Development of a puff- and suction-type pressure stimulator for human tactile studies

In this study, we developed a tactile stimulator capable of administering either puff- or suction-type stimuli. The system is composed of three parts: a control unit, an air-handling unit, and a stimulation unit. The control unit controls the type, intensity, and time of stimulation. The air-handling unit delivers the stimulation power quantitatively to the stimulation unit, as commanded by the control unit. The stimulation unit stably administers either type of pressure to the skin, without any change of the tactor. Although the design of the stimulator is simple, it allows for five levels of control of the stimulation intensity (2–6 psi) and 0.1-s steps of control of the stimulation time, as we confirmed by tests. Preliminary electroencephalographic and event-related potential (ERP) studies of our system in humans confirmed the presence of N100 and P300 waves at standard electrode position C3, which are related to perception and cognition, respectively, in the somatosensory area of the brain. In addition, different stimulation types (puff and suction) and intensities (2 and 6 psi) were reflected in different peak-to-peak amplitudes and slopes of the mean ERP signal. The system developed in this study is expected to contribute to human tactile studies by providing the ability to administer puff- or suction-type stimuli interchangeably.     

Experimental manipulations of perspective taking and perspective switching in expressive writing

Previous studies suggest that those who naturally vary their pronoun use over the course of expressive writing subsequently report the greatest improvements in physical and mental health. To explore possible perspective taking or perspective switching effects, two studies manipulated writing perspectives about emotional events from either a first-person, second-person, or third-person perspective. In Study 1, 55 students were randomly assigned to one of the three writing perspectives and were asked to write from the same perspective for three 5-minute writing sessions. In Study 2, 129 students wrote for three 5-minute sessions, one from each perspective in a counterbalanced order. The results showed that writing from a first-person perspective conferred more perceived benefits and was associated with using more cognitive mechanism words, whether engaged in perspective taking or perspective switching.     

A simple 5-DoF MR-compatible motion signal measurement system

The purpose of this study was to develop a simple motion measurement system with magnetic resonance (MR) compatibility and safety. The motion measurement system proposed here can measure 5-DoF motion signals without deteriorating the MR images, and it has no effect on the intense and homogeneous main magnetic field, the temporal-gradient magnetic field (which varies rapidly with time), the transceiver radio frequency (RF) coil, and the RF pulse during MR data acquisition. A three-axis accelerometer and a two-axis gyroscope were used to measure 5-DoF motion signals, and Velcro was used to attach a sensor module to a finger or wrist. To minimize the interference between the MR imaging system and the motion measurement system, nonmagnetic materials were used for all electric circuit components in an MR shield room. To remove the effect of RF pulse, an amplifier, modulation circuit, and power supply were located in a shielded case, which was made of copper and aluminum. The motion signal was modulated to an optic signal using pulse width modulation, and the modulated optic signal was transmitted outside the MR shield room using a high-intensity light-emitting diode and an optic cable. The motion signal was recorded on a PC by demodulating the transmitted optic signal into an electric signal. Various kinematic variables, such as angle, acceleration, velocity, and jerk, can be measured or calculated by using the motion measurement system developed here. This system also enables motion tracking by extracting the position information from the motion signals. It was verified that MR images and motion signals could reliably be measured simultaneously.     

An Apology for a Religion of the Melancholic

This article is a study of depression and melancholia from the psychoanalytic perspective. Starting with the issue of levels and categories involving the phenomena of depression and melancholia, it elucidates the particular nature of the melancholic loss; the fact that the melancholic’s problem has to do with language; the view of the melancholic subject as a default subject; and the question of desire in melancholia and its trajectory toward recovery, eventually leading to a hopeful imagination concerning the innermost human desire. Three Lacanian psychoanalytic theories (Darian Leader (2009); Colette Soler (2006); Slavoj Zizek (2006)) are used to support my arguments; Suah Bae (2003, 2004) provides fascinating fictional truths that witness to the melancholic’s inner world; and Donald Capps (2000) renders a decisive help in my pastoral psychological reading of all of these writers.     

Multiple Roles of Married Korean Women: Effect on Depression

This study was designed to examine relationships between roles of employed married women in Seoul, South Korea, perceptions of their work role, coping patterns, and levels of depression. The convenience sample contained 382 women, aged 25–55 years, who were living with their husbands and working at least 20 hr weekly. Participants completed five questionnaires: demographic, Center for Epidemiological Studies—Depression Scale, Index of Sex-Role Orientation, Role Sharing, and Coping Strategies. Multiple regression analysis revealed several statistically significant relationships. Higher levels of depression were found in women who perceived motherhood and career roles as incompatible, those who coped by working harder, and those who spent less time helping children with homework. Women who owned their houses had lower levels of depression.     

Rewards of technology: Explaining China’s reverse migration

China rewards Mainlanders with technology who return to China. Among entrepreneurs and scientists, technology is generating today’s reverse migration as the rewards for bringing back technology are significant. Many returnees do not bring the latest international technology; technology that is new for China suffices to create a comparative advantage in the domestic market, making the transfer of technology a key strategy for becoming a successful reverse migrant. This article shows statistically that those who said that they had returned because they possessed a new technology (55% of our sample) were less likely to have a new international technology than a technology that was new only for China. La Chine récompense les Chinois continentaux qui retoument au pays avec des moyens techniques. Les récompenses pour avoir rapporté des éléments technologiques étant significatives, c’est la technologie qui favorise la migration de retour actuelle chez les entrepreneurs et les scientifiques. Nombreux sont les rapatriés qui ne rapportent pas le dernier cri international en technologie; il suffit de revenir avec des moyens techniques qui sont inconnus en Chine pour créer un avantage comparé dans le marché intérieur. Ainsi, le transfert de technologies constitue une strategie privilégiée dans la réussite des rapatriés. Nos statistiques indiquent que chez ceux qui étaient retournés au pays parce qu¡ls y introduisaient une nouvelle technologie (soit 55% de notre échantillon), il était moins probable pour eux d’avoir de nouveaux moyens techniques intemationaux que de moyens techniques qui représentaient une nouveauté en Chine seulement.     

Comparing Self-differentiation and Psychological Well-being between Korean and European American Students

This study examined cross-cultural differences in the relationship of self-differentiation with self-esteem and depressed mood, two indices of psychological well-being. Participants were 427 Korean and 375 European American college students. The main findings were that the levels of all components of self-differentiation were greater for European Americans than for Koreans; self-differentiation was associated with psychological well-being more strongly in American samples than in Korean counterparts; and “I position” was the most powerful predictor on self-esteem in both groups. Results suggest that differentiation is a meaningful construct for understanding psychological adjustment of college students in collectivistic Korean society.This research was supported by the Chonbuk National University funds for overseas research, 2004.     

The Relationship of Culture and Empathy in Cross‐Cultural Counseling

Empathy has been identified as a core condition for providing counseling. There are numerous articles discussing the components of empathy. However, as the U.S. becomes increasingly ethnically diverse and the world becomes more globalized, there is little discussion on how empathy will be effective with diverse populations. This article discusses the interaction of culture and empathy and suggests guidelines for establishing cultural empathy.     

Alternative Multiple Imputation Inference for Categorical Structural Equation Modeling

The use of item responses from questionnaire data is ubiquitous in social science research. One side effect of using such data is that researchers must often account for item level missingness. Multiple imputation is one of the most widely used missing data handling techniques. The traditional multiple imputation approach in structural equation modeling has a number of limitations. Motivated by Lee and Cai’s approach, we propose an alternative method for conducting statistical inference from multiple imputation in categorical structural equation modeling. We examine the performance of our proposed method via a simulation study and illustrate it with one empirical data set.