The Timing of Research Consent

Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - This essay is about the timing of research consent, a process that involves (potential) participants being given information about, among other things, upcoming...     

RACE RELATIONSHIPS: COLLEGIALITY AND DEMARCATION IN PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

In 1962, anthropologist Carleton Coon argued in The Origin of Races that some human races had evolved further than others. Among his most vocal critics were geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky and anthropologist Ashley Montagu, each of whom had known Coon for decades. I use this episode, and the long relationships between scientists that preceded it, to argue that scientific research on race was intertwined not only with political projects to conserve or reform race relations, but also with the relationships scientists shared as colleagues. Demarcation between science and pseudoscience, between legitimate research and scientific racism, involved emotional as well as intellectual labor.     

The effect of construal level on risk‐taking

In a series of studies, we examined the influence of people's mind‐set (construal level (CL): abstract versus concrete) on their risk‐taking behavior. We measured differences in CL (study 1, CL as trait) and manipulated CL (studies 1–5, CL as state) with different priming methods, which were unrelated to the dependent variable of risk‐taking behavior (studies 1, 3, 4, and 5: Balloon Analog Risk Task; study 2: Angling Risk Task). In all studies, abstract CL resulted in greater risk‐taking compared with concrete CL, which led to lower risk‐taking. Risky and safe game strategies mediated the CL effect on risk‐taking. A concrete mind‐set increased the safe game strategy, whereas an abstract mind‐set increased the risky game strategy. Furthermore, different potential mediators were explored (i.e., focus on payoffs and probabilities, prevention versus promotion focus, attention to pros versus cons, and mood). A concrete mind‐set increased prevention strategies and a negative mood when compared with an abstract mind‐set. In turn, an abstract mind‐set increased attention to pros (of an action). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The status of legally committed psychiatric patients in the psychiatric hospital

101 mental patients hospitalized according to a court decision stayed on average for 9.7 years. General behaviour, social independence and chances for discharge were not related to illness but to the duration of accommodation. The chances for discharge decrease as the stay in hospital increases. The initial medical reasons for hospitalization are the less important factor in the period of in-patient treatment. The foundations for successful medical and social rehabilitation can only be laid in the early stage of accommodation.     

The current role of neurosyphilis in the differential diagnosis of neuropsychiatric diseases

Over a period of eight years, 16 patients from a non-selected number of patients in a neuropsychiatric special hospital were diagnosed to suffer from neurolues not known so far. Apart from the classical clinical pictures (PP and T. d.) meningovascular courses of disease with apoplectiform onset have been dominant since 1980. The patients concerned were nearly exclusively younger male adolescents. The decline in the classical development of neurolues in favour of meningovascular and atypical clinical pictures makes clinical diagnosis more difficult and requires routine application of standardized specific and serological tests in clinical practice.     

Whipple disease of the CNS

By the example of two cases that could only be cleared up by a postmortem examination the affection of the central nervous system by Whipple's disease is dealt with. The granulomatous inflammatory process which is almost exclusively localised in the grisea and shows a particular concentration in the diencephalon, in the cortex of the frontal, temporal and islet regions as well as in the deeper brain stem, had resulted in a variety of neurological-psychiatric symptoms, in most cases a systemic psychosyndrome, myoclonism and paresis of ocular movement. In both cases the diagnoses was verified by the electromicroscopic identification of the bacteria in the typical SPC cells.