From the Editor Guest Column: Who Was Jack Shand?

Members of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR) hail from a number of diverse disciplines, but one theme unites them all: a commitment to studying religion scientifically. While many readers of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (JSSR) are quantitatively oriented, SSSR has a long history of sharing membership with fields utilizing a variety of qualitative methods, including religious studies, anthropology, and other scholarly disciplines within the humanities. As such, SSSR serves as a nexus for the sharing of different research, ideas, perspectives, and methodologies. Our guest “From the Editor” column is about a psychologist who appreciated SSSR and its multidisciplinary approach so much that he became a major benefactor to SSSR after his passing. That person was John Douglas “Jack” Shand, and this is a brief tribute to his legacy.     

Intimate Partner Violence: The Recovery Experience

This qualitative study explored the recovery experience of six women who have survived intimate partner violence. Interviews were used as an instrument to elicit the individual stories of each of these women. Qualitative analysis revealed two types of themes: process and supports. The process themes include (a) spirituality, (b) facing death, (c) future relationships and (d) hope and encouragement. The support themes include (a) professional help (effective and ineffective) and (b) informal supports (family/friends/other survivors). Implications for helping professionals include the call for increased understanding of the recovery process and the need to abandon preset agendas when working with survivors.     

The Role of Comprehension Processes in Communication and Persuasion

The impact of media communications on attitude formation and change clearly depends on how the messages are comprehended. Although the role of comprehension processes in communication and persuasion has a long history in social psychology (cf. Hovland, Janis, & Kelley, 1953 Hovland, C. I., Janis, I., & Kelley, H. H. (1953). Communication and persuasion. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. [Google Scholar]; McGuire, 1964 McGuire, W. J. (1964). Inducing resistance to persuasion. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 191–229). New York, NY: Academic Press. [Google Scholar], 1968 McGuire, W. J. (1968). Personality and susceptibility to social influence. In E. F. Borgatta & W. W. Lambert (Eds.), Handbook of personality theory and research (pp. 1130–1187). Chicago, IL: Rand McNally. [Google Scholar], 1972 McGuire, W. J. (1972). Attitude change: An information processing paradigm. In C. G. McClintock (Ed.), Experimental social psychology (pp. 108–141). New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. [Google Scholar]; Wyer, 1974 Wyer, R. S. (1974). Cognitive organization and change: An information-processing approach. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. [Google Scholar]), it has received little attention in media research. In this article, we discuss both theory and research that have implications for how the comprehension of communication at early stages of processing can impact attitudinal responses to media communications, including print and broadcast advertising, narrative television programming, newspaper articles, political messages, and donation appeals.     

Age and Activity-Level Differences in the Use of Exercise Imagery

The purposes of this study were to assess age, gender, and activity level differences in the use of exercise imagery. The participants included 401 individuals between the ages of 18 to 65 (M = 38.75, SD = 13.75) who completed demographic assessments, a measure of leisure time exercise (Godin & Shephard, 1985 Godin, G. and Shephard, R. J. 1985. A simple method to assess exercise behavior in the community. Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Science, 10: 141–146. [PubMed] , [Google Scholar]), and the Exercise Imagery Inventory (Giacobbi, Hausenblas, & Penfield, 2005 Giacobbi, P. R. Jr., Hausenblas, H. A. and Penfield, R. 2005. Further developments in the measurement of exercise imagery: The exercise imagery inventory. Measurement in Physical Education and the Exercise Sciences, 9(4): 251–266. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]). The results indicated that active individuals used appearance/health imagery significantly more than those who were less active while a significant age by activity level interaction was also observed. Pairwise comparisons revealed that 18- to 25-yars olds who were more active reported significantly greater use of exercise technique than 45- to 65-year old individuals within the same activity level classification. A significant gender-by-age interaction also revealed that 18- to 25-year-old males reported significantly greater use of technique imagery than 45- to 65-year old males. Theoretical and practical issues in the study of mental imagery within exercise settings are discussed.     

Influence of Complexity and Coupling of Optic Flow on Visually Induced Motion Sickness

Postural stability is critical for our ability to engage in other behaviors and can be influenced by several factors, including changes in optic flow. In situations where postural stability is degraded for prolonged periods of time, motion sickness commonly results. The current research examined how the complexity of a motion stimulus and the coupling of a motion stimulus to the actions of the participant influenced postural sway and motion sickness. Differences in incidence of motion sickness and postural sway characteristics emerged across conditions. In particular, postural sway of participants who became motion sick was characterized by increases in magnitude and spatial complexity but by a decrease in temporal complexity compared with participants who remained well.     

Design and Evaluation of a Decision Aid for Inviting Parents to Participate in a Fragile X Newborn Screening Pilot Study

The major objectives of this project were to develop and evaluate a brochure to help parents make an informed decision about participation in a fragile X newborn screening study. We used an iterative development process that drew on principles of Informed Decision Making (IDM), stakeholder input, design expertise, and expert evaluation. A simulation study with 118 women examined response to the brochure. An independent review rated the brochure high on informational content, guidance, and values. Mothers took an average of 6.5 min to read it and scored an average of 91.1 % correct on a knowledge test. Most women rated the brochure as high quality and trustworthy. When asked to make a hypothetical decision about study participation, 61.9 % would agree to screening. Structural equation modeling showed that agreement to screening and decisional confidence were associated with perceived quality and trust in the brochure. Minority and white mothers did not differ in perceptions of quality or trust. We demonstrate the application of IDM in developing a study brochure. The brochure was highly rated by experts and consumers, met high standards for IDM, and achieved stated goals in a simulation study. The IDM provides a model for consent in research disclosing complicated genetic information of uncertain value.     

Anxiety research in Japan

Abstract

This article focused on traumatic stress and adjustment in the Middle East. Conservation of Resources (COR) stress theory was proposed as a template to explain the relationship between traumatic circumstances and subsequent adjustment. According to COR theory, moderate and major life events produce negative psychological, functional, and health sequelae to the extent that resource loss is experienced. Resource loss that is developmentally overwhelming, or chronic, or a threat to survival was proposed to produce extreme or prolonged adjustment difficulties. Conversely, the replenishment of resources was seen as alleviating psychological suffering. COR theory was applied broadly to children, adults, civilians, and military personnel.     

Perceptions of stressful life events as turning points are associated with self-rated health and psychological distress

Abstract

We test the hypothesis that changes in physical and psychological health are associated with construals of stressful life events. At two points in time, approximately 10 years apart, participants (n=1038) rated their physical health and psychological distress. At the second assessment, participants also reported their most stressful life event since the first assessment and indicated whether they considered the event a turning point and/or lesson learned. Lower self-ratings of health and higher ratings of psychological distress, controlling for baseline health and distress, and relevant demographic factors, were associated with perceiving the stressful life event as a turning point, particularly a negative turning point. The two health measures were primarily unrelated to lessons learned. How individuals construe the most stressful events in their lives are associated with changes in self-rated health and distress.     

We’re Missing Someone: The Lack of Black Leaders in Maryland Church Schools

Abstract

This qualitative study explored perceptions of leadership within the Maryland Association of Christian Schools (MACS) concerning the lack of Black administrators—specifically, the perceptions of school board members, school leaders, and the founding documents. Original surveys, interviews, and a document review provided four major themes. Above all, MACS member schools prioritize the mission and draw leadership applicants from an almost entirely monochromatic applicant pool. Most MACS school leaders claimed an acceptance of colorblindness yet saw the need to develop cultural awareness. To reach their utmost potential, MACS member schools would benefit from diversification of leadership.