Impressions of World of Warcraft players’ personalities based on their usernames: Interobserver consensus but no accuracy

Millions of people interact in the context of massively-multi-player-online-role-play-games (MMORPGs). Here we address whether MMORPG usernames convey accurate information about users’ personalities. Impressions based on email addresses show some accuracy but MMORPG’s are different because they provide little accountability, with little expectation that users will ever meet in person. We assessed consensus and accuracy in impressions based on 1357 (153 females) World of Warcraft users. Ratings of the usernames in terms of the Big Five dimensions yielded strong consensus (mean ICC = .46) but low accuracy (mean r = .01). Lens-model analysis suggest that features of the usernames have little validity, but observers used them anyway. Discussion focuses on why results might differ from those based on email addresses.     

The renewal of the diaconate and the holistic mission of the Church

Research on the diaconate in recent years has provided a stimulus for discussion on possible reform and renewal of the ordained ministry. Whilst some critics see this as arising merely from an attempt at a uniformity which might further the search for unity in the Church, this article argues that there are in fact certain natural reasons for reforming the diaconate. The author focuses on the relationship of mission and diakonia and the renewal of the diaconate with each other. Though the term ‘mission’ is not often used, the article follows the central points of ecumenical missiological discussion, addressing the crucial question, ‘What is the place of diakonia and the diaconate in the holistic mission of the Church?’ There is thence a certain logic in the argument, leading to the conclusions the author finally draws.     

The Naked Spirit of Sport: A Framework for Revisiting the System of Bans and Justifications in the World Anti-Doping Code

As the World Anti-Doping Code is up for revision, the paper proposes a framework for reading the Code based on a relatively literal approach and an almost exclusive focus on the ‘spirit of sport’ as a key element of the Code. The author argues that this single element can contribute to revealing the underlying rationale of the Code, as it serves to justify bans of doping substances and methods, in some cases without recurring to evidence sustaining the claims made. For a substance/method to be banned, the Code requires that two out of three criteria be met: performance enhancement, health risk and the spirit of sport. The paper demonstrates how these provisions link to other parts of the Code, (under the rules of the Code 2009) in the absence of performance-enhancing properties combined with a health risk. The paper draws implications from these findings regarding terminological (im)precision, legal certainty/predictability, transparency/accountability, limits to arbitrary exercise of power and internal/external validity.     

Age of acquisition's effect on memory for semantically associated word pairs

This experiment investigated the effects of age of acquisition (AoA) in memory for associated word pairs in a cued recall task. Participants studied a list of frequency-controlled early- and late-acquired words in semantically related pairs and then were asked to recall the second word of the pair when cued with the first. Reaction time effects were found, showing that a late-acquired cue for an early-acquired target word was responded to significantly faster than other combinations. Additionally, late-acquired target words resulted in significantly more accurate responses. As significant differences were found even when frequency was controlled, the effects must therefore stem from the manipulations of AoA. Given this evidence, the implications for AoA's effects on the organization of semantic memory are explored.     

Ecumenism in Scotland

This article examines the history of Scottish ecumenism through the institutional ecumenism of the Scottish Churches Council, the Scottish Ecumenical Committee, the second Scottish Churches Council and Action of Churches Together in Scotland (ACTS), looking at the significant contribution of Scottish Churches House and the ‘Tell Scotland’ Movement. It also looks at the history of ‘participative ecumenism’ and how it has related to ‘representative ecumenism’. It gives a brief reflection on local ecumenism and notes the history of discussion for organic union.     

Globalization Shuffles Cards of the World Pack: In Which Direction is the Global Economic-Political Balance Shifting?

The article offers forecasts of the geopolitical and geo-economic development of the world in the forthcoming decades. One of the main accusations directed toward globalization is that it deepens the gap between the developed and developing countries dooming them to eternal backwardness. The article demonstrates that the actual situation is very different. It is shown that this is due to the globalization that the developing countries are generally growing much faster than the developed states, the World System core starts weakening and its periphery begins to strengthen. At the same time there is a continuing divergence between the main bulk of developing countries and the group of the poorest developing states. The article also explains why the globalization was bound to lead to the explosive rise of many developing countries and the relative weakening of the developed economies. In the forthcoming decades this trend is likely to continue (although, of course, not without certain interruptions). It is also demonstrated that this convergence constitutes a necessary condition for the next technological breakthrough. This has important implications for the hegemony debates. A rather popular theory of hegemony cycles implies that the eclipse of the global hegemony of the United States should be followed by the emergence of a new global hegemon. This generates the dichotomy of the two main current points of view—either the United States will continue the global leadership in the forthcoming decades, or it will be replaced by China in this capacity. We do not find the study of the future within this dichotomy fruitful. We believe that in a direct connection with the development of globalization processes the hegemony cycle pattern is likely to come to its end, which will lead to the World System reconfiguration and the emergence of its new structure that will allow the World System to continue its further development without a hegemon.     

Ecumenism and Evangelicalism: Where Are We?

While the ecumenical movement, and particularly the World Council of Churches, must always be an inclusive forum where the richness of the total life of the Christian church is manifest, this article argues that evangelicals cannot give up the quest for church unity because that would mean ignoring a central aspect of the prayer of Jesus Christ. Looking at areas of convergence between the evangelical and the ecumenical movement, four areas are identified for further cooperation and dialogue: the authority of the Bible; mobilizing all churches for the evangelization of the whole world; the perspective of the poor; and the challenge of justice and peace.     

Willem A. Visser ‘t Hooft: The Future of Peace

This is an edited translation of an address given on 20 July 2017, the 73rd anniversary of the bomb plot against Adolf Hitler, at the Adam von Trott Foundation in Imshausen, Germany. It recalls the contacts of Willem A. Visser 't Hooft, the first general secretary of the World Council of Churches, with the German resistance during the Second World War, discusses the relevance of their vision of the post‐war future to contemporary politics, and highlights the significance of Visser 't Hooft for the ecumenical movement.     

Walking Together,Serving Justice and Peace

As the World Council of Churches (WCC) marks its 70th anniversary, this article focuses on the challenges it faces in its commitment to work for the unity of the church and for common service and witness for justice and peace in the world. Looking back on the experiences in the Reformation year 2017, it argues that it is time for the fellowship of churches to be accountable for what it has achieved and received from ecumenical dialogue, and to grow together in mutual accountability. At the same time, the statement by the WCC's 10th Assembly at Busan that “We intend to move together” emphasizes that ecumenism is not a static reality, but dynamic, involving the cooperation of the various churches and in interaction with people of good will of other communities.     

From Partnership to Liberation

Although there were more women present at the 4th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) at Uppsala in 1968 than at previous assemblies, they still formed less than 10 percent of the voting delegates. There was thus a large discrepancy between the WCC's theological statements on the cooperation of women and men and the various power structures found in the WCC and its member churches. Nevertheless, Uppsala marked a significant turning point for women in the WCC. The expansion of the WCC, the commitment to restructuring, and the emergence of new leadership all contributed to the beginning at Uppsala of a new era in the ecumenical movement, leading to a shift in discourse from cooperation to liberation, and a new awareness of women's universal struggle for liberation from all forms of discrimination and oppression.