Epistemology without metaphysics

The paper outlines a view of normativity that combines elements of relativism and expressivism, and applies it to normative concepts in epistemology. The result is a kind of epistemological anti-realism, which denies that epistemic norms can be (in any straightforward sense) correct or incorrect; it does allow some to be better than others, but takes this to be goal-relative and is skeptical of the existence of best norms. It discusses the circularity that arises from the fact that we need to use epistemic norms to gather the facts with which to evaluate epistemic norms; relatedly, it discusses how epistemic norms can rationally evolve. It concludes with some discussion of the impact of this view on “ground level” epistemology.

Do anxious parents interpretive biases towards threat extend into their child's environment?

Anxiety disorders are known to run in families [Turner, S. M., Beidel, D. C., & Costello, A. (1987). Psychopathology in the offspring of anxiety disorder patients. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(2), 229–235] and environmental factors may largely account for the concordance between parental and child anxieties. Cognitive psychology models emphasise the importance of interpretive biases towards threat in the maintenance of anxiety and it is well established that anxious adults and children display similar interpretive biases and that these biases in anxious parents and their children are correlated. This raises the question of whether anxious cognitions/cognitive style may be transmitted from parent to child. We propose that this is more likely if anxious parents demonstrate interpretive biases not only about potential threats in their own environment but also about potential threats in their child's environment. Forty parents completed a recognition memory measure of interpretation bias adapted from Eysenck, Mogg, May, Richards, and Mathews (1991) [Bias in interpretation of ambiguous sentences related to threat in anxiety. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 100(2), 144–150] to measure biases in response to potentially threat provoking situations involving themselves and their child. The interpretive biases demonstrated by parents were similar across situations involving themselves and their children. As expected, parental interpretive biases were further modified by anxiety with higher levels of parental anxiety associated with more negative interpretive biases about situations in their own and their child's environment, although this association was significantly stronger for potentially threat provoking situations in their own environment. These results are consistent with parent's interpretive biases extending beyond their own environment into their child's environment, although future research should continue to consider the mechanisms by which anxious parents may transmit fear cognitions to their children.     

Moderately dysphoric mothers behave more positively with their infants after completing the BDI

To determine whether mildly and moderately dysphoric adolescent mothers display infantized facial and vocal behaviors, 21 nondysphoric mothers and 32 dysphoric (16 mildly and 16 moderately/severely dysphoric) mothers were videotaped during face-to-face interactions with their 4-month-old infants. Mildly dysphoric mothers showed less positive facial expressions and less animated/exaggerated vocal expressions. The moderately/severely dysphoric mothers, however, did not differ from nondysphoric mothers in their display of facial and vocal behaviors. These mothers with higher Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores may have become concerned about their many symptoms affecting their interactions and tried to compensate for this during their interactions. A second study was conducted to determine whether completing the BDI before interactions positively affected the moderately/severely dysphoric mothers' behavior. Moderately/severely dysphoric mothers (N=24) and mildly dysphoric mothers (N=24) were given the Beck Depression Inventory either before or after their face-to-face interactions with their 4-month-old infants. Moderately/severely dysphoric mothers who were given the BDI before their interactions showed more positive behavior than mothers given the BDI after their interactions. © 1997 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health     

Fathers' caregiving in low-income African–American and Hispanic–American families

The present study assessed fathers' and mothers' relative involvement in infant caregiving tasks in 34 low-income African–American and Hispanic–American families. Analysis showed that involvement in childcare differed as a function of the gender of the parent. Fathers spent one half the time mothers did in caregiving. However, fathers' and mothers' participation in caregiving did not vary as a function of ethnic group. African–American parents reported to have received more family support than Hispanic–American parents. Although relationships were noted between age, income, education, length of marriage, social support, and involvement in infant caregiving, these sociodemographic variables did not predict parents' participation in childcare. The results are discussed in relation to the preconceived notion that low-income, minority fathers are ‘uninvolved’. ©1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adolescents' academic expectations and achievement

Previous research has indicated that adolescents' relationships with their mother influence their academic expectations and achievement. Substance use has also been found to have a strong influence on academic expectations and achievement. In the present study, 80 high school seniors from middle to upper socioeconomic status families completed questionnaires on behavioral and psychological aspects of adolescent life. Academic expectations were found to be highly correlated with academic achievement (r = .60). A stepwise regression analysis revealed that relationship with mother, academic achievement, and alcohol use accounted for 56% of the total variance in academic expectations. Stepwise regression on academic achievement revealed that cocaine use, marijuana use, and academic expectations accounted for 48% of the total variance.     

When All Is Still Concealed: Are We Closer to Understanding the Mechanisms Underlying Evaluative Conditioning?

Fulcher and Hammerl's (2001) important exploration of the role of contingency awareness in evaluative conditioning (EC) raises a lot of issues for discussion: (1) what boundaries, if any, exist between EC and affective learning paradigms?; (2) if EC does occur without awareness does this mean it is nonpropositional learning?; (3) is EC driven by stimulus-response (S-R), rather than stimulus-stimulus (S-S), associations and if so should it then surprise us that contingency awareness is not important?; and (4) if S-R associations are at the heart of EC, should we automatically assume EC is part of a different learning mechanism to autonomic Pavlovian conditioning (Field, 2000a, 2000b)? This article, after a critical review of Fulcher and Hammerl's work, discusses these issues with reference to what can be realistically inferred about the mechanisms underlying EC.