Love and Eschatology

Abstract : This article reflects on the connection between Christian hope for salvation and Christian praxis today. Following a discussion of Christian approaches to hope, salvation, and reconciliation, the eschatological potential of love is explored in conversation with significant theologies of love in Western Christianity. It is argued that love, properly understood, offers the most adequate and dynamic horizon for approaching God's coming reign and for being transformed in the process.     

Differential dynamics of spatial and non-spatial stimulus-response compatibility effects: a dual task LRP study

Choice reaction times are shorter when stimulus and response features are compatible rather than incompatible. Recent studies revealed that spatial compatibility effects in Simon tasks are strongly attenuated when there is temporal overlap with a different high-priority task. In contrast, non-spatial variants of the Simon task appear to be unaffected by task overlap. The present study used the lateralized readiness potential (LRP) within a dual task design to elucidate the dynamics underlying these differential effects for a color and a spatial variant of the Simon task. In the color version there was no sign of early response priming by irrelevant stimulus features in the LRP. The color compatibility effect was independent of task overlap and reflected in the LRP onset latency. In contrast, in the spatial version, priming by irrelevant stimulus location showed up and was mirrored by early LRP activation. Response priming and the corresponding Simon effect, however, were present only in case of little temporal overlap with the primary task. The absence of spatial compatibility effects at strong temporal overlap suggests that response conflicts due to stimulus-related priming depend on the availability of processing resources.     

The effects of risk-glorifying media exposure on risk-positive cognitions, emotions, and behaviors: a meta-analytic review

In recent years, there has been a surge in the quantity of media content that glorifies risk-taking behavior, such as risky driving, extreme sports, or binge drinking. The authors conducted a meta-analysis involving more than 80,000 participants and 105 independent effect sizes to examine whether exposure to such media depictions increased their recipients' risk-taking inclinations. A positive connection was found for overall, combined risk taking (g=.41); as well as its underlying dimensions: risk-taking behaviors (g=.41), risk-positive cognitions and attitudes (g=.35), and risk-positive emotions (g=.56). This effect was observed across varying research methods (experimental, correlational, longitudinal); types of media (video games, movies, advertising, TV, music); and differing risk-related outcome measures (e.g., smoking, drinking, risky driving, sexual behavior). Multiple moderator analyses revealed 2 theoretically new boundary conditions for sociocognitive models. First, the effect was stronger for active (i.e., video games) than for passive (e.g., film, music) exposure to risk-glorifying media content. Second, the effect was stronger when there was a high degree of contextual fit between the media content and type of risk-taking measure. The theoretical, practical, and societal implications of the present research synthesis are discussed.     

Do hostile attribution biases in children and parents predict relationally aggressive behavior?

Relatively little is understood about the role of hostile attributions in children's use of relational aggression with peers, or about the impact of family processes on children's attributions about ambiguous provocations. This cross-sectional study investigated associations among hostile attributions made by children, mothers, and fathers, and children's use of relational aggression with peers. The sample included 91 children in Grades 3-5 (43 girls), and their mothers (n = 90) and teachers (n = 88). Fathers also participated for a subsample of children (n = 53). Results showed that relational aggression is associated with a hostile attribution bias in children and parents, although findings varied as a function of gender of parent and child, provocation type, and informant of aggression. Overall, mothers' attributions were more closely related to daughters' attributions and aggressive behavior than to sons'. Implications of these findings for social information processing models and family-focused prevention of relational aggression are discussed.     

Steigerung des ?empowerment“ bei Angeh?rigen von schizophren Erkrankten

Objective

Enhancing empowerment is one of the aims of psychoeducational family interventions but it has never been examined in psychoeducational groups for relatives led by professionals. This study investigated the knowledge gain and the increase of empowerment of psychoeducational group programs for relatives in a naturalistic setting.

Methods

A total of 54 relatives of persons with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders took part in a psychoeducational group program of 8 sessions. A short questionnaire was used to assess the empowerment before and after the group programs. Knowledge gain was measured with the knowledge of illness about schizophrenia questionnaire (WFB).

Results

Among the participants of the psychoeducational groups the level of empowerment was significantly enhanced and the knowledge was significantly increased (p?<?0.01). The improvement of empowerment was independent of the knowledge gain and did not correlate with gender, age, education or group attendance.

Conclusions

Psychoeducational groups for family members not only reduce the rehospitalization rates of the ill relatives but also have additional positive effects on the family members themselves: better knowledge of the illness and enhanced empowerment. The findings emphasize the importance of psychoeducational groups for the relatives of persons with schizophrenia.     

Die Möglichkeit einer objektiven Messung der Stärke von Gefühlen

Zusammenfassung Es war das Ziel, ein Maß für die Stärke von Gefühlen aus einem ihrer physischen Korrelate, der sog. psychogalvanischen Reaktion, zu gewinnen. Zu diesem Zweck wurden Vergleichsurteile über die Gefühlsbetonung von Reizwortpaaren den durch die Darbietung der Wörter ausgelösten Hautreaktionen zugeordnet. Mit den Maßzahlen wurden eine logarithmische Transformation und eine Quadratwurzeltransformation vorgenommen. Die Auswertung erfolgte jeweils gemäß dem Skalierungsverfahren für Vergleichsurteile. Es zeigte sich, daß die auf Grund der Quadratwurzeltransformation erhaltenen Skalenwerte für die Gefühlsstärke in voll befriedigender Weise durch eine Gerade angenähert werden können, während dies mit der logarithmischen Transformation weniger gut gelingt.Um aus der gefundenen Intervallskala der Gefühlsstärke eine Verhältnisskala zu erhalten, wurde die Gefühlsschwelle der galvanischen Hautreaktion zu bestimmen versucht. Es ergab sich, daß der Schwellenwert der emotionalen Veränderung bei der Größe 0 der Hautwiderstandsänderung liegt. Es folgt daraus, daß die Stärke eines Gefühls als der Quadratwurzel der relativen Widerstandsänderung proportional anzunehmen ist.Dieses Ergebnis wird durch ein Anwendungsbeispiel veranschaulicht.