Coherence and Nonmonotonicity in Human Reasoning

Nonmonotonic reasoning is often claimed to mimic human common sense reasoning. Only a few studies, though, have investigated this claim empirically. We report four experiments which investigate three rules of SYSTEMP, namely the AND, the LEFT LOGICAL EQUIVALENCE, and the OR rule. The actual inferences of the subjects are compared with the coherent normative upper and lower probability bounds derived from a non-infinitesimal probability semantics of SYSTEM P. We found a relatively good agreement of human reasoning and principles of nonmonotonic reasoning. Contrary to the results reported in the ‘heuristics and biases’ tradition, the subjects committed relatively few upper bound violations (conjunction fallacies).     

A comparison of students' and jury panelists' decision-making in split recovery cases

This study was designed to assess jury decision-making for 289 participants reading a medical malpractice vignette as a function of participant type (undergraduate students or jury panelists), punitive damage award apportionment (none, half, or all to the plaintiff), and compensation previously assigned to the plaintiff (low, medium, or high). We found several sample differences. Overall, jury panelists awarded more money for punitive damages. Jury panelists were also more affected by compensatory-relevant information when making punitive decisions, including assigning punitive damages and rating the fairness of the traditional apportionment scheme, where the plaintiff receives all of the money. Compared with students, more jury panelists were in favor of the plaintiff receiving the entire punitive award. Most students endorsed split recovery. The authors suggest that psycholegal research conducted solely with student samples, rather than community members, may misestimate the likely behavior of actual juries. The implications of the study for split recovery policy are also discussed.     

Cults and the law: A discussion of the legality of alleged cult activities

Recent news reports show that there is, yet again, increasing concern regarding cults and satanic cults. Among the concerns raised is the fear that cults may be engaging in illegal activity, including abducting and sacrificing humans. A survey was conducted in the United States and Canada to assess the attitudes of people regarding cults and satanic cults, and to identify those activities in which people believe cults engage. It is suggested that all religions began as “cults” and a brief review of the law concerning the free exercise of religion demonstrates that several religious groups have been treated with suspect, and have even been referred to as cults (e.g. Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons). Results from the survey are used to consider the extent to which the activities in which cults are thought to engage are legal. It is concluded that many of the activities in which cults are believed to engage are really mere beliefs that are protected by the first amendment. For those activities that are illegal, it is suggested that current laws are adequate to protect society from whatever harm people believe cults pose.     

A Primer on Psychotherapy Process Research: A Review of Cognitive Therapy of Depression

Researchers conducting psychotherapy process research aim to understand the process by which efficacious psychotherapies achieve therapeutic benefits. A key challenge in this research is how to maximise what can be learned from naturalistic longitudinal data. We provide a selective overview of research examining the process of change in cognitive therapy of depression. While the efficacy of this treatment is widely recognised, a consensus regarding how the treatment reduces depressive symptoms and provides protection from relapse and recurrence has yet to be reached. We review the current state of the research addressing the process of change in cognitive therapy, highlighting how specific methodological features can be used to better understand the process by which this treatment achieves its effects. We highlight the importance of two key challenges to making causal inferences from a process–outcome relation: (a) establishing the temporal precedence of predictors to outcome variables, and (b) evaluating whether any relations identified could be spurious. We argue that methodologically rigorous studies tend to support key claims of the model underlying cognitive therapy of depression. We conclude by considering future directions. For example, we highlight the importance of efforts to understand patient characteristics that may moderate process–outcome relations and could ultimately prove useful in tailoring treatment to best suit individual patients.     

Pretending to be authentic: challenges for students when reflective writing about their childhood for assessment

Critical reflection potentially allows social work and human service (SWHS) students to understand how past experiences can shape their future practice. This study of 20 Australian undergraduate SWHS students with a history of childhood adversity found reflective writing for this purpose was not a useful pedagogical practice. Rather than developing skills in critical reflection students found the task performative, linked to academic requirements, where they needed to display emotional containment. Consequently, SWHS academics need to examine reflective writing about childhood adversity for assessment as this process may not enable students to build skills in critical reflection that drive professional development.     

Social identities and intergroup bias in immigrant and nonimmigrant children

Ethnic and American identity, as well as positivity and negativity toward multiple social groups, were assessed in 392 children attending 2nd or 4th grade in various New York City neighborhoods. Children from 5 ethnic groups were recruited, including White and Black Americans, as well as recent immigrants from China, the Dominican Republic, and the former Soviet Union. For ethnic minority children, greater positivity bias (evaluating one's ingroup more positively than outgroups) was predicted by immigrant status and ethnic identity, whereas negativity bias (evaluating outgroups more negatively than one's ingroup) was associated with increased age, immigrant status, and (among 4th graders only) ethnic identity. In addition, a more central American identity was associated with less intergroup bias among ethnic minority children.     

Use of Psychiatric Medications in Juvenile Detention Facilities and the Impact of State Placement Policy

The use of psychotropic medications is a significant factor in the overall effort to respond to detained youth with mental illness, yet there are very few studies of psychotropic medication use in juvenile detention settings. It is important to understand the factors that influence the use of mental health services and psychoactive medications in these settings since youth with emotional problems are overrepresented in them. This paper addresses the proportion of youth in these settings who receive mental health services and psychoactive medications. In addition, the impact of a major statewide policy change—the shift of juvenile placement responsibility from the state to local government—on these proportions was examined using 8 years of publicly available data from county probation departments. Multivariate regression analyses of 1,760 observations of quarterly reports from 55 counties showed that the use of both mental health services and psychoactive medications in detention facilities increased concurrently with the policy change. While these proportions had already been gradually increasing in these facilities, it appears that after the policy change they increased even more. This contradicts the aim of most juvenile justice planners—to divert non-violent youth offenders with emotional problems away from incarceration settings and towards community based treatment alternatives. If adequately available, these support services could provide diversion alternatives to prevent inappropriate detentions, and to provide post-detention treatment to prevent lapses in continuity of care and, ultimately, to prevent reoffending.     

The Climate‐Change Dilemma: Examining the Association Between Parental Status and Political Party Support1

Determining when, and for whom, positive attitudes toward climate‐change actions translate into actual behavior is critically important in promoting pro‐environmental behavior. An important way climate change can be tackled is through changes to social policy at the governmental level, which, in turn, depends on individual voting behavior in democratic nations. The present study examined this issue with regard to political party support in New Zealand, and demonstrated—using a large general population sample of voters—that support for climate‐change actions predict differential support for center‐left and center‐right political parties only for people who have children. Parental status moderated the link between support for climate‐change actions and voting intentions. Practical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.