Bus drivers' exposure to bullying at work: an occupation-specific approach

The present study employs an occupation-specific approach to examine bus drivers' exposure to bullying and their trait anger, job engagement, job satisfaction and turnover intentions. A total of 1,023 bus drivers from a large public transport organization participated in the study. The findings show that bus driving can be a high risk occupation with regard to bullying, since 70% of the bus drivers had experienced one or more acts typical of bullying during the last six months. As many as 11% defined themselves as victims of bullying, 33% of whom (i.e. 3.6% of the total sample) see themselves as victims of frequent bullying. Colleagues were most frequently reported as perpetrators. Exposure to bullying was negatively related to job engagement and job satisfaction and positively related to turnover intentions. Job engagement and job satisfaction mediated the relationship between bullying and intention to leave, respectively. Trait anger had an interaction effect on the relationship between bullying and turnover intentions. This study indicates that workplace bullying has context-specific aspects that require increased use of context-specific policies and intervention methods.     

N-backer: an auditory n-back task with automatic scoring of spoken responses

The n-back task is commonly used to load working memory (WM) in dual-task and neuroimaging experiments. However, it typically involves visual presentation and buttonpress responses, making it unsuitable for combination with primary tasks that involve vision and action, such as sequential object use and other tasks of daily living. The N-backer software presented here will automatically present and score auditory–verbal n-back sequences utilising the standard speech synthesis and recognition facilities that come with Microsoft Windows. Data are presented from an experiment in which 12 student participants carried out three tasks from the Naturalistic Action Test (NAT) while their attention was divided between the primary task and a continuous auditory–verbal 2-back secondary task. The participants’ 2-back performance was scored in two ways: by hand, from video recordings, and automatically, using the software, allowing us to evaluate the accuracy of N-backer. There was an extremely high correlation between these scores (.933). The videos were also used to obtain a comprehensive error score for the NAT. Significantly more errors were made in the more complex NAT tasks when participants were 2-backing, as compared with when they were not, showing that the auditory–verbal n-back task can be used to disrupt sequential object use. This dual-task method may simulate the attentional deficits of patients with brain injury, providing insights into the difficulties they face in tasks of daily living.     

BOLD response to motion verbs in left posterior middle temporal gyrus during story comprehension

A primary focus within neuroimaging research on language comprehension is on the distribution of semantic knowledge in the brain. Studies have shown that the left posterior middle temporal gyrus (LPMT), a region just anterior to area MT/V5, is important for the processing of complex action knowledge. It has also been found that motion verbs cause activation in LPMT. In this experiment we investigated whether this effect could be replicated in a setting resembling real life language comprehension, i.e. without any overt behavioral task during passive listening to a story. During fMRI participants listened to a recording of the story “The Ugly Duckling”. We incorporated a nuisance elimination regression approach for factoring out known nuisance variables both in terms of physiological noise, sound intensity, linguistic variables and emotional content. Compared to the remaining text, clauses containing motion verbs were accompanied by a robust activation of LPMT with no other significant effects, consistent with the hypothesis that this brain region is important for processing motion knowledge, even during naturalistic language comprehension conditions.     

Eye movement suppression interferes with construction of object-centered spatial reference frames in working memory

The brain’s frontal eye fields (FEF), responsible for eye movement control, are known to be involved in spatial working memory (WM).In a previous fMRI experiment (Wallentin, Roepstorff & Burgess, Neuropsychologia, 2008) it was found that FEF activation was primarily related to the formation of an object-centered, rather than egocentric, spatial reference frame. In this behavioral experiment we wanted to demonstrate a causal relationship between eye movement control and manipulation of spatial reference frames. Sixty-two participants recalled either spatial (“Was X in front of Y?”) or non-spatial (“Was X darker than Y?”) relations in a previously shown image containing two to four objects, each with an intrinsic orientation and unique luminance. During half of all recall trials a moving visual stimulus was presented, which participants had to ignore, thus suppressing eye movement. Response times were significantly slower for spatial relations with distraction while there was no effect on non-spatial relations. There was no effect on accuracy, i.e. WM maintenance. This is consistent with the hypothesis that in spatial representations the FEFs are involved in WM content manipulation, such as establishing an object-centered spatial frame of reference.     

Neuroticism and self-reported somatic health: a twin study

Using a twin sample (N?=?188; 53 monozygotic and 39 dizygotic twin pairs, and 4 single twins whose co-twin did not participate), this study sought (1) to estimate heritabilities of neuroticism and of somatic complaints rated on the basis of two different time frames ('the last week' vs. 'in general'); (2) to estimate the genetic association between neuroticism and the complaints indices and (3) to examine to what extent somatic complaints are aetiologically distinct from neuroticism. Using models with common additive genetic (A) and individual-specific environmental (E) factors, the heritabilities for neuroticism and complaints 'in general' and during 'the last week' were 0.46 (0.20-0.65), 0.44 (0.22-0.62), and 0.45 (0.22-0.63), respectively. Nearly 60% of the phenotypic correlation between neuroticism and somatic complaints were accounted for by A. Furthermore, a substantial part of the variance in somatic complaints was due to unique genetic and individual-specific environmental influences unrelated to neuroticism. These results suggest that somatic complaints are moderately heritable and that a considerable portion of the covariance between neuroticism and complaints measures is due to genetic factors. Yet, the findings also suggest that these two attributes are distinct entities with overlapping, but not identical, underlying genetic and environmental influences.     

Use of a raster framebuffer in vision research

For the study of human and animal vision, the video framebuffer is the only technology that is capable of displaying two-dimensional images with precise control of contrast, luminance, and display timing. The video framebuffer also allows precise control of color. However, this device is not designed for precise psychophysical displays, and techniques must be developed to use them in this role. In this paper, we describe a number of basic methods used in our lab. In order to be concrete, we use an Adage RDS-3000 raster display system (Adage, 1982) as an example, since that is the device we have actually used. The Adage is hosted by a PDP-11/73 under the Venix operating system. The principles generalize to other machines. Where it clarifies the issues, we have shown the syntax of the software routines involved.     

Book reviews and notes

THE RUSHDIE FILE. By L. Appignanesi and S. Maitland. London: Fourth Estate, 1989. 258pp. £5.95. ISBN 0–947795–84–7.

BE CAREFUL WITH MUHAMMAD! — THE SALMAN RUSHDIE AFFAIR. By S.Akhtar. London: Bellew, 1989. 136pp. £6.95. ISBN 0–947792–27–9.

A SATANIC AFFAIR: SALMAN RUSHDIE AND THE RAGE OF ISLAM. By M. Ruthven. London: Chatto & Windus, 1990. 184pp. £14.95. ISBN 0–7011–3591–3.

LES NOMS DIVINS EN ISLAM. By Daniel Gimaret. Collection Patrimoines. Paris: Cerf, 1988. 448pp. FF295.00. ISBN 2–204–02828–2.

DIE FESTUNG DES GLAUBENS: TRIUMPH UND SCHEITERN DES ISLAMISCHEN RATIONALISMUS IM 11. JAHRHUNDERT. By Tilman Nagel. München: Beck, 1988. 423pp. Hardback, DM94.00. ISBN 3–406–33280–3.

ISLAMIC SPIRITUALITY FOUNDATIONS. Edited by Seyyed Hossein Nasr. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1987. 450pp. Hardback, £39.50. ISBN 0–7102–1097–3.

ALLÄH TRANSCENDENT: STUDIES IN THE STRUCTURE AND SEMIOTICS OF ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHY, THEOLOGY AND COSMOLOGY. By Ian Richard Netton. London and New York: Routlege, 1989. xiii + 383pp. Hardback, £45.00. ISBN Hb. 0–415–01893–5.

MUSLIM PREACHER IN THE MODERN WORLD. By Richard T. Antoun. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1989. 289pp. Hardback, $49.50; paperback, £15.95. ISBN Hb. 0–691–09441–1; Pb. 0–691–02847.

DISCOVERING ISLAM: MAKING SENSE OF MUSLIM HISTORY AND SOCIETY. By Akbar S. Ahmed. London: Routledge, 1988. 251pp. Hardback £25.00; paperback £9.95. ISBN Hb. 0–7102–1049–3; pb. 0–415–03930–4.

OUVERTURES SUR L'ISLAM. (New Perspectives on Islam). By Mohammad Arkoun. Paris: Jacques Grancher, 1989. 189pp. FF69.00. ISSN 0993–5754.

AL MUWATTA OF IMAM MALIK IBN ANAS: THE FIRST FORMULATION OF ISLAMIC LAW. Translated by Aisha Abdurrahman Bewley. London: Kegan Paul International, 1989. xxxvii + 464pp. ISBN 07103–0351–0.

ARAB HISTORY AND THE NATION‐STATE: A STUDY IN MODERN ARAB HISTORIOGRAPHY 1820–1980. By Youssef M. Choueiri. London: Routledge, 1989. 238pp. Hardback, n.p. ISBN 0–415–13113–3.

ÇABRA HACHMA: SEXUALTTE ET TRADITION. By Lilia Labidi. Tunis: Dar Annawras, 1989. 427pp. FF130.00. ISBN 9–973–733–00–2.

THE ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK: A CASE STUDY OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION. By S.A. Meenai. London: Kegan Paul International, 1989. xii + 226pp. Hardback, £65.00. ISBN 0–7103–0329–7.

THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF JUSTICE: LAW AS CULTURE IN ISLAMIC SOCIETY. By Lawrence Rosen. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989. 101pp. Paperback, £7.50. ISBN 0–521–36740–9.

THE QUR’ Än IN ISLAM: ITS IMPACT AND INFLUENCE ON THE LIFE OF MUSLIMS. By ‘Allämah Sayyid M. H. Tabätabä'i. London: Zahra Publications, 1987. 118pp. n.p. ISBN 0–7103–0266–5.

JOURNEY OF THE UNIVERSE AS EXPOUNDED IN THE QUR’ ÄN. By SHAYKH FADHLALLA HAERI. London: KPI and Zahra Publications, 1985.102pp. Hardback £15.00. ISBN 0–7103–0149–9.

THE CIRCLING SONG. By N. El Saadawi. London: Zed Books, 1989. 88pp. Hardback, £7.95; paperback, £3.95. ISBN Hb. 0–86232–816–0; Pb. 0–86232–817–9.

MYSTICAL ISLAM: AN INTRODUCTION TO SUFISM. By J. baldick. London: I.B. Tauris, 1989. 192pp. Hardback, £24.95. ISBN 1–85043–137X.

THE MUSLIM CONQUEST AND SETTLEMENT OF NORTH AFRICA AND SPAIN. By A. D. Taha. London: Routledge, 1989. 280pp. Hardback, £49.50. ISBN 0–415–00474–8.

WA AND THE WALA: ISLAM AND POLITY IN NORTHWESTERN GHANA. By I. Wilks. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989. 256pp. Hardback, £27.50. ISBN 0–521–36210–5.

LIBYA, CHAD AND THE CENTRAL SAHARA. By John Wright. London: Hurst, 1989. 168pp. Hardback, £23.00. ISBN 1–85065–050–0.

PRELUDE TO THE MAHDIYYA: PEASANTS AND TRADERS IN THE SHENDI REGION. By A. Bj?rkelo. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989. 192pp. Hardback £25.00. ISBN 0–521–35336‐X.

RELIGION IN CALABAR: THE RELIGIOUS LIFE AND HISTORY OF A NIGERIAN TOWN. By R. I. J. Hackett. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 1989. 481pp. DM158.00. ISBN 0–89925–394–6.

FRANCE AND ISLAM IN WEST AFRICA, 1860–1960. By Christopher Harrison. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. 242pp. £25.00. ISBN 0–521‐ 35230–4.

ROOTS OF NORTH INDIAN SHT'ISM IN IRAN AND IRAQ: RELIGION AND STATE IN AWADH 1722–1859. By J. R. I. COLE. Comparative Studies on Muslim Societies, vol. 6. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1988. xiv + 32pp. $38.00. ISBN 0–520–05641–8.

ISLAM IN ASIA: RELIGION, POLITICS AND SOCIETY. By John L. Esposito. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1987. 272pp. n.p. ISBN 0–19–504082–3.

THE CRESCENT IN THE EAST: ISLAM IN ASIA MAJOR. Edited by Raphael Israeli. London: Curzon Press, 1989 (rpt. of the first ed.: Curzon Press, 1981). 245pp. £6.75. ISBN O‐7007–0219–9. In the USA: Riverdale, MD 20737: The Riverdale Company, 1989. ISBN 0–913215–45–7.

THE POLITICS OF COMMUNITY: THE BANGLADESHI COMMUNITY IN EAST LONDON. By John Eade. London: Gower, 1989. xii + 213pp. Hardback, £24.00. ISBN 0–566–05717–4.

THE SOVIET EMPIRE: ITS NATIONS SPEAK OUT. By OLEG GLEBOV and JOHN CROWFOOT. Chur: Harwood Academic Publishers, 1989. 189pp. n.p. Pb. ISBN 3–7186–5017–7; Hb. ISBN 3–7186–5000–2.

THE TURBAN FOR THE CROWN: THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN IRAN. By Arjoman Said Amir. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1988. 283pp. $21.95. ISBN 0–19–504257–5.

LAW OF DESIRE: TEMPORARY MARRIAGE IN SHII IRAN. By Shahla Haeri. New York: Syracuse University Press, 1989. 256pp. Paperback $14.95. ISBN 0–8156–2483–2.

PALESTINE AND ISRAEL: THE UPRISING AND BEYOND. By David Mcdowall. London: I.B.Tauris, 1989. xiii + 322pp. Hardback, £14.95. ISBN 1–85043–131–0

RELIGION AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN MODERN TURKEY: THE CASE OF BEDIÜZZAMAN SAID NURSI. By Serif Mardin. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1989. 267pp. Hardback, n.p. ISBN 0–88706–996–7.

ISLAM, THE PEOPLE AND THE STATE: ESSAYS ON POLITICAL IDEAS AND MOVEMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. By Sami Zubaida. London: Routledge, 1989. 192pp. Hardback, £27.95. ISBN 0–415–01277–5.

ENCOUNTER IN THE SPIRIT: MUSLIM‐CHRISTIAN MEETINGS IN BIRMINGHAM. By A. WINGATE. Risk Book Series, no. 29. Geneva: WCC Publications: 1988. 86pp. £3.50. ISBN 2–8254–0944–8.

MEETING IN FAITH. Compiled by Stuart E. Brown. Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1989. 181pp. £6.50. ISBN 2–8524–0949–9.

A TREATISE ON THE UNITY AND TRINITY OF GOD BY Israel of Kashkar. (d.872). By B. HOLMBERG. Lund: Plus Ultra, 1989. 290 pp. n.p. ISBN 99–86668–28–5.

WELTRELIGIONEN UND FRIEDENSERZIEHUNG: WEGE ZUR TOLERANZ: SCHWERPUNKT: CHRISTENTUN‐ISLAM. Edited by J. LÄHNEMANN. Hamburg: EB‐Verlag Rissen, 1989. 450pp. DM42.00. ISBN‐3–923002–47–5.