Internet addiction: characteristics of a questionnaire and prevalence in Norwegian youth (12-18 years)

The use of the Internet has increased considerably during the last few years, and there are also some clinical observations that some people 'get hooked', and develop an Internet addiction. An epidemiological study was performed in a representative sample of the Norwegian youth population (N= 3,237; response rate 45.2%). The proportion not using Internet was only 4.9%, while 35.8% were non-frequent users, and 49.6% (1,591) were frequent (weekly) users. They used the Internet on the mean 4.3 hours a week. A mean of 1.98% (boys 2.42%, girls 1.51%) could be described as having an 'Internet addiction' according to the criteria in the Diagnostic Questionnaire of Young (1998), and an additional 8.68% (in sum 10.66) were considered to have an at-risk Internet use (boys 9.21%, girls 8.13%). If these proportions were calculated on individuals who used the Internet frequently, 4.02% fulfilled 5 criteria, and an additional 17.66% 3-4 criteria, giving quite high figures of problematic Internet use (in sum 21.68). The different diagnostic criteria gave a broad range of affirmative answers (from 0.4% to 27.9%). The results have important implications for further studies of prevalence, implementation of preventive measures, and the development of treatment approaches for Internet addiction.     

Extending in vitro conditioning in Aplysia to analyze operant and classical processes in the same preparation

Operant and classical conditioning are major processes shaping behavioral responses in all animals. Although the understanding of the mechanisms of classical conditioning has expanded significantly, the understanding of the mechanisms of operant conditioning is more limited. Recent developments in Aplysia are helping to narrow the gap in the level of understanding between operant and classical conditioning, and have raised the possibility of studying the neuronal processes underlying the interaction of operant and classical components in a relatively complex learning task. In the present study, we describe a first step toward realizing this goal, by developing a single in vitro preparation in which both operant and classical conditioning can be studied concurrently. The new paradigm reproduced previously published results, even under more conservative and homogenous selection criteria and tonic stimulation regime. Moreover, the observed learning was resistant to delay, shortening, and signaling of reinforcement.     

Activation of midbrain structures by associative novelty and the formation of explicit memory in humans

Recent evidence suggests a close functional relationship between memory formation in the hippocampus and dopaminergic neuromodulation originating in the ventral tegmental area and medial substantia nigra of the midbrain. Here we report midbrain activation in two functional MRI studies of visual memory in healthy young adults. In the first study, participants distinguished between familiar and novel configurations of pairs of items which had been studied together by either learning the location or the identity of the items. In the second study, participants studied words by either rating the words' pleasantness or counting syllables. The ventral tegmental area and medial substantia nigra showed increased activation by associative novelty (first study) and subsequent free recall performance (second study). In both studies, this activation accompanied hippocampal activation, but was unaffected by the study task. Thus midbrain regions seem to participate selectively in hippocampus-dependent processes of associative novelty and explicit memory formation, but appear to be unaffected by other task-relevant aspects.     

Suicidal ideation and attempts in Norwegian police

Studies on suicide among police show inconsistent results, thereby contributing to considerable speculation regarding why police officers commit suicide. The present paper is the first nationwide study on suicidal ideation and attempts among police. 3,272 Norwegian police completed Paykel's Suicidal Feelings in the General Population questionnaire. Lifetime prevalence of specific questionnaire items ranged from 24% for the feeling that life was not worth living, 6.4% for having seriously considered suicide, and 0.7% for attempted suicide. Independent predictors of serious suicidal ideation were marital status, subjective health complaints, reality weakness, anxiety, and depression. Serious suicidal ideation was mainly attributed to personal and family problems.     

Egocentric and geocentric frames of reference in memory of large-scale space

This experiment investigated the frames of reference used in memory to represent the spatial structure of a large-scale outdoor environment. Participants learned the locations of eight objects in an unfamiliar city park by walking through the park on one of two prescribed paths that encircled a large rectangular building. The aligned path was oriented with the building; the misaligned path was rotated by 45°. Later, participants pointed to target objects from imagined vantage points using their memories. Pointing accuracy was higher in the aligned than in the misaligned path group, and the patterns of results differed: In the aligned condition, accuracy was higher for imagined headings parallel to legs of the path and for an imagined heading oriented toward a nearby lake, a salient landmark. In the misaligned condition, pointing accuracy was highest for the imagined heading oriented toward the lake, and decreased monotonically with angular distance. These results indicated that locations of objects were mentally represented in terms of frames of reference defined by the environment but selected on the basis of egocentric experience.     

Relational-oriented character analysis

Referring to the diversity of psychoanalysis of today, a position called relational-oriented character analysis is discussed. It is stated that relation and character as concepts refer to different and partly contradictory points of view in psychoanalysis, the first one emphasising mobile, dynamic aspects of personality, the second underlining stable, structural aspects. The principle aim of the article is to argue how the two perspectives can be theoretically combined in an overriding object-relational (two-person) conception and to discuss some implications for analytic technique. Finally, convergences and differences with other positions or schools in contemporary psychoanalysis are suggested.     

Natural Selection and Multiple Realisation: A Closer Look

The target of this article is the claim that natural selection accounts for the multiple realisation of biological and psychological kinds. I argue that the explanation actually offered does not provide any insight about the phenomenon since it presupposes multiple realisation as an unexplained premise, and this is what does all the work. The purported explanation mistakenly invokes the ‘indifference’ of selection to structure as an additional explanatorily relevant factor. While such indifference can be explanatory in intentional contexts, it is not a causal factor at all in non-intentional nature. The upshot is that, once the necessary initial assumption about heterogeneity is accepted, there is no further explanation to do.     

Analogical Reasoning in Handling Emerging Technologies: The Case of Umbilical Cord Blood Biobanking

How are we individually and as a society to handle new and emerging technologies? This challenging question underlies much of the bioethical debates of modern times. To address this question we need suitable conceptions of the new technology and ways of identifying its proper management and regulation. To establish conceptions and to find ways to handle emerging technologies we tend to use analogies extensively. The aim of this article is to investigate the role that analogies play or may play in the processes of understanding and managing new technology. More precisely we aim to unveil the role of analogies as analytical devices in exploring the “being” of the new technology as well the normative function of analogies in conceptualizing the characteristics and applications of new technology. Umbilical cord blood biobanking will be used as a case to investigate these roles and functions.     

Therapeutic action in psychoanalytic therapy with toddlers and parents

Psychotherapy with toddlers and parents can focus on promoting attachment, facilitating development and improving interactions. Some techniques provide guidance to the parents, whereas others interpret to them their unconscious fantasies or ‘ghosts’ contributing to the child’s disorder. A recent paper introduced a psychoanalytically oriented technique, which emphasised the therapist’s interaction with the child in the presence of the parent(s). The child was addressed about his/her unconscious motivations in the session and the feelings towards the therapist. Also, the parent’s transference onto the therapist was seen as a vehicle that might further the therapeutic process and was accordingly addressed. The present paper analyses the therapeutic action in such treatments. Whereas work with the parents resembles that of ordinary psychodynamic therapy, therapeutic action is more difficult to conceptualise regarding the toddler, whose understanding of verbal interpretations and the therapist’s dialogues with the parent is more limited than that of an adult. However, a clinical vignette demonstrates a toddler’s precise and swift reactions to communications from mother or therapist. The paper investigates evidence from neuroscience and psychological research as to which communicative channels – beyond words – toddlers might perceive and comprehend. In addition, it is claimed that the countertransference is key to explaining how the therapist understands such communication.     

Ethical Challenges with Welfare Technology: A Review of the Literature

Demographical changes in high income counties will increase the need of health care services but reduce the number of people to provide them. Welfare technology is launched as an important measure to meet this challenge. As with all types of technologies we must explore its ethical challenges. A literature review reveals that welfare technology is a generic term for a heterogeneous group of technologies and there are few studies documenting their efficacy, effectiveness and efficiency. Many kinds of welfare technology break with the traditional organization of health care. It introduces technology in new areas, such as in private homes, and it provides new functions, e.g. offering social stimuli and entertainment. At the same time welfare technology is developed for groups that traditionally have not been extensive technology users. This raises a series of ethical questions with regard to the development and use of welfare technologies, which are presented in this review. The main challenges identified are: (1) Alienation when advanced technology is used at home, (2) conflicting goals, as welfare technologies have many stakeholders with several ends, (3) respecting confidentiality and privacy when third-party actors are involved, (4) guaranteeing equal access and just distribution, and (5) handling conflicts between instrumental rationality and care in terms of respecting dignity and vulnerability. Addressing these issues is important for developing and implementing welfare technologies in a morally acceptable manner.