Timmermann,Forschler, and The Attempt to Bridge the Kantian‐Consequentialist Gap

Scott Forschler defends R. M. Hare's rationalist‐universalizing‐utilitarian moral approach against Jens Timmermann's critique of it. He argues that Timmermann fails to see that Kant's ethical rationalism might be consistent with utilitarianism, and argues that Timmermann merely assumes that Kant's deontology follows logically from his ethical rationalism. In Forschler's estimation, it has not been established that either Kant's or Hare's ethical rationalism is inconsistent with utilitarianism. This article, however, argues that, in his response to Timmermann on behalf of Hare's rationalist‐universalizing‐utilitarian approach, Forschler has overlooked something very significant at the foundational level of Hare's moral approach, and that this oversight undercuts his response to Timmermann. The analysis also invites a metaethical investigation of preference satisfaction as it is found in Hare's moral approach. The article uncovers some fundamental metaethical presuppositions in Hare's normative approach, presuppositions overlooked by Forschler.     

Consciousness as a concrete physical phenomenon

The typical empirical approach to studying consciousness holds that we can only observe the neural correlates of experiences, not the experiences themselves. In this paper we argue, in contrast, that experiences are concrete physical phenomena that can causally interact with other phenomena, including observers. Hence, experiences can be observed and scientifically modelled. We propose that the epistemic gap between an experience and a scientific model of its neural mechanisms stems from the fact that the model is merely a theoretical construct based on observations, and distinct from the concrete phenomenon it models, namely the experience itself. In this sense, there is a gap between any natural phenomenon and its scientific model. On this approach, a neuroscientific theory of the constitutive mechanisms of an experience is literally a model of the subjective experience itself. We argue that this metatheoretical framework provides a solid basis for the empirical study of consciousness.     

Ambivalent sexism: a tool for understanding and improving gender relations in organizations

This study tested predictions regarding ambivalent sexism, previously studied cross-culturally, here "within-culturally", between groups from different organizational settings. Based on three samples (334 adults in general, 744 industrial employees, and 189 high school students), completing a Swedish version of the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI), the results revealed that men scored higher on hostile and benevolent sexism than women, and high school students scored higher than both adult samples on both forms of sexism. The results generally confirmed the predictions; the gender gap in benevolent sexism decreased as a function of increasing levels of general sexism and the correlation between hostile and benevolent sexism decreased with higher levels of general sexism. In fact, the groups scoring highest on general sexism displayed significant negative correlations indicating a polarized ideology of women among these groups. Implications, both theoretical and practical, derived from these results are discussed.     

Perceptions of psychotherapy trainees of psychotherapy research

Aims: The research‐practice gap and lack of engagement with research by trainees and qualified therapists is a widely discussed issue amongst psychotherapy researchers. The present study investigates the perceptions of psychotherapy trainees of psychotherapy research and explores what would encourage them to participate in research. Method: Two focus groups of 16 trainees in total were conducted at two separate psychotherapy training institutes to explore trainees’ attitudes and perceptions. Data was analysed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis. Results: Three superordinate themes emerged: negative perception of research; recognition of the importance of research; and what would be needed to facilitate engagement in research. Discussion: The results suggest that interest in and willingness to participate in research exists, however it is necessary for negative perceptions about research to be addressed and for researchers to design projects which are supportive of participants.     

Planning and preparatory actions facilitate physical activity maintenance

ObjectiveMany people do not behave in line with their self-imposed goal to be more physically active. To bridge this intention–behavior gap, detailed planning is regarded as being instrumental. Moreover, preparatory actions are supposed to facilitate physical activity in conjunction with planning. Thus, preparatory actions are seen as mediators between intention and behaviors. The present study examines whether intention is translated into physical activity stepwise via planning as well as via preparatory actions.DesignAt three points in time, physical activity, planning, preparatory actions, and the intention to be physically active were assessed in 338 participants.MethodsBy means of structural equation modeling, it was examined whether the pathway from intention to physical activity includes a mediating sequence of planning as well as preparatory actions.ResultsThe sequential mediation model confirmed pathways from intention to planning, from planning to preparatory behaviors, and from preparatory behaviors to follow-up physical activity, while controlling for baseline indicators. Furthermore, there was an indirect effect of intention on preparatory actions via planning, an indirect effect of planning on physical activity via preparatory actions, and an indirect effect of intention on physical activity via planning and preparatory actions thus, confirming the hypothesized sequence.ConclusionsIndividuals who are motivated to be physically active are likely to make a plan, and if they do so, they are more likely to take preparatory actions, resulting in a higher chance to perform the target behavior.     

Closing the empathy gap in college students' judgments of end‐of‐life tradeoffs

When considering hypothetical end‐of‐life (EOL) scenarios involving 80‐year‐old intensive‐care unit patients, young adults are more likely than older adults to judge that shorter lifespan would be a fair trade in exchange for a more pleasant death. This result has been interpreted in terms of an empathy gap, in which individuals fail to relate to the affective states of others. If so, the effect should be reduced when young adults consider scenarios involving patients similar to themselves. The present study examined college students' willingness to trade healthy lifespan for better death in EOL scenarios involving 80‐year‐old and 22‐year‐old cancer victims. Results indicated students under 30 were less likely to trade lifespan in the 22‐year‐old scenarios, and were less likely to trade lifespan in either set of scenarios when the 22‐year‐old scenarios were presented first. The findings are consistent with an empathy gap account of judgments concerning EOL care.     

Numerical representation: Abstract or nonabstract?

Until now it has been a commonly held view that numbers are represented abstractly in the human brain. However, a recent imaging study challenged the existence of an abstract representation at least of digits and number words, at the brain level, and argued that previous studies and paradigms were not sensitive enough to detect deviations from abstract representation at the behavioural level. The current study addressed this issue with an analysis of distance and sequential effects in magnitude classification. Previous studies that used this paradigm did not find deviation from abstract representation for digits and number words (e.g., Dehaene, 1996 Dehaene, S. 1996. The organization of brain activations in number comparison: Event-related potentials and the additive-factors method. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 8: 47–68. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Schwarz & Ischebeck, 2000 Schwarz, W. and Ischebeck, A. 2000. Sequential effects in number comparison. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 26: 1606–1621. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). However, in the current study a short stimulus–response interval was used, which reduced subjective expectancy and increased automatic processing. The current results showed deviation from abstract representation in both reaction time and accuracy and therefore support the idea that nonabstract representations of numbers do exist.     

Prior expectation and the interpretation of natural language quantifiers

Abstract

The interpretation of natural language quantifiers depends, in part, on one's prior expectations about what the proportion being described might be. This hypothesis is tested empirically, by comparing the interpretation of 10 different quantifier expressions in three contexts which contained proportions about which subjects' expectations were reliably different (Experiment 1). It is further argued that quantifiers perform many functions which cannot be observed by considering only the proportion(s) denoted by a quantifier. The experimental evidence presented shows that quantifiers can provide information about what the user of the quantifier had expected before “knowing the facts” (Experiment 2). It is also clear that when writers produce a quantifier, they can reveal their assumptions about the prior expectations held by their readers (Experiment 2).     

Relationship Quality,Commitment, and Stability in Long‐Distance Relationships

Using a nationally representative sample (N = 870), the present study compared long‐distance romantic relationships to close‐proximity romantic relationships in terms of relationship quality, commitment, and stability. Individuals in long‐distance relationships generally reported higher levels of relationship quality on a number of relationship quality variables, as well as higher levels of dedication to their relationships and lower levels of feeling trapped (i.e., felt constraint), but were similar to individuals in close‐proximity relationships in terms of perceived and material constraints. Although individuals in long‐distance relationships perceived a lower likelihood of breaking up with their partner at the initial time point, they were as likely as the individuals in close‐proximity relationships to have broken up by the follow‐up assessment.     

Solutions to the Research-Practice Gap in Domestic Violence: A Modified Delphi Study With Domestic Violence Coalition Leaders

The gap between research and practice in domestic violence (DV) has the potential to hinder advancements in both areas. This study used modified Delphi methodology to seek potential solutions for integrating DV research and practice. Expert panel members were representatives of DV coalitions who hold primary responsibility for determining the content of the training program and materials provided by coalitions to service providers. Through three rounds of questionnaires, potential solutions were identified in six areas: access to research, the practical application of research, DV coalitions' needs and usage of research, perceptions of research and researchers, researcher-practitioner collaborations, and the goals of DV. The findings of the study are integrated into recommendations for researchers and DV organizations.