Out of mind,out of heart: Attention affects duration of emotional experience

We tested direct, indirect, and behavioural measures of fear of spiders under neutral instructions, and when participants were asked to fake high and low fear of spiders. Our findings indicate that the Approach Avoidance Task (AAT) was the only measure that could be faked in one of the faking conditions only. We also assessed how easily faked results could be detected on each measure for different diagnostic criteria. The direct and behavioural measures showed good performance for all criteria. The AAT performed comparably only for a conservative criterion, when detecting fakers is less important than correctly labelling non-fakers.     

Family Communication of BRCA1/2 Results and Family Uptake of BRCA1/2 Testing in a Diverse Population of BRCA1/2 Carriers

Previous studies examining communication of BRCA1/2 results with relatives and family uptake of BRCA1/2 testing have sampled from predominantly white, high SES cohorts ascertained solely from tertiary care centers. No studies have focused on family communication and testing among relatives of diverse BRCA1/2 carriers. We conducted structured interviews with 73 BRCA1/2 carriers identified at a public hospital and a tertiary cancer center. We asked participants if each first- and second-degree relative was aware of their BRCA1/2 results and whether or not each relative had tested. Generalized estimating equations identified rates and predictors of family communication and testing. Participants disclosed their test results to 73 % of 606 eligible relatives and 31 % of 514 eligible relatives tested. Communication and testing rates were similar for relatives of participants from the public hospital and the tertiary cancer center. Hospital site was not a significant predictor of either result disclosure or relative uptake of testing. African American and Asian/Pacific Islander participants were significantly less likely to disclose their results to their relatives; relatives of African American participants were significantly less likely to test. Addressing these disparities will require further research into the best ways to facilitate family communication and counsel at-risk relatives of racially and socioeconomically diverse BRCA1/2 mutation carriers.     

Engaging Ethics

Abstract

Reflections Upon Reflections

Research As Praxis: Lessons From Programmatic Research In Therapeutic Practice Research in Therapeutic Practice edited by Lisa Tsoi Hoshmand and Jack Martin New York: Teachers College Press, 1995, 252 pp.

Revisioning Supervision

Visual and Active Supervision New York: Norton, 1995, 256 pp. by Antony Williams     

RABBI YITZCHAK GINSBURGH AND HIS FEMININE VISION OF THE MESSIANIC AGE

Since ancient times, the collective “People of Israel” has been depicted as God's female consort. This mystical, female image of the People of Israel has been challenged by the masculine discourse of religious Zionism. Spurred by post-modern tendencies and ideological disillusionment, the redemptive theology of religious Zionism has suffered a process of de-legitimization accompanied by the reactivation of the “feminine” messianic narrative. This paper focuses on an example of such redemptive feminine theology, one whose creator explicitly promotes it as an alternative to the male narrative of religious Zionism. The theology in question belongs to Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh, one of the most controversial figures on the Israeli religious scene. Ginsburgh's messianic narrative is overwhelmingly feminine and is sceptical about rationalism. It offers an unusual synthesis of New Age spirituality, nationalistic rhetoric, and extreme political nihilism.     

The role of a parent's illness in the emotional experience of a child evidence from Klein's Narrative of a child analysis

Abstract

The analysis of Richard, described by Melanie Klein in Narrative of a Child Analysis, gives us some insight into the effect on a child of threats to the health of his parents. His mother was involved in a road accident when Richard was 2; his father collapsed during the time of the analysis when he was 10. This paper links these events with disturbances in Richard's relation to his father and to his mother, as well as with threats to his own integrity, as demonstrated in the analysis. Richard's reversal of roles with his father and mother is discussed, as are Klein's reaction to Richard's report of finding his father ‘ill and nearly fainting’ and Richard's response to her behaviour. The paper draws attention to the way in which a child's reaction to the ill health of one parent can affect relations with both parents, as well as disturbing his sense of himself.     

Early Temperament and Attachment Security with Mothers and Fathers as Predictors of Toddler Compliance and Noncompliance

This longitudinal study (n = 106) examined associations between temperament, attachment, and styles of compliance and noncompliance. Infant negative temperamental reactivity was reported by mothers at 3, 5 and 7 months. Infant attachment was assessed (Strange Situation) at 12 (mothers) and 14 months (fathers). Toddlers' styles of compliance/noncompliance were measured using two laboratory contexts (clean‐up/delay) at 20 months. Results indicated that temperament and attachment predicted toddler behaviour. Toddlers who were secure with mothers and low in temperamental negative reactivity showed more committed compliance than those who were insecure and low in negative reactivity or secure and high in negative reactivity. In addition, interactions revealed that relations between infant–mother attachment and defiance depended on infant–father attachment security, temperament and context. Findings highlight the differential and complex roles of temperament and attachment as potential precursors of later social competence. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Conflicts as aversive signals: Conflict priming increases negative judgments for neutral stimuli

Botvinick, Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience 7:356–366 (2007) recently suggested that competing theories of the monitoring function of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for cognitive control might converge on the detection of aversive signals in general, implying that response conflicts, a known trigger of ACC activation, are aversive, too. Recent evidence showing conflict priming (i.e., faster responses to negative targets after conflict primes) directly supports this notion but remains inconclusive with regard to possible confounds with processing fluency. To this end, two experiments were conducted to offer more compelling evidence for the negative valence of conflicts. Participants were primed by (conflict and nonconflict) Stroop stimuli and subsequently had to judge the valence of neutral German words (Experiment 1a) or Chinese pictographs (Experiment 1b). Results showed that conflict, as compared with nonconflict, primes led to more negative judgments of subsequently presented neutral target stimuli. The findings will be discussed in the light of existing theories of action control highlighting the role of aversive signals for sequential processing adjustments.     

The Impact of Criminalization of Stalking on Italian Students: Adherence to Stalking Myths

Although behaviors that we today identify as stalking have occurred throughout history, the recognition and systematic investigation of stalking are quite recent. Italy’s antistalking law is fairly new, and factors such as cultural myths, stereotypical beliefs, and definitional ambiguities continue to cause problems in the interpretation and recognition of stalking among the general public. This study examined perceptions and attitudes of 2 groups of Italian criminology students at 2 different times, before and after the implementation of Italy’s 2009 antistalking law. The Stalking Attitudes Questionnaire (McKeon, Ogloff, & Mullen, 2009) was administered to samples in 2007 and 2010. Results revealed significant changes in some beliefs and attitudes between the pre- and post-assessments. Interpretation suggests that the combination of Italian antistalking legislation and increased attention to research seem to have decreased students’ adherence to stalking myths.