A Case for Homogeneity of Personality at the Occupational Level

The forces of attraction–selection–attrition have been hypothesized to create homogeneity of personality within organizations, and vocational choice theory predicts that these forces lead to a ‘modal personality’ within given occupations. This study compared the homogeneity of a set of personality characteristics for 6582 incumbents from eight organizations in eight occupations. The results indicated that (1) the homogeneity hypothesis was supported both within organizations as well as within occupations; and (2) the homogeneity within occupations was higher than that found in organizations.     

Fathers' parenting hassles and coping: associations with emotional expressiveness and their sons' socioemotional competence

The present study examined fathers' daily parenting hassles and coping strategies to (a) determine their association with fathers' emotional expressiveness and (b) predict their sons' development of socioemotional competence. Fathers of 148 preschool‐aged boys reported on their parenting hassles, coping strategies, and emotional expressiveness; mothers also reported on fathers' emotional expressiveness; and teachers reported on boys' socioemotional competence. Parenting hassles were associated with less rational, more emotional, and more avoidance coping as well as negative emotional expressiveness. More emotional and less rational coping responses were related to more negative expressiveness, whereas more rational, more emotional, and less coping were related to more positive expressiveness. Fathers' negative expressiveness was predictive of their sons being rated as more aggressive and disruptive by their teachers. In addition, fathers' parenting hassles and coping both predicted teacher ratings of their sons' aggressiveness. Implications of the findings are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Euthanasia: A Buddhist perspective

This paper introduces basic Buddhist cosmology and ethical teachings, emphasizing the concepts of rebirth and Karma. There follows a discussion of the Buddhist view of illness and its causes. Using these introductory concepts, the Buddhist view on euthanasia is explored and contrasted with the views of Marvin Kohl, a leading proponent of euthanasia. It is shown that Buddhism prohibits euthanasia as an option for the terminally ill but instead advocates hospice care. The paper is offered to expand the current dialogue on bioethical issues beyond the Judeo-Christian perspective.     

Spinal and locus coeruleus noradrenergic lesions abolish the analgesic effects of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine

Two experiments were performed on Sprague-Dawley rats to study the effects of noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine depletion upon the antinociceptive effects of acute 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeODMT) administration. 6-Hydroxydopamine-induced lesions following microinjections to either the locus coeruleus or the spinal cord (lumbar) abolished completely 5-MeODMT-induced analgesia in the tail-flick, hot-plate, and shock titration tests whereas 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine-induced lesions of the nucleus raphe magnus and the lumbar spinal cord attenuated 5-MeODMT analgesia in the tail-flick and shock titration tests. Thus, the experiments serve to demonstrate an important interaction between descending noradrenergic and serotonergic pathways, possibly at a spinal locus.