Trajectories and predictors of indirect aggression: results from a nationally representative longitudinal study of Canadian children aged 2-10

The purposes of this study were to model the development of indirect aggression among a nationally representative sample of 1,401 Canadian children aged 4 at T2, 6 at T3, 8 at T4 and 10 at T5, and to examine predictors of trajectory group membership from T1 (age 2) child, familial, and parenting variables. Using a semi-parametric group-based modeling approach, two distinct trajectories were identified: "increasing users" comprising of 35% of the sample and "stable low users" comprising of 65% of the sample. Using logistic regression analyses to distinguish these two groups, we found that for girls, more frequent, increasing use of indirect aggression was associated with prior prosocial and physically aggressive behavior, low SES and low parental social support at age 2. For boys, increasing use of indirect aggression was associated with prior parenting issues at age 2-inconsistency and less positive parent-child interactions. Although this study provides unique information regarding the early development of indirect aggression and its predictors, more longitudinal research is needed to fully understand its development.     

A psychometric evaluation of a residential treatment facility: an illustration of an interpretable research design without a control group

This paper reports on the interim results of an evaluation study which followed a group of disordered-delinquent adolescents discharged from a long-term residential treatment program. Findings from the first cohort of adolescents tested at admission and discharge with the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS) indicate statistically significant improvement in all the areas of self-concept, significant decreases in all areas of psychopathology, and no systematic response set at either testing. The research design is unique in that, without a control group, competing interpretations of treatment effectiveness have been ruled out. Using design features, clinical observation, and common sense, four competing explanations of the favorable results have been eliminated. Both the instrument and research design are of interest to those undertaking evaluation research in underfunded settings where control groups are difficult to obtain due to financial or logistical problems.     

Policy controversies in the negotiatory state

In this article Schön and Rein’s views about policy controversies and their resolution are introduced and critically examined. The broader context of their argument can be found in the emergence of the “negotiatory state,” where public policy is made in coproduction between interdependent actors in shared-power settings. Policy controversies, conceived of as conflicts rooted in clashes between the action frames that actors employ when they define problems and propose solutions to public issues, constitute a challenge to this institutional logic of policy-making. Schön and Rein’s book is largely devoted to identifying ways to resolve them. This article revisits their conceptualization of controversies, reassesses their implications for the integrity of the policy-making process, and places their proposed philosophy of “design rationality” in a broader repertoire of ways to cope with frame multiplicity and frame conflict in public policy-making.     

Slow potential changes and choice reaction time as a function of interstimulus interval

Slow potential changes were recorded over the vertex (C_z) during a choice reaction task. The constant interstimulus interval (ISI) between the visual warning (S₁) and the visual imperative signal (S₂) was either 200, 400, 1000 or 2000 msec. The contingent negative variation (CNV) was not only measured between S₁ and S₂ (CNV₂), but also before S₁ (CNV₁).The main results were: (1) The CNV₂ amplitude showed significant variation as a function of ISI. It reached its maximum with an ISI of 1000 msec. (2) CNV₁ developed only before the short ISIs (200 and 400 msec). (3) When CNV₁ and CNV₂ were summed the differences in CNV amplitudes and durations between different ISIs became smaller. (4) The peak-to-peak amplitude P₁-N₁ of the potential evoked by S₁ was enhanced with short ISIs. (5) The correlations between mean CNV and median reaction time (RT) were low but significant for ISIs of 400, 1000 and 2000 msec. When, however, the effect of subjects was partialized out these correlations were drastically reduced, whereas the partialization of session and block effects had no noticeable influence on these correlations. (6) The correlations between single RT and single CNV (measured for the ISI of 1000 msec, individually for two subjects) were weak or even completely lacking.The main conclusion was that CNV coincides with preparedness to react to a stimulus in a choice RT-task, but its amplitude at the moment of onset of the imperative stimulus does not reflect, or reflects weakly, the degree of preparedness (as indicated by RTs) at that moment.     

Prognosis in medicine: An analysis of its meaning and rôles

The medical concept of prognosis is analysed into its basic constituents: patient data, medical intervention, outcome, utilities and probabilities; and sources of utility and probability values are discussed. Prognosis cannot be divorced from contemplated medical action, nor from action to be taken by the patient in response to prognostication. Regrettably, the usual decision-theoretic approach ignores this latter aspect. Elicitation of utilities, decision contemplation and prognostic counselling interweave, diagnostics playing a subsidiary role in decision-oriented clinical practice. At times the doctor has grounds for withholding information. As this is known to the patient, prognostic counselling becomes a conflict-prone and rationality-thwarting activity. The meaning of standard phrases such as “prognosis of a disease”, “the prognosis of this patient”, “the prognosis is unknown”, is examined.     

The topics in medieval logic

The topics is a theory of argumentation based upon topoi or in Latin loci. The medieval logicians used works by Aristotle and Boethius as their sources for this doctrine, but they developed it in a rather original way. The topics became a higher-level analysis of arguments which are non-valid from a purely formal point of view, but where it is none the less legitimate to infer the conclusion from the premiss(es). In this connection the topics give rise to a number of discussions about the form and the matter of arguments. Further the topic contribute to the elaboration of the important doctrine of the second intentions, i.e. higher-level concepts of the particular things. In some respects the topics may be said to form a link between formal and informal logic. The topics vanished as a part of logic at the end of the Middle Ages, perhaps because the medieval logicians never got rid of Boethius' claim to have compiled a complete list of the loci, which was an unlucky one. The topics does not have an exact parallel in modern formal logic, but some reflections on non-formal argumentation by recent authors contain certain resemblances to it.     

Location vs. frequency of pure tones as a basis of fast discrimination

There are ample data suggesting that a spatial difference between two competing auditory messages provides a better basis for selective attention and listening than other differences. The present experiments show that the spatial difference (left vs. right ear) between two auditory inputs leads to their faster discrimination than even large differences in frequency (in the same ear). These results might explain the afore-mentioned privileged status of the spatial dimension as a basis of selective attention: spatial differences lead in faster identification of relevant or attended input than differences in other dimensions.