ENCOUNTER WITH NEUROBIOLOGY: THE RESPONSE OF RITUAL STUDIES

Abstract. Knowledge of the working of the brain is of prime importance to anthropologists studying ritual and symbol. The play between the neocortical hemispheres can be inferred from the varying styles at different stages of ritual: one can begin to hypothesize archetypes for general processes such as self-healing social dramas that are at the roots of ritual: the concept of preparedness as a genetic endowment residing in the brain appears to confirm the fundamental importance of image making; while the shamanic skills of inhibition and disinhibition, releasing latent religious powers, can be grasped for what they are.     

A methodological caution on the use of the term “parent(s)” in family research

This study considers problems relating to the use of the term “parent(s)” in family-related research. Results of a survey of the literature over a 15-year period and results of empirical data collected by the authors are presented. Difficulties relating to the use of the term “parent(s)” are analyzed and suggestions for minimizing such problems in future research are provided.     

GENES, MIND AND CULTURE

Abstract. The 1981 book Genes, Mind and Culture by Edward O. Wilson and Charles J. Lumsden attempts to offer a comprehensive theory of the linkage between biological and cultural evolution. In the following 21 May 1982 radio broadcast, produced by Julian Brown under the auspices of the British Broadcasting Corporation, Wilson is joined by a philosopher, a geneticist, and a religion scholar in a discussion of "gene culture co-evolution" and of other issues raised by sociobiology. The discussion is introduced and chaired by the editor of Nature , John Maddox.     

Basic emotions: can conflicting criteria converge?

The authors discuss some of the key points raised by Ekman (1992), Izard (1992), and Panksepp (1992) in their critiques of Ortony and Turner's (1990) suggestion that there are and probably can be no objective and generally acceptable criteria for what is to count as a basic emotion. A number of studies are discussed that are relevant to the authors' contention that a more promising approach to understanding the huge diversity among emotions is to think in terms of emotions being assemblages of basic components rather than combinations of other basic emotions. The authors stress that their position does not deny that emotions are based on "hardwired" biological systems. On the other hand, the existence of such systems does not mean that some emotions (such as those that appear on lists of basic emotions) have a special status. Finally, the authors note that Ekman, Izard, and Panksepp, in adopting different starting points for their research, arrive at rather different conclusions as to what basic emotions are and which emotions are basic. It is concluded that converging resolutions of these questions are improbable.     

Discriminating constant from variable angular velocities in structure from motion

We investigated accuracy in discriminating between constant and variable angular velocities for orthographic projections of three-dimensional rotating objects. The reported judgments of “constant” or “variable” angular velocity were only slightly influenced by the projected angular velocities, but they were greatly affected by the variations of the deformation, a first-order component of the optic flow. When viewing either a rotating ellipsoidal volume or a planar surface that accelerated and decelerated over the course of rotation, observers’ tendencies to report a variable angular velocity were increased when the temporal phase of the acceleration pattern increased the range of variation of the median deformation; the tendencies were decreased when the same acceleration pattern was used to decrease the range of variation of the median deformation. These results provide evidence contrary to the hypothesis that the visual system performs a mathematically correct analysis of the optic flow.     

Health Care Reform and Psychologists in Medical Schools: Stress, Challenge, and Change

Psychologists from 45 academic health science centers throughout the United States and Canada gathered at Georgetown University for a national conference November 2–5, 1995 organized by the Association of Medical School Psychologists. This paper introduces the proceedings of that conference described in the next four articles in this issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings[Volume 4, number 1]. Papers prepared by the working groups focus upon clinical services, education and training, research, and governance and administration within the academic medical setting.