RESURGENCE OF INFANT CAREGIVING RESPONSES

Two experiments were conducted to identify the conditions likely to produce resurgence among adult human participants. The preparation was a simulated caregiving context, wherein a recorded infant cry sounded and was terminated contingent upon targeted caregiving responses. Results of Experiment 1 demonstrated resurgence with human participants in this negative reinforcement preparation. Results of Experiment 2 showed that responses with a longer history of reinforcement showed a stronger resurgence effect relative to responses with a shorter and more recent history of reinforcement. These results show that the resurgence phenomenon occurs across populations and types of reinforcers. Additionally, results indicate that length of reinforcement history is a variable that may affect the magnitude of resurgence.     

The Effects of a Humanities Reading Program on Economically and Educationally Disadvantaged Individuals

The effects of a 2-semester college-level humanities course were examined in a group of economically and educationally disadvantaged individuals in Portland, OR, and a group of incarcerated males at a medium-security prison in Pendleton, OR. Student responses on a pre- and post-course survey were compared. Within-group comparisons indicated that Portland students displayed significant improvement in participation in volunteer organizations, enrollment in college classes, life satisfaction, verbal ability, and analysis of the major course themes. Inmates improved on desire to participate in community organizations, vote in elections, critical thinking, life satisfaction, and applying major course themes. These results demonstrate that the power of literary classics brings about a wide range of positive changes in individuals from low-income communities and prison settings.     

Adult Age Differences in Dual Information Processes: Implications for the Role of Affective and Deliberative Processes in Older Adults' Decision Making

ABSTRACT— Age differences in affective/experiential and deliberative processes have important theoretical implications for judgment and decision theory and important pragmatic implications for older-adult decision making. Age-related declines in the efficiency of deliberative processes predict poorer-quality decisions as we age. However, age-related adaptive processes, including motivated selectivity in the use of deliberative capacity, an increased focus on emotional goals, and greater experience, predict better or worse decisions for older adults depending on the situation. The aim of the current review is to examine adult age differences in affective and deliberative information processes in order to understand their potential impact on judgments and decisions. We review evidence for the role of these dual processes in judgment and decision making and then review two representative life-span perspectives (based on aging-related changes to cognitive or motivational processes) on the interplay between these processes. We present relevant predictions for older-adult decisions and make note of contradictions and gaps that currently exist in the literature. Finally, we review the sparse evidence about age differences in decision making and how theories and findings regarding dual processes could be applied to decision theory and decision aiding. In particular, we focus on prospect theory ( Kahneman & Tversky, 1979 ) and how prospect theory and theories regarding age differences in information processing can inform one another.     

Foucault, counselling and the aesthetics of existence

Michel Foucault was drawn late in life to study the 'arts of the self' in Greco-Roman culture as a basis, following Nietzsche, for what he called an 'aesthetics of existence'. By this, he meant a set of creative and experimental processes and techniques by which an individual turns him- or herself into a work of art. For Nietzsche, it was above all the figure of the musician that best represented the mode of creative self-transformation, although he also talked of the philosopher-artist. By contrast, Foucault in his famous essay 'Writing the self' emphasised the writer and writing. Yet, at the same time, he was also to question the notion of the author and the author-function. This article explores the relations between counselling and Foucault's notion of the aesthetics of existence by focusing on processes of ethical self-constitution—an aesthetic 'sculpting' of the self—and, in particular, the ways in which we come to shape our lives through the capacity of choice-making. The article begins by emphasising the consistency of an approach from an 'aesthetics of existence' to Foucault's life and his relations to questions of the self in the history of madness, before considering the development of such an approach for counselling.     

ARE WE CLOSER TO FREE MARKET EUGENICS? THE CRISPR CONTROVERSY

Might the 2018 birth of two designer babies in China write the opening paragraph for the next chapter in the history of eugenics? The worldwide scientific community has tacitly put a moratorium on human clinical application of CRISPR gene editing, waiting until unknown risks can become known. But this ethical agreement has been breached, and calls are now being heard for more rigorous regulations. Perhaps religious and spiritual leaders can join the bioethical chant: the yellow light of caution is flashing.     

The complementarity of mindshaping and mindreading

Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences - Why do we engage in folk psychology, that is, why do we think about and ascribe propositional attitudes (beliefs, desires, intentions etc.) to people? On...