Experiencing past and future personal events: functional neuroimaging evidence on the neural bases of mental time travel

Functional MRI was used in healthy subjects to investigate the existence of common neural structures supporting re-experiencing the past and pre-experiencing the future. Past and future events evocation appears to involve highly similar patterns of brain activation including, in particular, the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior regions and the medial temporal lobes. This result seems to support the view of a common neurocognitive system, which would allow humans to mentally travel through time. Past events recollection was associated with greater amplitude of hippocampal and anterior medial prefrontal hemodynamic responses. This result is discussed in terms of the involvement of the self in the conscious experience of past and future events representations. More generally, our data provide new evidence in favour of the idea that re- and pre-experiencing past and future events may rely on similar cognitive capacities.     

Shame,guilt, blaming,and anger: Differences between children in Japan and the US

Recent research and theory on shame and guilt has highlighted the “dark side to shame” in motivating harmful behavior. Although researchers recognize that cultural differences in shame exist, few studies have examined such differences. In this study of 130 fourth and fifth graders from the United States and 118 from Japan, cultural differences in anger, shame, guilt, and externalization of blame were examined. Consistent with predictions, compared to American children, Japanese children were more prone to experience shame and guilt and less likely to externalize blame. However, they also were more likely to experience anger. Directly, and indirectly through blaming, shame had much greater effects on anger among American than Japanese children. Whereas the effects were positive and significant among American children, they were negative and nonsignificant among Japanese children. Among Japanese children, it was guilt, rather than shame, that was related to anger, and in a negative manner. Findings suggest that in anger, the “dark side to shame” but also the more positive side to guilt, are moderated by cultural context.     

Wearable Cameras Are Useful Tools to Investigate and Remediate Autobiographical Memory Impairment: A Systematic PRISMA Review

Autobiographical memory, central in human cognition and every day functioning, enables past experienced events to be remembered. A variety of disorders affecting autobiographical memory are characterized by the difficulty of retrieving specific detailed memories of past personal events. Owing to the impact of autobiographical memory impairment on patients’ daily life, it is necessary to better understand these deficits and develop relevant methods to improve autobiographical memory. The primary objective of the present systematic PRISMA review was to give an overview of the first empirical evidence of the potential of wearable cameras in autobiographical memory investigation in remediating autobiographical memory impairments. The peer-reviewed literature published since 2004 on the usefulness of wearable cameras in research protocols was explored in 3 databases (PUBMED, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar). Twenty-eight published studies that used a protocol involving wearable camera, either to explore wearable camera functioning and impact on daily life, or to investigate autobiographical memory processing or remediate autobiographical memory impairment, were included. This review analyzed the potential of wearable cameras for 1) investigating autobiographical memory processes in healthy volunteers without memory impairment and in clinical populations, and 2) remediating autobiographical memory in patients with various kinds of memory disorder. Mechanisms to account for the efficacy of wearable cameras are also discussed. The review concludes by discussing certain limitations inherent to using cameras, and new research perspectives. Finally, ethical issues raised by this new technology are considered.     

Natural Theology Reconsidered (Again)

Neither the “traditional” nor the “revisionist” accounts of the nature and fate of natural theology are adequate to the task of explaining the peculiar trajectory of its history and, in particular, the consensus view of its apparent terminal decline. Contrary to the accepted narrative, natural theology was not fatally undermined by the scientific revolution. Even if temporarily marginalized by disciplines such as systematics and dogmatics, natural theology never went away. It is still with us, and it provides a healthy grasp of the divine presence in the natural world.     

Functional and pharmacological characterization of the first specific agonist and antagonist for the V1b receptor in mammals

By activating three distinct vasopressin receptor isoforms called V1a-R, V1b-R (V3-R) and V2-R, vasopressin (VP) mediates a wide number of biological effects in mammals and may be involved in several pathological states. Up to now only specific V1a and V2 receptor agonists and antagonists have been successfully designed. The role of the V1b-R still remains partially unknown, due to the lack of selective V1b-R ligands and orally-active molecules, which are crucial tools for investigating the central and peripheral functions or pathological disorders associated with this receptor. In this review, we report the biological and pharmacological properties of the first two specific V1b-R ligands: d[Cha4] AVP, a high affinity V1b-R agonist and SSR149415, a potent orally-active V1b-R antagonist with good selectivity with respect to other VP/OT receptor isoforms and able to control ACTH secretion in vitro and in vivo. Indeed, these molecules constitute invaluable tools for exploring the central and peripheral roles of VP mediated via V1b receptors. Interestingly, SSR149415 displays potent anxiolytic and antidepressant-like activities, indicating that this new class of drugs has a promising therapeutical potential in the treatment of stress-related disorders, anxiety and depression.     

A phenomenological understanding of successful stuttering management

The purpose of this investigation was to understand, from the perspective of the speaker, how seven adults have been able to successfully manage their stuttering. Individual experiences were obtained across the three temporal stages (past, transitional, and current). Recurring themes were identified across participants in order to develop an essential structure of the phenomena at each stage. The ability to make the transition from unsuccessful to successful management of stuttering was associated with six recurring themes of: (1) support, (2) successful therapy, (3) self therapy and behavioral change, (4) cognitive change, (5) utilization of personal experience, and (6) high levels of motivation/determination. Six recurring themes associated with past experiences, when stuttering was unsuccessfully managed, included: (1) gradual awareness, (2) negative reactions of listeners, (3) negative emotions, (4) restrictive lifestyle, (5) avoidance, and (6) inadequate therapy. The five recurring themes identified for the current situation where stuttering continues to be successfully managed were: (1) continued management, (2) self acceptance and fear reduction, (3) unrestricted interactions, (4) sense of freedom, (5) and optimism. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: The reader will be able to: (1) describe, from the prospective of a select group of adults who stutter, the recurring themes associated with both unsuccessful and successful management of stuttering, (2) explain the recurring themes associated with how this group of seven adults achieved successful management of their stuttering, and (3) discuss the basic rationale and procedures associated with phenomenological analysis.     

A Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Wellbeing in Australia

The Indigenous people of Australia are severely disadvantaged according to a range of objective indicators. Unfortunately, the use of subjective indicators has been largely absent from the Indigenous policy domain. This is problematic because many things that matter to Indigenous peoples cannot be measured objectively. This paper addresses this gap; specifically, we employ a range of econometric techniques and Australian household data to explore the subjective wellbeing of Indigenous Australians in relation to: (1) levels of life satisfaction; (2) inequality in life satisfaction; (3) the prevalence and severity of dissatisfaction; and (4) determinants of life satisfaction. Results indicate that Indigenous life satisfaction peaked in 2003 and has since declined, and inequality in life satisfaction is greater for Indigenous than non-Indigenous Australians. Further, while the determinants of life satisfaction for non-Indigenous Australians are consistent with existing evidence and a priori expectations, the results for Indigenous Australians differ in many respects.     

Resilience Mediates the Relations Between Perfectionism and College Student Distress

This study examined the relations among perfectionism dimensions, resilience, and distress. Participants were 413 undergraduate students. All 3 of Hewitt and Flett's (2004) dimensions of perfectionism were associated with greater reports of depression and anxiety; however, only socially prescribed perfectionism was significantly associated with resilience. Results indicated that resilience partially mediated the relations between socially prescribed perfectionism and distress. Implications for counselors in the prevention, assessment, and treatment of depression and anxiety are discussed.