Using subtle reminders of love to foster healthy snack choices

Employing three experiments with US college students, we examined how subtle reminders of companionate and sexual love affect consumers' healthy snack choices. Two different symbols of companionate and sexual love were used as manipulations. Results from the studies suggest that exposure to subtle reminders of companionate love lead to a greater likelihood of making healthy eating choices than subtle reminders of sexual love. These choices are likely driven by the activation of distal and proximal temporal construals. Interestingly, subtle reminders of sexual love appear to mimic a choice setting with no manipulation. This research should enlighten marketers who are interested in fostering healthy consumption. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Jane E. Myers: The Evolution of an Advocate

This profile highlights Jane E. Myers's journey to becoming a leader in the counseling profession through her roles as a rehabilitation counselor, counselor educator, supervisor, mentor, and advocate. Her legacy is explored through her narrative of the evolution of her distinguished career, from early pivotal childhood experiences to her current professional passions. No matter how well the reader knows Dr. Myers, the authors believe that additional insight will be gained about this inspiring woman through this profile.     

Reuniting Estranged Family Members: A Cognitive-Behavioral-Systemic Perspective

During the course of their clinical work, couple and family therapists may encounter situations in which family members have become estranged. While some of these estrangements have to do with reasons beyond family members’ control, such as adoptions, etc., many cases are primarily the result of deliberate separation over hurt feelings sparked by disputes. This article offers an integrated approach, combining cognitive-behavioral techniques with an integrated family systems strategy for reuniting estranged family members. An extended case example illustrates specific interventions, with a discussion section addressing the challenges and pitfalls that may be encountered in the process of healing family feuds.     

Replies to Kane,McCormick, and Vargas

This is a reply to discussions by Robert Kane, Kelly McCormick, and Manuel Vargas of Shaun Nichols, Bound: Essays on Free Will and Responsibility.     

Extrinsic Value Orientation and Affective Forecasting: Overestimating the Rewards, Underestimating the Costs

ABSTRACT We examined affective forecasting errors as a possible explanation of the perennial appeal of extrinsic values and goals. Study 1 found that although people relatively higher in extrinsic (money, fame, image) compared to intrinsic (growth, intimacy, community) value orientation (REVO) are less happy, they nevertheless believe that attaining extrinsic goals offers a strong potential route to happiness. Study 2's longitudinal experimental design randomly assigned participants to pursue either 3 extrinsic or 3 intrinsic goals over 4 weeks, and REVO again predicted stronger forecasts regarding extrinsic goals. However, not even extrinsically oriented participants gained well-being benefits from attaining extrinsic goals, whereas all participants tended to gain in happiness from attaining intrinsic goals. Study 3 showed that the effect of REVO on forecasts is mediated by extrinsic individuals' belief that extrinsic goals will satisfy autonomy and competence needs. It appears that some people overestimate the emotional benefits of achieving extrinsic goals, to their potential detriment.     

Predicting policy attitudes from general prejudice versus specific intergroup emotions

How are people’s social policy attitudes related to their affective reactions to the social groups affected by those policies? From a threat-based perspective, specific emotions toward a group—above and beyond general prejudice toward that group—should predict attitudes toward a policy affecting the group. To test this, 128 participants reported their support for four social policies, their general and specific affective reactions to each affected group, and the threats ostensibly posed by that group. Although general prejudice failed to predict each policy attitude after controlling for the specific emotions, specific emotions did indeed significantly predict each policy attitude after controlling for general prejudice. Moreover, these specific emotions tended to mediate predicted relationships between perceived threats and policy attitudes. In all, these results highlight the benefits of assessing specific intergroup emotions as they relate to political arenas.     

Miracles in Science and Theology

Miracles are not "violations" of nature. Contemporary miraculous healings seem to follow natural healing processes but to be enormously accelerated. Like grace, miracles elevate but do not contradict nature. Scriptural miracles, but also contemporary miracle accounts, have something to tell us about how God acts in the world.     

A community mental health clinic's infant-toddler services

A community mental health clinic study of 20 infants for psychological risk status combined with a group of mother (200) and infant-toddler visits (450) over 1-year period is described as a program for providing services to the 0 to 3 age group. Recent studies in the development of human competence emphasize the importance of these years in obtaining various social and nonsocial abilities that are crucial to life and/or work satisfaction. The community mental health clinic has the knowledge, expertise, and mandate to provide services to this age group.