Imagination and Memory

A growing body of literature shows that imagining contrary-to-truth experiences can change memory. Recent experiments are reviewed to show that when people think about or imagine a false event, entire false memories can be implanted. Imagination inflation can occur even when there is no overt social pressure, and when hypothetical events are imagined only briefly. Overall, studies of imagination inflation show that imagining a counter-factual event can make subjects more confident that it actually occurred. We discuss possible mechanisms for imagination inflation and find that, with evidence supporting the involvement of both source confusion and familiarity in creating inflation, the primary mechanism is still to be determined. We briefly review evidence on individual differences in susceptibility to inflation. Finally, the widespread use of imagination-based techniques in self-help and clinical contexts suggests that there may be practical implications when imagination is used as a therapeutic tool.     

Personality and place

This paper examines the distribution of national personality dimensions in geographical space. The relationship between geographical location and aggregate personality in a wide range of nations is quantified using spatial autocorrelation, and it is found that the personalities of nations that are geographical neighbours are more similar than those that are far apart. The five factors of both the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO‐PI‐R) and the Big Five Inventory (BFI), all show a significant degree of spatial organization. The personality factors most strongly associated with geographical location are NEO‐PI‐R extraversion and BFI conscientiousness; both vary with position around the globe about as much as the physical climate. These findings support previous research suggesting associations between aggregate personality and geography, and imply that the sources of variation in national personality are themselves geographically organized.     

Beliefs, experiences and misplaced being: an interactionist account of delusional misidentification

This paper contrasts an interactionist account of delusional misidentification with more traditional one- and two-stage models. Unlike the unidirectional nature of these more traditional models, in which the aetiology of the disorder is said to “progress” from a neurological disruption via an anomalous experience to a delusional belief, the interactionist account posits the interaction of top-down and bottom-up processes to better explain the maintenance of the delusional belief. In addition, it places a greater emphasis on the patient’s underlying phenomenal experience in accounting for the specificity of the delusional content. The role played by patient phenomenology is examined in light of Ratcliffe’s recent phenomenological account. Similarities and differences are discussed. The paper concludes that a purely phenomenological account is unable to differentiate between non-delusional patient groups, who have what appear to be equivalent phenomenal experiences to patients suffering from delusional misidentification but without the delusional belief, and delusional groups, something the interactionist model is able to do.     

Photographs cause false memories for the news

What is the effect on memory when seemingly innocuous photos accompany false reports of the news? We asked people to read news headlines of world events, some of which were false. Half the headlines appeared with photographs that were tangentially related to the event; others were presented without photographs. People saw each headline only once, and indicated whether they remembered the event, knew about it, or neither. Photos led people to immediately and confidently remember false news events. Drawing on the Source Monitoring Framework (Johnson, Hashtroudi, & Lindsay, 1993), we suggest that people often relied on familiarity and other heuristic processes when making their judgments and thus experienced effects of the photos as evidence of memory for the headlines.     

Relational discrepancies and emotion: The moderating roles of relationship type and relational discrepancy valence

Relational discrepancy theory proposes that discrepancies in the extents to which relational partners meet relational standards are associated with emotions and that perceiving relationships in specified ways moderates associations. In a range of relationships, ideal relational discrepancies were associated with dejection and ought relational discrepancies with agitation (Study 1), associations moderated by relationship type. Discrepancy valence also moderated ideal discrepancy associations. Similar associations were found in friendships, moderated by relationship type (Study 2). Finally, relationship type and valence moderated associations in relationships with supervisors but not with colleagues (Study 3). These results support relational discrepancy theory propositions.     

A humanistic developmental model of counselling: A psycho-educational approach

A developmental model of counselling, based on humanistic principals of psychological functioning, is proposed. A psycho-educational approach, in which counsellors are seen as helping clients develop skills rather than solve problems, is discussed. The counselling model involves three stages: exploration, intervention and empowering. The intervention stage includes techniques focused on affect, behaviour or cognition, as suggested by the ABC model of personal change described in the paper.     

Bar orientation in operant escape training

In operant escape training a rat is usually required to deflect a bar in a downward direction to terminate shock for a short interval of time. In the study described here, eight rats were conditioned with the bar mechanism modified to require a sideways deflection. The acquisition of escape responding with the bar in the modified position was inferior to the responding typically observed with the bar in the usual position. Sequences of successful escape responding were observed when the bar required a sideways deflection, but the response-reinforcement contingency was not adequate to maintain escape behavior.     

Grandparents' support for families who have children with disabilities

This study was designed to assess the levels of support provided by grandparents for families who had grandchildren with disabilities. A questionnaire survey of parents was used to assess the levels of practical, financial and emotional support they received from the children's grandparents. Parents were also questioned about their satisfaction with this support. Overall levels of support were low but most parents were nevertheless generally satisfied with the support they had received. However, a quarter of the grandparents were considered to have added to the parent's problems and almost a third of the parents expressed a wish for more support from grandparents.     

The role of educational counsellors in Kuwaiti secondary schools

Previous studies of educational counselling in Kuwaiti secondary schools have identified several concerns including inadequate facilities, a lack of clear role definition, and possible difficulties arising from the attempt to combine Western counselling models with Islamic values. To obtain information about the current state of educational counselling all 32 educational counsellors from Kuwait's credit course secondary schools were interviewed and were asked to complete checklists and time‐scale questionnaires. Analysis of the results suggest that development of the service has been uneven, and that role ambiguity, inadequate training and poor accommodation remain problematic. Recommendations for the remediation of these problems are made.     

Fathers' views of the effects on their families of children with Down syndrome

This study examined fathers' views about the effects of children with Down syndrome on themselves and their families. Taped interviews were obtained from 90 fathers of children aged from 7 to 14 years. Qualitative analysis of the interview data revealed 28 categories of comments made by fathers. The most frequent comment, made by 46% of fathers, was about the cheerful personality of their child with Down syndrome. About 42% of fathers talked about the initial trauma they experienced following the diagnosis; 43% of them bemoaned the restrictions imposed on the family, and 30% commented that the child had minimal effects on family life. The greatest concern expressed by fathers was the long-term provision for their children. More fathers commented on the positive effects on their marriage than on negative effects. The results of this study provide a somewhat different view of fathers' experiences to that found in the existing literature.