The dependence of semantic relatedness effects upon prime processing

The semantic relationship between a prime and a target word has been shown to affect the speed at which the target word is processed. This series of experiments investigated how the semantic priming effect is influenced by the nature of the task performed on the prime word. Subjects were asked to perform either a naming or a letter-search task on the prime word and either a lexical-decision or color-naming task on the target word. When the primes were named, response times for the target words were facilitated in the lexical-decision task and inhibited in the color-naming task. However, these effects were eliminated or reduced to an insignificant level when the primes were searched for letters. We suggest that in order to produce the usual priming effect, the primes have to be processed for meaning rather than probed for constituents.     

Quantifying developing country research capacity in the areas of malaria,schistosomiasis, and leprosy

Implicit in addressing the issue of how to build and strengthen health related endogenous research capacity is that both donor organizations and developing country policymakers distinguish betweenhealth priorities andhealth research priorities. This distinction has important policy consequences in that the majority of developing countries are not in a position, either in financial or human resource terms, to simultaneously generate and implement broad-based priorities in both areas. In this context, it is important that health research priority setting be developed in tandem with existing research capacity. This underlines the importance of assessing the amount and nature of available expertise, and positioning research output, both in the national health needs, and the international science research contexts. The present article, which more properly constitutes a feasibility study, uses scientometric methods to assess the amount and nature of scientific output in three important tropical diseases: malaria, schistosomiasis and leprosy. The major goals of this study have been to i) compare the amount and nature of research produced in developed and developing countries for the three diseases; ii) determine in how far scientometric methods can be used to measure research capacity, and whether this measurement can facilitate the determination of health (research) priorities.     

Supraspan verbal memory in attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity normal and reading-disabled boys

To assess memory problems associated with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADDH) and reading disability (RD), nonverbal subspan, span, and supraspan measures was administered to 30 ADDH, 30 normal, and 24 RD boys, ages 7 to 12. Results from the supraspan verbal measures, which included word lists and related and unrelated paired associates, are reported. Across all verbal tasks, deficits became most apparent in ADDH boys on measures requiring organized, deliberate rehearsal strategies, sustained strategic effort, and careful consideration of response alternatives. This pattern suggests impaired self-regulatory or executive processes. RDs showed more generalized deficits across the verbal measures, suggesting problems with verbal processing. Recent studies supporting this interpretation are reviewed.This research was partially supported by Grant MA-6913 from the Medical Research Council of Canada. We are grateful for the help of Rhonda Amsel in the various stages of this project.     

Natural resources for morality: commentary

Loewy makes an extraordinary and audacious claim. He does not only reject virtue ethics, casuistry, the "Kantian injunction of respect for persons based on their capacity for self-legislation," and the utilitarian greatest good as possible groundings for clinical ethics. He even offers another grounding that he qualifies explicitly as "universally acceptable." Of course we have to analyze what it is that he offers. But prior to that, we must analyze what he means by "grounding." Grounding suggests an evidence that can neither be rationally grounded again nor rationally questioned but that other concepts can be rationally grounded upon. And it is at least doubtful whether the alternatives he quotes are groundings in that strict sense....     

The role of emotional maltreatment and looming cognitive style in the development of social anxiety symptoms in late adolescents

Background: Social looming constitutes a specific cognitive vulnerability that acts as a danger schema and biases the processing of threat-related information associated with the development of social anxiety disorder. This model characterizes early negative experiences as critical to the formation of looming cognitive style. Furthermore, research has found links between parental emotional abuse and peer victimization and social anxiety. Design: A three-wave longitudinal design was used to analyze the role of parents’ emotional abuse and peer victimization in the onset of social anxiety symptoms through the development of this cognitive style. Methods: The final sample was made up of 307 females and 243 males (M_age?=?16.97, SD_age?=?.81). Perceived parents’ emotional abuse and peer victimization by participants were measured at Time 1, social looming was measured at Time 1 and 2, and social anxiety symptoms were measured at Times 1, 2, and 3. Results: Parents’ emotional abuse and peer victimization were related to social anxiety cross-sectionally. Longitudinally, social looming acted as a mediator in the relationship between parents’ emotional abuse and social anxiety. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need to better understand the mechanisms through which emotional abuse and peer victimization impact social looming and contribute to social anxiety.     

Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Program on School Children's Self-Reported Well-Being: A Pilot Study Comparing Effects With An Emotional Literacy Program

This pilot study aimed to test the well-being effects of a locally developed mindfulness-based program tailored for New Zealand elementary school children in comparison with an active control condition. It was hypothesized that significantly greater well-being change scores would be observed for the mindfulness group. Students (n = 106) between 9 and 11 years old were allocated by their classroom to either the 8-week mindfulness-based program or an 8-week emotional literacy program. Self-reported well-being and mindfulness measures were collected at baseline and upon program completion. Measures were administered at 12 weeks postprogram to the mindfulness group only. One-way analyses of covariance were used for the main analyses, with corresponding baseline scores entered as covariates. Both programs led to significant increases in well-being outcomes, but significantly greater changes were observed for the mindfulness group (general well-being covariate-adjusted change scores were 4.49 [SE = 0.64] for the mindfulness-based program vs. 2.63 [SE = 0.63] for the emotional literacy program). Mindfulness scores significantly increased for the mindfulness group only. There was evidence of student acceptability of the mindfulness-based program and some indication of sustainability of effects at 12 weeks. The study adds to previous research that highlights beneficial well-being effects of mindfulness-based interventions in the classroom. Further research should evaluate potential long-term effects and delivery training.     

Consumers’ Desire towards Current and Prospective Reproductive Genetic Testing

As our knowledge and abilities in molecular genetics continues to expand, so does our ability to detect certain conditions/traits prenatally; however, it is unknown if this increase in scientific ability will be utilized by the consumers of genetic services. Our study gauges the consumers’ opinion towards reproductive testing for diseases and enhancements. Prior to their initial visit with a genetic counselor, patients were asked to participate in a survey. These consumers were asked to indicate traits and conditions for which they would choose reproductive genetic testing. The majority of respondents would elect to have prenatal genetic testing for mental retardation (75%), deafness (54%), blindness (56%), heart disease (52%), and cancer (51%). Our results indicated that 49.3% would choose testing for a condition that resulted in death by 5 years of age, whereas only 41.1%, 24.9%, and 19% would choose testing for conditions that results in death by 20, 40, and 50 years of age, respectively. Most respondents did not desire testing for enhancements (e.g. 13% would choose testing for superior intelligence). Our study suggests that consumers desire more reproductive genetic testing than what is currently offered; however, their selection of tests suggests self-imposed limits on testing.