Theism, Blame And Perfection

Blame and also punishment do not reach many agents in the sense that many agents are not motivated to ethically self-correct, and in fact, may be worsened by these practices. The main reasons agents may not be reached by them are that (on the most plausible secular or naturalistic ethical theory) (a) the agent's second nature may make inaccessible to him a sound appreciation of ethical considerations, and (b) the fixity of mature character may make ethical self-correction practically impossible. Still, when they are ethically rationalized, blame and punishment seem to be requirements. Even the most plausible secular or naturalistic ethics involves an important kind of incompleteness and unclarity concerning this issue. The Jewish and Christian traditions involve conceptions of the accessibility of ethical considerations and also the possibility of character change (both ultimately grounded in grace) in ways that enable us to overcome the perplexity about blame and punishment. They are not 'good for nothing' even when they fail to improve agents. The religious traditions' conceptions of moral agency and the possibility of perfection enable us to see why there are reasons not to ethically 'write off' even persistently vicious agents. Moreover, we can see that the fulfilling of ethical requirements is an enabling condition for perfection that is not merely ethical. To highlight the contrast between the naturalistic view and the theistic view, Aristotle's moral psychology and moral epistemology are contrasted with those of Maimonides and Aquinas, both of whom borrow heavily from Aristotle, but fundamentally transform what they borrow.     

Evaluating Gender Biases on Actual Job Performance of Real People: A Meta‐Analysis1

This study examined gender bias on job performance in work settings where confounding variables (e. g., organizational level, experience, education) were cautiously taken into consideration to ensure fair comparisons. Although previous meta‐analyses examined gender biases on evaluations, findings in tightly controlled laboratory environments may differ from those in highly complicated field studies. We found little evidence of overall gender bias in performance appraisals in nonconfounded field studies. However, there were significant pro‐male biases when only men served as raters. Measure‐specific gender stereotypicality, instead of genera! stereotypicality about the job, produced gender bias in performance appraisal. Masculine measures produced pro‐male bias, and feminine measures produced pro‐female bias.     

Linked proximal and distal changes in the reaching behavior of 5- to 12-month-old human infants grasping objects of different sizes

This study evaluates age-related proximal and distal changes in reaching organization for objects of different sizes. To this end, eight objects ranging from 2 to 9 cm diam. were presented to 23 infants ages 5 to 12 months. Proximal control was determined by the relative frequencies of bimanual reaching for large and small objects. Distal control was assessed by hand opening and orientation with respect to an object, and by the proportion of the object being included within hand opening at touch. Five-month-old infants tended to reach bimanually regardless of object size. Starting at 7 to 8 months, infants tended to reach for large objects bimanually more often than for small ones. Only at 11 to 12 months did reaching closely reflect the object’s diameter. The frequency of thumb-index finger angle opening during the approach phase also increased after 7 to 8 months of age, as well as the adjustment of the angle to the object diameter and the proportion of the object within hand opening at touch. Proximal and distal changes appeared coupled at 5 to 6 months, when the few subjects showing evidence of some proximal adjustments to object size were also those who exhibited some distal adjustments. After they started to appear, however, proximal and distal adjustments seemed to be independent, as revealed by the lack of correlation of proximal and distal changes between 7 and 12 months.     

A seven year follow-up of treating rumination with dietary satiation

”Fred“, a man with profound mental retardation who was 24 years old at the beginning of this study, was referred for treatment of rumination. A number of minimally restrictive interventions, including administration of Zantac, extra fluids, and delivery of peanut butter after meals, had been used without success. In April of 1989 Fred began a satiation diet with ad libitum access to starchy foods or to fruits and vegetables, in addition to his regular meals. His baseline weight was 82 pounds and he ruminated during 58% of 10 s intervals measured during 20 min post-meal observations. During the first month of the satiation diet, Fred's ruminating declined to 6% of measured intervals, he consumed a mean of 163 fluid ounces of extra food per day, and his weight increased to 90 pounds. After 4 months' treatment, Fred's ruminating had declined to zero, his food consumption had stabilized at approximately 65 extra ounces of food per day, and his weight had stabilized at about 120 pounds. Starting in August 1990, in an effort to minimize weight gain, extra food was limited to 50% of Fred's ad libitum food consumption (averaged over the previous 6 weeks). Fred's weight gradually declined to about 100 pounds with zero rumination over the next two years. In August 1992 Fred's ruminating accelerated to 17% of intervals and he was again offered ad libitum food access. Over the next 7 months, rumination declined to zero and his weight increased slightly to about 105 pounds. This study shows that rumination that had not responded to less restrictive procedures was suppressed for 7 years via dietary satiation. Although dietary satiation is not without some risk, Fred has suffered no adverse effects from the procedure, other than gaining approximately one-third of his baseline weight. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of The APA Practice Guidelines on Suicide to Clinical Practice

This article presents charts from The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline for the Assessment and Treatment of Patients with Suicidal Behaviors, part of the Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders Compendium, and a summary of the assessment information in a format that can be used in routine clinical practice. Four steps in the assessment process are presented: the use of a thorough psychiatric examination to obtain information about the patient's current presentation, history, diagnosis, and to recognize suicide risk factors therein; the necessity of asking very specific questions about suicidal ideation, intent, plans, and attempts; the process of making an estimation of the patient's level of suicide risk is explained; and the use of modifiable risk and protective factors as the basis for treatment planning is demonstrated. Case reports are used to clarify use of each step in this process.     

The structure and function of selection, optimization, and compensation in middle adolescence: Theoretical and applied implications

Intentional self-regulation is a core facet of human functioning, involving people's modulation of their thoughts, attention, emotions, and behaviors to react to environmental demands and to influence their own development. Using data from Grades 8, 9, and 10 of the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development (PYD), the structure of intentional self-regulation, as indexed by a measure of selection (S), optimization (O), and compensation (C), or SOC, was assessed. Within-and-across-time links between SOC scores and indicators of PYD, and risk/problem behaviors were ascertained. A tripartite structure of intentional self-regulation was identified across all three grades, and SOC scores at all times positively covaried with PYD and negatively with risk/problem behaviors. Findings were strongest for overall SOC scores and for the components of “O” and “C.” We discuss the implications of these findings for youth development programs.     

A strategic assessment of deliberate self-harm

This paper describes how patients are interviewed in the context of a general hospital after they have been involved in an episode of self-harm. The interview schedule is structured upon the principles of brief therapy, and uses the 'neutral' approach of the Milan Team (Weakland 1974; Palazzoli et al. 1980). The schedule provides information for referring on and has proved to be 'therapeutic' in itself. The method of interviewing has been used in other hospital contexts with families where a member has been referred 'in a crisis' threatening, or indicating suicidal behaviour. It is suggested that the identification of who is involved systemically is of paramount importance, and that this may not involve 'the family' but significant others in the social network. The important systemic involvement of the general practitioner is recognized.     

A biopsychosocial model for treating infertility

With approximately one out of six married couples experiencing infertility, having a basic knowledge of infertility is important to marriage and family therapists. This paper presents important themes that infertile couples often struggle with and stresses the importance of having a biological, psychological, and social understanding of infertility. In addition, the paper suggests possible interventions that family therapists can use in helping infertile couples.     

Twenty-four-hour sleep-wake patterns in a nursing home population

Sleep-activity patterns were objectively recorded over a 24-hr period in 19 elderly nursing home residents. On average, both sleep and wake times were observed during every hour of the 24 recorded hours; however, the sleep pattern of the residents was fragmented so that they rarely experienced even a single hour of consolidated time spent sleeping. It is hypothesized that several independent factors, including compensation for lost sleep, increased total time in bed, weakening of social constraints, and deterioration of the circadian sleep-wake rhythm, are interacting to produce this increase in sleep fragmentation.