Control over the processing of the opponent’s gaze direction in basketball experts

Basketball players’ responses to an opposing players’ pass direction are typically delayed when the opposing player gazes in another than the pass direction. Here, we studied the role of basketball expertise on this, the so-called head-fake effect, in three groups of participants (basketball experts, soccer players, and non-athletes). The specific focus was on the dependency of the head-fake effect on previous fake experience as an index of control over the processing of task-irrelevant gaze information. Whereas (overall) the head-fake effect was of similar size in all expertise groups, preceding fake experience removed the head-fake effect in basketball players, but not in non-experts. Accordingly, basketball expertise allows for higher levels of control over the processing of task-irrelevant gaze information.     

Adaptation of a Muslim Spiritual Attachment Scale (God attachment) for Turkish Muslims: a validity and reliability study

ABSTRACT

Despite the importance of a believer’s attachment relationship with God for mental health, there are few measures relevant to Muslims, and little work on cross-cultural validation of such measures. The objective of the present study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Muslim Spiritual Attachment Scale (M-SAS) in Turkish Muslim samples. In analyzing the data, three different samples of college students (N?=?525, N?=?341, and N?=?47 respectively) were used. The validity and reliability of M-SAS were examined through exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, the internal consistency coefficient and the split-half reliability coefficient. Results supported a three-factor model of M-SAS with good reliability for the factors, and convergence with an alternative God Attachment measure. As a result, it may be concluded that M-SAS can be used as a valid and reliable measurement instrument in Turkish Muslim samples. The results are discussed in the light of the relevant literature.     

Investigating the measurement structure of the Turkish version of the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale-9

Current Psychology - The Turkish version of the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale-9 (DAS-9) items assesses an individual’s level of endorsement of dysfunctional attitudes associated with...     

Catastrophizing,Depression and Anxiety During Pregnancy: Relation Between Lumbopelvic Pain and Physical/Social Functioning

Catastrophizing, a cognitive behavioral aspect of pain, is defined as an excessively negative orientation against a noxious stimulus. The primary goal of the present study is to assess the association between catastrophizing and lumbopelvic pain intensity during the pregnancy period, the secondary goal is to explore the variation of pain catastrophizing, anxiety and depression, and the tertiary goal is to investigate the relationship between catastrophizing and quality of life. After approval, pregnant women with lumbopelvic pain were invited to join in the study. During admission, participants were asked to complete questionnaires including Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and Short Form-36. Age, gravida, parity, number of abortus, number of live-births and the pain intensity score were recorded. A total of 429 women were enrolled in the study. Pain catastrophizing scores showed a fluctuation during pregnancy, and were significantly correlated with the scores of Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Visual Analog Scale, and Short Form-36 sub-scales including social functioning, vitality, physical functioning and mental health. The present study demonstrated that catastrophizing level shows an alteration throughout the pregnancy period, and variation in catastrophizing shows an approximately similar course with pain intensity, depression and anxiety.     

Analogies between al-Māturīdī’s and Duns Scotus’s Ethical Perspectives

Al-Māturīdī and Duns Scotus share an ethical paradigm that represents the middle ground between divine command and natural law theories in ethics. While al-Māturīdī’s theory can generally be located between Ash?arite divine command and Mu?tazilite natural law theories in Islamic ethics, Scotus’s theory can be placed between William of Ockham’s divine command and Thomas Aquinas’s natural law theories in Christian ethics. Although the starting point of their ethical perspectives is fundamentally based on criticism of natural law theory, neither theologian can be labelled as a typical divine command theorist. This moderate theory may therefore be described as the theory of soft divine command. The main purpose of this article is to draw attention to some similarities between al-Māturīdī’s and Duns Scotus’s ethical perspectives: First, both theologians highlight the composite picture of human nature in terms of morality. In other words, they posit that humans have two opposite tendencies: ‘affection for justice’ and ‘affection for advantage’. Second, although both theologians grant reason an ontological authority in determining what is good and bad, this authority is not limitless. Finally, both theologians argue that, unless one takes account of God’s freedom and wisdom, the moral order in the world cannot be fully comprehended.     

Central response selection is present during memory scanning, but hand-specific response preparation is absent

Two experiments were performed to replicate the results of Ilan and Miller that response selection but no response-hand specific preparation is present during memory scanning. Letter-case determined which hand would respond, while memory set membership status determined whether the response was to be executed (go) or withheld (nogo). In Exp. 1, the LRP was observed as an index of response-hand specific preparation. In Exp. 2, the consistency effect derived from the response priming paradigm was observed as an index of more central response selection. The results replicate those of Ilan and Miller and suggest that central response selection is present during short-term memory scanning, but hand-specific response preparation is absent. Apparently, preliminary information is transmitted to the response selection stage during memory scanning, a finding that is inconsistent with serial stage models, but memory scanning interferes with hand-specific response preparation. Received: 30 March 1998 / Accepted: 30 November 1998     

Couple Types, Ethnicity and Marital Satisfaction in Malaysia

The objective of this paper is to identify couple types and investigate the effects of couples types and ethnicity on marital satisfaction in Malaysia. A nation-wide survey involving one thousand married respondents was conducted. Using Fitzpatrick’s (1988) typology, four types of marriages were identified through cluster analysis, which included Traditional, Independent, Separate and Mixed couples. The main effect of couple types, ethnicity and effects of their interaction were found to have contributed significantly towards marital satisfaction. Malay respondents were most satisfied as Traditionals, while Chinese and Indian respondents were most satisfied as Independents. Results are discussed with reference to the current socio-cultural context of Malaysia.