Do we need an existential philosophy of the railway? Why then a philosophy of sport?

A lively debate has arisen about the need and the character of phenomenology—of phenomenology in general and of sports phenomenology in particular. This paper responds to Irena Martínková and Jim Parry who ‘defended’ philosophical phenomenology against my critique of their book about phenomenological approaches to sport. Where the defense maintains the existence of one single and correct phenomenology, understood as a sort of existential philosophy, this paper argues for a diversity of different types of phenomenology and more concretely for a phenomenological method that goes ‘back to phenomena.’     

The effects of collaborative practice on statistical problem solving: Benefits and boundaries

In recent years, understanding the effects of collaboration on learning and memory has emerged as a major topic of investigation. Findings from applied educational research and from basic cognitive research demonstrate a complex view of how collaboration affects learning. The present laboratory study bridged these two domains of research to address the question of how collaborative learning affects statistical problem solving. After viewing a lecture, participants completed two statistics tests. They either completed the tests collaboratively and then individually, or completed both tests individually. Results showed an immediate benefit of collaboration, but this benefit did not persist on a subsequent individual test. Repeated practice by those who worked individually increased performance to the level of those who had previously collaborated. These results were qualified by gender as females showed a consistent benefit from prior collaboration on the post-collaborative test, particularly on conceptual problems. Implications for education are discussed.     

Subjective cognitive complaint in healthy older adults: Identification of major domains and relation to objective performance

This study analyzed complaints across a range of memory domains in middle-aged and older adults, as well as assessed their relationship with objective cognitive performance and personal characteristics. A total of 115 community-dwelling, healthy adults between the ages of 45 and 87 completed the Self-Evaluation Questionnaire (QAM) and were tested with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. A principal component analysis identified seven dimensions of complaint. Difficulty inhibiting internal and external sources of interference when learning or remembering something was the main area of complaint and it was correlated with word-list recall and Digit Symbol. We identified complaints related to a set of memory failures that appear to be more detrimental to autonomy and safety. These were correlated with a measure of functional autonomy and might, therefore, indicate more severe difficulties. Overall, this study provides indications regarding the main domains of memory complaints and identifies which complaints are most reflective of objective cognitive problems.     

Anxiety experiences of male psychotherapists: A hermeneutic phenomenological study

Aims: There is currently a lack of clarity surrounding how men experience anxiety. This is caused by epistemological limitations with the perspectives employed to explore male anxiety, but equally by a lack of empirical research and uncertainty of how to define masculinity. In order to explain male anxiety more effectively this study needed to overcome these limitations by both incorporating the notion that there are multiple masculinities, through which men experience specific anxieties, and allowing men to talk directly about their experiences. This study focused on one kind of masculine identity: that of male psychotherapists. Research design: A hermeneutic phenomenological method was employed. Eight male psychotherapists of various modalities were interviewed who work in a number of therapeutic contexts. Results: Anxiety patterns are complex and comprise of feelings that are very difficult to deal with. Yet, anxiety is also an impetus for learning and improvement. Conclusions: The few existing ideas of male anxiety fail to capture the complexity of how men experience anxiety. Concepts of male anxiety need to be defined with more accuracy.     

Person‐centred counsellors' experiences of working with clients in crisis: A qualitative interview study

Aims: This study aims to explore and understand person‐centred therapists’ experiences and work with clients at the pivotal point of crisis. Specifically: how do person‐centred therapists experience working with clients in crisis? Do they identify differences in crisis intervention compared to non‐crisis work? What do they perceive as helpful to crisis clients? How relevant are therapists' own experiences of crisis? Method: Participants were all experienced person‐centred therapists. Qualitative, semi‐structured interviews were conducted and the data were analysed qualitatively using person‐centred/phenomenological methodology. Results: Respondents identified differences in their experiences. Typically, therapists described polarity in their experience of danger and opportunity, also heightened energy levels within themselves, perceived higher levels of engagement, faster pace of work, experiences of reaching ‘relational depth’ earlier, and the importance of assisting symbolisation of clients' experience in awareness. Clients were experienced as vulnerable, unable to access previous coping mechanisms, in a state of breakdown and disintegration, but also as wide open, having dropped their usual defences, and more available to engage in therapy and enter the process of change and potential post‐crisis growth. Discussion: The findings are discussed in relation to prevailing models of crisis intervention, person‐centred theory and theoretical developments in post‐traumatic growth in the aftermath of crisis.     

The effects of exposure to dynamic expressions of affect on 5-month-olds’ memory

The purpose of this study was to examine the behavioral effects of adults’ communicated affect on 5-month-olds’ visual recognition memory. Five-month-olds were exposed to a dynamic and bimodal happy, angry, or neutral affective (face–voice) expression while familiarized to a novel geometric image. After familiarization to the geometric image and exposure to the affective expression, 5-month-olds received either a 5-min or 1-day retention interval. Following the 5-min retention interval, infants exposed to the happy affective expressions showed a reliable preference for a novel geometric image compared to the recently familiarized image. Infants exposed to the neutral or angry affective expression failed to show a reliable preference following a 5-min delay. Following the 1-day retention interval, however, infants exposed to the neutral expression showed a reliable preference for the novel geometric image. These results are the first to demonstrate that 5-month-olds’ visual recognition memory is affected by the presentation of affective information at the time of encoding.     

Electrophysiological correlates of processes supporting memory for faces

The retrieval processes supporting recognition memory for faces were investigated using event-related potentials (ERPs). The focus for analyses was ERP old/new effects, which are the differences between neural activities associated with correct judgments to old (studied) and new (unstudied) test stimuli. In two experiments it was possible to identify three old/new effects that behaved as neural indices of the process of recollection. In both experiments there was one old/new effect that behaved as an index of the process of familiarity. These outcomes are relevant to the ongoing debate about the functional significance of ERP old/new effects and the implications that scalp-recorded electrophysiological data have for theories of the processes supporting long-term memory judgments.     

UNCERTAINTY AND GOD: A JAMESIAN PRAGMATIST APPROACH TO UNCERTAINTY AND IGNORANCE IN SCIENCE AND RELIGION

This article picks up from William James's pragmatism and metaphysics of experience, as expressed in his “radical empiricism,” and further develops this Jamesian pragmatist approach to uncertainty and ignorance by connecting it to phenomenological thought. The Jamesian pragmatist approach avoids both a “crude naturalism” and an “absolutist rationalism,” and allows for identification of intimations of the sacred in both scientific and religious practices—which all, in their respective ways, try to make sense of a complex world. Analogous to religious practices, emotion and the metaphysics of experience play a central role in science, especially the emotion of wonder. Engaging in scientific or religious practices may create opportunities for individuals to realize that they are co‐creators of the world in partnership with God, in full awareness of uncertainty and ignorance and filled with the emotion of wonder.     

“You Got to Apply Seriousness”: A Phenomenological Inquiry of Liberian Refugees' Coping

Liberian women's coping with refugee resettlement in the United States was examined. The authors analyzed interviews of 10 women according to van Manen's ( 1990 ) hermeneutic phenomenology. Nine themes, grouped within 3 coping categories (adopting culturally sanctioned attitudes, engaging with a new environment, and situating oneself in a narrative), were identified. Implications include the need for counselors to use holistic and advocacy‐based counseling approaches and facilitate coping by cultural meaning making of experiences.     

“I Am My Own Gender”: Resilience Strategies of Trans Youth

Nineteen trans youth participated in a phenomenological study of their resilience strategies for navigating stressors in their lives. The authors identified 5 supports and 6 threats to participants’ resilience. The 5 themes of resilience were: (a) ability to self‐define and theorize one's gender, (b) proactive agency and access to supportive educational systems, (c) connection to a trans‐affirming community, (d) reframing of mental health challenges, and (e) navigation of relationships with family and friends. The 6 major threats to participants’ resilience were: (a) experiences of adultism, (b) health care access challenges, (c) emotional and social isolation, (d) employment discrimination, (e) limited access to financial resources, and (f) gender policing.