I presented a patient's dream, suggesting how the model might be applied for a more comprehensive view of the dreaming process.This article is a revised version of a series of lectures presented as part of a Nursing Education Workshop on Using Dreams with Patients at the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Administration Hospital in 1976–1977.     

Toward an understanding of the obese person

Attitudes, feelings, and family backgrounds of seven very obese women were studied by means of a religious history questionnaire. Some comments are made about this research tool. Three very prominent characteristics of these women were feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, a craving for love, and strong guilt feelings. A possible psychogenic factor in morbid obestity was observed in the backgrounds of five women; pertinent information on the other two was lacking. This factor is a dual dynamic of harshness and indulgence. The onset of obesity seemed to occur when indulgence became the dominating influence over harshness.     

The usefulness of economic analyses for policy support in health care

In the Netherlands economic analysis of medical technologies is increasingly recognized and used as an instrument for policy-making on different policy-levels in health care. This is mainly due to the introduction of a specific kind of medical technology assessment research, the so-called “investigative medicine.” In this type of health-care research the consequences (medical and quality of life) and the costs of a certain medical technology are usually simultaneously evaluated. Two characteristics of investigative medicine are discussed in the paper: the principle that research grants in this field are assigned to grant holders at University Hospitals and that the evaluation is often executed by means of economic analyses such as costeffectiveness analysis. He was engaged in forecasting research, manpower research and is currently involved in evaluative economic research in the field of health care. At the moment his main research activities concentrate on (computer) support of organizational change.     

Sin,Evil and Job: Monotheism as a psychological and pastoral problem

The Book of Job, as interpreted by Jung and Capps, reveals that evil exists in creation and has its source in God. Evil is the inevitable result of God choosing to be subject to logical norms in order to avoid a chaotic world. However, according to religious tradition, the good in God outweighs the evil, which is why believers in God go to God for help even when God seems to inflict suffering upon them.This paper arose from the course Personal Sin and Social Evil taught by Donald Capps and Richard K. Fenn at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1992.