Gentle Nazarene or Failure?

This paper argues through three case studies that representations of Jesus by practitioners of other religious traditions, in this case Buddhists, are conditioned by historical and social factors. The first two cases, David Hewavitarne/Anagārika Dharmapāla (1864–1933) and Allan Bennett/Ananda Metteyya (1872–1923), demonstrate that negative experience of Christian theology and practice broadly resulted in the judgment that Jesus was a failure. The more conciliatory and exploratory approach of my third case study, convert to Buddhism Maurice O’Connell Walshe (1911–1998), illustrates the factors that have led to (1) socially engaged cooperation between Buddhists and Christians and (2) the respectful dialogue on Jesus and the Buddha in the 21st century.     

Associations between serum cortisol, cardiovascular function and neurological outcome following acute global hypoxia in the newborn piglet

Perinatal asphyxia is a significant contributor to neonatal brain injury. However, there is significant variability in neurological outcome in neonates after global hypoxia-ischemia. The aims of this study were to identify which physiological response/s during global hypoxia-ischemia influence the severity of brain injury and to assess their relative importance. Hypoxia/hypercapnia was induced in 20 anaesthetized piglets by reducing the inspired oxygen fraction to 10% and the ventilation rate from 30 to 10 breaths per minute for 45 min. Neurological outcome was assessed using functional markers including cerebral function amplitude (via electroencephalography) and cerebral impedance, and the structural marker microtubule associated protein-2 by immunohistochemistry at 6 h post hypoxia. Significant variability in neurological outcome was observed following the constant hypoxia/hypercapnia insult. There was a high degree of variability in cardiovascular function (mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate) and serum cortisol concentrations in response to hypoxia. More effective maintenance of cardiovascular function and higher serum cortisol concentrations were associated with a better outcome. These two variables were strongly associated with neurological outcome, and together explained 68% of the variation in the severity of neurological outcome. The variability in the cardiovascular and cortisol responses to hypoxia may be a more important determinant of neurological outcome then previously recognized.     

Risk factors in child maltreatment: A meta-analytic review of the literature

This review presents the results of a series of meta-analyses identifying the relative strength of various risk factors for child physical abuse and neglect. Data from 155 studies examining 39 different risk factors were included in the review. Large effect sizes were found between child physical abuse and three risk factors (parent anger/hyper-reactivity, family conflict and family cohesion). Large effect sizes were also found between child neglect and five risk factors (parent–child relationship, parent perceives child as problem, parent's level of stress, parent anger/hyper-reactivity, and parent self-esteem).     

Preschoolers continue to trust a more accurate informant 1 week after exposure to accuracy information

To determine whether children retain a preference for a previously accurate informant only in the short term or for long‐term use, 3‐ and 4‐year‐old children were tested in two experiments. In both experiments, children were given accuracy information about two informants and were subsequently tested for their selective trust in the two informants (Experiment 1: immediately, 1 day and 1 week later; Experiment 2: immediately, 4 days and 1 week later). Both age groups preferred to trust the accurate informant not only immediately after receiving accuracy information but also at subsequent time‐points. Children who were immediately able to explicitly identify the accurate informant were significantly more likely to seek and accept information from her 1 week later. However, even when they had not been asked to explicitly identify the accurate informant both age groups still maintained their preference for her. Thus, by 3 years of age, children spontaneously choose a previously accurate informant up to 1 week after exposure to information regarding her accuracy.     

Going With the Flow: Preschoolers Prefer Nondissenters as Informants

ABSTRACT— In two experiments, 3- and 4-year-olds were tested for their sensitivity to agreement and disagreement among informants. In pretest trials, they watched as three of four informants ( Experiment 1 ) or two of three informants ( Experiment 2 ) indicated the same referent for an unfamiliar label; the remaining informant was a lone dissenter who indicated a different referent. Asked for their own judgment, the preschoolers sided with the majority rather than the dissenter. In subsequent test trials, one member of the majority and the dissenter remained present and continued to provide conflicting information about the names of unfamiliar objects. Children remained mistrustful of the dissenter. They preferred to seek and endorse information from the informant who had belonged to the majority. The implications and scope of children's early sensitivity to group consensus are discussed.     

Estimating the probability of negative events

How well we are attuned to the statistics of our environment is a fundamental question in understanding human behaviour. It seems particularly important to be able to provide accurate assessments of the probability with which negative events occur so as to guide rational choice of preventative actions. One question that arises here is whether or not our probability estimates for negative events are systematically biased by their severity. In a minimal experimental context involving an unambiguous, objective representation of probability, we found that participants judged a controllable event as more likely to occur when its utility was extremely negative than when it was more neutral. A decision-theoretic explanation based on loss function asymmetries is advanced which supports the claim that probability estimates are not intrinsically biased by utilities.     

LMX and Subordinate Political Skill: Direct and Interactive Effects on Turnover Intentions and Job Satisfaction

Previous research has demonstrated a positive relationship between leader–member exchange (LMX) quality and positive outcomes. However, little is known about how the dispositional variable of subordinate political skill impacts LMX–consequence relationships. Thus, this study investigated this interaction in predicting turnover intentions and job satisfaction. Additionally, we employed a relatively unexamined multidimensional measure of LMX, which could then help to establish the generalizability of outcomes related to LMX. We investigated these hypotheses in a sample of 239 working employees, and found support for the moderating role of subordinate political skill.     

“It Makes Me a Man from the Beating I Took”: Gender and Aggression in Children’s Narratives About Conflict

Personal conflict narratives were written by 364 4th–6th graders from two urban schools in the U.S. mid-south that contrasted in levels of poverty and crime. Narratives were coded for severity of violence, type of aggression, explanations, characters’ mental and emotional states, and authors’ moral evaluations. Boys described more severe physical violence than girls, but provided fewer explanations, less moral evaluation, and showed less psychological mindedness in the moderate-stress neighborhood, but only when they wrote stories about boy aggressors and physical or psychological aggression. Boys describing girl or relational aggression were as psychologically and morally astute as girls were. Girls also neglected to explain and evaluate boys’ aggression. Findings supported a social constructivist model of how narrative discourse may gender aggression.     

Re‐conceptualizing spirituality in the light of educating young children

What is meant by spirituality in relation to a young child? Palmer (2003 Palmer, P. J. 2003. “The heart of a teacher: identity and integrity”. In The Jossey‐Bass Reader on Teaching, Edited by: Lieberman, A. 3–25. San Francisco: Jossey‐Bass.  [Google Scholar]) asserted that spirituality is an elusive word with a variety of definitions—some compelling, some witty, some downright dangerous. The spirituality of a young child involves actively living by being connected to a natural source within the moral universe and affectively belonging with relationships that are interconnected within a child’s culture and community. Children’s spirituality is transformational by inspiring others and directive by facilitating and encouraging peers by connecting with others within a classroom community. This paper discusses a re‐conceptualization of children’s spirituality through autobiographical experiences and self‐reflection that embrace early childhood relationships and involve interconnected transformational and directive spiritual experiences. These spiritual experiences build trustful, moral, relational learning moments in an early childhood classroom with peers.