Reflective Equilibrium as an Ameliorative Framework for Feminist Epistemology

As Helen Longino's overview of Hypatia's engagement with feminist epistemology suggests, the last twenty‐five years’ contributions to this field reveal a strong focus on the topic of knowledge. In her short outline, Longino questions this narrow focus on knowledge in epistemological inquiry. The main purpose of this article is to provide a framework for systematically taking up the questions raised by Longino, one that prevents us from running the risk of becoming unreflectively involved in sexist, racist, or otherwise problematic inquiry. I argue that a specific form of the method of Reflective Equilibrium, as it is widely discussed in moral epistemology, logic, and theories of rationality, enables us to cope with the problems of traditional epistemology, which feminist theorizers such as Sally Haslanger have pointed to. With the account of Reflective Equilibrium I am offering—drawing in many respects on the model provided by Catherine Z. Elgin—we have an ameliorative method that allows us to rethink epistemological values, goals, and standards in a systematic way, and that largely avoids implicit and explicit biases in epistemology.     

Feminism, Psychoanalysis, and Family Therapy: Reflections on Telos

Two of the most significant developments in family therapy since 1980 are the emergence of the feminist critique, and the rediscovery of psychoanalysis as a conceptual source for family therapy. The author has been working to combine the contributions of both feminism and psychoanalysis (particularly object relations therapy) and offers case examples of her clinical work. Telos – an often overlooked aspect of theory – is argued to be the locus of the feminist difference. A call is made for dialogue between feminists and psychoanalytic thinkers within family therapy.     

At-Risk Urban High School Students' Commitment to Career Choices

The purpose of this study was to examine the commitment to career choices process for at-risk urban high school students. Data from 189 at-risk urban high school students were sampled. Results indicated that students' level of commitment to their career choices was related to their vocational identity, their need for occupational information, their perceived barriers to occupational goals, and the number of occupations they considered. The tendency to foreclose was related to the adherence to career myths. Implications and limitations for career theory, research, and practice are addressed.     

Emotional disturbances and their interaction with neuropsychological deficits

The interaction and relationships between neuropsychological tests (which are principally oriented to intellectual and cognitive abilities) and tests of personality and emotional status are complex, but nevertheless important in the clinical assessment of brain-damaged persons. Are indications of emotional disturbances to be expected as a direct consequence of brain damage? If so, how can the indications of emotional disturbances be differentiated from results obtained with psychiatrically disturbed (non-brain-damaged) subjects? Some authors have presumed that emotional disturbances, such as depression, acute anxiety, etc., in their own right cause impaired performances on neuropsychological tests, whereas other authors have proposed that brain damage predisposes the individual to demonstrate evidence of emotional disturbances. If emotional disturbances cause impairment on neuropsychological tests, why is it that so many emotionally disturbed persons without brain damage tend to perform normally on neuropsychological tests? This review of relevant publications considers (1) different general approaches to these questions and their implications for neuropsychology, (2) evidence of differential sensitivity to brain damage of neuropsychological and emotional instruments, (3) the sensitivity and specificity of self-assessments and complaints of head-injured subjects, (4) MMPI findings among head-injured subjects and in interaction with neuropsychological measurements, and (5) principles and guidelines that may be of value in clinical application of findings reported in the literature.     

Integrating the ethical and social context of computing into the computer science curriculum

This paper describes the major components of ImpactCS, a program to develop strategies and curriculum materials for integrating social and ethical considerations into the computer science curriculum. It presents, in particular, the content recommendations of a subcommittee of ImpactCS; and it illustrates the interdisciplinary nature of the field, drawing upon concepts from computer science, sociology, philosophy, psychology, history and economics.     

Stability of anxious symptomatology in children

The stability of anxiety states and symptoms was assessed in a sample of 150 anxious and nonanxious children. A number of assessment methods including a semistructured interview, self-report instruments, psychophysiological measures, and parental reports were used initially and at intervals up to 6 months later. The majority of children with a diagnosed anxiety disorder at the initial assessment still manifested significant symptomatology at the 6 month follow-up. However, stability of specific anxiety symptoms when assessed by self- and parental reports was mixed. With respect to psychophysiological assessment, stability of responses was evident at 2 weeks but not after 6 months. Results are discussed in terms of the stability of diagnoses and symptomatology, and the need for thematically relevant self-reports and behavioral assessment tasks. Recommendations are made for the development of a reliable, multimethod strategy to assess the multiple domains of childhood anxiety.This study was supported in part by NIMH Grant MH43252.     

DNA markers associated with general and specific cognitive abilities

Multivariate quantitative genetic research suggests a hierarchical model of cognitive abilities where genetic effects are largely general, cutting across most cognitive abilities. Some genetic effects, however, are specific to certain cognitive abilities. These results lead to a hypothesis for molecular genetic research: Although most genes associated with one cognitive ability will be related to other cognitive abilities, some genes will be specific to a particular cognitive ability. The current research explored this hypothesis in an analysis of data in specific cognitive abilities from 86 children from 6 to 12 years of age from a larger allelic association study of general cognitive ability. Eight DNA markers were entered simultaneously in separate multiple regression analyses predicting each of four specific cognitive ability factors (Verbal, Spatial, Perceptual Speed, Memory), as well as WISC-R subtest scores. Four marjers (CTGB33, EST00083, HLA, and SOD2) showed similar effects across the cognitive ability scales, suggesting that they are related to general cognitive ability (g). These associations became negligible when the effects of ‘g’ (WISC-R IQ) were removed. Three markers (ADH5, DM, and NGFB) continued to be significantly associated with specific cognitive ability scales after the effects of ‘g’ were removed. Although preliminary, these molecular genetic results support the hierarchical model predicted by quantitative genetic research.     

Peer Tutoring: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities to Deliver Time Delay Instruction

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a peer-mediated constant time delay procedure for teaching written spelling to fourth- and fifth-grade students identified as learning disabled. The six peer tutors (each with learning disabilities) taught each other to produce the written spelling for 15 five- to eight-letter words using a 3-s delay and a visual model prompt. A multiple probe design across behaviors (word sets) was used to evaluate the procedure. Data were collected on the number of sessions to criterion, trials to criterion, number and percent of errors, and direct instructional time. The classroom teacher prepared students to serve as tutors using a describe-model-guided practice-feedback sequence. Pre- and post-measures were conducted of generalization of the tutoring procedure as well as observational learning by the tutors. Results indicated that (a) peer tutors reliably implemented the time delay procedure, and (b) the tutor-implemented time delay procedure was effective in teaching written spelling to students identified as learning disabled.     

Role of the Leader in Therapy Groups Conducted With Illicit Drug Abusers: How Directive Does the Leader Have to Be?

A 17-hour marathon group was conducted in a residential treatment center established for inmates in a correctional setting in the southeastern United States. The Hill Interaction Matrix (HIM-G; Hill, 1965) was used to measure the types of leader activity and the types of member activity during portions of each hour of the group activity. It was found that when the group was most therapeutic, there was a relationship between the therapists' actions and behaviors and the types of issues that were discussed in the group. The results that were found do not agree with some of the established drug and alcohol abuse literature.