The Community Psychologist as Critical Friend: Promoting Critical Community Praxis

Community‐engaged researchers have a responsibility to community partners to get beyond the traditional researcher stance to take on the active role of critical friend. On the basis of my own community research experiences in the USA, in this article, I argue that there is added value in taking on the practice of critical friendship to encourage a higher degree of critical reflection and critical practice in our partners and in our work together. In the context of long‐term, trusting relationships with community partners, researchers can play the role of critical friend working together to shape critical community praxis on the basis of critical theorizing, critical reflection, and a shared commitment to working for social justice. Those trying to make a difference in communities are often isolated and can benefit from opportunities for dialogue with other community practitioners within a critical frame of reference. Although not without risks and challenges, stepping into this role allows us to put into sharper relief the gap between community practice that challenges injustice and practice that maintains it. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The relationship between ADHD symptoms and driving behavior in college students: The mediating effects of negative emotions and emotion control

Previous research has shown a relationship between attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and driving anger and adverse driving outcomes. Moreover, adults with ADHD symptoms express their emotions in more aggressive ways, indicating a lack of emotion control. The present study surveyed 246 college students to examine the relationship among ADHD symptoms, negative emotions, emotion control, and driving anger and safe driving behavior. Mediating effects of negative emotions and emotional control on the relationship between ADHD symptoms and self-reported driving anger and safe driving behavior were also examined. Both negative emotions and emotion control were significant mediators of the relationship between ADHD symptoms and driving anger, but not safe driving behavior. Mediation was stronger for ADHD-Hyperactive/Impulsive symptoms than for ADHD-Inattention symptoms. These results may provide some insight on how to design training programs for individuals with ADHD symptoms to increase driving safety.     

Frequency and impact of hands-free telephoning while driving – Results from naturalistic driving data

The frequency and impact of hands-free telephoning while driving was analyzed based on naturalistic driving data from 106 drivers. The results from naturalistic driving data were compared with the results from experimental approaches. The implication of the overall results and the differences across drivers are discussed. Continuous information on the usage of the hands-free phone equipment was available which made it possible to include the entire database (∼1 000 000 km) in a completely automatized analysis. Results show that drivers talked on a hands-free phone about 11% of driving time. There were large differences across drivers in the frequency and usage of a hands-free phone. While telephoning, an adaptation of driving behavior could be found. Drivers slowed down and increased their distance to the lead vehicle. Furthermore, during telephoning, an overall reduction of potentially critical driving situations was found. Overall, the results indicate that compensation for telephoning was carried out with a long-term change of driving behavior, rather than with a short term adaption to the situation.     

A matter of style? Driver attributional ‘style’ in accounting for the driving of others as protective or as predisposing drivers towards retaliatory aggressive driving

Driver cognitions about aggressive driving of others are potentially important to the development of evidence-based interventions. Previous research has suggested that perceptions that other drivers are intentionally aggressive may influence recipient driver anger and subsequent aggressive responses. Accordingly, recent research on aggressive driving has attempted to distinguish between intentional and unintentional motives in relation to problem driving behaviours. This study assessed driver cognitive responses to common potentially provocative hypothetical driving scenarios to explore the role of attributions in driver aggression. A convenience sample of 315 general drivers 16–64 yrs (M = 34) completed a survey measuring trait aggression (Aggression Questionnaire AQ), driving anger (Driving Anger Scale, DAS), and a proxy measure of aggressive driving behaviour (Australian Propensity for Angry Driving AusPADS). Purpose designed items asked for drivers’ ‘most likely’ thought in response to AusPADS scenarios. Response options were equivalent to causal attributions about the other driver. Patterns in endorsements of attribution responses to the scenarios suggested that drivers tended to adopt a particular perception of the driving of others regardless of the depicted circumstances: a driving attributional style. No gender or age differences were found for attributional style. Significant differences were detected between attributional styles for driving anger and endorsement of aggressive responses to driving situations. Drivers who attributed the on-road event to the other being an incompetent or dangerous driver had significantly higher driving anger scores and endorsed significantly more aggressive driving responses than those drivers who attributed other driver’s behaviour to mistakes. In contrast, drivers who gave others the ‘benefit of the doubt’ endorsed significantly less aggressive driving responses than either of these other two groups, suggesting that this style is protective.     

The Option for Life

In today's Anthropocene, the reality of our growing global population, with its requirement of and strain upon the natural world, and our grave projected ecological outlook pose new challenges for Christian ethicists. How can both people and the earth flourish? Discussed within the context of theological and secular reflections on natural law, this article proposes one answer to such a question through a recasting of the human right to nature by way of a deep and wide understanding of vocation. Using Luther as a prototype who demonstrates the innate value of all life forms and offers an innovative working concept of vocation, it is here shown how an emphasis on vocation, when extended ecologically, can promote the option of life for all.     

Economy and Grace: A Defense of Human Capital

Luther develops his idea of the grace of God in tandem with his idea of economy, and a society characterized by ethical and social values such as love of neighbor and caring for the weak and poor. Hence, the reformer's search for a gracious God is developed along with his criticism of the current indulgence doctrine and the emerging oeconomia moderna. Thus, building on a simul gratia et oeconomia, Luther's reformation theology can be perceived as the intersection of an economy of grace and a horizontal social economy (works of love) in quotidian life that together constitute human capital.     

日本731部队细菌战与人体试验研究：《陆军军医学校防疫研究报告》第2部·第1册解析

《陆军军医学校防疫研究报告》是日本陆军军医学校(东京)的内部刊物,《陆军军医学校防疫研究报告》第2部·第1册是第2部第1号~第100号,主编为731部队长石井四郎,收录了1939年7月~1941年底日军细菌战方面的研究成果,包括陆军军医学校、731部队、东京帝国大学等机构成员撰写的专题研究报告共计96篇,缺失4篇。日军在1939年~1945年在华多次发动细菌战,从报告发布时间看,全部发表于日本全面侵华战争之后和细菌战开始之前;从报告内容看,有关血清、细菌培养、滤水器使用、疫苗研究等主要内容可以反映出细菌战研究为开展细菌战所做的准备。     

论西方主流伦理理论的前提错误——兼论道德无力症与冷漠症对医疗的影响

从“畏死的恐惧”出发重塑扎根生命的道德基础,即道德行为和“生-生”式的道德关系是人的本真需要,道德权威性的根据是人类生命共同体这一“内在永恒大我”和人的本真存在方式的需要。这拯救了道德相对主义,也使个体作为潜在的人类生命共同体而能以“与永恒相关的生命意义”推开恐惧。进而,道德行为是出于内在自由而达于实在的自由的。道德主体应具备的道德实践能力包括独立能力、通达能力和勇气。生存性境况中的原子式个体不具备道德实践能力,生命境况中的“超个体的个体”才有此能力。由此,人类道德无力症和道德冷漠症的根源是西方主流伦理理论的前提错误,即以原子式个体充任道德主体。它是医疗纠纷和暴力频发的原因。     

临床试验受试者补偿存在的问题及改进措施探讨

通过对补偿等相关概念界定,对临床试验受试者补偿的范围界定不明确、补偿金额缺乏具体核算标准及报销手续繁琐与兑现时间长、补偿方式单一,未体现不同受试者多样化需求、受试者维权能力与维权意识薄弱、伦理委员会履职能力也影响受试者权益维护等问题进行了分析,针对问题探讨其改进措施,如明确补偿的具体内容与范围,制定具体补偿标准及提高补偿兑现效率,采取合理的多样化补偿和激励方式,充分向受试者告知补偿权益,提高受试者的维权意识,提高伦理委员的审查能力等,为制定受试者补偿相关指导意见及保护受试者权益提供一定的理论参考。     

《中国人群死亡及其危险因素:流行水平、趋势和分布》的研究思路

回顾了该研究的思路,指出进行这样的研究,关键是建立一个有代表性的监测系统,针对同一监测人群,开展综合监测,发展规范的现场工作程序,确保获得高质量数据。建立标准的、动态的人口库、出生、死亡和危险因素个案库,是完成这项研究的前提,世界卫生组织专家称这是中国人在流行病学监测中的天才创新。