Moral realism and reliance on moral testimony

Philosophical Studies - Moral realism and some of its constitutive theses, e.g., cognitivism, face the following challenge. If they are true, then it seems that we should predict that deference to...     

Skilled Action and the Double Life of Intention

In recent years, permissivism—the claim that a body of evidence can rationalize more than one response—has enjoyed somewhat of a revival. But it is once again being threatened, this time by a host of new and interesting arguments that, at their core, are challenging the permissivist to explain why rationality matters. A version of the challenge that I am especially interested in is this: if permissivism is true, why should we expect the rational credences to be more accurate than the irrational ones? My aim is to turn this challenge on its head and argue that, actually, those who deny permissivism will have a harder time responding to such a challenge than those who accept it.     

“Set your minds on things above”: shifting from trauma-based ruminations to ruminating on God

In this study, the authors investigated the relationship between trauma-based “Christian rumination,” mindfulness, and focusing on God among an online sample of Christian adults (N?=?234) from the United States. Participants endorsed experiencing a range of traumatic events, including natural disasters, car accidents, the death of loved ones, assault, and abuse, as well as the tendency to continue to think about the event. Using structural equation modelling, results revealed that “Christian rumination,” consisting of trauma-related ruminations (e.g., “why” and “what if” questions about the traumatic event, questioning God’s availability in the midst of the traumatic event), was positively associated with attempts to focus on God as a form of religious coping, mediated by mindfulness skills (i.e., attention, present focus, awareness, acceptance). The authors conclude by discussing a manualized treatment approach in development, based on the empirically-confirmed theoretical model in the present study, along with study limitations.     

Envisioning college success: the role of student identity centrality

This paper examines the recently developed construct of student identity centrality, which describes the importance of being a student to a person’s sense of self. The present study uses multiple college student surveys and institutional data to expand upon initial work in several ways. First, it shows that this construct is measured reliably using a single three-item scale. Second, it employs measurement invariance analyses, which indicate that this scale is valid for examining and comparing different groups of students. Third, it provides evidence for convergent and divergent validity through exploring relationships between student identity centrality and relevant psychological and experiential constructs. Fourth, even when controlling for demographics, prior academic achievement, stereotype threat, and grit, it finds that student identity is positively and significantly associated with college credits earned; grades in science, technology, engineering and mathematics coursework; academic confidence; college sense of belonging; and subjective well-being. Implications for future research, assessment, and higher education practice are discussed.

     

The Impact of Relationship Education on the Couple Relationship: A Grounded Theory of Intentionality and Awareness

Research on relationship education (RE) programs generally shows their effectiveness, but it is important to understand what the mechanisms of change are, how they occur within programs, and what participants experience. The purpose of this study was to explore couples' perceptions of the key components of their experience as participants of a Prep-based RE program. Research questions included: How do couples describe their experience of taking an 8-hour relationship education class? What elements had the biggest impact on their relationship? How has their relationship changed as a result of participation? Interview data from 39 married and cohabitating couples who participated in RE were analyzed using grounded theory methods. Six categories emerged from the analytic process, resulting in a model that provided explanatory detail of a typical RE program experience and its impact on the participants. These categories were: intentionality and awareness, context, relationship, workshop, impact (of RE), and couple interview. Couples described these categories as developing in a relatively chronological order, with Intentionality and Awareness being a central category that cut across the process and helped explain the impact of the program on the couple relationship. Implications for research, program development, and program facilitators providing RE are discussed.     

A Contemporary (Catholic) Appropriation of Augustine's massa damnata Theory of Predestination

Over the centuries, especially since the Jansenist controversy, much ink has been spilled defending and criticizing Augustine’s contentious interpretation of the revealed doctrines of predestination and reprobation. Instead of attempting to trace the entire debate or adjudicate the exegetical questions, I attempt the more modest task of analyzing how Augustine’s massa damnata theory of election has been re‐received in modern Catholic scholarship. Thus, leaving aside the historical and exegetical complexity of the issue, I argue for a particular conceptual appropriation of Augustine’s theory in line with a contemporary Catholic theology of grace and predestination.     

Emotion regulation goals: An individual difference perspective

Goals are widely understood to be central to the initiation, maintenance, and cessation of emotion regulation (ER). Recent studies have shown that there are profound individual differences in the types of ER goals people pursue and the extent to which they pursue them. Here, we highlight the importance of taking an individual difference approach to studying ER goals. First, we use the extended process model of ER to provide conceptual clarity on what ER goals are and describe the crucial role of goals in each stage of ER. We then identify five promising directions for future research using an individual difference approach to ER goals.