Stress sensitive healthy females show less left amygdala activation in response to withdrawal-related visual stimuli under passive viewing conditions

The amygdalae are key players in the processing of a variety of emotional stimuli. Especially aversive visual stimuli have been reported to attract attention and activate the amygdalae. However, as it has been argued that passively viewing withdrawal-related images could attenuate instead of activate amygdalae neuronal responses, its role under passive viewing conditions remains unclear. Furthermore, because individual sensitivity to stress reactions has been shown to modulate amygdalae processing, the aim of the current event-related fMRI study was to investigate whether individual differences in stress proneness could influence amygdala responses while passively viewing withdrawal and approach-related visual images. We presented 14 healthy female subjects with a random sequence of images of happy 'healthy' baby faces (approach-related) and baby faces disfigured by severe dermatological conditions (withdrawal-related). No instructions were given other than to watch the images attentively. We integrated individual perceived stress (PSS) scores in our analysis. The processing of withdrawal-related pictures resulted in less left amygdala activity in females scoring higher on perceived stress. Our findings suggest that stress-sensitive healthy females are less able to fully attend to withdrawal-related visual material and in essence avoid exposure to such images in an effort to reduce strong psychophysiological responses. Although the relatively small number of participants limits drawing firm conclusions, we suggest that in passive viewing emotional brain imaging paradigms, individual information on stress proneness should be included in the interpretation of amygdala neuronal processes.     

In Defence of My Favourite Theory

One of the principles on how to act under moral uncertainty, My Favourite Theory, says roughly that a morally conscientious agent chooses an option that is permitted by the most credible moral theory. In defence of this principle, we argue that it prescribes consistent choices over time, without relying on intertheoretic comparisons of value, while its main rivals are either plagued by moral analogues of money pumps or in need of a method for making non‐arbitrary intertheoretic comparisons. We rebut the arguments that have been levelled against My Favourite Theory and offer some arguments against intertheoretic comparisons of value.     

PALEY'S iPOD: THE COGNITIVE BASIS OF THE DESIGN ARGUMENT WITHIN NATURAL THEOLOGY

The argument from design stands as one of the most intuitively compelling arguments for the existence of a divine Creator. Yet, for many scientists and philosophers, Hume's critique and Darwin's theory of natural selection have definitely undermined the idea that we can draw any analogy from design in artifacts to design in nature. Here, we examine empirical studies from developmental and experimental psychology to investigate the cognitive basis of the design argument. From this it becomes clear that humans spontaneously discern purpose in nature. When constructed theologically and philosophically correctly, the design argument is not presented as conclusive evidence for God's existence but rather as an abductive, probabilistic argument. We examine the cognitive basis of probabilistic judgments in relationship to natural theology. Placing emphasis on how people assess improbable events, we clarify the intuitive appeal of Paley's watch analogy. We conclude that the reason why some scientists find the design argument compelling and others do not lies not in any intrinsic differences in assessing design in nature but rather in the prior probability they place on complexity being produced by chance events or by a Creator. This difference provides atheists and theists with a rational basis for disagreement.     

Predictors of Perceived Susceptibility to Sport-Related Injury among Competitive Runners: The Role of Previous Experience, Neuroticism, and Passion for Running

Whether individuals take steps to protect themselves against sport‐related injury may depend on their perceived susceptibility to injury ( Williams‐Avery & MacKinnon, 1996 ). However, little is known about the determinants of perceived susceptibility to sport‐related injury. The purpose of the present study is to identify the relations of previous experiences with injury, neuroticism, and passion with perceived susceptibility to sport‐related injury among competitive runners. One hundred and seventy competitive runners reported the number of injuries sustained during the last year and completed the neuroticism scale of the NEO‐PIR and the Passion Scale. Separate regression analysis revealed that previous experiences with injury, neuroticism, and obsessive passion were significant positive predictors of perceived susceptibility, whereas harmonious passion was significantly and negatively related to perceived susceptibility. When considered simultaneously, previous experiences, neuroticism, and obsessive passion explained unique variance in perceived susceptibility to sport‐related injury. This study revealed that perceived susceptibility to sport‐related injury is dependent on several distinct variables. Thus, to be effective, injury preventive actions aimed at runners’ behaviour modification need to take into account that runners’ perceived susceptibility to sport has multiple predictors. L’adoption par les individus de comportements de prévention de la blessure en sport est liée à leur vulnérabilité perçue à celle‐ci ( Williams‐Avery & MacKinnon, 1996 ). Cependant, aucune étude ne s’est intéressée aux déterminants de cette dimension dans le contexte sportif. L’objectif de cette étude était d’identifier les relations entre les expériences passées avec une ou plusieurs blessures, le névrosisme, et la passion pour l’activité et la vulnérabilité perçue à la blessure chez des coureurs à pied. 170 coureurs compétitifs ont reporté le nombre de blessures contractées lors de la saison précédente, et ont répondu à l’échelle de névrosisme du NEO‐PIR, et à l’échelle de passion en sport. Des analyses de régression séparées révèlent une contribution positive des expériences passées avec la blessure, du névrosisme, et de la passion obsessionnelle sur la vulnérabilité perçue, alors que la passion harmonieuse contribue négativement à cette dimension. Une analyse de régression multiple intégrant l’ensemble des prédicteurs révèle un lien significatif et positif entre les expériences passées, le névrosisme, la passion obsessionnelle et la vulnérabilité perçue à la blessure. Cette étude confirme que la perception de vulnérabilité est dépendante de dimensions variées et distinctes. Les actions de prévention de la blessure axées sur les changements de perception de vulnérabilitéà la blessure à des fins de modification des comportements doivent prendre en considération les prédicteurs de cette dimension afin d’être efficaces.