A PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH TO AUTOKINESIS

Analysis has shown that autokinesis constitutes a complex group of phenomena. Certain autokinetic movements ('paradoxical', i.e. experienced displacement without movement or vice versa) could not be adequately recorded by the 'tracing method', very often employed, or by other forms of purely physical registration. Autokinesis ought to be divided into a 'free' type (which may be 'paradoxical') and a 'restricted' type (always 'non-paradoxical'). 'Free' movements were experienced either in a plane perpendicular to the line of vision or as 'ad-ab' movements. 'Restricted' movements were described as either 'swinging' or 'undulating'.     

Dominant paradigms in motor behavior research: the motor-action controversy revisited

In 1992, Abernethy and Sparrow published an evaluation of the historical development of the field of motor behavior research as published from 1977 up to 1988 in the Journal of Motor Behavior. The present study extends their evaluation from 1988 through 2005 using content analyses of articles on motor control and learning in this journal. Papers were categorized into the two dominant and contrasting paradigms, the motor systems approach and the action systems approach. Analysis suggests that the field of motor behavior research has changed considerably over the last three decades. The action systems approach is now the leading approach, but the motor systems approach has, however, not perished. In a Kuhnian perspective, the results might be consistent with a more long-lasting crisis, and from the available data it is not possible to predict a future outcome of the dispute between the two approaches.     

Construction, reconstruction, deconstruction: The fall of the Soviet Union from the point of view of conceptual history

The fall of the Soviet Union is analysed in conceptual terms, drawing on Reinhart Koselleck’s Begriffsgeschichte. The author seeks to interpret the instrumental role of the concepts perestrojka, glasnost′, reform, revolution, socialist pluralism, and acceleration in the Soviet collapse. The semantics and pragmatics are related to a wider intellectual and political context, and the conceptual perspective is used to help explain the progress of events. The author argues that the common notion of the reform policy concepts as clichés is not valid.

Hierarchies in the Structure of Personality Traits

An emerging body of findings indicates that hierarchy is critical to integrating the Big Trait models – the Big Five, Big Four, Big Three, and Big Two – within a common structural framework. These findings, in addition to providing a unifying framework for understanding personality traits, confirm that hierarchy is an intrinsic and pervasive feature of trait structure. Here, fundamental concepts of trait hierarchies are reviewed, as is the empirical literature about hierarchies in personality trait structure. Important questions remain to be answered about the nature and form of hierarchies found in trait structure, as well as the methods used to understand them.     

Deaf hearing: Implicit discrimination of auditory content in a patient with mixed hearing loss

We describe a patient LS, profoundly deaf in both ears from birth, with underdeveloped superior temporal gyri. Without hearing aids, LS displays no ability to detect sounds below a fixed threshold of 60 dBs, which classifies him as clinically deaf. Under these no-hearing-aid conditions, when presented with a forced-choice paradigm in which he is asked to consciously respond, he is unable to make above-chance judgments about the presence or location of sounds. However, he is able to make above-chance judgments about the content of sounds presented to him under forced-choice conditions. We demonstrated that LS has faint sensations from auditory stimuli, but questionable awareness of auditory content. LS thus has a form of type-2 deaf hearing with respect to auditory content. As in the case of a subject with acquired deafness and deaf hearing reported on a previous occasion, LS’s condition of deaf hearing is akin in some respects to type-2 blindsight. As for the case of type 2 blindsight the case indicates that a form of conscious hearing can arise in the absence of a fully developed auditory cortex.     

Evaluating the Viability of Neurocognition as a Transdiagnostic Construct Using Both Latent Variable Models and Network Analysis

Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology - The relational structure of psychological symptoms and disorders is of crucial importance to mechanistic and causal research. Methodologically,...     

Understanding Psychopathology: Melding Behavior Genetics, Personality, and Quantitative Psychology to Develop an Empirically Based Model

ABSTRACT— Research on psychopathology is at a historical crossroads. New technologies offer the promise of lasting advances in our understanding of the causes of human psychological suffering. Making the best use of these technologies, however, requires an empirically accurate model of psychopathology. Much current research is framed by the model of psychopathology portrayed in current versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM ; American Psychiatric Association, 2000 ). Although the modern DSM s have been fundamental in advancing psychopathology research, recent research also challenges some assumptions made in the DSM —for example, the assumption that all forms of psychopathology are well conceived of as discrete categories. Psychological science has a critical role to play in working through the implications of this research and the challenges it presents. In particular, behavior-genetic, personality, and quantitative-psychological research perspectives can be melded to inform the development of an empirically based model of psychopathology that would constitute an evolution of the DSM .     

The principle of liberty and legal representation of posterity

This paper considers a guardianship model for the legal representation of future generations. According to this model, national and international courts should be given the competence to appoint guardians for future generations, if agents who care about the welfare of posterity apply for the creation of a guardianship in relation to a dispute that can be resolved by the application of law. This reform would grant guardians of future people legal standing or locus standi before courts, that is, the right to bring an action before a court of law for adjudication. Although the guardianship model faces several difficult theoretical and practical problems pertaining to the representation of different near and distant future generations, it is argued that this model – and certain other legal norms intended to protect future basic needs – can be justified on the basis of the principle of liberty.     

Remembering helpers and hinderers depends on behavioral intentions of the agent and psychopathic characteristics of the observer

Individual differences in proneness towards granting benefits (i.e., helping) or imposing costs (i.e., hindering) may have led to processes that detect and remember people who are prone to help or hinder. We examined two factors that might influence such memory: the intentionality of the acts and individual differences in psychopathy characteristics. Participants viewed several videos of computer-animated agents that helped or hindered another agent, either intentionally or unintentionally. Afterward, participants had better memory for agents that acted intentionally. Additionally, participants with more psychopathic tendencies had enhanced memory for helpers, suggesting that certain individual characteristics might result in heightened memory for people who are prone to granting benefits.     

The Impact of Mother Support and Natural Mentoring on the Depressive Symptoms of Black Youth

Research indicates both natural mentoring and family factors such as parental support are beneficial for the psychological wellbeing of youth. Despite the existing evidence on the benefits of natural mentoring and parental support, there has been little evidence that considers the simultaneous influence of these factors on the depressive symptoms among Black youth. Guided by Keller’s systemic model of mentoring, we investigated the influence of mother support and the characteristics of natural mentoring relationships on depressive symptoms among Black youth. We used nationally representative data of Black youth from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N?=?2344). The findings indicate that both mentor bonding and mother support were significant predictors of depressive symptoms among Black youth. However, mother support was positively associated with depressive symptoms and mentor bonding was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. The findings highlight the importance of natural mentors in the lives of Black youth and suggest they may be useful in alleviating depressive symptoms.