Relationship between religion and obsessive phenomena

The study examined the relationship between religion and symptoms of psychopathology, particularly obsessive‐compulsive (OC) and scrupulosity symptoms. Religious affiliation, religiosity variables (strength of faith, religious application, the beliefs about God's nature), and cognitive factors (e.g., obsessive beliefs) were studied as predictors of OC and scrupulosity symptoms in 179 non‐clinical participants. The main groups (Catholic, Protestant, and no religion) were not different with regard to measures of wellbeing or symptoms of general psychopathology (depression, anxiety, and stress), but were different with regard to OC symptoms. Consistent with cognitive theory, OC beliefs strongly predicted both OC and scrupulosity symptoms, even when general levels of psychopathology were controlled. Religion bore a less major but significant association with OC phenomena. Religious affiliation (being Catholic) was associated with higher levels of OC symptoms, and higher levels of personal religiosity (strength of faith) were associated with higher levels of scrupulosity.     

The computational value of debate in defeasible reasoning

Defeasible reasoning is concerned with the logics of non-deductive argument. As is described in the literature, the study of this type of reasoning is considerably more involved than the study of deductive argument, even so that, in realistic applications, there is often a lack of resources to perform an exhaustive analysis. It follows that, in a theory of defeasible reasoning, the order and direction in which arguments are developed, i.e. theprocedure, is important. The aim of this article is to show that debate is the most efficient procedure to argue in the presence of limited resources. To do so, there is first some general theory on defeasible argumentation, which is followed by an introduction to the problem of dialectical search. The problem of dialectical search is (or at least, should be) the essential issue in every theory on argumentation, and emerges at every occasion that involves adjudication on competing arguments. Starting with an example, it is explained that dialectical search can be best scheduled according to classical debating techniques, that work along well-tried methods. These methods (which include various forms of curtailment, interruption, and interpretation) have proven their value in keeping debating efforts within reasonable bounds. How they apply in a theory of formal argument, will be shown in this article.This research was made possible by SION, and is financed by NWO under contract number 612-316-019. Part of this research has been conducted at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. This article contains fragments of Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 of the author's dissertation. Studies in Defeasible Argumentation (1993).     

Brightness constancy in a Ganzfeld environment

In this paper, experiments are described in which brightness constancy was studied in a Ganzfeld environment. Luminance variation by means of neutral density filters was applied to stimuli consisting of a Ganzfeld with superimposed disks. To this end, a special-purpose apparatus was constructed. Sequential dichoptical brightness matches with a reference stimulus were carried out for the disks as well as the homogeneous surround. The results of these measurements indicate that (1) besides a clear tendency toward brightness constancy, small but systematic effects of the average luminance level are present and (2) the brightness of the Ganzfeld is hardly affected by the presence of the disks. Finally, it is shown that the experimental results can be modeled adequately in terms of a concept that involves an accumulation of contrast information.     

Laboratory and questionnaire measures of aggression among female parolees with violent or nonviolent histories

Female parolees were recruited into a laboratory study to determine the relationship between their previous aggression history, questionnaire measures of aggression, and behavioral measures of aggressive responding using a laboratory methodology: the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP). Subjects were assigned to a violent or nonviolent group based on their criminal history. Subjects participated in sessions in which they were given three response options: (1) nonaggressive responding that earned money, (2) aggressive responding that ostensibly subtracted money from another fictitious person and was defined as aggressive since it resulted in the ostensible delivery of an aversive stimulus (subtraction of money) to another person, and (3) escape responding that protected the subject's earnings from periodic subtractions initiated by the fictitious other person. Results indicated that the violent female parolees emitted significantly more aggressive responses than subjects in the nonviolent group. This study provides additional external validity as well as evidence for convergent and discriminant validity for PSAP laboratory measurement of human aggressive responding and extends these findings to female parolees. Comparisons to previously published data with male parolees showed that gender differences were found among violent but not nonviolent parolees. Aggr. Behav. 26:291–307, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Leadership in Computer-Mediated Communication: Implications and Research Directions

Despite the importance of interpersonal influence processes in computer-mediated communication (CMC) environments, the emergence and functioning of leaders in CMC settings remains unstudied. An initial model and propositions address the possible extension of selected leadership models beyond face-to-face (FTF) communications and into the non-face-to-face CMC environment. We (1) model relevant variables for CMC leadership, (2) briefly review the implications of selected leadership models regarding these CMC variables, and (3) extend leadership models into the CMC sphere.     

The Other in Dreams

After examining the identity issues in Freud's Irma dream, Erik Erikson (1954) concludes that workable dream solutions may be not only ego-syntonic but also ethno-syntonic. Dreams may therefore open a window onto private, unconscious perceptions of the especially significant others upon whom we depend for security and satisfaction. The author examines a number of dream texts from this angle. Through these examples, he illustrates the way in which dreams may depict a person's sense of unconscious connection and responsibility to family, to community, and, in special cases, to one's nation. Dream life may thus illuminate a person's unconscious citizenship.