Tyrosine hydroxylase activities in the brains of wild Norway rats and silver foxes selected for reduced aggressiveness towards humans

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity was measured in brains from Norway rats and silver foxes showing wild type aggressiveness and from their counterparts selected over 20-25 generations for reduced aggressiveness towards humans (tameness). TH activity in the brain stem and cortex was increased in tame animals of both species compared with aggressive counterparts. Selection increased hypothalamic TH activity in foxes, but decreased it in rats. There was no difference in TH activity in corpus striatum between the tame and aggressive animals. Fetal TH activity in the posterior part of the brain was higher in tame than aggressive rats at day 20 of embryogensis. Increased TH activity in the brain stem and cortex of adult aggressive rats was observed after treatment of their mothers with hydrocortisone on the days 16 and 18 of pregnancy. This elevation in TH activity was associated with attenuation of the defense behavior of aggressive rats. The data suggested that alterations in neural TH activity in tame rats and foxes may be part of the neurochemical basis of their behavioral phenotype which is developed by selection. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Aggression,defense, and coping in humans

One way of identifying emotional behaviors across species, language, and cultures is to describe the “instrumental” effects of each particular behavior. Since aggression and defense may be instrumental they also represent coping behavior. The term coping is being used partly to indicate whether or not the behavior is successful and partly to describe how a situation is being handled (coping strategies). This review deals with how these behaviors are observed and quantified in humans and how they are linked to physiological changes. The internal state of the individual is decided by the expectancy of the outcome of a given situation, but each behavior strategy may have specific links to particular brain mechanisms and particular physiological effectors. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Offensive and defensive bite-target topographies in attacks by lactating rats

The attacks by resident lactating Wistar rats on sexually naive conspecifics of both sexes were examined. Male and female intruders were equally attacked in terms of frequency and number of bites, but the topographies of biting seen in these encounters were different. Similarly to male-male agonistic interactions, females were attacked in a fashion which avoided bites to the head and snout (“offensive” attack), whereas males were frequently bitten on such vulnerable regions (“defensive” attack). This dichotomy in bite pattern suggests that different motivations and functions underlay maternal aggression in these situations. The defensive attack on males may be a deterrent to infanticide since only male intruders counterattack lactating females and kill their pups. The attack on females may be concerned with resource competition.     

不同适应水平小学生情境投射反应比较--小学生自我调节机制的一项研究

本研究选取发展良好与适应不良的三—-五年级小学生为被试,用完成句子的形式进行投射测验,以比较分析被试对于句子呈现情境的主观意义感受特征。结果表明,两组被试在学习任务完成后的体验、集体的地位感和人际交往的亲和性与支持感等方面主观意义感受存在明显的差异。数项结果分析显示,适应不良的被试可能存在着两种类型的反应。     

Psychological characteristics of women with eating disorders: Permanent or transient features?

The purpose of the study was to make a psychological profile of Danish women with Eating Disorders, who were not currently hospitalized. 75 women between the ages of 19 and 46 years participated. 22 participants suffered from a clinical eating disorder (ED). 20 women had previously suffered from a clinical ED, and 33 women had never suffered from ED. The study included sociodemographic data, problems in relation to eating and weight, exposure to stressful life events, and the following questionnaires: The Eating Disorder Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Coping Styles Questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Defense Style Questionnaire, and the Trauma Symptom Checklist. Psychologically, women with ED differed significantly from women without ED by using a more primitive defense style, perceiving themselves as being more exposed to stress, using more inefficient methods of coping and having lower self-esteem. Unexpectedly, the study also showed that recovery from an ED was resulting in normalisation of both behavioral and psychological characteristics. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

自我防卫机制的某些研究趋向

考察了自我防卫机制的四种新的理论模型(现实处理模型、防卫的双过程模型、三维防卫模型、以及投射发生机制的新解释)和自我防卫机制的临床研究、相关研究、实验研究三种取向,并阐述了作者对该问题当前研究趋向的几点思考。     

防御机制的年龄、性别与文化差异

本研究考察了生命全程中防御机制使用的年龄、性别和文化差异。被试年龄范围为１０～８６岁,其中美国被试为１６８人（男８５人,女８３人）,中国大陆被试为１５６人（男７６人,女８０人）。本研究运用测验法对被试的防御机制进行测查,结果表明：不同文化背景下个体使用的防御机制有明显的差异,中国被试比美国被试更多地使用指向自我与理智化两种防御机制,更少使用指向他人与投射;同时防御机制的使用表现出显著的年龄特征,中老年被试比年轻被试较多使用反向而较少使用指向他人与投射;防御机制的使用还表现出显著的性别差异,女性比男性更多使用指向自我而更少使用反向。     

Predicting Psychiatric Symptomatology with the Defense Style Questionnaire-40

The relationship between specific defense styles and symptom-related responses was investigated in a large sample of university students. In general, immature defenses were the major predictors of the symptom patterns measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory. In particular, combinations of projection, displacement, autistic fantasy, somatization, and acting out were the strongest predictors of psychopathology. Projection was a major predictor of psychopathology in males, whereas displacement was the major predictor for females. Several similarities and differences in the relationship between defense styles and different disorders were revealed.;or timing of both psychological and hormonal responses to 2 given volumes of training.     

Leaps of faith: Is forgiveness a useful concept?

Using detailed clinical vignettes, the author argues that, despite the current idealization of the concept of forgiveness, the term has no place in psychoanalytic work, and there are some hazards to giving it one. Clinically, the concept of forgiveness is seductive, implying that there should be a common outcome to a variety of injuries, stemming from different situations and calling for different solutions. Every instance of what we call forgiveness can be seen to serve a different defensive function. While the conscious experience of what is called forgiveness is sometimes confused with the unconscious process of reparation, the two can only be described at different levels of psychic life. Despite the fact that in ‘the unconscious’ there is no such thing as forgiveness, the term has an adhesive quality in our thinking that also blunts the analyst'’s appreciation of the aggressive components in the work. In a final vignette, the author illustrates an analytic outcome that has the appearance of forgiveness, but is best understood as the complex result of the everyday work of analysis.