What structures could not be

James Ladyman has recently proposed a view according to which all that exists on the level of microphysics are structures “all the way down”. By means of a comparative reading of structuralism in philosophy of mathematics as proposed by Stewart Shapiro, I shall present what I believe structures could not be. I shall argue that, if Ladyman is indeed proposing something as strong as suggested here, then he is committed to solving problems that proponents of structuralism in philosophy of mathematics such as Shapiro are trying to solve. Attempting to do so, however, brings out a tacit tension in Ladyman's position. I shall argue that the upshot of this is that the ontological import that Ladyman attributes to structures is rather epistemological import properly understood.     

Evolution and development of boys’ social behavior

An evolutionary analysis of the dynamics of one-on-one and coalitional male–male competition provides a theoretical frame for conceptualizing the evolved functions and proximate developmental forms of the social behavior of boys, and for appreciating why the behavior of boys differs from that of girls. We propose the accompanying selection pressures favored the evolution of motivational and behavioral dispositions in boys and men that facilitate the development and maintenance of large, competitive coalitions and result in the formation of within-coalition dominance hierarchies. Empirical research on boys’ social development is reviewed using this frame and implications for interpreting boys’ social behavior are explored.     

Slowhand: Does time perception change in peri-hand space?

Psychonomic Bulletin & Review - A variety of attentional and perceptual changes occur in peri-hand space, including increases in visual temporal acuity. These changes in cognition have been...     

A meta-analytic review of cognitive processing therapy for adults with posttraumatic stress disorder

Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Two prior meta-analyses of studies are available but used approaches that limit conclusions that can be drawn regarding the impact of CPT on PTSD outcomes. The current meta-analysis reviewed outcomes of trials that tested the efficacy of CPT for PTSD in adults and evaluated potential moderators of outcomes. All published trials comparing CPT against an inactive control condition (i.e. psychological placebo or wait-list) or other active treatment for PTSD in adults were included, resulting in 11 studies with a total of 1130 participants. CPT outperformed inactive control conditions on PTSD outcome measures at posttreatment (mean Hedges’ g = 1.24) and follow-up (mean Hedges’ g = 0.90). The average CPT-treated participant fared better than 89% of those in inactive control conditions at posttreatment and 82% at follow-up. Results also showed that CPT outperformed inactive control conditions on non-PTSD outcome measures at posttreatment and follow-up and that CPT outperformed other active treatments at posttreatment but not at follow-up. Effect sizes of CPT on PTSD symptoms were not significantly moderated by participant age, number of treatment sessions, total sample size, length of follow-up, or group versus individual treatment; but, older studies had larger effect sizes and percent female sex moderated the effect of CPT on non-PTSD outcomes. These meta-analytic findings indicate that CPT is an effective PTSD treatment with lasting benefits across a range of outcomes.     

Changes in college students' socioeconomic status aspirations during the COVID-19 pandemic

Although university students tend to be optimistic about their future socioeconomic status (SES), little is known how their SES aspirations changed during the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using latent growth curve modeling techniques, we examined changes in subjective SES aspirations for students who began college before the pandemic (cohort 1; Fall 2019) and students who began college during the pandemic (cohort 2; Fall 2020). Moreover, we assessed how SES indicators (i.e., subjective family SES; first-generation status; low-income status) and a contextual financial indicator (i.e., pandemic-related financial impacts) predicted changes in SES aspirations for both groups of students. Although SES aspirations were similar at the beginning of college for both groups of students, students who began college before the pandemic experienced a greater rate of downward change between the baseline assessment and the assessment shortly after the pandemic began. In both cohorts, students from higher-SES families had higher SES aspirations at the beginning of college and steeper rates of downward change. Furthermore, despite having similar SES aspirations at the beginning of college, first-generation students whose first year was interrupted by the pandemic experienced steeper downward changes in their SES aspirations. However, pandemic-related financial impacts did not predict this downward change for either cohort. Our findings suggest that uncertainty in the early stages of the pandemic may have led to cautiousness in students' aspirations for their future SES attainment, particularly for first-generation students.     

Childhood as continuity and newness: generational succession understood according to the theological logic of the gift

This article seeks to understand, in a speculative way, the relationship between a new generation and the one preceding it. After having identified two opposite extremes – the ‘continuity thesis’ and the ‘discontinuity thesis’ – the article appropriates the logic of gift exchange to map out a mediating position. The fact that the practice of gift exchange is susceptible to criticism is subsequently noted, and two major lines of philosophical criticism are considered and related to the continuity thesis and the discontinuity thesis, respectively. The article then makes use of the work done by John Milbank to show that a purified notion of gift exchange is possibly from the vantage point of Christian theology, and finally seeks to apply this notion to the relationship between generations.     

Posttraumatic Growth in Trauma Recollections of 9/11 Survivors: A Narrative Approach

The relationship between posttraumatic growth (PTG) and adaptation is unclear. This study is the first to examine PTG in trauma narratives of survivors of the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks. Participants recalled their experiences 7 and 18 months post 9/11, and content analysis was conducted to detect PTG. Posttraumatic stress was also measured. PTG was commonly reported. Relating to others and positivity were frequent in the PTSD and non-PTSD group, although less frequent over time in the PTSD. Greater appreciation for life was reported by the non-PTSD group but relatively absent in the PTSD group. Women but not men reported relating to others across time. It appears that there are distinct profiles of growth implicated in distress and adaptation.     

Attachment Orientations: Predicting Psychological Distress in German and Turkish Samples

This study examined the relationship between attachment orientations and psychological distress, as well as cultural moderation in this relationship, among 241 university students from Germany and Turkey. Attachment orientations predicted the elevation of psychological distress in both samples. Attachment anxiety in the German sample and attachment avoidance in the Turkish sample showed stronger association with the elevation in psychological distress. The results and potential implications for counseling research and practice are discussed.