Mathematical Practice,Fictionalism and Social Ontology

From the perspective of mathematical practice, I examine positions claiming that mathematical objects are introduced by human agents. I consider in particular mathematical fictionalism and a recent position on social ontology formulated by Cole (2013, 2015). These positions are able to solve some of the challenges that non-realist positions face. I argue, however, that mathematical entities have features other than fictional characters and social institutions. I emphasise that the way mathematical objects are introduced is different and point to the multifaceted role that relations and interconnections play in this context. Finally, I argue that mathematical entities can be considered to be pragmatically real.

     

An apparatus for apparent conditioning ofOctopus cyaneus Gray

An ann-out-of-water response was conditioned as an operant inOctopus cyaneus Gray. The response was limited to a vertical tube, 2.54 em i.d, Photoresistive sensors, illuminated with modulated light arranged around the tube above the waterline, detect the presence of an opaque object in the tube. The signal from this response detector is amplified and used to initiate a commercial motor-driven universal feeder according to the reinforcement schedule maintained by the logic control circuit. A sample cumulative record for perfonnance on a CRF schedule is given.     

Contralateral and heteromodal interaction effects in somatosensation: Do they exist?

In this paper we concern ourselves with the problem of whether or not conditioning stimuli of other modalities or stimuli applied to a distant locus of the body interact with a sensitive test of somesthetic temporal acuity we have called the gap test. The results of the experiment indicate that visual stimuli do not exert an observable influence on this temporal judgment, but that auditory stimuli and contralateral stimulation in the same modality do show a significant but relatively small effect. This is compared and contrasted with the very large and persistent effect reported when the conditioning stimulus is applied to the same electrodes as the gap test. By comparing our results with experiments of similar design carried out on lower animals by other investigators, some insights into the neural localization of the reported effects is obtained.     

Gender differences in preference to offer social support to assertive men and women

Although gender bias is clearly evident in the provision of institutional social support, it is unclear whether such bias exists on a more subtle and interpersonal level. When women act appropriately assertive at work, they may actually alienate support. This paper reports an experimental study that addressed this general issue of social support among employed men and women. A sample of 61 males and 55 females (predominantly white; N=116), employed by four northeast Ohio employers participated. The extent of preference to offer support to assertive males and females was explored. An unexpected double bias was found, with each sex preferring to offer support to their own sex.This project was funded by a grant received by the Applied Psychology Center of Kent State University, from the Ohio Department of Development through the Northeast Ohio Center for the Advancement of Labor Management Cooperation. We gratefully acknowledge this financial assistance.     

Psychological well-being and homemaker vs. retiree identity among older women

Social roles have been a central focus in both sociological and developmental theories of adjustment in late life. Research on roles and well-being, however, has focused on earlier adulthood or on comparisons of tenuous roles (such as retiree) with institutional roles (such as employee), especially among men. The few studies comparing older women in the tenuous roles of homemaker and retiree all compare single-role women, and show contradictory results. One possibility is that multiple role identities are linked to greater well-being in older women, as they are among younger women. In this paper the life satisfaction, depression, and self-esteem of older women who consider themselves retired only, homemakers only, or both are compared. The sample includes 864 Black (N=242) and White (N=622) women ages 60 and over from a 1986 national survey. Retired women and homemakers did not differ in well-being; women who called themselves both had higher self-esteem and lower depression than single-role women. In analyses exploring what tenuous role content (daily activities) might explain group differences in well-being, do-it-yourself activities and volunteer activities were significant. Age, education, health, and marital status were also important factors. Recommendations include adopting a multiple role perspective with older women and encouraging their participation in instrumental, informal role activities to maximize well-being.Northwestern University     

Social Interactions of Obese and Nonobese Women

The stigma associated with obesity is likely to limit the opportunities obese women have to develop social skills. This hypothesis was tested by having obese (n = 15) and nonobese (n = 22) women converse on the telephone with college students who were unaware of the women's weights. Ratings made by judges who listened to the women's contributions to the conversations but who were unaware of their weights showed that obesity was negatively related to judgments about the women's likability, social skills, and physical attractiveness. The telephone partners of obese women rated the women and themselves more negatively than did the partners of nonobese women. Obese and nonobese women generally did not differ in their evaluations of their own and their telephone partners' behavior, and they also did not differ on a measure of social self-esteem. These findings suggest that there are real differences in the social behavior of obese and nonobese women and that these differences affect the impressions formed by those with whom they interact.     

A Russian adaptation of the child behavior checklist: Psychometric properties and associations with child and maternal affective symptomatology and family functioning

The Child Behavior Checklist's (CBCL) applicability to a sample of 105 Russian 9- and 10-year-old children was evaluated by examining the internal consistency of Russian adaptations of parent and teacher report forms. In addition, child behavior scores were correlated with child reports of internalizing symptoms and maternal reports of their own internalizing symptoms and general family functioning. Finally, rates of child behavior problems and patterns of interrater agreement were compared with U.S. normative data. The psychometric properties of the adaptations demonstrate the adequacy of these instruments for use in Russia. Internal consistency and interrater agreement were generally comparable to estimates obtained in U.S. normative samples. Further, an exploration of the construct validity of the Russian versions of the CBCL and Teacher Report Form (TRF) lends additional support to the adequacy of these instruments.This work was supported in part by grants from the International Research Exchanges Board (IREX) (with funds provided by the Andrew Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the U.S. Department of State) and the National Institute of Mental Health (MH-00508, an RSDA to D. Pauls). None of these organizations is responsible for the views expressed. In addition, the authors wish to thank Thomas Achenbach for his helpful comments and suggestions.