Media representations of environmental issues: From scientific to political discourse

IntroductionThe media is considered to be a social agent that intervenes in the elaboration of social representations of environmental issues.ObjectiveThis research analyses media representations of environmental issues and how they have been constructed and transformed from the Rio Summit in 1992 to 2006. The authors adopted a constructionist approach based on the theory of social representations (Moscovici, 1961/1976) to describe the generation of information by the mass media.MethodA sample of 1039 news articles from two Spanish newspapers (La Vanguardia and El País) was analysed. The period of study ranged from the Rio Earth Summit to several years after the Johannesburg Summit (1992–2006), and the study analyses both the content and form of the environmental news.ResultsThis longitudinal study shows not only an increase in environmental news during the period of analysis but also an increased variety of themes addressed and represented. The results evidence significant urban problems in recent years. The environment has shifted from being associated with nature to being predominately associated with the urban environment.ConclusionThe results suggest that there has been a movement from scientific to political discourse and a change towards greater reflection and social recognition of the relevance of environmental issues.     

The Epistemic Criterion: A Response to Michael Hand

This article is a response to Michael Hand’s critique in this issue of my response to his use of the epistemic criterion as the sole means for identifying whether or not an issue should be identified as controversial. I argue that he has misunderstood my intention in suggesting that I was seeking to replace the epistemic criterion. Rather my purpose was to challenge his over-confidence in the decisiveness of reason and to temper his use of the epistemic criterion by suggesting it needed to embrace ethical concerns.     

Ethical Issues in Doctoral Supervision: The Perspectives of PhD Students in the Natural and Behavioral Sciences

Our aim was to identify the ethical issues faced by students in the behavioral and natural sciences during their doctoral programmes. The participants were 28 PhD students who were interviewed about their doctoral study and supervision experiences. We identified a total of 102 ethical issues compromising the principles of nonmaleficence, beneficence, autonomy, justice, or fidelity. There were some differences in emphases, with the students in the behavioral sciences displaying a broader range of ethical compromises than the students in the natural sciences. Ethical problems emerged in the individual supervisor–student relationships, but often problems involving the scholarly community appeared in the background.     

Addressing Consent Issues in Donation After Circulatory Determination of Death

Given the widening gap between the number of individuals on transplant waiting lists and the availability of donated organs, as well as the recent plateau in donations based on neurological criteria (i.e., brain death), there has been a growing interest in expanding donation after circulatory determination of death. While the prevalence of this form of organ donation continues to increase, many thorny ethical issues remain, often creating moral distress in both clinicians and families. In this article, we address one of these issues, namely, the challenges surrounding patient and surrogate informed consent for donation after circulatory determination of death. First we discuss several general concerns regarding consent related to this form of organ donation, and then we address additional issues that are unique to three different patient categories: adult patients with medical decision-making capacity or potential capacity, adult patients who lack capacity, and pediatric patients.     

Using Mixed Personal Growth Groups to Reduce Biases With Same-Sex Couples

Counselors serve numerous multicultural clients, such as individuals in same-sex relationships. However, some counselors-in-training (students) are reluctant to provide therapy to same-sex couples (SSCs). This article provides counselor education programs with creative guidelines/strategies for students to work with SSCs. Specifically, this article recommends a mixed personal growth group for counselors-in-training to develop better social-relational capabilities and multicultural sensitivity/awareness.     

The Texas Advanced Directive Law: Unfinished Business

The Texas Advance Directive Act allows physicians and hospitals to overrule patient or family requests for futile care. Purposefully not defining futility, the law leaves its determination in specific cases to an institutional process. While the law has received several criticisms, it does seem to work constructively in the cases that come to the review process. We introduce a new criticism: While the law has been justified by an appeal to professional values such as avoiding harm to patients, avoiding the provision of unseemly care, and good stewardship of medical resources, it is applied incompletely. It allows physicians and institutional committees to refuse “futile” treatments desired by patients and families while at the same time providing no way of regulating physicians who recommend or even push “futile” treatments in similar cases. In this sense, the TADA is incomplete on its own terms.     

School Counselors’ General Self-Efficacy,Ethical and Legal Self-Efficacy,and Ethical and Legal Knowledge

School counselors encounter ethical and legal situations that necessitate the knowledge and confidence to apply decision-making skills. We report the findings from a correlational investigation that examines practicing school counselors’ (N = 287) ethical and legal self-efficacy, ethical and legal knowledge, and general self-efficacy. Higher ethical and legal self-efficacy was associated with higher general self-efficacy and ethical and legal knowledge. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

A Critical Incident Technique Study of the Facilitation of Gang Entry: Perspectives of Indigenous Men Ex-Gang Members

The aim of the study was to describe incidents that facilitated gang entry among 10 Indigenous men who survived and exited from gang life in Canada’s Prairies. The critical incident technique was applied as participants responded to this question: What facilitated gang entry for you? A total of 103 incidents that facilitated gang entry for participants were sorted into 13 distinct categories. These events led to a progression of gang activity where the gang lifestyle provided validation, provided a site for dedication and learning, and generated traumatic consequences for participants’ actions. Qualitative textual data vignettes, counseling, and research recommendations are provided.     

An Analysis of Fundamental Issues in the Research of Artificial Intelligence Ethical Risk Prevention

While receiving widespread attention, the fundamental issues in the research of artificial intelligence (AI) ethical risk prevention need to be probed and articulated. Although the relevant research is still at an initial stage with long-term tasks, it has a very important social significance. The strategic goals of AI ethical risk prevention research are clarifying ethical risks, taking flexible and effective measures, and providing ethical support for the development of AI technology. This paper argues that key tasks must be of the top priority, such as broadening the theoretical foundation, evaluating ethical risks, realizing ethical design and solving core ethical risks. Therefore, the research of AI ethical risk prevention can be substantially promoted.