Existential Responsibility - The Civic Virtue

Responsibility can cast light on the context of consensus, conflict, and education. In terms of juridical responsibility, the person responds to a defined claim or duty. Education as an alive relationship between unique persons is characterized by existential responsibility - the response to a unique and problematic situation. Depending on which kind of society we are referring to, responsibility will serve society best as juridical responsibility when it is a closed society and as existential responsibility when it is an open democratic society. Education as such will create the potentiality of provocation of conflicts in any kind of society.     

Intragroup effects on intergroup negotiation

The article is introduced by an analysis of how the effects of a negotiator's intragroup status (leader versus non-leader) on his negotiation performance (in particular, toughness) may be modified by such factors as the source of the status assignment (e.g., election versus imposition) and the presence and timing of position formation in the group. The accountability experienced by a negotiator vis à-vis his group is proposed as the central intervening variable mediating status effects on negotiation. In a series of (previously published) experiments, all using the same procedural paradigm — a prenegotiation, intragroup phase followed by intergroup negotiation among equal-status group delegates, the issues requiring a choice between higher and lower risk levels — some of the above variables and additional ones, were investigated. Overall, there was evidence of greater toughness among group-elected leaders (relative to non-leaders) and among subordinates (relative to imposed, ?dictatorial' leaders). The latter effect obtained only when the negotiators were being continuously monitored by, and had to consult, their respective group partners during the negotiations. Results concerning risky shift (enhancement of risk acceptance through the negotiation discussions) are considered in the light of relevant theory.     

Group versus individual performance on tasks requiring ideational proficiency (brainstorming): A review

In the experiments reviewed in this article the subjects are asked to produce ideas that are relevant to a given task request (e.g., possible consequences of a hypothetical event). After describing the specific task material and the performance measures used in the relevant research studies, some analytic background is given by outlining the cognitive resources required in this kind of experimental task and by listing the various factors that may come into play when subjects perform in groups (with discussion) instead of individually. We then review the studies comparing individual and group performance. In all of these experiments the subjects were asked to work according to the rules of brainstorming, which prescribe that participants refrain from evaluating their ideas. This procedure purportedly results in superior group, relative to individual, performance. However, the empirical evidence clearly indicates that subjects brainstorming in small groups produce fewer ideas than the same number of subjects brainstorming individually. Less clear evidence is available on measures of quality, uniqueness and variety. The discussion considers factors that may be responsible for this inferiority of groups. The role of social inhibition receives particular attention also in terms of suggestions for research. Apart from the group-individual comparison we review the existing research concerning factors that may influence group performance on idea-generation tasks.     

Zur sowjetischen Rezeption der Phänomenologie Schelers

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Auf dem Bauplatz der materialistischen Dialektik

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Therapy Expectations of Adolescents with Depression Entering Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: A Qualitative Study

Patient expectations about therapy have been regarded as a common factor affecting the course and outcome of psychotherapy. However, little is known about the expectations of adolescents. We aimed to explore the therapy expectations of young people (YP) with depression prior to psychotherapy. We conducted semi-structured interviews with six YP (5 female, 15–19 years old) entering psychodynamic outpatient treatment. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The careful analysis of the YPs’ accounts yielded the following four key themes: not knowing but being cautiously hopeful; therapy as a long and difficult process; therapy as a place to understand oneself and to develop; and the importance of the professional and interpersonal skills of the therapist. The findings suggest to foster realistic treatment and outcome expectations while at the same time individual therapists should pay careful attention to the specific expectations that YP bring into therapy.     

Aggregation,Validation, and Generalization of Qualitative Data - Methodological and Practical Research Strategies Illustrated by the Research Process of an empirically Based Typology

The article deals with the question of how aggregated data which allow for generalizable insights can be generated from single-case based qualitative investigations. Thereby, two central challenges of qualitative social research are outlined: First, researchers must ensure that the single-case data can be aggregated and condensed so that new collective structures can be detected. Second, they must apply methods and practices to allow for the generalization of the results beyond the specific study. In the following, we demonstrate how and under what conditions these challenges can be addressed in research practice. To this end, the research process of the construction of an empirically based typology is described. A qualitative study, conducted within the framework of the Luxembourg Youth Report, is used to illustrate this process. Specifically, strategies are presented which increase the likelihood of generalizability or transferability of the results, while also highlighting their limitations.     

The Repeated Evaluation Technique (RET). A method to capture dynamic effects of innovativeness and attractiveness

Innovativeness is defined as ‘originality by virtue of introducing new ideas’. Thus, innovative designs often break common visual habits and are evaluated as relatively unattractive at first sight (Leder & Carbon, 2005 ). In most empirical studies, attractiveness is measured only once. These measures do not capture the dynamic aspects of innovation. This paper presents a dynamic procedure, the Repeated Evaluation Technique (RET), that improves the validity of attractiveness evaluations. RET simulates time and exposure effects of everyday life. Using RET, we investigated the appreciation of different car designs varying in innovativeness and curvature. While the mere exposure theory (Zajonc, 1968 ) would predict a general increase of liking in increasing exposure, RET revealed dissociate effects depending on innovativeness. Only innovative designs showed an increase in attractiveness. Low innovative designs were rated as being relatively attractive in the beginning, but did not profit from elaboration due to RET. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.