Visual perception of direction when voluntary saccades occur: II. Relation of visual direction of a fixation target extinguished before a saccade to a subsequent test flash presented before the saccade

Previously reported experiments demonstrated changes in the relation of visual direction to retinal locus for stimulation during voluntary saccades as compared to this relation before saccade initiation. The quantitative features of these results led to the prediction, confirmed in the present experiments, that there are shifts in visual direction for stimulation presented before the saccade itself. In the present report, monotonically increasing shifts were mapped with stimuli presented as early as 240 msec before the saccade up to the saccade itself. Such shifts cannot be accounted for readily by “inflowing” processes, and while “outflowing” processes seem to be implicated, their quantitative characteristics would need to be considerably different from those required by classical outflow theories.     

Affective responses to seeing oneself for the first time on unedited videotape

Despite the growing popularity of watching oneself on videotape, little systematic research has been conducted determine viewers' affective responses to video replay. This study addresses the question: what affective responses do women have when they view themselves for the first time on unedited videotape, in comparison to their responses when they view a peer or nature scenes on videotape? Affective responses were measured in three ways: self-report, physiological, and behavioral. Subjects who viewed themselves reported more negative feelings and anxiety, and smiled more frequently than subjects who watched another person or nature scenes on video. Subjects with high private self-consciousness had higher mean arterial blood pressures when viewing themselves than did subjects with low private self-consciousness. Overall, the implications for seeing oneself on video point to potential embarrassment but generally moderate effects.     

Combining quantitative and qualitative methods in evaluating a course of family therapy

This paper reports on the use of a single case (A-B) design, with multiple measures of first and second order change and family satisfaction. A within-session process analysis was also made. Second order change was found to relate most clearly to the process of sessions. The single case design and process study is easy to apply in practice and is a potential response to clinical audit. The problems of combining quantitative and qualitative approaches are discussed.     

The relationship of appraisal and coping to chronic illness adjustment

There is evidence that adaptation to chronic illness may be affected by psychological factors, especially how patients appraise and cope with the stress of their illness. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship of stress appraisal and coping responses to multiple behavioral indices of illness adjustment among patients with diverse chronic medical conditions. One hundred and one patients admitted to a multidisciplinary medicine/psychiatry unit completed measures of functional impairment, depression, symptom severity, and the Ways of Coping Checklist--Revised. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that emotion-focused coping was positively related to poor psychosocial adjustment and depression after controlling for physician rated disease severity. Appraising chronic illness as holding one back predicted greater emotion-focused coping responses and poorer adjustment to illness. The use of problem-focused coping strategies was generally unrelated to illness adjustment. These findings suggest the presence of an emotion-focused coping triad consisting of wishful thinking, self blame, and avoidance, all of which appear to be maladaptive strategies when coping with chronic medical conditions. Implications for coping skills training and the need for longitudinal research is discussed.     

PROMPTING BAR PATRONS WITH SIGNS TO TAKE FREE CONDOMS

This study was designed to determine whether signs would prompt bar patrons to avail themselves of free condoms. The intervention at three “gay bars” involved placing a large sign directly above a container of free condoms; the sign gave statistics for the number of people who have died from AIDS in the state and pointed out that condoms can reduce the spread of AIDS. Additional signs placed in the restrooms gave information about safe sex practices and reminded patrons that free condoms could be obtained at a given location in the bar. An ABAB design was used, with a 2-week baseline, 2-week treatment with signs present, 2-week reversal with no signs, and 2-week reinstatement of treatment with signs present. For all three bars combined, 748 condoms were taken with signs present and 510 condoms were taken with signs absent. Overall, when signs were present, the number of condoms taken increased by 47%.     

Book reviews

Modern American Religion, Vol. 3. Under God, Indivisible, 1941–1960 Martin E. Marty, 1996 Chicago: University of Chicago Press 548 pp. + xii. £27.96, US$34.95 ISBN 0–22–50898–6

Perspectives on New Religious Movements John A. Sauba, 1995 London: Geoffrey Chapman 240 pp., £12.99 (pb), £35.00 (hb) ISBN 0–225–66787–8 (pb),’ ISBN 0–225–66786‐X (hb)

New Religions and the New Europe Robert Towler, ed., 1995 Aarhus: Aarhus University Press 246 pp., £19.95 ISBN 87 7288 433 9

A New Dictionary of Religions John R. Hinnells, ed., 1995 Oxford: Blackwell 760 pp., US$74.95 (hb) ISBN 0–631–18139–3

Den Fremden verstehen: Eine Praktische Hermeneutik Theo Sundermeier, 1996 Göttingen: Vandenhoek & Ruprecht 260 pp. ISBN 3–525–01619–0

Religion and Mass Media: Audiences and Adaptations Daniel A. Stout & Judith M. Buddenbaum, eds, 1996 Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications 294 pp., £37.00 (hb), £18.50 (pb) ISBN 0–8039–7173–7 (hb), 0–8039–7174–5 (pb)

Contemporary Mainstream Religion: Studies from Humberside and Lincolnshire Peter G. Forster, ed., 1995 Aldershot: Avebury xxxvii +135 pp., £30.00 ISBN 1–8562–919–2

One Earth Many Religions: Multifaith Dialogue and Global Responsibility Paul F. Kntiter, 1995 Maryknoll, New York: Orbis xiv + 218 pp., US$17.00 ISBN 1–57075–037–8

A Wider Vision: A History of the World Congress of Faiths 1936–1996 Marcus Braybrooke, 1996 Oxford: Oneworld Publications 192 pp., £10.99, US$16.95 ISBN 1–85168–119–1

The Phenomenon of Teilhard: Prophet for a New Age David H. Lane, 1996 Macon, Georgia: Mercer University Press xvi +192 pp., US$21.95 ISBN 0–86554–498–0

The Wisdom of the Wyrd: Teachings for Today from our Ancient Past Brian Bates, 1996 London: Rider xiii +306 pp., £12.99 ISBN 0‐712E‐7277‐X

Desinformation als Methode. Die Bahā'ísmus‐Monographie des F. Ficicchia Udo Schaefer, Nicola Towfigh, Ulrich Gollmer, 1995 Hildesheim Georg Olms Verlag xiii + 685 pp., DM 65.00 (hb) ISBN 3–487–10041‐X

The New Latin American Mission History (Latin American Studies Series) Erick Langer & Robert H. Jackson, eds, 1995 Lincoln & London: University of Nebraska Press 212 pp., £15.95 (pb), £32.95 (hb) ISBN 0–8032–7953–1 (pb), ISBN 0–8032–2911–9 (hb)

Gender Rituals: Female Initiation in Melanesia Nancy C. Lutkehaus & Paul B. Roscoe, eds, 1995 New York Routledge 265 pp., £13.99 (pb), £37.50 (hb) ISBN 0–415–91107–9 (pb), ISBN 0–415–91106–0 (hb)

Daughters of Anowa: African Women and Patriarchy Mercy Amba Oduyoye, 1995 Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books 229 pp., US$18.00 (pb) ISBN 0–88344–999–4

Christianity in Africa: The Renewal of a Non‐Western Religion Kwame Bediako, 1995 Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press; Maryknoll: Orbis Books 276 pp., £16.95 ISBN 0–7486–0625–4

The Christian Heritage in the Holy Land Anthony O'Mahony with Goran Gunner & Kevork Hintuan, eds, 1995 Epping, Essex: Scorpion Cavendish xi + 320 pp., £15.95 ISBN 1–900269–06–6 (pb)

Patterns of the Sacred: English Protestant and Russian Orthodox Pilgrims of the Nineteenth Century Ruth & Thomas Hummel, 1995 Epping, Essex: Scorpion Cavendish ix + 76 pp., £10.00 ISBN 1–900269–08–2 (pb)

Pilgrimage Past and Present: Sacred Travel and Sacred Space in the World Religions Simon Coleman & John Elsner, 1995 London: British Museum Press 240 pp., Illus., £20.00 ISBN 0–7141–1738–2     

Hume's Utilitarian Theory of Right Action

A theory of right action is implicit in Hume's delineation of the virtues. It gives qualified priority to 'rules of justice' as Hume's remarks on 'that species of utility which attends this virtue' require. It is a useful actual-rule, not an ideal possible-rule, purely utilitarian theory that discounts rules of justice in 'extraordinary cases', has a problem when rules conflict, and invites the question 'Why not hark directly to the supreme law of utility in every case?'. It does not reflect contractarian considerations of mutuality of interests evident in Hume's texts, which while sometimes relevant to what is reasonable, are in his view never also relevant to what is moral.     

PLURALIST METAPHYSICS

Philosophical Studies -     

The mediating role of anxiety in self-reported somatic complaints of depressed adolescents

This study examined the mediating role of anxiety in the self-reports of somatic complaints in 96 depressed adolescent inpatients. Sixty-four subjects with major depressive episodes and comorbid anxiety disorders (MDE-A) determined from the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents-Revised (DICA-R) reported significantly more somatic complaints than 32 adolescents having major depressive episodes without comorbid anxiety (MDE). An analysis of covariance demonstrated that, with anxiety symptoms controlled, MDE and MDE-A groups did not differ significantly in somatic complaints. A hierarchical multiple-regression analysis revealed that, with demographic and anxiety symptoms controlled, depressive symptoms did not contribute to the explanation or prediction of somatic complaints. The results suggest that anxious, but not depressive symptoms, are independently associated with somatic complaints. The results are discussed in light of new affective models of psychopathology.