Psychological evidence in the courtroom: critical reflections on the general acceptance standard

The increasing ties between psychology and law have familiarized psychologists with the standards by which law admits scientific evidence into the courtroom. In the USA, these include the general acceptance standard and the Daubert guidelines and, in the UK, the Turner Rule. However, the psychological literature has largely failed to make clear the degree of legal debate that exists concerning the clarity and effectiveness of such standards. This paper will focus on the general acceptance standard, examining key problems of this standard and placing them in a specifically psychological context. Such consideration is important precisely because the standard has become so well known within the psychological literature and because insufficient attention has been given to the way in which it operates implicitly within jurisdictions outside the USA. The authors argue that it is the responsibility of psychologists to become more involved in the debate concerning admissibility standards, given the credibility and authority that law accords to psychology when admitting it into the courtroom. In particular, psychologists need to become more self-reflective about their role in creating and maintaining such standards. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Acceptance of visual and audio interventions for distracted pedestrians

Distraction from mobile devices increases pedestrian risks at intersections. Innovative interventions are currently installed at road and rail intersections to alert pedestrians. These interventions will be effective only if pedestrians modify their behaviour. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) posits that behaviour changes as a result of behavioural intention, which is affected by perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. However, the link between intention and actual behaviour is often overlooked. The current study aims to investigate this link and apply this theoretical framework to interventions for distracted pedestrians. We conducted a day-time field study at three railway level crossings in New Zealand with such interventions reminding pedestrians to look for trains: in-ground flashing lights located at footpath level, an audio warning message, and in-ground flashing lights combined with the audio warning message. Participants (N = 34, Mean age 33.6, SD = 8.6 years) walked through level crossings while performing a distractor task (visual and auditory distraction) or when not distracted. Actively checking for trains from both sides of the crossing was used as a measure of actual behaviour. All three interventions were perceived as useful (5.1 ± 0.4) and easy to use (5.6 ± 0.2) and resulted in positive intention to use the technology (5.8 ± 0.3). Statistical analyses confirmed that the TAM constructs - particularly perceived usefulness - affected intention, and intentions lead to behavioural change with improved crossing behaviours. This study highlights the importance of perceived usefulness and intentions to use the interventions with reducing distracted pedestrian behaviours.     

Spiritual Need Six: Community Building

SUMMARY

Community building includes but is greater than providing fellowship. Community building promotes connection, belonging, and a sense of togetherness. Based upon the needs of older adults, community building is defined as an engagement that is mutually supportive and stimulating. Community building doesn't just happen naturally. There are important guidelines and categorization that assist in effective planning. Community building can happen any time a person is personally engaged with another and thus, with some intentionality, can happen at worship, committee meetings, as well as pot lucks and fun activities.     

Toward Empirically Based Standards for Abuser Intervention

Summary

This article describes the development of operational guidelines for Abuser Intervention Programs in Maryland. Unlike in many states which have adopted quite specific standards regarding program format, duration, etc., the Maryland guidelines address a fairly narrow range of issues. These include outreach to victims, communication with the courts, and the need for intervention programs to address domestic abuse directly in their program content. Maryland has also established a research task force on Abuser Intervention Programs, whose goal is to use empirical data to inform the use of best practices in the state, to facilitate empirical research at abuser intervention programs in Maryland, and to develop more detailed program standards in the future.     

Are Preferences in Emotional Processing Affected by Distraction? Examining the Age-Related Positivity Effect in Visual Fixation within a Dual-Task Paradigm

ABSTRACT

Recent research has suggested that age-related positivity effects are eliminated under conditions of dual-task load (Knight et al., 2007 Knight, M., Seymour, T. L., Gaunt, J. T., Baker, C., Nesmith, K. and Mather, M. 2007. Aging and goal directed emotional attention: Distraction reverses emotional biases. Emotion, 7: 705–714. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], Emotion, 7, 705; Mather & Knight, 2005 Mather, M. and Knight, M. 2005. Goal directed memory: The role of cognitive control in older adults' emotional memory. Psychology and Aging, 20: 554–570. [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], Psychology and Aging, 20, 554), because the cognitive control resources necessary to enact such preferences are not available when individuals are distracted by competing information. We further examined how older adults' emotional information processing preferences are affected by distracting information by utilizing a within-subjects dual-task measure. Younger and older adults viewed a series of positive, negative, and neutral images both in conditions of full and divided attention. Fixation preferences to valenced images were assessed through eye tracking. Regardless of whether images were viewed in full or divided attention conditions, older adults demonstrated a preference in their fixation for positive and neutral in comparison to negative images. These results provide evidence that older adults' positive fixation preferences may not always necessitate full, cognitive control.     

Guidelines with Strategies for Enhancement of Resilience and Psycho-Social Well-Being in Professional Nurses

There are currently no guidelines available for enhancement of resilience in professional nurses. This study aims to provide broad guidelines with specific strategies that may enhance resilience and psycho-social well-being in professional nurses. These guidelines are based findings from previous qualitative research on resilience in professional nurses in the public and private sector in South Africa. We used Kumpfer's (1999) theoretical model of resilience to frame the guidelines. Resilience among professional nurses appears to vary in manifestation across settings of practice.     

An investigation of the theoretical content of physical activity brochures

New evidence-based physical activity (PA) guidelines and recommendations for constructing messages supplementing the guidelines have been put forth. As well, recent reviews have identified theoretical constructs that hold promise as targets for intervention: self-regulation, outcome expectancies and self-efficacy. The purpose of this study was to examine the integration of messages targeting self-regulation, self-efficacy and outcome expectancies in existing physical activity brochures. Twenty-two PA brochures from Canadian and American National Health Organizations were assessed for their use self-efficacy, self-regulatory processes and outcome expectancies. Brochures were analyzed line-by-line using a modified version of the validated Content Analysis Approach to Theory-Specified Persuasive Educational Communication (CAATSPEC; Abraham, Southby, Quandte, Krahé, & van der Sluijs, 2007). Two independent raters coded a third of the brochures (n = 7). Inter-rater reliability was acceptable for 17 of the 20 categories (rs > .79). Discrepancies in all categories were discussed and agreement was reached. The remaining brochures were coded by one of the two raters. Usage of the three key theoretical constructs accounted for only 36.43% of brochure content (20.23% self-efficacy, 10.40% outcome expectancies, 5.80% self-regulation). Brochures lacked the use of a variety of theoretical strategies, specifically goal-setting, planning and verbal persuasion and rarely highlighted the affective benefits of physical activity. In the future brochures should aim to place increased emphasis on self-regulation, self-efficacy, and affective outcome expectancies.     

Describing our “humanness”: Can genetic science alter what it means to be “human”?

Over the past several decades, geneticists have succeeded in identifying the genetic mutations associated with disease. New strategies for treatment, including gene transfer and gene therapy, are under development. Although genetic science has been welcomed for its potential to predict and treat disease, interventions may become ethically objectionable if they threaten to alter characteristics that are distinctively human. Before we can determine whether or not a genetic technique carries this risk, we must clarify what it means to be “human”. This paper inquires how “humanness” has been defined within various academic fields. The views of several legal theoreists, scientists, bioethicists, psychologists, philosophers and anthropologists whose works seem to best reflect how “humanness” is understood in their respective fields of study are considered. Our survey attempts to chart a path for a more detailed study on the meaning of “humanness” in the future. We assess four traits commonly identified in the literature as defining what it means to be human: cognition, biological or physiological composition, social interaction with other “human” beings, and spirituality. The nature of the relationship between these characteristics, in our view, is symbiotic: genetic intervention which alters one of them could have repercussions on one or more of the others. In conclusion, we offer guidance to those participating in genetic research and treatment regarding the parameters within which they may proceed without threatening the preservation of what is distinctively human.     

Research ethics committees: a regional approach

Guidelines for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) or research ethics committees exist at national and international levels. These guidelines are based on ethical principles and establish an internationally acceptable standard for the review and conduct of medical research. Having attained a multinational consensus about what these fundamental guidelines should be, IRBs are left to interpret the guidelines and devise their own means of implementing them. Individual and community values bear on the interpretation of the guidelines so different IRBs attain different levels of effectiveness. In the Caribbean and Pan American regions there are few IRBs. Obstacles to the establishment and function of IRBs are exacerbated in developing regions like these by differences in language, literacy, and local value systems; education, administrative expertise, facilities, and access to information are also limited. A regional IRB network might facilitate more uniform ethical review in developing countries, and simplify IRB procedures. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.