Personality dimensions in patients with sleep-apnea syndrome: comparison with narcolepsy

Personality measures of Anxiety-Neuroticism, Extraversion and Socialization obtained from self-report questionnaires were studied in a group of sleep-apnea patients (15 males, 5 females), and compared with results from a normal control group (63 males, 21 females) and a group of narcoleptic patients (17 males, 32 females). Sleep-apnea patients were significantly higher in Anxiety-Neuroticism and slightly higher in Extraversion than controls. Although the main symptom, i.e. excessive daytime sleepiness, of sleep-apnea and narcoleptic patients is similar, there were distinct differences in pattern of personality measures. Sleep-apnea patients were lower in Anxiety-Neuroticism and higher in Extraversion. Thus, increased sleepiness alone did not induce uniform changes in personality traits in the two patient groups. It is suggested that the particular personality profile of the sleep-apnea patients is secondary to increased psychosocial strain and coping strategies to keep awake. In contrast, the high Somatic Anxiety scores and low Socialization scores in the narcoleptic group are assumed to reflect a constitutional lability which also involves autonomic and sleep functions.     

Flirting with Death: Variables Affecting Risk Taking at Intersections1

A series of four field studies were conducted to examine how motorists behaved at intersections. In each study, the proportion of drivers who pulled out in front of oncoming cars at varying temporal distances was recorded. In the first study, it was found that the proportion of turns in front of an approaching car was related to the log of the temporal distance between the subjects and the oncoming cars by a normal ogive. The remaining studies examined the effects that the presence of various types of audiences had on this risk-taking function. It was found that being forced to wait in a line of cars before being allowed to turn substantially increased the risks that drivers took, whereas the presence of other cars behind and/or beside the subject's car had no effect on the risk-taking function. A hypothesis explaining these effects in terms of the frustration of being forced to wait was supported while a social facilitation hypothesis was not. It was also discovered that males take more risks than females, a fact which could explain the higher accident rate for males.     

FACTOR ANALYSIS OF A NEUROTICISM INVENTORY

The Lidvall neuroticism inventory is comprised of 25 questions referring to symptoms presumed to be connected with manifest neurotic anxiety. It was presented to 377 persons, an unscreened group with respect to neurotic symptoms, and a factor analysis with rotation to simple structure was performed.—Four factors could be identified: (1) manifest neurotic anxiety, (2) neurotic difficulties in interpersonal relations, (3) neurasthenic symptoms and (4) obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The factor scales were correlated with Neuroticism and Extraversion in MPI. Neuroticism was shown to be a heterogeneous factor. The correlation between Factor (2) and Extraversion was high.     

Empirical investigation of the ethical reasoning of physicians and molecular biologists – the importance of the four principles of biomedical ethics

Background  

This study presents an empirical investigation of the ethical reasoning and ethical issues at stake in the daily work of physicians and molecular biologists in Denmark. The aim of this study was to test empirically whether there is a difference in ethical considerations and principles between Danish physicians and Danish molecular biologists, and whether the bioethical principles of the American bioethicists Tom L. Beauchamp and James F. Childress are applicable to these groups.     

The AMBEGUJAS phenomenon and colour constancy

The AMBEGUJAS phenomenon is a reversible flat figure that is spontaneously shifting between two apparent 3-D shapes-'tile' and 'roof'. 2-D perceptions have very rarely been reported. Tied to the shifts between the tile and roof shapes are remarkable changes of perceived colour. In our example, the tile appears to have orange (top half) and blue-green (bottom half) surface colours in white light. The roof appears grey but in an orange illumination and with a blue-green shadow. This phenomenon appears whether a grey display is presented in two coloured illuminations, or a chromatic display with two surface colours (orange and blue-green) is presented in white light. In the coloured illuminations the tile is an example of non-constancy, since its colours are non-veridical colour perceptions. The centre stripe of the display appears to have the same orange and blue-green colours as the lateral stripes but in a shadow. This seems like a colour constancy in a non-constancy situation. An alternative to the classical definition of colour constancy is discussed.