Integrated learning communities as a peer support initiative for first year university students

Peer Mentoring schemes tend to be developed as retention strategies, however, they can also serve other purposes (psychosocial or career-related). However, evidence of the effectiveness of these presents mixed results and less is known about the horizontal peer support schemes which may help students capitalize on existing peer relationships. We developed an integrated learning communities (ILC) peer support scheme, building on the theoretical principles of social identity theory, which we embedded within our existing teaching framework and designed functional activities. Collective activities were undertaken to promote the processes of social identity with the intention that these may foster social and academic integration experiences. This intervention was undertaken with an entire cohort of first year undergraduate psychology students. We conducted semi-structured interviews with a self-selected sample of these students (N = 17). Thematic analysis revealed two main themes, each with two sub-themes. These were: “Divergent Experiences” with the sub-themes of “dependent on people” and “types of support”, and “Good idea in principle” with the sub-themes of “Theory ≠ Practice” and “Dependent on student engagement”. Although identifying with a peer group was not transparent in the interviews, the existence of a peer support scheme was perceived positively by students which might explain the success of the newly developed student-led Psychology Society. Indeed, this Psychology Society can provide a lasting framework for further amplification of the student voice. We conclude that our embedded ILC was both feasible and potentially valuable, but it is crucial for the peer support approach to have transactional significance.     

What Spirituality Means for Patients and Families in Health Care

This research focuses on the spiritual care experiences of patients and families at a hospital in Australia. Twenty-four patients and 10 family members were interviewed. Results indicate the importance of relatedness: being treated as a person, reminded of your capabilities and conversations about what matters. Maintaining contact with friends and family, sustaining religious and spiritual practices, music therapy and pet therapy were also significant and contact with the natural world and shared activities. The results indicate the importance of spirituality offered through pastoral care, and that all those involved in health care can contribute to the spiritually nurturing environment that reinforces healing.

     

Decision-makers use social information to update their preferences but choose for others as they do for themselves

People's risky decisions are susceptible to the social context in which they take place. Across three experiments using different paradigms, we investigated the influence of three social factors upon participants' decisions: the recipient of the decision-making outcome (self, other, or joint), the nature of the relationship with the other agent (friend, stranger, or teammate), and the type of information that participants received about others' preferences: none at all, general information about how previous participants had decided, or information about a specific partner's preference. We found that participants' decisions about risk did not differ according to whether the outcome at stake was their own, another agent's, or a joint outcome, nor according to the type of information available. Participants did, however, adjust their preferences for risky options in light of social information.     

Insensitivity to reward shifts in zebrafish (Danio rerio) and implications for assessing affective states

Animal Cognition - Theory and empirical findings predict that individuals in a negative affective state are more sensitive to unexpected reward loss and less sensitive to unexpected reward gain...     

Gibbons exploit information about what a competitor can see

Animal Cognition - How much nonhuman animals understand about seeing has been the focus of comparative cognition research for decades. Many social primates (and other species) are sensitive to cues...     

青少年网络受欺负与自伤的关系:友谊质量与反刍思维的调节作用

为探讨青少年网络受欺负与自伤行为的关系,以及友谊质量和反刍思维在二者关系中的调节作用,采用青少年自我伤害问卷、网络受欺负问卷、友谊质量问卷等对1805名青少年进行调查。结果表明,网络受欺负对自伤行为有正向预测作用,且友谊质量和反刍思维共同调节二者的关系,即在低友谊质量高反刍思维的情况下,网络受欺负对青少年自伤行为有明显影响。提示心理干预者要注意帮助网络受欺负者寻找同伴友谊情感支持和构建理性健康认知模式。     

<Emphasis Type="Bold">W</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Bold">ang</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Bold">Fuzhi’s Criticism of Buddhism and Its Limitations</Emphasis>

Wang Fuzhi’s 王夫之 remarks on Buddhism have not been given sufficient attention despite increasing research on him. The few works on this topic either focus on just one aspect of his view of Buddhism or fail to disclose the purpose and uniqueness of his attack of it. This essay analyzes his view of Buddhism comprehensively, in particular his insight into the paradox of Buddhist universal love and his rejection of Buddhist retribution and reincarnation from Confucian righteousness and qi 氣-monism. In addition, it also explores the reason, context, and limitations of his criticism, that is, his reaction to the popular approach of “understanding Confucian classics through learning Buddhism” in the late Ming 明, his response to Zongmi’s 宗密 criticism of Confucian cosmology and human nature, and his misunderstanding of some Buddhist concepts. Yet his criticism is still illuminating to our understanding of the interaction of Confucianism with Buddhism and other religions.     

组织心理所有权、基于组织的自尊对积极组织行为的影响

采用自编的组织心理所有权、基于组织的自尊和积极组织行为等有效量表调查45家生产型企业共2566名员工,以检测组织心理所有权、基于组织的自尊对积极组织行为的影响。结果发现组织心理所有权、基于组织的自尊和积极组织行为之间有显著的正相关,组织心理所有权、基于组织的自尊对积极组织行为有显著正向预测作用,其中基于组织的自尊在组织心理所有权与积极组织行为之间起显著的部分中介作用。尤其是对组织及个人声誉或成就的心理所有权感对员工积极组织行为各个因素有显著正预测作用,基于组织的自尊在投入行为、主动行为和谋取人际和谐行为上影响效应更为显著。这意味着增强员工组织心理所有权感,培育员工主人翁意识和组织归属感,重视基于组织的自尊,提升员工的组织价值感和自豪感等措施有利于提升企业组织和个体绩效。