The evolution of aggression and the level of selection controversy

This paper has two objectives. The first is to examine the “level of selection” controversy in an historical light, particularly as it relates to the evolution and function of aggressive behaviors. Individual and kin selection, on the one hand, and group selection, on the other, are viewed as alternative scientific paradigms for interpreting aggression and other behaviors. It is suggested that the crux of the conflict between these positions involves different ways of explaining altruism. Often, restraints in fighting are tacitly assumed to function first and foremost for the good of the group or species to the detriment of the actor – ie, to be altruistic and to have evolved by group selection. The frequent use of the group level “good for the species” explanations in various disciplines is noted. A second and overlapping objective of this paper is to present evidence against group selection level interpretations and to propose instead that individual level selection and inclusive fitness theory explain better and provide a heuristically more useful way of examining aggressive behavior. Toward these ends, ritualized aggressive behaviors, formerly assumed to exist for species preservation, are reinterpreted along individualistic lines. Next, the concept of inclusive fitness [Hamilton, 1964] is discussed as a theoretical breakthrough which adds support to an individual level approach. In short, the argument is set forth that animals, by and large, do not kill or seriously injure members of their own species because it usually is not in their genetic self-interest to do so; social patterns of interaction such as aggressive encounters should be examined in terms of their effects on the fitness of the individuals engaging in the behaviors before group adaptations are simply assumed. In illustration, data from several animal behavior studies are discussed. Consideration is also given to instances of intraspecific killing and wounding, which in fact occur much more frequently than has been suggested by members of a group selectionist school of thought. Infant killing reported in lions and various primate species is examined and shown to be explicable through individual selection and inclusive fitness theory. It is concluded that this approach represents a more viable theoretical framework for the evolutionary and functional study of both ritualized and other forms of limited animal aggression as well as more violent incidents of intraspecific wounding and killing.     

Sport,Ethics, and Neurophilosophy

Abstract

The influence of neuroscience looms large today. In this introductory essay, we provide some context for the volume by acknowledging the expansion of applied neuroscience to everyday life and the proliferation of neuroscientific disciplines. We also observe that some individuals have sounded cautionary notes in light of perceived overreach of some claims for neuroscience. Then we briefly summarize the articles that comprise this volume. This diverse collection of papers represents the beginning of a conversation focused on the intersection of sport, ethics and neurophilosophy. As such, the essays also represent a new mode of interaction between philosophy and science with sport in the center of the discussion.     

The effects of phonological awareness of Zulu‐speaking children learning to spell in English: A study of cross‐language transfer

Background. Emergent bilingual Zulu–English speaking children in South Africa have spoken but no written proficiency in Zulu (L1), yet are required to learn to spell English (L2) via English‐only literacy instruction. Little research exists on emergent bilingual's phonological awareness (PA) and spelling development, with no L1 formal literacy instruction. Thus, whether PA in a L1 impacts on literacy acquisition in the L2 remains unclear. Aims. Performance on monolingual PA, monolingual and emergent bilingual spelling was compared. In addition, PA and spelling in emergent bilingual Zulu–English speakers was explored to ascertain cross‐language transfer relationships. Sample. Thirty emergent bilingual Zulu–English and thirty monolingual English children in grade 2 participated. Method. Emergent bilinguals were assessed on Zulu PA, Zulu and English spelling skills. Monolinguals were assessed on English PA and English spelling skills. Results. Emergent bilinguals had more Zulu PA levels related to spelling English tasks than to spelling Zulu tasks, and both Zulu PA and Zulu spelling were positively related to English spelling tasks. Significant differences were found between L1 Zulu and English phoneme and rime PA levels, and L1 English and L2 English spelling tasks. Conclusions. Findings support the language‐universal hypothesis that L1 PA is related to spelling across languages in emergent bilinguals. In emergent bilinguals, both Zulu spoken proficiency and English‐only literacy instruction influences the underlying repertoire of PA skills used to spell within the L1 and the L2. Rime and phoneme PA and spelling skills in Zulu/English rely on language‐specific orthographic knowledge.     

TEACHERS' CONCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS' INTELLIGENCE AND INTELLIGENT FUNCTIONING: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF ELEMENTARY,SECONDARY AND TERTIARY LEVEL TEACHERS

The study investigated teachers' views and conceptions of intelligence and intelligent functioning by asking a large representative sample of teachers to rate behaviors and attributes of intelligent functioning children. The objective was (1) to assess which cognitive, social and verbal factors teachers rate as being most important in the intelligent functioning of children; and (2) to determine whether elementary, secondary and tertiary level teachers have prototypic views of the characteristics of “ideally intelligent functioning ”elementary, secondary and tertiary level students. In an extended phase of the study elementary, secondary and tertiary teachers were also asked to indicate their level of tolerance of selective negative traits and behaviors in “ideally intelligent ”students. Consistent with predictions, the findings revealed that teachers have well-developed implicit views of intelligence and intelligent functioning and they subscribe to several prototypic views of the “ideally intelligent functioning ”elementary, secondary and tertiary level students. The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of the effects which teachers' implicit views of intelligence have on their assessment of children's functioning.     

Aging and memory for new associations: direct versus indirect measures.

Three experiments examined adult age differences in memory for new associations between unrelated words. On the indirect (word-stem completion) test, age differences appeared under the less-than-optimal study conditions of Experiments 1 and 3 but not under the self-paced study conditions of Experiment 2. In contrast, all experiments revealed significant age-related deficits on the direct tests, even those (word-stem cued recall) in which the cue was identical to those provided on the indirect test. The findings show that although age-related deficits in memory for new associations are particularly pronounced on tests requiring conscious recollection, age differences are not limited to such tests. Age deficits on both direct and indirect tests are related to the precision of elaborations produced during study. Similarities and differences between normal aging and amnesia are discussed, as are functional dissociations between direct and indirect measures.     

Is health-care delivery by partially trained professionals ever morally justified?

...teaching institutions should establish policies for all aspects of care provided by residents-in-training (not just for the acquisition of informed consent to treatment) and establish mechanisms to monitor how these policies are implemented and their effect on the quality of patient care and patient satisfaction with care. Clear policy on which treatments are provided by junior residents and which treatments and aspects of care are provided by senior residents is necessary for patients and their families to have control over what happens to them in the health-care institution....Teaching institutions should regularly assess whether residents are being asked to take on more responsibilities in patient care than they are prepared to do. The reasons to do this are not solely related to protecting the patient from harm. Protecting the residents-in-training from overwhelming guilt, fear, and providing them with a more humane approach to medical education should be a minimal expectation for the training of those who will be expected to provide humane care to others....     

Psychodynamic assessment of changes in children with autism under psychoanalytic treatment

In this article the authors report insights into autism developed through their extensive experience of psychoanalytic therapy with children with autism. The fi rst stages of body psychic development are seriously disrupted by this pathology, resulting in primitive anxieties of falling and of being liquefi ed. These anxieties are connected to the fragile development of body ego and of its related spatiotemporal organisation. The changes in children observed by the authors during the therapeutic process lead them to offer a psychodynamic assessment tool, which revolves principally around the development of body ego. After the initial state of 'severe autism', the authors describe three stages: the stage of 'recovery of the skin' (Bick); the established 'symbiotic phase', subdivided into 'vertical then horizontal splitting of the body ego'; and fi nally the stage of 'individuation'. First, the authors describe the principal psychoanalytic approaches to autism and refl ect on the links possible with nonpsychoanalytic work.     

A systematic review of cognitive functioning among young people who have experienced homelessness,foster care,or poverty

Young people who have experienced homelessness, foster care, or poverty are among the most disadvantaged in society. This review examines whether young people who have these experiences differ from their non-disadvantaged peers with respect to their cognitive skills and abilities, and whether cognitive profiles differ between these three groups. Three electronic databases were systematically searched for articles published between 1 January 1995 and 1 February 2015 on cognitive functioning among young people aged 15 to 24 years who have experienced homelessness, foster care, or poverty. Articles were screened using pre-determined inclusion criteria, then the data were extracted, and its quality assessed. A total of 31 studies were included. Compared to non-disadvantaged youth or published norms, cognitive performance was generally found to be impaired in young people who had experienced homelessness, foster care, or poverty. A common area of difficulty across all groups is working memory. General cognitive functioning, attention, and executive function deficits are shared by the homeless and poverty groups. Creativity emerges as a potential strength for homeless young people. The cognitive functioning of young people with experiences of impermanent housing and poverty has been relatively neglected and more research is needed to further establish cognitive profiles and replicate the findings reviewed here. As some aspects of cognitive functioning may show improvement with training, these could represent a target for intervention.     

Differences in Imagery Content and Imagery Ability Between High and Low Confident Track and Field Athletes

The purpose of this research was to examine how high and low trait sport confident track and field athletes differed in their imagery content and imagery ability. NCAA Division I track and field athletes ( M age = 20.5 +/- 1.61 years; M = 7.15 +/- 3.3 years experience; N = 111, 44 males and 67 females) completed the following measures: Trait Sport Confidence Inventory (TSCI), Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ), and Movement Imagery Questionnaire - Revised (MIQ-R). Profile analyses revealed that high trait sport confident athletes utilized each category of imagery (Motivational General - Mastery, Motivational General - Arousal, Motivational Specific, Cognitive General, and Cognitive Specific) significantly more than low trait sport confident athletes. No significant differences emerged between the groups on the two imagery ability scales. The results suggest that the high confident athletes used more imagery, but they did not have higher imagery skills than low confident athletes.